Rancho Cotate Student Athlete Plays Sports to Stay Out of Trouble

Managing one's time wisely is high on the agenda for most high school students, but for multi-sport student athletes it can reach the code-red stage quicker than you can say, "if it's winter, what sports season is it?"

Ricky Garcia, a junior at Rancho Cotate, appreciates small things, like being able to sneak in a nap every so often.

Garcia is one of a select group at The Ranch who competes in more than one sport. Currently he's one of the leading scorers and rebounders on the varsity basketball team. He was the backup quarterback on the Cougars' North Bay League championship team. When Rancho reached the North Coast Section divisional championship game at the Oakland Coliseum, it meant Garcia's playing basketball would be delayed. And when basketball ends, Garcia will move over to the track for another varsity sport.

"I always wanted to play sports, it's fun and keeps me out of trouble," Garcia said.

A normal day for Garcia includes getting up at 7 a.m., getting to school by 7:40, being dismissed from classes at 2:55 p.m., basketball practice from 3-5, going home, taking a shower, eating dinner, doing homework and falling asleep by 9 o'clock. Game nights change the routine somewhat, trying to do homework on the bus or after he gets home, which can be as late as 11 p.m.

Some other multi-sporters at Rancho Cotate include senior Holly Cramer (soccer, basketball, track and field), freshman Kristine Ricossa (soccer, basketball, softball), Keilani Fronda (basketball, softball) and Nick DeSoto (basketball, track and field).

Twenty or thirty years ago, competing in more than one sport in high school wasn't as uncommon as today for a couple of reasons. Sports seasons last longer today and sports are more specialized. During offseasons, there are travel and select teams for the serious-minded and many coaches of those teams discourage crossover athletes. The feeling is if you want to be good in a sport, you must dedicate yourself fully to that sport.

Cramer, an excellent athlete and student, has dabbled in just about every sport offered. She was a competitive swimmer  and tried high school volleyball before settling on soccer, basketball and track. She hopes to play basketball in college and last summer played for an AAU team (Pacific Storm) as well as for a Rancho high school team.

"Basketball is my favorite sport," Cramer said.

If grades begin to slip, parents usually pull a sport for multi-sport types. Cramer never has had to worry about that part of her game. Her GPA is well over 4.0 and she's currently taking honors classes in biology, English and calculus. Cramer said if she didn't compete in so many sports, she'd probably spend the time at a gym.

"I like the physical activity," she said.

Cramer, at 5-foot-7, is a four-year varsity player in basketball. Her coach, Doug Haught, says of Cramer, "She can play guard or small forward. You can see her natural instincts on the court."

Cramer, whose sister Heather was a standout swimmer at Rancho, Santa Rosa Junior College and received a scholarship to San Diego State, has the full backing of her parents when it comes to playing multiple sports.

"I encourage it," said Holly's father Stan. "Holly grew up around the pool and she has been playing three sports since her freshman year. I think you learn how to manage your time."

Fronda's favorite sport is softball, so when she had the chance to play in a tournament in Florida over the Christmas holidays she jumped at it. Missing a week of basketball practice and games, meant having to come off the bench, but Fronda expected that.

"Playing two sports is pretty tiring," Fronda said. "It gets hard sometimes. You stay up late to do homework, but I enjoy playing sports."

Fronda, a 15-year-old sophomore, played for the Easton California Impact as a centerfielder for the World Cup tournament in Florida. Last summer Fronda played both for the Impact and Rancho's basketball team in the summer league. She is one Haught's top defenders.

"For me, softball comes first and coach knows that," Fronda said. 

With a 3.3 GPA, Fronda was thinking of going out for volleyball (she was MVP of her middle school team), but then told herself it probably would be easier for now to stick with just two sports. She also knows that if it means the difference of securing a softball scholarship, she would probably limit herself to one sport.

"Right now I just want to keep my grades up and have fun," she said.

Ricossa has never met a sport she didn't like. She began competitive sports at a young age and has played basketball since third grade and softball since she was five. She's also swam and has played level-3 soccer.

Just a freshman, Ricossa played Junior Varsity soccer this year for The Ranch and will probably play JV softball. She figures to play four years of varsity basketball and had one game this year where she scored 17 points. In softball, she's a top-notch shortstop, and two years ago played played on a 14-under team that competed in tournaments in Utah and Washington state.

"I'm trying to find time to do all my homework and keep up with my grades," Ricossa said.

Asked for her favorite sport, Kristine replied, "It usually depends on whatever we're playing."

Mary Ricossa said her daughter shows "a passion" for sports and realizes it can get tiring. "It's what she wants to do."

The overlapping nature of today's sports affected Ricossa. She missed the first week of basketball conditioning because she was still playing for a select softball team.

DeSoto, a 6-1 junior point guard who usually plays close to an entire basketball game, has a last name associated more with track and field in the Redwood Empire. His grandfather Gene was a longtime coach and teacher at Santa Rosa High who loved track and field and Nick's uncle Dennis finished second in the shot put in the state meet.

"Nick's a good jumper and built solidly," said Rancho basketball coach Dennis Magatelli.

"You can tell he's a good athlete like Ricky and Tristan Eaken (also a two-sporter as well as Chris Lemus)."

DeSoto is a top defender and has held down some of the top scorers in the NBL.

DeSoto, who plans on competing in the high jump, long jump and triple jump in track, said combining sports and schools makes a day that seems to fly by, but is grateful for his family's supp0rt. His uncles have told him numerous track stories about big meets and their accomplishments and it has made Nick want to share in those experiences. He remembers competing in track in fifth grade and thinks he may have a future in the grueling decathlon. He thought about going out for football, but is more comfortable right now juggling school and just two sports.

Garcia said there are many times, after a particularly tough football practice, where he felt like just going home and going to bed. At 6-4 and 180 pounds, Garcia said he's never had a problem of being too heavy.

"He's really in good shape," Magatelli said. "He can run the floor."

Garcia said sometimes it feels like his schedule is even crazier during the summer when school is out. Like last summer, when he came to school every morning to lift weights for football, then played in a high school passing league and also played in a summer basketball league. Then there are always camps to go to and invite only showcase events.

"I've gotten that feeling where I'm giving all my time to it," he said.

But Garcia wouldn't have it any other way when it comes to playing more than one sport. "It helps you organize your time ... and value sleep."