Oct. 14 – Oct. 20, 2012

Welcome to week thirty of the Sports Doing Good newsletter.

Gangnam Style. Yes, we have been infected! Two weeks in a row we feature a story with the global dance craze. And we feel it makes sense. Sports is a key part of popular culture. And we believe good and fun acts and events are increasingly part of that culture. People are entertained, inspired, and informed by all the good that is happening in and around sports.

This week we have stories dealing with: a new documentary “Brooklyn Castle,” a new book, Unbreakable Resilience, a story of a teammate giving another a chance to shine during a period of grieving, an anti-racism campaign, FC Barcelona seeking new talent in India, a runner with unusual footwear, an award winning photo, an inspiring swimming scholarship opportunity, a wonderfully successful charity tennis event, an emerging college football power, a polo fundraiser, a joint venture to provide scholarships for deserving students, a Paralympic athlete’s tremendous story of perseverance,  a campaign to fight childhood hunger, an inspiring volunteer, and a learning opportunity about sport and social responsibility.

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

So enjoy. And have a good week.

GANGNAM STYLE parody – The Oregon Duck
http://youtu.be/mDpgzn7KuzE

“Brooklyn Castle”: An inner-city school where chess legends are made
If you want reassurance that not everything about American public education is hopelessly broken — and if you want to see what may well be the most optimistic, inspiring and downright thrilling movie released all year – then absolutely do not miss Katie Dellamaggiore’s documentary “Brooklyn Castle.”
http://www.salon.com/2012/10/17/brooklyn_castle_a_glimpse_into_the_inner_city_middle_school_where_chess_legends_are_made/
Video: http://youtu.be/tFzUYRC3_H8

13 years after accident, local football charity still makes strides
Written by Don Grossnickle of Arlington Heights, “Unbreakable Resilience” is raising money for the Gridiron Alliance charity by telling the stories of eight young athletes who suffered catastrophic injuries.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20121016/news/710169951/

Top RB stops 1 yard short of end zone to set up touching TD tribute for grieving teammate
Then, just feet short of the goal line, Ferns slowed and walked out of bounds at the 1-yard line. Everyone in the stadium was stunned, except for Ferns’ teammates, who instantly knew what he was doing: He was setting up a teammate to score a fitting touchdown in memory of his late father, who had died just two days earlier from a catastrophic stroke.
http://tinyurl.com/8qsvy9e

St. Clairsville players Logan Thompson and Michael Ferns embrace following Thompson’s emotional touchdown

English soccer will ask Premier League players to don anti-racism T-shirts during warm-up for matches.
Kick It Out, an anti-racism campaign group, on Thursday began a week of action with players across the country wearing T-shirts before matches to promote the organization’s message.
http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/10/19/fa-chairman-english-soccer-damaged-by-terry-racism-case-players-don-anti-racism/#ixzz29r9GqYqt

FC Barcelona to train Vadodara’s (India) wannabe Lionel Messis
FC Barcelona, which has produced stars like Messi and Ronaldinho, is now hunting for talent in the country. And, it has selected Vadodara to organize a five-day camp in November to identify and groom aspiring football players.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Barcelona-to-train-Vadodaras-wannabe-Messis/articleshow/16871839.cms

Man Runs Entire Baltimore Marathon In Flip Flops
Runners searching for the perfect pair of sneakers may want to try and run in something different — flip flops. Keith Levasseur ran the Baltimore Marathon on Saturday in 2:46:58 and did all 26 miles in flip flops.  http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/10/18/man-runs-entire-baltimore-marathon-in-flip-flops/

Erick Barrondo, Olympic Medalist Race Walker, wins The Peace and Sport Image of the Year Award
Erick Barrondo won the Silver medal in the Men’s 20km Race Walk at the London Games, becoming the first ever Olympic Medallist from Guatemala. The picture of the 21-year-old athlete conquered the hearts of sports fans worldwide: 69 % of voters chose his victory photo as an emblematic demonstration that sport can foster peace in the world and encourage unity between divided communities.
http://www.peace-sport.org/news/erick-barrondo-olympic-medalist-race-walker-wins-the-peace-and-sport-image-of-the-year-award.html

More than 15,000 fans voted online to pay tribute to the inspiring message of peace shared by the Guatemalan athlete at the 2012 Olympic Games

Swim for the Future Scholarship Fund set up by two families who lost loved ones on 9/11
Andrew Fisher and Doug Irgang were master’s swimmers at Asphalt Green and their memories live on in this scholarship fund. To date over $300,000 has been raised and 195 scholarships awarded, including to 2012 Olympic bronze medalist swimmer, Lia Neal. This year $53,000 was granted to 23 swimmers. Asphalt Green has the most diverse swim program in North America, largely due to this program.
http://www.asphaltgreen.org/c-2152-p-Swim-for-the-Future.aspx

Charity tennis event a smashing success
Across all levels of sports, athletes play for championships, respect or admiration. Tuesday at Petersen Events Center, a group of tennis icons, including Billie Jean King, along with some notable friends, e.g.  Elton John, among others, took to the court as part of an effort to raise money to help combat AIDS.
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/more-sports/charity-tennis-event-a-smashing-success-657863/#ixzz29r6TlDPU

The State of Affairs That Is Boise State; College Football’s Arrivistes Keep Winning Games—Tradition or Not
In the last couple of decades, as you may know, the Boise State Broncos, now ranked No. 24 have crashed through college football’s ancient social strata like arrivistes with a timber saw. A former junior college (until 1965) that didn’t even attain Division I-A status until 1996, Boise State has come, almost literally, from nowhere.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444868204578064603099408038.html

Boise State fans tailgating near Bronco Stadium before the football game against Fresno State.

Polo thunders into Point Clear for annual charity fundraiser
Polo at the Point is a Point Clear Charities event that happens at the confluence of polo, art, food and fashion. It’s been a charitable fundraiser annually since 1988. The beneficiaries of this year’s event are the University of South Alabama’s Mitchell Center Cancer Institute and Thomas Hospital’s Pediatric Rehabilitation Program. http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/10/polo_thunders_into_point_clear.html

Chivas USA, Mexican Consulate Donate $50,000 in Scholarships for LMU Students
Los Angeles professional soccer team Chivas USA has formed a partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles to give $50,000 for need-based scholarships for Mexican and Mexican-American students at Loyola Marymount University this year.
http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/educacion/details/chivas-usa-mexican-consulate-donate-50000-in-scholarships-for-lmu-students/19249/

2012 Paralympics Athlete, Jennifer French, Releases Book, “On My Feet Again”, about Her Implanted Bionic System
“On My Feet Again” is the inspiring and intellectually stimulating story of how a determined and resourceful young woman overcame many of the obstacles that came her way after being paralyzed in a snowboarding accident.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2012-paralympics-athlete-releases-book-on-her-implanted-bionic-system-174236501.html

Race To Feeding America Campaign Donates $50,000 To Feeding America To Benefit Child Hunger Relief Efforts
At a press conference held yesterday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Glory Foods, along with and NASCAR drivers David Ragan and David Gilliland, both of Front Row Motorsports, presented $50,000 to Feeding America to benefit its child hunger relief efforts.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/race-to-feeding-america-campaign-donates-50000-to-feeding-america-to-benefit-child-hunger-relief-efforts-173889621.html

Sochi 2014 volunteer receives Generations for Peace award for role in peace-building
In 2012, Pavel coordinated and implemented a series of Generations for Peace programmes focusing on working with children and youth in the diverse ethnic communities in Sochi City on the Russian coast of the Black Sea, where there are more than 100 different ethnic groups. Programmes were designed over a five-month period and delivered in cooperation with the Sochi City Administration.
http://www.sportanddev.org/en/newsnviews/news/?5020%2F1%2FSochi-2014-volunteer-receives-Generations-for-Peace-award-for-role-in-peace-building

Sport and Social Responsibility Masterclass
“Learn to plan and deliver social responsibility programmes that deliver optimum results for all stakeholders. The Masterclass is built around detailed analysis of five case studies including a Q&A session and discussion, each presented by representatives of the sports, brands and causes involved, selected to highlight best practice, innovation and problem-solving.” http://www.sportbusiness.com/promo/csr-masterclass?src=1210ET25DXX09