Their lives revolve around playing the games they love.
Zack Atchison and Martino Bertolotti are three-sport athletes at Ceres High School, a rarity in this age of specialization.
They took time out of their busy schedules to talk about the challenge of juggling football, basketball and baseball.
"Summer's pretty hectic," said Bertolotti, a junior. "Sometimes you have to do all three sports the same day. It gets tiring but if you love to play the sport you'll do it. If I wasn't doing this, I don't know what I'd be doing. I'd be bored."
"It's worth it," said Atchison, a senior.
For the second straight year, Zack will play football in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring.
"It's my last year playing sports, so I just do it," he said. "It makes you a better person. You become more responsible."
Atchison was a reserve in all three sports during the 2006-07 school year.
In football, he logged time at quarterback, fullback and linebacker as the Bulldogs amassed a 4-6 overall record and finish in fifth place in the Valley Oak League (3-4).
Zack completed 5 of 20 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions while backing up two-year starter Ross Tate. He gained 115 yards on 42 carries and scored once. Atchison registered 32 tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery.
Zack tallied four points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal as a reserve guard in eight games for the varsity basketball team, which compiled a 21-7 overall record, advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs and tied for third in league standings.
Zack batted .270 (10-for-37) with six runs and five RBIs as a utility player in 19 games for the baseball team, which tied for third in conference play (8-6).
Atchison also made five appearances as a pitcher, compiling an 0-1 record with a 4.94 ERA, 10 strikeouts and two walks in 11.1 innings.
Bertolotti played football, basketball and baseball at the JV level in 2006-07. He earned a promotion to the varsity baseball team towards the end of the season. In nine games, he batted .316 (6-for-19) with one double, three stolen bases, 13 runs and three RBIs as a utility player.
"It's always great being part of the team and you know you can help out in a big way," Martino said.
Asked which of the three sports they enjoyed playing the most, Bertolotti and Zack provided the same answer with no hesitation.
"I've played baseball my entire life," Martino said. "It's the funnest."
"I've always liked it," Zack said.
Atchison and Bertolotti developed a passion for athletics thanks in large part to their supportive fathers.
"My dad's coached me in pretty much every sport," Zack said. "I'm pretty fortunate because most people don't have that."
"His success is all self-driven," said James Atchison, a Modesto High graduate. "It's really nothing I gave him. He's always had the heart of a champion. He doesn't have quit in him."
Asvaldo Bertolotti, arguably Ceres High's all-time greatest athlete, earned 12 varsity letters. He starred in wrestling (4) baseball (4), football (3) and basketball (1) in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He played three seasons in the Boston Red Sox farm system
"He's a big influence," Martino said of his father. "He taught me the right way to do things in each sport when I was young. He inspires me and gives me the drive to play."
Zack Atchison and Martino Bertolotti are three-sport athletes at Ceres High School, a rarity in this age of specialization.
They took time out of their busy schedules to talk about the challenge of juggling football, basketball and baseball.
"Summer's pretty hectic," said Bertolotti, a junior. "Sometimes you have to do all three sports the same day. It gets tiring but if you love to play the sport you'll do it. If I wasn't doing this, I don't know what I'd be doing. I'd be bored."
"It's worth it," said Atchison, a senior.
For the second straight year, Zack will play football in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring.
"It's my last year playing sports, so I just do it," he said. "It makes you a better person. You become more responsible."
Atchison was a reserve in all three sports during the 2006-07 school year.
In football, he logged time at quarterback, fullback and linebacker as the Bulldogs amassed a 4-6 overall record and finish in fifth place in the Valley Oak League (3-4).
Zack completed 5 of 20 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions while backing up two-year starter Ross Tate. He gained 115 yards on 42 carries and scored once. Atchison registered 32 tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery.
Zack tallied four points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal as a reserve guard in eight games for the varsity basketball team, which compiled a 21-7 overall record, advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs and tied for third in league standings.
Zack batted .270 (10-for-37) with six runs and five RBIs as a utility player in 19 games for the baseball team, which tied for third in conference play (8-6).
Atchison also made five appearances as a pitcher, compiling an 0-1 record with a 4.94 ERA, 10 strikeouts and two walks in 11.1 innings.
Bertolotti played football, basketball and baseball at the JV level in 2006-07. He earned a promotion to the varsity baseball team towards the end of the season. In nine games, he batted .316 (6-for-19) with one double, three stolen bases, 13 runs and three RBIs as a utility player.
"It's always great being part of the team and you know you can help out in a big way," Martino said.
Asked which of the three sports they enjoyed playing the most, Bertolotti and Zack provided the same answer with no hesitation.
"I've played baseball my entire life," Martino said. "It's the funnest."
"I've always liked it," Zack said.
Atchison and Bertolotti developed a passion for athletics thanks in large part to their supportive fathers.
"My dad's coached me in pretty much every sport," Zack said. "I'm pretty fortunate because most people don't have that."
"His success is all self-driven," said James Atchison, a Modesto High graduate. "It's really nothing I gave him. He's always had the heart of a champion. He doesn't have quit in him."
Asvaldo Bertolotti, arguably Ceres High's all-time greatest athlete, earned 12 varsity letters. He starred in wrestling (4) baseball (4), football (3) and basketball (1) in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He played three seasons in the Boston Red Sox farm system
"He's a big influence," Martino said of his father. "He taught me the right way to do things in each sport when I was young. He inspires me and gives me the drive to play."
