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Archive for August, 2008

The Women’s Sports Foundation’s will be presenting its 2008 Sportswoman of the Year award in Ocotber. Sports fans can vote their favorite nominee through midnight, Sept. 2 and be entered in a drawing to win one of five items autographed by your favorite sportswomen, on the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Web site.  The winner will be presented at the Annual Salute to Women in Sports Dinner on Oct. 14 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.

Athletes were considered for their athletic achievements from Aug. 1, 2007, through Aug. 24, 2008.  The ten women who were nominated are:

  1. Nastia Liukin, gymnastics
  2. Mao Asada, figure skating
  3. Veronica Campbell-Brown, track
  4. Natalie Coughlin, swimming
  5. Ashley Fiolek, motocross
  6. Allison Fisher, billiards
  7. Yelena Isinbayeva, pole vault
  8. Lorena Ochoa, golf
  9. Lindsey Vonn, downhill skiing
  10. Rebecca Ward, fencing

Support your favorite athlete and vote!!! I am split – I’d like to vote for Liukin and Coughlin!

Categories : In the News
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Aug
25

Dear Olympics – I Miss You

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photo – Xinhua/Xu Jiajun via Olympic Spirit

Dear Olympics,

I miss you already! For the past two weeks you have filled my days and nights with the most amazing stories, pictures, and emotions. The victories, defeats, records broken, medals won, and legends created were more than I ever imagined they would be.

Your Opening Ceremonies were such a fitting introduction to the magnitude that these games would be. They were colorful, larger than life, exquisitely choreographed and so emotionally moving! Then you brought us:

  • Michael Phelps and his awe-inspiring performances in the Water Cube. Something tells me he will be just as impressive in 2012.
  • Natalie Coughlin and her equally impressive 6 medals in one games – not to mention defending her gold in the 100m backstroke. In a way I feel that Natalie’s accomplishments were somewhat overshadowed by Phelps and some of the bigger stories, but she has definitely earned the title of Swimming’s Golden Girl as far as I am concerned.
  • The US Men’s Gymnastics team and the clutch performance by Alexander Artemev to clinch bronze when no one thought they stood a chance at any medal. I have never seen a group of truly appreciative athletes.
  • The heartbreak of the US Women’s Gymnastics team as they faced adversity after adversity losing Shayla Worley (before the team was officially selected) to injury, then Chellsie Memmel broke her foot prior to prelims and only competed (bravely) on bars, and then Samantha Peszek sprained her ankle, leaving Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, Alicia Sacramone, and Bridget Sloan to face the Chinese (are they really 16?) on their own. In the end, they earned their silver medal and can wear it very proudly!
  • Misty May and Kerri Walsh are such a class act! I loved seeing Kerri Walsh thanking the volunteer who found her wedding ring that had been lost in the sand. And they won their matches with style and passion, too.
  • Dara Torres was the epitome of sportsmanship during the games! Truly happy about her silver medal performances, she seemed even more comfortable in the role of coach/cheerleader to the other athletes – getting them ready, letting the officials know about a delay due to a suit issue of a competitor, and congratulating them afterwards. Dara, dear, you need to go into coaching – you’d be fantastic.
  • Usain Bolt and all the other Jamaican runners – you are just amazing! Bolt made being fast look just too easy and graceful at the same time.
  • Nastia Liukin’s performance in the Women’s Gymnastics All Around final was in a league of its own – seriously. She IS gymnastics – poised, elegant, flexible, strong, powerful, creative, and beautiful. I am so happy for her. And while Shawn Johnson was the obvious media favorite, she got her day – in the balance beam finals by tumbling on 4″ like it was 4′ wide.
  • And the list goes on and on. So many amazing performances, so many athletes with stories to tell.

My only consolation is that I can watch you over and over again thanks to the magic of Tivo and I can visit nbcolympics.com to see all the heats, prelims, finals, races, routines and interviews I may have missed.

So long my dear friend. Looking forward to visiting with your Winter Olympics cousin in 2010 and seeing you again in London during the summer of 2012.

Categories : Olympics
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As the kids get ready to go back to school and after school sports practices kick back in, take time to fuel your athlete with healthy mini meals. We have found that four small meals a day is the best balance for my daughters – they eat breakfast before school, have a packed lunch at school, then they eat a mini-dinner between school and gymnastics (or swimming depending on the day), and then they have another mini-meal after practice.

A few years ago a friend of mine, who is a registered nutritionist, gave us a great list of healthy lunch box and snack ideas. I keep this list posted on the inside of the cabinet in the kitchen for quick reference.

  • Tuna sandwich on whole grain bread
  • Egg salad sandwich on whole grain bread
  • Smoked or roast turkey breast on whole grain bread
  • Lean roast beef on whole grain bread
  • Natural peanut butter and all fruit spread on whole grain bread
  • Whole wheat pita topped with pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese (not the Lunchables)
  • Starkist Tuna Kits
  • Roll-ups – fill whole wheat flour tortillas with refried beans and shredded cheese; tuna fish; smoked turkey breast with shredded lettuce and cheese; or make your own combinations
  • Hot soup in a thermos
  • Fresh fruit – apple slices (drizzle with orange juice to keep from turning brown), small bunch of grapes, banana, orange slices, strawberries, blueberries
  • Container of unsweetened applesauce
  • Container of reduced fat yogurt – stay away from the ones with sprinkles or added toppings
  • Fruit roll-ups or fruit leather made with real fruit puree
  • Raw carrots, broccoli or cauliflower with ranch dressing
  • Mini salads – place cut up romaine or other dark, leafy greens in plastic container with lid. Place croutons in aluminum foil to be added and put salad dressing in small container with lid .
  • Celery with peanut butter and raisins
  • Mozzarella cheese sticks
  • Raw almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews and peanuts (if there are no peanut allergies in the class)
  • Trail mix made of dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries), raw almonds or other nuts, sunflower seeds, mini pretzel rings or sticks, goldfish pretzels, popcorn, etc
  • Baked tortilla chips and salsa
  • Natural peanut butter on whole grain crackers
  • For more ideas, check out Lunch Boxes and Snacks: Over 120 healthy recipes from delicious sandwiches and salads to hot soups and sweet treats

With a little planning and some creativity, you can give your athlete the fuel her body needs and avoid unhealthy stops at fast food restaurants, too.

Categories : Nutrition
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