GANAS! Leading from the Heart

Proving that great coaches do more than blow whistles and plan strategy, Jason Ludwig strives to make an even greater impact off the court. As an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Santa Clara, Ludwig has helped the program to five winning records and coached 11 all-conference players. But it's off the court where he's really had an impact, especially when it comes to underprivileged youth. Ludwig co-founded the Coaches Social at the Final Four, a premier event geared toward networking hundreds of coaches across the nation. Ludwig is president and founder of the Latino Association of Basketball Coaches, which provides support, education and networking opportunities to Latino coaches worldwide. In 2005, Ludwig created JL Hoops Camp, to give youth from low socio-economic environments a free basketball camp in his hometown of Montebello (East Los Angeles).

As athletic director and vice principal at Palma School in Salinas for the last five years, Rob Bishop brings vast leadership experience – much of it on the basketball court. Bishop is the former head basketball coach at California State University, Monterey Bay, overseeing all aspects of the program for more than 8 years. Before CSU Monterey, Bishop served as an assistant coach at Northern Arizona University for six seasons. He also served as an assistant at California State University, Chico, where he received his bachelor's degree in physical education in 1996 and masters in physical education with an emphasis in coaching in 2001.

A high school administrator with a history of coaching and guiding kids for more than three decades, Art Hunsdorfer bleeds the purple and gold of Salinas High School. Over the course of 33 years at SHS, he has served as director of athletics, academic guidance counselor, head baseball coach, and assistant football coach. He's also a former SHS graduate (the class of 1981). His great love is the sport of baseball, and as the head coach of the SHS program for 18 years he made the playoffs 16 times, winning more than 350 games. Hunsdorfer was the associate head coach at Cabrillo College from 2015-2020, and previously coached at Palma School. He also spent three years coaching in the California Collegiate Summer League. Hunsdorfer earned a degree in sociology from Fresno State University, has a masters in education and a doctorate in education leadership.

Jean Ashen has seen many athletes come through North Salinas in her 30-plus years as athletic director, and has affected each and every one of them in at least some small way. Perhaps the most respected athletic director in Salinas history, Ashen won the Athletic Director of the Year award from California State Athletic Directors' Association in 2018. A former three-sport athlete at North Salinas High, Ashen earned a degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She returned to her alma mater in 1992 to teach and work as athletic director.

Former Everett Alvarez High School Eagle Brian Vazquez returned to the campus where he earned a Division I athletic scholarship in 2004 – becoming the new Athletic Director in 2017. Knowing he had one of the deepest pools of athletic talent in the city, Vazquez set out to change the culture of the athletic department, beginning with school pride. A class of 2004 graduate, Vazquez attended Fresno State and excelled in the classroom and as a hammer thrower, finishing sixth in the NCAA Division I West Regional. He earned his degree in Kinesiology and teaching credentials then headed back home to the Salinas Valley.

Matt Briney was “feeling pumped” in 2019 when he accepted the job as athletic director at Salinas' newest school Rancho San Juan High School. After teaching and coaching at Everett Alvarez for 8 years, the Southern California native joined the Trailblazers. Sportsmanship is the top priority at Rancho San Juan High School with everyone following the six pillars of good character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Caring, Fairness and Citizenship.

Georgia-born Sunil Smith has made his mark in Salinas — on and off the football field. He began his coaching career at Alisal High School by transforming a dismal program into an annual contender. An Educational Specialist at Alisal High School for 16 years, he is currently on faculty in the Physical Education/Kinesiology Department at AHS. He also works as a resource specialist at El Puente School, and is active in community service.

Richard Cabrera found the idea of putting college into the minds of migrant kids invigorating, so he built his career in education around it. A migrant student himself, the Salinas native once turned down a bilingual teaching position in Los Angeles to inspire others in his hometown, shaping the next generation of students throughout the Alisal Union School District.

Raised by a single mother in crime-ridden Inglewood before moving to East Salinas at age 6, Ollie Lowe believes in creating a brighter future for today's youth. A successful businessman as founder of Lowe Packaging Group in Salinas, Lowe runs the annual Operation Give Back Toy Drive. The group's vision is to inspire people to be leaders in giving back, planting a seed of hope, self-worth, and inspiration to a child living in adversity.

One of the most decorated coaches in Central Coast history, Art Berlanga (known simply as “Coach B”) lays out his philosophy on life and how to empower people in the best-selling book “The Impact of Influence.”

Turning his passion for sports into a career as an entrepreneur, Nick Witherill is the founder and owner of Biñho, an interactive board game inspired by soccer. Currently a one-man show, Witherill is in charge of marketing, manufacturing, product design, supply chain, fulfillment, branding, multichannel retailing, sales, social media, website design, and development. A basketball star for Grand Canyon University, Witherill ended his senior season in 2011 as the team's second highest scorer at 9.5 points per game. A finance major, Witherill developed Biñho in 2019 as both a game and a lifestyle brand.

As a woman in the male-dominated world of sports broadcasting, Griselda Ramirez reached great heights in her professional career. Born in Salinas to Mexican parents, Ramirez graduated from Alisal High and Santa Clara University before earning a Master's from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. At ESPN, Griselda worked on several features in both English and Spanish, earning a Sports Emmy in 2016. She also earned a 2019 Imagen Award for her work in the ESPN short-form nonfiction piece, “SC Featured — A Dreamer's Path,” profiling promising Salinas golfer and DACA recipient Jose Calderón.

A native of Pomona, Stanford men's basketball assistant coach Jesse Pruitt has lived in the Bay Area the last 10 years. Prior to his arrival on The Farm, he served eight seasons on the staff at Santa Clara, where the team saw success on the court and in the classroom. During his tenure, all 19 players who reached their senior season earned degrees and the men's basketball program had a 100 percent graduation rate. Pruitt graduated from UC Davis in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. He was a member of the Aggies' men's basketball team for two seasons.

Tony Farmer was never a professional superstar, but he was the ultimate professional in his 16 years in the NBA and beyond. The 6-foot, 9-inch power forward played for Golden State, Charlotte, Miami), but also spent time with the CBA, ABA and overseas in France, Italy, Russia and Puerto Rico. Born in Los Angeles, Farmer starred at Artesia High School, and averaged 22.6 points and 10 rebounds in his senior season (1987). He was named MVP of the Suburban Conference, and had his jersey retired alongside Tom Tolbert and Ed O'Bannon.

Only a junior at Stanford, Haley Jones has already had a stellar career. And her star continues to rise. A 2019 graduate of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, the Santa Cruz native was rated the No. 1 player in the country according to both ESPN HoopGurlz and Prospects Nation. She became the first No. 1 prospect to sign with Stanford since Chiney Ogwumike came to The Farm as the top player in the country in November 2009. As a senior at Mitty, Jones averaged 26.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.8 blocks per game, leading the Monarchs (25-3) to their fourth consecutive CCS title. Her sophomore season at Stanford ended with an NCAA championship, a Final Four MVP award, and great anticipation for what lies ahead.

Domingo and Lucila Pizarro immigrated from Durango, Mexico, so their children could have a better life. With values and vision instilled in him by his parents, Ruben Pizarro has done them proud. Turning to higher education to ensure his future, Pizarro earned a degree in sociology at UC Santa Barbara before graduating from Santa Clara Law School. Today he runs the Salinas Valley Dream Academy, helping young people seek a better future.

Jarod Haase's life is built around basketball. Following one season playing for rival California in 1992-'93, the South Lake Tahoe native transferred to Kansas, where he starred in the powerhouse program. In 1997 he became the Jayhawks' Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and later earned a master's degree in business at Kansas in 2000. In five seasons as coach at Stanford, Haase has led the Cardinal to 82 wins.

Understanding and promoting the value of sports in society, Justin Clymo serves as director of athletics, world religions teacher, dorm head and boys basketball coach at Stevenson School in Pebble Beach. He also broadcasts his own podcast “Why Sports?” that highlights athletics and being part of a team as foundations for any career path.

Holding every meaningful hoop record for her alma mater Clovis West High, Maddie Campbell overcame a series back injury to earn her way into the USC women's basketball lineup. The psychology major would like to pursue a master's degree and eventually pursue a career that involves working with children.

With a mission of developing players through commitment and discipline, El Camino Futbol Club has been an integral part of player development since 2017 in tradition-rich Salinas, Calif. Julio Sanchez serves as president of ECFC, creating new opportunities for area youth, providing a pathway for players with aspirations and dreams of playing collegiate soccer and beyond.

Chris Young's passion in the community is reflected through the development of basketball players on and off the court. The former Cal State Los Angeles standout thrives on creating, coordinating, producing and managing exciting and interesting basketball events, leagues, tournaments and games. As co-founder of Air West, where future stars find themselves and their game in a basketball-rich environment, Young helps mold some of the best players in the world.

With a focus on early detec­tion, pre­ven­tion and treat­ment of age-related diseases such as diabetes and heart dis­ease, Dr. Melinda Silva-Llanes stands behind a goal to help patients with issues of sleep, sex, energy, mood, stamina, weight, hair and skin. Believing in per­son­al­ized care with a blend of mainstream and wellness medicine, she provides the best knowl­edge and skills in “age management” at her practice in Chula Vista, Calif.

José Ángel Apodaca has a dream job, traveling the world and making deals to bring sports teams to different international competitions. Through Servicios Deportivos Profesionales (SDP), Apodaca promotes international and national sporting events, but also offers a space for fun and sports coexistence among children, youth and parents in his hometown of Mazatlan, Mexico.

Henry Bibby made a career out of winning. An All-America guard for the UCLA basketball team, Bibby won three straight national titles at UCLA under legendary coach John Wooden, nicknamed the “Wizard of Westwood.” The starting point guard on the team, Bibby was instrumental in leading the team to 47 consecutive wins. He was one of only four players to have started on three NCAA championship teams; the others all played for Wooden at UCLA as well. Drafted in the fourth round by the New York Knicks in the 1972 NBA Draft, Bibby helped lead the team to an NBA title in 1973. Bibby spent nine seasons in the NBA, and was a part of the 1977 and 1980 Philadelphia 76ers teams that made the NBA Finals.

Ramón Silva describes dance as an “essential” part of his life, but wasn't able to formally train until he attended Hartnell College as a young adult. So he made it his mission to make sure local kids, especially from East Salinas, can dance regardless of ability to pay. Twenty-five years ago he founded Tonatiuh Danzantes del Quinto Sol, a nonprofit, Salinas-based dance and cultural group. The name roughly translates to “movement of dancers of the fifth sun.” Silva's calling led to him receiving the Arts Council for Monterey County's Champions of the Arts volunteer award.

Named “Best Basketball Coach in Pennsylvania” by USA Today, Gregg Downer has coached 70 players who went on to play at the college and professional levels, including NBA MVP Kobe Bryant (1996). Downer is an inductee in three sports hall of fames in Pennsylvania and is among the most successful youth coaches in the United States, running the Gregg Downer Basketball Academy in the off-season.

Named superintendent of SUHSD in 2017, Dan Burns has led the district to several success stories, including offering free meals to all students regardless of their income levels, as well as having the largest graduating class in the history of the SUHSD, eclipsing the $45 million amount for scholarships and tuition assistance offered.

Known as a top college recruiter and defensive specialist, Paso Robles native Bob Cantu spent 12 seasons at USC as an assistant coach, associate head coach and interim head coach. He recruited and/or coached 14 NBA players, including five who were selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. He was a part of five NCAA Tournament teams (including a berth in the Sweet 16 in 2007), the 2009 Pac-10 Tournament champions and a school record three consecutive 20-win squads from 2007-09. USC set a school record with 25 wins during the 2006-07 season.

Before becoming a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Jimmy Panetta volunteered for active duty in 2007 and was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He worked with Special Forces units and was awarded the Bronze Star. Upon returning home to the Central Coast, he served as a board member of the Veterans Transition Center where he focused on ending veterans' homelessness and improving resources for his fellow veterans and their families.

A graduate of Cornell University who holds a Masters in teaching from Emory University, Jon Gordon is an American author and speaker on the topics of leadership, culture, sales and teamwork. Through his training/consulting company, Gordon's principles have been widely used by numerous Fortune 500 companies, professional and college sports teams, school districts, hospitals and nonprofits.

A wide receiver and track star at Arroyo Grande High School in the 1980s, Will Henry broke records for most receiving yards (1,136) and touchdowns (9) during the team's 1987 state championship season. Named to the prestigious all-America team, Henry went on to play football and run track at Fresno State University. Working with the homeless for more than 15 years, Henry previously served as the director for Homeless Vets in Las Vegas. He is currently the program manager for Project RoomKey, providing hotel rooms for individuals and couples in San Francisco during the time of Sheltering in Place to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Over a 20-year-plus career as a pro-bono attorney, Alma Silva has worked with La Raza and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, served as an associate with the law firm Connerton, Ray, and Simon, and has served two terms as an alumni representative to Stanford's El Centro Chicano Guiding Concilio.

The youngest of seven children, Francisco was born in Sonora, Mexico, with the family migrating to Salinas when he was 4 years old. Like his siblings, Francisco was expected to work in the agricultural fields alongside his parents, who taught their children the value of hard work and education. Francisco graduated from Santa Clara University and UCLA School of Law in the inaugural class of the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy. He has spent a distinguished career speaking up for the underserved.

A graduate of King City High School and Hartnell College in Salinas, John Devine has built a stellar career as a sports journalist in his own backyard. A local icon when it comes to sports information, with more than 12,000 followers on Twitter, Devine keeps generations of local sports fans informed on a daily basis.

Named Coach of the Year nine times and Monterey County Coach of the Year six times, Jim Rear compiled a combined 394 wins at Alisal and Alvarez high schools. He was selected to the Gatorade Coaches Care National Honor Roll in 1995 and was inducted into both the Alisal High Hall of Fame and Salinas Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

Called “a big-time shooter with length,” Stanford's 7-foot center Keenan Fitzmorris sets big-time goals both on and off the court.

A product of East Salinas, Julio Gil used his creative talents to build a thriving small business in his hometown. A model of entrepreneurship, Central Coast Sign and Design specializes in graphic design, logos, vehicle wraps and signs.

Dedicated to shaping today's youth into tomorrow's leaders, Amparo Saldana emphasizes the importance of hard work and education. As a teacher, mentor, coach and board member for Gil Basketball Academy in Salinas, she is directly involved in bettering her community.

A top sprinter and triple jumper, Marcus Floyd finished the indoor track season as Stanford's No. 5 freshman of all time. He plans to major in architectural engineering and pursue a career as an architect, while continuing as a force for social change while improving opportunities for people of color.

Isa Silva became Stanford University's top recruit this year as a 6-foot-3, 175-pound senior point guard from Jesuit High School in Carmichael. Proud of his Latino heritage, the grandson of a bracero immigrant embraces the social media hashtag #wolfway, a nod to how wolves can positively impact the ecosystem around them.

Dr. Gloria Sanchez specializes in family medicine, and is a member of UCLA's Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture, working to increase the number of Latino doctors in the U.S.

David Estrada is the most famous soccer player in Salinas history, earning many MLS awards as a professional — including Humanitarian of the Year.

The Rev. Artis Smith has served the community of East Salinas for the last 15 years as pastor of New Hope Baptist Church. Dedicated to servanthood and discipleship, the Rev. Artis Smith joined New Hope Baptist Church in 1999 as Associate Minister, installed as pastor in 2005. During that time he has helped lead a regional effort toward social justice.

Former NBA star Jerome Williams (1996-2005) supports youth through the game of basketball, as a global ambassador and president of The Young3 tournaments.

Eva Gil-Silva is a first-generation college graduate (Stanford University), teacher, mentor, mother of three and co-founder of Gil Basketball Academy in Salinas.

Trailer for our new podcast coming soon.