Women coaches get their deserved due
Caller 1: I just got through reading Brett Edgerton’s thank you to all the coaches at Gilroy High, and as well-received as this article was to me, I noticed that he only thanked male coaches. And at Gilroy High there are many, many talented and deserving women coaches. One in particular is Ms. Anagnoston, the gymnastics coach who has given many, many years of her life to that particular team and deserves an acknowledgment and “Thank you” also.
Caller 1 (a few minutes later): I just wanted to say I did re-read the article and there was one female mentioned in the article. And though the men do deserve the accolades they receive, the article was a little lopsided on the male congratulations and acknowledgments. Thank you.
Green Phone: Brett was hoping someone would call in about this, so we’ll turn it over to him …
The Edge: Don’t know if anyone will believe this or not, but I actually thought about that very thing when I was driving home after finishing up the column. It really bothered me at the time, but the column had already been sent to the presses and there was simply nothing I could do at that point.
I was actually glad someone noticed, so I could have the opportunity to discuss these omissions and apologize for the oversight. Anybody who knows me (or anyone who read my November column defending Title IX) already realizes it was not an intentional slight. From growing up with a softball coach dad to covering a women’s hoops powerhouse at my alma mater, the University of Tennessee, I have – and have always had – a great respect for female athletes and coaches. In fact, in my seven months at the Dispatch, I’ve worked hard at – and have been quite proud of – our section’s balanced coverage between boys’ and girls’ athletics.
Now when I was going through some of the GHS coaches, I admittedly had a bias toward the people I had worked with … and since I arrived in July, I’d never really dealt extensively with spring coaches like Nichole Anagnoston and Julie Berggren (softball). In attempting to focus on the coaches who had families to juggle and a bunch of different things on their plate, I figured it was inevitable that some people might feel left out. Like I said in the column, I would’ve included everyone if the space had been available.
But let there be no doubt that devoted coaches like Anagnoston, who’s had a positive impact on so many girls in this community, and Berggren, who coaches JV volleyball and has her softball program looking big league, deserve recognition. So do women like Rose Harmon, who had never coached before this school year and ended up overseeing the tennis program and the JV soccer team in a matter of months.
So do women like Cathy Silva, who helped revive the girls’ cross country squad this fall and who never has a negative word to say about anything. And women like Kari Williams, who knows more about the game of basketball than just about anyone I know and who has been as cooperative with me as any coach I’ve ever dealt with.
The sacrifice of these good people is no less impressive – and no less appreciated by those of us who care about sports in this city. The simple fact is, every one of the coaches in Gilroy deserves a heartfelt thanks from the people of this community. Head coach or assistant coach. High school coach or recreational coach. Male coach or female coach.
We owe them all a debt of gratitude.
Caller 2: This is for Mr. Edgerton. Just finished your great article on Gilroy coaches … and we think it should be sent to every city and town in the country. As the father and mother of one of the coaches we can attest to the time, energy and interest that goes into coaching. Again, we thank you for your understanding and ability to write what many people feel but can’t put into words.
Green Phone: Isn’t that what’s great about a simple, yet powerful, phrase like “Thank you”? Everyone can understand it and everyone can put it into words. Sometimes that’s all that’s needed.
Caller 3: Hello, my kids and I are big baseball fans, and we were wondering if you happen to know the whereabouts of Benji Dequin. I know he was traded to St. Louis and I think then released. Is he retired? Thanks for any help.
Green Phone: A former player at both Gilroy High and Gavilan College, Dequin is now the pitching coach at Gav and might still pursue a career in the Independent League. He played a few years of minor league ball in the Montreal Expos’ organization, along with a brief stint with the Cardinals’ franchise. Dequin’s younger brother, Ryan, is a junior rightfielder at Montcrief College in North Carolina. And his cousin, Chris Gimenez, is readying for a trip to spring training in Florida, where he’ll work out with his drafted team, the Cleveland Indians.
Caller 4: Only thing I was gonna say was about Damon Poeter’s article, where Hollister only had Cade McNown and Kyle Sharp. I think he forgot about Dave Tipton, Pete Swanson, Dario Casarino all played pro football. Baseball had Brian Rodgers, Greg Gularte and now the Baroni kid who’s playing. I think you forgot a couple. Thanks.
Green Phone: Hey, Caller 4, we’ll send you over to Damon.
Poeter: Caller, you make a good point. No question, Hollister’s had some great ones over the years. Only thing is, my own point in the column wasn’t to list every great athlete to pass through the local high schools. It was to marvel at the fact that little Serra High up in San Mateo has produced a string of players who didn’t just go on to the pros, who in fact didn’t just go on to the various Halls of Fame, but who can arguably be ranked amongst the very best to ever play their respective sports. In my opinion, it’s just odd that a single high school would ever produce such a pantheon, and there’s really no explaining it. That said, it’s great to give credit to Tipton, Swanson, Casarino, Rodgers, Gularte and Baroni – and all the other fine athletes to have played for Hollister over the years.
Caller 5: There’s been a lot of love tossed out to the Gilroy High basketball program, Just wanted to make sure we don’t leave out the seventh grade boys at Brownell … they went 7-1 in their league and have made it into the second round of the playoffs. Good job, guys.
Green Phone: Good job indeed. The seventh-grade team lost to Chaboya in Wednesday’s semifinals, but still had a great season. Meanwhile, the eighth-grade Bruins beat Chaboya yesterday in a 48-47 thriller for the Santa Clara County Championship. Jamie Jensen nailed seven 3-pointers, while 6-foot-5 center Richard Reyes clinched the title at the free-throw line with just seconds remaining. What a season at Brownell.
