April 7-13, 2013

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

As we move smoothly into year two of the Sports Doing Good newsletter, we are looking for ways to continually provide you even more compelling content, whether it is through the newsletter, blog, and/or social media. This week we are happy to introduce such content via a new partnership with our friends at Carnegie Sports & Entertainment.

Carnegie Sports & Entertainment is a boutique agency specializing in cause marketing and corporate social responsibility. It was founded by Harrie Bakst, a young professional who has overcome his own battles in life to spearhead a movement that is picking up more and more supporters each week. This week and at times in the near future we will feature an exclusive Carnegie one-on-one interview with a leading athlete in the world of sports and social responsibility. This week it is marathon champion Meb Keflezighi. (past interviews by Carnegie were done with NBAer Spencer Hawes and MLBer Andrew McCutchen.

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.

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So enjoy. And have a good week.

Very special moment in University of Nebraska spring scrimmage
Jack Hoffman is not on scholarship at Nebraska, but he still led the Huskers in rushing at the team’s spring scrimmage Saturday in Lincoln. Clad in full Huskers gear, Hoffman, a 7-year-old brain cancer patient from Atkinson, Neb., ran 69 yards for the scrimmage’s final touchdown.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9142300/jack-hoffman-7-scores-nebraska-cornhuskers-spring-game
Rex Burkhead befriended Jack Hoffman and welcomed him to the Nebraska family.

Interview: Meb Keflezighi (Carnegie Sports and Entertainment Exclusive)
Meb Keflezighi is an Olympic Medalist and the winner of the 2009 New York City Marathon. His journey to the pinnacle of distance running has been called one of the best illustrations of the American Dream… We caught up with Meb to talk about how his past has influenced his journey and the importance of inspiring those around you by giving back.
http://carnegiese.tumblr.com/

Carl Hall overcomes heart problem as his Shockers overcome all odds
Hall is an underdog story all by himself. Now 26 and allowed to play only via a special NCAA medical waiver, there was a time Hall thought he’d never play basketball again.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/05/us/wichita-st-carl-hall-heart/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1

Wichita State’s Carl Hall cuts down the net at Los Angeles’ Staples Center after an upset win over Ohio State.

NFL program brings its message to young athletes; Top high school prospects learn lessons to help them on, off the field
This weekend’s event, which is one of five nationwide seminars hosted by NFL Player Engagement, is designed to teach some of the nation’s best high school prospects that there’s more to life than football. It takes a room crowded with lofty expectations and tries to put those professional dreams in perspective.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-04-06/sports/bs-sp-nfl-prep-100-0407-20130406_1_football-field-armour-performance-center-ravens

Local high school football players such as defensive lineman Marvin Flythe of Arundel High, works out during the NFL Prep 100 training camp at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kenneth K. Lam, Baltimore Sun)

Red Sox and State of Connecticut Announce Charity License Plate Program (from Bonfire Impact)
The Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox Foundation, and Connecticut Governor, Dannel P. Malloy, announced a new charity license plate program in Connecticut today. The plate’s design will feature the Red Sox logo and the proceeds from the sale of the plates will go to the college scholarship program that will be established by the Red Sox Foundation for public high school students in Connecticut.
http://www.bonfireimpact.com/2013/03/26/red-sox-and-state-of-connecticut-announce-charity-license-plate-program/

In South Africa, sport and surfing is making Waves for Change in the fight against HIV
South Africa is a breeding ground for grassroots organisations, often with ideas reaching far above their stations. And it is through many of these organisations that South Africa today finds itself at the epicentre of a new movement, coined ” Sport for Development”, that is remodelling and repackaging HIV education into programmes capable of breaching the initial stigma and scepticism of the South African public.
http://www.beyondsportworld.org/member/discussion/index.php?Id=2430

NASCAR to celebrate 10th NASCAR Day in May; “Ten Days Of Giving” tour and Camping World add luster to this year’s NASCAR Day
This special day is an unprecedented celebration of drivers, corporate partners, media and the sport’s millions of fans uniting with The NASCAR Foundation to support a range of charitable causes relevant and meaningful to those within the NASCAR family. Over the past 10 years, the annual celebration has grown substantially in its outreach efforts and impact on communities throughout the country.
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/04/04/nascar-to-celebrate-10th-nascar-day-in-may.html

WWE® Becomes Founding Partner for 2014 Special Olympics USA Games
Nearly 3,500 athletes will travel to New Jersey for the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games to compete in 16 Olympic-style team and individual sports, with the support of 1,000 coaches, 10,000 volunteers and an anticipated 70,000 spectators…WWE will utilize all of its platforms, including TV broadcasts, live events, digital and social media to generate awareness and raise funds in support of the USA Games.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/wwe-becomes-founding-partner-2014-025100362.html

SWOLing for Good: Highlighting the Work of Kicking Across Carolina (From Sport and Social Change)
Kicking Across Carolina is a soccer non-profit organization dedicated to promoting peaceful coexistence through the game of soccer. It began as a group of three college friends—one Christian, one Jew, and one Muslim—who put aside their religious differences for a common goal and dribbled a soccer ball each across the state of North Carolina.
http://soccerwithoutlimits.com/swoling-for-good-soccer-for-social-good-highlighting-the-work-of-kicking-across-carolina/17018/#4a0TMZKbfKeLRai9.99

Sports & Society Program introduces the Project Play
Project Play represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine youth sports in America, with a special focus on underserved communities and the country’s public health. The perspectives, ideas and research shared at the roundtables and other events will lead to the publication of a final report, also underwritten by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in late 2014.
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/about/blog/full-court-press

THE NEXT 10 STORIES

Give Kids Sight Day Provides Free Eye Exams and Glasses to Philadelphia’s Uninsured Children
Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY), Eagles Youth Partnership, Wills Eye Institute, Thomas Jefferson University and Visionworks announce the fourth annual Give Kids Sight Day on Saturday, April 13, 2013.  Free eye exams and free glasses will be provided for Philadelphia children ages 18 and under who are uninsured and underinsured and do not have access to vision care.
http://www.prlog.org/12113740-give-kids-sight-day-provides-free-eye-exams-and-glasses-to-philadelphias-uninsured-children.html

10 Unwritten Playground Rules All Parents Should Follow
The playground is a place of sweet release for the children that frequent it, but can be as packed with drama as an afternoon soap opera for the adults looking after them. While there’s little that can be done to stave off simple personality conflicts or differences in opinion, adhering to a bit of playground etiquette could help to keep animosities to a minimum.
http://nannybackgroundcheck.com/blog/10-unwritten-playground-rules-all-parents-should-follow/

Healthy Kids Hub Website Helps Out-Of-School Programs Connect With Resources To Support Millions Of U.S. Children
Healthy Kids Out of School is one of the high-impact, integrated strategies created by ChildObesity180 to reverse childhood obesity. Founded on three key principles – Drink Right, Move More, and Snack Smart – Healthy Kids Out of School has united some of the country’s leading organizations around these simple principles so that children experience consistent, healthy messages across out-of-school-time activities.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases-test/healthy-kids-hub-website-helps-out-of-school-programs-connect-with-resources-to-support-millions-of-us-children-201920651.html

Georgetown Men’s Soccer to Play in Kicks for Chase Benefit Game; The Hoyas will take on UMBC Saturday night to help support children with Down syndrome.
All proceeds from the game will be donated to The Arc Foundation of Harford County (Northern Chesapeake Region), a private, non-profit local chapter of The Arc of Maryland and The Arc of The United States. For 60 years, The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region (Arc NCR) has helped individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live independently.
http://www.guhoyas.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/041013aaa.html

Soccer City USA, Thorns match has right pitch; Portland fans hope women’s soccer is poised for success
This is the third iteration of the women’s soccer league, but we feel this one is poised to succeed and be viable,” Golub says. “We’re really excited to be part of this new league. We knew that it would be successful here, and we hoped that our success here would help the league be successful as a whole. So far the response has exceeded expectations.”
http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/135828-soccer-city-usa-thorns-match-has-right-pitch

NHL, players union take on homophobia by partnering with You Can Play Project
The formal announcement means the NHL and NHLPA are committing to education and training for teams, players, media and fans, including more public service announcements, seminars at the NHL’s annual rookie symposium, and the incorporation of the project into the league’s behavioral health program. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/nhl-joins-fight-homophobia-article-1.1314040#ixzz2QITE6bYy

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images.  In a huge step for pro sports, the NHL is taking an active stance in support of gay rights.

Commissioner Bud Selig creates task force to improve on-field diversity in MLB
“As a social institution, Major League Baseball has an enormous social responsibility to provide equal opportunities for all people, both on and off the field,” Selig said. “I am proud of the work we have done thus far with the RBI program and the MLB Urban Youth Academies, but there is more that we must accomplish.
http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2013-04-10/bud-selig-task-force-diversity-mlb-black-african-american-jackie-robinson-42

2013 Olympia Praxis Summer Programme – Open for Applications
The International Olympic Academy and Georgetown University join forces to launch a groundbreaking sport for peace and development professional training programme at the birthplace of the Olympic spirit.
http://www.sportanddev.org/en/newsnviews/news/?5491%2F1%2F2013-Olympia-Praxis-Summer-Programme

Light up “your torch” and build your Olympism4Humanity legacy at the birthplace of the Olympic spirit. The picture captures the “stoa”, the gate through which athletes used to enter the Ancient Olympia’s Stadium.

Committee to Preserve Olympic Wrestling (CPOW) to Partner with UFC and Mixed Martial Arts
With one sweeping statement of support, Dana White and UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta have endeared themselves to wrestling fans across the globe and opened the door for a historic opportunity for the Keep Olympic Wrestling movement and the 2020 Vision campaign.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/11/5334726/committee-to-preserve-olympic.html#storylink=cpy

Jackie Robinson movie ‘42’ is a boon to Negro Leagues museum
So it’s only right that the Negro Leagues museum can be part of this, only right that Ford is bringing his celebrity and Boseman is donating a uniform he wore during filming. Nobody has done more to emphasize the importance and meaning of what Robinson did than Kendrick and the wonderful staff at the museum. http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/10/4175014/42-the-new-movie-about-jackie.html#storylink=cpy