June 26, 2008

SPORTS

Almaden athlete drafted by the San Francisco Giants

Kyle Woodruff playing baseball in Arizona

The San Francisco Giants drafted Almaden native Kyle Woodruff on June 6 and by the following Tuesday he was playing in the team’s rookie league.

Kyle Woodruff, who played for Chico State on a baseball scholarship, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants.

The pitcher for Chico State was selected in the 27th round of baseball’s amateur draft, completing an exciting year for the Leland High grad. The 6-foot-6-inch right-handed pitcher worked his way back into Chico State’s lineup to help the school make its push for the playoffs.

Woodruff was at his home watching the draft on television, when he said he heard his name. On Saturday, he said he signed with the team, packed on Sunday and by Monday morning was flying to the Giant’s Arizona training facility where he is currently playing

His mother Joyce Woodruff remembers taking him to a Giants game when he was a young boy, about 7 or 8 years old, she said. “He got so excited. He looked up and said, ‘Mommy, I want to do this.’ I looked down at him and he said ‘I think one day you will see me playing out there.’

“As much as he loved baseball and all sports, I just never forgot him saying that. Pro baseball has been his lifelong dream...and to get drafted by the S.F. Giants organization is huge in his life. He is somewhere up above Cloud 9 and we are there with him. We are thrilled and very proud of his achievements. He was told very young he had the skills and talent and he has really followed that.”

Among his previous accomplishments was making the varsity baseball team at Leland as a sophomore and being selected All CCS in 2004 when he was a senior.

Kyle played T ball for Almaden Community Center at age 4, moving up to play in Almaden Little League from T-Ball thru senior league (1992-2001). He was drafted out of high school by the Houston Astros, but didn’t sign.
Instead, he worked on his education, and continued to play baseball after being recruited by the College of San Mateo where he played during 2005-06. Kyle was community college pitcher of the year in 2006 for the Santa Clara Hot Stove Banquet. He was also North Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2006, Junior College All-American 2006. He compiled a 17-1 record at San Mateo. He transferred to Chico State on a baseball scholarship in 2007 and 2008.

—By Carol Rosen

San Jose raises Olympic flag, prepares welcome for U.S. Olympians

Mayor Chuck Reed, San Jose State University and the San Jose Sports Authority hoisted the flag preparing to welcome the entire United States Olympic Team to San Jose for processing before the Olympians travel to Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The group included the City Council and together they raised the U.S. Olympic team flag at City Hall proclaiming the opening of “Olympic Summer” in San Jose. The event celebrated San Jose’s strong support of Olympic athletes and the city’s role in Olympic history.

The ceremony, which started just a bit late because of the morning City Council meeting on June 24, was held at the West Plaza flagpoles on Santa Clara Street. It was followed by ceremonial proclamation announcing July as Olympics Month during the afternoon council meeting.

Besides Reed, Councilmembers Forrest Williams, Kansen Chu, Nora Campos, Pierluigi Oliverio, Madison Nguyen, Nancy Pyle and Sam Liccardo took part in the flag-raising (Pete Constant was absent). They were joined by Patricia Ernstrom, executive director, San Jose Sports Authority; Kris Sanchez, NBC11 anchor; Bob Bowlsby, director of athletics, Stanford University and a U.S. Olympic Committee board member; and from San Jose State, Dr. Veril Phillips, vice president of Student Affairs and Tom Bowen, director of athletics.

San Jose State University, the city and San Jose Sports Authority are preparing to welcome more than 600 U.S. Olympic Team athletes, coaches and officials who will travel to San Jose through late July and early August for final team preparations before departing for Beijing. Processing will include team briefings, apparel distribution, medical screenings and training for the 2008 Games that will be held Aug. 8-24.

Team briefings will provide important logistical information including training schedules, team protocols and cultural guidance on the customs of the Olympic host country. Athletes will be staying in university housing with some teams training at San Jose State University.

“It is exciting to have the U.S. Olympic Team join us in San Jose, providing a great opportunity to reflect and celebrate our city’s significant role in Olympic history,” said Reed. “This site selection exemplifies the strong and longstanding relationship that the City of San Jose, San Jose Sports Authority, San Jose State University have with the U.S. Olympic Committee.”

San Jose will also host the first-ever U.S. Olympian reunion July 25-27.

Speed City, an exhibit developed by History San Jose, is now located in the San Jose City Hall Wing building. The installation provides a historical examination of San Jose ’s Olympic history including memorabilia and highlights of major accomplishments.

The San Jose Redevelopment Agency is assisting the Sports Authority in their efforts to decorate downtown San Jose and welcome the Olympic athletes.

“We are honored to host the USOC and team processing this summer, as well as the first-ever Olympian reunion and other Olympic-themed events throughout the months of July and August,” said Ernstrom. “We are proud to stand with our partners at San Jose State and the city of San Jose. Together, we have established San Jose as a strong supporter of the Olympic movement and a frequent host of Olympic sports events including national championships and Olympic trials.”

Sports Briefs

ACS Relay For Life at Leland High School June 28-29
Leland High School’s Pat Tillman Stadium is the site for Relay For Life, the 24-hour signature fundraising event benefiting the American Cancer Society. Now in its second year, this community supported event is sponsored by Almaden Oaks Shopping Center and many vendor partners. The event will be held at Leland High School. For more information, visit www.events.cancer.org/rflalmadenca.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation comes to San Jose July 13
Cyclists, runners, walkers, cancer survivors and spectators of all ages are invited to join Lance Armstrong at the San Jose LIVESTRONG Challenge, hosted by the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and presented by Nike. A post-Challenge celebration featuring food, drinks and live entertainment will immediately follow. Event hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Festival Area at S. Almaden Blvd. and Park Ave. in San Jose. For more information and to register for the LIVESTRONG Challenge, visit www.livestrongchallenge.org/sanjose. Each Challenge participant is required to pay a $50 registration fee. There is an additional $250 fundraising minimum for cyclists, but no further fundraising requirement for walkers and runners, though everyone is encouraged to raise funds. Participants can register individually or as a team, choosing to bike 10, 40, 70 or 100 miles, or walk or run in the community 5K. The combined walk/run allows individuals of all fitness levels to participate. In addition to walking, running and riding, the LAF urges members of the community to volunteer and cheer on participants during the event.

Go 4 Gold Soccer School
Go 4 Gold Soccer School presents its 2008 Summer Soccer Camps program. We offer week long, coed soccer camps for players age 5 - 16 in both San Jose and Los Gatos, coached by our staff of highly trained, certified professionals. Go 4 Gold also offers year round GoalKeeping & Field Player Academies every Sunday from 5 – 7 p.m.

For a camp schedule, locations or additional information, please call 997-7775 or visit www.go4goldsoccer.com.

Sporting ‘98G Girls Soccer
The Sporting '98G Team is looking for experienced players born after 07/31/98 looking to join our team as we prepare to become a U10 Class 1 Team. Club goalies can receive free keeper training with a licensed trainer.  A second Class 3 team may form if enough girls tryout. For more information, please contact Michael Kutney at scsportinggirls98@bigfoot.com or 644-4304.

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