Pitcher Jennie Finch announces retirement

National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) icon and Bandits’ pitcher Jennie Finch announced her retirement plans today, stating her professional and international softball career will end following the final Chicago Bandits home stand and NPF playoffs in August.

“While it saddens me to see her hang up her cleats, I feel blessed to have shared a portion of her tremendous career with her,” said Bandits owner Bill Sokolis. “She has been laboring over this decision for a long time, Jennie is an intelligent woman, she has thought this through and her decision is right for her family.”

“I know Casey and Ace will be happy. The Bandits organization, and the NPF, could not have asked for a better role model for our young players, and she is a model ambassador to this great game.”

“Jennie entered the NPF as the number one pitcher in the world and will exit the NPF as the number one pitcher in the world. That is hard to do. I will miss her, but I will enjoy watching her here for one last series, in Elgin, the final week of the season.”

The Olympic gold medalist brings an end to a 10-year career in which she helped the sport blossom in the United States.

The 6-foot-2 pitcher was a standout at Arizona before becoming an icon with the U.S. team, going 32-0 her junior year and putting together 60 consecutive wins – both NCAA records. She won gold at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and silver four years later in Beijing.

This month, she helped the U.S. win its seventh straight world championship in Venezuela.

Finch was much more than a pretty face as she took over Lisa Fernandez’s place as the sport’s most recognized player during a period when the following for the Women’s College World Series and the national team experienced marked growth. Her 60-game run stretched over nearly two years and included the 2001 WCWS title.

Her dominance carried over to the national team, where she combined with the likes of Fernandez and Cat Osterman to make up the world’s best pitching rotation through the early part of the decade.

Coupled with her softball skills, Finch’s beauty and charm landed her a place in pop culture. She struck some of the big leagues’ best hitters in appearances on “This Week in Baseball,” competed on “Celebrity Apprentice” and made the rounds on late-night talk shows.

Finch’s final home series with the Bandits will be against Monica Abbott and the Tennessee Diamonds. The five game series features games on August 19 at 7:05 p.m., August 20 at 7:05 p.m., August 21 at 2:05 p.m., August 21 at 7:05 p.m., and concludes Sunday, August 22 at 2:05 p.m.

Promotional nights for the final home series include 94.3 K~LOVE Family Faith Night (Aug 19), Pack the Park Night with $5 tickets (Aug 20) and Fan Appreciation Day (Aug 22).

Tickets to see Jennie Finch and the Bandits in action are still available at 877-722-6348. For more information about the Chicago Bandits visit www.chicagobandits.com.

Venus Williams releases new book: Come To Win

With the 38th anniversary of Title IX this month, a crucial question remains: Do sports make a long-term difference in a woman’s life?  Most experts say yes.

Competitive sports prepare women to take on leadership positions and this week, Multiple grand slam tennis champion and entrepreneur Venus Williams serves up a new book that every aspiring professional (no matter their gender or field) should read: COME TO WIN: Business Leaders, Artists, Doctors, and Other Visionaries on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession.

Venus Williams knows what it takes to be a winner. Combining talent, drive and hard work, she has mastered the game of tennis. But how does that drive serve her off the court, and how will she put it to use in her post professional tennis career? For inspiration, Venus turned to nearly 50 business leaders, politicians, doctors and artists, all of whom previously played competitive sports and who now operate at the top of their field, and asked them the essential question: What principles that inspired you toward success as an athlete are helpful in life? In business?

Here an A-list of visionaries, including Ken Chenault, Meg Whitman, Phil Knight, Jack Welch, Condoleezza Rice, Bill Bradley, Vera Wang, Marcus Samuelsson and Bill Clinton, respond with a useful array of tips woven through anecdotes from their athletic past that have been instrumental in their post-sports life success, such as:

· How visualizing a course of action before it happens has helped them “see” their success ahead of them

· How they learned to turn losses into learning tools

· How figuring out who best plays what position in a sports team environment, when applied to a work environment, translates into profitable results

· How being able to juggle a demanding sports schedule with school helped them become extremely organized and effective with time-management later on

· How learning how to block out distractions has helped them focus on the tasks at hand and the goals ahead

· How learning that there is no substitute for preparation has helped them with building their foundation

The advice in COME TO WIN is something every aspiring professional will want to read.

Venus also reflects on what she has learned from her own coaches, including her father and mother, and how their wisdom contributes to her own remarkable achievements, including the launch of her own businesses, V-Starr Interiors, an interior design firm and EleVen, her athletic clothing line.

To get your copy:

Get your FREE Team USA’s Backyard Games Party Kit

The U.S. Olympic Committee is proud to present Team USA’s Backyard Games! It’s an exciting and free way to spice up your Fourth of July barbeque. Register now to download Olympic and Paralympic activities, trivia, American flag & Olympic medal cutouts and tasty summertime recipes right from the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

500 FREE Team USA Party Kits

There’s more … the first 500 people who register will get a FREE Team USA Party Kit shipped right to your door* in time for the Fourth of July weekend.

What’s in the Party Kit?… U.S. Olympic bumper stickers, flying discs, Team USA megaphones to cheer on your favorite Backyard Games participant, an Olympic Highlight DVD and an apron for that special chef who will be preparing your food.

Bonus Download

Everyone who registers will also receive a bonus download provided by 24 Hour Fitness. The U.S. Olympic 5-Ring Challenge offers five simple exercises that test the core athletic attributes of agility, flexibility, power, speed and strength. Who knows? Maybe you or someone in your family is a future Olympian.

Supporting Team USA

Team USA is proudly funded by loyal fans like you. Donations help the U.S. Olympic Committee prepare Team USA for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and promote the Olympic Movement throughout the country. As a way of saying Thank You, the USOC is offering a free U.S. Olympic t-shirt for donations of $20 or more.

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July, and Let the Games Begin^™!

*Must provide a valid U.S. postal address to receive party kit. Limit one party kit per household.

Modern bra is 100 years old!

Happy birthday to the bra! The modern day brassiere turns 100 this year and the bra business is booming.

A century has passed since Mary Phelps Jacob fabricated the modern brassiere, and with the anniversary of such an important invention just passed, we couldn’t help but look around to see what’s new.

Customized: Let’s face it: One size never fits all, and the same is true for the average brassiere. With its new Perfect Pair bra, Fruit of the Loom has invented a clever and affordable solution to the uneven dilemma many women face. Each bra cup is purchased separately, with cups coming in “Exactly” and “Just About” sizes and in-between cup sizes as well. The bras have both front and back closures so that the cups, patterns and width of the bands can be mixed and matched for the best fit possible. Most custom designed intimates cost upwards of $100, but the Perfect Pair retails for only 10 bucks at a limited selection of stores and through Amazon.

Vintage: If you want to channel your inner Bettie Page or Dita Von Teese in all of their pin-up glamour, retro underclothes now are popping up more frequently in retail shops. Recently opened in Miami, vintage shop La Boudoir is receiving acclaim for its expansive selection of old world lacy slips, cone-shaped bras circa early ’90s Madonna, and various silky-and-slinky pieces that, while once intended to be worn under your clothes, now look too pretty to be hidden.

Sports Bras: They don’t make ‘em like they used to.  No matter what your cup size or favorite activity, there’s probably a bra engineered to work for you.  If you need help choosing the right sports bra read up on bounce control, shape and style, measuring tips and more.

Also check out this “Today Show” video which celebrates the bra’s birthday with a magnificent montage of well-known bras, vintage ads, wardrobe malfunctions and industry factoids.

Thanks for your support.

Related Posts:
Bounce Control – Choosing the Right Sports Bra

Player goes from intern to tryout with WNBA’s Sun

Since I’m originally from Connecticut, women’s hoops is a big deal (have you heard of a li’l school called UConn?). Well, I still read the Hartford Courant with some regularity and loved the story I read today about a University of Vermont student who spent last summer interning for the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and this year is trying out for the team.

According to the article:

May Kotsopoulos was  a guard on the Catamounts team that lost to UConn in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament.  After her junior year at Vermont, Kotsopoulos began an internship with the Sun marketing and communications department.

The job gave her full access to the players and coaches and lasted through last season’s All-Star Game at the Mohegan Sun Arena, where she mingled with Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and the other All-Stars.

“It gave me a chance to learn the other side of the world of sports,” Kotsopoulos said. “And it was inspiring as a player.”

But after a senior season that saw Vermont win the America East tournament and a first-round NCAA game against Wisconsin, Kotsopoulos, the conference’s leading scorer (17.1), is back with the Sun and trying to make the team.

Kotsopoulos was a shutdown defender who helped Vermont defeat Hartford in the America East title game. She also has defended many of the best players in America, such as Angel McCoughtry, the No.1 pick in the 2009 draft, and UConn’s Kalana Greene and Maya Moore, since Vermont also played UConn in the regular season in 2009-10.

Kotsopoulos faces long odds, as do all of the free agents the Sun signed after the April 8 draft. The Sun turned their roster over in the offseason after not making the playoffs for the first time, and the result is a tight 11-player roster, as long as everyone stays healthy.

“The reality is that most of the other players here are not going to make this team,” Sun coach Mike Thibault said. “They knew that coming here. In order for one of these kids to make it, they are going to have to beat out a veteran or a draft pick. It’s just the way it is.”

This does not phase Kotsopoulos. The free agents, who also include Sacred Heart center Kaitlin Sowinski, know these next few weeks are more about preparing for the step that comes later, playing professionally in Europe this autumn and winter.

Participating in a WNBA training camp gives players experience that will help their job search. And Kotsopoulos, a native of Waterloo, Ontario, already knows where she is likely headed.

“I’m not absolutely sure about everything yet, but it looks like I’m going to get a chance to play for the Greek national team in the world championship this year [September in the Czech Republic],” she said.

“And once that’s over, if I decide and if I am offered the chance, I’ll play for a team in the Greek professional league this season. If the opportunity is not right, then I won’t.”

Thibault said he admires Kotsopoulos’ play and pointed out that free agent guard Kristi Cirone made the Sun and played in four games last season while Anete Jekabsone-Zogota was still in Europe.

But guard is a deep position on this team with Kara Lawson, Renee Montgomery, Tan White, Jekabsone-Zogota and draft pick Allison Hightower of LSU in the rotation.

Whatever happens May, good luck with your career both on and off the court.

Event Recap: Women in Sports Marketing

What do you want to be when you grow up?

No matter what your age, it’s always fun to think about what you want to do for a living. Whether it’s a first career, a new career or a career shift, you can look to a group of  remarkable women who are forging new paths and establishing themselves as role models in the sports world.

Wednesday night at the Red Bull headquarters in Santa Monica, a group of almost 250  women who are sports marketing professionals, athletes,  brand managers and students gathered for the Second Annual Women in Business event Business presented by Tadpole Marketing, in partnership with Stanton & Company.

Designed as a networking event to inspire individuals through the contributions of influential women in sports marketing, Women in Business featured a panel of some of the most highly regarded women in sports marketing, including Laura Gentile, VP of espnW for ESPN, Olympic softball player Jessica Mendoza, president of the Women’s Sports Foundation, Mary O’Connor, director of Olympic Marketing at The Marketing Arm, Carolyn Deighan Coyne, Tadpole Marketing founder,  Julie Solwold, VP of global sports marketing for Paul Mitchell, Amy Stanton, founder and CEO of Stanton & Company and Diane Thibert, director of global PR for Oakley. Additionally, Amy Swift Crosby of SMARTY moderated the event.

The evening kicked off with a networking hour featuring dinner by Chipotle (a personal fave) and Red Bull cocktails.  Vanguard Records recording artist, Daphne Willis treated the crowd to live acoustic performances which was a bonus for music lovers – especially fans of indie singer/songwriters.

When the formal session began, the audience got a chance to learn about the panelists, how they came to have their current jobs and what a typical work day is like for them. Not surprisingly, no two stories were the same.  Some of the women took the traditional route of college, grad school and internships while others fell into their jobs more serendipitously.  A chance meeting on an airplane or at a sports event helped launched the career of more than one  woman on the panel. Their days are jam-packed, often chaotic, filled with meetings, travel, strategic planning and sometimes juggling families and personal lives. Not surprisingly,  no two days are ever the same.

Not all the panelists were/are athletes but the majority played a sport in high school and college and credited that experience as beneficial in their current jobs.  Jess Mendoza,  a professional softball player who also works as a TV commentator and is President of the Women’s Sports Foundation, talked about batting averages and explained that hitting .300 (a good stat) means failing seven out of 10 tries.  Learning to deal with failure has helped her deal with the curve balls of life that are often thrown.  Her motto? Bring it on.

When asked about the State of the Union for women in business all the panelists agreed that’s it’s a good time to be a woman.  In different ways, they all said it’s important to create your own destiny, follow your passion, make a difference and represent. Don’t be afraid to make your voice heard was a common piece of advice.

Amy Stanton, a panelist as well as organizer of the event, stressed being innovative when searching for solutions to problems.  As one of the few professionals who focuses on helping market female athletes, Stanton practices what she preaches and points to clients like Gretchen Bleiler as well as Jess Mendoza as examples of athletes who have successfully leveraged their athletic careers via creative marketing.

So what’s hot? What’s on the horizon for 2010? All the panelists were encouraged by forecasts and believe this year will be a positive one.  Technology will remain hot and ESPN’s Laura Gentile believes mobile apps and wireless platforms will be growth sectors. Julie Solwold of Paul Mitchell, a company long known for innovation and out-of-the-box thinking, is keeping an eye on free-skiing and hip hop :-)  and Stanton believes customized products will gain popularity.

Following the panel, audience members had the  opportunity to break out into smaller groups with panelists and find out more about their brands, corporate plans and even their personal journeys. This was a great opportunity to gain more in depth knowledge about a panelist or company as well as meet some of the other attendees.

At the end of the evening  Stanton noted, “Women naturally want to support and help each other and this was an event created to make that possible. It was an inspiring evening and I feel fortunate to have been part of it.”

Ditto.

Happy Birthday Nastia!

Gymnast Nastia Liukin turns 20 today!

Born October 30, 1989 Anastasia Valeryevna “Nastia” Liukin won five medals at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, including gold in the individual all-around. And much of her success is due to her parents.

Both her mother and father (who is also Liukin’s coach) captured Olympic gold medals and world championships as stars of the former Soviet sports empire.

Last year, while headlining the 2008 Tour of Olympic Gymnastic Superstars, the birthday girl talked to the Columbus Dispatch about her parents:

“There was never any pressure to be a gymnast,” Nastia Liukin said. “They just wanted me to be happy.”

It looks like Liukin grew up to be both. Happy Birthday Girl!

Throwing it back:12 year old girl sues over milestone baseball

A 12-year-old Florida girl who grabbed a historic home run ball hit by Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard over the summer has her prize back after suing the team for its return.

According to the AP, the July home run against the Florida Marlins was Howard’s 200th and that hit homer made Howard the fastest player in Major League history to reach that milestone.

The ball sailed into the outfield seats, where it was scooped up by Jennifer Valdivia.  The young baseball fan  was escorted to the Phillies clubhouse by team employees where the ball was exchanged for an autographed one.

But the family cried foul over a deal the Phillies made with their daughter and they requested the home run ball’s return.  Jennifer wanted to take the ball home and show her friends. Howard wanted the ball because it represented a record.

“In a classic bait-and-switch operation, the defendant Phillies tendered to young Jennifer a signed Ryan Howard baseball, which has a value on the memorabilia market of $150,” the suit said, “as compared to the historic baseball, which is worth thousands.”

She also got some cotton candy.

Through their lawyer, the family told the Phillies they wanted the HR ball returned. The initial counter offer was for tickets to a Phillies-Marlins game.

The regular season ended this weekend and the family filed a lawsuit  which got the prompt response and the return of the ball.

Despite the ball’s value, the family attorney said, “The ball is not on eBay. It’s under her pillow.”

The lesson in this? Don’t ever let a bunch of Major League hooligans take advantage of you.  And if you do manage to get a ball, don’t drop it or throw it back.

No clear answer from IOC for women ski jumpers

The fight to include women’s ski jumping has been going on for a while.

After all the controversy, it seems the IOC has a responsibility to help this sport grow and with minimal effort and cost they can do it. Many sports have been added to the Olympic program over the years of lesser stature but for this sport at this time there seems to be a definitive bias. Power can be used for both good and bad and unfortunately IOC President Jacques Rogge is the one who has it right now. Here’s his response to the athletes most recent missive:

Dear Ladies,

Thank you for your letter dated 4 September 2009.

You have clearly made important strides to develop women’s ski jumping since our decision in 2006 – and in coming years we are open to considering women’s ski jumping for inclusion in future Olympic Winter Games. However, we remain convinced that our decision in 2006 was the correct one, based on the analysis of the event done at that time, and our position for the 2010 Games is unchanged.

I am sure that with your passion for your sport and with the continued support of the International Ski Federation (FIS), your efforts to improve and develop women’s ski jumping globally will create a very compelling argument for the Olympic Programme Commission, when the winter programme is reviewed in the future.

I am pleased that you agree that the inclusion of women’s ski jumping in the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is a wonderful initiative and hopefully, with your help, the YOG can play a part in encouraging the next generation of young female athletes to take-up this exciting event.

We continue to work, as Justice Fenlon noted, for “the inclusion of women in the Olympics and in amateur sports”, as well as in the fields of sports leadership and administration, and your commitment to your sport and its development will greatly assist in this domain. I wish you good luck during your competitions this up-coming season and thank you for your continued engagement to sport.

Yours sincerely,
Jacques Rogge

The 15  female ski jumpers who have filed suit are (understandably)  disappointed Rogge’s letter does not address their specific query about the technical requirements they allegedly fail to meet. As they’ve stated repeatedly, they’re confident they do indeed meet all the universality and technical requirements needed to participate fully at the Olympics.

They’ll now  concentrate their efforts on the appeal of their legal case to be heard in the BC Court of Appeal Nov. 12 & 13. That’s just three months before the Olympics begin on Feb 2010. Time is  running out and a  split decision in the Appeal Court would likely prompt a bid to put the issue to the Supreme Court of Canada.

How high must these women jump to get on the Olympic programme? If you want to help out, sign the petition to let the ladies jump now.

Soccer mom Joy Fawcett takes center stage

The ultimate soccer mom reached the pinnacle of her sport Sunday.

“In my life, I’ve had two dreams: To play soccer at the highest level and to be a mother,” former United States Women’s National Team standout defender Joy Fawcett said midway through her induction speech at the National Soccer Hall of Fame. “In short, U.S. Soccer enabled me to live both of my dreams, and for that, I’m thankful.”

The Soccer Hall enshrined Fawcett over the weekend in a  ceremony that also honored Jeff Agoos who played for the U.S. Men’s National Team.  Longtime New York Times soccer writer Alex Yannis who was presented with the Colin Jose Media Award.

Fawcett drew the loudest cheers of the day at the end of a nearly 13 minute speech that touched on the importance of family and closed the 2009 Induction Ceremony.

“My first dream was to be a mom and the No. 1 priority for me was my kids,” Fawcett said following the ceremony, which was attended by all three of her children _ Katey (age 15), Carli (12) and Madi (8). “To be able to play soccer and try and balance both, it was hard, definitely. I wanted to make it as easy as possible on them and easy on my teammates. I didn’t want them to have any hardship with their careers. So it was hard to balance, but it was something so worthwhile because I loved both. I was so thrilled I could do both.”

Fawcett said U.S. Soccer allowed her children to grow up around the Women’s National Team, which gained fame by winning the first FIFA World Cup, in 1991. None of her children were around then, but all three had been born by the time she ended her 18-year run with the Americans in 2004.

“Throughout her career, Joy always told me if the game of soccer ever had a negative effect on her family, she would walk away in a heartbeat,” said former teammate Shannon MacMillan, who introduced Fawcett on Sunday. “I know you can always hear people say that, but Joy truly meant that. She said she’d walk away to save her family.”

Instead, Fawcett helped the U.S. to another World Cup title (1999) and two Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004). On Sunday, she became the eighth player from the “91ers” to earn induction into the Hall, joining Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Carla Overbeck, Michelle Akers, Shannon Higgins-Cirovski, Carin Jennings and April Heinrichs.

Pioneer, world champion, mother, leader, role model, Fawcett did it all during her historic career. She may have been elected into the Hall a few years after her contemporaries, but no female player has been more deserving.

Fawcett by the Numbers:
3     Olympic Games participated in
3     Daughters had during career
4     FIFA Women’s World Cups participated in
6     Yearly high in goals, scored in 1993
9     Consecutive years in which she started every match in which she played (1989-1998)
14   Jersey number worn for many years
16   Olympic matches played
17   Years in which she played a WNT match
22   Assists in her career
23   FIFA Women’s World Cup matches played
27   Goals in career
234 Starts in WNT career
239 Appearances during her WNT career

Congrats to Fawcett on a well deserved award.

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