|
|
|
THE STORY OF THE
|
THE
FOOD FIGHTERS YEARS
1997
- 2000
The
Gladiators began as the Food Fighters. In 1997, in an effort to pick up
morale amongst his employees, Jason Fields of Conducive Catering came to Scott Asencio to manage a softball team
made up of some of his employees as well as friends of Scott. Scott put together a rag-a-muffin team and they
began play in Campbell at John D. Morgan Park. The first team did okay but
went through the early struggles of a new softball team, with lack of
commitment and unhappiness about when and where players played being at the
top of the list. The Food
Fighters continued to play at John D. Morgan Park, as well as a couple
seasons at Twin Creeks. Their biggest success was being a finalist in the 2000 Winter Men's D
Division. Current Gladiators, besides Scott, who played during
the Food Fighters years are Thomas Parks, Frank Eric Chavez, Mark Kearney, Ruben
Hernandez, John Diepeveen, Scott Hetherington, Craig Canion, Tony Valdez,
Jeff Bowline, Kim Kimani and Julie Ashauer.
|
GLADIATORS
YEAR ONE
2001
Year
one of the Gladiators existence brought forth a new sponsorship. T & D Tile
Co. Inc. was the sponsor of the Gladiators when they brought
home their
first Championship. Coming out of the fourth seed, the Gladiators played a
hard fought game, winning by one run in extra innings, against the number one
seed. They then took on the second seed in the Championship Game and with
the momentum and excitement of the first game guiding and aiding them, the
Gladiators easily won the 2001 Summer Men's Novice Division Championship. Many people came and went that year from the roster, as was
the case in the previous years, when we were known as the Food Fighters. It was late during this
year, that the senior team members decided that team chemistry and fun were
the way the Gladiators should continue. The roster was purged and many new
people were brought on board for the 2002 season.
|
GLADIATORS
YEAR TWO
2002
Year
two of the Gladiators existence brought many new team members and their
first coed and corporate coed teams.
With the help of Cristina Forney and Connie Brosze, the first coed team
was put together. After season two, Connie left the team to move to
Florida and Cristina took over as captain of the coed squad and
recruited many of the women currently on our roster. The two coed teams,
Spring and Summer, made the playoffs but could not get out of round one. The corporate coed
team lost in the Fall Championship Game (after a month and a half
postponement). The men's team continued to play well, winning the
Gladiators second championship becoming the 2002 Summer Men's Novice
Division Champion.
|
GLADIATORS
YEAR THREE
DEDICATED
TO OUR FALLEN GLADIATOR, OUR FALLEN FRIEND, TONY VALDEZ
2003
Year
three of the Gladiators brought a few changes and some serious
excitement. For one, the Gladiators began play at Memorial Park in
Cupertino in the city's Sunday Coed Division during the Spring. Coming
in as the fourth seed in the playoffs, the Gladiators knocked off the
powerful first seeded team in the playoff game. Then went on to beat the
second seeded team to earn themselves the Spring Season Championship. In
the Fall, the Gladiators once again played at Twin Creeks on
Wednesday Night and lost in the Championship Game though they had
knocked off the number one seed to get to there. The Gladiators also began a sponsorship
relationship with The Britannia Arms in Cupertino, as well as continued
their sponsorship relationships with
Planet Fuel (which is owned by Gladiators softball club member Sheri
Spackman) and T&D Tile Co. Inc..
|
GLADIATORS
YEAR FOUR
2004
Year
four of the Gladiators began with the Spring Men's Team knocking off the
first place team to get to the second playoff game but lost, earning
themselves fourth place. The Spring Coed Team lost in the finals due to
forfeit but were winning when the game was called. The Summer #1 Men's Team also earned themselves
fourth place. The Summer #2 Men's Team had serious championship
aspirations but fell two runs short in the championship game earning
themselves second place. The Fall Coed Team fell one run short of
their championship goal earning themselves second place. Finishing out
the year, the Fall Men's
Team finished in fifth during their regular season and earned third
place in the playoffs.
|
GLADIATORS
YEAR FIVE
2005
Year
five of the Gladiators began in the Spring with the Sunday Coed Team
winning their second championship in four seasons. The Gladiators
triumphed in a hard fought game over the undefeated Way Past Due team,
who they had lost to in the championship game in the Fall 2004 season.
The Gladiators returned for the Fall 2005 Sunday Coed season and played
themselves into the championship game yet again. Unfortunately, Way Past
Due was too much for them that day and they finished in second place. It
was a bitter end to the season and the desire for another championship
would have to burn inside them all until the 2006 Spring Coed Season.
|
GLADIATORS
YEAR SIX
2006
Year
six of the Gladiators begins in the Spring with the Sunday Coed Team.
|
|
|