Welcome to week six of the Sports Doing Good newsletter. Again, we have had a number of individuals, some famous and some not-so-famous (including our “Do-Gooder of the Week”), step up and achieve great things for their local communities and sometimes for larger audiences. Organizations also had a presence, as Beyond Sport and SASF were in the news for their upcoming events, the NFL’s Raiders and Bucs tipped their helmets in acknowledgment of their fans and a special player, respectively, and Liberty Mutual and the Positive Coaching Alliance put a call out for their own top 10 occurrences in the “good” world of sports. And two of the biggest players in sports media, ESPN and Sports Illustrated, took time out to reflect on the legacy and ongoing impact of Title IX.

In the past week, we also had two popular cultural figures, one in sports and one in music pass away – Junior Seau, All-Pro NFL linebacker and Adam “MCA” Yauch of the Beastie Boys. Two guys from different coasts known for different things. But the feeling of loss was quite similar because what both men left were legacies of excellence. In their own ways they touched the lives of millions of individuals through the exhibition of their great talents on the world’s largest stages and also behind-the-scenes in their work in the community and around the world. While their passing hit us hard, we are buoyed by the knowledge that what they did and what they stood for will last forever. And that is good to know.

Please continue to send along your stories. You are both our audience and our best source 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@sportsdoinggood.com.

So enjoy. And have a good week.

Fun Doing Good:

Hello Brooklyn!
A nod to our birthplace, literally and figuratively. http://www.nba.com/nets/brooklyn/hello_brooklyn.html

Rain Delay Shenanigans
Check out Yahoo!’s Sports Minute for a great look at guys acting like kids, just as they should.  http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/randy-moss-daughter-sweeps-every-major-kentucky-hoops-102306313.html;_ylc=X3oDMTNucmM1dm4xBF9TAzIxNDMzMzc0OTgEYWN0A21haWxfY2IEY3QDYQRpbnRsA3VzBGxhbmcDZW4tVVMEcGtnAzA2NTQ1MDJjLTFkNDctM2RkYi1hMGQyLTJkZTE0NjE4YWYyNQRzZWMDbWl0X3NoYXJlBHNsawNtYWlsBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

Video: Brandon Weeden uses his rifle passing arm to hunt clay pigeons
From one of the most informative and interesting shows on TV. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/video-brandon-weeden-uses-rifle-passing-arm-hunt-180146210.html

Video: Messi tallies 4 more, gives thanks to Pep
It is a remarkable 72 goals for Lionel Messi and he sends his uber-successful coach off in style. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aYQE1PbacA

Athletes Doing Good:

Houston turning job with Knicks into charity platform
Allan Houston has spent his post-NBA career learning the ropes of the business side of the NBA as a member of the Knicks front office. But besides his title as the team’s assistant general manager, Houston has also spent plenty of time and energy devoted to off-court endeavors, with one of them helping to mentor and mold young men as they enter adulthood. Houston says that, as much as being part of building what he hopes will eventually be a championship-winning roster, is what he enjoys about his role with the Knicks. http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/knicksblog/houston_turning_job_with_knicks_K4RO3W1mHL11l7HEGXPn6H

Bo Jackson finishes 300-mile tornado relief ride
Bo Jackson‘s 300-mile bike ride across Alabama ended Saturday in Tuscaloosa, with the Heisman Trophy winner having raised more than $413,000 so far to help victims of last spring’s tornado outbreaks. http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Bo-Jackson-finishes-300-mile-tornado-relief-ride-3518594.php

Ex-Celtic Chris Herren using “Project Purple” to fight drug addiction
Chris Herren already knows how this is going to end when the Boston sky darkens Tuesday evening and one by one the downtown buildings – from the Prudential Tower to the state capitol to UMass-Boston – are bathed in a purple glow for his anti-drug project. He will feel the tears slide down his face. He will choke up. And he will wonder how so much has happened so fast. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba–chris-herren-using–project-purple–to-fight-drug-addiction.html

RIP – Junior Seau
Junior Seau was the face of the Chargers, but more importantly, he was the face of a city, writes Bill Williamson. http://espn.go.com/blog/afcwest/post/_/id/43670/junior-seau-was-san-diego. Please also see http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7886162/report-boston-university-seeking-study-junior-seau-brain for more on Seau and the hope of many that his brain will be studied.

Additional Story
Bellamy books a ticket to Wembley, and Sierra Leone! http://www.craigbellamyfoundation.org/bellamy-books-ticket-wembley-sierra-leone/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_campaign=180d4ae343-CBF_News_April_20125_1_2012&utm_medium=email and for a first-person perspective from Craig, please click here. http://www.craigbellamyfoundation.org/media/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_campaign=180d4ae343-CBF_News_April_20125_1_2012&utm_medium=email

Events Doing Good:

The Power Forward Charity Concert: The WNBA, Black Thought & Childhood Obesity
The “Power Forward” concert… is a charity concert that will bring the New York Liberty together with New York and New Jersey business professionals, city officials, activists, philanthropists, and residents for a night of music and advocacy. What originally caught my eye about the event was the involvement of Black Thought, lead MC of The Roots, whose GrassROOTS Community Foundation (GCF) is a co-sponsor of the event. But what actually makes it significant is that 40% of the proceeds will go toward GCF’s H.E.A.L. Program, which is one of their many programs focused on “increasing physical activity, reducing obesity and enhancing mental and physical health” for young girls. http://www.swishappeal.com/2012/4/28/2983222/wnba-power-forward-charity-concert-black-thought-childhood-obesity

Sporting students at all-night lock-in
“Dozens of students – who would normally be eager for the opportunity to avoid school – agreed to stay in college for 24 hours and take part in an endless sporting session. The event…, was called the Lutterworth College Lock In, and aimed to raise money for Sport Relief – a charity which supports good causes at home and abroad.”  http://www.lutterworthmail.co.uk/community/sporting-students-at-all-night-lock-in-1-3777769#

Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF)* Champions Awards Gala, May 15
A Benefit Reception with Silent Auction honoring Lenny Wilkens, Cal Ramsey, Jay Fiedler, and others who have helped improve the lives of kids growing up and going to school in New York City.

* Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is one of the  largest providers of school-based after-school programs in New York City and the metropolitan region. SASF serves more than 25,000 students in over 150 public schools.  These students typically live in low-income neighborhoods and attend academically struggling schools in grades K-12. http://www.sasfny.org/pdf/SASF%20Save%20the%20Date.pdf?utm_source=May+7%2C+2012&utm_campaign=Week+6&utm_medium=email

Media Doing Good:

SI.com Photos
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/?eref=sihp&sct=hp_bf4_a2
The world of sports delivered daily through the lenses of Sports Illustrated’s award-winning photographers. Snapshot from Sports Illustrated delivers the world in sports photos every day to your desktop. The free app offers Sports Illustrated’s exclusive photos from our award-winning photographers, photo essays from the biggest global sporting events, and rare images from our archives. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fhpknagfeicadegdhaipgklmnpekbgeb#detail/fhpknagfeicadegdhaipgklmnpekbgeb

Power Of IX: Top 40 female athlete countdown on SportsCenter, espnW
ESPN began unveiling the Top 40 Female Athletes of Past 40 Years as part of the company’s initiative The Power of IX. As part of the move to honor the 40th Anniversary of Title IX, SportsCenter, in conjunction with espnW, began a count down yesterday revealing on athlete a day, running through the Friday, June 22 where the top female athlete will be named. http://frontrow.espn.go.com/tag/espnw/  Sports Illustrated also covers this landmark legislation in this week’s issue. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/ann_killion/05/01/Title-IX-40-years/index.html

Organizations Doing Good:

Parker Sports and Youth to the Rescue Again!
When a local charity all about promoting youth sports opens its wallet, KIMA turns on the camera.
Another check from Parker Youth and Sports Foundation which donates money to local organizations to help out with sports programs for kids who don’t have the means. A five-thousand dollar check to the Southeast Community Center for girls soccer and T-ball.  http://www.kimatv.com/sports/Parker-Sports-and-Youth-to-the-Rescue-Again-148971785.html

MotivatEd’s innovative and inspirational e-learning materials and educational games
The company specialises in using the powerful appeal of professional sport to motivate curriculum learning in young people – using a combination of online primary games, e-learning activities, and lesson plans. Check out its educational web sites include the award-winning football games site Footee and the highly regarded cricket games site ICC Sportee Cricket. http://www.footee.com/ and http://sporteecricket.com/

BT sponsors Paralympic World Cup
London 2012 partner BT has signed a four year sponsorship to back the Paralympic World Cup – the largest annual international multi-sport competition in the elite disability calendar. http://www.london2012.com/news/articles/year=2009/month=01/article=bt-sponsors-paralympic-world-cup.html

Beyond Sport Announces Official Shortlist For Beyond Sport Awards 2012
Beyond Sport, the global organisation that promotes, develops and supports the use of sport as a tool for positive change across the world, is delighted to unveil the official shortlist for the Beyond Sport Awards 2012. 30 projects have been shortlisted that reach nearly 40 countries, and use more than 20 different sports. They were chosen from 322 entries from 135 countries that submitted applications to this year’s Beyond Sport Awards. http://www.beyondsport.org/mediacentre/press-release/view/1384

Liberty Mutual Insurance And Positive Coaching Alliance Launch Search For “Top 10 Responsible Sports Moments” Of 2012
Liberty Mutual Insurance and Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) announce the search for the “Top 10 Responsible Sports Moments” of 2012. In its second year, the program continues to spotlight and celebrate the positive values that sports instill in young people.
http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?resourceid=5163972&access=EH

Additional Story
Glad’s House – From the Streets to the Greens. http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012720/news/newsid=156918.html and http://www.europeantour.com/videoaudio/video/videoid=157648.html

People Doing Good:

One World. One Team. One Ride (“Do-Gooder of the Week”)
Matt Stoltz is a highly motivated freshman currently enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In high school, Matt held two Global Gear Drives at local YMCA’s in the Wisconsin Rapids community. The locals graciously donated more than 30,000 dollars worth of sports equipment for underprivileged youth in third world countries. Upon arriving in Madison, Matt desired to continue his involvement with the International Alliance for Youth Sports but understood that college students do not have extra sports equipment laying around to donate. Therefore, Matt, on his own, came up with the idea to bike 1700 miles from Wisconsin Rapids, WI to the National Alliance for Youth Sports headquarters in West Palm Beach, FL to raise awareness and funds for this worthy cause. For more, please click here. http://www.oneworldoneteamoneride.com/?page_id=6

At 94, WWII veteran, former area ballplayer still has love for game
At 94, Marcantonio is one of the last old-time ballplayers from baseball’s heyday, a golden age when every town in the greater Glens Falls area had a semipro baseball team. In an era before every home had a television, crowds turned out from spring until summer faded into fall to watch their local boys on the diamond.  http://poststar.com/sports/at-wwii-veteran-former-area-ballplayer-still-has-love-for/article_7d18a1b6-91b1-11e1-98f4-001a4bcf887a.html

Marlins president David Samson runs 52.4 miles, raises 550 for charities
Miami Marlins president David Samson ran the equivalent of two marathons on Friday in his “Run to Honor the Workers,” raising over $550,000 for 10 different charities. Samson began the 52.4-mile run in Pompano Beach at 7 a.m. and concluded inside the stadium at 6:40 p.m. prior to the Marlins’ game against the Arizona Diamondbacks to raise funds in honor of the construction workers who built Marlins Park. “I didn’t realize how long two marathons was, it’s just long,” Samson said. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/marlins-president-david-samson-runs-524-miles-raises-550-for-charities/2012/04/27/gIQAYExPmT_story.html

Minor League president O’Conner honored
For his longstanding commitment to communities around the country, O’Conner was recognized with a lifetime achievement award on Friday afternoon at the New York Stock Exchange. The accolades came from the United Athletes Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve “the lives of both the athlete fraternity and society in its entirety.” “There are more than 100 professional athletes associated with the UA Foundation,” according to the group, “including members of the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA and professional boxing.”  http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120428&content_id=29818314&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

 Teams Doing Good:

 Oakland Raiders to donate 10 percent of season tickets to Oakland schools
Oakland Raiders fans have the reputation of being loud, well-costumed, and sometimes even obnoxious. Now, they will also be known as supporters of education. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/oakland-raiders-donate-10-percent-season-tickets-oakland-193147061.html

Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign LeGrand
Paralyzed defensive tackle Eric LeGrand has been signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. LeGrand broke two vertebrae and suffered a serious spinal cord injury on Oct. 16, 2010 during a kickoff return against Army. His coach at Rutgers then, Greg Schiano, now is coach of the Bucs.  http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/05/02/tampa-bay-buccaneers-sign-paralyzed-rutgers-dt-legrand/#ixzz1u8tfUGqo

Terrence Jones keeps promise to bring flowers to Louisville cheerleader
Three weeks after the Kentucky forward barreled into Louisville cheerleader Jerica Logue chasing down a loose ball during the Final Four, Jones found a way to atone for the four stitches she had to get at halftime to close the wound on top of her head.
Jones showed up to Louisville cheerleading practice on Monday night with a bouquet of flowers just as he said he would do when informed about Logue’s injuries the night of the game. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/terrence-jones-keeps-promise-bring-flowers-louisville-cheerleader-135500155.html

Kevin Na gets his revenge on TPC San Antonio hole where he carded 16
Revenge is usually  a dish best served cold, but in Kevin Na’s case, he prefers serving it up with  a red-hot chainsaw. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you most likely witnessed the video of Na coming unraveled and carding a 16
on the par-4 ninth hole at last year’s Valero Texas Open. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/kevin-na-gets-revenge-tpc-san-antonio-hole-200450630.html

The 2011-12 NBA regular season: In pictures
The 2011-12 NBA  regular season went by in a blur. But that doesn’t mean little happened — far  from it. From a determined Kobe to Lob City, from Metta’s elbow to Odom’s meltdown, from a banged-up MVP to a championship-hungry Big Three, to the thing
known as Linsanity, it was quite a year. Playbook Visuals takes a look back at the 66-game campaign, bringing you 16 eye-catching pictures covering the year’s biggest storylines. http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/visuals/post/_/id/1024/the-2011-12-nba-regular-season-in-pictures

Athletes Doing Good:

Accountant To Play Football For Miami Dolphins
Ever since Dan Marino retired, the Miami Dolphins have wasted a lot of money signing top college football players to contracts that never really paid off, so now they’ve decided to give accountants a try. In short, the story seems to have been delivered directly from a Hollywood script. Les Brown, an accountant at a private equity investment firm in West Palm Beach, Fla., just signed a contract to play tight end for the Dolphins. http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201204/accountant-play-football-miami-dolphins

Cal Ripken Jr. and Energizer go to bat for neighborhoods in need; celebrate national partnership with Habitat for Humanity
Working with baseball legend and philanthropist Cal Ripken Jr., Energizer will donate more than $350,000 and 1,500 volunteer hours to Habitat through a 13-city series of volunteer projects to help build new homes and revitalize existing homes with
local families in need of improved housing. http://www.habitat.org/newsroom/2012archive/04_27_2012_cal_ripken_jr_and_energizer_go_to_bat.aspx?print=true

NBA Sportsmanship Award
Cleveland’s Antawn Jamison, Dallas’ Jason Kidd, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul, Miami’s Shane Battier, Minnesota’s Luke Ridnour and New York’s Jeremy Lin were selected by a five-member panel of former players as divisional winners for the 2011-12 NBA Sportsmanship  Award. The NBA Sportsmanship Award, designed to honor a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court, is voted on by NBA players. The NBA will announce the winner after the regular season. http://knicksnow.com/posts/1123/nba-sportsmanship-award

Bo knows how to make charity pitch
While making a rare visit to Turner Field on Wednesday afternoon, Bo Jackson spent time with his former general manager, threw a ceremonial first pitch to a University of Alabama fan and also promoted Bo Bikes Bama, a 300-mile bike journey that will take him and other celebrities through tornado-ravaged communities to raise money for the Alabama Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund. All of the proceeds of this charitable endeavor will go to those victimized by the deadly tornadoes that ravaged parts
of Alabama on April 27, 2011. Those interested in making a donation or learning more about the event can visit http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120418&content_id=28986784&notebook_id=28987698&vkey=notebook_atl&c_id=atl

Tampa Bay Rays: Sean Rodriguez has personal stake in charity fundraiser; Jeff Niemann has
personal connection to perfect game
INF Sean Rodriguez said he and his family had a great time participating in Saturday’s Walk Now for Autism Speaks event at Raymond James Stadium. The cause hits home. His 2-year-old son, GoGo, was diagnosed with autism. Rodriguez said he spent part of the morning trying to keep up with GoGo. ”It was awesome,” Rodriguez said. “My little man is a runner.” http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/tampa-bay-rays-sean-rodriguez-has-personal-stake-in-charity-fundraiser/1226356

Yao still at center (of charity)
“Although I am retired, basketball is still an important part of my life,” Yao said during the launch of his new charitable project, Hope Primary Schools basketball, at China Youth University for Political Science on Thursday. “Since I first played the game when I was 9, basketball has taught me how to be optimistic about facing difficulties as well as how to coordinate my own interests with those of the team,” Yao said. “I’ve realized a lot of my dreams and had so many precious experiences thanks to the game.” Now, Yao hopes the game will inspire children who are living in poverty and earthquake-stricken areas. The six-month program is a joint initiative led by the Yao Foundation, China Youth Development Foundation and the Chinese Basketball Association to improve physical-education manpower and facilities in 47 schools in rural regions across the country. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2012-04/21/content_15104447.htm

Bartolo Colon throws 38 straight strikes, most since 1988
Bartolo Colon put together an amazing run of consistency on Wednesday night, throwing 38 consecutive pitches for strikes in a 6-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels.  http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/bartolo-colon-throws-38-straight-strikes-most-since-154441200.html

Events Doing Good:

Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF)* Champions Awards Gala, May 15
A Benefit Reception with Silent Auction honoring Lenny Wilkens, Cal Ramsey, Jay Fiedler, and others who have helped improve the lives of kids growing up and going to school in New York City.
* Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is one of the largest providers of school-based after-school programs in New York City and the metropolitan region. SASF serves more than 25,000 students in over 150
public schools.  These students typically live in low-income neighborhoods and attend academically struggling schools in
grades K-12.  http://www.sasfny.org/pdf/SASF%20Save%20the%20Date.pdf

Charity tournament scores win for homeless
Hockey Helps the Homeless is an annual event played in major cities across Canada that allows hockey enthusiasts to play three games on a team with NHL alumni. For the price of a $300 registration fee, participants receive a team jersey with their name on the back and an invitation to a dinner and a silent auction. The tournament raises between $150,000 to $200,000 in cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, with 35 per cent of the money used to pay to run the tournament. http://www.yourottawaregion.com/news/local/article/1339998–charity-tournament-scores-win-for-homeless

Leading Organizations Confirmed for the Beyond Sport Summit
Sport Accord, Sony, UNHCR, USAID, Global Action Forum, and PwC are just a few already confirmed to attend the Beyond Sport Summit taking place July 23-25 in London. Make sure you are there when the action happens and book your place now. http://www.beyondsport.org/the-summit/invitation/attendee.php

Ideas Doing Good:

April is National Youth Sports Safety Month
April is National Youth Sports Safety Month. Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue (www.pwcgov.org/fire) and the Center for Disease Control urge parents, coaches and kids to take precautions to eliminate and/or reduce the number of injuries children sustain when participating in a sports activity by wearing appropriate protective equipment such as pads, helmets, mouthpieces, face guards, protective cups and eyewear. http://woodbridge-va.patch.com/articles/april-is-national-youth-sports-safety-month

Beard-A-Thon raises over $200,000 in four days
Hockey fans across North American have come together this playoff season to raise over $200,000 in just 4 days for charity. The 4th Annual Beard-A-Thon®, proudly presented by Just For Men, encourages hockey enthusiasts to grow their own playoff beards for the 2012 Stanley Cup® Playoffs or pledge their favorite NHL players. In addition to participating in a great hockey tradition, beard growers are raising money for charities across the nation. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=628568&print=true

Leagues Doing Good:

The NBA Development League announced that it will bring back the Boost Mobile NBA D-League National Tryouts
Boost Mobile ® in conjunction with the NBA D-League, the official minor league of the National Basketball Association, will hold the Boost Mobile ® NBA D-League National Tryouts in Los Angeles* and Chicago*. This event will challenge NBA D-League hopefuls, via full-court games, to showcase their skills for NBA D-League player personnel executives, coaches and industry scouts with the hopes of gaining eligibility for the NBA D-League Draft in November. For more, please click here.  http://www.nba.com/webAction?actionId=surveyInitializeIntegrated&target=/dleague/tryouts/registration.jsp&surveyId=1888

For Earth Day, NASCAR releases ‘White Paper’
“This report brings to life some of the substantive examples of NASCAR’s commitment to green innovation and our role as a leader in sustainability,” said Dr. Michael Lynch, managing director of green innovation for NASCAR. “Even with the largest sustainability program in sports, NASCAR — along with our teams, tracks and official partners — continues to create innovative platforms to help reduce the environmental impact of our sport.” http://www.nascar.com/news/120419/nascar-earth-day-white-paper-on-green-initiatives/index.html

Media Doing Good:

Williams Visits Mexico City Slums for New Sports Charity Film
A trip to the slums of Mexico City has given father-to-be Robbie Williams a taste of how the world’s poorest kids have to fight to survive.” Right now, children are suffering and it shouldn’t be like this.” The Take That star jetted off to Mexico this week with children’s charity Unicef and his own charitable organization Soccer Aid to shoot a short film to coincide with a fundraising soccer
match featuring Williams and other celebrities which is scheduled for next month (May12). http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/music/musicnews/Robbie+Williams-236259.html

Medora (documentary)
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/medora/medora-documentary-film. You can learn more about the brave, resilient players and coaches of Medora High School through this absorbing New York Times article which inspired the film.  “In Rural Indiana Town, Even Basketball Suffers” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/sports/28medora.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

AMERICAN  EXPERIENCE: JESSE OWENS ADVANCE SCREENING AND DISCUSSION
Jesse Owens, a new film about the athlete whose stunning triumph at the 1936 Olympic Games captivated the world – even as it infuriated the Nazis – will have a special advance screening during the Penn Relays competition. (Jesse Owens premieres on
the PBS series AMERICAN EXPERIENCE on Tuesday, May 1 and is available on DVD simultaneously via PBS Distribution.) For more, please click here.

Q&A: Anthony Robles
Robles shares his thoughts about “On the Mat,” his career and his secret crush http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7833398/qa-national-wrestling-champion-anthony-robles

Organizations Doing Good:

American Council on Exercise Kick Starts National Physical Fitness and Sports Month in May
American Council on Exercise (ACE), in support of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month in May, is launching the ACE PALA+ Challenge to help individuals kick start a program to achieve the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA+). The ACE PALA+ Challenge consists of weekly cardiovascular and resistance workout plans for May and beyond that allow participants to fulfill the requirements for PALA+, reinvigorate a habit of daily physical activity, or begin a new plan to live their most fit life.  http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/26/4445706/american-council-on-exercise-kick.html#storylink=cpy

Kirilenko Promises Basketball  Court for Orphans
The charity foundation of CSKA and Russia forward Andrei Kirilenko will donate a basketball court to a Moscow orphanage, he told RIA Novosti on Saturday. The former NBA All-Star made the announcement at the opening of a play room that his foundation also paid for at Children’s Home No. 59 just outside the capital.”Today we opened a play room, the basketball court is to come,” Kirilenko said. “I want the kids to develop an interest in basketball.” “It is important that they grow physically and lead an active and healthy way of life.” http://en.ria.ru/sports/20120421/172958415.html

NFL Legends Team With Nonprofits To Create New Playbook To Address Nation’s Affordable Housing Crisis By Revitalizing Neighborhoods
The United Athletes Foundation (UAF), Builders of Hope and Consumer Education Services, Inc. (CESI) today announced an initiative, Bring It Home, that will revitalize blighted communities by developing quality, safe, affordable housing and teach financial literacy to the new homebuyers and renters moving into the renovated houses.  The organizations will pilot
this innovative program in Baltimore and Atlanta. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nfl-legends-team-with-nonprofits-to-create-new-playbook-to-address-nations-affordable-housing-crisis-by-revitalizing-neighborhoods-149213055.html

People Doing Good: 

Sustainable community development through sport and events: A conceptual framework
Nico Schulenkorf is the Deputy Editor (Sport & Peace) at the newly created Journal of Sport for
Development (JSFD) http://www.sportanddev.org/en/?4367/New-publication-Sustainable-community-development-through-sport-and-events-A-conceptual-framework

*Remember to sign up for Sport and Dev’s newsletter. http://www.sportanddev.org/

Teams Doing Good:

Aaron Ross to miss some training camp to watch wife compete in Olympics
When Sanya Richards, the girlfriend of cornerback Aaron Ross, ran the 400m in the Beijing Olympics, he couldn’t be there to support her. He had to attend training camp for the New York Giants. For the 2012 Olympics, his new team, the Jacksonville
Jaguars, has already promised that he will get to cheer Richards-Ross, now his wife, in person. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/aaron-ross-miss-training-camp-watch-wife-compete-024601782.html

In addition to the Olympic news, we offer stories that feature rugby players, skateboarders, runners, footballers, mountain climbers, NASCAR drivers, legendary coaches, and business executives, amongst others. And in the world of media, we are introduced to Magic/Bird (the play), Knuckleball (the movie) and Danny Way (the documentary). This wide array of stories kept us on our toes and kept a smile on our face throughout.

Please continue to send along your stories. You are both our audience and our best source 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@sportsdoinggood.com.

So enjoy. And have a good week.

Fun Doing Good:

Thank You Mom!!
http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/ad-praising-moms-olympians-moves-212200056.html#more-id

Tom Schaar lands the first ever 1080 on a skateboard
Watch as 12-year old Tom Schaar takes us through the process of landing the first ever 1080 while skating the MegaRamp at Woodward West in Tehachapi, CA. http://www.grindtv.com/skate/video/tom_schaar_learning_the_first_ever_1080_on_a_skateboard/#64221

Athletes Doing Good:

Mental Health Awareness Week – Rugby Players tackle mental health head on
With Mental Health Awareness Week kicking off on 21st – 28th May 2012 many sports players are helping their local communities address with the issues surrounding mental health through sport. http://www.beyondsportworld.org/member/discussion/index.php?Id=2007

Katongo: Football is a universal language
Throughout his footballing career, Christopher Katongo has proved on more than one occasion that he belongs to a rare group of players who can change the flow of a game when it matters most. The Zambia captain helped steer his country to their maiden continental championship at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in February, and in doing so, was named the Most Valued Player at the tournament. http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=1613750.html?intcmp=newsreader_news_caption

Runner’s World Cover Athletes Race 2012 Boston Marathon For Sick Children
Elite US runner Desiree Ficker, from Austin, Texas has just been granted a rare, last minute exception to pace Austin’s Talaya Frazier in her sixth consecutive Boston Marathon wearing Skylar Salle’s favorite color purple to encourage her own race to walk again. These two Runner’s World cover athletes are teaming up to help children all over the world. http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?resourceid=5119436&access=EH

Former NFL Player Teams Up with ATF Against Violent Crime
Antonio Freeman, former wide receiver and Super Bowl champion for the Green Bay Packers recently visited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) headquarters in Washington to tape a series of public service announcements (PSA) for the agency. http://www.atf.gov/press/releases/2012/04/041312-hq-former-nfl-player-teams-up-with-atf-against-violent-crime.html

One-arm vet climbs Everest with ice pick prosthetic (“Do-Gooder of the Week”)
25-year-old South African Jaco van Gass lost an arm in Afghanistan, but rather than abandon his quest to climb Mount Everest, he turned his prosthetic hand into an advantage. Van Gass designed an ice pick prosthetic that will allow him to both use a climbing aid and keep his remaining hand free while ascending the steep faces of the world’s tallest mountain.
http://now.msn.com/now/0416-veteran-everest-climb.aspx

NASCAR Star Greg Biffle To Celebrate The 10th Anniversary Of “Give Kids A Smile®” Program With National Education Program
http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/04/20/3910295/nascar-star-greg-biffle-to-celebrate.html

Major Leaguers Award $40,000 in College Scholarships to High School Student Volunteers
http://mlb.mlb.com/pa/releases/releases.jsp?content=041812

Campbell turns bet into Olympic berth
http://espn.go.com/olympics/wrestling/story/_/id/7841312/2012-london-olympics-kelsey-campbell-earns-spot-us-olympic-wrestling-team

Leagues Doing Good:

NASCAR revs up efforts to go green (video)
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/msnbc-tv/47102965/#47102965

UFC offers heavyweight backing to new MMA federation
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has thrown its weight behind the creation of the new International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) after claiming it will provide a major boost to the goal of including MMA on the Olympic programme. http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/185379/ufc-offers-heavyweight-backing-to-new-mma-federation

Organizations Doing Good:

Citi Announces Innovative Digital 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Program to Support the Next Generation of America’s Athletes
To support America’s next generation of athletes, Citi announced a $500,000 donation to the U.S. Olympic Committee to launch Every Step of the Way?, an innovative digital program benefitting U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls and athletes of all ages in communities across America. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/citi-announces-innovative-digital-2012-110000839.html

Mothers Will Get the Glory in P.&G.’s Campaign
THERE are few things that seem more patriotic than mothers and the Olympics. On Tuesday, Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest advertiser, will announce its new campaign — its biggest ever — called “Thank You, Mom,” focusing on thanking mothers of Olympians and would-be Olympians around the world. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/17/business/media/mothers-get-the-glory-in-procter-gamble-campaign.html?_r=2

IOC aims to encourage interactivity through new initiative
“The Olympic Athletes’ Hub was born out of our desire to connect Olympic athletes and their fans more intimately than ever before,” said Alex Huot, head of social media for the IOC. “With the launch of the Hub, we are creating a paradigm shift in the communication around the Olympic Games, and we are excited to offer this opportunity for greater engagement and interaction between Olympians and their fans.” http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/185411/ioc-aims-to-encourage-interactivity-through-new-initiative

Bike for Their Right – Specialized and Right to Play Charity Ride in the Bay Area
The world class cycling brand Specialized and Right To Play, an international development organization bringing the power of sport and play to the world’s most impoverished children, are teaming up to launch an exclusive charity ride in May 2012 in the Bay area. http://righttoplay.akaraisin.com/2012RideforRightToPlay

People Doing Good:

Tigers owner Mike Ilitch driven to rebuild Detroit
“I know I don’t look so good, and the city don’t look good, either,” Prather says. “But things will be better. They got to. There are good people trying to make this city better. The man over there, the one that runs the Tigers and our hockey team, he’s trying. He’s trying real hard. You got to admire that man.”
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/tigers/story/2012-04-11/Mike-Ilitch-Red-Wings-Tigers/54227648/1

Pat Summitt awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
Tennessee legend Pat Summitt can add another honor to her long list of accomplishments and accolades. On the day the University of Tennessee will formally announce that she is stepping down as the Lady Vols head basketball coach, President Barack Obama announced that Summitt is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120419/SPORTS0601/120419015/Pat-Summitt-awarded-Presidential-Medal-of-Freedom

An Irish tale of links, luck and a lot of green
Every morning, construction executive Michael Clune reads the news from Ireland on his iPad. A few months ago, he came across a story on professional golfer Padraig Harrington. He was trying to raise money for his wife’s cousin, who had been paralyzed in a car accident. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120414/ISSUE01/304149978/an-irish-tale-of-links-luck-and-a-lot-of-green#ixzz1sjHXGm5G

Elliott still coaching and inspiring
Elliott insists his story is not a sad one. It has been a good life, he says, coaching at schools like Iowa State, Kansas State and San Diego State. The only reason he agrees to speak for stories like this — in which he talks about overcoming a deadly blood disorder and eventually landing here, in his 34th year of college coaching — is because he and his wife, Joey, believe it can help. http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7831850/bob-elliott-story-courage-face-disease-brings-full-circle-notre-dame-fighting-irish

Teams Doing Good:

Fenway Park shines in 100th anniversary
On a day to celebrate baseball’s crown jewel, there was plenty of something old, something new
http://bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/04/21/fenway-park-shines-anniversary/3zu5OWU9TsDXtmxu7PxKsM/story.html

Can soccer be Egypt’s salvation?    
In the neutral environment of the United Arab Emirates, the Egyptian national team – led by former U.S. coach Bob Bradley – will take on Iraq, a side now being marshaled by Brazilian legend Zico. There will be few column inches to elucidate the result. http://worldsport.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/17/can-sport-be-egypts-salvation/?iid=article_sidebar

Media Doing Good:

Magic/Bird opened on Broadway this past week, and ESPNW highlighted the role Georgia Bird played in bringing to iconic figures together…
Sports fans know the on-the-court story of Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird. What many may not know is that the two stars forged a lifelong friendship out of their rivalry, thanks in large part to one woman — Larry’s late mother, Georgia Bird. http://espn.go.com/espnw/more-sports/7799854/play-highlights-georgia-bird-magic-touch

New ESPN Documentary To Feature Tim Wakefield And His Beloved Knuckleball
Veteran Boston Red Sox  pitcher Tim Wakefield may have retired just a few weeks ago, but it won’t take very long for his signature pitch to be immortalized on the silver screen. ESPN recently announced that one of the films premiering during their upcoming Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival revolves around Wakefield and fellow knuckleballer R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets.  http://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2012/3/18/2882003/boston-red-sox-tim-wakefield-knuckleball-espn. For a sneak peek, please click here. http://youtu.be/09pfeKtEj2I

Danny Way doc debuts in Hollywood; Besides focusing on skate legend, ‘Waiting For Lightning’ honors mentor Mike Ternasky
Most of Danny Way’s friends and fans who gathered Tuesday night inside Hollywood’s Cinerama Dome for the West Coast screening of “Waiting for Lightning” already knew that the death of his mentor Mike Ternasky had a profound impact on the young skateboarder.  http://espn.go.com/action/skateboarding/story/_/id/7805693/danny-way-documentary-premieres-hollywood

Quick Links…
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Our goal is to have Sports Doing Good be a portal housing original content and excerpts from and links to the increasing number of articles, websites, video, and other sources that showcase the good in sports and and its relation to social responsibility.*  We aim to celebrate those concepts, activities, events, and individuals by highlighting them for a wider audience. Much of the news today, whether sports related or not, is incredibly negative and increasingly polarized, biased, and quite annoying. We are trying to refocus some of the discussion on the good related to the world of sports.

Our focus though is on the good at Baylor. (no surprise at Sports Doing Good) And one example of the good is a student-athlete of exemplary skill, Brittney Griner. The 6-8″ player has been a marvel since high school and with expectations for her sky high in college, she has not faltered. And while you would think that everyone would be in support of a young student-athlete trying to achieve her goals, Brittney has had to endure the type of treatment we thought was long past. Evidently if a woman does well in a sport, it is because of how “guy-like” she is or how “she must be a guy.” It is similar to what has too often been the retort of those who have troubles with women taking on senior leadership roles in business and elsewhere. Questions about sexuality, jokes about how “manly” she is, etc.

It is disturbing that anyone, especially someone still so young is subject to such taunts. Thankfully her team and her coach and many others support her. And as we see in Mechelle Voepl’s great piece at ESPN.com, Brittney has developed a steely reserve that keeps her in position to achieve her goals, on and off the court. We congratulate Brittney on all of her achievements and wish her a fun senior year.

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

With so much good happening in and around the world of sports, it made sense to try to collect some of these stories for you and feature them in a weekly newsletter.

We have stories highlighting the great efforts of athletes, teams, organizations, and individuals on and off the field of play. We have some fun stories and some thought-provoking ones as well.

As we build up the substance and style associated with the Sports Doing Good newsletter, we hope to hear from you about stories that you think should be featured and any improvements you think can be made to the website and/or newsletter.

Please shoot us a quick email if you would like to start receiving the newsletter on a weekly basis.

It’s all Good.

Sab
sab@sportsdoinggood.com

Fun Doing Good:

World’s Tallest Basketball Player Dunks With Worst Vertical Ever (Video)
Just about every professional basketball player can leap up in the air and slam dunk, but how many can throw it down while barely leaving their feet?
http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201203/worlds-tallest-basketball-player-can-dunk-without-jumping

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Anjelina Jolie moment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=5tJgszJMgB8

Athletes Doing Good:
Back from surgery, Tannehill wowing NFL scouts
“Ryan Tannehill could be a top 10 pick in next month’s NFL draft, less than two years after lining up as a receiver for Texas A&M. Tannehill returned to his old high school position of quarterback halfway through the 2010 season and caught the attention of NFL scouts despite starting just 19 games behind center for the Aggies…” http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/nfl/03/29/tannehill.workout.ap/index.html#ixzz1qjB8Cmay

Jamie Moyer’s comeback at age 49 with the Rockies certifies him as a ‘freak’ worth savoring
The old man on the pitcher’s mound is a freak, and he’s a freak because of what he isn’t. He isn’t big or tall or strong or fast or intimidating or exciting or radiant or any of the freak touchstones. He is slight and normal and weedy and slow and calming and lackluster and gray. None of these things makes an athlete, and all of them make Jamie Moyer, 49 years old, pitcher for the Colorado Rockies. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-passan_jamie_moyer_rockies_oldest_pitcher_032912

Kentucky’s Anthony Davis is AP Player of the Year
“He received 43 votes Friday from the 65-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. Balloting was done before the NCAA tournament…” http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/basketball/ncaa/03/30/Anthony.Davis.ap/index.html#ixzz1qjJ5OAeL

The Inspiration of Jeremy Poincenot, a Golfer Who Lost His Sight and Found His Calling
Jeremy Poincenot isn’t afraid to admit it: He did say “Why me?” Lots of times. Every day for months. And who could blame him? He was a 19-year-old business major at San Diego State who loved playing golf. And in a matter of two months, he had lost all of his central vision.
http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201112/jeremy-poincenot-blind-golf-champion-cyclist-motivational-speaker

Female jockey to make history at Dubai World Cup
“Chantal Sutherland will make history Saturday as the first woman jockey to ride in the world’s richest horse race. She hopes many more will follow. Sutherland will ride Game On Dude in the $10 million Dubai World Cup, the latest breakthrough for the 36-year-old rider from Toronto. She is one of several dozen female jockeys racing in North America, and perhaps the most well known.”
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/horse_racing/wires/03/30/2080.ap.rac.dubai.world.cup.sutherland.1321/index.html#ixzz1qjNDNcyL

NY Rangers Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh and Stu Bickel reach out to Jack Jablonski, Minnesota youth paralyzed after hit in JV hockey game
On Dec. 30, Minnesota teenager Jack Jablonski, 16, was hit into the boards from behind during a junior-varsity hockey game for Benilde-St. Margaret’s School against Wayzata High. The initial diagnosis was paralysis from the neck down. A few days later, his father, Mike, returned home from the hospital to find a box on the Jablonski family’s front steps. Inside was a Rangers Winter Classic jersey courtesy of rookie defenseman Stu Bickel, who grew up in Chanhassen, Minn., about half-hour southwest of Jack’s high school. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/ny-rangers-derek-stepan-ryan-mcdonagh-stu-bickel-reach-jack-jablonski-minnesota-youth-paralyzed-hit-youth-hockey-article-1.1053909?localLinksEnabled=false

Cardiff Paralyzed Athlete Featured in Upcoming Film at La Paloma
“Skiing expert-only, double-black diamonds, dropping in on double-overhead surf and racing down steep mountain bike terrain at Mammoth Mountain are things most of us don’t do. Never mind that Cardiff resident Jeremy McGhee does all of this without the use of his legs—he’s got a much bigger challenge ahead of him. “http://encinitas.patch.com/articles/cardiff-paralyzed-athlete-featured-in-upcoming-film-at-la-paloma

Aaron Craft draws inspiration from brother in Afghanistan
As the rest of his teammates celebrated their Elite Eight victory over Syracuse last Sunday evening in Boston, Ohio State point guard Aaron Craft had more than just basketball on his mind. The same day Craft helped Ohio State reach its first Final Four since 2007, his 23-year-old brother Brandon left for his second deployment in Afghanistan. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/aaron-craft-draws-inspiration-brother-afghanistan-001843006.html

Annika Dries: ‘I’m doing my best to keep fighting’
One of the proudest moments of my career happened last month at the Holiday Cup — and it had nothing to do with how I played. We had a series of nine matches against Greece, Canada and Italy, and we dedicated one of those matches to raising breast cancer awareness. We all wore pink caps listing the names of people who’d been affected by the disease, and we auctioned off autographed sports bras to help raise money. The biggest moment, though, was when we had a breast cancer survivor drop the ball for the game’s opening sprint. That survivor was my mom. http://espn.go.com/espnw/athletes-life/7744059/doing-my-best-keep-fighting

E:60′s Tom Rinaldi tells the heartwarming story of Conner and Cayden Long. Two brothers who compete in triathlons despite Cayden having cerebral palsy. (video)
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7208128&categoryid=3060647

Lower-Profile Olympians Find Creative Ways To Raise Training Money Ahead Of Games
U.S. runner Nick Symmonds is “renting out his skin as a billboard.” He “promised on eBay to wear a temporary tattoo brandishing the name of the highest bidder as he competes for a spot on the U.S. team.” Milwaukee-based marketing firm Hanson Dodge Creative gave Symmonds $11,000 to “sport the company’s Twitter handle on his arm at meets.” http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2012/03/30/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/Low-Profile-Olympians.aspx

After briefly giving up basketball, Elena Delle Donne is back as the nation’s top women’s scorer, who helped put the University of Delaware in the Top 25 for the first time. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7638611&categoryid=3286128. For a great article on Elena and her special family bonds, visit http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1193916/index.htm

Marine on the go rides “ElliptiGo” for charity
“A 71-year-old athlete has made a stop in the southwest Georgia area to help raise funds for injured veterans. Rick Hermelin is using his ElliptiGo bicycle to run from one end of the country to the other. On the machine, he’s able to tally about 33 miles a day.” http://www.mysouthwestga.com/news/story.aspx?id=736255

Uniting Body and Mind, With a Bit of a Stretch
For Kelsea Bangora, New York’s 2011 yoga asana champion, the conversation usually goes like this: “Yoga champion? How does that work?”
“Well, it’s like a dance performance, sort of, or a gymnastics routine, but not really.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/02/sports/new-york-welcomes-yoga-asana-championships.html?pagewanted=all

San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith joins search for Sierra LaMar
The search for missing Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar drew its most famous volunteer to date when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith joined the effort Saturday. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20299414/san-francisco-49ers-qb-alex-smith-joins-search

Leagues Doing Good:

NBA Cares and St. Jude team up for kids battling cancer and other deadly diseases
When the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) biggest stars hit the court this week it won’t just be the title they are playing for, but something much greater—finding a cure for childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. Around the league March 26 – 30, teams, players and fans will participate in Hoops for St. Jude™ Week, … http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e80d2495f5f46310VgnVCM100000290115acRCRD&rss=latest_news

London tube names stations after Olympics’ legends
The tube will have a new look with Transport for London’s Olympic Legends Map. Instead of Picadilly Circus, Baker Street and Knightsbridge, the map has changed the names of 361 stations to celebrate Olympic athletes. The measure was triggered by sports and underground authorities in the British capital as a prize for the athletes who were champions in the Olympics. http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/96752/london-tube-names-stations-after-olympics%E2%80%99-legends

AFP Honors Sarah Burke with Trophy Title for Overall World Champion
…Devin Logan, last year’s Overall World Champion and current Women’s Overall leader had this to say about the possibility of winning the newly named trophy, “Renaming the AFP Overall Championship Trophy after Sarah would only be right, seeing she competed in both events for the longest time and put everything she had into them. It’s great to have this tribute to her as she did a lot for women’s skiing. I would be honored to be presented an award in her name, just as any other girl would be.”
http://www.theskichannel.com/athlete/20120329/afp-overall-world-champion-trophy-in-honor-of-sarah-burke/

Organizations Doing Good:

Why This Soccer Field In Khayelitsha, South Africa, Is So Special
For the youth of Khayelitsha, the field has become a safe haven. In a township filled with crime and poverty, the field has gone unharmed. A safety bubble of sport. Since its establishment, crime in Khayelitsha has dropped 28 percent, according to Lingulethu West Police Station.
http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201203/khayelitsha-soccer-south-africa-chris-campbell

Jumeirah Emirates Towers Celebrates 10th anniversary of The Vertical Marathon
Jumeirah Emirates Towers, in association with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and in collaboration with the Red Crescent Society, is proud to announce details of one of Dubai’s most popular fundraising events – The Vertical Marathon. Hundreds of men, women and children will ascend 265 metres up 1,334 stairs to the top of the 52 floor office tower at Jumeirah Emirates Towers on Friday, April 13th.  http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?resourceid=5088393&access=EH

NeuroTracker Awareness Training for Children at Canucks Autism Network World Autism Awareness Day
NeuroTracker is an awareness-boosting virtual reality training system used by NHL, NFL and pro soccer teams to give them a competitive edge; CogniSens also hopes to provide similar sustained attention training for autistic children, and will be attending the CAN WAAD on April 1st to demonstrate how the system is used and explain its benefits. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/3/prweb9356377.htm

Hopkins Childrens Center Sends Reminder About Overuse Injuries for National Youth Sports Safety Month
“In honor of April’s designation as National Youth Sports Safety Month, sports medicine experts at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore, are reminding parents, coaches, and pediatricians to watch out for repetitive-use injuries seen in young children. These overuse injuries, such as baseball shoulder, gymnast wrist, and runner’s knee, are more insidious than acute injuries and develop as a result of chronic strain or after a poorly healed old trauma, according to the Hopkins Children’s experts.” http://www.ptproductsonline.com/news/2012-03-30_01.asp

Youth Sports Can Now Take Over the Mobile App World
The lives of youth sport athletes, their parents, coaches and fans just got a lot easier thanks to the latest mobile app from My Mobile Fans, a mobile app development company focused on bringing affordable apps to sports clubs, individuals, small businesses and organizations of all sizes. http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2012/03/29/youth-sports-can-now-take-over-mobile-app-world

Women in Cable Telecommunications, espnW and the Women’s Sports Foundation Join to Recognize the 40th Anniversary of Title IX
…WSF, with input from espnW and WICT, will select a list of the forty women who have made the greatest impact on society after participating in high school or college sports following passage of the 1972 law. The impact of the designees will encompass several fields of endeavor, including athletics, academics, science, technology, media, medicine and civil service. http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?resourceid=5086412&access=EH

NHLPA’s Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Program enhances offering to inspire Canadian youth, their parents and coaches
The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), in partnership with Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, is pleased to announce program enhancements to the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Program, designed to impact more players at every level of the game. This comes with an updated and improved hockey and life skills resource at www.allcanadians.com, and three regional one-day Mentorship hockey camps for youth ages eight to 15. http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?resourceid=5085676&access=EH

National Youth Sports – NYS – Begins Offering Franchises
This is a franchise that gives back to the community by helping youth develop individual and team sports skills, teaching leadership, promoting physical fitness, and by participating in local and international charities. Mr. Pipoly explained, “The National Youth Sports Foundation currently supports orphan children in impoverished areas overseas. NYS built its first orphanage in India in 2002 which houses, educates, feeds and provides medical care for 40 children.  http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/3/prweb9343434.htm

People Doing Good:

Janne Kouri, NextStep Fitness: Life-Altering Moment Leads To Life Calling
Janne Kouri had a great life — a successful career as director for a digital entertainment company, a new California beach home, a beautiful girlfriend and terrific friends. “I was living the dream,” Kouri said. “I couldn’t have been happier. I had a lifestyle most people aspire to live.”  But the direction of Kouri’s life changed drastically in just one moment. Diving into the ocean to cool off as he had done many times before, Kouri this time hit a sandbar, fracturing his C5 and C6 vertebrae. He was instantly paralyzed from the neck down, and the doctors told him he would never walk again. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/27/janne-kouri-nextstep_n_1373887.html

Travis Ford buys 400 student tickets
That the Oklahoma State women are on the verge of winning a title would be an uplifting end to a heartrending four months. In mid-November, one game into the season, coach Kurt Budke, 50, and 36-year-old assistant Miranda Serna died when a single-engine plane transporting them on a recruiting trip crashed in Arkansas. http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7754748/oklahoma-state-travis-ford-buys-400-student-tickets-wnit-final

Watsonville youth basketball league draws on skills of former star
The first youth basketball program organized by Watsonville’s Police Activities League will feature the insight of a former international basketball player and Watsonville Police Officer Rudy Lopez Jr… http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20283854/watsonville-youth-basketball-league-draws-skills-former-star

 NYer Of The Week: Laurie Lawrence Helps Special Needs Kids Through Sports
“Her journey began 23 years ago. “I walked in, and I kid you not – one of our athletes ran across the gym and gave me a big bear hug,” she recalls. “And I just went; I guess I’ll be staying here for a while.” More than two decades later, Coach Laurie has changed the lives of hundreds of athletes involved with New York’s Special Olympics.” http://brooklyn.ny1.com/content/features/158583/nyer-of-the-week–laurie-lawrence-helps-special-needs-kids-through-sports

Summitt Retains Her Essence but Lets Go of the Reins
… Then came the announcement last summer that Summitt had early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. It brought a shock to college basketball. But it also brought clarity of purpose to her assistants at Tennessee and what would become their new and expanded roles… http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/26/sports/ncaabasketball/assistants-step-up-to-support-tennessees-summitt.html

Cancer doesn’t change Derrick Hall’s outlook on life; Former Dodgers spokesman, now chief executive of the Arizona Diamondbacks, maintains trademark positive attitude four months after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/24/sports/la-sp-simers-20120325

RIP  – Boxing historian Bert Randolph Sugar dies at 75
With his fedora and ever-present cigar, Sugar was an instantly recognizable figure who loved to talk, and he could talk and write about boxing like few others. There weren’t many better ambassadors of the sport than Sugar. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/story/2012-03-25/bert-sugar-dies/53776100/1

Teams Doing Good:

Dodgers, McCourt race to fulfill community commitment
The kids wore wide smiles, and Dodgers T-shirts. They celebrated the new baseball field at their local park with a clinic last Saturday conducted by Dodgers alumni. The city councilman eventually left, and so did the retired players, but a generation of kids have the Dodgers to thank for a first-class place to play ball. http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-dream-foundation-mccourt-20120326,0,351649.story

New Zealand teams gather to use football as a tool to improve homeless people’s lives
Homeless World Cup National Partner in New Zealand – Street Football Aotearoa (SFA) will host the 2nd Street Footy National Championship in Lower Hutt this week. http://www.beyondsportworld.org/member/discussion/index.php?Submit=View&Id=1978

Jaguars launch kids club
The Jaguars have launched a kids club for ages 6-12. A membership kit comes with a personalized certificate, T-shirt, lanyard, cinch pack, pencil case, shoelaces, beach ball and eye black stickers. There’s also a monthly e-newsletter sent to parents, invitations to members-only events and contests, a birthday card from Jaxson de Ville and access to special offers from participating team partners, a news release said. http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/496425/sandy-strickland/2012-03-29/jaguars-launch-kids-club

Boston Celtics Partner with Old Mutual Asset Management to Unveil New Computer Lab at Condon Elementary School
Celtics players Brandon Bass and Avery Bradley give kids a tour of new computer lab, art room, activity center and game room at South Boston school http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?resourceid=5088852&access=EH

Fish tanks and palm trees – Miami’s new baseball stadium
“When baseball’s Opening Day kicks off next week, the Miami Marlins will inaugurate a new $515 million ballpark built with all the trappings of South Florida — two enormous fish tanks, palm trees and a kitschy (of course) home run celebration display…” http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/31/us-baseball-marlins-stadium-                  idUSBRE82U0AO20120331

Media Doing Good:

Book Review
“China’s Basketball Culture”
Brave Dragons by Jim Yardley
…But the stars of “Brave Dragons” — if not of the Brave Dragons themselves — are the Chinese. There’s the assistant (and sometimes de facto head) coach Liu Tie, whose nationalism is so strong that he quotes Mao in his pep talks and mocks his Taiwanese point guard for playing “Taiwan independence defense.”…http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/books/review/brave-dragons-by-jim-yardley.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=brave%20dragons&st=cse

Dwyane Wade writes book
William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced Wednesday plans to release “A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger than Basketball” in September. The book talks in part about Wade’s struggles growing up in Chicago and how he’s incorporating some of the lessons he learned into raising his own family. http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/7746183/dwyane-wade-miami-heat-therapeutic-pen-book-fatherhood

Adidas running commercial (Video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzKXoZbghEg&feature=player_embedded

ESPN shining its light on Title IX and its effects; SportsCenter will have a countdown of the top 40 female athletes of the last 40 years
Title IX, the federal legislation that leveled playing fields for females wanting to play sports, became law in 1972. In honor of the 40th anniversary, ESPN’s women’s-oriented destination — espnW — will kick off an initiative called “The Power of IX.” http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/columns/other-sports-columns/article779394.ece

AMC Developing Football Drama ‘The Real All Americans’
AMC is in the early stages of development on football drama The Real All Americans. Based on Sally Jenkins’ book about the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Penn., All Americans chronicles the school’s storied football program created by U.S. cavalry officer Richard Henry Pratt, an abolitionist and early equal rights proponent who made a harrowing journey to the Dakota Territory in 1879 to recruit the school’s first students. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/amc-developing-football-drama-real-all-americans-tommy-lee-jones-305344

Ideas Doing Good:

Final 4: Donate March Madness Pool Money To Kids’ Sports Charities (Charity Hoopla Challenge)
“Pledge to donate your NCAA Championship winnings to kids in need!

If your pool predictions end up being a slam dunk, we at HuffPost Impact are challenging you to give your bracket bounty to charities that promote activity for youth.

We’re calling it a “Charity Hoopla!”Here are our suggestions for organizations that provide kids opportunities through sports…” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/final-4–march-madness_n_1388254.html

Sports camps: Kids can focus on fun or hone their skills
While sports are a great way for children to enjoy getting much needed exercise, they can teach children valuable life skills as they play. Many of the skills necessary to be successful in sports are the same skills needed to be successful in life. Participating in sports can teach children the importance of teamwork, self-discipline, concentration, patience, self-reliance and personal responsibility, among a myriad of other desirable skills. http://www2.tbo.com/online/advertising/2012/mar/31/sports-camps-kids-can-focus-on-fun-or-hone-their-s-ar-383998/

I am lucky to have the physical capability to still play a sport I was introduced to as a 7-year old. About 35 years later, I am still out there on the field, with a couple of guys I have known for that long. I hear friends from friends who are continuing their love-affair with sports in a variety of sports leagues, including basketball, baseball, and softball, amongst others. The social benefits, coupled with the health benefits, has more than a few of my family and friends still “in the game.”

And what about the Hoyas? Just add them to the long list of teams I follow who don’t seem to do enough to win the title (or any title for that matter). The losses don’t both me…as much…but they still worsen my mood without fail. The difference is that the severity of the mood swings is a lot less.

So why stay a fan? For the numerous times I find myself emailing, texting, or speaking with friends about the latest exploits of the team, for the opportunities to reminisce about the “almost” championships, and to talk about what the team needs to finally become elite and heaven forbid, with a championship.

And it is for all of these experiences and others that drive us to stay involved with sports, whether as a participant, fan, coach, referee, administrator, etc. It is why so many support the efforts of individuals, organizations, and companies all around the world who appreciate everything sport has to offer on an individual, communal, and global level and are committed that people of all ages and abilities get their chance to play.

So yes, today was not the best day for me in terms of sports. But if I think about the big picture, I definitely came out a winner. (hey, no injuries!!)

Well the theme comes up again with basketball prodigy Satnam Singh Bhamara. While it may end up having a transnational feel like the Jeremy Lin story – Asia to the U.S. and the NBA – Bhamara’s story right now is one of family, loyalty, respect, and ultimately love for the game of basketball. And that is worthy of our attention.

“Balbir’s father was a wheat farmer and miller with a string of glistening black water buffalo that gave milk as sweet as honey. His mother was 6 feet 9 inches, and young Balbir grew to be a little over 7 feet tall — the tallest person in the village.

Everywhere the boy went, people told him he ought to play basketball, a game many of them had heard about but never seen. In the cities, there were schools with proper courts where he could learn the game and, as a bonus, get an education. If he took to the game, as seemed certain, he’d have a chance to see the country, or maybe, just maybe, the world.

Balbir’s father would hear none of it. His son would stay in the village and become a farmer. That was that. The boy obeyed, because that was what a boy did. In due course, he took over the farm and became prosperous. He married. He had three children. He was elected the head of the village.”

This great story continues with Balbir’s son. Yes, his son Satnam. You can learn more about Satnam in the rest of the essay, “Satnam Singh Bhamara: India’s Yao Ming?” from The Week.

For more on Satnam please check out ESPN’s The Next issue and view the video below.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpZoQPxxdUg]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXoTRTAw6Dc]

On the battlefield of sports, nothing Super about DADT

“This is going to be a real battle.” “It’s going to be a war out there.” “I wouldn’t want any other guys watching my back.” “We will make history together.”

Quotes from the fields ofAfghanistan?Iraq? Nope, quotes likely to be heard leading up to Super Bowl XLV. While the misuse of combat-related terminology can be disturbing, the vernacular does serve as another bridge between those who participate in sports and in the armed services.

Both fields certainly demand similar qualities – strength, commitment, trust, performance, teamwork – to achieve a common goal, i.e. winning. But efforts to achieve said goal have been compromised by not embracing all those who could be key contributors. Why would anyone do that? Who doesn’t want to have the best teammates, the best fellow soldiers, to maximize their chances to win? The person who carries you to safety or who makes that diving catch for a touchdown. Everyone should want that teammate – that fellow soldier – unless, it seems, if that person is gay.

Is that what we really think? Maybe that is what a few people think. But what about those whose opinion really matters, those on the battle and playing fields?

In the Pentagon report that served as an important component in the effort to repeal DADT, 115,000 members of the military were surveyed and the conclusion was that “the risk of repeal of don’t ask, don’t tell to overall military effectiveness is low.”

The survey found that 69 percent of respondents said they had served with someone in their unit who they believed to be gay or lesbian. Of those who did, 92 percent stated that their unit’s ability to work together was very good, good, or neither good nor poor, the report said. Combat units reported similar responses, with 89 percent of Army combat units and 84 percent of Marine combat units saying they had good or neutral experiences working with gays and lesbians.

A 2006 Sports Illustrated survey asked pro basketball, football and hockey players whether they would “welcome an openly gay teammate.” Over half the athletes polled from the NFL, NBA, and NHL said yes. In another poll, conducted in 2005 by the market research firm Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, 78 percent of the 979 randomly surveyed Americans agreed that it is “okay for gay athletes to participate in sports, even if they are open about their sexuality.” In a 2007 national survey by Witeck-Combs Communications and Harris Interactive, 72S% of heterosexual adults say they would not change their feelings toward a ‘favorite’ male professional athlete if the athlete revealed he is gay. This represents an increase from 66% in 2002, when heterosexual adults were asked the same survey question.

I think we underestimate the ability of athletes, soldiers, and the general public, to deal with those who are different. Is it because of some enlightened perspective they have? Probably not. More likely, it’s about wanting to have a teammate whom they can trust, who is as committed to winning as they are, and who plays hard. Consider the player who can pass for 300 yards on a regular basis, bat .400 with runners in scoring position, or average 25 points a game. Gay, straight, black or white, if you are a competitive athlete, you want them on your team. Jackie Robinson’s personal makeup – courage, determination, integrity – was unassailable. But when it came down to it, Branch Rickey wanted him because he was a great player. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Each of the aforementioned surveys showed that not everyone is ready for openly gay soldiers and athletes. But failing to have 100% agreement is not a reason to fail when it comes to advocating for fairness. We must have the courage to make decisions that move us to equality on battle and playing fields, despite the inevitable (heated) arguments, or even protests.

When it came to DADT, such courage in decision-making was displayed by top figures in the military, e.g. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, and Army Gen. Carter F. Ham. Not everyone in the military agrees with the new policy but it certainly means something when everyone’s boss wants a particular policy enforced.

According to Secretary Gates: “We spend a lot of time in the military talking about integrity and honor and values.” “One of the things that is most important to me is personal integrity, and a policy or a law that in effect requires people to lie gives me a problem.”

In sports, we talk about integrity, sportsmanship, loyalty, fair play, determination and courage. To live up to those ideals, we need to see our leaders – Goodell (NFL), Selig (MLB), Stern (NBA), Bettman (NHL), Blackmun (USOC), Emmert (NCAA) – take a stand as Secretary Gates and his brethren have done. Promote a policy that does not require people to lie about, or hide, who they really are. With such a policy in place, everyone will have a better chance to win.

“Each year around the world, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Thousands of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.  Organizations, governments, charities and women’s groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.”

This year, the theme is “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.” We fortunately have been witness millions of times all over the world to girls being connected through sports. In the U.S., girls have taken their rightful place on the basketball court, soccer field, and hockey rink, amongst other places. They have amazed millions, whether in front of one or two people at a time or a stadium full of screaming fans.

Despite the great progress that has been made at the grassroots through college levels, we have not seen a comparable success rate at the professional ranks, whether on or off the field.

On the field, the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league in the United States has canceled the 2012 season with the hopes of relaunching in better shape in 2013. Now, immediate success is surely not the norm for any start-up company, which the league was. However, after the first failed effort at a women’s professional soccer league, many were pinning their hopes on WPS version 2.0. Unfortunately, the league again failed to drive the type of revenue to support its rather modest cost structure. Does this mean that women’s pro sports can never make it? Absolutely not. However, it does call for a new and better business model. It does call for women to take ownership of their league, become owners, front office executives, and staff persons in the sports area.

Off the field, while some progress has been made, we still are looking for more women in the executive ranks of teams, leagues, events, and companies. By being part of the strategic planning and decision-making at the highest levels of sport, we will inevitably have better results when  it comes to attracting and retaining women and girls as customers.

So as we celebrate International Women’s Day this year, let’s reflect how we can support, encourage, and champion those women and and opportunities in which they will be “connecting girls, inspiring futures.” Because if we do, we surely will live in a better world.

“Each year 1,000+ International Women’s Day events are uploaded by corporations, women’s groups, schools, governments, charities and individuals from around the world. No matter where you are there is bound to be a range of exciting International Women’s Day events near you.” To upload and/or find events, please click here.

Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, tells the unlikely story of a not-so-successful player who eventually becomes the general manager of a Major League Baseball team and takes an unconventional approach – using analytics – to solve an age-old problem, i.e. winning in sports.

The idea of making Michael Lewis’ best-selling book into a movie seemed a bit strange. “How do you make statistics sexy?” was the common refrain. Well the answer was you don’t. The movie is not about statistics. It is about risk-taking, finding a way to overcome difficult circumstances and the sometimes overwhelming weight of conventional wisdom. “Do it that way?” is the type of question hurled at those who try to be different, either out of need or want.

Having belief in those people, ideas, or strategies others have downplayed, or worse, completely ignored takes a certain amount of courage. That type of courage and risk-taking is what we admire amongst entrepreneurs, the creative folks who see past what is “the norm” to build a new model for success. Often that new model comes with added benefits, such as new opportunities for the previously ignored in a market/profession.

In sports we love the underdog story. In business, we love to hear about the up and comer. And it movies, we love the film that comes out of nowhere to win our hearts and our admiration. In all three cases we are moved beyond our comfort zone to ponder what we can do to challenge conventional wisdom. Sports, on the field and off, give us numerous ways of doing that. We just have to have the courage to embrace the opportunity.