May 21 – May 27
Welcome to week nine of the Sports Doing Good newsletter.You may be reading this on Memorial Day and if you are off from work, school, etc., we hope that you are finding a lot of good in your day. We certainly found a lot, once again, this week. We had fun watching a father and son work together to snag foul ball, were inspired by a female wrestler in India, a Brazilian MMA fighter, and an American basketball player in Israel, and excited by the news that ESPN will give us another 30 reasons to want to know more about how sports impacts individuals and societies.

NASCAR stepped up its commitment to being”green” and to corporate social responsibility overall. Female GMs in the minor leagues have planted the seed that one day, hopefully soon, we will see one run a MLB team. And two organizations, NextStep Fitness and the Claudio Reyna Foundation, deservedly take the time to recognize the efforts of their leaders and members.

Finally, we spent some of this past week reading more about the passing of NFL All-Pro Junior Seau, a story featured last week. Much has been written about this exemplary player and citizen of Southern California. While we focus on the good in sports in this newsletter, we are not blind to issues, like mental illness, that impact so many. What struck us, and surely many others, about Junior’s story was the lack of indicators of anything wrong with Junior. Or maybe the indicators were there but just not recognized. Mental illness, even just personal problems, are not to overlooked and underestimated. Millions of people in the U.S. and around the world, including those involved in the world of sports, can benefit by speaking with friends, family, colleagues, teammates, and certainly professional counselors. Junior’s death was tragic. We must use this difficult time to focus more attention on those, despite outside appearances, are vulnerable inside.

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

So enjoy. And have a good week.

Fun Doing Good:

Father Lifts Son to Catch Foul Ball (video)
Sign them up!  http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/father-lifts-son-catch-foul-ball-video-131806886.html

Longing for the Return of Dueling Pistol (Olympic Games)
We especially love the idea of tug-of-war.  http://london2012.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/longing-for-the-return-of-dueling-pistol/?hp

International Inspirations (photos)
As we countdown to the start of the Summer Games, these photos capture the essence and beauty of play. http://www.london2012.com/photos/galleryid=1255107/#students-play-and-make-friends-over-simple-game-catch-amman-jordan-1254881

Messi and the boys do their thing in cartoon form.
They may not have won Champions League, but this vignette shows FC on their way to Copa. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg53qF5_3Mw&feature=player_embedded

Donald Driver keeps the streak of outstanding performances by athletes alive on DWTS.  (video)
That makes 7 athletes in 14 seasons of the show who have won the title. For more, please click here. And here http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7961803/donald-driver-green-bay-packers-wins-dancing-stars

Athletes Doing Good

Matthew Stafford spends $15,000 to win auction package, then gives it to a young fan’s family
Matthew Stafford attended the Griese-Hutchinson-Woodson Champions for Children’s Hearts weekend to benefit the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. Before he left, the Detroit Lions quarterback reached into his pocket and made a huge difference in the life of a family. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/matthew-stafford-spends-15-000-163555822.html

Wrestling Against the Odds (video) (“Do-Gooder of the Week”)
Geeta Phogat fights poverty and rigid social mores to become India’s first female Olympic wrestler. http://sports.yahoo.com/video/player/news/Reuters_Sports_News/29377013#news/Reuters_Sports_News/29377013

Junior dos Santos fulfills the dream of a poor 9-year-old Brazilian boy by taking him to UFC 146
Dos Santos met Breno Ferreira while training and took him and his family to Las Vegas for his bout against Frank Mir. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mma–junior-dos-santos-takes-9-year-old-boy-to-ufc-146.html

American basketball player leads Israelis, both off and on the court
Barak Netanya’s Adrian Banks isn’t only a role model to his teammates. He also finds time every week to teach local kids the importance of having a strong work ethic and leading a healthy lifestyle.  http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/anglo-file/american-basketball-player-leads-israelis-both-off-and-on-the-court-1.414517

Events Doing Good:

NextStep’s 4th Annual   ” Help Make a Difference” New York City Benefit.
This event, being held on Thursday, June 7, 2012 will bring together community leaders, local businesses, those affected by paralysis and friends in support of a worthy charitable cause. Come learn about and be a part of NextStep’s current expansion efforts to your NY community. NextStep, a registered 501(c) (3),  believes that all persons living with paralysis and other physical disabilities deserve the hope and opportunity to live long and healthy lives. Yet today most of these individuals are deprived of the resources they desperately need for survival because there are no options available to them or they cannot afford them. NextStep, http://www.nextstepfitness.org, provides the opportunity for health and recovery through affordable and progressive community fitness, health, and wellness facilities. http://fanfueled.com/Event/Details/2084-nextsteps-4th-annual-help-make-a-difference-benefit-new-york-ny

Reyna being inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame
On May 30^th U.S. soccer star Claudio Reyna – U.S. captain in 2002 and 2006 World Cups, professional player in Germany, Scotland, England, and the U.S. with the NY Red Bulls – is being inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame. Since his retirement, Claudio started the Claudio Reyna Foundation – designed to use soccer as a tool to help fight against childhood obesity and the cycle of poverty.  It has grown tremendously over the past (2) years – from 456 children served to over 1,600, with plans to continue to reach more and more children in low-income urban communities. On May 29, the Foundation is hosting a fund-raiser in DC at 701 (www.701restaurant.com) where Claudio and former professionals Eddie Lewis and Talyor Twellman will be tending bar. Details can be found on our website  – www.claudioreynafoundation.org.

Media Doing Good:

ESPN orders more ’30 for 30′ docus
Among the titles ESPN unveiled Tuesday ayem at its Gotham upfront are “Benji,” about Chicago high school basketball phenom Ben Wilson; “Broke,” a look at what happens when athletes make bad financial investments; and “Bo Knows,” a look at former football and baseball player Bo Jackson. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118054025

Organizations Doing Good:

NASCAR joins community coalition Beyond Sport
NASCAR on Saturday announced it has accepted an invitation to join Beyond Sport, a global organization that promotes, develops and supports the use of sport to create positive social change. NASCAR joins a coalition of leagues that includes MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL and the WNBA as part of Beyond Sport’s wider global network.  http://www.nationwide.nascar.com/news/120519/nascar-joins-beyond-sport/index.html

NASCAR Signs Memorandum Of Understanding With The EPA
NASCAR and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that provides a framework to encourage greater environmental awareness and adoption of green products and solutions with NASCAR fans and the entire industry.  http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/cup-nascar-signs-memorandum-of-understanding-with-the-epa/

2012 Exergy Tour announces National Association of Girls and Women in Sport as charitable partner
The Exergy Tour international ladies pro cycling race has named the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS) as the official charitable partner of the inaugural race, which will be held in Idaho on May 24 – 28. The race will be one of the last races to provide international ranking points crucial to qualifying for the upcoming Olympic Games in London. It is sanctioned by USA Cycling and is the only ladies race in North America in 2012 with a 2.1 designation by the International Cycling Union (UCI).  http://www.exergytour.com/2012/03/2012-exergy-tour-announces-national-association-of-girls-and-women-in-sport-as-charitable-partner/

Under Armour aims to improve Baltimore communities
Under Armour Inc. has launched a new program aimed at improving Baltimore communities through education and recreational initiatives across the city. http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2012/05/22/under-armour-launches-community.html?s=print

Go tell Mom: Choose Play this May and it just might keep Cancer Away!
The American Cancer Society (ACS) message to Moms is clear: “In the constant struggle between family, work, and self, we know how difficult it is to focus on you. To help change this, the Choose You program provides the tools and support women need to commit to and achieve their personal health and wellness goals.” And this month, the message is “Choose Play in May” as they’re looking to inspire 100,000 acts of play for women across the country.  http://www.sportsandsocialchange.org/index.php/blog/2012/05/17/70-go-tell-mom-choose-play-this-may-and-it-just-might-keep-cancer-away

Additional Story
Muscle Milk® to Provide Up To $250,000 to High School Athletic Programs in Need  http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?resourceid=5214212&access=EH

People Doing Good:

Women GMs mean business in minors
Since September 2010, seven women have been hired as general managers in the affiliated minors — that is, leagues with working agreements with major league teams.  http://espn.go.com/espnw/more-sports/7946245/women-gms-mean-business-minor-league-baseball

Fennville honors Wes Leonard
The pain is still difficult to bear — especially during a week like this. Nearly 15 months ago, Jocelyn’s son collapsed and died immediately after making the winning shot in a basketball game in this same gym. On Thursday night, Wes Leonard’s class held its graduation ceremony. http://espn.go.com/high-school/story/_/id/7970063/michigan-high-school-honors-late-hoops-star-wes-leonard-graduation