The Riverbank City Council presented a number of proclamations at its late March meeting to local residents, teams and organizations that have helped to better the community.
First up was the Riverbank Youth Baseball Softball Association.
The council noted that RYBSA is a non-profit and charitable organization that services Riverbank and the surrounding areas. It is a volunteer-based organization that provides quality T-ball, baseball, and softball for children ages four to 15. RYBSA is dedicated to teaching important fundamentals through sports such as positive sportsmanship, discipline, teamwork, confidence, and a competitive spirit.
In 1959, Riverbank Little League offered baseball to the youth in Riverbank — this was the foundation for RYBSA. In the early 1990s, RYBSA began to offer not only baseball, but also softball to include the young girls. Since then RYBSA has been able to provide quality sports to the youth in Riverbank and its surrounding areas. Eddie Carrillo is the current president and is dedicated to positive sportsmanship, inclusiveness, and promoting a positive parent participation.
He was joined at the ceremony by two 10-and-under softball players. Luckily, this group went first because the two players had to leave immediately after to face off in a game that night, against each other’s team.
Their certificate noted the importance of youth sports in creating physically fit youth, with increased social and emotional resilience the helps improve academic performance and develop leadership.
Outstanding Young Woman
Next the council recognized Riverbank High senior Damaris Diaz, who serves as the student representative to the Board of the Riverbank Unified School District and has been recognized by the Stanislaus County Commission for Women as one of the county’s outstanding young women.
As a community leader, she listens to fellow students and relays their concerns to the school district. She is active in school clubs, such as Future Farmers of America, Women’s Empowerment Club, and California Scholarship Federation. She is also the historian for SkillsUSA, a career technical student organization. She is active in her church and volunteers to provide meals to unhoused individuals.
The Stanislaus County Commission for Women is an organization that supports all women in attaining their goals, advocating for more women in positions of leadership, whether in the area of philanthropy, business, non-profit, sports, science and technology, education, public office or other areas and values women of all ages, ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic background, and beliefs.
They strive to promote knowledge of individual women’s strengths and resources and to support women in the pursuit of their choices and goals. The commission celebrates the accomplishments of women collectively and individually.
RHS Boys Soccer
Also earning recognition during the evening, council members presented a Certificate of Recognition to Coach Juan Harvey and the RHS Varsity Boys Soccer Team. The team earned the Trans-Valley League championship this past season.
They noted that Coach Harvey is an RHS alumnus and played on the boys’ varsity soccer team during his high school years. During this time, he helped win two TVL championships himself.
Harvey has been coaching since 2015 and has been selected Trans-Valley League Coach of the Year for the fourth time. All his experience and skill has led the current soccer team to their success.
Upon winning league this year, the team received several team recognitions. They had the most ever First Team All-League selections and Honorable Mention selections.
Angel Torres, Adrian Montoya, Jovanny Perez, Oscar Marin, John Tejeda, and Jose Alvarez were selected by the other coaches in the league as First Team All-League players for their talents and abilities on the field. Eric Verduzco was voted by the other coaches in the league as the best player in the league (TVL MVP). He is the first boys’ soccer league MVP since the last one in Riverbank, in 2009, and only the second boys’ soccer league MVP in school history.
RHS Girls Basketball
Finally, the City Council presented a Certificate of Recognition to the high school’s Varsity Girls Basketball Team and its coaches, Janelle Luu, Aimee Felix and Fred Berry.
Coaches Luu and Felix brought experience and skills to the team since they were on the basketball team for Riverbank High School in years past.
Avah Luu is Janelle’s sister, the last in a long line of Luu RHS basketball players, on both boys and girls teams over the years.
The varsity girls had plenty of success this season, achieving the following titles this season
Back-to-Back TVL Champions, finishing in the 2024 CIF SJS Semi-Finals; they won their first CIF NorCal Playoff Game. In 2023 they were CIF SJS Finalists (Runners-Up).
This year, Chancis Gamez was voted TVL Most Outstanding Player.
Rayne Tago and Taylor Macias were selected to the TVL First Team All-League. Avah Luu and Alexis Felix received TVL Honorable Mention.
