Sports Doing Good Newsletter, #70

July 28 – Aug. 3, 2013

Welcome to week seventy of the Sports Doing Good newsletter.

There was maybe no more inspirational figure in sports than Lance Armstrong. His cancer fight and subsequent string of Tour de France victories inspired people in the U.S. and around the world. The formation of the LIVESTRONG Foundation took those positive feelings and institutionalized it in an organization committed to supporting those with cancer and the friends and families who rally around them.

I assume everyone knows what has happened with Lance but possibly not at the LIVESTRONG Foundation, which is headed by Doug Ulman. Great things continue to happen with the Foundation, even without Lance. We are happy to highlight an interview with Doug conducted again by our good friends at Carnegie Sports and Entertainment.

In addition to the interview with Doug Ulman, we are thrilled to share so many good stories, including ones that will move you (Conner Stroud), make you smile (Damian Lillard), and even stand up and applaud (Megan Welter). You will also get a chance to learn about NCYS/ATLX, Ryan Dungey, Cal Ripken, the D.O.S.E. Challenge, Columbus Blue Jackets, the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) and several others making a difference in and around sports.

Please continue to send along your stories. You are both our audience and our best source of stories. Our Twitter handle is @sportsdoinggood, and you can find us at www.facebook.com/sportsdoinggood.

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So enjoy. And have a good week.

Heart of a Champion: 12-year-old inspires thousands with perseverance on and off courts
The obstacles one encounters in life can often seem insurmountable. For 12-year-old tennis player Conner Stroud, it’s easy to point to his lack of hips or feet as a reason to abstain from playing the game he loves so much. But, in reality, his biggest hurdle on the court has nothing to do with his physical limitations. For the Spindale, N.C. native, it’s the mental side of tennis that’s been his toughest opponent.
http://www.usta.com/Youth-Tennis/heart_of_a_champion_12-year-old_inspires_thousands_with_perserverance_on_and_off_courts/
(Video – http://youtu.be/ovfLq7yzADg)

Carnegie Exclusive Interview: Doug Ulman, President & CEO, LIVESTRONG Foundation
In his role as president and chief executive officer, Doug Ulman oversees the strategic vision and direction of the LIVESTRONG Foundation. During his time at the Foundation, Doug has helped transform the nonprofit into an internationally-known brand and leader in the global movement for people affected by cancer.
http://carnegiese.tumblr.com/post/56454728440/carnegie-exclusive-interview-doug-ulman-president

Damian Lillard circles back on Twitter to make fan’s day, remind us he’s a good egg
With that very cool move, we’re pretty sure young Mr. Lillard just cemented the support of way more than just one fan. Big up yourself, Damian, and congrats on nailing down a story and meet-and-greet that’ll make you the envy of your peer group, Siros. It’s always nice to see “being reasonable and understanding” result in a positive outcome.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/damian-lillard-circles-back-twitter-fan-day-remind-140602273.html

Amazing Arizona Cardinals Cheerleader Megan Welter is an Iraq War Army Veteran
The 28-year-old has been dancing since she was a child, performing in ballet classes when she was three. She also comes from a long line of soldiers. As Weir writes, “her father and grandfather both served in the military.” Strangely, it seems she entered into auditions to become a cheerleader with far more trepidation than she did when she signed up for Officer Training School, which may just be a sign of how remarkable Welter truly is.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1722837-amazing-arizona-cardinals-cheerleader-is-an-iraq-war-army-veteran?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=webs-best-sports-lists

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

NCYS Announces Its ‘Big Screen’ Partner for the Youth Sports Industry
“This is an exciting step forward for NCYS and its members to share their individual and organizational stories on the big screen.  We are appreciative of The ATLX Channel and respect its focus to deliver unique and entertaining lifestyle programming,” says Sally Johnson, Executive Director of the National Council of Youth Sports.  “ATLX will provide ground-breaking media exposure taking the youth sports experience to a whole new level.”
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ncys-announces-its-big-screen-partner-for-the-youth-sports-industry-217596711.html

Get Fit, Give Back: The Benefits of Volunteer Coaching
“Being a coach has given my life greater purpose. I get such satisfaction helping the little athletes gain confidence in their physical abilities. Over the past year, I’ve seen a dramatic improvement in their grades—that’s what makes this so fulfilling.” To date, CAA coaches have mentored 85,000 young athletes, including Stacya Baker, 17, who credits her dance squad’s volunteer coaches with having an enormous influence on her life.
http://www.oprah.com/world/Volunteer-as-a-Sports-Coach-Workout-for-a-Cause?awesm=lfshare.me_VolunteerCoaching#ixzz2aSBY57uk

Illustration: Dan Page

Inspired By Grandma, Motocross Champ Ryan Dungey Wants To Make Impact As Philanthropist
Dungey’s prized possession is not one of his many trophies, ribbons or medals. It has little to do with his on-track success. Dungey’s beloved accomplishment is the creation of his charity bike ride, the MN Major, which will take place for the second time July 28, starting in Hastings, Minn.
http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/good-sports/201307/ryan-dungey-motocross-charity-bike-ride-minnesota

Cal Ripken’s $30 Million Baseball Brand
He oversees two minor league teams, two youth baseball academies, a stadium design business, a licensing and memorabilia company, the Cal Ripken Sr Foundation, and all things related to the ‘Business of Cal’ as those around him call it, like his part-time broadcast career with TBS, book deals with Walt Disney, speaking engagements and endorsements.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/christinasettimi/2013/07/16/cal-ripkens-30-million-baseball-brand/
(Video – http://youtu.be/-2AqPUmMtc0)

Small businesses asked to suit up for the Super Bowl
On Wednesday, software provider Intuit kicks off a contest that will award one small business with a 30-second Super Bowl XLVIII commercial. The third-quarter ad will likely be seen by more than 100 million viewers.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/30/small-business-super-bowl-commercial/2599595/

The D.O.S.E. Challenge: Scheduling Change Through Sports Community Service & Engagement
The Challenge – Simply for any coach, at any level, in any sport, in any country to include at least one community service activity or community engagement strategy on their official public game schedule. What you do and how you do it is completely up to you, but we do provide some examples if you are interested.
http://www.coachingwisely.com/dose/

THE NEXT 10 STORIES

Columbus Blue Jackets’s Krumm Park playground build makes an impact
On July 25, the rebuilding of Krumm Park took another step forward. The Blue Jackets Foundation, in partnership with volunteers from the organization’s front office staff, coaches, current and former players, local youth and amateur hockey organizations and members of the community, joined for a new playground build at the park. The design, engineered by Playworld Systems, is the first of its kind: a hockey-themed Blue Jackets playground built on two adjoining sites featuring giant slides, swings, a dedicated play area for children ages 2-5, and more.
http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=679002&navid=DL|CBJ|home

Countdown to 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in L.A. begins
“Today, that simple day camp has grown into one of the biggest sporting events for people with intellectual disabilities,” Obama said. “The athletes coming to the Games represent the grit and determination that’s at the root of the American spirit.”
http://www.dailynews.com/breakingnews/ci_23764495/countdown-2015-special-olympics-world-summer-games-l

From left to right, Rob Friedman, Co-Chair of Los Angeles Special Olympics; Debi Anderson, Special Olympian, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Dustin Plunkett, Special Olympian and Patrick McClenahan, President of LA2015, at the announcement of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games that will be held in Los Angeles. (David Crane/Staff Photographer)

Hamill: Mets star David Wright does the ‘Wright Thing,’ honors heroes of Hurricane Sandy
“After the storm, I visited PS 38 in Staten Island and met a lot of the kids who were displaced and impacted by Sandy,” Wright said. “It was heartbreaking. New York is my second home, a city that’s been very good to me, and so when I visited some of the neighborhoods that were destroyed by Sandy, my heart went out to these people.”
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/mets-star-wright-honors-hurricane-sandy-heroes-article-1.1410898#ixzz2aOhCOC8W

David Wright visited PS 38 on Staten Island and met children and families displaced by Superstorm Sandy. ‘It was heartbreaking,’ the Met star says. His The Wright Thing program honors heroes of Sandy.

New Research: PE Ignites Sports Participation Outside of School
children who have physical education are two to three times more likely to be play sports and be active outside of school than children without physical education. “We wonder why children are becoming more and more sedentary and not healthy.  Look no further than what has happened to physical education,” said Jim Baugh, Founder of PHIT America.
http://www.phitamerica.org/News_Archive/PE_Ignites_Sports_Participation.htm#sthash.rshKejr8.dpuf

Magic Johnson’s scholarship program making positive impact
Each year, the program’s selection committee chooses 30 to 35 high school seniors from urban areas across the country to become a part of the program. The scholars receive from $2,000 to $5,000 in tuition assistance, a laptop before their freshman year of college and a trip to Los Angeles for a weeklong leadership conference each summer of their college years.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba–magic-johnson-s-scholarship-program-making-positive-impact-040054443.html

Magic Johnson’s foundation hosts an annual Life Skills Leadership Conference. (Special to Yahoo! Sports)

Decade on from launch, Homeless World Cup counts success not in goals scored but in lives saved
Mel is now president of the annual tournament and teams from 70 countries will take part in this year’s event in Poland next month. He said: “The success of that first tournament was beyond our wildest dreams. We could see people changing right in front of us.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/decade-launch-homeless-world-cup-2101287

Scotland lift 2011 World Cup

All Sports United Humanitarian Award Winner: Israel Idonije
All Sports United wishes to congratulate all of the finalists who were each featured in video or personal statement during the evening.  Those finalists made the final cut from a field of 39 nominees and their accomplishments are truly life changing.  Co-Founders Alan Pavlosky and Scott Manthorne stated that All Sports United intends to pursue expansion of benefits to athletes working for the greater good.
http://www.allsportsunited.org/?p=924

NWSL: National team foes unite in Portland
As with any club, the patchwork of players can lead to some intriguing storylines, none more obvious than the various national team allegiances among the Thorns, as well as on the seven other squads that make up the National Women’s Soccer League.
http://espn.go.com/espnw/athletes-life/article/9528677/espnw-total-access-national-team-foes-unite-portland-thorns

Thorns forward Christine Sinclair is the star of the Canadian national team, but she played collegiately in Portland and considers the city her home. AP Photo/Don Ryan

Celebrating 20 years of the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF)
It is the mission of the Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF) to provide opportunities and support to people with physical disabilities so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics. CAF believes that involvement in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality of life.
http://www.challengedathletes.org/site/c.4nJHJQPqEiKUE/b.6449023/k.BD6D/Home.htm

Roger Goodell: The way forward to a better, safer game
That’s why we’re launching a partnership between the NFL and Pop Warner to endorse USA Football’s Heads Up Football program. More than 20,000 Pop Warner coaches will be trained to teach the latest techniques and make the game safer for hundreds of thousands of young players.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/08/01/football-nfl-pop-warner-roger-goodell-column/2597677/

(Photo: Elise Amendola, AP)

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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 media that showcase the good in sports and society. 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 polarizing, biased, and quite annoying. We are trying to refocus some of the discussion on the good, with a focus on sports.Our mission is to have Sport Doing Good be a consistent, and significant, contributor to the areas of sports, social responsibility and development. We look forwarding to partnering with other stakeholders in producing content, in creating and/or sponsoring athletic and service events, knowledge sharing, and conferences/seminars, and even having a commercial arm that could be the source of innovative social businesses.We invite you to send in news, press releases, and guest pieces for possible publication, and email us with suggestions about the content and format of the newsletter and Sports Doing Good website.
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