Compete July 2016

FREDDY

NIBLACK'S

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

2016 SUMMER

OLYMPICS TAKE RIO

MARCHING FOR LGBT EQUALITY GSWS SERIES HEADS TO AUSTIN

10 WORKOUT TIPS

WORLD GAY RODEO FINALS PREVIEW JULY 2016 • VOL. 10 NO. 7 $3.95 • COMPETENETWORK.COM

JULY 2016 Volume 10, Issue 7

PUBLISHERS Eric Carlyle • eric@competenetwork.com Patrick Gamble • patrick@competenetwork.com COMPETE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief Connie Wardman • connie@competenetwork.com Style Editor Bobby Ciletti • bobby@competenetwork.com Graphic Design Assistant Matt Boyd • mattb@competenetwork.com Field Ambassador Alfonzo Chavez • alfonzo@competenetwork.com Contributors Harry Andrew, Ian Colgate, Jared Garduno, Jeff Kagan, Ali Kay, Miriam Latto, Bryan Lee, Michael Losier, Kevin Majoros, Dr. Rob Elliott Owens, Brian Patrick and Sarah Woodward Photographers Thomas Fleisher, Leland Gebhardt and Robert Mercer Sales & Partnerships sales@competenetwork.com Administration Camille Powell • camille@competenetwork.com Copyright © 2016 MEDIA OUT LOUD, LLC All Rights Reserved.

Corporate Office 4703 South Lakeshore Drive, Suite 3 Tempe, Arizona 85282 • 480-222-4223 Compete is a trademark of Media Out Loud, LLC MISSION STATEMENT Compete unites the world through sports.

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16 THE OLYMPICS' ROCKY ROAD TO RIO 30 GAY PRO RACE DRIVER FREDDY NIBLACK KICK–OFF

11 COMMUNITY HERO

LAVO’s Eric Gonzales

12 LEFT FIELD

Speed Read, Grandstanding,Thumbs UP/DOWN

DEPARTMENTS 24 MVP

Torri M. Stewart

27 INTERVIEW

Olympic Gold Medal Winner Nancy Hogshead Makar

SPORTS 32 33 34 36

World Gay Rodeo Finals Turns 30 Gay Softball World Series Turns 40 World OutGames Registration is Open March to Equality

OVERTIME 38 NUTRITION

How Celebs & Pro Athletes Stay Fit & Vibrant

40 FITNESS

10 Workout Tips for Weekend Warriors

42 GYM BAG 44 EVENTS 46 STYLE

Keeping Your Summer Body Style-Ready

COMPETE ONLINE

Check out Compete stories, videos and more online at: competenetwork.com www.CompeteNetwork.com

COVER ATHLETE Freddy Niblack SPORT Professional Race Car Driver PHOTOGRAPHER Hilary Ann Anderson-Frank

| COMPETE | 5

FROM THE SKYBOX

BY ERIC CARLYLE, PUBLISHER/CEO

HERE WE GROW AGAIN – INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW COMPETE APP

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@CompeteEric

here are many changes taking place in the sports world as it becomes more welcoming and accepting of diversity in sports.

As an early pioneer in the sports diversity movement, Compete continues to change, too.

While our print edition remains extremely popular among athletes and sports fans, our digital base continues to grow at a record pace as more and more people discover our magazine. A day doesn’t go by now where a reader doesn’t tell us how much he or she has enjoyed reading Compete.

We love that!

That kind of feedback is very motivating for us. Our mission, of course, is uniting the world through sports. And we’ve taken another positive step toward growing that mission by launching our own mobile app. You can find the Compete app online at the iPhone App Store and on Google play.

You can now enjoy Compete while practicing for your next big tournament, while playing against your biggest rival, cheering on your favorite professional sports team, taking a morning run, relaxing at the beach or even while you enjoy a coffee break at work.

Of course, you can still find the print edition of Compete at your favorite pick up location, and Compete’s digital issue is always available online at CompeteNetwork.com.

We’d love to hear from you. Tell us where you find Compete. Is it at your local pick up location? In your mailbox? Online at CompeteNetwork.com? Or now, at your favorite app store? Let us know by emailing editor@competenetwork.com.

Sport On,

Eric Carlyle Publisher/CEO eric@competenetwork.com

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| COMPETE | July 2016

FROM THE CATBIRD SEAT

BY CONNIE WARDMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ATHLETES WITH HEART

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n this issue we’re looking at the Summer Olympic Games being held next month in Rio de Janeiro. Each Olympic celebration has a flavor all its own; a mixture of sports and the current international political climate. There is the drama of wonderful athletes competing first in their own countries to make their national Olympic teams and then their final preparations to compete on the world stage @CompeteConnie that the Olympic Games has become.

All of that drama plays out on the larger global stage of current political power and control issues, economic and environmental problems and doping scandals, however. You know there are real problems when on June 28 Rio’s acting mayor tells CNN that the Olympics could be a “big failure.” But somehow, at the last minute all of it comes together in the glorious spectacle of the opening and closing ceremonies and the breathtaking competition that keeps most of us glued to our various communication devices for 19 days So while the Road to Rio is a little rocky, the athletes who have spent the better part of their lives preparing for this moment will be able to experience their lifelong dream of competing against the world’s best in their sport and becoming an Olympian. While we’ve covered some athletes and teams we know that our readers are most interested in, we still send good luck wishes to all the athletes from around the world who will be living their dream come August 5 In this issue we’ve interviewed former Olympian Nancy Hogshead Makar. A well-known advocate for equity in sports, she is continuing to make a positive difference in the sports world, particularly for women and girls. We’ve also featured professional race car driver Freddy Niblack – not only is he out and proud, he’s also proud of the LGBT community, especially its response to the tragic massacre in Orlando. And Eric Gonzalez of Los Angeles Volleyball Organization (LAVO) is our Community Hero. He’s the executive director of the WeHo Sports Festival (WSF) being held over the Labor Day weekend on the campus of UCLA. If you learn one thing in this issue above all else, it’s that athletes may or may not win a competition but they will always find a way to overcome any difficulties they face in life because they have heart!

Keep Smiling,

Connie Wardman, Editor-in-Chief connie@competenetwork.com

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| COMPETE | July 2016

MENTION COMPETE WHEN ORDERING TO RECEIVE A FREE GIFT

COMMUNITY HERO

KICKOFF

Eric Gonzales Executive Vice President, Los Angeles Volleyball Organization, Inc. Sport: Volleyball

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his month’s community hero is Eric Gonzales who serves as the full-time executive vice president of the Los Angeles Volleyball Organization, Inc., better known as LAVO. We recently spoke with him about his involvement in the sports diversity movement.

Compete: What sports have you played in the past, Eric? Have you always been a volleyball player?

Eric Gonzales: I never was really into sports in high school. I was mainly into academics and extracurricular activities such as journalism and holding class office. But when I moved to Los Angeles I didn’t know anyone and I needed to find something to do. That’s when I found volleyball! I didn’t realize then that it would become my passion.

C: Please tell us your role with the upcoming WeHo Sports Festival and what you consider the best thing about working with it.

EG: I’m the executive director. The buck stops with me, so to speak.

My job is to make sure that we organize the best WeHo Sports Festival (WSF) each year and that our participants enjoy themselves. I absolutely love it. I love the fact that several different organizations can come together and put on an event that our community can be proud of. I love to see that participating numbers of the different sports are growing. I hope this becomes a permanent tradition.

C: Is there a special involvement with the LGBT sports community?

EG: The fact that most of the sports participating in WSF are LGBTfocused organizations is the best part! It’s a space where you can be yourself, show your athletic abilities and make friends outside of the traditional bar scenes. The people you are playing with share your passion for that sport and those friendships tend to last a very long time.

LAVO is heavily involved with the LGBT community. Our headquarters are here in West Hollywood and our membership is well over 50 percent LGBT volleyball players. LAVO is the largest organizer of volleyball tournaments on behalf of the North American Gay Volleyball Association (NAGVA). Our tournaments draw hundreds of gay volleyball players. We always sell out; we never have enough space to accommodate the demand. It’s a good problem to have, I suppose.

C: Dare we ask you your favorite sport?

EG: Volleyball, of course.

But dodgeball is fun, too.

C: Tell us about your favorite professional and/ or college sports teams.

Photo courtesy of Eric Gonzales

EG: Although my university is not a D1 school [the University of California, Santa Cruz], I support my sister school – I’m team UCLA! I root for all the sports but of course, volleyball is close to my heart.

C: How about sharing some of your favorite past times with our readers, Eric.

EG: I used to love buying and selling homes when I was in real estate. I’m kind of getting the itch again to go back and dabble here and there. We’ll see.

C: With all your hard work, have you received any special awards honoring your achievements?

EG: It’s nice to win awards, but I’m most proud of the work I have accomplished. My significant achievements have been the creation of LAVO and all the milestones that have come with it. It has grown so big, so fast that it has surpassed my expectations.

Now, the WSF is my latest achievement. What we have talked about doing for so long finally has come true – we’re actually doing it. The work comes with a lot of stress but it makes me really happy.

In the end, watching everyone having a great time is my reward.

C: Have you had a role model, someone who has positively influenced you along the way?

EG: Growing up, my uncle was my role model. I wanted to grow up and be successful and smart like he was. He was an engineer so I wanted to be an engineer. But I realized engineering wasn’t for me.

These days, I draw inspiration from special people in my life and sometimes from people I read about.

C: Thanks for letting us get to know you better and the role you play in the LGBT sports community, Eric. Is there anything else you’d like to share with Compete’s readers?

EG: Yes -- I hope to see many new faces at WSF 2016!

The 2016 WeHo Sports Festival is being held on the UCLA campus over Labor Day weekend, September 2-4.

DO YOU KNOW A COMMUNITY HERO? Community Heroes is a regular feature in Compete Magazine. Nominate deserving individuals by emailing us at heroes@competenetwork.com and include a brief biography of or a link to your nominee.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

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KICKOFF

LEFT FIELD

SPEED READ

WORLDWIDE DOPING SCANDALS IMPACT 2016 RIO SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

PRESIDENT OBAMA DESIGNATES STONEWALL INN AS NEW NATIONAL MONUMENT

With a continued hue and cry about Olympic athletes winning due to doping, the International Olympic Committee has begun to retest blood samples (now preserved for 10 years instead of prior eight years) from both the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing and the 2012 Summer Games in London. The IOC is already notifying the 12 national Olympic committees whose athletes have had positive tests from the Beijing Games while tests continue on the London samples. Athletes who show a second positive on the retest are to be banned from participating in the Rio Games.

In an exceptional move, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), governing body for track and field, announced on June 17 that Russian track and field athletes are banned from competing at the Rio Olympic Games in August.

And the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has agreed with the decision. There’s a further potential crackdown following sensational claims by Grigory Rodchenkov, former head of Russia’s now discredited doping laboratory, that Russia had a state-approved and run cover up of a doping scheme at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.

With the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reporting armed secret police, fake urine samples and athletes with doping problems running away from foreign doping testers in Russia, it only adds fuel to the fire. If Rodchenkov’s accusations are proven, WADA may demand a ban of all Russian athletes from competing at Rio. Needless to say, this has caused a firestorm. Top Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin are strongly protesting this and there’s a suggestion that Russian athletes who didn’t use drugs could compete, but some say not under the Russian flag – the IAAF and the IOC are butting heads on this one. It will be interesting to see what happens since Thomas Bach, president of the IOC and Putin are reported to be good friends.

In the meantime, Kuwait is suing the IOC for $1 billion for suspending the Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC) for “undue Government interference” which means that now Kuwaiti athletes are banned from competing in Rio under their own flag. And with only 40 days until the Opening Ceremony, WADA has suspended Rio’s doping laboratory due to procedural errors, the second time this doping lab has failed inspection prior to a major event. It’s unlikely it will be operational in time for the Olympics, which means Olympians’ blood and urine samples will be sent to Switzerland for testing. The last time this happened, it cost $250,000 to ship the 2014 World Cup samples to Switzerland for testing. Things are changing on a daily, even hourly basis – stay tuned!

The Stonewall Inn in New York City has been dedicated as one of America’s National Parks, the first one associated with the LGBT community. In a video, President Barak Obama said, “Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights. I believe our national parks should reflect the full story of our country, the richness and diversity and uniquely American spirit that has always defined us. That we are stronger together. That out of many, we are one.”

STANFORD SWIMMER & RAPIST GETS LIFE BAN BY USA SWIMMING USA Swimming has issued a life ban for Brock Turner, the Stanford swimmer sentenced to just six months and probation for raping an unconscious woman behind a campus frat house.

The ban extends to any and all future events or trials.

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| COMPETE | July 2016

MORE FIFA SUSPECTED FINANCIAL CORRUPTION UNCOVERED In another raid of FIFA (soccer’s world governing body) headquarters in Zurich by Switzerland’s attorney general’s office, FIFA attorneys divulged details on more "suspected financial corruption at the top.” According to Bill Burck of Quinn Emanuel, the U.S. law firm representing FIFA during this corruption crisis, evidence suggests that former president Sepp Blatter, former secretary general Jerome Valcke and former finance director Markus Kattner had a coordinated effort to “enrich themselves through annual salary increases, World Cup bonuses and other incentives totaling more than 79 million Swiss francs in just the last five years.” Evidence from this latest raid on FIFA headquarters will be given to American and Swiss federal prosecutors.

2017 NBA ALL-STAR GAME STILL MAY MOVE FROM NORTH CAROLINA The NBA Finals are now over and still no decision has been made about moving the 2017 NBA All-Star Game out of North Carolina due to the transphobic HB2 that overrides a Charlotte ordinance that would have allowed transgender people to use the bathroom of their gender identification.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said he’s concerned with “protection for the LGBT community in terms of economic rights and personal rights,” suggesting that the game could be moved. But he also thinks it will be sorted out by the end of the summer and hasn’t done anything to suggest the league is giving an ultimatum to the city and state, saying “We intentionally didn’t want to draw lines in the sand.” Only time will tell the outcome.

LOYOLA BASKETBALL COACH SHERYL SWOOPES SPEAKS OUT For the first time since Loyola University began its investigation of women’s basketball coach Sheryl Swoopes on April 15, she has spoken out. Former players alleged she humiliated and belittled them; one claimed she was the victim of “emotional abuse.” The university has yet to release its findings.

Swoopes says the accusations made by her players are “false attacks made of my character and coaching.” She’s the winner of three Olympic gold medals, four WNBA titles with the Houston Comets, an NCAA title at Texas Tech and she’s also been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

GRANDSTANDING LETTERS TO COMPETE MAGAZINE

SPLISH-SPLASH (May 2016)

Matt Armstrong Long Beach (via email) AMAZING ROSS (June 2016) I love Ross Mathews! He is super cute, funny and seems very approachable. While I did not know Ross was such a big Seahawks fan I can now identify with him as a Miami Dolphins fan myself. I never expected to see Ross Mathews in Compete but kudos for taking a chance on him.

Favorite Summer Olympic Sport Other 9%

ld Fie & ck % Tra 10

I just picked up the May issue of Compete Magazine and I have to say “wow!” that is a hot cover. I had not heard of Compete but the bright blue cover stood out and I am happy it did. You have a reader for life.

COMPETE READER SURVEY

Swimming 20%

Gymnastics 38%

Diving 23%

Emma Jacobs Miami

TALK TO US! Submissions to Compete should include the writer’s name, address and contact phone number and should be sent by email to letters@competenetwork.com. Letters may be edited by Compete and become the property of Media Out Loud, LLC.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

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SPORTS KICKOFF

QUIZ

?

Q. What do the rings on the Olympic Games flag represent?

• Seven continents of the world • Five primary colors • Seven primary colors • Five continents of the world?

A. The five continents of the world. The rings on the Olympic Games flag represent Africa, America, Asia, Australia and Europe. North and South America are considered as one continent, and Antartica is not included. The colors of the five rings are blue, black, red, yellow and green

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

Source: www.syvum.com

THE NBA

THE TAMPA BAY RAYS BASEBALL CLUB … for dedicating their Pride Night at Tropicana Field to the Orlando Pulse shooting victims and selling remaining tickets for $5 each with proceeds going to the Pulse Victim Fund.

PETE ROSE, ALL-TIME BASEBALL RECORD HOLDER OF 4,256 HITS … for saying, “They’re trying to make me the Hit Queen,” in response to Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki tying Rose’s record for hits (counting both his Japanese and North American major leagues hits). Rose doesn’t like Suzuki’s Japanese hits count when he can’t count his minor league hits. Sounds a bit like sour grapes.

… for a collaboration with GLSEN and Teespring offering NBA Pride T-shirts featuring logos of all 30 NBA teams with all proceeds benefiting GLSEN.

MARK CUBAN, BILLIONAIRE OWNER OF THE NBA’S DALLAS MAVERICKS … for donating $1 million to the Dallas police to help them better protect the local LGBT community because it’s “the right thing to do,” and promising to “do more of it in the future.” The Mavericks mascot Rampage also took pictures with the kids.

Pictured above, Henry Beam, Beam Law, PLC

ROCKY ROA

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| COMPETE | July 2016

AD TO RIO

BY CONNIE WARDMAN AND THE COMPETE TEAM

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he 2016 Summer Olympic Games are set to run from August 5-21 but the road to Rio is a rocky one. Fraught with severe political and economic problems that threaten completion of some venues and reaching mass transit goals, today’s picture is a far cry from that one in 2009 when Rio won the right to host the 2016 games. Then the country was flush with cash and it was predicted by The Economist magazine that Brazil would soon be the world’s fifth largest economy, moving ahead of Britain and France.

But in spite of political impeachment and corruption scandals, brutal economic disaster, rising crime rates, lack of decent sanitation and dangerously polluted water, and now the mosquito-borne Zika virus, the Olympic Games must … and will … go on. So for the 19 days of competition in 48 sport disciplines at 306 events being played in 37 different venues, 206 countries (at least for now) are participating for Rio medals – 136 medals for women, 161 medals for men and 9 mixed medals. There are two new sports added this year to replace baseball and softball which were dropped in 2005, golf and 7s rugby union.

Unlike Ben & Jerry’s Rocky Road containing chocolate chips (OK, chunks), Rio’s Rocky Road will feature “chips” of a different kind – new state-of-the-art technological innovations like virtual reality, video reviews, GPS and underwater digital lap counters that will transform the experience for athletes in volleyball, beach volleyball, swimming, canoe sprint and rowing, archery, shooting and weightlifting. And for fans, the opening and closing ceremonies plus one event per day will be broadcast in virtual reality.

Another new device is a wearable bracelet from VISA so fans can pay for goods and services without carrying a card. Technology will also help protect U.S. Olympic rowers who are being given new high-tech training suits containing anti-microbial features. This is to protect them from the water pollution in Rio where testing by the Associated Press has shown that the lagoon being used by Olympic rowing and canoeing events is still heavily contaminated.

And in an attempt to combat an outbreak of the Zika virus among athletes, Kinsa, a healthcare product provider is donating its trademark Smart Stick Thermometer to Team USA’s Olympic athletes and companions. The thermometer and its accompanying app provide an individual with his or her temperature readings as well as symptom tracking and next step recommendations based on the user’s age and health indicators In terms of athletes, not all the Olympic trials have been held at the time of this writing so there are bound to be changes in who will and won’t be competing. The whole controversy over banning all or some of the Russian athletes over an alleged 2014 doping scheme by Russia at the Sochi Games plus those athletes whose drug retests from the 2008 games in Beijing and the 2012 games in London isn’t solved yet. When you factor in all the countries involved and the various sports, we simply can’t cover them all. So the Compete team has picked some athletes and teams we know that the majority of our readers are interested in and included maybe a new face or two. We hope you enjoy it!

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 17

MEN’S SOCCER (FOOTBALL) Unfortunately, the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team’s playoff loss to Columbia back in March ended the USA Olympic bid for 2016.

WOMEN’S SOCCER The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) will be playing starting August 3 and it will be without retired Abby Wambach and pregnant Sydney Leroux. Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe have both been injured but Lloyd is ready to prove herself and Rapinoe, still rehabbing from a torn ACL, says her Olympic dream is still alive, tweeting, “This blonde ain’t gone!” And Hope Solo will be there in spite of her early plans to skip it due to fear of the Zika virus.

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| COMPETE | July 2016

GOLF Although a new sport this year, Olympic golf has so far proved unpopular with fans and many of the world’s top golfers. World No. 12-ranked South African Branden Grace has withdrawn just days after World No. 4 Ireland’s Rory McIlroy withdrew due to Zika fears, the mosquito-borne virus linked to severe birth defects in infants born to infected women. McIlroy's automatic replacement for the U.S. team is Graeme McDowell but his wife is soon expecting their second child. McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open champ said once again he won’t play or travel outside the U.S. Also not competing are Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Louis Oosthuizen, Vijay Singh, Char Schwartzel, maybe even No.1 Jason Day. International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Barry Maister has said that if Olympic golf can’t attract its best players, “then it simply wouldn’t be welcomed back into the competition.” Only time will tell on this one.

MEN’S BASKETBALL Team USA Basketball has announced its 12-man squad: Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan at guard; Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes at forward; DeMarcus Cousins and DeAndre Jordan, center. The team is a heavy favorite to win a third successive gold medal under coach Mike Krzyzewski who, after a decade in charge will cede his post to Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs following Rio. George, Green, Thompson, Cousins, Butler and Jordan are making their Olympic debuts.

Chicago Bulls star Pau Gasol has finally put his Zika fears aside to play for the Spanish National Team in his fourth Olympic Games. "My commitment to the national team is greater than my fears over what might happen. My feelings of passion and responsibility toward my national team, my sport and my teammates are huge,” he wrote in the Spanish newspaper, Marca. He’s still not decided whether or not he’ll freeze his sperm in advance as he first announced.

But a number of former NBA superstars have opted out due to injury and wear and tear. Coming off the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals win and his MVP win, LeBron James is taking some time to rest his body. Since the beginning of the 2010-11 season, he’s played approximately 2,500 more minutes than the next player on the list, the equivalent of about 70 more games than anyone else in the NBA. Also staying home will be Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul, Anthony Davis, Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard and Steph Curry as well as the ever-competitive but now retired Kobe Bryant

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Team USA Basketball has announced its 12-woman squad featuring nine returning Olympic gold medalists.

Led by three-time gold medalists and tri-captains Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings and Diana Taurasi, the team also boasts two-time Olympic gold medalists Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles; and 2012 Olympic gold medalists Tina Charles, Angel McCoughtry, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen. And last but most certainly not least, competing in their first Olympic Games are Elena Delle Donne, Brittney Griner and Breanna Stewart.

Head coach is Geno Auriemma, the championshipwinning head coach of the UConn Huskies along with assistant coaches Cheryl Reeve from the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx and Dawn Staley of the University of South Carolina. Needless to say, with this much star power much is expected of the five-time defending Olympic goldmedal-winning team.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 19

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MEN’S TENNIS

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Tennis star and defending men’s champion Andy Murray is planning on going to Rio. His first child was born in February but he’s always been positive about going to Rio and has always kept up with the latest medical advice.

Roger Federer is also going, saying “I’ll put mosquito spray on my body and take the precautions I have to.” He was runner-up to Murray in London and a doubles gold medalist in the 2008 games in Beijing. Rafael Nadal will also go and serve as Spain’s Olympic flag bearer.

Those not competing in Rio are Nick Kyrgios, Dominic Thiem, John Isner, Feliciano Lopez and Bernard Tomic, all ranked within the top 25 players in the world, with Thiem at No. 15th, Isner at No. 19th and Lopez at No. 23rd. Most of these players list scheduling conflicts as the cause for them skipping Rio but Isner also revealed that because players aren’t awarded points at the Olympics, it “was a pretty big factor” in his deciding to skip the games.

For fans of the Williams sisters, the good news is that Serena and Venus are gearing up for another go at Olympic gold in women’s doubles. They’ve started to play a few matches and according to Venus, "We're back in action, which is great news for us. We'll have a chance to really continue to get better. Our goal is to peak in Rio. But both of us on the court is a good combination any time." Between them, they’ve won 13 Grand Slam doubles championships and three gold medals together. Who won’t be in Rio is Maria Sharapova due to a two-year doping ban for taking meldonium; instead, she’ll be working on a degree at Harvard Business School while continuing to appeal her ban.

While the Williams sisters acknowledge there are risks due to the Zika virus, they talk about taking preventive measures, noting that the United States Tennis Association (USTA) has sent “how to” instructions on taking precautions to all its players. Also going to the games are World No. 9 Madison Keys and two-time Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova who says she’s not afraid of Zika, either.

| COMPETE | July 2016

MEN’S SWIMMING

WOMEN’S SWIMMING

It could be a changing of the guard in men’s swimming this year. Mention Olympic swimming and two names generally come to mind for the men – Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps. Three-time Olympian Lochte is now the oldest swimmer in the finals, turning 32 on August 3 and still suffering the effects of a groin injury. At the recent Olympic swim trials he lost his spot in the 400 IM (individual medley) to Chase Kalisz, training partner of Michael Phelps. And Phelps, owner of the world and American records in the event, didn’t even participate in the 400 IM and also dropped the 200-meter freestyle race.

At age 30, Phelps is the winner of 18 medals, the most medals in all of modern day Olympic history, and Rio makes his fifth Olympic Games. But he’s already looking to his future without swimming, seeing this as his second farewell tour. Add in the facts that he and his fiancée just had a baby boy and are planning a wedding right after Rio, and it appears there will be room for some new swimmers to finally have an opportunity to stake an Olympic claim.

Final trials are yet to be held at this point and it’s a good bet that Phelps, Lochte, Nathan Adrian and Matt Grevers will be part of the team. But some other familiar names you may see include Chase Kalisz, Tyler Clary, Conor Dwyer, Caeleb Dressel, Zane Grothe, Jordan Wilimovsky, Anthony Ervin, Josh Schneider and Connor Jaeger.

The “pool” of immediately recognizable women swimmers is bigger than the men’s team – Katie Ledecky, Missy Franklin, Natalie Coughlin and Dana Vollmer could all be part of one or more events for the U.S. women’s team, backed up by a group of seasoned veterans and some notable rookies.

Ledecky, who won gold in London for the 800 meter is considered the dominant force in women’s swimming today. Extremely focused and goal oriented, she’ll be doing all the freestyle events at this year’s Olympic trials – from 50 meter to 800 meter and she currently holds eight of the top 10 all-time performances in the women’s 400 LCM freestyle. Michael Phelps has said that “Her stoke is phenomenal, how she transitions, and now the walls are great, her kick is great. She does the work, and it shows.”

Another one to watch? Dana Vollmer, the 28-year-old self-described “Momma on a Mission,” is working to become the first American swimmer to earn a medal after having a child. This winner of four gold medals and three world records is best known for breaking the 100 meter butterfly world record and becoming the first woman to swim it in under 56 seconds. Just 13 months after having a baby, the girl who was diagnosed with a heart condition at age 14 is back in the pool and has already qualified for Rio. Like the men, final trials for the women are yet to be held, but other names you might recognize as part of the final women’s team include Natalie Coughlin, Amanda Weir, Abbey Weitzeil, Jessica Hardy, Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith, Melanie Margalis, Kelsi Worrell, Katie Meili, Lilly King, Shannon Vreeland, Elizabeth Beisel and Maya DiRado.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

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MEN’S GYMNASTICS

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

Sam Mikulak, Jake Dalton, Alex Naddour, Chris Brooks and John Orozco are the five men representing Team USA in gymnastics; ranging in age from 23-29, three of them are already Olympians. Last month Mikulak, who was on the 2012 London team, became the first man to win four straight all-around national titles in 16 years and he can help the team in five areas – floor, parallel bars, pommel horse, still rings and vault, and in team competition he may also be able to help on high bar. The oldest guy is Brooks who, at age 29 tweeted, “Old guy’s still got it!” when he found out he made the team. He’s a plus on both high bar and parallel bars and is also one the best vaulters on the team.

Another veteran of the London Games is Jake Dalton and he’s being depended on for his expertise in the floor exercise and the vault where he’s the strongest; he’s also good on the still rings. Although he has no prior Olympic experience, Alex Naddour is strong on the pommel horse which is the weakest event for the U.S. men. The team will also count on him during the floor exercise and still rings and maybe even on vault.

This team’s selection was undoubtedly the most emotionally-charged moment of the Olympic trials so far.

As the last man chosen, John Orozco broke down in tears, a release from his experiences over the past 16 months. On Valentine’s Day last year his mother, who was also his best friend, died unexpectedly. And then that June he tore his Achilles tendon for the second time in his athletic career and it felt like his life was falling apart. But during these Olympic trials, his high bar routine clinched a place on the team. He’s another veteran from the London Games with the high bar as his strongest event. Other areas where he can help are parallel bars and potentially the pommel horse. This is a team with a lot of heart.

Perhaps one of the best competitions you’ll see during these games is the U.S. women’s gymnastics. This team is deep in talent overall and in an even higher stratosphere is Simone Biles, the 19-year-old who has now won her fourth national all-round competition as well as the last three world titles, often by large margins. Like Orozco, she’s also had to overcome adversity. Born to a mother addicted to drugs and alcohol, she was part of the foster care system until she was adopted by her maternal grandfather and his wife. She is absolutely in a class by herself! Don’t miss this opportunity to watch a performance unlike any other.

While the five-woman team hasn’t been selected yet, Biles is a for certain and it’s almost a lock for Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas, part of the Fierce Five medal winners from the London Games to be part of the team. Other possible members are Madison Kocian and new kid on the block Laurie Hernandez, making her first appearance in the senior’s division competition and showing in no uncertain terms that she’s equal to the task of keeping up with her older, seasoned teammates.

Making the final team selection will be Martha Karolyi in her current role as the U.S. National Team Coordinator for the women’s program. Under her watchful eye, the program has had unprecedented success. That’s not surprising since she’s the other half of the legendary Romanian coaching team with her husband Bela Karolyi. Together they’ve coached some of the greatest gymnasts in Olympic history – Nadia Comaneci, Mary Lou Retton, Kim Zmeskai and Kerri Strug. This current group of gymnasts will be the last to have her guidance, though since she’s retiring following the Rio Games, joining her husband who officially retired in 1996 but who often acts as a commentator and announcer with NBC or at USA gymnastics meets.

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PAST OLYMPIANS To be an Olympian requires dedication and sacrifice few athletes are willing to make. And once their years of competition are over, many Olympians continue to consciously live the ideals of the Olympic movement for the rest of their lives, leaving a legacy that goes far beyond sports. Here are just a few Olympians we all felt warranted a mention. Who are your favorite Olympians? Please feel free to share them with us at editor@competenetwork.com.

• • • •

Muhammad Ali, Boxing Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, Decathalon Greg Louganis, Diving Pat Summitt, Basketball.

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TORRI M. STEWART

TEAM COMPETE MVP

To be included in our MVP section, e-mail: MVP@competenetwork.com

THOUGHTS ON LGBT AND DIVERSITY IN SPORTS? Man, if you’re an athlete then you’re an athlete regardless.

Perform on the field, that’s it! What you do thereafter is your business.

GREATEST ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT: It’s still in the works; still breaking athletic records at 29 years old.

GREATEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Winning the Humanitarian Brotherhood Award at Bellingrath Hills Elementary.

SPORTS PLAYED: Football, basketball, baseball, track.

WHY DO YOU LOVE SPORTS? Because it’s second nature, it comes natural to me.

BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE: What day of the week is it … because it changes (lol).

INTEREST: Training others, playing basketball and family time.

FAVORITE TEAM: Dallas Cowboys.

FAVORITE ATHLETE: Myself (lol), but if I can’t use myself then Bo Jackson.

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: In a relationship.

SPORT: Pro Football.

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana.

HOMETOWN: Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

AGE: 29.

PHOTO BY GREGG FELSEN

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INTERVIEW

NANCY HOGSHEAD MAKAR: OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST AND CHAMPION WOMAN

BY CONNIE WARDMAN NANCY HOGSHEAD MAKAR IS AN ADVOCATE; she’s the embodiment of Champion Women, the nonprofit organization she founded in 2014 that advocates for girls and women in sports. A civil rights attorney, she is considered one of the nation’s foremost experts on gender equity in sports participation, sexual harassment and abuse, pregnancy discrimination, legal enforcement of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 as well as contemporary legal issues within the Olympic movement.

I have interviewed Nancy several times and I’m always impressed by her knowledge. But it’s her personal integrity, her passion and determination for fairness and her willingness to get involved, to always be a positive advocate for girls and women in sports that stick with me. To fully appreciate this dynamo civil rights attorney, motivational speaker and author – this champion woman, you need to know her story.

Before she became a champion woman, she began as a champion swimmer. Nancy’s dad moved his young family from Iowa to Jacksonville, Florida to accept a new position and, in addition to buying a new house, the family also bought a boat. As a precautionary measure, Nancy and her brother were required to take swimming lessons. Already a talented gymnast at this point, little did her family realize that Nancy would instead turn her attention to swimming and go on win Olympic gold.

As a true competitor, Nancy wanted to be the best swimmer in the world. At age 12 she was breaking national records in her age category; at 14 she was ranked No. 1 in the world in the 200 meter butterfly and at 18 she was a member of the 1980 U.S. swim team that boycotted the Moscow Olympics. She then went on to swim in five races and win three Olympic gold medals and one silver medal at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, becoming the most decorated swimmer of those games. She is now a member of 12 Halls of Fame honoring her athletic prowess and has been ranked by Sports Illustrated as Florida’s 13th greatest athlete overall of the 20th Century (third greatest female).

In a serendipitous happening, Nancy was coached at two different points in her career by well-known and respected brothers Randy and Eddie Reese, both of whom were big on technique, on stroke instruction. But she says they were also great motivators who knew how to make swimming fun, playing games and doing relays. She says that Randy had the ability to round up between 60-80 kids to swim at 4:45 in the morning before school started.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NANCY HOGSHEAD MAKAR

She believes the secret to their success as swim coaches was the fun factor that still produced swimmers with great technique who stayed in competitive swimming for the long haul. They didn’t push their young swimmers into early specialization, a problem Nancy sees with today’s elite swimmers who are pushed so hard to win in specialized areas early on that they tend to burn out, leaving the sport before reaching their full potential.

But for many Olympians who persevere to reach their potential, the end of a world-class athletic career after years of focused, dedicated training can be terribly difficult. After living the formative years of your life with hours of daily focused sport training means you’re essentially separated from everyday life as others know and are living it. Trying to enter a work-a-day world when it ends, working to find who you are beyond being an athlete and finding a meaningful life career can be very challenging.

Following a bronchial spasm during a race, Nancy had been diagnosed with asthma. Undeterred, she learned

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INTERVIEW

how to manage her condition and continued swimming.

But after she retired from competitive swimming she became the national spokesperson for the American Lung Association. In addition to speaking to asthma groups across the U.S., in 1990 she also wrote a book, “Asthma and Exercise” that shared inspirational stories of other athletes who had learned how to manage their condition. Due to this experience, she discovered a love for motivational speaking to go along with her love for being an advocate.

After graduating from high school, Nancy was offered lots of college scholarships for swimming but she accepted the first swimming scholarship Duke University ever offered. In the fall of her sophomore year, however, while running between campuses Nancy was attacked and raped. Although she’s 5-10 and very muscular, a stranger chased her down, overpowered her and dragged her into the woods for an ordeal that lasted approximately two and a half hours, repeatedly threatening to kill her. Needless to say, the experience deeply impacted her life. But eventually she began to train again as she worked through her emotional trauma.

It was while a student at Duke that Nancy knowingly met her first gay friends, many of them athletes, many of whom are still dear friends today. She even shared that Greg Louganis came out to her before it was widely known that he was gay. However, it was a college internship that changed the trajectory of her life.

Serving as an intern at the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF), Nancy discovered her true calling as an advocate.

That experience, combined with her personal and athletic experiences really impacted her career path. She saw the true importance of Title IX and the need for equity in men and women’s sports. Realizing that to effectively advocate for equity in collegiate sports using Title IX, you needed to understand the law, after graduating from Duke she went on to Georgetown University Law Center and in 1997 was graduated with a Juris Doctor degree.

Nancy continued to work with WSF for 30 years, serving as a trustee and president as well as its senior director of advocacy over the years. Also a scholar and author, she spent time in private practice with Holland & Knight, many of her cases being related to Title IX. And for 13 years she was a tenured professor on the faculty at Florida Coastal School of Law, both the firm and law school located in

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Jacksonville. In addition to her legal and scholarly writings, in 2007 she co-edited the book “Equal Play, Title IX and Social Change” with economist Andrew Zimbalist.

In 2014 Nancy’s commitment to equity using sport as a vehicle for social change was recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). She was awarded the prestigious 2014 Women & Sports Trophy for the Americas in a presentation in Monaco by Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah of Kuwait. According to the IOC, she was part of a slate of five honorees, “one each from Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.” The prize enabled her to found Champion Women and become its CEO. Having already been named by ESPNW as one of 40 “Women Who Will Change the Way Sports are Played” in 2012, at Champion Women’s launch, Nancy shared the following: “Our most powerful and influential athletic institutions are falling short in addressing critical gender equity issues. Champion Women will engage its followers through its website at www.

ChampionWomen.org, as well as other organizations to target equality, accountability and transparency throughout sports culture.”

Nancy has spoken out on the rape culture that exists on college campuses, most recently on the highly controversial light sentence imposed on Stanford swimmer Brock Turner by the judge, as well as having gathered international support for the world’s elite female soccer players to be able to play on natural grass rather than turf.

She has also led the fight to eliminate predator coaches who sexually abuse young athletes under their tutelage.

Her efforts have already led to substantial changes in the Olympic movement, including new U.S. Olympic Committee rules for national governing bodies that prohibit romantic and sexual relationships between coaches and athletes.

With all her involvement in improving the face of sports for girls and women, champion woman Nancy Hogshead Makar is also a happily married feminist. She and her husband Scott Makar, a judge with Florida’s First District Court of Appeal, are parents of a son Aaron, aged 15 and twin daughters Helen Clare and Millicent, aged 10 as well as a menagerie of pets.

To learn more about or to support the work being done

by Nancy Hogshead Makar and Champion Women, please go to ChampionWomen.org.

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ATHLETE

FREDDY NIBLACK'S STILL ON A ROLL: THIS TIME FOR PRIDE

BY BRIAN PATRICK WHEN FREDDY NIBLACK ANSWERED MY CALL, he was sitting inside his Indy Light car on the Indy 500 track and grateful to have an excuse to go inside an airconditioned building to talk. While it was a balmy 91 degrees in Indianapolis that day, the temperature inside his car was a scorching 135 degrees. Taking a second try at a racing career at age 44, he’s currently driving Indy Light cars that have a 600 horsepower engine and move at 210 miles-per-hour (mph). For the average person it might be hard to imagine wanting to go faster than that but Niblack isn’t average. He’s hoping to move up, to fulfill his childhood dream of driving Indy Cars.

Perhaps it’s not surprising for a kid born and raised in Speedway, Indiana in a house just two blocks from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indianapolis 500, to wind up as a professional race car driver. He’s the second openly gay pro driver behind Evan Darling and the first in the Indy Car Series. But what’s truly shocking is the amount of homophobia he faced from the racing community in his early career, not just in the U.S. but also in Europe.

He admits he feels safer in a race car than anywhere else, even though it’s pulling 5 Gs, going over 200 mph and requires you to have the reflexes and reaction time of a road runner. There he feels calm; outside his motorized cocoon he can feel extremely anxious. Coming out as a teen, Niblack’s early career was an ongoing ordeal of

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF HILARY ANN ANDERSON-FRANK

homophobic discrimination that’s made it very hard for him since he says that being gay is such a small part of who he is as a total human being. It’s also been difficult because he says the gay community never attended any of his races in support of him in his early career.

However, following a recent bout with cancer and seeing the LGBT community finally coming together to support marriage equality, the urge to compete came back.

This time he has two ally heroes supporting his decision – Allen Berg, professional race car driver and president and chief instructor of the Allen Berg Racing Schools, and Niblack’s pal and fellow foodie, Al Unser Jr., now a retired Indy driver like his famous father and namesake.

Now racing for Indianapolis-based Top Kart USA who hired him just because of his driving skills, for the first time in his 22-year career he feels welcome. He recently had JJ Gufreda, president of GEI, Inc. (the first transgenderowned company certified as LGBTBE by the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce) show up at the track just to support him. Niblack is big on “taking your place,” on knowing where you belong and having the courage to show up and take it. He urges the gay community to take its place, to be supportive and proud of its own people.

Deeply touched by the way the LGBT community united to respond to the recent Orlando massacre with love and caring for its own, he’s filled with pride to be a gay trailblazer for young racers coming up. As he’s supporting

the community, he also says that he and other trailblazers need community support, too. He was at a Road America race in Elkhart, Wisconsin when he heard about the shootings, and the feeling of fear came over him again. Saying that his tears wouldn’t stop, he looked out at the crowd and wondered which one might be a sniper; having come so far, how hard it was to go back to the feeling of being persecuted simply because of your sexual orientation.

Thankfully, this current experience is very different from the first part of his racing career. In 1992 during competition for the mini Indy series someone put a note on his race trailer that said “AIDS cures fags,” an act that led the team owner to drop him from the team. Then at another race he had a wreck and was injured. The man he was dating at the time rushed over to make sure he was alright and kissed him. The picture went viral and he was once again not wanted since he had “shamed” the team.

It all led to a move to race in Europe where it was considered more accepting of gays. While in Texas he’d also been told it was easier in Europe to race Formula 1 or Formula 3 cars and make it to his Indy goal. Needing to pay $13 thousand to be part of it, his mom cashed in her 401K and he left with high hopes only to discover on arrival that there was only one car available and there were 13 other drivers with the same dream, all wanting to drive it. Niblack, a solid competitive racer with a good record, beat out the other 13 for the car but discovered that Europe wasn’t as accepting as it had been portrayed. Of his European experience, he says “I didn’t learn much about racing but I learned lots about people.”

Homophobia was just as rampant there. But no other act has been as egregious as his experience in London.

Racing at 190 mph, after a number of laps his car was acting funny and then it flipped over, injuring Niblack. He later discovered that his racing team had intentionally installed a faulty gear box in his car and taken $50 bets on how long he could drive it until he’d lose control.

When he crashed, no one from the team came out to see how he was, they didn’t try to include him in a team picture – in fact, they packed up the van and drove away, leaving him behind to take a bus back to London where he spent three-and-a-half weeks in the hospital. His parents flew over and brought him back home. The incident was settled in a lawsuit where names can’t be mentioned, but by that point Niblack decided to quit racing.

Thinking back on his childhood and how he got to where he is today, Niblack says he had a normal, happy one, raised by a loving, generous mother and a great redneck stepfather who gave him an “ass-whooping” when he needed it and taught him what it was to be a good man and father. They instilled in him a sense of pride in himself, his family and his community. Part of keeping him grounded in reality, one of his mother’s best pieces of advice was

ATHLETE

this – “When the racing is done, you still have to live in this town. Make us proud.”

A real life version of Speed Racer, the animated cartoon series of the 1960s, Niblack says while other kids were playing air guitar, he was driving an air wheel to mimic his life-long desire to race in the Indianapolis 500. Born in May, the month of the iconic Indy 500 and all the accompanying trials, his mom said all she had to do if he was fussy as a baby was to put him outside on the porch where he could hear the noises coming from the race track; Niblack still calls the sounds of a motor his lullaby.

Although he knew he wasn’t interested in girls growing up, he felt the pressure of being traditional and had a son at 18 and a daughter at 21. Feeling like he was living a lie, at age 26 he finally had “the talk” with his mother who advised him to always hold his head up high and be appropriate. He loves being a father – his kids are his life and they spend a lot of time together. And he’s already proven to be the over-the-top grandfather to his three-month-old grandson, Easton. Telling his daughter that he’d pick him up from daycare one day, he dressed Easton in a driving suit and helmet, sat him in a baby-sized race car and had pictures taken of him drinking Pepsi.

Although he’s not looking at Indy Car races until next year, Niblack is scheduled to race 12 more times this summer. The truth is that racing is sponsor-driven and he’ll need more support to hit that Indy Car level, so go to his races if you can, like him on Facebook – you can even buy real estate (ads) on his car if you’re inclined to do that. Get to know this grownup speed racer and I’m sure you’ll be another new fan, just like me.

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SPORTS

WORLD GAY RODEO FINALS TURNS 30

BY MIRIAM LATTO THE 2016 WORLD GAY RODEO FINALS (WGRF) celebrates its 30th anniversary in Las Vegas this fall on October 20-23. And once the rodeo is over, you’re invited to stay and celebrate with everyone at PRIDE – two events; one city.

This competition is the spectacular culmination of a season-long series of rodeo competitions held by the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) across the U.S and Canada. Throughout the season competitors earn points in each IGRA rodeo event in which they participate, the total points going toward qualifying for the annual Finals competition. WGRF showcases the top point-earning cowboys and cowgirls as they come to Las Vegas to compete in this prestigious final championship event.

Athletes participating in the WGRF are considered the best of the best in rodeo competition. The WGRF is being held at the South Point Arena and & Equestrian Center, and its accompanying South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in downtown Las Vegas serves as the host hotel. Fans are welcome to come and stay all day or to come for just a few hours of great entertainment. The point is to come from across the U.S. and Canada to have fun celebrating the best in the country-western lifestyle and keeping it alive and growing.

WGRF events include calf and team roping, barrel racing, flag racing and pole bending and the rough stock events, like bull riding, steer riding, bronc riding and steer wrestling. In addition, there are three special “camp” events that are always crowd favorites. These include steer decorating, goat dressing and the funny, not-to-be-missed wild drag race where a team of three try to get a fully costumed “drag” queen mounted on the back of a bucking steer. If you have never seen the hilarious and unpredictable wild drag race, now is your chance.

Although the first Gay Rodeo was held in Reno, Nevada in 1976, IGRA wasn’t formed until 1985, thanks to the cooperation of rodeo associations in Colorado, Texas, California, Arizona and Oklahoma. From the very beginning, IGRA’s mission has been to raise money annually for local community charities through close collaboration with its member associations. To date, member associations have raised over $2 million for a diverse array of charitable organizations. You can read the full story of IGRA’s first 30 years on their dedicated event website -- www.igra-wgrf.com.

You can also use the above website to purchase $5 raffle tickets for a Weekend Getaway at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa. The winner gets a three-day/twonight stay in a one-bedroom suite, a $650 value. Also included is dinner for two at the Silverado Steakhouse, a $150 value (or alternate choice of dinner for two in Don Vito’s Italian Restaurant, a $100.00 value, and breakfast/ brunch for two in the Garden Buffet, a $50.00 value), during the WGRF weekend. The drawing is being held on August 26.

TENTATIVE EVENT SCHEDULE Thursday 10/20 IGRA ROYALTY COMPETITION • 7 p.m. – Western Wear/On Stage] • 2nd Runner-Up – Step Downs • Entertainment • 1st Runner Up – Step Downs

Friday 10/21 • 9 a.m. – Interviews (IGRA Royalty Competition) • Noon – Horsemanship (IGRA Royalty Competition) • 2-4 p.m. – Contestant Registration • 8 p.m. – PRIDE Parade Saturday 10/22 • 10 a.m. – Rodeo • 1 p.m. – Grand Entry • 7 p.m. – Title Holders Step Downs • 8 p.m. – Royalty Crowning • 9 .p.m – Dance

Photo by 1881 Western Photography Co.

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Sunday 10/23 • 10 .a.m. – Rodeo • 1 p.m. – Grand Entry • 8 p.m. – Awards

SPORTS

GAY SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES TURNS 40 IN AUSTIN

BY HARRY ANDREW THE GAY SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES (GSWS) is celebrating its 40th birthday in Austin, Texas this year from August 15-20. With 180-plus teams from the U.S. and Canada participating, that means an influx of 5,000 sports fans to Austin; some 3,000 players and approximately 2,000 fans. As the major annual tournament of the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA), there are still some competitions going on among the organization’s 43 member cities to see which teams will head to Austin for the 3Cs –competition, camaraderie and celebration.

With the theme of Deep in the Heart [of Austin], the Austin GSWS 2016 committee is hard at work ensuring that everyone who comes to town has a fun and memorable experience that will last far beyond this year. That shouldn’t be difficult to achieve since Austin is consistently voted as a top gay city in North America.

The City of Austin is in Travis County and both are excited to welcome the GSWS to the area as is Softball Austin, the local softball league. “Softball Austin is eager to welcome our NAGAAA friends and family for the 40th GSWS,” said Commissioner Albert Rodriguez. “The Austin GSWS committee has been working hard, and while there is still a lot of work to do, we are confident the plans we have in place will provide a great experience to all the GSWS attendees. We can’t wait to show you that NAGAAA and softball are firmly entrenched Deep in the Heart of our city and our league!”

A twist to mark this birthday celebration comes in the opening ceremony. Rich Segal, Austin 2016 GSWS executive director and Austin’s liaison to NAGAAA’s 40th GSWS committee, says that “Rather than introducing the cities in alphabetical order we are going to bring them out by the year they joined NAGAAA. We feel this will be a proper and fitting way to get a quick and memorable glimpse into NAGAAA’s history.”

Headlining the opening ceremony will be singer-songwriter Kristine W. Adding to her record-setting streak of most consecutive number one hits on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Songs chart will be songs from her new album. According to Larry Davis, Austin GSWS 2016 events director, “… trust us when we say she’s going to give it everything she’s got!” The closing ceremony will be a block party with Grammy awardwinning and Billboard’s number one DJ

Dave Audé and other top Austin DJs spinning the night away.

HERE’S A PEEK AT THE WEEK: • • • • • •

Monday – Registration at host hotel, the Hilton Austin and Opening Ceremonies at Long Center Tuesday – Softball at the fields and Hall of Fame Banquet at Bullock Museum Wednesday – Softball at the fields and Casino Night Charity Event Thursday – Softball at the fields Friday – Softball at the fields and Street Party Saturday – Championships at the fields and Closing Ceremonies

Thanks go to Prudential, NAGAAA’s National Presenting Sponsor; Oil Can Harry’s, Austin’s Local Presenting Sponsor; and major sponsors, including Nissan, Coors Light, All American Athletics (official bat sponsor) and AD Starr (official ball sponsor) as well as the over 2,000 volunteers from a dozen LGBTQ non-profit organizations and the local Austin GSWS 2016 host committee for their willingness to make the GSWS a great event and birthday party!

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SPORTS

WORLD OUTGAMES IV: REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

BY HARRY ANDREW ALTHOUGH THE 2017 WORLD OUTGAMES DON’T begin until May 26, 2017, it’s not too early to register for this transformative LGBTQI 10-day program that brings together three important components that are a hallmark of the World OutGames —sports, culture and human rights, stimulating you on a physical, intellectual and emotional basis.

Approximately 10,000 participants from across the globe are expected in Miami from May 26-June 4, 2017 to participate in the 33 sporting events that are being held.

There are certainly the traditional sports represented, like softball, basketball, flag football, a 5K and a 10K race, rugby and cycling. It also includes tennis, wrestling, track and field, soccer, field hockey, badminton, cheer, martial arts, golf and more.

It’s not necessary, however to be a jock with a chiseled physique (unless, of course you’re signed up for bodybuilding and physique) in order to participate. Also included in the sports category are bridge and chess, billiards, darts, even dominos. And then there are sports that take advantage of Miami’s fabulous aquatic and beach locations, like diving, swimming and synchronized swimming, water polo, rowing and beach volleyball.

The Festival Village will be held in a transformed Lummus Park, Miami Beach’s beautiful oceanfront park. Here you can find a large selection of vendors and endless entertainment on four entertainment stages throughout the village. There will be a family area as well as an adult zone. And for foodies in the crowd, there will be a wide variety of food and drink offerings that are sure to please every palate.

The opening and closing ceremonies are always “mustsee” events. The host committee, led by Jerry Torres, director of Culture Social, has engaged The Impressions Group

South, the producer of North America’s largest and most iconic sports half-time shows. The opening ceremony will have a roster filled with A-list entertainers, international artists and what’s being described as “mind-blowing visuals” to kick off this quadrennial event. And when everything is done, the closing ceremony will also include headliner entertainment and memorable acts from around the world – a celebratory spectacle you’ll never forget.

A priority of the OutGames is always sharing culture and art to enrich the lives of its participants. And with cultural and art talent coming from across the globe, you’ll be able to enjoy bands, choirs, art, film and dance offerings.

After all, what better place to experience culture than in Miami with its rich cultural roots. Of course, social events are always popular and who knows how to throw a party better than Miami! A week of 20+ parties and events are already planned and offer something for everyone – dance parties that feature international DJs, pool parties under that wonderful Miami sun and VIP red-carpet events An important part of the Games is to open people’s minds with compelling and current insights about the LGBTQI community from global thought leaders.

The World OutGames human rights conferences are not restricted to sports issues. Miami has called for abstracts in three areas: promoting inclusivity in sports; health and wellness; and global social justice.

The multi-day human rights conference is positioned to be the most powerful gathering of internationallyrespected human rights activists, researchers, legal scholars, healthcare professionals and trade organizations.

Whether you’re a member of the LGBTQI community, an ally or simply interested in how the journey toward equality is progressing, World OutGames Miami’s human rights conference will educate, inform and inspire you.

The World OutGames, licensed by The Gay & Lesbian International Sport Association (GLISA), is made possible through the support of the Florida Sports Foundation, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, City of Miami Beach, Miami Beach Visitors and Convention Authority, Miami Dade Sports Commission as well as individual donors from around the world.

Come join us in Miami!

To register or for more information, go to www.outgames.org or www.facebook.com/OutGamesMiami/.

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SPORTS

YOUR FEET ARE MADE FOR WALKING – IN A VIRTUAL MARCH TO EQUALITY

BY HARRY ANDREW YOU HARDLY EVER HEAR OF A NEW IDEA OR movement that doesn’t want you to contribute money in one form or another. But March to Equality is taking a unique … and free … web-based approach to raising awareness for the need for full inclusion and equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals by engaging people from all backgrounds to become activists in the pursuit of human rights on a global scale – all by walking.

Your footsteps are your donation! In this virtual global march for LGBT equality all you need to do is upload the number of steps you take. It can be the steps in a sponsored run you’ve signed up for or just running your daily errands. The goal is to reach enough steps to circumnavigate the globe by the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City coming up June 28, 2019.

The anniversary celebration will culminate with planned events, giving everyone who has participated a feeling of contributing to a global movement that’s making a difference in the world.

The campaign is the brainchild of LGBT advocate Stephan Anspichler, a German film and television producer. Looking at the 2015 film release schedule, he realized in the fall of 2014 that the LGBT movement was gaining real ground. Comparing it to the human empowerment movement, he began to see that this quest for full LGBT inclusion and equality is the movement of our time.

Anspichler wanted to attract attention to the event while honoring the many steps it took from those early activists up to today’s LGBT leaders who are working to expand the idea that LGBT persons deserve the same basic

respect and dignity as any other citizen of the world. And from that came the idea of virtual steps people today can take to be part of this movement – we can all participate.

Estimating that the March to Equality (MTE) will require 50 million steps to circle the globe, MTE provides an easy step-calculator, marchtoequality.org/step-tracker, on the website. Once you login with a Facebook or Google+ profile, you can enter the steps, miles or kilometers you just walked. Or you can simply take a photograph of a step you’re currently taking and upload it to your profile. You can even make a maximum 12-minute-video of your experience, connecting your thoughts and feelings about your personal march. Each physical step taken and submitted is equal to one step in the march.

Share your picture or video on Facebook, Google+, Instagram or Twitter by using the hashtag #MarchToEquality and invite your friends or your workplace colleagues to get involved – #MarchToEquality keeps track of the community’s equality world record. It’s a great way to foster a team atmosphere and a little friendly competition.

For already-formed sports teams and leagues, it becomes another way to boost the camaraderie that already exists.

And it doesn’t need to be a one-time submission. The more steps, the better.

While this project is a lot of fun, there is a very serious reason behind it that needs to be remembered, especially with the recent mass murder of 49 gay club goers in Orlando and the wounding of so many others, physically, mentally and emotionally. In at least 76 countries it is still illegal to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

It is the reason that MTE kicked off its collaboration with the UN Free and Equal campaign during the United Nations 70th General Assembly. Just a few of the other organizations partnering with MTE include: Pride and Prejudice (The Economist), Orbitz Worldwide and Toyota Motor Corporation.

There are also a number of global MTE ambassadors who are advocating for LGBT inclusion and equality in their home countries, one of whom is Billy Bean, openly gay former major league baseball (MLB) player who is now MLB’s vice president of social responsibility.

The March to Equality is a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization.

To receive daily MTE news, like MTE on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarchToEquality or sign up for more information at www.marchtoequality.org or email your questions or event support requests to info@marchtoequality.org.

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NUTRITION

HOW DO CELEBRITIES AND PRO ATHLETES STAY FIT AND VIBRANT

BY SARAH WOODWARD, ovarian cancer survivor, mother, low-budget filmmaker and someone who has discovered the benefits of a vegan diet. www.tonethatfat.com.

FOR CENTURIES THE MASSES HAVE BEEN infatuated by peeking into the lives of the rich and famous.

We are all guilty of admiring what people do with their money when there are no limiting factors on an individual’s spending habits. Many celebrities and athletes seem to have access to the fountain of youth, while others wither away leaving the spotlight. What is the secret to keeping flawless skin, sparkling eyes, elite physical performance and astounding beauty?

Former heavy weight boxing champion, Mike Tyson was conditioned to eat a highly carnivorous diet during his career. For many athletes animal protein is believed to help increase muscle recovery and strength. After Tyson retired, his rigorous training dwindled and his food choices seemed to turn on him; he started to gain weight, his joints became arthritic, he suffered from high blood pressure and his appetite for street drugs increased.

Overall Tyson felt as if death was knocking on his door; he wanted to change. Then he discovered a piece of knowledge that helped him make a shift. “I found out the greatest gladiators, the greatest ones in Roman times, they were all vegan,” mentioned Tyson in an Ecorazzi article.

This revelation inspired Tyson to adopt a vegan diet in early 2010, and soon after transitioning to a plant-based diet, all his previous health ailments and drug addictions vanished.

In an interview with the Oprah Winfrey Network, Tyson revealed, “I lost weight, I dropped over a hundred pounds.

I just felt like changing my life, doing something different.

And so I became a vegan. Becoming a vegan, it gave me another opportunity to live a healthy life. I was just hard wheel, so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine, and I couldn’t hardly breathe, high blood pressure, almost dying, and arthritis. Once I became a vegan, all that stuff, it diminished.”

Hollywood icon Michelle Pfeiffer has been on the big screen since her breakthrough role in the film "Scarface" in 1983. To stay in the spotlight Pfeiffer has to maintain a slim figure and glamourous appeal, yet as years pass by it becomes harder to defy the aging process. In 2012, Pfeiffer saw the CNN documentary “The Last Heart Attack,” in which former U.S. President Bill Clinton spoke about reversing his heart disease and losing over 30 pounds of excess body fat.

Later Pfeiffer discovered the book "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease” by Dr. Esselstyn which illustrates that a plant-based, oil-free diet cannot only prevent the

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progression of heart disease but can also reverse its effects. These two discoveries propelled Pfeiffer to switch over to a vegan lifestyle. "I just felt like there was science behind it," she said during an interview on the CNN show Piers Morgan Tonight; "It was sort of irrefutable, I couldn't not listen to it.” Pfeiffer further explained, “So I cut out meats and dairy. After two months, my cholesterol shot down 83 points. That’s enough proof to me that it works.”

American professional tennis player Venus Williams is a former World No. 1 ranked athlete and holds multiple Olympic gold medals. In 2011 she was forced to reveal to the public that she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease which forced her to withdraw from competing temporarily. Williams turned to a raw vegan diet with high amounts of fresh vegetable juice to help alleviate her symptoms. She claims that changing her dietary habits contributed to managing her fatigue and joint aches caused by the illness. Williams was also pleasantly surprised that her athletic performance and endurance improved, explaining on her website that, “A vegan diet is designed to decrease inflammation in her body and reduce the energy-sapping symptoms of the disease.” Williams’ sister, Serena, a professional tennis player at the same top level, followed in her sister’s footsteps by going on a raw planted-based diet to help support Venus to get back on the court. But now both Venus and Serena are reaping the benefits that a vegan lifestyle has to offer.

There is plethora of A-list names turning to a plantbased lifestyle in order keep their vibrant appearance as well as to help build their strength, endurance and recovery time! The rich and famous can purchase whatever money can buy, yet nothing is more valuable than one’s health. There is no greater wealth than to treat your body like a temple rather than an outhouse. It’s very simple: eat more fruits and veggies but also cut out processed foods and fat. Make the connection and invest in yourself. Who knows, maybe one day you will hit the big screen, too!

SUPPORT AUNT RITA’S FOUNDATION

STAND WITH US

4 WAYS TO DONATE AND GET INVOLVED

IN OUR FIGHT

AGAINST HIV & AIDS!

Plan to Walk or Run at AIDS Walk Arizona & 5K Run. Sunday, October 23rd at 9:00 a.m. in Downtown Phoenix.

Registration Opens June 15th.

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KNOW YOUR HIV STATUS AND GET TESTED For more information auntritas.org

FITNESS

10 WORKOUT TIPS FOR WEEKEND WARRIORS

BY BRYAN LEE

BEING THE MIDST OF SUMMER, MANY OF US work long days at our jobs and have little time for health and fitness during the work week. Addressing all of your health and fitness goals in two short days can be stressful and tiring. If you are a weekend warrior like me, you may be getting tired of going to the gym and doing the same exercises over and over.

I’ve put together some tips that can ramp up your weekend workouts just in time for summer.

1. WARM UP BEFORE YOU WORK OUT No matter what exercise routine or sport you decided to embark on during your weekend, make sure to do a proper warm-up to ensure your muscles are loose in order to avoid injury.

2. STAY HYDRATED Whether you are in a warmer climate like Arizona or a colder climate like Alaska, staying hydrated is essential for a successful workout. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be hot and humid out for you to get dehydrated. Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after your workout.

3. PLAY A SPORT OR LEARN A NEW ONE One easy way to kick your weekend fitness into high gear is to learn a brand new sport or to play a sport that you already enjoy. Not only does it keep your muscles engaged, it also keeps your mind focused and allows you to meet new friends or hang out with old ones.

weekend, you also can get amazing health benefits from being outside and “roughing” it. Just be careful to only pick trails that are well marked and only choose hikes based on your own level of fitness.

7. INVOLVE OTHERS After a long work week, most of us just want to be alone on the weekends. However, if at all possible, include friends and family in your weekend warrior plans to keep your fitness fun and engaging.

8. WEAR PROPER FOOTWEAR Whether you plan to run, hike, play tennis or any other type of weekend activity, always be sure to wear the proper footwear. This will help you avoid injury and undue stress to your feet and ankles.

9. KNOW YOUR LIMITS Although it is always great to push yourself to new limits when doing a sport or workout, know your current limit and only “push” yourself to a limit that you know you are capable of achieving.

10. HAVE FUN More than anything else, the weekend is your time to let loose and have fun. Keep your workouts fun and always be open to new and exciting possibilities!

4. TRY GEOCACHING A fun way to explore the countryside and get in a killer workout is by the scavenger hunt-style workout known as Geocaching.

Using your cell phone GPS, you can either hide or seek small waterproof cases called “caches” in a variety of locations all over the world.

5. AVOID DOING THE SAME THING Whenever you hit the gym, it is best to avoid doing the same leg and arm exercises every single workout. Your muscles have great muscle memory and they get used to the repetition. So vary your weekend activities by working on different sets of muscles to keep everything fresh and enjoyable.

6. TRY HIKING AND CAMPING Hiking, camping and backpacking are not only fantastic ways to have an adventurous BRYAN LEE is a National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA) certified personal trainer, life coach and author who has lost over 130 pounds. Please check with your personal physician before using these health and fitness tips.

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GYM BAG

HOT ITEMS YOU SHOULDN’T DO WITHOUT

Varia Vision, glasses to help cyclists during races and everyday riding, are new from Garmin International Inc. Its in-sight display gives users the ability to easily view their data and receive alerts during a ride without needing to take their eyes off the road. A charge can last up to eight hours and the device only weighs 28 grams. It has adaptable mounting options and a weatherproof design that’s perfect in all conditions. Color-coded graphic displays provide information about heart-rate, power and speed. The navigation screen also comes with street names, directional arrows and distance to turn.

Other features include customizable data screens and vibration alerts for performance, navigation or cycling awareness prompt, smart notifications about incoming calls and texts and the convenient touch panel makes it easy to transition between data screens. If paired with Varia rearview radar system, riders are notified about vehicles approaching from behind. Varia Vision sells for $399.99.

Whether you’re traveling to Rio for the Olympic Games or to other foreign ports of call this summer, take along the GEEKPRO® 200W Travel Power Converter that can be used worldwide. Equipped with different sockets, it converts any input voltage (90-260V AV) to 100-120 AC always as the output voltage supply.

It comes with three 110V AC outlets, power switch and LED indicator light. It also has multiple socket adapters and multiple outlets (3 AC outlets and 4 USB charging ports), meaning you can charge a lot of things simultaneously using only one wall outlet. Converting overseas voltage from 90-260V to 110-120V, it powers up your U.S. electronic devices safely.

The GEEKPRO® 200W Travel Power Converter is a compact size of 6.5" x 3.5" x 1.4 and comes with a small shockproof bag holding all the cords and chargers, making it easy to carry. Available through Amazon. $42.99.

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| COMPETE | July 2016

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If you’re new to tennis or simply looking for an updated racquet, try the Liquid Metal 8 Strung Tennis Racquet from Head – it’s getting great reviews. Powerful yet lightweight at only 9.3 ounces, it’s designed to give you maximum coverage while hitting the ball.

You also get full control while hitting the ball back. It has a special kind of shock dampening technology (called No Shox) which is very effective, absorbing about 27 percent of the shock that occurs. The racquet has an extremely large head of 112 square inches so you’ll hit the ball every time you swing it, and it’s specially designed that the sweet spot is spread over the whole head.

The Liquid Metal 8 Strung racquet offers a solid mix of power, balance and control. It is powerful enough for you to hit the ball with strength, stable enough to make the player hit the ball without any major shock, and large enough to allow the player to hit the sweet spot every time. Available through Amazon. $84.95

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LIQUID METAL 8 STRUNG TENNIS RACQUET

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VARIA VISION FOR CYCLING

For the person who loves being outdoors fishing or hiking, here’s a lightweight jacket that’s fully seam-sealed to keep out rain, even in a downpour. It features an attached hood with visor that's drawstring-adjustable to keep your head and neck dry. Fitted cuffs and a drawstring-adjustable waist provide additional protection from water and wind. Water-repellent zippered pockets that are mesh-lined keep stowed gear safe whether you’re in the field during a storm or wading on the banks while fly fishing.

The waist has a D-ring for your net or fishing license.

The fabric is lightweight and breathable; it’s also machine-washable. It comes in a choice of three colors – black, angler green and burnt orange and in sizes S, M, L, XL and XXL. $195.

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OVERTIME

EVENTS

CURRENT EVENTS IN JULY BOWLING

Columbus Classic 2016 – Master Series Event Columbus, Ohio, July 22-24

Liberty Belle Invitational Philadelphia, July 1

VOLLEYBALL

The Greater Indianapolis Fourth of July Classic & Scratch Masters Indianapolis, July 1

Red White and Blue Ball 6 San Francisco, July 2

Houston Invitational Houston, July 1

Windy City Open Chicago, July 2

City of Palms Invitational Tournament Ft. Myers, Fla., July 1

Summerfest in Austin Austin, July 30

Music City Invitational Tournament Smyrna, Tenn., July 15

RODEO Canadian Rockies International Rodeo Calgary, Alberta, CANADA, July 1-3 Rocky Mountain Regional Rodeo Denver, July 8-10 North Star Regional Rodeo Minneapolis-St. Paul, July 29-31

SOFTBALL Badgerland Classic Madison, Wisc., July 1-3 MAGIC Tournament Washington, D.C., July 1 Metro Nashville Classic Nashville, July 2 Emerald City Classic Seattle, July 2 Minuteman Softball Tournament Boston, July 2-3 K-Twon Klassic Knoxville, July 23

TENNIS Liberty Open 2016 Flushing, N.Y., July 2-4 San Diego Open 31 San Diego, July 2-4 Seattle Classic 2016 Seattle, July 2-4

Sports Club at

Your Uptown Fitness Experience! www.sportsclubatcitysquare.com (Indian School Rd and 2nd Ave)

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| COMPETE | July 2016

CAMPUS PRIDE CELEBRATES 15-YEAR ANNIVERSARY Campus Pride Homecoming and Awards Banquet will take place on Saturday, July 23 at Johnson & Wales University’s Wildcat Center in Charlotte, N.C. Campus Pride Homecoming will be celebrating the 15-year anniversary of the Campus Pride organization and the 10-year anniversary of Camp Pride, the nation’s premiere LGBTQ Leadership Academy for undergraduate students Scandal and Fringe, actor and artist Jasika Nicole as well as fashion icon, celebrity stylist and actor from Golden Globenominated TV series, Empire, Miss Lawrence will be the featured speakers for the evening. Campus Pride will recognize them for their significant contributions to the LGBTQ community through media with this year’s Campus Pride Voice and Action National Leadership Awards.

Lifelong LGBTQ activist and Southern pioneer Mandy Carter will also be recognized for her outstanding service to social justice. “Everyone is welcome to this homecoming celebration as we celebrate Campus Pride’s milestone with past, present and future LGBTQ leaders,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride. “This summer we honor the voices who have advocated for our community and recognize the dedication of those who continue this fight.”

Campus Pride is the leading national educational organization helping LGBTQ and ally college students and campus groups build not only future leaders but also safer, more LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities. The organization provides resources and services to thousands of college students and nearly 1,400 campuses annually.

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STYLE

BY BOBBY CILETTI, STYLE EDITOR

KEEPING YOUR SUMMER BODY STYLE-READY BOBBY IS A TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE EXPERT AND FOUNDER OF THEDAYSOFTHECHIC.COM. TWITTER @BOBBYCILETTI

JUST LIKE FASHION, FITNESS HAS SEASONS. And with summer’s arrival comes a list of activities to take advantage of the great weather and sun. To look your best in all your summer fashions, your body should be toned and fit.

If you are spending more time at the beach or traveling during this time there are some great fitness opportunities to enjoy with friends or solo that will not only keep you looking good but also feeling good.

Paddle Board Standup paddling is one of the best sports for your core muscles, upper body and legs. Paddling a few times a week will build amazing core strength, arm muscles and overall body alignment. It is a summer favorite for not only giving you an amazing total body workout but also allowing you and other paddlers to spend time with your friends or family, all while enjoying summer scenery and conversation.

Beach Yoga Many yoga devotees hit the mat for a clear mind and body.

Where is better to unwind and relax than the beach. Turn your sun salutations into vitamin D-rich poses, as long as you mind your sun exposure and SPF factors. Give your balance a boost by doing yoga on the beach. The sand provides an uneven and ever-changing floor, making you use all the muscles, something that will come in handy when you want to post that striking sunset handstand to your social media.

Hiking Hiking can provide one of the most diverse workouts, which is exactly why you should seek out trails at home and during your summer travels. Whether you hit the local trails or national landmarks, stay hydrated! Bring along a refillable bottle like a beautiful option from Corkcicle. It’s available in several sizes and colors which means you can bring along a second bottle for a celebratory wine toast when you reach your destination. More information at corkcicle.com

Rowing Row, row, row your boat … or bench. If you love the water but do not live near the beach, rowing is a great work out to get you on the water, whether real or imaginary.

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Despite a myth to the contrary, it is not just an upper body work out.

Rowing can tone nine major muscle groups, including quads, hamstrings, glutes, lats, core, shoulders, triceps, back and biceps. It is also great cardio. Research your local waterways to find the fitness level right for you to kayak, canoe or raft.

Volunteer Volunteering is a great way to do good for your community and yourself. If you prefer heavy lifting, Habitat for Humanity is always a great option. For less intense charitable opportunities, charity walks are always a great way to give back while getting active. The great thing about charity walks is the diversity of causes – it makes it easy to find a cause that resonates with you. Check out www.charitywalksblog.com for a comprehensive list of available walks.

Bobby Says …

Speaking of walking, watch your steps, literally. The rising popularity of fitness trackers has many of us tracking our steps hoping to hit that recommended daily 10,000 steps. If you can, walk to-and-from work. The beginning and end of the day is a great time to get some safe sun exposure and gradually build a consistent summer tan.

Whatever summer activities you enjoy, do so safely and in style.