Phoenix Glazier Clinic, College Senior Talks, Donated Gear, Troubling News from Poland and the Los Angeles Marathon

FOOTBALL CLINIC SEASON

One of the things that I miss when coaching overseas each Winter/Spring is the chance to attend football coaching clinics in order to keep up with the latest trends in our great game.

With the late start of our season in Poland this Spring, I had a chance to attend the Glazier Clinic in Mesa, Arizona a few weekends ago.

I attended my first Glazier Clinic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in ca. 1987 with Dan Murphy. We found the organization that legendary coach Frank Glazier put into then East Coast clinics to be way ahead of anything that we had experienced before and I have continued to attend these clinics when they were expanded West. They continue to be excellent clinics 30 years later, in my opinion.

After speaking to the Seniors at La Verne University on a Thursday afternoon about playing in EuroBall (more on this in just a minute), I continued to drive through the night to the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and, specifically, the desert community of Mesa for this year's Glazier Clinic in the Desert.

Overall, it was a another good clinic with Tony Annese, the Head Coach at Michigan's Ferris State University talking for seven hours on all phases of his Spread Option Pistol Offense on Friday, GREAT STUFF!!!

On Saturday, the clinic highlight for me was listening to Rick Darlington, the Head Coach at Apopka H.S. in Florida. With two topics like "Apopka Death Squad Defense" and "Guerrilla Training: Apopka Off-Season Program - Building Warriors From Elves and Trolls" . . . 

WHAT WAS NOT TO LIKE???

TALKS WITH COLLEGE SENIORS

ABOUT LIFE IN EUROBALL

Since returning from my first season coaching in EuroBall (Italy's Catania Elephants in 2008), I have made it a point to try to talk to as many college Seniors in Southern California as possible about the possibility of extending their careers for at least another season by taking their game overseas.

I am happy to report that over the past years many have indeed taken the plunge and have enjoyed many seasons on the Continent and in Australia as well.

First stop on the 2016 tour . . .

 University of La Verne Leopards

A Good Turnout at ULV

The next week, it was just a short drive over the hill to California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks . . .

Home of the Kingsmen

GREAT Football Tradition at CLU

Good Turnout at Kingsmen

Finally, this week it was on to Los Angeles' Eagle Rock area to meet . . .

The Tiger Seniors

The Drum

This is the trophy that annually goes to the winner of the Occidental vs. Pomona-Pitzer football game. This is the oldest collegiate football rivalry west of the Mississippi having started in 1895. Occidental leads the 118 game series 67-48-3.

The Battle for the Shoes

This trophy, a bronzed pair of football cleats, goes to the winner of the Occidental vs. Whittier football game. This series is, of course, a younger one having started in 1907. The Tigers lead this 108 game series too by a margin of 56-50-2.

Small Group of Tigers

A small group to be sure but they were definitely into the talk. From left to right, we have OL Jim Partee, Oxy Head Coach Doug Semones and WR Devin Bullock.

Jim and Devon were both First Team All-Conference in 2015.

These talks always leave me pumped up about the next wave of import players for teams in EuroBall.

DONATED EQUIPMENT

Ten Shoulder Pads

My old team in Spain, the Murcia Cobras, let me know that they were in need of shoulder pads and after a little probing, Chaminade H.S. donated ten.

That was easy.

TROUBLES IN POLAND

This week I was given worrisome news from the Polish League of Football American (PLFA).

Apparently, my soon to be team, the Gdańsk Wikingowie, are in arrears having not paid their dues and other financial issues unknown to me from the Wikingowie's inaugural 2015 season.

Thus on Wednesday, the PLFA decided that enough is enough and has decided that the Winkingowie will not be allowed to play in the PLFA's 2016 Division II season.

Where does this leave me and the players? Not sure at this time, as the team's leadership group is exploring other options including combining our players with another PLFA II team and also participating in the Baltic Sea League (http://balticsealeague.com) which is really more of an international tournament than a league.

Stay posted, when I know, you'll know.

31st ANNUAL

LOS ANGELES MARATHON

Our Son, Michael Contreras

Genetically, we can NOT explain this, but our youngest son likes to run really long distances all the time.

Once a year, on line, we follow with equal shares of excitement and parental pride as he runs the 26.2 mile Dodger Stadium to the Sea course.

Third Consecutive Year

in the L.A. Marathon for Mike

Mike's main goal this year was to complete the Marathon in 3:15:00 or better which was the minimum time necessary for men in his age group to qualify for possible entry into the Boston Marathon.

In 2014's L.A. Marathon, his first ever Marathon, he finished in a time of 3:51:53.

In the 2015 L.A. Marathon he improved over 25 minutes with a finishing time of 3:26:35.

This year he knocked off another five minutes in the unseasonable heat by finishing in 3:21:44.

He was a bit disappointed in not qualifying for the Boston Marathon but Laurie and I were both simply amazed and proud of his accomplishment.

WOW!!!

Groundhog Day 2016 in Solvang, California

Unusual Family Traditions . . .

Most families have them and we are no exception.

It all started in 1968 when I was attending and Laurie was working at the University of Washington. We had a quarrel over who knows what at this point and made up on February 2nd, Groundhog Day.

Ever since then we have observed Groundhog Day instead of the somewhat more traditional Valentine's Day as the day to celebrate our love.

In the long run we have found that this practice saves us money on hotel reservations, flowers and restaurants, rather than how people are gouged on February 14th.

This year we opted to celebrate Groundhog Day in the Santa Barbara County's picturesque Wine Country around the Danish themed city of . . .

 Solvang

Solvang was founded in 1911 by three Danish-American educators who believed that their culture could prosper near the California's central coast. The settlers thrived in Solvang while carrying on Denmark's traditions of language, folk dancing, music and cuisine. 

 Our Hotel was a bit foreboding but . . .

We found it to be quite nice after passing by these stocks.

 LOTS of Windmills in Solvang

 That reminds me . . .

GDANŃSK WIKINGOWIE PRIDE!!!

 How did this place get into Solvang?

 Holger Danske

Legend has it that this sleeping Viking will awaken anytime that Denmark is threatened to protect the Mother Country. We saw the original statue in Denmark.  Quite impressive in the dark recesses of a castle.

The Movie "Sideways"

A fun movie that used the local Wine Country as the basis of its story.  We had breakfast in this booth and noticed the plaque. 

 We noshed from time-to-time

as it turned out

 Aly's for Groundhogs Day dinner?

It was recently named one of the USA's 100 Most Romantic Restaurants. It was the obvious place for us to dine on this glorious day!

Except that they are not open on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday during the Winter.

What do we do now?

 Also a "Sideways" movie sight

They plied us with what we both agreed were the best BBQ sirlion steaks that we had enjoyed in a long, long time. 

 Another Windmill

 A replica of Copenhagen's

Little Mermaid was a MUST!

 Father Junipero Serra founded

one of his Missions long before

the Dane's arrived

Wednesday's Sunrise near the Mission

Cold, but I liked it

One more breakfast nosh and

our two night Groundhog Day

getaway was complete

It turns out that we like our goofy Family Tradition a lot!

Life in Camarillo Continues to be Sleepy

It has been quite some time since I've posted, mostly because we have been in "tranquil mode" with much of our time being taken up with babysitting duties for Jacob and Mary.

A night at the Conejo Players Theatre 

We have come to really enjoy a night out at one of the many small theater groups scattered throughout Ventura County. 

On Friday night we were joined by Mike and Vanessa for a dinner-date with one of our all-time favorite characters, Sherlock Holmes. 

Our dinner at Bandits BBQ Bar & Grill was delicious but, unfortunately, the play was just not up to snuff. While the actresses in the play did an overall good job, the same could not be said about any of the male actors.

This will not deter us from future plays as it was the only sub-standard one we have attended in the last few years.

Reading Is FUNdamental

If you are at all interested into History and are planning a trip to Barcelona anytime soon, then this book about the Spanish Civil War in the city is for you!

It is the long awaited book written by Barcelona's Spanish Civil War tour guide Nick Lloyd. We have been on his tour twice and he is ever so passionate, thorough and detailed in his presentations.

So is his book.

The Holiday Bowl in San Diego and a Trip to Las Vegas

Going into the New Year's Day weekend, Mike and I decided to drive down to San Diego while Laurie opted to fly to Las Vegas to be with Andy, Jenn and Kevin.

Why San Diego you ask?

For the Thirty-Eighth Annual Holiday Bowl

It would be a 9-3 Wisconsin Badgers squad from the Big-10 playing against the USC Trojans of the PAC-12 who checked in at 8-5 on the season.

We got to San Diego early in the morning so we had a lot of time to kill before the 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Old Town San Diego . . .

a perfect spot to greet the morning Sun!

Old Town had a church!

Not too fancy inside

They also had a great Mexican restaurant with a bevy of tortilla making beauties on hand!!!

Soon to be the LOS ANGELES Chargers???

The festive lobby at our

Courtyard by Marriott hotel

The hotel had some nice maps too

Loved their old-school letter chute

Dome of the Balboa Theater in

San Diego's Gaslamp District

Good sized crowd at the old ballpark

We had a good time tailgating with the Wrout family and the extended Abellera tribes before the game.

Wisconsin in the red on offense

Mike and I enjoying the game

It was a good game with Wisconsin eking out a 23-21 victory.

The next morning Mike boarded the train back to Oxnard so that I could drive directly from San Diego to Las Vegas to join Laurie at Jenn, Andy and Kevin's new home.

It was a great New Year's weekend visit with them as we just enjoyed the warmth of their new house and of being with family watching a LOT of football games on TV.

Of course, being with grandson Kevin was THE highlight of the weekend!

Good times INDEED!!!

Reading Is FUNdamental

It is 1895, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his side-kick Oscar Wilde are scouring foggy London in search of a robotic, zombie-like assassin, what's NOT to like?