Archive for July, 2011
Sports Girls Play Recommended Reading July 23
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From World Cup Soccer to the return of some of gymnastics’ legends to the FINA World Championships in swimming, there is just so many great opportunities to follow girls sports this week. Here are some of my favorite reads for the week:
- I know summer swim season is just about over for us, but this article on determining whether your child is ready for summer swim team is too good to pass up. A lot of the points they make regarding summer swim – like meeting minimum skill requirements and taking directions from someone other than a parent are important factors in deciding if your child is ready to participate in organized sports.
- My daughter is headed to golf camp next week and has already been out cleaning up her clubs and getting her bag ready. I can only imagine how she would act on the golf course if she got a hole in one like six year old Reagan Kennedy did recently.
- Former Olympic Gymnast, Amy Chow is just amazing! She was on the 1996 and 2000 Olympic teams for gymnastics, went to Stanford and got her degree in medicine, is a licensed pediatrician and surgeon, then tried her hand at pole vaulting and did so at the elite level. Now Amy is back with another challenge – platform diving! I tell you this lady is amazing! Although she recently sustained an injury in training, the fact that she has been able to go from just playing around with diving in 2008 to being a contender on the National scene now is remarkable!
- Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin is 29 and has no intentions of retiring any time soon. She will be competing this week at the FINA World Championships and has her sights set on London in 2012.
- While we are on the topic of swimming, I found one of the most complete and common sense guides to youth swimming. From who decides what events your child will swim at a meet to how are relays determined, what to bring to a meet to why did my child get DQ’d, this is the PERFECT resource for new swim parents.
- Still on the topic of swimming, I went looking for this t-shirt with the saying, “If I only had one day to live I would spend it at a swim meet, because they last forever!” and instead I found this great article called In Praise of Swimming. The best point in the entire article is that swimmers train in a co-ed environment, unlike so many sports. As a result, the girls on the team are not seen as anything other than teammates – and that is a great thing!
- My latest article for Snackpicks.com is out. The focus is on making the most of local family activities – what to do, what to take, and how to capture the memories. Check it out!
Veterans Johnson, Memmel and Sacramone Set to Compete at the 2011 Covergirl Classic
Posted by: | CommentsI don’t know if you are feeling it yet, but I sure have a case of pre-Olympic fever starting to brew! The 2011 Covergirl Classic which is taking place in Chicago this weekend and the audience is in for a treat! The 2011 CoverGirl Classic is the final qualifying event for the 2011 Visa Championships, which is USA Gymnastics’ national championship scheduled for Aug. 17-20 in Saint Paul, Minn.
One of the most well known gymnasts in recent history, 19 year old Shawn Johnson, has decided that she is not ready to call it quits, rather she would like to compete in another Olympics. She will be competing for the first time since the 2008 Olympics in hopes of qualifying to the Visa Championships in August, gaining a spot on the World Championships Team and ultimately representing the USA at the 2012 Games. Johnson is not alone, however! Her Beijing teammate Alicia Sacramone (23), who came out of retirement earlier and won the World Championship Vault title last year, will also be competing three events (Vault, Beam and Floor – Bars is just not Alicia’s favorite event!) and Chellsie Memmel (Two-time World Champion in 2003 at the age of 15) who is also making her comeback at age 23.
While these three rock stars of the gymnastics world will be garnering some serious media attention, senior superstars like Jordyn Wieber, Rebecca Bross, and Aly Raismann will be vying for their time in the spotlight, too. Adding to the excitement will be some new talent on the senior scene like Gabrielle Douglas, who moved from Virginia Beach, VA to Iowa to train at Chow’s side-by-side with Shawn Johnson; McKayla Maroney, and my favorite from last year’s junior division, Sabrina Vega.
There is already some excellent coverage and commentary on the athletes, podium training and some predictions – I recommend:
- The Couch Gymnast’s very in depth preview of the Covergirl Classic athletes – who to watch and why
- Full Twist’s Covergirl Classic Preview
- Gymnastike has some of the most extensive coverage of the competition with videos of podium training, interviews with the competitors and commentary already to go
- The USA Gymnastics web site and Facebook page will have constant updates, photos and results
- Universal Sports will be covering the senior competition and will stream it live on UniversalSports.com, too
So, who do you think will emerge as the champion, the ones to watch as we head into this Olympic year, and who do you think might be over-hyped?
USA Women’s Soccer Team: Out of Mia’s Shadow and Into the Hearts of a New Generation
Posted by: | CommentsSomething tells me that when the USA vs Brazil Women’s Soccer game kicked off earlier this week, no one imagined how HUGE the game would prove to be. And with the kickoff of the semi-final game against France just moments away, I can’t help but think that this amazing team of women has done more for women’s soccer in one week than has been accomplished since Mia Hamm retired her cleats. Mia and women’s soccer have been synonymous for years, but names like Hope (Solo) and Abby (Wambach) are bringing the passion, excitement, athleticism, and determination to a new generation of girls and for that we thank them! Not just Hope and Abby, but the entire US Women’s Team and their coaches.
In case you missed it, here are highlights from the epic comeback of the US Team against Brazil.
If you have not been consumed by this US Women’s Soccer Fever yet, I dare you not to watch the coverage of the game – it is as exciting as any Superbowl, any Stanley Cup Game or Olympic Swimming Relay – seriously! Go tune in now at ESPN or ESPN3.com and catch the soccer bug!
And if you haven’t already, get your 2011 USA Women’s World Cup Gear Today! 
