Day School, he began volunteering as an educator at San Quentin. He was first involved as an instructor for Teaching Responsibility Using Sociological Training or “TRUST,” the prison’s drug and alcohol education program. Soon after his start with TRUST, he was introduced to the prison’s athletic director. This fortuitous meeting eventually led to Ted becoming a certified “brown card” holder, a designation that carries with it a high level of security clearance. This clearance allowed Ted to arrange basketball games at San Quentin and bring in outside players including other CSB-related folks like alum Damian Crosby ’88, and basketball coaches Antawn Capla, Pete Giese, and Ron Quimmel. Since his certification, Ted has organized over 40 basketball games in five years against the San Quentin Kings, the 40-and-over inmate team. By the end of our conversation, Ted had completely hooked me into joining his team, the Trail Blazers, and I am so glad he did. I am proud to say that I am now in my second season playing ball at San Quentin. With each game, I develop a tighter bond with my teammates and the Kings. Before tip-off, and again before the start of the second half, it is customary for one player from each team to give a brief talk. I have had the opportunity to speak once before tip-off. I spoke to the group about what I get from being there, how much I appreciate the Kings and their positive outlook, what I think about the experience itself, and how much I look forward to the games. Most inmate players speak about the actions that brought them to San Quentin, their work on becoming better men, and the importance of our basketball league. The inmates also always thank us for taking time away from our families to spend time with them. However, it is the time I spend with them that brought me to understand the importance of our league program, and how our presence goes far beyond the game itself. While it is a huge time commitment (every third Saturday of the month) amounting to valuable weekend time away from my two young children, the effect of my time spent there gives me great perspective. It provides me with an immense appreciation for the family I get to go home to, for the work it takes to right a wrong, and for the supportive programming at San Quentin that aims to give inmates opportunities to grow. In my estimation, these guys have acknowledged their poor choices, and put in both the time and effort to become better people. But I am not the only one who thinks so: Inmates are chosen by the prison to be Kings players based on their diplomatic nature. These men are positive role models within the prison community, as well as great players. They actively avoid the trappings of gangs, drugs, and anger—the very things that tend to lead other prisoners into longer sentences and a violent life behind bars. While it is true that many of the players are serving long sentences, they have chosen to be a positive force while incarcerated.
TRAIL BLAZERS: (front row) John Taylor and Aidan Coffino, (back row) Ted Saltveit, Ryan Steer, Mark Stapp, Damian Crosby ’88, and Will Wheatley at the gates of San Quentin
San Quentin in the distance
The Kings say that when we visit, it is the only time they don’t feel like “inmates.” True enough—once the ball is tipped and we are in between the lines, it’s just basketball: 10 guys who love the game and want to win. We all play hard, we all want to get the call, and, at the end of the day, we all want sportsmanship to reign. The inmates often joke that they keep trying to schedule road games against us, but all they can manage are home games. However, with inmates serving as refs, and surrounding the court as fans, it seems to me they enjoy a pretty significant home court advantage! After a long winter away, I was eagerly anticipating the first game of my second season. It was great to get back on the court with my teammates and reconnect with the Kings. Upon returning to San Quentin, now a “seasoned” player, I have come to realize two things. First, there is no other feeling like the nervous excitement I feel when rounding that corner and walking down the hill into the Yard. And second, the benefits and the rewards of the San Quentin basketball program are felt on both sides of the ball. SCOREBOARD
BALL IS LIFE BY JOHN TAYLOR, Fourth-Grade Teacher
was the view. It was incredible. The San Francisco Bay and Mt. Tamalpais were clearly visible. Of course, so was the entire Yard. It consisted of a baseball field, tennis courts, and a handful of small workout areas. A crude running track with faded lines encircled the space. These simultaneous views served as a stark reminder that the folks on the “inside” were sealed off from experiencing the beauty outside the prison’s gates. That day, the Yard was packed with a few hundred inmates. Most were exercising—running the track, playing baseball, or pumping iron. Others were just hanging out—talking to one another, playing cards or chess, or listening to music. And then there was also a handful of inmates, 15 men to be exact, warming up on the basketball court. These were the guys we had come to play. Each was wearing the white jersey of the San Quentin Kings. As we got closer to the court, much of the Yard’s activity stopped. The inmates ceased what they were doing to look up and stare at us. I felt another rush of nerves. I was, indeed, a little scared and wondered how in the world I had come to find myself in this place. I knew very well how I got there, however: Ted Saltveit. Ted, a former CSB Upper School Head, had planted the seed at a CSB alumni basketball game when he told me about his experience playing basketball at San Quentin. When Ted left his Upper School post nine years ago for Marin Country
WALKING ONTO THE SAN QUENTIN STATE PRISON YARD FOR THE FIRST TIME, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO EXPECT. I had been planning for this moment for weeks, but I still wasn’t prepared for the rush of nerves and the excitement I felt rounding the corner and walking down the prison hill from that second security checkpoint. Ironically, one of the first things I noticed
San Quentin on the Bay
2015 FINAL STANDINGS Trail Blazers versus San Quentin Kings 4 to 6
2016 MID-SEASON STANDINGS (as of 10.7.16) Trail Blazers versus San Quentin Kings 8 to 6
44 | CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS
FALL 2016 • RED & GOLD | 45
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