Bishop Amat High School - Tusitala Yearbook (La Puente, CA)

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Many students who craved variety in their athletic life opt- ed for sports outside of school. Because this option was an inde- pendent one, they found it diffi- cult and very different from school-sponsored activities. The student who chose a competitive sport sacrificed his leisure time to train, without the rewards of school recognition. Neverthe- less, they continued. The sport, whether it was judo or hockey, was more than just a hobby, it was a passion. Junior Mike Sheety first be- came interested in Sport Judo during his freshman year as a result of a book report he did on the subject. Two and a half years later, Mike achieved a brown-belt ranking and was named Honorary Judo Athlete of 1987. Judo, which required a great deal of discipline, called for minimum effort with maxi- mum efficiency. The difference 274 Sports Excelling In Outside Sports between Judo and school sportsf' Mike observed, was that I had to take it upon myself to respect the Japanese tradi- between sensei finstructorl and student. Unlike school sports, Judo pupils could maintain their training with only two and a half hours of practice twice a week. Not only did it keep him in shape but it provided a prac- tical use for dealing with daily life. 'KI had to practice a throw thousands of times before I could even do it-just like life, commented Mike. Although still considered an unusual sport for Southern Cali- fornia, hockey was rapidly grow- ing more popular. Junior Gary Lyons, who played defense for the Southern California Con- dors, spent 11 years dedicated to the sport U. . . because I enjoyed the excitement of hockey which combined balance, agility, and strength. His brother Mike Ly- Sports ' The Bishop Amat Boosters was a paid membership organi- zation which supported all school projects with extra em- phasis on assistance to the sports program. This group con- sisted of about 300 parents, fac- ulty, alumni, and fans of the athletic teams. They assisted at all sports functions that re- quired volunteers and were also there to lend a helping hand at the annual fiesta, open house, and graduation. Through their hard work, the Boosters saved the school thousands of dollars by assisting with field and gym preparation for different events. Senior Charlie Aguirre, whose father is an active Booster mem- ber, explained, My dad spends a lot of time around school. Most of the students don't real- ize the improvements the Boost- ers make. They think the jani- tors do it. Like every club, the Boosters were led by a group of dedicated officers which consisted of Mr. Patrick Froehle, president, Mr. Boosters Mr. Nick Kaustic, Mr. Jim Wiard, and Mr. Chuck Stanzione use their talent as chefs. Barbecuing for teams was a weekly event. ons also joined and played cen- ter for the California State team, the Silver Surfers. One similar aspect of hockey to school sports was the fact that the parents exerted the same amount of energy as fans. Both boys were encouraged by their father, Gary Lyons Sr. who served as commisioner of the Los Angeles Hockey Associ- ation. There was a great deal of politics involved, commented Mike Lyons, 'Sometimes the parents cared more than the kids themselves. Myke Prus- zynksi, who played right wing for the Pasadena Maple Leafs, owed his interest in hockey to his cousin-in-law, Dan Nagy. He got me started by taking me to King's games. He is now training me for junior and col- lege play, Myke remarked. Un- like school sports, hockey teams received more opportunity to travel. The Silver Surfers, for example, traveled extensively to Canada and to neighboring and eastern states. The main differ- ence was the financial stability of the team, Gary reported, We had to find our own spon- sors and fund raisers to pay fof the expensive equipment. We donlt have a school to support us. Because hockey was such ar unusual sport for Californiar schools, it often did not receive deserved recognition. The tric Mike, Gary, and Myke along with hockey fans tried to orga- nize a street hockey club a1 school but the attempt was un- successful. However, Mike thought this would change HOnce people watch a game they'll only have one though' . . . awesomef' Senior Michael Lyons, usually cen ter for the Silver Surfers, the officia. state team, poses as goalie for thi: photograph, Uplifted By Boosters Charles Gover, vice-presidentg Mr. Ray Mercieca, second vice- presidentg Mr. Alfred Salcido, treasurer, and Mr. William Clark, secretary. Mrs. Mary Pat Wiard, who was a member of this group for the past eight years, comment- ed, My husband and I love Bishop Amat. Even though we don't have any children who at- tend school anymore we enjoy being part of the Boosters as well as meeting and working with the peoplefl Mrs. Connie Cruz looked at it from another perspective stating, Being part of the Boosters was my way of supporting the school and my sons who were involved in the sports program. The Boosters were a tremen- dous support to all of the athle- tic teams and the school. Their continued effort and work was appreciated by all. . .'., SQL!! .

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'W M ,, jill ' 32?Zekxuae35ig5l,h V T Q, 5 M if fi ,,.,,,x..,n.,.im.,,t E , i mmz Emil f ' l ' LW iior Gabriel Ramirez lunges to keep the ball in y. Tennis demanded the ability to run down s for extended amounts of time. Using all his leverage, junior Henry Felix swings the racket with the proper follow through. A good follow through meant added power to the shot. Freshman Dennis Mamaril hastily lowers his racket head to hit a low volley. The pressures of competition often promted the use of reflexes instead of proper form. Displaying total concentration, junior Rainier Manuel prepares for his service motion. A good serve was sure to keep the opponent off-bal- ance. Displaying true sportsmanship, freshman Danny Wood shakes hands with his opponent. The ob- ject of C.l.F. competition was to bring athletes together in friendly competition. Boys Varsity Tennis 273

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Coaches Go Beyond The Limit On the sidelines Coach Tom Salter reassures the Freshman Football team. Coaches were valuable for boosting morale at crucial mo- ments. According to athletes as well as coaches themselves, a good coach went beyond simply re- viewing techniques and con- ducting practices. A coach should have been concerned about the athletes as individuals while teaching the importance of sportsmanship, discipline, and team work. ln general, the difference among coaches laid in the way they related to the play- ers. An obvious aspect of a coach's job was to mold the team into a unit with a single objective-to win. It was imperative, however, that a coach not let his or her ego hinder the development of all the players on a team. Ath- letes also needed to learn to take constructive criticism and not just praise. A good coach was one who loved the sport. Mrs. Tish Ja- cobs related, l love the sport of soccer. I play myself and teach the girls what l've learned. In addition to liking the sports, Mr. Glenn Martinez more fully explained his job as a varsity baseball and football coach: lt is important to give players the opportunity to compete or per- form at something that is just as important as academics. He felt that sports provided a more realistic learning exper- iencef, Just as coaches enjoyed work- ing with devoted athletes, ath- letes had ideas about coaches with whom they performed best. Varsity football player, senior Kevin Szalonek said, A coach that stands out in my mind takes time to talk with the athlete, formally expresses strengths and weaknesses, knows the student as a person and as an athlete, cares enough to make the person be the best he can be in all areas . . . Coach Mark Paradesf' A coachis job did not only en- tail producing a winning team. The coach was the corner- stone of the team, relied on for aid in both the physical and psychological aspects of a sport. Special Team Provides Helping Little did people know that behind the sports teams them- selves another team existed. A team that much of the time re- mained invisible, but existed none the less. They performed the jobs that needed to be done but that the coaches and players were too busy to do themselves. This team was made of statistic keepers, equipment managers, and water girls or boys. Statistic keepers had a diffi- cult task to perform. They had to keep a record of each player's performance during games. This wasn't always the easiest thing to do because the stat keeper had to keep from getting in- volved in the game so they could keep an accurate record. Junior Monique Molina exclaimed, 4'People donft realize how hard we really workedf, The stat keeper's records were the basis of how coaches worked the play- ers at practice by showing in what areas they needed im- Sophomores Cynthia Garcia and Stephanie Ruiz keep statistics for the Sophomore Football team. Hand provement. Many of the stat keepers were given uniforms just like the players themselves. Equipment was essential to play all games, and it would have been easily lost if it hadn't been for the important equip- ment managers who were also required to attend all games. They were responsible for keep- ing track of all equipment. They also made sure that the equip- ment stayed neat during the games and that it got home safe- ly. Anyone who had been to a sports match could see that the team players got extremely hot and thirsty. At the beginning of the season, coaches chose a cou- ple of students to be the team's water girl or boy. These people made sure that the water bottles were always full and that each player received water when they needed it. Although these people often felt overlooked, that was not truly the case. Coaches and players knew that they per- formed a vital task and appreci- ated them very much Behind The Scenes 275