‘Best of the best’
First AASC Invitational held at Mcdermont X
On a Memorial Day weekend with favorable weather, some of Tulare County’s best young student athletes weren’t out frolicking along beaches or trekking along a mountain trail.
Instead, they gathered Saturday at Mcdermont X in Lindsay to compete in the first-ever All American Student Classic Invitational to determine “the best of the best” from around the county.
Since 2012, elementary and middle schools around the county have hosted AASC weeks to challenge their students with five academic and five athletic competitions.
Winners in individual events receive medals, and the top overall scoring boy and girl from grades five through eight would receive a plaque recognizing them as All American students.
For the first AASC invitational, the top five overall boy and girl finishers in each grade level at individual school competitions were invited to compete for county-wide bragging rights and have some fun at the same time.
Eight schools were represented at the competition: Strathmore Middle School, Pixley Elementary, Woodville Elementary, Rocky Hill Elementary (Exeter), Lincoln Elementary (Exeter), Alpine Vista School (Tulare), Mulcahy Middle School (Tulare), and Wilson Elementary School (Tulare).
For a first-time event on a holiday weekend, AASC organizers were pleased with the turnout.
More than 60 students showed up to compete, many accompanied by robust family cheering sections.
“We’re learning because this is our first one, but it’s good. The kids are all busy and they’re having fun,” said AASC President Bob Pugh. “A lot of families have showed up, and it’s been fun to talk to them and watch them supporting their kids.”
Pugh was also impressed with the number of volunteers that gave up part of their Saturday to lend a hand. Thirty volunteers were staged all around the sprawling complex to guide students to and through events.
“I think it’s awesome. There’s a lot of smiles and a lot of fun activities going on,” said volunteer Benjamin Kloepfer as he kept soccer balls in play at one of the obstacle course elements.
“It’s a great thing for these kids. It’s very pleasurable seeing them come out here and just have fun and smile and compete at the same time,” said volunteer Brandon Moody. “Volunteering has been a good way to get the family out here together and do some charity work and help people out.”
To condense what is normally a week-long event into one day, students competed in three academic and three athletic events: reading, math, science, 50-yard dash, rock climb, and the obstacle course.
The obstacle course has become the AASC’S signature event over the years. During school competitions, the obstacle courses are customized by teachers and administrators based on the unique characteristics of their school and the interests of their students.
The obstacle course at Mcdermont Saturday did not disappoint, as it incorporated many unique features of the facility. Among the 10 elements students navigated on the timed course were a slalom area, soccer goal kick, balance beam and archery shooting with soft-tip arrows.
At the conclusion of the course, students had to pop a balloon by sitting on it in a chair, giving judges an emphatic signal to stop their timers.
Woodville fifth-grader Miguel Bedolla, fresh off turning in a sharp performance on the course, said he liked the archery portion best, but also liked the rock climb competition.
“I love it because all of the students are engaged,” said Miguel’s mother Noemi, who was there to support her son and five other Woodville competitors. “I love these boys and I’m here to cheer all of them on.”
Noemi, who teaches at Carl F. Smith Middle School in Terra Bella, hopes to see an AASC event at her school in the future.
“I’m definitely going to let them know about it,” she added.
Students competed in the six events from 9 a.m. until noon, then took a well-earned lunch break while judges calculated the scores for the awards ceremony.
The awards ceremony was given some extra buzz by the presence of guest presenter Marion Renau, Porterville native and current teacher at Farmersville High School.
Renau is currently ranked number seven in the world in women’s mixed martial arts, and is preparing for her next UFC bout in July. Prior to handing out awards, she reminded students that even kids from small towns can achieve great things if they are determined to pursue excellence.
“I come from Porterville, California, born and raised, and I’m a smalltown girl who can do bigtime things,” said Renau. “No matter where you’re from, you can go out and do big-time things and then come back and share it with your community. I hope to see you up here someday sharing the same things with another generation.”
Renau placed 108 medals around the necks of top finishers for top finishing boys and girls in each grade level for the events, with many students donning four or medals by the end.
After the medal presentation came big moment: the announcement of the top overall boy and girl for each grade in the competition.
In fifth grade, top scorers were Samuel Cortez and Angie Torres, both from Wilson Elementary. Top sixth grade honors went to Joe Ray Giron of Pixley Elementary and Sabrina White from Mulcahy Middle School.
Alpine Vista School swept in both seventh and eighth grade, with Jaden Colesberry and Jocelyn Gomez Ontiveros taking the awards for seventh grade and Michael Iriye and Brooke Trueblood finishing best among eighth-graders.
After the ceremony, competitors were free to remain and play around on Mcdermont’s numerous attractions for the rest of the day with their families.
“I hope you who came to watch enjoyed watching your kids and their fellow competitors,” said Pugh. “Your sons and daughters have already proven themselves as among the best.”