Nov. 11 – Nov. 17, 2012

Welcome to week thirty-four of the Sports Doing Good newsletter.

We want to start off by congratulating the organizers of Beyond Sport United and the Ivy Sports Symposium for hosting such meaningful events. We see these two as “must-attend” events going forward.

Interestingly this week we have three stories involving teams from a league, the NHL, who is in the midst of a work stoppage. Unfortunately, fans of these teams and the League’s other stakeholders are missing out on seeing the usual thrilling games the NHL provides, along with the millions of dollars pumped into many local communities. Thankfully, the teams are staying active in their social responsibility efforts and we are happy to highlight those positives.

In addition to hockey, we offer stories dealing with: Kobe Bryant, MLB, the Aspen Institute, Chico State, Robert Pritchard, Boston College football, NFL, NBA, Logan Morrison, SportsAble, Josh Hamilton and streetfootballworld, amongst others.

Please continue to send along your stories. You are both our audience and our best source of stories. Our email address is sab@sportsddoinggood.com and our Twitter handle is @sportsdoinggood. Finally, if you think others would like to receive the newsletter, please feel free to forward it on or have them contact us directly at sab@sportsdoinggood.com. (If you do not want to receive the newsletter anymore you can use the Unsubscribe button at the end of the newsletter.)

So enjoy. And have a good week.

Kobe Bryant visits Skid Row to see the world through homeless eyes
Kobe Bryant visits Skid Row, the largest area of homelessness in the US, to see the world through homeless eyes. He stops by the LA Mission charity and speaks to 4 incredible men seeking to improve their lives in the 5 part series by TakePart TV.  http://www.beyondthebuzzer.com/2012/11/13/mission-kobe-bryant-fights-to-end-homelessness-visits-skid-row-video/
Video: http://youtu.be/ZKUY9-NT0_s

New Orleans opens Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy
The academy will provide free baseball and softball instruction and educational and baseball vocation programming for youth in New Orleans and southern Louisiana. It is the fourth MLB Urban Youth Academy in the country, along with Compton, Calif., Houston and Gurabo, Puerto Rico.
http://www.nola.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/11/new_orleans_opens_major_league.html

With Mayor Mitch Landrieu watching, New Orleans youth enjoy the new field at Wesley Barrow Stadium, the site of the new MLB Urban Youth Academy in Pontchartrain Park.

The Aspen Institute Presents — Sports and Society: More than a Game
Sports is no longer on the periphery of our society as a mere diversion, but an institution that both reflects and shapes our culture. On November 20, at 8:00 p.m. ET, The Aspen Institute Presents — Sports and Society: More than a Game, dives deep into some of today’s most compelling sports-related topics. http://www.aspeninstitute.org/news/2012/11/13/aspen-institute-presents-sports-society-more-game

Flames, Maple Leafs help women’s hockey with money and marketing
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames have boosted the Canadian Women’s Hockey League’s small budget with a multi-year financial commitment. The Maple Leafs are providing $30,000 annually for the next five years and the Flames $20,000 each of the next four to the five-team league that includes several Canadian and U.S. national team players.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/flames-maple-leafs-help-womens-hockey-with-money-and-marketing/article5229991/

Rangers’ and Flyers’ players, locked out by the NHL, will play a charity exhibition game for the benefit of victims of Hurricane Sandy
“If we have an opportunity to make a difference for people, we’re definitely going to do what we can to take advantage of that,” (NY Ranger Brad) Richards told The Post. “[Retired NHL player] Todd Fedoruk called and asked me if I’d take part in this, and I’m happy to do it.
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/rangers/an_ice_deed_for_sandy_victims_cN4UaYLFAPAHhzHRAORFfJ

Lockout doesn’t stop Anaheim Ducks from continuing to give back
Approximately 120 Anaheim Ducks staff, season seat holders, alumni, broadcasters & corporate partners gathered at Mattie Lou Maxwell Elementary in Anaheim on Monday, Nov. 12 for the Anaheim Ducks “Power PLAY!” school makeover project. The large-scale makeover included the installation of a permanent street hockey rink on the school playground, new trees, gardens & campus murals. http://www.ocregister.com/news/hockey-377625-ducks-team.html

Fifth-graders David Villegas, left, and Johan Rodriguez, battle for the ball during a pickup hockey game on Mattie Lou Maxwell Elementary School’s new street hockey rink Tuesday.

Chico State Wildcat athletes volunteer for charity
Chico State athletes unite every year to form the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a group of students in the athletic department who come together from different teams, but the camaraderie has created a united front to serve greater purposes.
http://theorion.com/sports/article_655e402c-2058-11e2-bbf4-0019bb30f31a.html

Walking Miracle: Former Knights defensive end Robert Pritchard refuses to let a rare stroke hinder his chances at returning to UCF grad school
It’s here, at one of the top rehabilitation hospitals in the nation to specialize in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury or brain injury, that the former UCF defensive end has worked endlessly since August to regain the life he had before suffering from uncontrollable seizures and a rare, massive stroke.
http://www.ucfathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/103112aab.html

Boston College shows how to stay positive; Struggling football team scores big by connecting with young fan and his family
The truth is, instead of a distraction for the team, JB has become a source of motivation. “It’s been really special to have him around,” Rettig said. “When you see him come out to practice and there during the games, it’s just inspiring to us. It just gets guys excited to see him out there, running around.”
http://espn.go.com/boston/ncf/story/_/id/8633258/boston-college-football-team-stays-positive-helping-young-fan

JB Harvey on the BC sideline with big sister Caroline and BC players Emmett Cleary and Jim Noel.

Goviva! one of several new websites that help you curate your own adventure
WHEN it comes to happiness, social scientists say it’s not glossy, tangible objects that give us lasting joy — it’s experiences, be it wine tasting in Tuscany or snowshoeing in Vermont. A new crop of travel Web sites is making it easier to book those kinds of experiences — and even give them to someone else. http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/travel/new-web-sites-help-you-curate-your-own-adventure.html?emc=eta1&_r=0

NFL looking into developmental league
There are people within the Competition Committee who believe there could be a 4-6 team bus league that replaces what used to be the World League. You have guys here, in the spring, playing in smaller U.S. cities. Scouts can be there; it’s easy to get around.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/20822950/video-nfl-looking-into-developmental-league

BBVA Compass and NBA Cares bring books, basketball and fitness to Pharr elementary school
NBA legends Robert Horry, T.J. Ford, Bob Lanier and Felipe Lopez today brought books, basketball, fitness and more to Cesar Chavez Elementary School as part of BBVA Compass and NBA Cares’ Team. Works. In Schools joint initiative.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bbva-compass-and-nba-cares-bring-books-basketball-and-fitness-to-pharr-elementary-school-177966101.html

Boxers learn sport, raise money for charity
The bouts will feature the 109 fighters, ranging from an amateur to veteran skill level, who have gone through months of intense training. Senior co-president Kat Leach said the fight night is a culmination of numerous hours of practice and sparring in order to raise money for the Holy Cross mission in Uganda to help improve education in secondary schools.
http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/sports/boxers-learn-sport-raise-money-for-charity-1.2944737#.UJ5-r3XoQfQ

GET A GRIP: Golfers raise billions annually for charity
Three quarters of all the golf courses in the U.S. host local charity events, raising more than $3.5 billion a year, according to the current issue of Golf Digest.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20121110/NEWS0402/311099996?p=1&tc=pg

Charity-minded Marlin, Logan Morrison, bringing baseball camp to Delray
Nominated for the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award and the 48th Annual Hutch Award, Morrison is getting set to host his third annual LoMo Camp for a Cure, which will benefit the American Lung Association.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-11-07/news/fl-drf-lomo-1107-20121107_1_lomo-camp-baseball-camp-miami-marlins

Games lift for disabled sports charity SportsAble
A charity that specialises in getting people with disabilities involved in sport is riding the crest of a post-Paralympic wave. SportsAble, based in Braywick Road, Maidenhead, has recorded a 10% increase in membership enquiries since the end of the Games in September. This amounts to an extra 60 new members joining the club in just two months.  http://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/roundup/articles/2012/11/06/64115-games-lift-for-disabled-sports-charity/

Heartbeat charity is bolstered by Rugby League star
Three rugby league players are throwing their weight behind a charity which hopes to bring defibrillators to local sports clubs in an attempt to save lives of sports men and women who suffer cardiac arrest while playing.
http://www.morleyobserver.co.uk/sport/local-sport/heartbeat-charity-is-bolstered-by-rl-stars-1-5128573

Relativity Media, Casey Affleck At Bat For Slugger Josh Hamilton Biopic
After clubbing 43 homers including nine in the span of one week, Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton ended his 2012 season as a free agent. The same can no longer be said for his incredible life story, which has been acquired and will be turned into a feature film by Relativity Media.
http://www.deadline.com/2012/11/relativity-media-casey-affleck-at-bat-for-slugger-josh-hamilton-biopic/

How football can promote social inclusion and boost employability
streetfootballworld convenes meeting to highlight the important role of organisations using football in tackling social challenges throughout Europe.
http://www.sportanddev.org/?5073/1/How-football-can-promote-social-inclusion-and-boost-employability