Early leaders emerge in first week of Corporate Games

The 2011 Corporate Games organized by the city of Ventura got underway in earnest this week, with results announced for the first two competitions.

Teams took part in an indoor volleyball tournament last weekend at Ventura High School and a bocce ball contest at Limoneira Ranch in Santa Paula.

Sixty-two businesses from Ventura and Santa Barbara counties are participating in the annual event, now in its 22nd year, which pits teams of local employees against each other in a series of sporting activities.

The seven companies competing in Division A, for the largest employers, are each fielding three teams.

Defending champion Amgen leads Naval Base Ventura County, 12 points to 11, with County of Ventura in third place with 10 points. Amgen team1 took top honors in the bocce ball, while NBVC team 1 won the indoor volleyball.

In Division B, for companies with 151 to 500 employees, JD Power & Associates of Westlake Village made a strong start, winning the indoor volleyball and placing second in bocce ball. They topped the division with 18 points heading into week two.

JD Power, competing for the second year, is excited about the challenge, said team coordinator Marty Guerrero.

"A lot more people are participating this year and we have a good number of people coming out to support them," said Guerrero, an office services clerk. "It's about team building and bringing the company together."

In second place in Division B with 14 points is Agoura Hills-based Teradyne, a leading supplier of Automatic Test Equipment. Calavo Growers of Santa Paula is in third with 11 points.

In Division C, for companies employing 51 to 150 people, Mission Produce of Oxnard has 14 points going into week two after coming second in indoor volleyball and third in bocce ball.

Aera Energy of Ventura and Cydcor of Westlake Village, a company specializing in outsourced sales teams, are tied for second with 10 points each. The Cydcor team won the indoor volleyball competition and Aera Energy won bocce ball.

In Division D, for companies with 10 to 50 employees, Limoneira won the bocce ball competition to take the top spot with 14 points over Oxnard-based fresh berry supplier Reiter Affiliated Cos., which secured 10 points by coming first in indoor volleyball.

Limoneria team coordinator Gabby Cervantes said that contrary to what their competitors think, they didn't really have a home court advantage at bocce ball.

"We're actually not out there practicing that much. We're not out there everyday like everyone thinks we are," she said, laughing.

Cervantes, a Human Resource Coordinator, says it's the sixth year Limoneira employees have taken part in the Corporate Games.

"Our employees love it," she said. "The excitement builds and they like to get out there and have a good time. It does create unity outside of work and that unity comes back into the office."

During the second week of the competition, teams are competing in basketball, team tennis, kickball and darts.

The Corporate Games winners will be announced at a special closing ceremony at Harbor Cove Beach in Ventura on May 14.

For more information, visit http://www.venturacorporategames.org.