SYHS to induct five more to Pirates' Wall of Fame
By Santa Ynez Valley Star Staff · Thu Sep 17 2026
Dean Gilchrist, Sara Jex, Mitch Moore, Wade Clark and Rika Bering to be honored during Sept. 18 football game
Santa Ynez High School will honor its past on the evening of Sept. 18, during the Pirates' football game against Arroyo Grande. Longtime multi-sport SYHS Dean Gilchrist, tennis player Sara Jex, baseball players Mitch Moore and Wade Clark, and basketball player Rika Bering will be introduced before the 7 p.m. game at Rio Memorial Field. Here are some thumbnails on the inductees and their accomplishments in and out of athletics:
Dean Gilchrist
In 1965, Coach Dean Gilchrist arrived at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School to teach business education after teaching three years in Watts. Eighteen years later, he retired from coaching sports: cross country, girls tennis, and boys tennis, accomplishing many firsts in his career.
He coached the first cross country team in school history for three years, winning its first league championship. He coached the first girls’ tennis team at the school for eight years and led them to their first CIF playoff match ever. Lastly, he coached the boys’ tennis team for 18 years and won the first CIF championship in school history for tennis, which was only the second sports CIF championship in SYHS history.
Dean had never coached before but was a successful long-distance runner at Bemidji State Teachers College in Minnesota, where he specialized in the 880m, mile, and two-mile events. His teams qualified for the CIF playoffs 15 times and won 10 league championships, and his boys tennis team had six undefeated seasons in league.
He was instrumental in helping tennis grow in the valley, from teaching tennis in the summers, getting lights for the tennis courts, and encouraging organizations to fund new courts at three of the elementary schools and Hans Christian Andersen Park. His legacy to sport and education was encouraging his players and students to work hard, play hard, all while being disciplined.
Sara Jex
Sara Jex began her tennis career in 1995 as an incoming freshman, competing on both the junior varsity and varsity teams. That year, she was a member of the Pirates' Los Padres League (LPL) team champions, who went on to win the CIF team championship. Her performance earned her a varsity letter during her freshman season.
During her sophomore year, Sara continued to excel, winning the LPL Doubles championship alongside her partner, Kristin Hanson. This achievement earned her First Team All-League honors. As a junior, Sara earned another First Team All-League recognition while competing in the number two singles position. In her senior year, she reached a career milestone by winning the LPL Singles Championship and was named Co-Most Valuable Player (Co-MVP).
Following high school, Sara attended Saddleback Junior College from 1999 to 2001. In her freshman year, she captured the Orange Empire Conference doubles championship and received All-Conference honors. She then redshirted the following season to train exclusively.
Upon returning to competition, Sara played in the number one singles position for Saddleback, finishing with an impressive 16–2 record and earning All-American honors.
Sara later received a scholarship to compete on the women’s tennis team at Cal Poly Pomona, where she played both singles and doubles. She was a key contributor to the Broncos winning the CCAA championship in 2003. She completed her collegiate tennis career in 2005 and graduated that same year.
She went on to complete her M.A. in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, graduating in 2009. Sara now resides in Shandon, California, with her husband Bob and their son Will.
Mitch Moore
Mitch Moore was born and raised in Buellton, the youngest son of Gil and Nan Moore. He followed in the footsteps of his older brothers, Kelley and Dana, attending Santa Ynez High School, where sports occupied a central part of his life. He led his football team’s offense from under center, ran point on the basketball court, and patrolled center field on the baseball diamond.
After graduating from high school, Mitch played two years of baseball at Allan Hancock College under legendary coach John Osbourne, while earning his Associate of Arts degree. He then transferred to Pepperdine University, where he played two more years of baseball and graduated in May 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree in sports medicine.
Mitch and his wife, Mary, raised their five children in Santa Barbara. Mitch spent countless hours coaching his kids on the basketball court and baseball diamond. His teams enjoyed many winning seasons, with his own children often filling much of his roster. But for Mitch, coaching was about much more than wins and losses. He took great pride in teaching his kid’s life lessons, building lasting relationships, and creating memories that would stay with them.
Mitch recently concluded his coaching career after spending five years as an assistant baseball coach at Bishop Diego High School.
Today, Mitch has traded game days and practices for a new role: chasing after his grandchildren. He makes the most of every opportunity to be involved in their lives, just as hehas always done with his family, and now he looks forward to teaching his grandkids a love of sports.
Wade Clark
Wade Clark graduated from Santa Ynez Valley Union High School in 1998. Wade lettered in varsity baseball for three years under coach Dave Kuehn, and in varsity football for one year.
Wade was a right-handed pitcher and first baseman on the diamond for the Pirates. As a senior, he earned Central Coast Tournament MVP honors, Pirate Pride Award, and served as team co-captain. As a junior, he also received Los Padres All-League 1st team recognition, was selected to the Santa Maria Times All-Area team, and earned the school’s Most Inspirational Player award. As a sophomore on varsity, he was an Honorable Mention Los Padres All-League. One of the defining moments of Wade's high school career came when he threw a no-hitter in 1997. Wade also threw many one-hitters during his high school career.
Off the field, Wade excelled academically as a three-time Student-Athlete honoree at SYHS. Wade was selected in
the later rounds of the 1998 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Minnesota Twins but elected to attend UCLA to continue his baseball career in college, after earning a baseball scholarship at UCLA, Wade played for the UCLA Bruins baseball team for three seasons covering 2000-02.
During college summers Wade played two seasons with the Santa Barbara Foresters, and one with the Salinas Packers. In June 2002. Wade signed as an undrafted free agent to play with the Detroit Tigers. He graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in history in 2004.
Wade's Professional baseball career began in the summer of 2002 with the Detroit Tigers
organization, with whom he played Minor League baseball for the Rookie Ball Gulf Coast Tigers,
Short Season Oneonta Tigers, Low A West Michigan Whitecaps, and the High A Lakeland Tigers. He also participated in Detroit's Instructional League in fall 2002. Wade ended his baseball career in the professional independent leagues playing with the Allentown Ambassadors, Cook County Cheetahs, and ending his career with the Kansas City T-Bones.
Wade would like to recognize and thank all his teammates, coaches, and especially his family,
Greg (Ann Clark) and sister Brenda Cloud, who were a steady support throughout his sports career. Wade is also the proud uncle to Jackson and Cierra Cloud, who also had recent distinguished sports careers at SYVUHS. Wade now resides in Lakeway, Texas, with his wife, Lisa, and their son Ethan. Wade happily gives back to the local Texas sports community by coaching his son Ethan's Lake Travis Outlaws Select Major baseball team over the past four years.
Rika Bering
From the Santa Ynez High School class of 1985, Rika played basketball all four years, serving as co-captain during her senior year, where she helped lead her team to the CIF playoffs. That same year, she also competed in track and field, excelling in the 800 meters and setting a school record that stood for many years.
Rika continued her athletic career at Santa Barbara City College, playing basketball for two years and serving as co-captain. She then transferred to UCSB, where she completed her collegiate basketball career and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology.