Tubular Girls spotlighted in July issue of Vanity Fair
June 16, 2009 by jane
Filed under Action, Pretty Awesome, Pretty Hot, Pretty Sporty, Surfing
The latest issue of Vanity Fair (July 2009) wants you to meet the newest female stars of surfing.
The VF spread, featuring Alana Blanchard, Sally Fitzgibbons, Sofia Mulanovich and a bevy of other surfers (promoting next month’s US Open of Surfing) show that fifty years after Gidget stirred up waves in the male-dominated surfing world, a new set of young women in their teens and 20s are revolutionizing the sport, from the beaches of Montauk to Australia.
Back in April, New York photog Michael Halsband, who specializes in artists, musicians and surfers, traveled to California’s Newport Beach to shoot the coolest surfer girls.
In addition to Blanchard and Fitzgibbons you can see Sierra Partridge, Leila Hurst, Blanchard, Malia Manuel, Coco Ho, Laura Enever, Sage Erickson, Quincy Davis, Courtney Conlogue and Hailey Partridge in the magazine.
There are a bunch of photos online (including outtakes from the shoot) and some video below. Be sure to pick up theVanity Fair issue and if you’re near Huntington Beach, California July 18 – 26, the US Open of Surfing plays center stage to one of the top stops on the ASP Tour. Put in on your calendar and don’t miss a minute of the fun.
Williams’ sisters, WNBA players nominated for BET Female Athlete of the Year
May 20, 2009 by jane
Filed under Awards, Candace Parker, Entertainment, Music, Pretty Awesome, Pretty Hot, Pretty Sporty, Serena Williams, TV, Tennis, Venus Williams, WNBA
The 2009 BET Awards will be hosted by Jamie Foxx and aired live from Los Angeles, California on June 28th.
So who will walk away with the “Best Female Athlete”? Will your pick for “Best Actress” make her way to the podium? Find out when artists and trailblazers all gather under one roof to celebrate the achievements of the most influential African Americans in music, acting, sports and entertainment.
Beyonce, always a showstopper, is back this year for her sixth BET Awards performance.
We’re closely watching the Female Athlete of the Year contest. Nominees are an All-Star list including the tennis-playing Williams sisters along with WNBA players Tamika Catchings, Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker. These fierce competitors are all at the top of their games, but only one can win.
In entertainment categories, Best Actress of the Year nominees include Angela Basset, Rosario Dawson,Taraji P. Henson, Jennifer Hudson and and BET performer Beyonce Knowles.
The Best Female Hip Hop Artist list includes Lil Mama, M.I.A. and Trina. The A-List group of divas duking it out for Best Female R&B Artist include Beyonce, Keyshia Cole, Keri Hilson, Jennifer Hudson and Jazmin Sullivan.
Keri Hilson, M.I.A. and Jazmin Sullivan are also up for Best New Artist.
Will your faves win? They’re all fierce divas and competitors worthy of a statue so tune in to the BET on June 28. Recognize excellence!
Women’s Football: Sunday Breakers Wrap (May 17, 2009)
May 17, 2009 by Apryl Delancey
Filed under Football
Last night the Southern California Breakers hosted the Tucson Monsoon at the Capistrano Valley High School field. This was the second meeting for the two teams with the last match ending up with a 14-13 victory for the Monsoon. This was just last Saturday in Tucson. Now, the Monsoon would bring their 4-0 record to Southern California to face the 2-2 Breakers. Here’s how it went down:
First Quarter: The Monsoon were the first to start on offense but could not capitalize. The Breakers started their first drive on the Monsoon 45. With 11:14 showing on the clock, during the Breakers second offensive play, Vanessa Santiallan (28) ran 45 yards for a touchdown. The point after attempt was no good and the score was 6-0. Without wasting time, Santiallan ran in for another TD with 9:03 on the clock. Elaine Iba (81) made a key block to enable the score. The first point after attempt was good but called back due to a penalty. The second attempt was also good and the score was now 13-0, Breakers. The Breakers struck gold again at 6:35 on the clock when Monique Boone (39) caught a pass for a touchdown. The point after kick by Joy Barry (22) was good and the score was now 20-0. The first quarter excitement for the Breakers continued when Barry intercepted a pass with 3:09 on the clock. The drive and quarter ended with a completion to Iba with 0:02 left in Q1 on the Monsoon 1 yard line.
Second Quarter: The Breakers waste no time and score with 14:50 on the clock via a QB keeper by Shawna Murphy (18). A bad snap foiled the point after try although Barry made an effort to run it in. The score was now 26-0. The remainder of the quarter had the two teams going back and forth on possessions. With 3:02 on the clock, the Breakers fumbled and allowed the Monsoon to start on the So Cal 13. With 0:56 left in the half, the Monsoon socred but failed to make the point after. The score was now 26-6. The Breakers got the ball back and ran out the clock into halftime.
Third Quarter: The Breakers start on offense after the half on the Monsoon 45. Michelle Jacot (25) made the return to give the team this favorable starting point. The team couldn’t capitalize and gave the Monsoon possession back at 13:09. Later in the 3rd, the Breakers fumble with 8:12 on the clock. The Monsoon are unable to cash in and the quarter continues with back and forth possessions. The Breakers fumbled again with 1:46 left on the clock but the Monsoon again fail to take advantage of the opportunity.
Fourth Quarter: Boone recovers a fumble for the Breakers with 11:50 on the clock but the team can’t convert. There is more back and forth before the Breakers strike again. Santillan runs in a TD with 8:51 showing on the clock but the point after is no good. The score is now 32-6. With 3:41 showing on the clock the Breakers fumble again but the Monsoon is unable to convert. The Breakers get the ball back at 1:49 remaining and run out the clock. The final score is 32-6.
Coach Manny told me during the game that he felt that it was important not to run up the score on the opposing team. He explained that Vincent Smith, head coach for the Monsoon, had the chance to score at the end of the previous week’s game but didn’t. When I told him that I had heard of another final score in the IWFL earlier that day that ended up 77-7 he was quite disappointed. “This is what makes players quit”, he told me. Indeed, although it may feel good to score over and over it does not help the other team’s morale. I’ve heard others say that they need to score as much as possible in order to assure a playoff spot at the end. If there are similar records then points decide. Basically, you have league morale on one hand and winning your division on the other. Which should prevail?
At any rate, you can listen to the broadcast of this game here which includes my halftime interviews with Becky Leetch and Vanessa Santillan. In addition, today at 3:00 PM PST is Women’s Football Talk where I’ll be on to give my game recap.
The next Breakers game is in Los Angeles against the Amazons next Saturday, May 23.
Blogderby Book Edition: Sporty reads for teens
May 9, 2009 by Keri Mikulski
Filed under Book Club
Sports fiction for teens: As an athletic fanatic and sporty young adult author, I’m always on the hunt for an amazing book that features an athletic main character. And guess what? Some of the best teen and tween novels on bookshelves today feature a sporty protagonist.
Born to run? There’s a ton of great sporty books out there for cross-country and track lovers. Eileen Cook’s (http://www.eileencook.com) What Would Eileen Do? follows Emma on her quest to snag a track scholarship with some major boy bumps along the way. Pheobe in Tera Lynn Child’s (http://www.teralynnchilds.com/) sensation, Oh My Gods, is a die-hard cross-country runner. Even best selling author, Megan McCafferty’s (http://www.meganmccafferty.com/) main character Jessica Darling (Sloppy Firsts) runs cross-country in high school.
Are you a fastpitch fanatic? After moving to
Mother’s Day: See Mommy Run
May 8, 2009 by jane
Filed under General, Pretty Awesome, Pretty Sporty, Profiles
More and more, elite female athletes are taking on a challenge greater than sports. They’re returning to the competitive world of sports while juggling motherhood.
Soccer moms have led the charge. The U.S. Women’s National Team has consistently featured mothers on its roster since 1994, when Joy Fawcett became the first “Soccer Mom” to give birth and continue playing at the highest levels of international soccer. Carla Overbeck and Danielle Fotopoulos also had kids while on the U.S. team, and more recently, three moms have played for the USA in defenders Kate Markgraf (mother of Keegan), Christie Rampone (mother of Riley) and Tina Frimpong (mother of MacKenzie).
Though retired from competitive play, Mia Hamm joined the Soccer Moms Club when she and husband Dodgers player Nomar Garciaparra welcomed twin daughters in 2007. Three years ago, Brandi Chastain became mom to little Connor and two years ago Julie Foudy, former captain of the US Women’s soccer team, had a baby girl named Isabel. Former captain Kristine Lilly recently had baby Sydney and is now playing in the WPS with the Boston Breakers.
Obviously, competitive women aren’t waiting until their athletic careers are over to start families. And while the physical and emotional challenges of motherhood can be difficult, most athlete moms wouldn’t have it any other way.
WNBA player Lisa Leslie sat out a season with the Los Angeles Sparks to give birth to a daughter but she returned to the pro team last year and had a great season. She recently announed that this will be her last year playing professional hoops. Leslie’s teammate, MVP and Rookie of the Year Candace Parker is currently pregnant (check out this video of her talking about impending motherhood) and plans to rejoin the team mid-season. Other WNBA moms share their favorite Mother’s Day memories on WNBA.com.
Pitcher Jennie Finch has a son named Ace with husband Casey Daigle and she competed with the Women’s National Softball Team at the Beijing Olympics last summer.
When the U.S. women’s hockey team beat Finland to win the bronze medal at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, forward Jenny Potter skated around the rink in celebration with her 5-year-old daughter Madison in her arms. Potter’s daughter was a fixture at the rink at an early age. A week after Madison was born in January 2001, Jenny was skating again. Three months later, she was back playing for the U.S. women’s hockey team in the world championships.
What’s even more impressive is that Jenny did it all again. Just 83 days after having her second child, Potter helped the 2007 U.S. Women’s National Team to a 9-0 victory over Kazakhstan in the opening game of the 2007 IIIHF Women’s World Championship.
Tennis player Lindsay Davenport had an amazing comeback after giving birth to her son Jagger. Just three months after the birth of her first child, Davenport became an instant and almost shocking success winning a number of high profile tournaments. She’s now pregnant with her second child.
Other images from the world of women’s sports clearly show the tide has turned. Legendary Czech cross county skier Katerina Neumannova collapsed on her knees at the finish line after winning gold in the 30-kilometre race at the 2006 Turin Olympics, her poles askew as she hugged her two-year-old daughter, Lucie.
Former Ironman world champion Lori Bowden placed second at Ironman Austria, just 10 months after giving birth to her son Tyson. And pro cyclist Sue Palmar-Komar, a 2002 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, at age 41, had a sibling for her seven-year-old daughter Trinity. And who can forget long distance runner Paula Radcliffe who won the New York Marathon months after giving birth to daugher Isla.
Most of these working moms admit they can’t do it alone. And while their spouses and families pitch in, they are also assisted by their leagues and teams. Potter said USA Hockey provides helpful financial assistance during Olympic years. And before the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) folded, the league mandated that home teams must provide child care for the mothers on visiting teams.
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) takes things to a whole new level. Since 1993, the LPGA has operated the LPGA Child Development Center, which travels to more than 25 tournaments per year. Bardine May, the Center’s director, said the LPGA was motivated to provide child care so that its athletes didn’t have to choose between playing the game and having a family.
There are many different kinds of mothers in this world. There are professionals and homemakers. Some are fashionable, some conservative, some are modern and some are cool. Fortunately some are competitive athletes as well.
Be sure to tell YOUR mom how much you appreciate her this Mother’s Day.
AAU presents 79th Annual Sullivan Award semi-finalists
March 5, 2009 by jane
Filed under Awards, College Athletics, General, News Bytes, Student-Athlete
Known as the “Oscar” of sports awards and older than The Heisman, the AAU Sullivan Award honors the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. It has been presented annually by the AAU since 1930 as a salute to founder and past president of the Amateur Athletic Union, and a pioneer in amateur sports, James E. Sullivan. Based on the qualities of leadership, character, sportsmanship, and the ideals of amateurism, the AAU Sullivan Award goes far beyond athletic accomplishments and honors those who have shown strong moral character.
Olympic gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson are among the 12 amateur athletes chosen as semifinalists for the 79th Annual AAU James E. Sullivan Award it was announced today.
The other ten semifinalists are: Olympic silver medal gymnast Jonathan Horton; the U.S. Olympic men’s 4×100m free relay team, swimming; Cynthia Barboza of Stanford University, volleyball; Amanda Blumenherst of Duke University, golf; Sam Bradford of the University of Oklahoma, football; Tyler Hansbrough of the University of North Carolina, basketball; the Lopez Family of Sugar Land, Texas, taekwondo; Erin Popovich of Silverbow, Mont., Paralympic swimming; Gerald “Buster” Posey of Florida State University, baseball; and Dara Torres of Parkland, Fla., swimming.
Fans may vote online at www.usatoday.com, and voting information will be announced soon. The winner will be announced on April 15 at the New York Athletic Club. Good luck, all!
Past Female Winners include:
Joan Benoit Samuelson (1985) Track & Field
Bonnie Blair (1992) Skating
Tracy Caulkins (1978) Swimming
Mary Decker (1982) Track & Field
Janet Evans (1989) Swimming
Chamique Holdsclaw (1998) Basketball
Sarah Hughes (2002) Figure Skating
Florence Griffin Joyner (1988) Track & Field
Jackie Joyner Kersee (1986) Track & Field
Michelle Kwan (2001) Figure Skating
Jessica Long (2006) Swimming
Patricia McCormick (1956) Diving
Debbie Meyer (1968) Swimming
Kelly & Coco Miller (1999) Basketball
Wilma Rudolph (1961) Track & Field
Happy National Girls & Women in Sports Day
February 3, 2009 by jane
Filed under Entertainment, Events, General, News Bytes, Pretty Good, Title IX
February 4th marks the 23rd annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day. It’s a day when thousands of sports educators, coaches, athletic directors, students and parents across the country honor the achievements and encourage participation of girls and women in athletics.
This year’s theme is “Look Who’s Playing” which shows how female athletes who played or are still playing make a difference.
Since its inception in 1987, National Girls and Women in Sports Day has become the premier occasion to celebrate the success and accomplishments of girls and women athletes. What started in 1987 as a single event in Washington, D.C. to honor Olympic volleyball star Flo Hyman has grown into a nationwide celebration across all 50 states.
Loads of special sports clinics, luncheons, games and park programs will take place. Whether you are a new participant or a veteran, your support of the Day will go a long way to increase visibility for female athletes and advance their struggle for equality in sports.
Dream Day
The Atlanta Dream will celebrate the 23rd annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day on February 4, 2009 with a series of community events planned for the entire week.
Visit the NGWSD web site for a more complete listing of events going on February 4.
Super Bowl Commercials
Everyone knows that if your team isn’t in the Super Bowl, the biggest (perhaps only) reason to watch are the commercials. Some companies have decided to leak their own Super Bowl spots online.
If you can’t wait until the game to watch the commercials, Fast Company has just about ads, including one from PETA that won’t be airing on TV.
Keep in mind, each of these commercials cost their companies $3 million to run.
ESPN’s ‘Obama’ coverage
January 14, 2009 by jane
Filed under Events, General, History, News Bytes
January 14, 2009 – Naturally, ESPN isn’t going to let Obama’s presidential inauguration next Tuesday go by without finding a way to latch on to the historic event. Every network from BET to QVC is jumping on the bandwagon.
Starting at 1 p.m. Tuesday, ESPN Classic will air a 10-hour marathon called “Breaking Barriers.” Here’s the schedule:
1-3 p.m. 1975 Wimbledon final: Arthur Ashe vs. Jimmy Connors
3-4 p.m. Jack Johnson documentary
4-5 p.m. SportsCentury: Bill Russell
5-6 p.m. National Championship: Texas Western vs. Kentucky
6-7 p.m. Third and a Mile: History of the Black Quarterback
7-9:30 p.m. Eddie Robinson’s 400th Victory
9:30-10:30 p.m. SportsCentury: Ernie Davis
10:30-11 p.m. SportsCentury: Willie Jeffries
The day before, to mark Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, ESPN Classic will air seven hours of “Breaking Barriers” coverage, featuring Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron and other black athletes.
On ESPN, SportsCenter will cover the inauguration itself starting at 11:30 Jan 20 with Jeremy Schaap interviewing sports stars in attendance. This is good news for anyone worried it might be tough to find inauguration coverage next Tuesday.
All day long, on various ESPN platforms, inauguration coverage will include “Realizing The Dream” vignettes in which sports figures talk about what Obama and his election means to them. Athletes participating in the vignettes include Magic Johnson, Tom Jackson, and Paul Pierce. One of those interviewed is Craig Robinson, the Oregon State head basketball coach–and Obama’s brother-in-law.
ESPN.com will also take a look at how past presidents have affected athletics and physical fitness. A century ago, Teddy Roosevelt introduced organized youth sports to public schools and built thousands of urban parks. In the 1950s, Dwight Eisenhower created the President’s Council of Physical Fitness and paved the way for the federal funding of 40,000 new fields in the emerging suburbs.
Would really love to see what the ESPN programming line-up would have looked like had Hillary won the election. Thoughts?
Women’s Professional Soccer scores deal with PUMA
December 15, 2008 by jane
Filed under Pretty Chic, Pro Soccer, Soccer
December 15, 2008 – Global sport lifestyle brand PUMA and Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) announced an exclusive partnership making PUMA an official founding partner of WPS and an official sponsor of all WPS franchises.
The multi-year partnership makes PUMA the official sport and lifestyle apparel, footwear and equipment supplier of WPS, including the official WPS Match Ball. In addition to on-field performance wear, PUMA will outfit the athletes and teams at all WPS-related events, activities and WPS appearances in sportlifestyle apparel. This partnership kicks off with the inaugural season in April 2009 and will see PUMA collaborating with WPS to enhance the game of women’s soccer and will act as the foundation in the PUMA Women’s category. (via press release)
According to the WSJ, the German shoe manufacturer and clothing retailer will pay roughly $10 million to become the official equipment supplier to WPS. That means that if players in the seven-team league don’t have existing deals with other cleat makers (e.g. Abby Wambach and Nike), they will wear PUMAS during WPS games.
That’s just the start for PUMA, which will have its name and logo on the league’s balls, uniforms, goalkeeper equipment, even sports bras. “Women’s soccer is on a tremendous growth pattern in the U.S.,” says Jochen Zeitz, chief executive of PUMA. “This is a huge opportunity for us.”
PUMA ranks third by sales behind Nike and Adidas in the global athletic-footwear market and fifth in the U.S. Its decision to join forces with WPS is part of an effort to target its marketing to young women. The company already has a footwear deal with Brazilian star Marta Vieira da Silva, who is widely recognized as the best female soccer player in the world, and is expected to play in WPS. PUMA also has a deal with U.S. national team player Leslie Osborne, who will be playing for FC Gold Pride.
If I remember correctly, Nike provided uniforms for some of the now defunct WUSA teams, which may have led girls and their moms to assume the company was providing key corporate support. I believe, however, Nike declined a league invitation to be its exclusive sponsor and failed to provide help when the league needed it most.
Given PUMA’s name recognition and reach in soccer, the deal is a milestone for the new women’s league especially amid a global recession so kudos to PUMA.
