Feb. 2 – 9, 2013

Welcome to week forty-five of the Sports Doing Good newsletter.

We lead off with a story that takes a look at legendary tennis player, scholar and humanitarian Arthur Ashe. It is hard to believe that it has been 20 years since he passed away. When we have such a powerful figure leave us, there is that natural fear that no one will be able to fill his role. Thankfully, we have many instances of pro athletes and everyday citizens who, though they may not be on Ashe’s level, they contribute tremendously to improving the lives of individuals and communities around the world. To have a look at three young social entrepreneurs, please check out the story from Young Entrepreneur.

In addition to those stories, you will see stories featuring the NHL’s Washington Capitals, FIFA, the Green Bay Packers’ Donald Driver, backwards bowler Jim Cripps, and one of our favorites, Dikembe Mutombo.

Please continue to send along your stories. You are both our audience and our best source of stories. Our Twitter handle is @sportsdoinggood, and you can find us at www.facebook.com/sportsdoinggood. We anticipate 2013 being just as robust when it comes to the number and quality of stories

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@sportsddoinggood.com. (If you do not want to receive the newsletter anymore you can use the Unsubscribe button at the end of the email)

So enjoy. And have a good week.

Remembering Arthur Ashe, a great athlete and a great man
I miss Ashe still. We all do, even those of us who don’t realize it. We need his rock-solid voice of reason that always came as much from a place of compassion as wisdom. We need his perspective, always selfless and humane. Although we have others, we still desperately need his example, forever honest and courageous.
http://espn.go.com/espnw/commentary/8921737/espnw-remebering-arthur-ashe-great-athlete-great-man

AP Photo. Arthur Ashe hoisted major singles trophies at Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open.

Washington Capitals to Celebrate Hockey is for Everyone Month
For the 15th year, the NHL has designated February Hockey is for Everyone™ Month to celebrate grassroots hockey and the game’s growing diversity. The program offers children of all backgrounds opportunities to play hockey and leverages the sport of hockey as a catalyst to teach essential life skills and the core values of hockey: commitment, perseverance and teamwork.
http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=654206

FIFA launches platform for corruption whistle-blowers
FIFA has launched a new online platform designed to allow individuals to blow the whistle on concerns over match-fixing and corruption in the game. “The reporting mechanism will enable individuals to notify FIFA of potential violations, another milestone in FIFA’s effort to strengthen football governance.”
http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/187391/fifa-launches-platform-for-corruption-whistle-blowers

Young Entrepreneurs Kick Off New Sports Ventures
Call it opportunity spotting. When a services hole appears in the market, oftentimes an entrepreneur isn’t far behind, eager to fill it. That’s the situation at many of the nation’s public schools.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225689

Tyler Spencer, 26, founded The Grassroot Project as a way to use sports to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among at-risk youth from Washington, D.C.

Donald Driver’s final stop in Green Bay: The home of a 78-year-old fan
Driver is leaving Green Bay — sorry, folks, but it’s cold there — to return to his home state of Texas, but before he did, he stopped by the home of 78-year-old fan Angie LeRoy. She’d decorated her house to honor Driver’s retirement, and who should show up at her doorstep but Driver himself?
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/donald-driver-final-stop-green-bay-home-78-201447164–nfl.html
http://youtu.be/tfHhpnWDduc

Local schools pave way in accommodating disabled athletes
But for those studying new guidelines from the federal Department of Education that would have public elementary and secondary schools to accommodate students with disabilities who want to play sports, Otto’s place on the swim team shows how it can work.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/west/2013/02/07/local-schools-pave-way-new-federal-guidelines-require-teams-accommodate-disabled-athletes/VeNidjcBdlfIU7ic5imLcO/story.html

Meet Jim Cripps, the Incredible Backwards Bowler
You’ve probably never seen anything like this before, I sure haven’t. Tennessee native James Cripps earned the nickname Backwards Bowler for a very simple reason – he’s able to bowl perfectly well without even facing the lanes.
http://www.odditycentral.com/videos/meet-jim-cripps-the-incredible-backwards-bowler.html

Building ‘a safe bridge’ through sport
The Center for Sport, Peace, and Society uses the properties and characteristics inherent in sport – such as teamwork, respect, cooperation, and leadership – to help people from different backgrounds establish a trust that can bridge cultural divides.
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/89b688f8#/89b688f8/64

Dikembe Mutombo blocks for GEICO in Super Bowl commercial
Dikembe Mutombo is great at many things. He’s great at languages. He’s great at being an ambassador for his native Democratic Republic of Congo. He’s great at rebounding. He’s great at laughing like Cookie Monster. He’s great at wagging his finger. Mostly, though, he’s great at blocking shots.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/02/03/dikembe-mutombo-geico-super-bowl-commercial/1888413/
http://youtu.be/C_0fyUYB3cA

NFL Greats’ Gun Control Video: Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders Appear In PSA Favoring Gun Law Reforms
NFL greats Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk are appearing in a public service announcement in favor of gun law reforms.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/08/nfl-players-gun-control-video-emmitt-smith_n_2648423.html?ref=topbar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYpvA4Jhih0&feature=share&list=UUu4Q7iE0z1Jw7yUjs56dvXA

THE NEXT 6 STORIES

Rangers, Chase announce initiative; Community partnership begins with work to refurbish Sandy-damaged rinks
The New York Rangers and Chase announced the launch of New York Rangers Assist supported by Chase, a program designed to improve the youth hockey experience and increase opportunities and accessibility to the sport.
http://rangers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=654613

Talksport gets behind community sports programmes
The Community Programme Award will reward the UK’s most innovative, impactful and effective grassroots community project. Six schemes will be unveiled as part of the official shortlist for the Sport Industry Awards on February 14, and the winner will be crowned at the star-studded Sport Industry Awards ceremony on May 2.
http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/187410/talksport-gets-behind-community-sports-programmes

John Deere Donates $1 Million to the First Tee
John Deere is now a Trustee of The First Tee®, a non-profit youth organization that provides life skills and character education programs to young people using golf as a platform.
http://www.thefirsttee.org/club/scripts/view/view_pubnews.asp?NS=PUBLIC&PID=11810

N.F.L. Joins With G.E. in Effort to Detect Concussions
The N.F.L., faced with increasing concern about the toll of concussions and confronted with litigation involving thousands of former players, is planning to form a partnership with General Electric to jump-start development of imaging technology that would detect concussions and encourage the creation of materials to better protect the brain.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/sports/football/nfl-and-ge-team-up-in-effort-to-detect-concussions.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

11-Time Olympic Medalist Ryan Lochte Plunges Into Advocacy
Swimmer Travels to Capitol Hill to Urge Congress to Continue Support of People with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/07/lochte-ppmd-congress-idUSnPnDC56441+160+PRN20130207

New Orleans Hosts “Greenest” Game In Super Bowl History
It was the “greenest” game in Super Bowl history. The New Orleans Host Committee’s (NOHC) Environmental Committee worked tirelessly for more than two years to implement a variety of environmental initiatives designed to “green” the game, the fans and the community of New Orleans.
http://s.tt/1zmAb