First winner of The Best of Us Challenge
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the first winner of its global digital initiative “The Best of Us Challenge”.
The winner, Grant Gibbons of Sterling VA, USA, will receive a trip for two to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games taking place in February 2010. Mr Gibbons, who was declared the winner after a random selection process, submitted a video to the Challenge site showing him beating Estonian Olympian Gerd Kanter at a discus pick-up challenge.
Grant Gibbons said, “The Best of Us Challenge is great: not only do we have a chance to show off what we can do, but we get to see a side to our favourite Olympic athletes that we normally don’t get to see.”
“The Best of Us Challenge” will continue through 2010, and participants who submit videos to the official site (http://thebestofuschallenge.olympic.org) are still eligible to win a wide range of remaining prizes, including:
- A trip for two to the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore (August 2010)
- “The Best of Us” memorabilia signed by Olympians
- Official “Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games” video games
- “The Best of Us” posters
Since its launch in October, “The Best of Us Challenge” has received a total of more than 2.5 million views in over 200 countries globally.
Timo Lumme, Director of IOC Television and Marketing, said, “The Best of Us Challenge is proving to be a very successful way for the IOC to engage young people in the digital space, using the popular online video platform YouTube. It’s a fun initiative that offers the unique opportunity to compete against world famous athletes – and beat them! We will have additional challenges from Olympic athletes coming online through 2010, and we look forward to new participants getting involved in the Challenge in 2010, and hopefully winning a trip to the first-ever Youth Olympic Games ”
The Best of Us Challenge
“The Best of Us Challenge”, powered by YouTube™, invites people around the world to challenge Olympic athletes via an online competition.
Many well-known Olympians are participating in the Challenge, including:
• Michael Phelps (USA/Swimming)
• Rafael Nadal (Spain/tennis)
• Lindsey Vonn (USA/skiing
• Natalie Cook (Australia/beach volleyball)
• Shawn Johnson (USA/gymnastics)
• Asafa Powell (Jamaica/athletics)
• Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia/pole vault).
No matter what the skill – from balancing a stick for as long as possible to doing the most clapping push-ups in 30 seconds – The Best of Us Challenge encourages young people to find the best in themselves, share it with the world and then challenge each other to become better at it. Young people also have the option to create and submit their own challenges independent of the Olympians, truly giving them the opportunity to show what they do best.
The Best of Us Challenge was created in partnership with Cole & Weber/United http://www.coleweber.com/ and YouTube™.
Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year: Ashley Wittman
AVP Champion and Two-Time Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor Surprises Standout with Elite Honor
In its 25th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, announced Ashley Wittman of Shakopee High School (Shakopee, Minn.) as its 2009-10 Gatorade® National Volleyball Player of the Year. Wittman was surprised with the news during her sixth period class at Shakopee High School by AVP champion and two-time gold medalist Misty May-Treanor.
“It felt great to surprise Ashley with the Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award and invite her into one of the most prestigious legacy programs in high school sports,” said AVP Champion Misty May-Treanor. “Gatorade has been on the sidelines fueling athletic performance for years, so to be recognized by a brand that understands the game and truly helps athletes perform is a huge honor for these kids.”
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Wittman as the nation’s best high school volleyball player. A national advisory panel comprised of sportswriters and sport-specific experts from around the country helped select Wittman from more than 404,000 high school volleyball players nationwide. Wittman is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade® Female High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special afternoon ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.
The 6-foot-1 senior outside hitter led the Sabers to a 32-0 record and their third consecutive Class 3A state championship this past season. The two-time Gatorade® Minnesota Volleyball Player of the Year, Wittman collected 569 kills, 294 digs, 50 blocks and 26 service aces this season while posting a kill percentage of .662. In the Class 3A state final, she had 34 kills and 19 digs in a three-set sweep over Wayzata High. Wittman is also a two-time Minneapolis Star Tribune Player of the Year and a three-time First Team All-State selection.
A two-time Amateur Athletic Union Girls’ Junior National Champion, Wittman led her Northern Lights club team to the USA Volleyball Junior Olympic Championships Open Division national semifinals in three straight years, including a finals appearance in 2009.
The 2008 PrepVolleyball.com National Junior of the Year, Wittman served as captain of the gold-medal-winning 2008 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team at the NORCECA Girls’ Youth Continental Championship and was a member of the USA Select Red Team that won the gold medal at the 2007 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships in the International Junior Division.
Wittman has maintained a 3.87 GPA in the classroom. An active member of her church community and a member of the National Honor Society, Wittman has served on the Shakopee High Student Council in addition to coaching, officiating and instructing as a youth volleyball camp, clinic and summer league volunteer. She has also donated her time to the America Reads literacy-outreach program, the Special Olympics, and as a fundraiser for Feed My Starving Children international humanitarian efforts.
“Wittman is one of the best I’ve ever seen,” said Mike Dean, head coach of rival Prior Lake High. “Her defense and her competitive drive is what sets her apart from the rest. She does whatever she has to do to win.”
Wittman has signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball on scholarship at the University of Minnesota next fall and will graduate Shakopee High early to begin attending spring semester collegiate classes.
“Without question, Ashley is deserving of recognition as the nation’s best high school volleyball player based on her statistics on the court and the impact her accomplishments have had on Shakopee High School’s success,” said Gatorade Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing Jennifer Storms. “But she is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young players of what a leader and a student-athlete should be. She represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade® Player of the Year recipient.”
The Gatorade® Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
To celebrate the award’s 25th anniversary, Gatorade wants you to vote for the All-Time Greatest Volleyball Player of the Year at www.gatorade.com/POY25. To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade® Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more information on the Gatorade® Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of former winners, and future announcement dates, visit http://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com/.
ALL-TIME GATORADE NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
YEAR NAME HIGH SCHOOL STATUS
2009-10 Ashley Wittman Shakopee/ High School Senior Shakopee, MN
2008-09 Gina Mancuso Papillion-La Vista/ University of Nebraska Papillion, NE
2007-08 Kelly Murphy Joliet Catholic/ University of Florida Joliet, IL
2006-07 Alix Klineman Mira Costa/ Stanford University Manhattan Beach, CA
2005-06 Megan Hodge Riverside/ Penn State University Durham, NC
2004-05 Cynthia Barboza Wilson Classical/ U.S. National Team Long Beach, CA
2003-04 Cynthia Barboza Wilson Classical/ U.S. National Team Long Beach, CA
2002-03 Kristin Richards Timpanogos/ U.S. National Team Orem, UT
2001-02 Bre Ladd Canyon Del Oro/ Attended Univ. Tucson, AZ Of Arizona
2000-01 Ogonna Nnamani University/Normal, IL Galatasary (Istanbul)
1999-00 April Ross Newport Harbor/ AVP Pro Beach Newport Beach, CA Volleyball
1998-99 Logan Tom Highland/ Asystel Novara (Italy) Salt Lake City, UT
1997-98 Sara Sandrik Pelham/Pelham, AL Stanford Graduate
1996-97 Denise Boylan Benet Academy/ Notre Dame Graduate Lisle, IL
1995-96 Kerri Walsh Archbishop Mitty/ AVP Pro Beach San Jose, CA Volleyball
Source: The Gatorade Company
Henry Frazier III wins Eddie Robinson Award
Prairie View A&M coach Henry Frazier III was named the 23rd winner of the Eddie Robinson Award Thursday night at The Sports Network’s Football Championship Subdivision Awards Banquet, held at the Chattanooga Convention Center on the eve of the NCAA Division I Football Championship title game.
Frazier is the first coach of a Southwestern Athletic Conference team, or a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to win the Robinson Award, which is presented annually to the top coach in FCS. Robinson, the legendary Grambling State coach, spent much of his career in the SWAC.
“It is a humbling honor,” said Frazier. “It’s a great honor to be considered the top coach in your conference and it’s an even greater honor to be considered the top coach in the country.”
Taking over a program best known for losing an NCAA-record 80 consecutive games from 1989-98, Frazier led the Panthers to a perfect 7-0 conference mark, the SWAC West Division title and their first-ever berth in the SWAC championship game since the title contest was introduced in 1999.
Frazier is 36-27 at Prairie View and has gone 25-5 in the past three years. Prairie View completed its season with a thrilling, 30-24 SWAC title game victory over Alabama A&M. The Panthers hadn’t won a SWAC championship since 1964, and 2009 marked the team’s second consecutive 9-1 season.
“When we took over at Prairie View, if there were 119 teams, we were the 119th team in the country,” Frazier said.
In 2008, Prairie View also beat both Grambling and Southern in the same year for the first time in 35 seasons, and posted its first nine-win campaign since 1953, a feat they duplicated this season.
The 2009 season marks the first time the Panthers have had three consecutive winning years since legendary PVAM coach W.J. Nicks ran off nine straight such seasons from 1957-65.
Frazier also coached the Panthers to the No. 18 spot in the final regular season Sports Network poll, the highest ranking Prairie View has ever held. PVAM was ranked 25th last season, the first time the Panthers had ever made a poll appearance.
In the second-closest balloting in Robinson Award history, Frazier received 24 first-place votes out of the 125 ballots cast by a panel of sports information directors and select media who regularly cover FCS. He picked up 237 points to edge J.C. Harper of Stephen F. Austin by two points. (Full voting information is available at sportsnetwork.com)
Jerry Moore of Appalachian State won by one point over Craig Bohl of North Dakota State in 2006.
The Sports Network established the Eddie Robinson Award in 1987. Past recipients of this prestigious honor include current FCS coaches, two-time winner Mickey Matthews of James Madison, Northern Iowa skipper Mark Farley, New Hampshire’s Sean McDonnell, Villanova’s Andy Talley, Mike Ayers of Wofford and Elon’s Pete Lembo, when he won the coveted award with Lehigh.
Source: The Sports Network
Fishing by the Rules: Sport fishermen embrace sustainable techniques
Unlike commercial fishing, the major player in depleted fish populations, sport fishing makes up less than 12 percent of the global harvest. And though they are equipped with the latest tools and technology to increase their haul, today’s sport fisherman embodies a surprising combination of conservation and conquest.
With one eye on environmental responsibility and the other on sportsmanship, most sport fishers have adopted a plethora of sustainable fishing techniques. From reduced-impact gear like lead-free lures to biodegradable bait and hooks, recreational fishermen now have ample opportunities to land their next big catch while preserving big game fish populations for future anglers.
An ardent proponent of aquatic habitat conservation, the International Game Fish Association supports fishermen with guidelines that promote ethical sport fishing practices, including instructions for the best catch-and-release tactics.
“Releasing fish is important, but more important is the way fish are caught and released. Using circle hooks with bait and fish-friendly handling practices that minimize slime loss and damage to the fish help ensure that released fish have the chance to reproduce, and perhaps be caught again,” says Jason Schratwieser, Conservation Director for IFGA.
“In my experience, 90 percent of sport fishermen follow the rules,” says Captain Lee A. Campbell of the Panama Big Game Fishing Club in Boca Chica, Panama, where sport fishing is a huge draw for serious marine fishermen. In order for the region to maintain its status as a sport fishing hotspot, Panama players like Campbell stress the importance of sustainability.
“Panama is lucky to have a great population of fish, and we want it to stay that way,” says Campbell. “If sustainable practices are followed and commercial fishing is banned, Panama could remain one of the best sport fishing destinations in the world. It’s too late for many fishing destinations which have already depleted their fish, but for Panama there’s still time.”
Amble Resorts, an environmentally responsible real estate development company, supports sustainable sport fishing for their new Panama eco resort, The Resort at Isla Palenque. Amble President Ben Loomis notes, “Done correctly, sport fishing is very sustainable. Certainly catch-and-release fishing has a limited impact. But even if we’re catching several tuna or Wahoo and taking them back home to share, our impact is nothing compared to commercial fishermen.”
Loomis concludes, “Isla Palenque is a great jumping-off point for sport fishing throughout Panama’s Gulf of Chiriqui, and we want to protect that. We’re less than two hours from famous sites like Hannibal Bank, and we’ve got a number of other great locations within 45 minutes, like Ladrones or Islas Secas. With sustainable practices, this will remain a fishing paradise for a long time.”
Source: Amble Resorts
Phillies to release Legends of the Fall
Compelling 2009 Season Relived in New Phillies Video Yearbook DVD
The Phillies have announced the release of Legends of the Fall: The 2009 Phillies Video Yearbook DVD. This compelling feature gives fans the chance to relive a season that was memorable in so many ways.
Legends of the Fall is narrated by Raul Ibanez, a player who found out first-hand the glory of playing in this era of Phillies baseball. Through his eyes fans are able to relive all the stellar performances….all the walk-off wins…and all the excitement of the post season.
“It’s the goal of every baseball player to go deep into the season, to be part of the last team standing, and to become one of the legends of the fall,” said Dan Stephenson, the film’s writer and producer. “This DVD captures the journey of a team that once again forged itself into the pages of Phillies history.”
At 70 minutes in length, this DVD also features more than two hours of bonus footage, including a special tribute to Harry Kalas.
Bonus Features:
– A Tribute to Harry Kalas
– The Harry Kalas Memorial Service – Citizens Bank Park, April 18, 2009
– The White House Visit
– “The Pen” – An Inside Look at the MLB Network Production
– Celebrate – The Pennant Winning Celebration, including on-field Ceremony
– Legendary Inning – The complete bottom of the ninth, Game Four NLCS
– A Quarter Century of Success – The 25th Anniversary of the ALS Association and The Phillies
– Great Plays of 2009
HOW TO PURCHASE
Legends of the Fall is now available for pre-sale at phillies.com and through the Official Phillies Merchandise Catalog at 1-877-GO-PHILS, for a suggested retail price of $17.99. The DVD will also be sold at the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Citizens Bank Park as well as local Modell’s Sporting Goods Stores beginning Thursday, December 17.
Source: Philadelphia Phillies