Round Table continues storied tradition

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

The Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table has been recognizing local student athletes for their achievements on and off the field for the past 39 years.
And as more than 100 athletes and coaches packed the Round Table’s weekly press luncheon yesterday at Harry’s Plaza Cafe, it was apparent that this year will feature more of the same, which is just what Round Table President Rick Wilson wants to see.
“It’s a matter of maintaining what’s been established over the years,” Wilson said.

Exactly what has been established is decades of rich sports tradition that brings the local sports world together week after week to talk, for just over an hour, about the state of local sports -- school by school and athlete by athlete.
Different coaches are invited each week and each coach is allowed to bring up to three athletes to introduce.
During their respective seasons however, Wilson said football, basketball and baseball coaches from every school are allowed to attend each meeting.
At yesterday’s luncheon, 20 coaches were invited and each gave a briefing on the past week’s exploits on the field, and a preview of what lies ahead.
Santa Barbara City College Football Coach Craig Moropoulos talked frankly about his team’s 51-24 loss to College of the Canyons last Saturday, but expressed optimism in the quality of his team.
“The score doesn’t always indicate how the game went,” Moropoulos said. “I really feel good about our team.”
The Vaqueros (1-2), will face Hancock College in Santa Maria this Saturday at 7 p.m.
Dos Pueblos Football Coach Jeff Uyesaka introduced running back Nick Sarrichio, who tore his ACL on the first play of the season. Uyesaka said barring the injury, which will keep Sarrichio out for the season, the boy would have likely broke the school record for rushing yards.
Santa Barbara Football Coach WIll Gonzales highlighted last Saturday’s 30-20 victory over a talented Beverly Hills squad.
“I feel really good about beating a really good team,” Gonzales said. “It was a tremendous game for us.”
The Dons will face Righetti this Friday at 7 p.m. at Peabody Stadium.
Though the San Marcos Football team has gotten off to a rocky 0-2 start, with the most recent loss coming at the hands of a tough Lompoc squad, Head Coach Dare Holdren used part of his time at the mic to note the importance of athletics in the lives of young people who could find themselves pressured to join gangs.
“The best thing about football is we take kids that are at risk,” Holdren said, adding that football is basically “gang abatement.”
The Bishop Diego High School football team rocked Santa Maria with a 48-7 victory last Saturday behind an impressive, four-touchdown performance by running back Aaron Skinner, who was awarded the News-Press male athlete of the week award. Skinner accumulated 193 rushing yards during the effort.
The female athlete of the week award went to UC Santa Barbara women’s volleyball outside hitter Rebecca Saraceno, who racked up 18 kills in a 30-28, 29-31, 21-30, 30-27, 15-12 victory over No. 22 ranked Santa Clara last Saturday.
The Gauchos will begin Big 10 Conference play this weekend when they face Cal State Northridge on Friday and Long Beach State on Saturday. Both matches will be held in the Thunderdome and are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Also at yesterday’s luncheon was News-Press Co-Publisher Arthur von Wiesenberger, who presented the Round Table a check for $7,500, which will secure that newspaper’s place as the main sponsor of the Round Table’s annual Hall of Fame Banquet.
The storied tradition of the Round Table was also apparent yesterday, when one of the Round Table’s founders, Jerry Harwin, made an appearance.
Harwin told the Daily Sound that 39 years ago, he remembered telling the other two founders, Ceasar Uyesaka and Bill Bertka, that he didn’t think such an organization would work.
“I told [them] it would never work and now look at it,” Harwin said. “It’s a great thing that has happened.”
Wilson, who served on the Round Table’s 40 member board for the past seven years, said he hopes to increase the number of the Round Table’s members during his two years as president.
He said he encourages anyone who cares about student athletes, with emphasis on the student, to become members.
“We don’t just honor athletes, we promote a lot more,” Wilson said. “My goal is to increase our membership, which allows us to better serve our student athletes.”