PUMA launches Project Pink

On the heels of the biggest soccer event in the world (do you remember a little tournament in South Africa this summer called the World Cup?), sports brand PUMA is excited to announce a new initiative that links women’s soccer with a well-deserving cause: launching this month, PUMA’s Project Pink will strive to raise awareness — and funds — in support of the fight against breast cancer.

In conjunction with their partnership with Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), PUMA will outfit some of the best female players in the world in special Project Pink kits for five WPS matches. The brand has also created a range of Project Pink merchandise that will be available for purchase beginning this summer and continuing through Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Profits from the sale of PUMA’s Project Pink gear will be donated to a nonprofit committed to breast cancer awareness or research; the beneficiary will be named as the result of a national online voting campaign.

In true PUMA fashion, with an eye on both engaging and empowering the female soccer community, the brand is giving consumers a voice. Launching July 31, PUMA is hosting a forum at wps.pumafootball.com/projectpink that invites interaction with the Project Pink initiative. The site allows for the nomination of breast cancer charities with nonprofit status; supporters can then log on to vote for the winner, who will ultimately receive a donation consisting of 100% of the profits from the sale of PUMA Project Pink product. The nomination period will open on August 7; voting will begin on September 13. The crowd favorite will be announced and the donation made in late October.

WPS teams including the Boston Breakers, Washington Freedom, FC Gold Pride, Philadelphia Independence, and Sky Blue FC have joined with PUMA to rally behind Project Pink, designating matches in July and August to help raise awareness for the cause. Players from each home team will sport special Project Pink kits developed by PUMA, and PUMA’s Project Pink match ball will be utilized throughout each game. Project Pink-themed activities will also be hosted in pre-game Fanzones and throughout the matches. WPS teams the Atlanta Beat and Chicago Red Stars will also support Project Pink with events later in the season.

Project Pink game dates are as follows:

• · Boston Breakers v. Washington Freedom/July 31 at Harvard Stadium
• · FC Gold Pride v. Chicago Red Stars/August 7 at Pioneer Stadium
• · Philadelphia Independence v. Boston Breakers/August 8 at John A. Farrell Stadium
• Sky Blue FC v. Washington Freedom/August 11 at Yurcak Field
• · Washington Freedom v. Sky Blue FC/August 28 at Maryland SoccerPlex

PUMA athlete and Philadelphia Independence goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc will be serving, along with fellow players and PUMA athletes Leslie Osborne (Boston Breakers) and Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), as a spokeswoman for the Project Pink cause. “As a woman in sports, I always support promoting an active, healthy lifestyle,” LeBlanc explained. “Plus, a number of my close friends and family have been affected by breast cancer. I’m out here doing what I love, and any chance I have to be a part of a project like this to show my passion for what I do and link with a good cause is a no-brainer.

Venus Williams offers girls advice on tennis and life

Tennis legend Venus Williams returned home to Los Angeles Monday to offer an incredible tennis experience to girls from her hometown while helping to launch new POWERADE PLAY™, a sports drink geared for the young athlete with less sugar and more vitamins than traditional sports drinks.

Venus met with youth members from the Greater Los Angeles chapter of the YWCA (an organization that aims to empower their members to achieve their life’s goals) at the Beverly Hills Country Club on the Westside of LA.

The day’s visit  included a heartfelt message from Venus about the importance of setting goals and establishing good, healthy habits early in life. Then, it was  off to the courts as the young women learned from the tennis queen herself.

Venus, 29, ascended as a teen tennis prodigy from humble roots in Los Angeles County and has since dominated the women’s scene (along with her younger sibling Serena).

Venus graciously answered the girls questions and her huge smile and relaxed demeanor  immediately put the girls at ease.  The star took ample time with each of the girls helping them to become comfortable holding a racquet and hitting a ball over the net.  She encouraged them to be fearless and powerful on the court and applauded each and every stroke.

For a gallery of pics from the day, be sure to check out our Facebook Page.

The latest in cycling trends

According to Trend Central, the bike community is continuing to innovate and thrive.  Here are some of the latest happenings in the cycling world.

Rolling Orange: They may not be world champions of soccer, but the Dutch are still an authority on bikes. Not only do they produce stylish bikes, but they continue to lead the world – in spirit, if not in the raw numbers of China – at using the bicycle as their primary mode of transport. Thus, we were delighted to learn about Rolling Orange, a new Brooklyn importer of Dutch city and cargo bikes, the latter of which can be used to haul anything from groceries to children. Past visits to Amsterdam have left us wondering why these bikes weren’t being used by urban families here, but based on recent sightings, it seems that they’re finally starting to catch on. Rolling Orange stocks 17 different bikes (from De Fietsfabriek, Dutch ID and Batavus), some of which can carry up to 300 pounds.

Bamboo Bikes: Charitable donations to developing nations are commendable in any form, but some consider bike donations to be one of the best expressions of global altruism. For those with meager means and limited access to modern transportation, bikes facilitate greater self-sufficiency, as they provide faster access to basic resources (including medical aid) than walking. However, despite the inherent value of a bike to those who could use one, high shipping expenses often inhibit people from donating them. Now, through a partnership with Columbia University Earth Institute-based Bamboo Bike Project and the Millennium Cities Initiative, the Bamboo Bike Studio works to support sustainable entrepreneurship by seeding bamboo bicycle factories in developing nations, with a current focus on Ghana and Kenya in Africa. Brooklyn residents who are curious about the program can learn more by attending one of the Studio’s weekend workshops, where they’ll gain firsthand knowledge of the effort by building their own bamboo bikes. Pedal power, indeed.

BP crisis: Oil & Water Don’t Mix tees benefit Surfrider

With the BP oil spill now going on for more than two months and estimates of 140 million gallons leaked,  this will now become the worst oil spill in the Gulf Coast’s history — surpassing the 1970-1980 Ixtoc I spill of 139 million gallons. The disaster began on April 20 and oil continues to leak.

In fact, the BP oil spill has been going on for so long that t-shirts about it are coming out. We’re  not very happy about people making money off this tragedy – unless they’re trying to raise money to help with the clean up or something like that -

Thankfully, SoCal surf brand O’Neill has partnered with the Surfider Foundation to help raise funds to assist with efforts in the Gulf by creating a custom collaboration tee. With Oil and water don’t mix message on one side and an image of a crossed out oil rig on the other, the shirt makes it pretty clear how the Surfriders feel about the situation.

The tees aim to raise awareness about the numerous dangers of offshore drilling that has become blatantly apparent due to BP’s negligence. Proceeds from the sales of the tee, available at www.oneill.com and killerdana.com ($20),  will support the Surfrider Foundation’s “Not The Answer” offshore drilling campaign. This particular effort includes monitoring and response efforts in the Gulf, as well as Surfrider’s ongoing efforts to reinstate the federal moratorium on new offshore drilling.

On Saturday, June 26th a number of activists, surfers, musicians and celebrities — including Rosario Dawson, Amy Smart, Jason Mraz and Laird Hamilton — attended the worldwide “Hands Across the Sand” events in Santa Monica and Oceanside that protested proposed offshore drilling projects.

For more information and to support the cause, visit: www.oneill.com and www.surfrider.org.

First Lady launches President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition

First Lady Michelle Obama has put together a powerhouse group to serve on the “President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition” including Billie Jean King, Michelle Kwan, and Dominique Dawes. From the official press release comes all the details:

WASHINGTON, DC – First Lady Michelle Obama joined kids from the Washington, DC area to launch the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and introduce the 2010 Council co-chairs and members.  In conjunction with the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative, this year President Obama has broadened the scope of the Council, formerly known as the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, to include a focus on healthy eating as well as active lifestyles.  The President signed an Executive Order outlining the Council’s new emphasis on both good nutrition and physical fitness.

The President has named Drew Brees, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, and Dominique Dawes, three-time Olympian and former U.S. national champion in women’s gymnastics, 2010 Council Co-Chairs.  Dawes delivered remarks at the event and Brees recorded a video message that was shown.  Joining Dawes at the event were 2010 Council Members Dan Barber, Tedy Bruschi, Allyson Felix, Michelle Kwan, Curtis Pride, Donna Richardson Joyner, Dr. Ian Smith, Carl Edwards, Cornell McClellan and Dr. Stephen McDonough.  Council Executive Director, Shellie Pfohl, was also in attendance. Following the announcement, the First Lady, Pfohl and the Council Members joined the kids in participating in a series of activity stations.

“This year we’re expanding the work of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition to include not just a focus on active lifestyles, but on healthy eating, too,” Mrs. Obama said.  “The Council will play an important role in our effort to help combat childhood obesity in this country and I am grateful to the athletes, chefs, doctors and nutrition experts who are volunteering their time on the Council to help make a difference.”

The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition is a committee of volunteer citizens who advise the President through the Secretary of Health and Human Services about opportunities to develop accessible, affordable and sustainable physical activity, fitness, sports and nutrition programs for all Americans regardless of age, background or ability.  The Council’s mission is to engage, educate and empower all Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition.  For more information about the Council and its members, visit www.fitness.gov.

In addition to its presidential advisory role, the Council promotes and maintains the President’s Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards program (President’s Challenge) which encourages all Americans to include physical activity – 30 minutes per day for adults and 60 minutes per day for youth – in their daily lives.  For more information about the President’s Challenge programs, visit www.presidentschallenge.org.

President Obama announced his intent to appoint a number of individuals to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition including the following women:

Dominique Dawes, Appointee for Co-Chair, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and NutritionDominique Dawes is an Olympic gymnast who competed in three Olympic Games and has a permanent place in the U.S. Olympic Committee Hall of Fame. She was a member of the gold-medal-winning team at the 1996 Atlanta Games, where she also won a bronze medal in the floor exercise, becoming the first female African-American gymnast to win an individual medal. Now retired after dedicating 18 years to the sport, Ms. Dawes commits her time to motivational speaking, hosting gymnastics clinics, and serving as a spokesperson for several organizations that support the physical and emotional health of youth and women. She is an accomplished motivational speaker, speaking to audiences on topics focusing on leadership, teamwork, physical and emotional health, fitness and overcoming obstacles.

Allyson Felix, Appointee for Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and NutritionAllyson Felix is an accomplished Olympic gold medal track and field sprint athlete who helped the U.S. women’s 4×400 meter relay team secure victory in the Beijing 2008 games. In the 200 meters, she is also a two-time Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World Outdoor champion, and a five-time USA Outdoor champion. When Ms. Felix won the 2009 World Outdoor Championships, she made history as the first woman to ever win three world 200-meter titles. She additionally has won two gold medals with the World Outdoor 4×400 meter relay team and another in the World Outdoor 4×100 meter relay. Ms. Felix’s speed helped her become the World Junior record holder in 2005 when she clocked 22.18 in the 200 meters as an 18-year old.

Billie Jean King, Appointee for Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and NutritionBillie Jean King won 39 Grand Slam singles, doubles and mixed doubles tennis titles, including a record 20 titles at Wimbledon. She left a mark on the sport and the women’s movement during the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” match, in which she defeated Bobby Riggs, a former number one player in the world.  Ms. King founded the Women’s Tennis Association, the Women’s Sports Foundation, and co-founded World TeamTennis, a co-ed professional tennis league. She was named a “Global Mentor for Gender Equality” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2008, received the NCAA President’s Gerald R. Ford Award in 2009 for her contributions to improving higher education and intercollegiate athletics, and earlier this year was honored with the Beacon of Change Award from Major League Baseball. In August 2009, Ms. King was awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor.

Michelle Kwan, Appointee for Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and NutritionMichelle Kwan is the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history.  She has won five world championships, nine U.S. national championships and silver and bronze Olympic medals.  In 2001 she received the Sullivan Award, given to the top amateur athlete in America and in 2003 she was awarded the U.S. Olympic Committee Sports Woman of the Year.  Ms. Kwan currently serves as a public diplomacy envoy, an unpaid position with the U.S. State Department, charged with engaging young people in dialogue on social and educational issues. She is also pursuing a master’s in international affairs at Tufts University’s Fletcher School, having graduated from the University of Denver with a degree in international studies in 2008.

Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, Appointee for Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and NutritionDr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey is the President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropic organization devoted to improving health and health care. She is the first woman and the first African American to lead the $8 billion Foundation. Among its major efforts to improve the nation’s health, the Foundation has committed $500 million toward rolling back the epidemic of childhood obesity.  Before joining the foundation, Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey was a leader in academic medicine, government service, and her medical specialty of geriatrics. During her tenure at the University of Pennsylvania, she served as a professor and the director of the University’s Institute on Aging. She also served as the deputy administrator of what is now the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality. Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and her M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. In 2009,Forbes named Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey one of the world’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

Donna Richardson Joyner, Appointee for Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and NutritionDonna Richardson Joyner is a fitness instructor who has spent more than 20 years working to educate, empower, and energize children, women, and families about living healthy lifestyles. She has starred in more than 25 award-winning fitness videos, including “Sweating in the Spirit,” and “Body Gospel.” Ms. Richardson Joyner has served on the Women’s Sports Foundation Board of Trustees, is an advisory board member for the Boys and Girls Club of America, and serves on the national advisory board of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity.  She has lectured and conducted wellness seminars at schools and community centers in more than 30 countries. In 2006 Ms. Richardson Joyner was inducted into the Fitness Hall of Fame and named by Essence Magazine as one of the 25 most inspiring women in America.

Go out and play

Today – Saturday June 12, 2010 – is National Get Outdoors Day

What’s that mean? It means it’s time to get off your butt, step away from the computer, and go outside!

National Get Outdoors Day (GO Day) was established to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun at sites across the nation.

No organized activities near you? No excuse. You can still get out for a hike, a game of golf or tennis, a run or a bike ride.

In fact, I’m headed out with some friends right now!

Sunset Showdown: Basketball under the stars

And on Sunday, June 6th, you can join the Los Angeles Sparks players and coaches and help clean up Santa Monica Beach.  Meet 9:00 am at 1600 Ocean Front Walk (North side of Pier, Tower 1550).

For more info on both events, go to LASparks.com

LA fans: Help make soccer history…for charity!

On Saturday, May 22 at 6PM the Pali Blues Women’s Soccer Team – back-to-back national champions of women’s soccer in the USL W-League – proudly invite you to their opening day game featuring a halftime Guinness World Record Attempt for the most fans in one stadium juggling soccer balls at the same time!

Bring a ball – or three – to the stadium (address below) and  be a part of soccer history!  The best part is after the attempt you and your family can donate the balls to the needy kids of Para Los Ninos and Balls Without Borders, spreading the gift of soccer both here in Los Angeles and around the world!The

Pali Blues are a team of Olympians, College All-Americans, and most importantly outstanding role models to the children – particularly the girls and young women – in our community.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.bluessoccerclub.com/beat627 where you can save up to $40 by pre-ordering your tickets.

The game is officially sponsored by SPORTS AUTHORITY and you can CLICK HERE for an exclusive Sports Authority coupon for Pali Blues fans!

To learn more about the game and the team, and find out how your team can be ball kids or halftime gamers for a future game contact Jason Lemire at 310.264.4649 or email jason@bluessoccerclub.com

What: Pali Blues Opening Day vs. Santa Clarita featuring the halftime Guinness World Record Attempt.

When: Saturday May 22 at 6PM

Where: The Pali HS Stadium-by-the-Sea 15777 Bowdoin St. Pacific Palisades, 90272

Tickets: Save up to $40 on tickets at www.bluessoccerclub.com/beat627

Plus: Parking is free, great food vendors, mascots, a live marching band and a post-game autograph session!

Hope to see you there!

Canadian skater Rochette talks about her mother

One of the most memorable, and inspirational, stories from the recent Winter Olympics involves Canadian figure skating Joannie Rochette who took to the ice in Vancouver only days after her mother Therese, 55,  died of a massive heart attack. Rochette, a petite, blond 24-year-old from Ile-Dupas, Que., won admirers the world over when she skated way to a bronze medal just days after her mother’s death.

Rochette may not have won the gold medal in figure skating but she won the hearts of fans around the world with her incredible performance.

Rochette is now joining forces with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute to fight heart disease in women.

After her mother died, Joannie Rochette found a small, handwritten note in her purse. On that scrap of paper, her mother had jotted down the aches and pains she’d been feeling in the days leading up to her fatal heart attack.

Rochette’s mother had told no one her symptoms; perhaps she put her own troubles aside, feeling that nothing else was as important as her daughter’s fast-approaching Olympic figure skating competition.

“I just wish she would have talked to me about it,” Rochette said Saturday, when she spoke at the launch of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s new campaign for women’s heart health.

“She didn’t have time to talk to her doctor about it. She just ignored those symptoms. And when I read that, it just makes me so mad, that she kept it all to herself.”

Saturday, Rochette told more of her mother’s story at the launch of the “I Heart Mom” campaign, an initiative meant to raise awareness about the lifestyle habits that can lead to heart disease, as well as to raise funds for research and treatment.

Rochette spoke of how her mother picked her up after school to drive her to figure skating lessons; helped her with her homework afterward; and grilled her in spelling while she took her evening bath.

“My mom and I were really a team,” she said.

But while her mother encouraged good health habits for her daughter — nixing trips to McDonald’s, making her get enough sleep at night, and lecturing her on the perils of tobacco — she failed to adopt a healthy lifestyle for herself.

Dr. Robert Roberts, CEO of the Heart Institute, said he hopes to extend the legacy of Rochette’s Olympic performance to inspire all women toward greater heart health.

He said that, with current breakthroughs in genetic research, doctors and patients will soon be able to modify genetic risks, as well as lifestyle choices, to stave off cardiovascular problems.

Rochette said she hopes to continue to be a spokeswoman for the campaign for several years to come. And she is considering medical school after she finishes her CEGEP (first step of Quebec post-secondary education) this year.

She said that becoming a doctor has been a dream since she was a child, but one that she put on hold while she pursued competitive figure skating.

“I’m still very passionate and curious about the human body. It’s definitely something I’m very interested in, especially with the events that happened,” she said. “My mother always wanted to help others, but she never had the opportunity to study.”

The I Heart Mom campaign will also raise funds for projects related to womens heart health, including research, treatment and education. This week’s  launch included the announcement that anonymous donors had contributed $100,000 to kick off the campaign.

Signs of Heart Attack in Women:

Women often experience the classic signs of heart attack. However, they may not respond in the same ways. The classic signs of a heart attack are:

• Chest discomfort or pain

• Pain in the arm, neck, jaw, or back

• Sweating and/or cool, clammy skin

• Nausea, indigestion, or vomiting

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

For some women, chest pain may not be the first sign of heart trouble. These women report fewer common symptoms, such as unusual tiredness, trouble sleeping, indigestion, and anxiety up to a month before the heart attack. Women with diabetes often have more atypical symptoms.

Source: University of Ottawa Heart Institute

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What on earth? Celebrate Earth Day today

Wondering how you can make a difference in the world? Here are 10 easy things you can do to help the planet, whether it’s Earth Day or not.

1. Carpool or use public transportation for a day (or a week or a month) and try walking, skateboarding or biking instead of using a car.  Next time you have an away game, catch a ride with a friend or pick up a few of your teammates on the way.

2. Turn off the lights, the computer and the television when not in use. Spend a day outdoors instead of sitting at home playing video games, surfing the net and watching tv.

3. Try eating vegetarian at least one day a week. A meat-based diet requires seven times more land than a plant-based diet. Livestock production is responsible for more climate change gasses than all the motor vehicles in the world.

4. Choose foods produced organically, locally and in season. Support regional farmers: buying locally and in season is better for the environment than buying foods that have been shipped hundreds of miles to your local market. Stop using plastic bags.

5. Donate your old sports equipment or resell it instead of throwing it away in the trash.  Also recycle old cell phones and digital cameras for charity.

6. Don’t run the water while brushing your teeth. Shower faster to conserve water.  I know we all like to take long and hot showers (especially after games), but it is very wasteful. Try to shower in under five minutes.

7. Recycle Your Shoes – Nike has a program where you can give your shoes to any Nike store or mail them to the company’s recycling center. The materials are used to make surfaces for tennis courts, basketball courts, running tracks and playgrounds.

8. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). A CFL uses only 25% as much energy as an incandescent bulb and lasts 10 times longer.

9. As athletes, you know how much water and Gatorade you consume so try to take your own water to practice in a reusable bottle. If your drinks come in an aluminum can or plastic bottle make sure to recycle them.

10. Start using a water filter instead of buying cases of water. Bottled water uses precious natural resources for packaging and transporting.

Protect your playground! Happy Earth Day fellow earth dwellers.

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