Cal football links: Bears organized summer community camp for children

Also, ten California Golden Bears made the All-Pac-12 preseason team.

Photo via Cal Athletics

The Cal football team came together two weeks ago to organize a camp for 80 children (aged 6-13) and their families at Memorial Stadium for the Golden Buddies Football Clinic. It was led by offensive lineman Matthew Cindric and linebacker Myles Williams. More from the Daily Cal.

“Growing up, I saw a lot of divide and a lot of physical exclusion between both communities,” said Williams, whose parents are adaptive physical education teachers. “So the main goal (for today) was getting kids together and casting them as one big group and not trying to compartmentalize them into separate groups.”

The cause is also close to Cindric’s heart. The senior’s community service started in high school, and he has since organized a number of similar events for children with disabilities and special needs, including events with the organization Athletes for Kids. In fact, Cindric said that an event such as this, where he gets to give back to the community, played a large role in his decision to stay for a sixth year at Cal.

You can see some video of the camp via Cal football Twitter with interviews with Cindric, Williams and a surprise face!

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Three Cal Bears in ten received All Pac-12 honors by making the first and second team.

• Linebacker Jackson Sirmon made the first team.

• Running back Jaydn Ott and safety Craig Woodson made second team.

• Honorable mention included offensive lineman Matthew Cindric, defensive back Jeremiah Earby, wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter, defensive lineman BRETT JOHNSON, safety Patrick McMorris, offensive lineman Sioape Vatikani and punter Lachlan Wilson.

For those who missed it (check out Christopher’s great recap from his visit to Vegas), Pac-12 Media Day videos with head coach Justin Wilcox…

as well as offensive lineman Matthew Cindric and linebacker Jackson Sirmon.

And here’s a great feature on Cal offensive coordinator Jake Spavital:

When Spavital and his wife, Mehgan, left Berkeley seven years ago, they moved to Mehgan's home state of West Virginia as a dynamic duo. When they returned several months ago to a pleasantly familiar environment, they did so with a completely new family dynamic; parents of their two young children, Madison and Landyn. Their long list of fond memories, which stretched from Berkeley to Napa to Half Moon Bay and Lafayette, made it easy to see their kids growing up in the Bay Area.
 
"We had the absolute best time in 2016. Obviously, we didn't have children at the time," Mehgan said. "Now, having two children and moving back out to California, Jake was concerned about if I thought it was the right move. I told him that without a doubt, I would love to take our kids back to California and let them experience what we did – the quality of life."