Sports Doing Good Newsletter, #73

Aug. 18 – Aug. 24, 2013

Welcome to week seventy-three of the Sports Doing Good newsletter.

We have, thankfully, become more accustomed in the last 10 years or so to seeing women being lauded for their great achievements on the sports field. Whether it has been in the Summer and Winter Olympics, the World Cup, or at the college and high school levels, scores of female athletes have excelled at their chosen sport, inspiring other women and girls, and surely men as well.

This developing record of success should be applauded and used to promote the achievements of women in traditional and especially in emerging sports, e.g. surfing, skateboarding, ski jumping, etc. This success should also be used to push for more opportunities for women in the management of sports in the U.S. and around the world.

So in addition to the story on the legendary University of North Carolina women’s soccer program, we are thrilled to have a piece on young surfer Quincy Davis, future NFL referee Sarah Thomas, and pioneering sports executive Heidi Ueberroth. No doubt we will continue to see stories at Sports Doing Good involving these and other women.

Other stories to check out this week include: Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry Kill, University of Mt. Union, Green Sports Alliance, Wounded Warriors, Vin Scully, Gabby Douglas, and Michael Russell, amongst others.

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.

The Stokes Game – For decades, legends in the NBA headed up to the Catskill Mountains to do what they knew to help one of their own
When the Shooter decided to devote his life to caring for Stokes, he was 24 years old. “What am I going to do?” Twyman told a teammate. “I’m from Pittsburgh, he’s from Pittsburgh. He didn’t have any family here. I just did it.”
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9567471/bryan-curtis-tragic-inspirational-story-maurice-stokes

Courtesy of Mark Kutsher

NFL Ref Sarah Thomas Will Break Glass Ceiling, Because She’s Too Good Not To
“People who know who I am understand this is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Thomas said. “They know how serious I am and how dedicated I am to this job. I put as much effort into this as anyone.”
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1744945-nfl-ref-sarah-thomas-will-break-glass-ceiling-because-shes-too-good-not-to?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=cnn-sports-bin&hpt=hp_bn15

Just killing it; Golden Gophers coach turned his public seizure into a teaching moment
“Guys, I want you to look,” he said. “These are my people. These kids are just like me. This is who I am.” Then he asked what the kids wanted to be when they grew up, going up to each kid. One little girl wanted to be a Minnesota cheerleader. One wanted to be an NFL player. To each of them, he said, “Well, you can. Epilepsy won’t stop you from doing it.”
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9591316/jerry-kill-turned-public-seizure-teaching-moment

What do D-I powerhouses Miami and Penn State have in common with tiny Mt. Union?
Yes, a Division III school has produced two former teammates who now have starting jobs at the top of NFL depth charts: Pierre Garcon of the Washington Redskins and Cecil Shorts III of the Jacksonville Jaguars. They were teammates not too long ago, in the dormitory they shared at a school with a 142-acre nature center that’s bigger than its campus.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl–what-do-miami–penn-state-and-mt–union-have-in-common–223740830.html

Pierre Garcon was a sixth-round pick out of Mt. Union in the 2008 NFL Draft. (USAT Sports)

Green Sports Alliance 2013 – This week in New York City
The Green Sports Alliance Summit serves as a platform for the sports community to unite around sustainability – bringing together more than 500 industry stakeholders to learn from 80+ leaders at the forefront of the sports greening movement, as well as engage their peers in meaningful dialogue around best practices and applied solutions.
http://summit.greensportsalliance.org/

Wounded Warriors show off softball skills at Fenway; Amputee veterans dominate Boston Marathon First Responders
The players are all missing a variety of limbs, ranging from one hand to a pair of legs. Many of them take college classes during the week and play on weekends. Some have jobs. Some have families. But they’ve all been through extensive rehabilitation and persevered. “We have a motto,” Van Sleet says. “Life without a limb is limitless. But more importantly, life goes on.”
http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?c_id=bos&content_id=57566950&partnerId=as_mlb_20130820_10978214&vkey=news_bos&ymd=20130819

Kyle Earl, the DH for the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team, stretches before the game. (Jared Wickerham/AP)

Riding the Waves, Montauk Style
Quincy Davis never dreamed of becoming a professional surfer because it was not the sort of thing little girls dreamed about here, even those like Davis, who had the Atlantic as her backyard and a five-foot, tri-fin thruster as her swing set.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/sports/surfing-the-waves-montauk-style.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&emc=eta1

Quincy Davis, 18, is the third-ranked junior surfer in the world. Nicole Bengiveno/The New York Times

Total Access: UNC’s winning culture (Women’s Soccer)
To the consternation of some soccer alumni, and even the seniors who lobbied throughout this particular week for more practice and more running, preseason is not as brutal as it once was. What will never change is that culture of competition. Practices are intense. Elbows and expletives fly, forearms lodge against lower backs, and players go into tackles with gusto. At one point Dorrance reminded the players before a drill began, “We are not injuring each other; we are teammates.”
http://espn.go.com/espnw/athletes-life/article/9587807/total-access-north-carolina-tar-heels-competitive-culture-leads-success

August is when the North Carolina women’s soccer team’s pursuit of a championship begins, knowing that the work put in during late summer will help translate into a title in December. Graham Hays/espnW

Future champions ensure Khel Vikas receives a good lift
P4SS co-founder Suheil Tandon said that the tournament’s success story is a shining example of how sport can foster development. “This was our first time holding such a tournament. The results were amazing. So many youth improving on their personal best is a very satisfying outcome for our work and efforts.”
http://www.sportanddev.org/en/newsnviews/news/?5988%2F1

NBA Global Chief Heidi Ueberroth to Exit
The NBA has proved a more successful export than other major North American sports leagues, with games now airing in 215 countries and in 47 languages, for which Ms. Ueberroth deserves much of the credit, said Mr. Stern. “All of the television deals, sponsorships, exhibition games and colleagues on the ground on four continents—those were all under Heidi’s leadership,” he said in an interview.
http://stream.wsj.com/story/latest-headlines/SS-2-63399/SS-2-305722/

Daniella Zalcman for The Wall Street Journal

 THE NEXT 10 STORIES

Magic and UnitedHealthcare Team Up for Hoops for Health Challenge
As part of the Orlando Magic and UnitedHealthcare’s commitment to health and wellness, the Magic recently hosted the Hoops for Health Challenge presented by UnitedHealthcare (UHC) for approximately 1,000 youth from Orange County Parks and Recreation…Throughout the year, the Orlando Magic and UnitedHealthcare have partnered to engage Central Florida youth in approximately 40,000 hours of healthy, physical activity.
http://www.nba.com/magic/news/magic-and-unitedhealthcare-team-hoops-health-challenge

Civil Rights Game to build history in Chicago
The Civil Rights Game events were developed to pay tribute to all of those who fought on and off the field for equal rights for all Americans…At each Civil Rights Game, Major League Baseball bestows Beacon Awards to individuals whose lives have been emblematic of the spirit of the civil rights movement.
http://tinyurl.com/mqk8elp

The Class of 65: Vin Scully to return for 65th year with Dodgers in 2014
“It has been such an exciting, enjoyable, wonderful season — the big crowds in the ballpark, everybody is talking about the ballclub, and I really respect, admire and love the management — so everything just fell into place,” Scully said. “I really still enjoy it immensely. My health is good, thank God. So why not? And my wife said, ‘Why not?’ as well.
http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/2013/08/22/the-class-of-65-vin-scully-to-return-for-65th-year-with-dodgers-in-2014/

Can sport stop child marriage in Nigeria?
Question and answer sessions about child marriage and education took place on the field during the volleyball match. After the match they all engaged in physical activities like jogging and stretching. The girls were excited and inspired to play football and volleyball. The winners of the volleyball match received balls to encourage them to continue playing sports.
http://www.sportanddev.org/?5982/1/Can-sport-stop-child-marriage-in-Nigeria

PHIT America Announces First Celebrity Ambassadors
PHIT America – the non-profit education and advocacy organization designed to combat the nation’s inactivity and obesity crisis – announces NFL great Hershel Walker, tennis legends Mike and Bob Bryan, fitness expert Denise Austin and Golf Channel instructor Michael Breed as its first celebrity ambassadors.
http://www.thegolfwire.com/stories/296806

Gabby Douglas Lends Support To 2013 Edition Of Toys”R”Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids®
“My experience at the 2012 Olympic Games was very special, and through my support of this year’s Toys”R”Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, I’m so excited to help children of all abilities have their own magical moments. With this great resource, parents can find toys that build key skills and help children reach new milestones, all while having fun!” http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/22/5671926/gabby-douglas-lends-support-to.html#storylink=cpy

UN creates International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
The IOC and the UN both have a long-standing commitment to using sport as a tool for social change, and have worked together on a wide range of projects, including the organisation of a joint biennial International Forum on Sport for Peace and Development. Since 2009, the IOC has also held UN observer status. Alongside the world’s current number one tennis player, Novak Djokovich, IOC President Jacques Rogge was in New York today to address the General Assembly after the important decision had been taken.
http://www.olympic.org/news/un-creates-international-day-of-sport-for-development-and-peace/207997

New “Eat Smart, Play Safe” Campaign Promotes Healthy Lifestyles For Kids On and Off the Field
Participation in team sports helps young people gain fundamental skills and values useful for the rest of their lives. Now, thanks to a new “Eat Smart, Play Safe” campaign formed by DSM Nutritional Products with Pop Warner Little Scholars, kids in youth sports programs and parents have the opportunity and available resources to learn about nutrition and sports safety to help kids succeed both on and off the field.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-eat-smart-play-safe-campaign-promotes-healthy-lifestyles-for-kids-on-and-off-the-field-220504171.html

Korea Ministry unveils plans to add 40,000 more jobs in sports sector
The ministry has drawn up strategies to expand the sports market from 37 trillion won ($32 billion) this year to 53 trillion won in 2017 and increase the percentage of people participating in daily sports activities from 43 percent this year to 60 percent in 2017 as part of its “Sports Vision 2018,” a blueprint for the development of sports.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130822000948

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yoo Jin-ryong speaks during a forum announcing the national sports policy “Korea Sports Vision 2018” at Sangam Seoul World Cup Stadium on Thursday. (Yonhap News)

Tennis Journeyman Michael Russell’s Long Career Outside the Elite
“I still really enjoy it,” Russell says of living out of a suitcase and taking the court against younger players week after week. “It has that gladiator aspect where you can’t really blame anybody but yourself.” He stretches as he talks, his foot propped on a towel on the back of the couch. “I figure as long as I’m healthy, and I’m still ranked in the top 100, I might as well keep playing.”
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-08-22/tennis-journeyman-michael-russells-long-career-outside-the-elite

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