Nikewomen NFR Blog

How Delicious Is Your Training?

GevrinaSeferaj — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:30:03 GMT

Timing.

Balance.

Focus.

Speed.

All are elements that attribute to the success of an athlete. The thirst for competition, and the desire for improvement can at times make training very difficult. Despite the long hours at a pool or at a court, a workout/practice can be tough to push through. So, how do you turn your training regiment around and make it “Delicious?”

The answer lies within you! Seeing the Nike slogan “Delicious Training” made me think about what it meant. It also provoked not only a fascination out of me but it also made me want to change my workout to something that I could in fact refer to it as “Delicious.”

Everyone’s training routine is of course unique, so I decided to interview four girls that are involved in different sports. I interviewed a tennis player, dancer, basketball player and a swimmer. Each girl found her training to be both delicious and satisfying.

Alex, 22, plays tennis and is an overall athlete. Having played tennis since the age of five, Alex also picked up an interest in competing for a volleyball high school team as well as rowing for a Division I university. I asked what her interpretation of Delicious Training and she responded, “delicious training is the idea of training without knowing your training. When your addiction kicks in and all you want to do is be playing that sport. When nothing else matters besides the next point and everything else in your life drifts away except for that moment.”

The key phrase, “training without knowing that you’re actually training,” is so true. When I’m at the yoga studio or at lyrical jazz class, I give myself that one hour out of my busy schedule to relax and do something I love. When I’m dancing, regardless of how sore I might feel from the previous dance class, I become so enthralled in what I’m doing that the pain seems to go away.

I was able to relate to Kaylee, 20, who has danced for 17 years and at such an early age has earned the title of head coach for her alma mater this year. Her passion and love for her dance, has fueled her career to an early success. Kaylee describes dancing as her “get away from the real world even if it is for an hour. It keeps me in shape, happy and positive, and I couldn’t ask for more in something I love to do.”

The moment something you do becomes a routine is the moment that the passion and fire terminates. All four of these young ladies are zealous about their training, and all consider themselves to be passionate about their sport. It is important to realize however, that there is a distinction between playing a sport and the training that follows it.

Regardless, I still found myself asking, how can we break through, or manage the hard parts of a workout?

I asked Lara a swimmer, 21, if she thought her training was delicious? And all I got was, “Duh Gevvy, not only am I in a bathing suit, but I’m swimming under the sunny California weather.”

Her response was rather comical; of course she thinks her training is delicious. Why you might ask? Well, anyone can design their training to be delicious as long as they love what they do. Lara is proof of this theory as she not only loves swimming and the training that goes with it, but she loves to represent her sport. So much so, that she is training to reach her goal of getting a sectional time in the 100m and 200m backstroke.

Each one of these active women is passionate about what they do and are willingly to put in the time and discipline to train. Many times, and I’m definitely guilty of this, we forget how important training really is in our daily life. Whether you’re training for performance, or training to stay in shape, training should always be fun. This correlates with Beverly’s thoughts on her definition of Delicious Training. Beverly a 19-year-old basketball player said “the term, I think is mainly relevant to true athletes who have a passion for their sports; the delicious part of their training spuds from their passion, making their sport fun!”

Although Beverly is swamped with school work and playing both basketball and volleyball, she still keeps her training fun. Fun is the main component of her workout as she continues to excel in her performance among her teammates. Beverly attributes her eight years of basketball success to her training—“the reward comes from the endurance and agility.”

Alex, Kaylee, Lara and Beverly all understand that some days training can be tiring, but they all strive to make the hard spots of workouts fun—resulting in a more effective workout that benefits them in all aspects. Training is rewarding and gratifying.

After reading these experiences, how delicious is your training? Are you passionate about your training? All are valid questions to jump start the success of your workout regiment. I know I’m going to start to make my Delicious Training my own and truly make those cardio workouts yummy!

Start now! Making YOUR training delicious and make it your own! Be passionate about what you’re doing because in the long run, success will immediately follow after the time and effort is put forth.

-Gevrina Seferaj

Training Camp with Sue, Kara and Renee!

JamieErdahl — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:25:21 GMT

Like many of us lady athletes know, playing sports is exhausting, time consuming, and often times repetitive! Our parents start us at a ripe age, releasing us to run free on soccer fields, basketball courts, and softball diamonds. At the time, we have limitless energy. Willing to pour all of our free time into sports is something we were bred to do, and we loved every minute of it.

For the 22 ladies I watched participate in Team US Basketball Training Camp this past month – the level of commitment they have put into their sport is awe-inspiring. They practice, play, think, eat, sleep, and drink basketball everyday of their lives. With fitting accomplishments, these women have been rewarded the highest marks in the sport. Standing amongst National Champions at both the collegiate and professional level, I could not help but think to myself: I wonder how these ladies handle the everyday activity they are required to participate in, without feeling the looming “burn-out”?

I was able to talk with three Nike athletes: Sue Bird, Kara Lawson, and Renee Montgomery about this subject. Collectively, these three account for more than a dozen collegiate, professional, and Gold Medal level championships! However, they understood my lone question well, “When you eventually get time off, how do you keep active with non-basketball activities?” The smiles I received after asking the question meant only one thing. They completely understood where I was coming from, and they all had great answers behind those smiles.

“I, actually, LOVE to play squash! I try to play when I can, it’s not always that easy to find (a) a court and (b) somebody to play with…” Yes, Sue Bird loves that odd racquet sport played in a small room with a hollow ball. Fascinating, I know. Yet, for as good as she is at basketball, one friend she plays with back home is ‘too skilled’ for even Sue Bird. “He’s really good, unfortunately too good! I make him play lefty in order for me to compete.”

When asked the same question, Renee Montgomery drew a quick blank, which is easy to do when you play basketball so much – some may forget that there are other things to do in the off season! I gave her the example from teammate Sue Bird of playing squash, but Montgomery successfully squashed that idea. Instead, Renee relies on her family to keep her in shape during the off-season. “My sister doesn’t work out a lot, so getting her to go running with me at the track is motivating.” Montgomery’s overactive 12, 8, and 7-year-old nephews keep her on her toes, too. “It might not seem like exercise, but when you play football with those boys – it’s hectic!”

With some interesting pool workouts, Kara Lawson tries to engage in as much non-impact activity as she can. Skipping? Sprinting? All sound like track workouts, right? Instead, Kara reduces her pounding on the gym floor by doing these things in the pool. Also, after talking with Lawson, I am convinced she must read up on our NikeWomen.com blog articles. She is a BIG fan of Bikram Yoga! “I do that to work on my flexibility.” We’ve covered Bikram Yoga here at NikeWomen.com, what else have we covered? Shoes. Kara Lawson likes her shoes. “I like all different kinds..Sports shoes, I got soccer ones on right now! I like to change it up.”

No matter how far along you make it in your athletic careers, these ladies are certainly the type athletes you would want to model. They are motivated and determined. However, they would also be the first to tell you – change it up once in a while! Go try squash, maybe you can play Sue Bird one day?

-Jamie Erdahl

The Art Of Street Ball

MelissaEnaje — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:15:53 GMT

Streetball is like an oxymoron of sorts compared to basketball. That’s because the rules are both fairly similar and both are just as popular, yet players only use half the court. Also, the pinnacle focus shifts to the charisma and talent of individual players and their skills, the drama between the offensive player and their defender and all the trash talking in between. It’s almost like a soap opera version of the game of basketball between key players and their notoriety on the field.

So what’s my outlook on Streetball from a female’s point of view? I’ll take it from the last game I said “I got next.”

Rule #1: Try a court you’re familiar with such as the one on campus, indoors and even outdoors. I went to the outdoor court by the residential village. Once you gain your experience there can you think about escalating to a public level.

Rule #2: Please bring your “A” game. Do not let anyone intimidate you. Period.

Rule #3: Scope your competition. Choose to pick up “next” on a level you feel comfortable with.

Rule #4: Have fun. In a male-dominated sport, the intensity is definitely up a notch than what one can be used to. Your ego needs to be just as big.

I must say, after playing a pick up game with male counterparts, I felt proud to be representing for the ladies, although it took some time before others trusted my instincts. You really have one chance to use it or lose it. After some time, if the energy and skill is present, your “I got next” will shine just as much as you. Who knows what level of expertise can be opened by playing with competitors on a different level. You ready? It’s your call.

-Melissa Enaje

Lisa Leslie’s Legacy

SarinaMorales — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:00:44 GMT

She’s one of the only women to dunk in a game and now she’s one of the only women, scratch that, she is the only woman to own her very own pair of shiny gold Nike dunks! In celebration of her final regular season game, Nike sponsored a Lisa Leslie Legacy night. Grandma and the rest of the family came out and cheered for Lisa as she received gifts, signed autographs and was honored by some of her old teammates and coaches… you know your big stuff when Magic Johnson shows up to your final regular season game.

She’s arguably the best woman to play basketball and it seems like the limelight never affected her. In all the basketball games and various sporting events I’ve attended, I’ve never seen a player go above and beyond like she did. She not only signed tons of autographs, but she took off her shoes she wore in her game, signed them, and gave them away to a fan. She signed a ticket for a woman so far up in the stands; for sure, I thought she wouldn’t get noticed. Lisa caught the ticket that fluttered down, signed it and handed it to security to make sure it went back to the right hands.

What Lisa did for the game of basketball seemed to come back to her on this night. Fans threw her flowers from the stands. The sold out arena all cheered for her while wearing t-shirts that read, “Pass the Ball to the Girl.” Nike designed the tees specifically for Lisa’s Legacy Night. “Pass the Ball to the Girl” is a phrase Lisa remembers well. As a 6’2”, 14 year-old, although height was on her side, the boys on her team weren’t. Her teammates disliked the idea of a woman playing so much; they refused to pass her the ball. One game, Lisa had no other choice but to steal the ball from her own teammates just to score a point! From then on, fans that watched her play screamed, “Pass the ball to the girl.”

Fans and memories filled the arena, while teammates spoke about Lisa’s impact to the game, on and off the court. Lisa’s smile shined bright as she said, “I am truly humbled.” The game hadn’t even started and I was practically in tears watching her give the fans a farewell thank you.

It was obvious Lisa had a lot of support from her family and I now also know where Lisa gets her competitiveness. Her grandma said, “Lisa may be MVP of the court, but I’m MVP of the kitchen.” Being the best must be something that runs in her family.

-Sarina

Frustrated with Teammates?

AllieLaForce — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:15:43 GMT

After working with some of the most enthusiastic, genuine, and passionate leaders at Point Guard College (PGC) I will share with you the best way to deal with difficult or frustrating situations. This is written from a basketball perspective but can be applied to any sport and any challenge. First, celebrate your teammates! If teammates are unhappy every day it may be because of a lack of confidence. You have the choice to bring joy and excitement to the game by giving them positive encouragement, getting hyped when they make a great play, and really getting to know them on an individual level. One of the best concepts I learned at PGC was to work with a 6:1 ratio. For every six positive statements you give to a teammate, give one constructive criticism. Every player is different, and some actually respond best when they are yelled at, but the criticisms and advice will be significantly more meaningful if they are surrounded by motivating words. Another concept I learned at PGC is to say your teammates name first, then deliver the message. Most of us say something like, “Nice rebound, Sarah.” The problem with this is people don’t listen until they hear their name! So if we change things around to, “Sarah, nice rebound,” then she will be more likely to respond positively. This is a concept that is effective in all aspects of life, not just basketball. Try it out!

-Allie LaForce

IT'S MORE THAN A GAME

SarinaMorales — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:00:56 GMT

It’s more than a ball; it’s a utensil to score a point. It’s more than point; it’s step towards a win. It’s more than a win; it’s an experience. It’s More Than a Game; it’s the fans, the movie, the struggle and the passion for playing. LeBron James is more than a basketball player. He is an influence. He’s young and understands his role in basketball is more than being a player.

Out in Hollywood, where the movie stars roam, there is a new movie star rising. Sports, music and the big screen all mixed together for the final stop on the More than a Game Tour. Reigning MVP, LeBron James did it big, as he always does, to promote his new documentary. He traveled to three continents in just over two months for his world tour, The More than a Game Tour. It began in Chicago, where he bounced from coast to coast, country to continent, and concluded in Los Angeles.

His tour brought light to his movie, but also stressed the importance of the game to local youth. LeBron met with thousands of young basketball players all over the world to encourage teenagers to keep at basketball using good old grass root basketball activities. They had street ball tournaments. There were lots of contests and tons of free t-shirts! He also raffled some of his new Air Max LeBron VII shoes and invited some big name stars to come out and support his tour.

Each stop on the tour was more than just about him. It was about the kids that look up to him. LeBron is so young and already a huge influence to people our age. It’s great that he was able to bring his stardom down to reality. It takes a lot of practice to be good at the game, but it takes a whole lot of heart to share that game with the millions he has on this tour.

-Sarina

One Good Year

SarinaMorales — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:30:09 GMT

On a good day, I find a dollar on the floor. In a good week, I get to see an old friend, get in a good run and watch my hometown team win a series. In a good month, I go on vacation, see a great movie and lead my softball league in hits. In a good year, I avoid getting pooped on by a pigeon. (Live in New York, you don’t understand, it’s a task!)

For DeWanna Bonner, on a good day, she scores 16 points and grabs 13 rebounds. In a good week, she helps her team win two out of three games. In a good month, she wins Rookie of the Month. In a good year, she is awarded Sixth Woman of the Year and leads all rookies in double-doubles. Oh yeah, and she helps her team take home the championship trophy.

It’s because of her hustle and heart that DeWanna Bonner has the good days, the good weeks, the good months and good years. The 6’4” guard is just in her rookie season and already making her mark in the professional women’s basketball league. Most importantly, she’s having a good time doing it all. Whether it’s singing in the locker room or dancing at the airport, DeWanna feels very much a part of a team. She was all dressed to go out with her teammates during our interview. There is a really strong family out in Phoenix; one she feels very much a part of.

She says, “I can’t imagine playing anywhere else.”

I look forward to seeing her success grow in the years to come. You can’t look past all her success in the past year when she’s winning it all; and to think, it’s only the beginning. Congratulations on your big win!

-Sarina

The Finals: “This is what you dream about”

AudreySchnur — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:45:32 GMT

This was not a house party. But it sure felt like one.

This past Thursday, I made the trip from Cincinnati to Indianapolis to watch the fourth game in the WNBA Finals – Indiana vs. Phoenix. It was as if something was on the line everywhere I looked. Not only was Phoenix trailing Indiana in the 2-1 split series, but also these ladies play like they always have their backs to the wall.

Everyone in the stadium was on his or her feet throughout the entire night. An Indiana fan in front of me actually screamed out that if anyone sat down before Indy made their first basket, they would kick them out. She was wearing a chicken on her head so I didn’t challenge her. When Phoenix’s star player, Diana Taurasi, got called on a foul, the seats would erupt in noise – both cheers and booing. During every time-out, Indiana’s dancing group came out (the “Inferno”) and had the fans literally following along in movement to songs. I had to duck several times so that a flying free t-shirt or a bag of cotton candy wouldn’t hit me. It wasn’t a house party – but it was close.

I found myself torn between the two teams. Each has so much to offer a fan that my “pro and con list” came out pretty even. I asked Ilene Hauser, who works with the Nike sponsored athletes, which team she was rooting for and she made a very good point. “I don’t have a favorite, but I’d like to see a game five,” she said. See? Good point. That would mean that Phoenix would have to pull off a win at Indiana’s home court.

Phoenix didn’t disappoint. They beat Indiana in game four 90 -77. And “they did it the hard way. Now we’ll have to do it the hard way in Phoenix,” said Coach Dunn in the post-game press conference.

I spoke to Phoenix guard DeWanna Bonner in the locker room after the game. Although Phoenix is known for being an upbeat team with a rock star cast of characters, she said their approach to the fifth game on Friday was going to be, “laidback. Just doing what we always do.”

Indiana would be taking a similar approach.
“If you’re a penetrater, you need to penetrate. If you’re a shooter, you need to shoot,” said Tamika Catchings, Indiana forward.

The fifth game was in Phoenix so I bit my nails from my couch back in Cincinnati. Both teams played really good basketball –plain and simple. They made the right passes, took the ball up the middle when they had the option and hit more three’s than I could count. My dad who was watching the game with me was pretty impressed too (congrats, ladies – you’ve hooked one more fan).

Down until the last minute, the game remained only a few points apart. After a couple missed three pointers by Indiana, Diana Taurasi secured Phoenix’s 94-86 finish with two free throws. Indiana wanted their first title badly but Phoenix just wasn’t ready to give it up. In the world of sports, greed can pay off when the game is on the line.
Great job Indiana and congratulations to the “Mighty Mercury.” Watching you ladies play made me realize how much I miss playing basketball.

-Audrey Schnur

Congrats Dee!

AudreySchnur — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:35:21 GMT

This is not the story of David and Goliath. Not some fable about a tortoise and a hare. Don’t expect Tweetie Bird to outsmart Sylvester this time...

In this story, the queen gets her crown.

After a stellar performance in the five-game finals, Nike athlete Diana Taurasi was named MVP (holla!). With 26 points, three blocks and four assists there is no question that Taurasi was simply “on” Friday night.

Taurasi is quickly becoming the face of women’s basketball. There is no other player with the sheer skill, competitive drive or focus that Taurasi has. She is a leader figure to both her teammates and sports-loving girls everywhere. With the finals games on the line, Taurasi was able to pull through again and again for her team and her city. Last week, I watched her get knocked down, heckled at and pushed to physical exhaustion. Yet she maintained her grace as only an experienced athlete could as she rallied her team up until the final minute.

So from all of us on the NFR team, congratulations, Diana! You got what you deserved!

-Audrey Schnur

If you aren’t contributing, you’re contaminating

AllieLaForce — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:22:39 GMT

Take a moment to think about this phrase. Is every place better after you have been there? Do you go the extra mile? If not, why should you? These questions seem complicated but I assure you the answer is simple. I recently attended Point Guard College, or PGC. PGC is a program initiated by Dick DeVenzio and carried on by Dena Evens to teach players how to go from good to great. Most of us can figure out how to transition from average to good, but it is the leap from good to great that only special athletes can achieve. The program is designed to create a championship style environment to teach basketball essentials and life skills.

The PGC I attended was unique because it was the first event exclusively for college athletes. I attended as a Nike representative and because I simply love the game of basketball. I am not playing in college anymore, unlike the other players at PGC, and I do not have a coach or a team that is looking up to me when I get back to school. So, my attitude going into PGC was that I didn’t need to try my hardest. I could go through the motions and get away with it because I didn’t have anything to prove. So much of what we learn as athletes is to do whatever it takes to win. Almost everything we do is geared toward reaching a specific goal. The problem is the majority of those goals are tangible, like an MVP award or a national championship ring, and since I was finished competing for these tangible goals I thought it was OK to practice mediocrity.

We entered the gym on Day 1 and began a dynamic warm up: lunges, abs, high knees, etc., and after about 10 min I recognized something was missing inside of me. I was unhappy, I lacked energy, and I was bringing down the rest of the group. It wasn’t that I was doing anything wrong, I just wasn’t giving my best to the group. I wasn’t making an effort to make my teammates better. By not having energy and enhancing my environment, I was contaminating it. There is no middle ground. You either contribute or contaminate.

You might be thinking this doesn’t make sense or it’s too hard to contribute ALL the time. The truth is...it is hard. But for me, it’s harder to go through life wondering if things could have been better. Being a “shaper,” as PGC calls it, is a full time job. Whether you are on the court or not, if you want to be extraordinary, and no one can stop you but yourself. At PGC the directors talked about mental toughness as one element of being a shaper. They define mental toughness as, “being able to have more of an influence on your environment than your environment has on you.”

The gym was excruciatingly hot and I was so sore that I could barely move, which is enough for the average athlete to call it quits. The exciting part about sports comes when you think you can’t go any longer but you find a way how. You can focus on the heat and the soreness or you CHOOSE to change your thoughts. Instead of thinking about the negatives think about your strengths or give yourself reminders on what you want to focus on during your next workout. Being the best is an opportunity and you have the choice...Just do it!

-Allie LaForce

Visit the PGC website get more information or register for a Point Guard College session.

Lisa Leslie “Passes the Ball” as she Retires

SuziTheodory — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:00:07 GMT

Today Lisa Leslie will play her final regular season professional basketball game before “passing the ball” to the next generation of athletes. As one of the greatest players to ever play the game, Leslie will forever be an idol and without a doubt inspire athletes of all ages and genders for generations to come.

To commemorate Leslie’s retirement, Nike hosted a celebration at Niketown in Beverly Hills this week and I was there. Bus loads of students from local high schools including Morningside High School, Leslie’s alma mater, filled Niketown sporting shirts with Leslie’s number on the back and an important phrase printed on the front. We’ll get to that phrase in a little, but before that let’s talk about what went down at the celebration.

Leslie came out with her two-year old daughter Lauren to cheers from students with big basketball dreams who aspire to follow in her legacy. After Lauren opened up the forum by singing “Row, row, row your boat” to the youth in attendance, it was meet and greet time!

Being the ambassador that she is, Leslie spread several messages to those who attended about both life and sports. When asked why she decided to retire at the age of 37 and at the prime of her game, Leslie said she wants to end her career on a high note. She feels it’s best to leave the game when she has the ability to play at her best. “At 37 I try to do it better than anybody else, but with that being said, I don’t want to stay out there playing till I can’t jump anymore, she expressed.” “I feel like I owe it to the fans to play at a certain level and bring my A game every time I’m out on the floor and I feel this is a great time for me since I’m at my prime, playing good basketball.”
Leslie will retire as the league’s career leader in scoring and rebounding and the first player in the Women's Professional Basketball League to record 6-thousand points, not to mention win four consecutive gold medals.

The Q & A session ended with Leslie raffling off an autographed pair of shoes which were won by two high school students in attendance. I spoke to one of the winners, Morningside High student Ashli Smith who was thrilled being that Leslie is one of her biggest idols. About Leslie’s retirement, Smith says ”She gave her time to the league and she can go home and chill now.”

Though the event had come to an end, Leslie had a couple more questions to answer from me. Now it’s time for me to explain the printed phrase “Pass the Ball to the Girl” on the shirts I mentioned earlier. So I asked Leslie to explain to me the meaning behind the six words.

Leslie told me that she’s gone after what she wanted and achieved so many goals that now it’s time to “pass the ball” to the next generation. “Hopefully my story has inspired other young girls, but at the same time I hope they will feel a sense of responsibility to receive the ball and uphold a certain level of class and dignity and be the best they can be, said Leslie.”

Happy Retirement Lisa...you will be missed!

-Suzi Theodory

Sole Purpose

SarinaMorales — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:00:59 GMT

Growing up and playing ball, Candice Wiggins knows, what you wear on your feet means more than whether it’s a sneaker or a sandal. “I remember growing up everyone wanted to rock Jordan’s.” Now, as a woman dominating in basketball as well, she too has the opportunity to create a shoe that stands for a cause.

“I always wanted to implement my cause and my story into something.” Candice, who was directly affected by AIDS growing up, decided to create a sneaker to help spread the awareness of the fatal disease. “In the 90’s, it was very new and very scary. AIDS was very taboo.”

Her father, Alan Wiggins, was a professional athlete as well. He played outfield, as well as second base, in San Diego and Baltimore. He died of AIDS complications in the early 1990’s. Candice was merely 4 years old. Now Candice is grown up and dominating in her own sport. She feels now is a great time for her to raise the awareness. “Anything I can do to be an inspiration, I jump at the chance.”

Candice hopes all people can raise awareness and still personalize their own story at the same time. Candice will add her dad’s initials to her own all-red pair of Hyperdunk iD’s and the number “15” for the 15 million children orphaned due to Aids worldwide. One of the more dominant features Candice customized can be found on the tongue of the shoe. KNOW UR STATUS is written as a message to take personal responsibility and destigmatize the testing process.

Candice will be wearing her own pair of the Hyperdunk iD’s at the Minnesota VS LA game on September 11th to honor her dad, raise awareness and celebrate her new partnership with the Children Affected by Aids Foundation (www.caaf.org).

“It’s a really special day for me.” It’s Lisa Leslie’s final game now that she’s going into retirement. “She gave me the platform to play.”

-Sarina

Customize for what you stand with NIKEiD at Nikewomen.com

Big Kids Sports: Bringing it back to the old school

AshleyCeaser — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:24:36 GMT

I don’t know about you, but I have to admit I miss the days of lunch and recess. Those were the times in elementary school when I would eat my lunch as fast as I could so I could go out to the playground, and continue the never-ending tournaments of tetherball, ball wall, dodgeball, 4 square and kickball. But then, I grew up (and so did everyone else).

Meet Big Kids Sports (BKS). Founded by Justin Vavuris and Sean McDermott in May 2008, BKS was formed to encourage/foster social networking and community building.

“Currently, there’s no real, organized space for adults to socialize other than the local bar scene,” relayed Vavuris. “BKS provides that alternative, so that adults in Palo Alto can go out, meet new people, and have fun without bars and alcohol as the only focal point. It’s a self-selecting group too, so the likelihood that you’ll meet someone with a similar interest in an active lifestyle is much higher.”

Based in Palo Alto, CA, BKS offers non-traditional old school sports such as Wiffleball, kickball, dodgeball. The program also includes softball, soccer, basketball and flag football leagues. And to continue the fun into the grown-up world, they offer team building and corporate events. They currently have almost 400 members with approximately half of the participants being women.

Anyone can join (you just have to be over 21) and best of all, membership is free. For more information, you can check out them out at the Big Kid Sports website or on Facebook. Who said growing up was no fun?

-Ashley Ceaser

Moving the Masses by Making Movies

LaurenBrill — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:23:53 GMT

Susan Seidelman may not sink a jump shot like Diana Taurasi or smash a softball like Jessica Mendoza but like these great athletes, she also has a winning career. Seidelman is a renowned movie director whose near 30-year career includes a hit TV show as well as award winning studio and independent films. However like many female athletes, Seidelman had few female role models growing up. Traditionally Hollywood directors were males who had a domineering presence. At 5’1, Seidelman developed her own style using her mind instead of her physical stature to captain a movie set. A pioneer in the industry, Seidelman embraced her womanhood rather than attempting to disguise it by telling stories from a female perspective. Motivated by the fact that she has something to say, movie making is the art form that allows Seidelman’s voice to be heard loud and clear.

As great athletes embody many of the qualities that helped Seidelman succeed, it is no surprise that Seidelman’s upcoming project called Hot Flashes, tells a story of female athletes. The movie takes place in a rural town in Texas where a group of middle-aged women challenge the girl s high school state basketball champions to a charitable match, after their former teammate dies of breast cancer. An upbeat, comedic movie, Seidelman hopes that through the spirit of athletics she can reverse the negative stereotypes of aging and remind all that a competitive attitude and a feminine demeanor are not conflicting characteristics.

With a goal to entertain as well as educate her audience, Seidelman said she hopes viewers will learn through Hot Flashes that “The only limitations you have in life are the ones that you impose on yourself.” However coming from a woman who has climbed over barriers, explored unchartered territories and redefined the rules of directing, the only story she needed to tell to inspire me...is her own.

-Lauren Brill

Calling All Gym Class Heroes

meghanbrennan — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:35:21 GMT

Much to the dismay of my parents, P.E. was my finest hour in high school. Actually, P.E. and Creative Writing. I thrived in both, but especially 7th hour Elective P.E. my senior year.

Physical Education acts as the governing league to a slew of sports you can’t find post high school. I can’t remember the last time I dodged a red rubber ball or ripped a flag belt of the opposing team’s wide receiver, to prevent a first down.

The good news is; I’m not the only former gym class hero living in Chicago. Since the city decided to finally unveil the sunshine, the kickball and ultimate frisbee leagues are out in full force.

It’s time to re-live the glory days.

Chicago Social Club offers leagues in beach volleyball to ping pong and more. Try bowling or basketball on Tuesday nights or sailing on Sundays. You want it? They’ve got it.

It’s a fun, competitive way to stay fit this summer. What are you waiting for Captain of Kickball? I know you can’t wait to make a league of your own.

-Meghan