With no outs and the bases loaded in the fifth inning, David Berg took the mound. Equipped with a newly developed sidearm delivery, the junior pitcher at Bishop Amat High School toed the rubber to preserve his team’s three-run lead in the 2010 National Classic, a high-profile high school tournament. Earlier in the season, Berg […]
Category Archives: Features
Darrell Miller Jr. upholds athletic family tradition through injury recovery
The names ran off, one by one, from the public address announcer’s lips. “Batting second and playing center field: Brian Carroll. Batting third and playing shortstop: Kevin Kramer,” the PA announcer said, going down the UCLA batting order before the 2013 season opener against Minnesota. As the announcer reached the seventh spot in the lineup, […]
Tennis teammates McDonald, Redlicki have complementary style of play
It was only their second tournament playing together as a doubles team. “It was hot, it was windy, and we were just playing bad,” Mackie McDonald recalled of the Oklahoma City Open finals last June. McDonald and his doubles partner, Martin Redlicki, were playing against Jesus Bandres and Gonzalo Escobar, a team that had cruised […]
Competitiveness drives Dennis Mkrtchian to succeed on, off the court
During practice, Dennis Mkrtchian is a jokester. Until there’s something to play for. If coach Billy Martin has the team play for a small prize or to determine who has to run a suicide, Mkrtchian amps up the intensity, shifting into the hyper-competitive mode he normally reserves for matches. “When there’s something on the line, […]
Kings of the Court: Karue Sell
Junior Karue Sell has settled into his role as co-captain of the UCLA men’s tennis team after first arriving in Westwood three years ago. The Brazil native is regarded as one of the most laid-back members of the team and said he was surprised by how uptight Americans were when he first arrived.
UCLA’s Club Sports Training Center opens new treatment options for athletes
Tracy Ayers knows that for any athlete, club or varsity, an injury can be devastating. “People come to me when they’re at their worst, when they’re really really hurt and they’re scared. Granted, it’s not an NCAA sport but this means a lot to them, I mean, these kids dedicate a lot of time,” said […]
UCLA Club Sports Training Center takes off, seeks to widen scope of program
In his 37 years as a trainer for UCLA Athletics, Tony Spino had interacted sparingly with Club Sports. So, when Executive Director of Recreation Mick Deluca sent him a message in 2013 asking to talk about a sports medicine program, Spino had no idea that a year later he’d be in charge of taking the […]