September 2, 2005

Chilipeppers number-one U.S. soccer team

Willow Glen home to girls U-11 top team

One local soccer team has done something extraordinary.

Willow Glen’s own Chilipeppers have claimed top spot as the No.1 girls’ U-11 soccer team in the United States. According to gotsoccer.com, a company that ranks every competitive soccer team in the country, the Chilipeppers earned the top slot after defeating its archrival Mustang Blast in the final game of the Mustang Stampede tournament.

“We’re number one,” chant the Chilipeppers showing off their top status. Pictured are team members Chloe Ainley, Colby Carson, Celeste Kaashoek, Emma Manzano, Zarette Munoz, Leslie Nelson, Samantha Riolo, Breana Ross, Natalie Royle, Laurren Saenz, Gabrielle Squarcia, Brittany Squarcia, Hannah Vane and Chloe Varvell.

Formed two years ago from recreational players, the Chilipeppers have grown to become a regional and national power, competing throughout California against the best teams in the country.

In early August, the Chilipeppers traveled to San Diego to play in the Surf Cup, considered to be the top tournament in the country. Arriving as unknowns, the girls shocked the soccer world by handily defeating the best of the Southern California teams.

In bracket play the ‘peppers defeated the Socal Slammers 4-1 in a stunning victory. Next they took on another top team, Barcelona FC and earned a 4-0 win. Finally, the girls defeated the previously unbeaten Massachusetts’ Scorpions 3-0.

In the semi-finals the team fell 0-1 to arch rival Mustang Blast. But that loss was repaid at the August Stampede Tournament where the Chilipeppers also beat top teams from San Ramon, Santa Rosa, San Diego and Pleasanton. Since then the girls earned another championship at the Davis Shootout tournament where they decisively beat teams from Placer, Sacramento, Davis and Mountain View.

The rise of the ‘peppers as a top team has been unusual. Most elite teams are the products of regional soccer clubs or soccer “academies” with competitive teams at every age. These teams draw from a large base of players and typically have professional coaching, organized infrastructure and corporate sponsorship.

The Santa Rosa United club, for example, fields 37 boys and girls competitive (class one) teams of all ages, and the southern California clubs can be even larger. Competition for places on these club teams is fierce with as many as 200 hopefuls trying out for 15 openings.

By contrast, the Chilipeppers belong to the Central Valley Youth Soccer League. It’s an old fashioned league of teams that are largely independent of one another. The focus is on development of recreational players, coached by volunteer parents. For even the most competitive teams there is little professional coaching, no funding or sponsorship and relatively few players.

Coach Joe Ainley claims the secret of the Chilipeppers success is simple: hard work.

“These girls work unbelievably hard for 10 months out of the year. They are simply faster, better skilled and stronger because of the work that they are willing do. It’s clearly the key to our success as a team,” he said.

Indeed, the ‘pepper schedule is not for the faint of heart. Beginning in January the girls practice three times a week. The practice is combined with cross-country runs, scrimmages, league play and tournaments. Over the course of a year, the Chilipeppers play more than 120 games, travel to eight tournaments and practice over 300 hours.

Although the pressure can be intense, the players all seem to enjoy being on the team. At a recent practice there was much running and much spirited play as well. And, parents of players on this team need have no fear of their daughters becoming couch potatoes. These girls are in such good shape, it’s scary. After a two-hour practice session that would have challenged most triathletes they were all eager to play a dangerous looking game called “kill ball,” which plays a lot like the name suggests.

Then, of course there is the trophy cabinet and the No. 1 ranking. Asked how she felt about the teams’ progress and its current ranking, team captain Hannah Vane said “It’s pretty cool, I guess.”

On the defensive

Cliff Brotherton brings self-defense back into martial arts at Brotherton’s Gym

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Growing up in the rough Oak Cliff suburb of Dallas, Cliff Brotherton’s undersized stature made him a prime target for bullies. Unable to defend himself in fights, Brotherton, 8 years old at the time, found the help he needed from a kind stranger.

Cliff Brotherton, 44, poses for a shot with son Xander, 2, at his gym. Brotherton recently began to focus mainly on teaching kickboxing, regular boxing and Jiu Jitsu to his students. Brotherton’s Gym, located at 4520 Meridian Ave., offers classes beginning at 4 p.m. throughout the week in kickboxing, regular boxing, Jiu Jitsu and mixed martial arts. Photo by Diego Abeloos

“I used to get beat up a lot because I wasn’t a big kid,” said Brotherton, 44. “I had a guy who offered to help me out. He said if I could come up with $5 per month just to pay him, he would train me. I had to do it myself. I couldn’t get the money from my mom, so I had to go out and get the money myself, and he would train me to fight and defend myself.”

Although Brotherton can’t recall his first instructor’s name, the experience set him on a new path in life. Having found a passion in martial arts, Brotherton began to train in American Karate and earned a first-degree black belt before enrolling in the military, where he would spend the next eight years.

Once out of the military, Brotherton relocated to Northern California and decided to rekindle his passion for martial arts. Nearly 20 years later, Brotherton has earned a first- degree black belt in Chinese Kenpo Karate, a third-degree black belt in Mudokwan Tae Kwon Do and a blue belt in Jiu Jitsu, serving as first a student and then an instructor at various local martial arts studios.

On his own
But in October of 2004, Brotherton set out on his own and opened his own martial arts studio, which he called Cliff Brotherton’s Martial Arts. Brotherton said his decision came from the way he perceived martial arts being taught at other studios, including the ones he previously worked for.

“I didn’t like the direction the martial arts were going out here,” said Brotherton. “It’s more fluff than real martial arts. There are a lot of people in this area who have black belts that couldn’t fight their way out of a wet paper bag, and that’s wrong. Back in my day, if you were a black belt, you would defend yourself. It wasn’t about how high you kick or how many kicks you can throw at one time. It’s what you can do with one single kick. It was real martial arts.”

Changing focus
Brotherton’s early focus was on mixed martial arts training, taking elements from American Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kenpo and Jiu Jitsu to train his students at his studio, located at 4520 Meridian Ave. in the Cambrian area. But having to compete with a plethora of other martial arts studios offering the same thing, three months ago he decided to make wholesale changes to his studio’s focus.

Having picked up boxing while stationed in Fort Ord during his military days, Brotherton switched began focusing mainly on kickboxing, regular boxing and Jiu Jitsu, while also offering the traditional amenities of a gym. He even changed the name of his studio, now simply named Brotherton’s Gym.

Three weeks ago, he installed a boxing ring in his studio to complete the transformation. Brotherton likens his new training regimens and fighting style to the ones seen in the Ultimate Fighting Championships seen on television.
“It’s popular right now,” Brotherton said of the UFC. “I think people are seeing things like the UFC, which has been great for the martial arts. It’s put some realism back into martial arts.”

Brotherton’s main focus is still on teaching others to defend themselves, he said, adding that martial arts can also be a character-building experience for any individual.

“Martial arts can so much for you,” Brotherton said. “It’s not about, ‘OK, I’m a tough guy now. I can go out and conquer and beat everybody up.’ You put on one of my black belts, I want you to have the confidence to walk down the street, or if you go for a job to have the confidence to go out for that interview. Martial arts gives you a different sense about yourself allowing you to look a man in the eyes and feel confident about doing so.”

Still, Brotherton’s solo venture hasn’t been without its ups and downs. He estimates that his highest enrollment has hovered around 75 students. Currently, he’s down to a low of about 20 students. But he has visions of his gym becoming the local place to go for martial arts training.

“I’m not looking to turn it into a chain,” he said. “I don’t want a Brotherton’s Gym on every corner. What I want is a successful gym, where people say the name and say, ‘people who go there get trained there.’ I want that reputation.”

Cliff Brotheron offers unlimited classes for $130 per month at his gym, with classes beginning at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekend sessions also are available. For more information, call (408) 267-4912.

Rams football ready to rumble in 2005

Young squad rebuilding football program under coach Andy Penwarden

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

The Willow Glen High football team is getting ready for the 2005 season with a squad of mostly new faces, having lost more than 20 seniors from last year’s roster.

A Willow Glen receiver keeps his eye on the ball during drills on offense at an Aug. 30 Rams’ practice. The 2005 Rams return to the field with a vastly different roster consisting of mostly juniors after losing more than 20 seniors from the 2004 team. Photo by Diego Abeloos

This season, the Rams will sport a 34-player roster consisting of 12 seniors, with the rest of the squad made up of mostly juniors and a few sophomores. The Rams ended a disappointing 2004 season with a 2-8 overall record and a 1-5 record in the Santa Teresa Division.

Rams Head Coach Andy Penwarden, in his third year at the helm, said there is plenty of talent on his young roster, despite the fact that 2005 will be a year of rebuilding the Rams’ football program.

“The nice thing about this team, as compared to last year’s team that went 2-8, is the fact the we are actually stronger and faster than last year’s team,” Penwarden said. “They put in a lot of time in the off-season in the weight room and worked very hard together. When that happens, we tend to get better results during the year.”

Many of the juniors on Penwarden’s roster have been in the program since their freshman year, allowing the coach to see his young squad grow into more seasoned players at the frosh/soph and varsity level over the last couple of years.

“They went 8-2 on the frosh/soph team last year, the juniors (on the 2005 varsity squad) did, and so they’ve brought up that winning attitude,” Penwarden said. “The seniors we have coming back aren’t plentiful, but they’re a good group of kids and they’re solid group. They care about football … It’s a real tight-knit group.”

Still, youth and relative inexperience on the roster will play a role in the season in both a positive and negative way, Penwarden admits. While Penwarden isn’t predicting a division title, with strong teams in Lincoln, Santa Teresa, Westmont and Evergreen Valley also playing in the division, he does think his Rams will take a step in the right direction in 2005.

“I think that Lincoln, Santa Teresa and Westmont have kind of set the standard, and we’re just trying to measure up to that and see how we compare to that,” Penwarden said. “… The B (Santa Teresa Division) level is pretty competitive. Those three schools have got really good programs going and they’ve had numbers over us for years and years. But we have a real competitive group here and we’re going to go out and compete each week and get better each week.”

The Rams open their 2005 season on Sept. 10 when they host Fremont in a non-league match-up at 7 p.m. The Rams will open the league portion of their schedule on Sept. 30 with a road game at Evergreen Valley at 7 p.m. For more information on the Rams’ 2005 schedule, go to www.bval.org.