WomenTalkSports.com is an online network that connects the very best blogs relating to women's sports. http://womentalksports.com/items/category/12 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:19:36 -0400So now Duke lost! Ahg…there goes our brackets all to pieces! I am starting to hate that I got involved in this bracket-picking contest at all. It is keeping me form concentrating on the more important issues, such as the selection committee back East, with its West Coast bias, giving Duke the number one seed over Stanford. And DUKE LOST IN THE SECOND ROUND! They lost to number nine seed Michigan State 63-49. Duke didn’t make a shot for the last seven and a half minutes! Duke was outscored 16-2 in the end! Duke shot 27% from the field! The last time a big-time team like this was eliminated this early in the NCAA tournament was 1997. In the last ten years, the only top-seeded team to lose in the second round was Ohio State in 2006 against eighth-seeded Boston College. Their head coach was booed (well, she did coach at Michigan State for the last seven years before running to oh-so-superior-Duke—who’s laughing now?)Well, the silver lining is this is good news for Stanford. When they beat Ohio State in the Sweet Sixteen on Saturday on practically a home court, they would face the winner of the Michigan St-Iowa State game. Michigan State is seeded 9th and Iowa State (Iowa State?) is seeded 4th.Both C and R are tied for second in our basketball buddies bracket. C has dropped down to eighth on Women Talk Sports Bracket. (I made different picks on each bracket). It should be a great weekend for Women’s Basketball!See the original post at C and R's Stanford Women's Basketball Blog http://womenssportsinformation.com/blog.html http://candrsstanfordwomensbasketballblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/duke-is-out.htmlWed, 25 Mar 2009 11:20:00 -0400Women's Hoops: Well, I was doing fine on my women's bracket until Duke lost. Argh. In addition, Tennessee was knocked out in the first round for the first time in their history. The two-time defending champs aren't taking a break though and are back in the gym to work out their playing issues. The team lost starters like Candace Parker to graduation and have seven freshmen. They'll certainly be working hard to not let this happen next year!World Baseball Classic: Team Japan took home the title in the World Baseball Classic on Monday night. The defending champs won behind star Ichiro Suzuki's tie-breaking two-run single in the 10th inning. Suzuki claims divine intervention was the cause.Crew: Every year on the River Thames the University Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge takes place. In preparation for this year's race on March 29, the Oxford crew took on a group being dubbed the "Great Eight" made up of the absolute best in the world. The press called this the "Students v Supermen". Team Oxford has been practicing since September with the same line up. The Cambridge team is lead by Chris Nilsson, the coach for team New Zealand in the Beijing Olympics. Last year Oxford won the race by six lenghts.(Thanks to Katharine for contributing the information about crew.)Today in Sports History1958 - Sugar Ray Robinson is first boxing champion to win 5 times1972 - UCLA wins its 6th consecutive national basketball title http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WomenLikeSports/~3/5KW8KxJSRY8/wild-world-of-wednesday-march-25-2009.htmlWed, 25 Mar 2009 10:16:00 -0400Uncharted waters for the Lady Vols.  Tennessee suffered a first-ever, first round loss to Ball State 71-55 on Sunday.  Tuesday afternoon, the women were back at Tennessee, and back on the court.  Pat Summit discusses her reason for holding practice, how she plans to develop her young team, and of course her disappointment in the first round loss.   The women can continue to practie until April 15th, as per NCAA rules.  Really just an amazing personal interview with Pat Summit.  Watch this!  I didn’t play much basketball, but I ALWAYS respected Pat Summit.  She is the epitome of a strong female warrior, an amazing leader and coach, and extremely knowledgeable of the sport.  She is obviously struggling with the loss and some of her younger players.  It seems like she is dealing with some commitment issues from her freshmen, and maybe the effort they are not putting into the sport.  It sounds like the next 3 weeks are going to be some of the most grueling and challenging practices Tennessee has had this season.  Best of luck to her as she tries to get through to her team.  As a coach, there’s nothing worse than feeling like you want the victory more than your team does. http://becauseiplayedsports.com/2009/03/25/practice-makes-perfect/Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:30:00 -0400Today is the 4 year anniversary of my back exploding. I could barely walk, I couldn’t skate and teaching my girls hockey training program was completely out of the question. But it wasn’t just a sneeze that made my back explode. It was over 10 years in the making. Playing hockey and training female hockey players were 2 of the things that I was most passionate about, and in that instant, they were almost taken away from me. I spent 10 years of my life dedicated to becoming an elite women’s hockey player, and to have that be the only activity that brings me so much pain is extremely frustrating. And the worst part about it is that suffering was self-inflicted. I had no idea that the off-ice training I started doing at 15 years to get an edge on my competition was the completely wrong for me as an aspiring girls hockey player. Looking back on it, trying to train (and keep up) with future NHL stars and men’s college hockey players when I was 15 years old seems crazy now - especially since I had absolutely no experience with off-ice training. I thought “More Was Better” and the truth is I just didn’t know any better. I thought I was doing the right thing - but the physical and psychological toll of my off-ice training habits plagued me long before my back surgery and still do after retiring from elite women’s hockey last year. The doctors have told me that I have the spine of a 70 year-old. Not what you want to hear at the age of 25. But that physical price I paid for trying to do too much, too soon, is only made worse by the psychological toll trying to become an elite player takes when you never feel 100%. In my mind, I was never good enough, never fast enough, never fit enough, never strong enough, never doing enough, and although this drove me to work as hard as I possibly could every day to become the best - it ultimately left me tired, injured and frustrated. Doing the wrong kind of training, starting back when I was 15 years old, is what eventually caused my back to explode four years ago. But doing the right kind of training is what got me back on the ice only 3 months after having surgery. Now, as a coach, I spend every day helping aspiring girls hockey players to avoid making the same mistakes I made - and the best way to do that is through proper off-ice training To be the best, you have to train to be the best. And that means you have to train the right way. Today, I am officially announcing my brand new website, Total Female Hockey Training. Now you can train with me and other female players who are committed to taking their game to the next level. This is the first time that Total Female Hockey is offering an in-person off-ice training program for the entire off-season. If you are ready to take your game to the next level, this is your chance. Work Hard. Dream BIG. Train smart. ~ Coach Kim PS - If you aren’t going to be in the Toronto area this summer, I haven’t forgotten about you. You can train right along with us by using the Complete Off-Season Training System It’s the next best thing to being there in person. Plus, there are Speed Camps and a “Top Secret” Total Female Hockey Event planned throughout the entire summer that aspiring young players from all over North America will be attending. If you want to be the first to know about these events, I will be announcing them through the new site first. To receive the latest updates on all our summer training programs, click here to sign up for the Total Female Hockey Training Newsletter. Copyright © 2009 Total Female Hockey Club. http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/blog/avoid-girls-hockey-training-mistake/Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:50:00 -0400Down to the wire basketball games, defensive battles to the end, physical battles, gotta love march madness! just a recap of some impressive victories over the last two days: UConn remains undefeated beating Florida 87-59 California scored a crazy 99 points to defeat UVA 2 - #6 seeds advance over #3 seeds: Arizona State edges out Florida State, while UNC is no challenge for Purdue. Most exciting for me, being a Jersey girl, was Rutgers just absolutely destroying Auburn after coming out to a 22-4 lead early!  Rutgers finished the game 80-52.  I can’t wait for the Purdue-Rutgers match-up!! Definitely some other exciting games over the course of Monday and Tuesday, and you can find the most updated bracket at ESPN.  The Women’s NCAA Tournament returns on action on Saturday. http://becauseiplayedsports.com/2009/03/25/womens-tourney-update/Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:48:00 -0400 Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin at the 2008 Olympics Two weeks ago, the Los Angeles Times published a pair of articles contrasting the current careers of U.S. gymnasts Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin. The Times spoke to the “graceful” Lukin about the three Marta Karolyi run training camps she has attended since the Beijing Olympics, and her agent about the offer she turned down from Dancing with the Stars. They then profiled a Dancing with the Stars rehearsal that the Johnson, not necessarily renowned for her artistic ability as a gymnast, was participating in, quoted her mother as saying as Johnson never wants to leave the Left Coast, and mentioning that serious gymnastics training doesn’t seem to be in the cards at the moment. The short, less artistic little kid looking to take advantage of her 15 minutes of Olympic provided fame. The lankier-only-by-comparison, more artistic, older teenager who looks to stay in the sport. One would think we were back in 1998. Tara Lipinski and Michelle Kwan at the 1998 Olympics. (Photo: Jamd.com) Following the 1998 Winter Olympics, similar articles were written about Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinski. Graceful and lankier-looking Kwan, disappointed by her Olympic silver medal, had not made a concrete decision about whether or not to remain figure skating, but kept her options open and continued to train. Lipinski, the gold medalist at the Nagano Games, the shorter, less artistic and younger one, was seemingly led by her mother and agent to take advantage of every professional opportunity afforded her due to her medal finish, and stopped training for Olympic competition. (Years later, the figure skating community would quietly learn that Lipinski had battled the serious hip injuries which had eventually ended her ability to skate on even the show circuit during her Olympic season as well.) Led by such articles, many jumped onto the Kwan bandwagon, thinking of Lipinski as the less-talented, less-determined, less-serious athlete. Kwan was persistent and continued on, while Lipinski seemingly let the promise of a payday determine her next steps. If Dancing with the Stars was around in the fall of 1998, and both skaters were offered the chance to join the cast, one could surmise that it would be Lipinski competing for the mirrored ball trophy and Kwan declining the invite to attend training camps. But a decade later, both athletes are nearly unknown and having to pursue other areas outside of their sport - Kwan, the field of international relations (although according to the Washington Post, she may consider a comeback), and Lipinski, acting and voiceover work. Taking advantage of the time immediately following the Olympics, in either way they did, gave them a cushion to fall back on once their time as athletes ended. And now we are in 2009, and the two teenage stars of the Summer Olympics find themselves beginning to be portrayed in a similar light. Is Johnson wrong for taking high profile mainstream media opportunities while she can? In a report this week, it was reported that Dancing with the Stars participants make $200,000 for the season. Is Johnson, a 17 year old who doesn’t know a world outside of gymnastics and probably can not even think about what she could have a career in as an adult that does not involve the sport, wrong for earning that while she can? Is Liukin, who has also taken advantage of a few lesser profile mainstream media opportunities (modeling and a small appearance on Gossip Girl) right for continuing to subject herself to the svengalis that are the Karolyis and continue on a path towards the World Championships later this year? Both paths take into consideration that these girls are in the “twilight” of their competitive careers, but one has decided to continue on the known path for at least one more year to boost her resume a tad more, while the other realizes that her time as a gymnast is winding down, and that it may be prudent to take advantage of what she can while she can. Essentially, aren’t Johnson and Liukin, like Kwan and Lipinski before them, just two teenagers who are taking advantage of the comparative variety of opportunities available to them, given the limited scope of their life experiences and the lack of relative choice in their opportunities at other points in their life. Although the paths may vary, both take advantage of the limited amount of time they have to either compete in their sport or cash in on notoriety gained from their sport. And when you’ve been doing the same exact thing, and training for a singular goal since you were three, can you blame them for taking advantage of the opportunities available to them while they can? http://www.sportsgirlkat.com/?p=831Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:56:00 -0400SPORTACCORD PROVIDES GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SOFTBALL TO PROVE OLYMPIC PEDIGREE ISFPresident: “Softball is having a great impact on communities around the world” Denver, Colorado (USA); 23rd March 2009 - International softball representatives are arriving in Denver for the annual SportAccord convention – perhaps the greatest opportunity this year to convince Olympic Family decision-makers and opinion formers that softball should return to the Olympic Programme in 2016.Members of the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), the Association of Winter Olympic International Sports Federations (AWOIF) and other senior sports administrators including International Olympic Committee Members will be present to discuss the key issues facing the sports industry, including those sports to be included in the Olympic Games in 2016. The softball delegation, including ISF President Don Porter, Task Force Co-Chairs Ms. Donna de Varona and Dale McMann (ISF VP/North America), ISF Deputy Secretary General Ms. Low Beng Choo, and ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak, will also be undertaking a number of high level meetings to highlight softball’s Olympic credentials. ISF President Don Porter, who was formerly GAISF Secretary General and has given the organization years of service, said, “Softball is a truly international sport and we will show SportAccord delegates the great work we’re doing around the world. The number of young women taking up softball in Africa and the Middle East, for example, is truly inspiring and we’ll be demonstrating to delegates what a positive impact our sport is having on them and their communities.” BackSoftball Athlete Ambassadors Michele Smith and Jessica Mendoza will also be on hand to meet delegates and convey how successful last year’s Olympic competition was at Fengtai Softball Field in Beijing. High ticket sales, impressive broadcast figures – particularly in Japan, whose team beat the USA in the gold medal game – and the continued excellent record of no positive doping results in elite competition provides a compelling case for softball’s return to Olympic competition. During SportAccord, the draw will also be conducted for the two pools for the Easton Foundation Youth Softball World Cup to be held in Prague in August, when 12 international 16-and-under girls teams from Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe will be taking part. This is another significant event that underlines the popularity of softball among young people because it is inexpensive to play, easy to learn, and great fun. The International Softball Federation attends SportAccord every year to promote the great work it is doing in expanding the sport to new audiences around the world, and this year has increased its profile to that of an exhibitor. A final decision on which sports will be added to the current roster of 26 at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be made at the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen in October this year. http://www.womenssportsnation.com/2009/03/softball-represents-at-sportaccord.htmlTue, 24 Mar 2009 21:23:00 -0400R comes over with pizzas in hand to watch the second round of the Women’s NCAA basketball Tournament. It is on TV three nights in a row, how lucky can a fan of women’s basketball get?We turn on the TV and see Arizona State is tied with Florida State. “Oh. No!” C shouts at exactly the same time R says, “Go Arizona!”C looks at R with confusion. If Arizona State wins, it will mess up both our brackets. We both have Florida State advancing. C reminds R of this.R says she always cheers for a fellow PAC-10 team in the NCAA tournament, bracket picks or no bracket picks. C says normally she would support the PAC-10, too, but she wants to win the bracket competition; a competition is a competition.A few minutes later, Arizona State wins it, darn it. And we see Cal is winning their game against Virginia. No! We both have Cal losing that game, too!Hush, now, says C, it’s time for the Stanford-San Diego State game (my daughter got in to that school, too). The media has been saying San Diego will be playing in front of a home crowd and they were so energetic because of that crowd last game, but we see in the camera pans to the stands that they are not even close to being filled. When ESPN 2 shows a flash of the Rutgers game (They won, we also picked them to lose…sigh) on their home court, we see the seats actually filled. Ya gotta pick sites that support women’s basketball, and San Jose, with Cal and Stanford, would have been a good one.We have our big team in of Jayne, Kayla and Necka. Add Jill and Jeanette, and all of our starters are 6 feet or over. San Diego has one player over 6 feet on the floor.San Diego fouls Necka on our first possession. She makes both free throws. Fast break to Jayne on the second possessions, she misses but Necka puts in the rebound. They foul Jayne inside on the third, she converts, and they pick Pohlen’s pocket on the fourth. My goodness, this is a fast paced game. C and R can’t even catch their breath. San Diego wanted to come out fast and use their speed. Stanford is matching them speed for speed, even with everybody over 6 feet.Kayla draws a charge from SDS, and the announcers repeat the mantra that Tara said Kayla has the smartest basketball IQ on the team, if not in the world…well, no, I don’t know if she said the world part, but she did say she is the smartest basketball player on her team.Then Jayne commits a foul and looks to the bench to be replaced. Tara hesitates, and C and R get hopeful she will leave Jayne in. Ros takes off her sweats and goes in for her the next dead ball, darn! Then Ros gets scored on. Double darn.Jeannette gets hit in the head. Again. Hope the nine stitches from earlier this year hold her head together. Then Stanford inbounds the ball and she throws a two-handed pass foul line to foul line to a receiving Ros who hits the lay-up. Amazing! And that is why she is playing the point guard. Ros could never make that kind of pass. Then Jeannette fouls again and she has two quick ones and she goes to the bench. Lindy comes in.Jill makes a patented steal and lay up and we get some breathing room. Jayne comes back in and is money in the bank, hitting from inside. We start to pull away. Then, Jayne shoots, gets two rebounds in the same possession, and can’t make any of the shots. When SDS gets the rebound she reaches in and fouls. Two for her, she gets yanked.Now both Jayne and Jeannette are on the bench. Arguably our two best players on the bench! Tara, what are you thinking? San Diego is still trying to run on us.Boothe is in, with Ros and we look a little lost. They cherry pick us for an easy basket. The announcers said Tara told the team, “No cherry picking! We must not let them get easy baskets in transition.”A great inside pass to Boothe and she sails the ball over the rim to the other side. When Tara sees this, she yanks her and puts in …Lindy? Not Jayne? How long is Jayne going to sit?Ros is doing point guard duties, and Jene Morris for SDS is applying great pressure on her in the backcourt. She was an all-defensive-player in her conference. Ros goes to make a pass and instead throws in into Morris, who has anticipated this. Morris gets ready to zoom down court but Ros knows she will really, really get yelled at if they make this basket, so she first grabs Morris’ jersey and then grabs her body to keep her near. The foul is fine, anything to keep from getting scored on and the ire of Tara. The whistle and foul is indeed on Ros and she gets yanked, maybe having saved face a little.Before C and R know it, it is halftime and we have a 38-26 lead. It doesn’t feel like much of a lead because SDS is not letting up. The announcers say we went on a 22-10 run to take control, but again, it doesn’t feel like we are in control at all.The TV switches to the Cal-Virginia game. C reminds R we need Cal to lose, but R has decided firmly to root for PAC-10 teams. Cal even makes the shot at the buzzer to end their half and go up 51-33. This from a team that only averaged 66 points a game. They practically got that in the first half.Our Stanford game starts and the starting five are back in, including Jayne and Jeanette. Thank goodness. Jayne only played 6 minutes of the first half. Jayne either hits inside or when double-teamed, finds Necka cutting to the basket. Jill makes another Jill-type steal and the basket, forces them to call a time out. We are suddenly up by 20.In one of San Diego’s possession, Kayla blocks them twice. C and R consider Kayla the unsung hero of this game. She does it all, anchoring our defense, drawing charges, rebounding. We noticed she is the first one back on defense to stop the fast break.San Diego keeps pressing us, because everybody knows we are vulnerable to the press. We start to panic a little. Jill gets tied up with a jump ball from the press; they almost steal it from Jeanette, but foul instead. They come back a little, now it is 50-32, Stanford.Tara calls timeout and tells them to take care of the ball. Time in and the first thing they do is steal it from Jeanette. This time no foul. They press us again and this time Kayla brings the ball up court. She does this several times. Now Kayla drives, sees Jayne and hits her near the basket for an easy two. C and R nominate Kayla for point guard!Then Jayne spoils the fun by fouling. Her fourth! Good thing we are up 56-32. Jayne goes to the bench.After a SDS basket, we cannot inbound the ball quickly enough and get a five second violation. Come on ladies, let’s not panic. Speaking of panic, SDS has a desperate air around them, and while it is not panic, they are going all out for steals, usually double-teaming the ball handler. There are nine minutes left in the game and C and R don’t feel safe. Can we hold on to win?Tara senses this and puts Jayne back in. A San Diego player drives towards Jayne and Kayla runs over, hands straight up to protect Jayne. How cute! Thirty seconds later, Jayne fouls out. Twelve points, 11 boards, a double-double and five fouls for Jayne.C and R are a little nervous.Jill and Necka put on a show and get us up by 25 again. We go on to win 77-49. It is a career night for Necka. She has 27 points and 13 rebounds, both career highs. We will need her to play like this every game.Next game is against Ohio State (C is from Ohio...), at Berkeley, on a Saturday night, no less, and C and R have tickets, having had friends who had the foresight to get the tickets months in advance. Come one, Stanford fans, let's show the TV people we can pack an arena!In other news, we see Cal scored 99 points and won! This from a team that only averages 66 points a game! I think they only committed one turnover all game or somethin'. All three teams from the PAC-10 are still in it, darn it. We only picked Stanford. See the original post at C and R's Stanford Women's Basketball Blog http://candrsstanfordwomensbasketballblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/womens-basketball-tourney-round-2.htmlTue, 24 Mar 2009 19:46:00 -0400It's really happening! The inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer season starts this Sunday, March 29, with the Los Angeles Sol and Washington Freedom facing off at 3pm PST in Carson, CA, at the Home Depot Center (Tickets & Info).http://www.womentalksports.com/items/view/10340Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:25:16 -0400 Are you ready to go out there and run those miles?Nike is challenging you to log your runs and compete against yourself and your friends. It's about time girls to show the guys that we can run further than them!!!What do you need?You need a pair of Nike+ shoes - Zoom Start, Zoom Skylon, Structure Triax, Vomero, Lunatrainer or Lunaracer are some models to pick from. They all have a small built-in pocket with a dummie in the left shoe. You take the dummie out and replace it with the sensor from the Ipod-kit.So, you would at this point need an IPod Nano as well... The receiver must be attached to the Nano and then you're off to challenge the guys!You can find much more info at www.nikeplus.com I've logged my first session today. Not too many kilometers (10.8km). I only had a short session of intervals with warm-up and cool-down. But, it's a start:) http://irunthereforeiblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/are-you-ready.htmlTue, 24 Mar 2009 16:57:00 -0400 Bridgeview, IL (March 23, 2009) - The Chicago Red Stars are teaming up with the Mexico Tourism Board to recognize the Soccer Mom of the Year in a new contest launched on www.chicagoredstars.com. Mexico and the Red Stars know that soccer moms work tirelessly to create harmony in the family and they always find new ways to show how much they care.  The Chicago Red Stars’ Soccer Mom of the Year presented by Mexico contest will allow families to show their appreciation by nominating their mom to be pampered with a trip to Mexico! “The Mexico Tourism Board is excited to be a part of the Chicago Red Stars Soccer Mom of the Year presented by Mexico contest because it embraces and highlights family values by encouraging girls to express why they think their moms deserve to be the winner of this award,” said Rodrigo Esponda, Director of the Mexico Tourism Board for the Midwest.  “Mexicans share many traditions that bring families and friends together, but soccer awakens a passion in Mexicans that unites the whole nation.” “The Chicago Red Stars are thrilled to partner with the Mexico Tourism Board in this initiative to recognize soccer moms,” said Red Stars General Manager Marcia McDermott.  “We share the belief that moms are the MVPs of soccer families and deserve their day in the sun.” Players, families and friends can log on to the Red Stars’ website (http://www.chicagoredstars.com) to nominate their mother for the Chicago Red Stars Soccer Mom of the Year presented by Mexico award.  The winning mom will be honored at halftime of the May 16th Red Stars game against FC Gold Pride at Toyota Park and receive an all-inclusive five night stay at the Grand Xcaret Occidental Resorts in Riviera Maya for two courtesy of Mexico and Apple Vacations.  Entries for the contest must be received by May 8th. Courtesy of: Chicago Red Stars http://womenssoccershow.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/chicago-red-stars-partner-with-mexico-to-find-soccer-mom-of-the-year/Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0400 SANTA CLARA, CA (March 23, 2009)- FC Gold Pride head coach Albertin Montoya confirmed on Sunday that US Soccer icon Brandi Chastain and one of the United States all-time top goal scorers, Tiffeny Milbrett would both occupy roster spots when the regular season kicks off in less than two weeks. Chastain and Milbrett served as trailblazers for women’s soccer as part of the golden decade of the US Women’s National team during the 90’s, one of the most dominant teams the sport has seen to date. The Bay Area native, Chastain is best known for elevating the profile of women’s soccer with her game winning penalty kick in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup that defeated China and ignited an explosive soccer following and increased participation in the sport. Chastain was selected by the Pride in the seventh round (45th overall) in the WPS Draft. Milbrett, one of the most dangerous forwards the US has ever fielded, scored 100 goals in international competition during her illustrious career that saw her earn 204 caps. She joined the Pride in March as a non-roster invitee, playing her way onto the roster during training camp. In addition to penciling in women’s soccer veterans Chastain and Milbrett, FC Gold Pride Head Coach Albertin Montoya made some roster moves on Sunday afternoon, reducing the roster size in preparation for the season. FC Gold Pride waived WPS General Draft picks Tracy Hamm and Jill Oakes and released non-roster invitees Stacy Alberico and Caitlin Fisher. The Pride will be required to make adjustments to the roster in order to meet the league requirements of 18 rostered players and up to four developmental players which must be announced on or before Wednesday, March 25. Courtesy of: FC Gold Pride http://womenssoccershow.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/chastain-and-milbrett-secure-spots-on-fc-gold-pride-18-player-regular-season-roster/Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:02:00 -0400 BOYDS, Md. (March 23) – The Washington Freedom announced today that Mark Washo will be the Freedom’s new President & General Manager, replacing outgoing President & General Manager Joseph Quinn. Washo was most recently the acting President of the ticket sales services company he founded, MMW Marketing Sports and Entertainment. Previous to running his own consulting company, he was the Executive Vice President of the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer, supervising Ticket Sales/Operations, Customer Service, Marketing and Community Relations. Washo will immediately take up his post in the Freedom offices in Germantown, Md. “We are grateful to Joe Quinn for his stewardship of the Washington Freedom over the course of the last year as he led us through the preparation phase of the organization,” said Freedom Chairwoman Maureen Hendricks, “Now we are thrilled to have Mark join the team.  He brings a wealth of experience, talent, and know-how to the Freedom.” Washo boasts an impressive resume including stops at three of the most successful franchises in MLS.  Under Washo’s leadership, the Chicago Fire achieved the highest total ticket sales revenue in club history in 2008. This achievement includes all-time highs in full season tickets, group tickets and total tickets sold. Prior to joining the Chicago Fire, Washo was the Senior Vice President of the New York/New Jersey MetroStars. He was promoted to Senior Vice President of the MetroStars after serving as the team’s Vice President of Ticket Sales for four seasons. Washo joined the MetroStars after spending the previous five seasons with D.C. United as the team’s Senior Director of Ticket Sales. Washo’s success in ticket sales led him to author the book, “Break Into Sports Through Ticket Sales,” which is regarded as the go-to manual for all young professionals seeking to acquire a job and succeed in ticket sales. “I would like to thank John and Maureen Hendricks for providing me with this tremendous opportunity to lead the re-launch of the Washington Freedom,” Washo said. “I am excited to get started and be reacquainted with many old friends in the greater DC area soccer community.  We are looking forward to strong crowd support for our home opener on April 11, and encourage all our fans to join us in the celebration.” Courtesy of: Washington Freedom http://womenssoccershow.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/washo-named-new-president-general-manager-of-freedom/Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:03:00 -0400Looking for the perfect beach book to dive into this summer? CHANGE UP drops this April! As sophomore summer heats up at Sunray Beach, so does Jake Cole and Ashley Clarke’s long distance relationship. But, Ashley’s overprotective cop father forbids Ashley to see Jake, causing Ashley to sneak around while sinking deeper and deeper into a smudge of lies and deceit. She begins to wonder if her parents are right about Jake when he shows up at times bruised, beaten, and hanging out with shady people.Back on the diamond, the Cape Town Crush Softball team is doing amazing, even earning a bid to Nationals, but fellow pitcher Christy Mayer’s up to her old tricks and snags a golden opportunity to ruin Ashley’s softball future for good. Ashley and Rachel Harris, a softball superstar who joinsthe Crush midseason, hit it off and hang out until Ashley discovers Rachel’s secret past. In the meantime, Ashley’s BFF Lizzy hits the Sunray party scene in a major way, leaving Ashley in the dust unless she decides to join in.Like waves modify a beach, this summer promises to be a season of change for Ashley Clarke. Will Ashley and Jake’s relationship survive sophomore summer? Is this the end of a fifteen year friendship between Lizzy and Ashley? And what’s the deal with Rachel?For a special pre-order price until March 31st, check out Fastpitch Forever magazine’s website. And don’t miss the first book in the series, SCREWBALL, the number one bestseller for Pretty Tough. You can check it out here. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/prettytough/MqOh/~3/R8KgV63rVdk/Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:55:00 -0400By way of very quick intro: I skate with the Rollergirls Of Central Kentucky (ROCK), and we are in our second season of competitive play. I have a "real" job, and I do some freelance writing. And, like every other rollergirl I've ever met, I can/will talk about rollerderby for hours if someone expresses the slightest interest. So it makes sense to blog for a site geared towards women who like playing/talking about sports...hello, WomenTalkSports! How you doin'? Nice to meet you. So let's get on with it: ROCK played our first bout of the season two weeks ago against the Naptown Warning Belles, who were fantastic to skate against. In derby, points spreads are either waaaaaay apart or so close as to change the outcome with a single jam. This bout was the former, and a definite learning experience/reminder to do what our rollermamas taught us: COMMUNICATE. When we talk on the track, we stick together and our jammers aren't left to fend for themselves. Also, it's embarassing to come out of a bout and have a picture like this: Because my teammate's head is turned, it's safe to say that she isn't going to get the message that the pleading look in my eyes means "Let me take the line and trap the jammer behind me so that you can swing over and knock her out". I do like the gentle "don't leave me!" look of my hand on her arm, but it's safe to say that's not entirely the clearest message either. Oh, and I swear I don't actually look like Amy Sedaris as Jerri Blank. The aftermath of that bout has left me with an odd assortment of bruises - the day after a bout is like the morning after a night of heavy drinking where you can barely remember what happened. I don't remember anyone kicking my boob with a wheel, but someone must have because I have a perfect black and blue print of an Radar Flat Out that is making the wearing of sports bras this week a bit of an ouch situation. Even though that one is a more private injury, I have bruises and a monster scratch on my upper arm, bruises across both shins, and a massive blister covered with gauze on the side of my foot that is from the ankle brace I recently invested in after having a Belle's heiner land squarely on my ankle in an incredibly awkward fall. Afterwards, she told me it hurt her as much as it hurt me, so I guess we're even, though the next day, I bet she probably couldn't remember where the Atom D-Rod print on her bum originated either. Of course, I wore a dress to show as much of it off as possible (this is the first warm day since the bout). I consider it good PR to get attendance up at bouts. No, I can't honestly tell a prospective audience member that he or she will get to witness a catfight, but I promise that there will be some beautiful takedowns, and occasionally, I am the victim (with the bruises to prove it). Stay tuned for the recap next week from our upcoming bout against Derby City. http://www.womentalksports.com/items/view/10254Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:15:14 -0400Three-time Sony Ericsson champion Venus Williams and British number one Andy Murray kicked off the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open with a little “Traffic Tennis” atop two SUV’s on Miami’s Ocean Drive. Thankfully for both stars, the game was only promotional and served only as a warm-up for this year’s Sony Ericsson Open, which begins tomorrow. The Miami tournament, running March 25 - April 5, will open play on the purple courts with World No. 1 Rafael Nadal (who defeated Murray last week in the BNP Paribas final) looking to win his first title in Miami. With 48 of the world’s top 50 players involved in Miami, both Williams and Murray face a tough task to win one of the more gruelling but lucrative tournaments on the circuit. Dressed in a bright pink and purple tennis dress, Venus proved she is up for some serious competition against younger sister Serena, currently World No.1. Twenty-seven-year-old Serena will be aiming to maintain her No.1 ranking as she begins her quest for a sixth title in Miami against either Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky or US wild card Alexa Glatch. Maria Sharapova had to withdraw from this week’s Open due to a nagging shoulder injury, but fans still have chance to see and meet her in South Florida. MaSha will make a personal appearance, greet her fans and sign autographs at Cole Haan in Village of Merrick Park on the first floor of Nordstrom in Coral Gables, Florida on Wednesday, March 25th from 2 to 3 p.m. Fans can also enter a contest to win one of five prizes of tickets to the Sony Ericsson Open and a Cole Haan handbag. Looks like a little of something for everyone. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/prettytough/MqOh/~3/1EP-mXYmHoE/Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:52:00 -0400Dubai, 23 March (AKI) - A group of young Saudi women have begun a campaign to protest against a government decision to close all the country's female gyms that are not linked to a hospital or health body. According to Arab TV network Al-Arabiya, the women have adopted the slogan, 'Let them get fat', while complaining about the high cost of sports centres linked to official health organisations.They have also appealed to the minister and to the secretary in the municipality of the coastal city of Jeddah to review their decision. The young women are particularly concerned since they do not have the means to go to 'official' gyms and believe this government decree will be bad for their health. That view was endorsed by Maha, who enrolled at a gym six months ago and lost 21 kilograms. While she said she has several pieces of gym equipment at home, she prefers to go to a gym where she gains support and encouragement.Another woman, Umm Abd al-Aziz said practising sport is a way of a "moment of relief" and going to a fitness club is the only way to release the tension accumulated at home."Where can we go now that the gyms are closing?" the woman asked. Sara Abd al-Aziz asked why men are permitted to practise sport in gyms that do not depend on a health authority, while women cannot, although they have the same needs. She said women actually have more need for sport than men since they experience different phases of their lives, such as pregnancy and birth, and also suffer from many pressures without finding any relief.In response to the protests, the deputy-director of Jeddah's public relations office, Ahmad al-Ghamidi, said the provincial secretary has the right to close female gyms which lack the appropriate licenses, and said a regulatory body is currently carrying out inspections to make sure they follow the rules. Source: http://thewomenofislam.blogspot.com/2009/03/out-takes-short-news-stories.html http://muslimwomeninsports.blogspot.com/2009/03/saudi-women-fight-to-stop-gym-closures.htmlTue, 24 Mar 2009 12:26:00 -0400WPS: This Sunday, March 29 is the start of the season for Women's Professional Soccer. The Los Angeles Sol take on the Washington Freedom. In the meantime, the WPS is trying to get 10,000 fans on Facebook. As I am writing this they are at 9,444. They're on every other major social media spot as well.Cricket: English captain Charlotte Edwards was confident that her team would reach the World Cup finals. Indeed, the English team defeated New Zealand for the crown after some tense moments. (Thank you Katharine for the link!)Small Sensation: My favorite basketball fanatic sent me a note about a truly remarkable athlete that she posted a story about the other day:If you were blind in your right eye, partly deaf, one leg shorter than the other due to scoliosis, 4' 6" tall, 90 pounds and carting around some undeveloped vertebrae, basketball would not be an obvious goal. Tiffara Steward, however, begs to differ.The New York Times ran an article about Tiffara Steward, a 20-year old college basketball player can hit 3-pointers and is a prodigy despite her stature. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WomenLikeSports/~3/ZdW4OmkBGxY/tales-from-inbox-march-24-2008.htmlTue, 24 Mar 2009 09:52:00 -0400MIAMI - MARCH 23: American Venus Williams and Andy Murray of Great Britain play a game of traffic tennis on Ocean Drive prior to the Sony Ericsson Open on March 23, 2009 in Miami, Florida.Photos by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for Sony Ericsson http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BlackTennisPros/~3/ZKq-_zMTXIk/traffic-tennis-anyone-venus-and-andy.htmlTue, 24 Mar 2009 04:51:00 -0400Norway’s Kjersti Oestgaard Buaas won the women’s Slopestyle title while Jamie Anderson, who missed the contest because of injury, still managed to clinch the Burton Global Open Series Championship.  Both of their payouts matched their male counterparts thanks to Burton’s equal payouts for men and women in contests.  Buaas also won Friday’s Quarterpipe competition, earning $10K plus $3K for highest air. The women’s Swatch TTR title race will end after next week’s Roxy Chicken Jam in Mammoth, CA.  Jamie Anderson leads that race though Buass is catching up. The last day of the US Open proved to be the busiest with junior jam finals, men’s and women’s slopestyle finals and three major titles being awarded. Buaas picked up $20,000 for winning the slopestyle finals and Jamie Anderson took home $100,000, currently the largest single payout in the sport.  Buaas will also be driving a new Volvo XC60 after winning the Volvo Most Valuable Rider Awards. At the beginning of slopestyle finals, the variable weather conditions constantly switched between sun, clouds, snow and wind. The women got caught in a snow squall during their first runs, but after about 20 minutes, the clouds magically parted and the sun came out. After a sticky snowfall, riders struggled to make it through the course. Jenny Jones put together a solid run, holding on to first place for a while. But it was Kjersti Buaas who took the top spot on the US Open podium for the second time in the weekend with a run that included a nosepress on the box, 50/50 to frontside 180, Cab 540 indy, backside 360 indy, frontside 360 stalefish ending with a frontside 720 mute.  Chanelle Sladics earned third place and the Emergen-C Best Trick award for her front boardslide 270 out on the down rail. “Being the best overall rider meant a lot to me because I strive to be good in the pipe and slope,” said Kjersti. “I was trying all season to be good in both disciplines, it makes me so excited. Now people can’t just define me as a pipe rider, and that means the most to me.” Earlier in the day, snowboarding’s up-and-coming groms competed in the annual US Open junior jam halfpipe competition. Thirteen-year-old Arielle Gold took the title for the girls with her technical spin combinations and her impressive amplitude. During Saturdays halfpipe final, Torah Bright led the women, earning her third title and tying her with Kelly Clark (who finished second in the contest) with the most ever.  Clark took the top spot early and held on until the third and final run.  But it was Bright’s final run that stole the show when she dropped in switch, starting off with Cab 720 indy, followed by a crippler, backside 360 indy, switch backside 720 ending with a backside 540.   “I feel great,” said Torah. “I didn’t realize that I tied with Kelly for the most wins. It feels really good, especially because the US Open is such a special event.” Bright earned a bonus $3,000 and the Amp Energy Best Trick award for her stylish switch backside 720. Ellery Hollingsworth was third.   http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/prettytough/MqOh/~3/NsmohiIamP4/Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:38:00 -0400Over the course of this past weekend, all of the elite women’s hockey leagues in North America awarded their championship trophy. Three of the best women’s hockey teams in the world, with rosters jam-packed with Olympians and national team members, won their respective championships this weekend. I watched parts of every championship game and it is the best female hockey I have seen in a long time. But the sad part is, that very few girls hockey players even knew these games were going on. The 3 biggest trophies in all of elite women’s hockey in North America were handed out this weekend. But can you name any of the BIG winners? => The Wisconsin Badgers won their 3 NCAA title in the last 4 years by beating Mercyhurst 5-0. => The McGill Martlets of the Canadian University league won yet another national title by defeating Laurier 3-1. => The Montreal Stars of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (starring Canadian Olympian Kim St Pierre and Caroline Ouelette) defeated the Minnesota Whitecaps of the Western Women’s Hockey League (starring Angela Ruggeiro and Julie Chu) to win the Clarkson Cup for the first time ever. Three great women’s hockey championship games were played this weekend and three teams emerged with the ultimate prize in their respective league. And it is really sad to me that most girls hockey players don’t know about these great games. It is even sadder when I think about the fact that most girls can’t name a single elite women’s hockey player (unless they happen to go watch their games regularly.) I am not saying that elite women’s hockey players should have Sidney Crosby celebrity status, but the reality is that stands in each of these championship games should have been packed with girls hockey players who aspire to play at the elite levels of women’s hockey just like the players out on the ice. It is so important that we showcase this level of talent and achievement to our young female hockey players so that they have something to aspire to and have role models that they can connect with in more ways than just their love of the game. Aspiring female athletes need female role models to look up to. And any of the women on the ice in any of these 3 championship games would fit the bill nicely. Support elite women’s hockey in any way you can. Whether that is by going to a game in person, watching it on TV or reminding your friends about what a great game it is, every little bit helps. Work Hard, Dream BIG, and Help Take Female Hockey To The Next Level. ~ Coach Kim Copyright © 2009 Total Female Hockey Club. http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/blog/best-womens-hockey-team-in-the-world/Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:16:00 -0400 http://seelararun.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post_23.htmlMon, 23 Mar 2009 17:34:00 -0400 What to expect if you are in charge! Golf Outing Organizer It’s Monday morning, you were running late and barely survived another staff meeting. You were a little foggy on what was covered, as this is your first early morning meeting since you’ve switched to decaf. What was it the division manager was saying while she was directing that larger than life smile at you? Ah yes, that you had been “elected” as the Golf Outing Chairperson for next year’s company golf outing. WHAT? Last Year's Golf Organizer Okay, okay sit down and do your deep breathing exercises. Why is it the only picture running through your head is that of last year’s chairperson, who started out with a thick, beautiful head of hair, only to become “follicley” challenged by the day of the event? He had such a “hair raising” (not) experience with the planning of the outing that many say it was akin to a nervous break-down! Others say he just took a vacation and never returned, someone claimed to have seen him driving his golf cart into the pond on No. 4, never to re-emerge, and yet others speak whimsically of his quest for the Dali Lama. In many cases, planning an outing can be a daunting task. The same person rarely, if ever “volunteers” for the duty more than once. On the other hand, just attack it as you would any business project. My first suggestion – outsource it! However, if you are an avid golfer, event planner or pain enthusiast, and insist on tackling this project, we can give you some helpful hints. This planning process focuses on corporate golf outings. While planning a charity outing, or the annual neighborhood outing involves some of the same elements of this process, there are notable differences. Most charity events are planned by event specialists, (or masochists as we like to call them), and since corporate outings are the most popular, we felt this focus would best serve the majority of our readers. As with any successful project, you need to begin with the proper tools. Might I suggest: The strongest aspirin or pain reliever you can buy without a prescription, in multiple bottles strategically located throughout your office, home, in the car and in your golf bag. Your new best friend! Infinite number of hours for phone calls A golf course directory Customer and vendor lists A budget Pencils with erasers (no these are not for the scorecards!) A gigantic bottle of extra strength Tums Plenty of paper, mostly to rip up and throw around to ease the frustration Your therapist’s number A committee (good luck!) This is just the beginning of this nightmare trip, I mean adventure. Rather than overwhelm with you with everything that is needed ,we will continue this discussion in two more parts. Our goal is to preserve your sanity while giving you the ‘inside’ look at what it takes to run a golf outing. Cynthia E. Lamb is CEO and owner of RHINO Enterprises, which specializes in marketing and management consulting. She also operates H&L Golf, a “swinging” division of Rhino, which offers consulting in all things golf. After spending several years in management and marketing with Fortune 500 companies, and earning her MBA, Cynthia spent ten years with American Golf Corporation. She has played golf since she was 13, including competitive golf in high school and college, and has a real passion for the game and its traditions. She is currently also teaching marketing at the college level. She is also a friend, business and golf partner of Sherry Tabb, author of Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog. Stay tuned for Part Two at Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com. Do you have experiences to share? Please leave your comments and stories below. Thanks for visiting! No related posts. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LadiesOnTheTee/~3/qztJYPqLKLE/Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:02:00 -0400This weekend was one of the most special competitions in cross country skiing here in Norway. Birkebeinerrennet is a 54km long race from Rena to Lillehammer. You have to wear a backpack that contains food, clothes and ski wax. It has to be at least 3.5kg. This is a tradition from back in the old days. The first race was in 1932 to honor the old "birkebeinere". If you want the full story, here it is...Anyway, today the race is very popular among professional skiers and anyone feeling for a real challenge.Birkebeinerrennet is a lot about equipment. The right wax, the best skis, the best gloves etc. What to wear under the jacket? Will it be windy and do I have a good enough sweather under my jacket? Wool or syntetic? Too many questions to answer!Almost 15000 participants worked their way over the mountain to Lillehammer. I was helping out inside the arena where most of the skiers came by.I'm really impressed that so many young and old people worked so hard and finished the race. The oldest skiers that raced for the first time was an 87-year old man! Very impressive:)It was so much fun to watch girls and wives walk around in their ski boots, sweat pants and chatting about their race, while treating themselves to some new sports clothes!Most of the guys I was chatting to seemed to be happy about their own performance too!It was just a really nice weekend among athletes and friends:)If you want to read more about Birkebeinerrennet, you can check this link. http://irunthereforeiblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/birkebeinerrennet-2009.htmlMon, 23 Mar 2009 16:34:00 -0400We’ve missed former world number one Justine Henin since she shocked the tennis world last year by announcing her retirement. Now, according to French sources, Henin is launching a second career - this time on television. The beloved Belgium tennis star will show her on-screen talents on RTBF channel, participating in two big programs. Henin will take part in the show called De twaalf werken van Justine Henin, which translates as The twelve works of Justine Henin. The champion will take on twelve personal challenges such training with Belgian soccer team RSC Anderlecht, cooking a meal, and modeling on a catwalk. Henin will also have a guest role in the highly popular French soap opera called Plus belle la vie, and it appears she will play herself. In addition, Henin will also start hosting a music show that revolves around Lara Fabian - an international singer she adores and knows well. Additional info: The new Justine for Kids website has been launched. There you can learn about her new charity organization and its upcoming projects. The website will feature personal stories, photographs and videos to let you follow the works of the association which supports children that are suffering from serious illness. It will be good to have Henin back in the public eye. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/prettytough/MqOh/~3/YQ7OjzfpoVk/Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:38:00 -0400