Goalie, goalie, goalie

It is hockey week this week at SMILE. To celebrate a little early, we had the counselors all try to stop a tennis ball/puck last week.

Fail

Some of you may have seen this, some of you may not have. Regardless, take a look or another look and what I did last month.

Warriors Draft Party

There is a new Warrior in town, along with a new logo and a new court. Check out some footage from the big Warriors draft party tonight.

An incredible few days in sports

So it has been a crazy and hectic few days in sports, here in the Bay Area and on a national scale with that huge World Cup victory early this morning.

First, we'll start with some things you probably have never heard about and may not have interest in at all.

• The Sharks are parting ways with Evgeni Nabokov

For the few hockey fans out there, this is a huge deal as Evgeni Nabokov has been the face of the Sharks, at least in the goalie department for about a decade. Nabokov has been a great, even spectacular regular season goalie, but has never pushed the Sharks into the Stanley Cup Finals.

In my opinion, Nabokov is a good goalie, but not a great goalie. The great goalies make the huge save when it needs to be made. A great goalie makes saves that you can't even believe he stopped. Nabokov has never done that in the playoffs. Is that fair? Probably not. But sports isn't fair, and when it comes to the playoffs, you need to be great, and not good.

The Sharks will look for a cheaper replacement more than likely. This was also a cost-cutting move. But I wish Nabokov all the best of luck. And if you watch this video, do you recognize the voice that asked Nabby his first question???

• The longest tennis match in history

John Isner and Nicolas Mahut are in the history books. I didn't even know who these two were until today, which is when the two played in the longest tennis match in history. At the time of this writing, they have played for officially at exactly 10 hours.

Their match started Tuesday night and had to be suspended until today because of the darkness. And today, they played for 7 hours and and 6 minutes, all in the fifth set.

A long video, but a must see. You will never see this again in your lifetime!!!



And finally, recapping an incredible USA vs Algeria game that put them into the Sweet 16 of the World Cup.

BREAKING NEWS: Warriors trade Corey Maggette

Just minutes ago, the Warriors made a trade, sending Corey Maggette to the Milwaukee Bucks for Dan Gadzuric and Charlie Bell.

And in other news, NOBODY CARES!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the fajahss out there. It was around 2 a.m. and I thought I'd wish my Dad a Happy Father's Day, so take a look.

Team USA robbed of victory

Boys and girls,

As we complete soccer week at SMILE, we look back at this morning's World Cup match between the United States and Slovenia.

The US, as normal, got off to another slow start and fell behind 2-0 at halftime. In the history of the World Cup, only 5 times has a team come back from 2-0 at the half to tie the game, and never has a team won.

Today, the US tied the game at 2-2 and should've won the game.

Why not? The referee completely blew the game. And if you know me, I rarely ever blame the referees because I always feel there are things in a game that you can do better so the game doesn't rest in the hands of an official. Today was not the case.

A friend of mine told me that some are speculating the referee was paid off and I am inclined to believe that. Take a look at this entire highlight video. It is 7 minutes, but definitely something that you need to see.

You'll see the great goals by both teams, an amazing comeback by the United States, and probably one of the most confusing things you'll ever see. Still, nobody knows why the ref blew his whistle.

What does this mean in the long run? Team USA needs to win their next game, plain and simple.

Wake up early for the World Cup

7 a.m. is the kick-off for Team USA's second game of the World Cup. Dial your TVs in to ESPN bright and early.

After taking a brief break, the blog should be updated daily if not every other day so please continue to come visit for some pretty cool new stuff.

There's also several videos that I have not edited or released to the public -- like kickball -- thanks a lot Miles. Look for those as well in the upcoming two weeks.

Bye bye class of 2010

Exactly one week ago, I said goodbye to the class of 2010 for the very last time. For me, it was the most fun and most emotional graduation dinner dance that I have been apart of in my three years as an athletic director.

I've said it many times, to this class, at awards night and to other people that I have come across in the last several weeks -- this is my favorite class.

Since they were in 6th grade, almost every time I would enter their classroom, they would all stop what they were doing and start clapping. On many occassions, their teachers had no clue what had happened, because they just all of a sudden heard a round of applause. Sometimes, individuals in the class would get in trouble for clapping, but they did it anyways, which I appreciate and always will.

I don't know what else I could possibly say that I haven't said already. But the realization that I will no longer be able to see this class on a daily basis come this fall is something I didn't want to have to encounter. Even this week, being at school was a different feeling. I had one less class to visit as the lights in the 8th grade room were off for good.

Every person in this class joined a sport at one point in their St. Mary's career. Look it up, and I doubt you will find another class that has done the same. They appeared in several championships, accomplished a lot of firsts, and exemplified what St. Mary's Athletics is all about.

Last Thursday, I stood in front of the 8th grade room, holding back tears, knowing that this was the final time I would ever speak to all of them as a class.

Other classes who have graduated have shown me love, but none as much as this class. For the first time this year, they all invited me to be in their graduation picture. Look at the classes who have graduated and there is no sign of Bryan Cheung in any of those photos. They've been so welcoming of me in their classroom that at times I even feel like I am part of their class. I feel honored and privileged working with this special collection of characters.

In closing, I wish each and every one of you in the class of 2010 the best in everything you do. And like I said last week, set the bar high and never settle. Find something you like to do, and do it well.

Thank you all for being part of my life. You will all forever hold a special place in my heart.

Goodbye and good luck.

Girls All-Star Sunday Video Library

Below is the Girls All-Star Sunday Video Library. ENJOY!
















St. Mary's School Knockout 2010 from Bryan Cheung on Vimeo.

8th Grade Graduation Dinner Dance Recap

The class of 2010 came together for one final time last night for the graduation dinner dance. It was a bittersweet night for all the graduates, families and friends. So for those of you who weren't there, here's a bit of what happened. Enjoy.

Graduation comes full circle tonight

The class of 2010 will take their final bows as St. Mary's students when they say goodbye as a class one last time at the graduation dinner dance tonight.

Congratulations to the 18 distinguished students who have gone through the peaks and valleys while attending St. Mary's.

On the blog, we look back at this year's 8th grade in some of their best moments. And please, read the blog entries from all the graduates and coaches as we celebrate the 8th grade moving on to their next chapter in life.

An emotional Emily bids everyone adieu

The first time I saw Bryan Cheung was when I was in 5th grade, performing in the Talent Show.  I remember dancing and asking myself, “Who IS that guy with that beard?!”  Little did I know that he was going to be our Athletic Director.  On the first day of school in 6th grade, when he first began working at St. Mary’s as AD, I was the first student to be introduced to him when I ran into him and Mrs. Ng upstairs.

To be quite honest, I was a bit skeptical about Bryan Cheung and the athletics program.  Before Bryan became the AD, I barely knew anything about it.  The AD before him did not come everyday to tell us updates or news, publish a newsletter, start a blog, or post updates on Twitter.  I only knew that there was one sport- basketball.  We never had a basketball team before Bryan- we were all too shy or too lazy to play.  Nobody had really pushed us or encouraged us to try playing.  But Bryan was different- he would not and did not settle for just average or the bare minimum.  He demanded, insisted, and pulled teeth in order for us to join.

In our first season of basketball, we went (2-6).  Not so great, but also not too shabby for a team playing for the first year and barely even knowing how to dribble.  We snuck into the playoffs last year, with a (4-4) record.  This year, we went (7-1); our only loss of the season was by one point to the eventual champions.  Five of our seven wins were blowouts- we won by at least fifteen points.

In our first season of volleyball, we were clueless.  None of us had really even touched a volleyball before.  But what made up for the lack of skill or experience was our enthusiasm to play and try a new sport.  Now, when I reflect on our season this year, I think that it is safe to say that we exceeded all expectations.  We learned how to serve overhand (we could barely serve underhand in our first season), spike, set, and tip.  Everyone probably would have been surprised if we had even won one set, but we accomplished that in our second game of the preseason tournament.  Then, we went to win 4 games in our regular season- two of them in just two sets.  We dominated in the playoffs, only to fall a little short in the championships. 

This year was a great turnaround.  This year, in both sports, we played with a sense of urgency, but most importantly, a passion to win.  It was the perfect way to end our St. Mary’s Athletics era.  In both volleyball and basketball, we were runner-ups in our division.  Our memories and good times together mean more than any first place trophy.

Thank you to my teammates and coaches for inspiring me and continuing to support me.  I will never forget all the fun times and laughter we shared.  Last, but certainly not least, thank you Bryan Cheung for your dedication to not only the athletics program at St. Mary’s, but also the school spirit at St. Mary’s.  You encouraged everyone- whether it was to try a new sport or to attend another team’s game.  Thank you for bringing volleyball, baseball, and soccer to St. Mary’s.     

I am truly grateful to be a part of the era of St. Mary’s Athletics.  St. Mary’s Athletics is where a volleyball team, who has never even touched a volleyball and went (0-8) in their first year of playing, places second in their division in just their second year playing.  St. Mary’s Athletics is where seemingly far-fetched dreams and goals become real achieved goals.  It is where the impossible is made possible.

Ronnie bids farewell to the class of 2010

It seemed like it was only yesterday when I was running up and down the court playing in my final year in a St. Mary's uniform. I remember every big game we had, all the battles I went through with my teammates for a well deserved win, and the bitter taste of every defeat. These are the type of experiences that you can’t learn anywhere else. The day I agreed to coach these kids, I made it my job to give them the same great memories and life lessons that I had when I was a kid.

I remember the night I got a call from Bryan asking me if I wanted to coach the 6th grade boys. I was a little hesitant at first and even said no. Eventually Bryan convinced me to take the job. Little did I know it would be one of the best decisions I've ever made. I always knew these boys had the potential to be special. What they lacked in talent they made up with incredible heart and the willingness to learn.

From day one I told the boys that not everybody needs to score 20 point a night, asking them to try to learn and be something they're not just wouldn't be fair. Instead my assistant coaches Aaron, Thanh and I stressed to them to find a role they were comfortable being in and work hard to build upon that. Whether it was being the guy that plays shut down defense, or the guy that provides that spark coming off the bench for secondary scoring, or simply just the guy with the big body to clog the lanes and grab rebounds, everybody had a role to play. Four straight playoff appearances and three straight championship appearances later, I say they all did their part.

Coming into their final season expectations were pretty high. We lost 2 key pieces that was a vital part in our past success in Tom and Zack. I remember during the first practice asking everyone to take on the challenge of coming out of their comfort zone and expanding their role. I would say everybody took on that challenge with a full head of steam. Players like Elliot, Brandon, and Gary showed great hustle and emerged as a vital part in our secondary scoring while players like Kevin provided the toughness in the middle that was lacking after the departure of tom. I just wished everything would've come full circle by finishing the season with a championship.

Coaching the girls was a whole different experience. The first game we took over was something I remember vividly. It was a game played at epiphany. By the 4th quarter we had managed to score a measly 2 points and the girls were already asking to be taken out of the game. I remember thinking to myself why in the world would you join a basketball team and not want to play. After the game I couldn’t even look them in the eye. I knew we had a lot of work ahead of us and I was going to do everything in my power to change the attitude in that team.

Slowly I started seeing changes in their work ethic and demeanor. They actually looked like a team that wanted to learn and play hard. This change of attitude came full circle when we played Megan Furth. That game in all honesty was the greatest showing of grit and determination I have ever seen in a team. Megan Furth had players 3 times the size of our girls but we weren't intimidated one bit. We fought to the very end and ended up losing the game by 2 points. After the game during the post game huddle I saw how truly disappointed the girls were in themselves and I could hardly hold back tears of my own.

The following year the girls finished 4-4 and actually made the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, a far cry from how they looked when they first started.

Coaching the class of 2010 has been an eye opening experience for me. I am truly thankful to Bryan and the parents for putting their trust in me and letting me have this opportunity. I've practically watched them grow up in front of my eyes and I can honestly say I have an emotional attachment to these kids and want to see them succeed in every aspect of life. I wish these kids the best of luck going forward.

Heather's goodbye letter to the 8th grade girls

My lovely 8th grade ladies:

Well the time has come for you girls to graduate and leave me with no volleyball team to coach -- for now, that is (I hope). I will forever miss making you girls run those long laps, do those awesome crab walks, and of course, spiking the ball at your faces.

But in all seriousness, I will definitely miss all your smiling faces and goofy personalities! Knowing I would get to see you girls at practice was always the highlight of that day. Coaching you girls for the past two years have been the most fulfilling and rewarding job I've ever had, and am ever so grateful for having this opportunity. All of you have taught me to be a better coach, person and role model.

I hope we can all walk away from this experience as better volleyball players, and most of all, better friends. With that being said, you all already know how much you girls mean to me. I wish you ladies all the absolute best in this new chapter of your lives as you graduate from St. Mary's and embark on a new incredible journey that will shape you into the best people I know you can be.

So don't take any opportunities for granted and allow yourselves to enjoy life to the fullest! You girls do, and forever will, have a huge piece of my heart. Good luck, ladies! Love you all!

<3 your coach/#1 fan/friend,
Heather

Sally on Sally's St. Mary's career

Before Bryan became Athletic Director at St. Mary’s, I never really planned on playing any sports.  But as time went on, I started to begin loving basketball. 

Last year, volleyball was introduced to us. We were (0-8) in our first year, but we had a lot of fun and I will never forget it.  I still remember when we first learned to bump the ball until now.  We can all serve or spike the ball.  Heather, Matt and Vivian have helped me improved tremendously.  Some things I think I’ve improved on are bumping, serving, tipping, and spiking. Volleyball made me realize that if I set my mind on something I want to accomplish I will accomplish my goal.

I remember when we first began playing; almost all of us were scared of the ball, even me.  But now, when they spike it to us with all their force, we can bump it back to them and we aren’t afraid.  This year, we were (4-4), and were runner-ups in the eighth grade seventh division championship.

Even though we didn’t win, we played our best and will never forget all the great times we had.  Every player had their funny memories. From when Bryan spiked the ball and hit my face, to when Tianna bumped the ball so hard, it went over the fence at Helen Wills.  We practiced as hard as we could, and in the end it all paid off.

In the years I have played basketball in my St. Mary’s career, I think I’m going to miss this year the most.  It was the first time we made it to championships and got into the basic fundamentals of the sport.  From when we first started playing in 5th grade, we have had many different coaches: Em’s Dad, Monica Ngou, Andrew Chack, Ronnie, Thanh, Aaron, Tiffanie Vuong, and now Bryan.  We have had to adjust to each coach and eventually all their hard work combined has made a team that has improved.

From seasons where we were (2-6) to (4-4) and this year (7-1), this year was the year we made it to championships. We probably played our best game of our St. Mary’s careers during our playoff game.  I will never forget all the fun times we had at practice and how much we’ve improved.

After all the years of practice, I think my dribbling and shooting has improved compared to when I first began playing. This year was the year where we actually got into the sport, focused more, and didn’t feel bad for the team who we were beating.

When I graduate from St. Mary’s, I will never forget how playing sports has changed me as a person.  It taught me to be a team player and cooperate well with others.  Without the continual help of my coaches, teammates, parents, and supporters; I would not have made it this far.  Thank you for always being there through our wins and losses.

I will always miss this school, especially all the sports and all the wonderful athletes who come out to play.

Brandon reflects on his St. Mary's career

After I leave St. Mary’s for Galileo, I will bring all the skills my coaches have taught me to high school and try out for the teams.

The first year I played baseball, I was really scared of the ball. Every time I went up to bat, I usually just stand there like a statue and looking for walk. I didn’t move a single muscle in my body. The team never won a game that season, but I was looking forward to next season in 7th grade. After that first year, I started to watch baseball on TV and began to learn more about baseball.

The next year I was really excited to join the baseball team. That year I wasn’t scared of the ball as much. I even tried out to play catcher! That season the baseball team won its first game and we were all happy.

This year, I played catcher all the time and it was really fun, but sometimes I made some mistakes in an easy play. Now when I go up to the plate to bat, I’m not scared to swing anymore. Sometimes I swing and I actually make contact. I will not forget how the team always played around during practice and how we enjoyed playing this amazing sport.

Soccer is one sport I will miss playing at St. Mary’s. The first year I started playing in 7th grade, the team tried their best, but it wasn’t enough to win a game. From the 7th grade season’s experience, I used that experience in the 8th grade season and we won a game. Now I can’t wait until the 2010 FIFA World Cup to start so I can learn more about soccer.

I have played basketball for 5 years and I love this sport. Basketball is about teamwork and my team had that power so we went to the championship for 3 straight years and we made the playoffs for 4 straight years.

Each time on the court, I always wanted to have a new career high but that never happened. Even though I couldn’t score, I always remembered that I needed to have a strong defense so the other team couldn’t score. A coach (I think it was Ronnie) once said, “ A good defense makes a good offense.” That phrase was always in my mind throughout the whole game. Everyone on the team chipped in and we were second place for 2 years and won the title CHAMPIONS one time.

I really want to thank Bryan for everything he has done to make my years at St. Mary’s enjoyable and FUN! He also finds the best coaches to coach the teams and when he can’t find one, he does the job himself.

Without sports at St. Mary’s, I probably wouldn’t be the active, talkative and helpful person I am today! Thank you to all my coaches, parents, and fellow teammates that I have played and cooperated with all my years here at St. Mary’s. I am proud to be a member of St. Mary’s Athletics and I’m willing to come back to help with everything.

Marissa wins the 3-Point Shootout, Emily and Bryan take 2-Ball

Marissa added to her trophy collection taking first place in the Girls 3-point shootout. She had a final round score of 9, outlasting Emily who had 6.

In the Coaches and Players 2-Ball competition, Emily and Bryan scored a final round of 21 and it was just enough to squeak by the team of Tiffy and Tiff, who scored 20.

Derek looks back at his St. Mary's career

Written by Derek

Before Bryan became the AD here at St. Mary's, there was only one sport on my mind: basketball. Now, as an 8th grader, Bryan has opened up two new sports for me, soccer and baseball. I never would have thought I would've had so much fun playing these new sports, but I did.

As I look back on the little time I had to play soccer and baseball, I'll always remember all the good times I had with my fellow teammates and coaches.

Last year, my first year of soccer, we were an 0-8 team that hadn't even scored a single goal the entire season. This year, we are a team that has scored 7 goals with a 1-6-1 record. Amazing, what a year can do to a team.

Of course winning isn't everything, it's the memories you acquire along the journey. There were those hard practices where we did nothing but simulate in-game running, but there were also the times where we would just play soccer and have a good time doing it. The whole team has made some funny memories like when Timothy slide tackles and when Justin hit the pole during a game.

I still remember our first win as a team in soccer. I had finally scored my first goal off of a penalty kick that ricocheted off of the goalie's shin guards and into the net. The other team quickly rallied back and scored a goal right back at us. Off of my corner- kick, Tommy walked the ball into the goal and we were up 2-1. After Tommy's goal, we did nothing but play defense, not even trying to score another goal. In the end, we won the game, and were excited for our after party, only to realize that Fudrduckers had been shut down.

Baseball, a sport that's still pretty new to most of us, is a great sport. Although it might be a tough transition from basketball to baseball, it's easy to pick up because of our coaches. Everyone should try to play baseball. Even though baseball begins near the end of our school year, we still have a good 4 months to go before summer begins. It's a lot of fun being out there, learning a new sport, and just being there with friends.

This year, my team went 0-8. Although we didn't do as well as we could've, I had a great time just playing and being out there. Since most of my teammates were either new or just coming back from a one-year hiatus, we couldn't compete with many of the teams. As the season went by, each and everyone of my teammates got better and learned the sport.

In 6th grade, Ronnie, Thanh, and Aaron became our coaches. They did a great job coaching us into the championships twice and bringing home the title once. This year, we had an addition to our coaching staff: Alex. Our coaches continued to teach us ways to play the sport.

In all the years I've played basketball, these past three years have been the most memorable for me. Never would I have thought that we would be able to enter the playoffs 4 times and be in the championships 3 times. Although we didn't make it to the championships this year, it was a great experience for me.

As I graduate from St. Mary's, I'm glad I was able to play all these sports. Playing soccer, baseball, and basketball has given me a foundation to grow as a better player, and hopefully, play in high school too. Without all the sports I've played, I wouldn't be the same person I am today. I'm so grateful for all my coaches, teammates, parents, and everyone who supported us.