2023 LLFI AZ SPECIAL EDITION | www.CompeteNetwork.com
OUR MISSION STATEMENT Our mission is to become the foundation to support the ripple effect of breast cancer diagnoses not only for the survivor but for the extended family to provide avenues of promoting breast cancer awareness while educating women and men nationwide on the fight against breast cancer. Our ultimate goal is to be a rechargeable source of strength in allowing relief from an exhaustive experience as a caregiver. Our programs are designed to give back to our community.
CEO
All mail: PO Box 2756 Scottsdale, AZ 85252
Eric Carlyle, SDLT • eric@competenetwork.com
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Trayer Martinez, SDLT • trayer@competenetwork.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Connie Wardman, SDLT • connie@competenetwork.com
© Copyright 2023 Media Out Loud, LLC All Rights Reserved
Uniting the World Through Sports TM
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WELCOME Dear Participants, As Co-Founders of the Lynn Lewis Foundation, it is our pleasure to welcome you to the Pink October Games, our 16th Annual Lynn Lewis Foundation Invitational Flag Football Tournament, being held this year in Mesa, Arizona. We would like to give a special thank you to the Arizona Cardinals, AARP, PLH Homes, Spooner Sports Medicine, the National Black Justice Coalition and Compete Sports Diversity for your support during this amazing journey. This is a landmark event since we will be celebrating the lives of all those women and men who have had breast cancer, won the fight and are surviving to tell their stories. Most importantly, we will commemorate those who lost their battles, but passed their stories on so that others may benefit, survive and live life to the fullest. This weekend’s event is an excellent opportunity for you to meet individuals from all over whose lives are affected by this disease. Listen to them as they share their lives, their battles, their struggles and their survival. Learn how having a life-threatening disease does not determine who you are but instead empowers you to become the person you never dreamed you could be. The games will begin October 13 at 2:00 p.m. and conclude on October 15 at 9:15 p.m. We look forward to meeting you all in Mesa at what promises to be a most unforgettable and enjoyable event! Good luck this weekend! MASHONDA PASCHAL- GILMORE, SDL Chief Executive Director & Co-Founder ZERIC FOSTER Chief of Operations & Co-Founder DONNA SPILOTRAS Board of Directors Member
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GREETINGS ATHLETES, COACHES AND FANS Welcome to Mesa, Arizona! On behalf of the City of Mesa, Lehi Sports Park and the entire team at Visit Mesa, we are honored to host the 2023 Pink October Games. We know many milestones and memorable moments will take place during this year’s competition. Similar to the Lynn Lewis Foundation, Visit Mesa is driven by a cause. Our mission is to prioritize inclusivity and accessibility within our community. As you explore our city, you will be welcomed by friendly faces offering kindness and understanding. When it comes to experiences off the field, you’ll find limitless opportunities to enjoy our unique location here in the Southwest. Discover our distinctively local downtown with an upbeat blend of eclectic shopping, murals and museums, diverse dining, and a wide array of award-winning breweries. Escape to the desert on an off-road tour along the historic Apache Trail, a hike through the Sonoran Desert, or on a kayak or paddleboard on one of our three lakes and two rivers. The options are endless! As you gather for the Pink October Games, please know you have a community that is excited to celebrate with you. Our city is not only a destination for sports excellence but also a place where diversity and inclusivity thrive. You are always welcome here and we invite you to visit us any time. Enjoy the games and good luck! Sincerely,
MARC J. GARCIA President and CEO, Visit Mesa VisitMesa.com
P.S. We hope you will join us in downtown Mesa during the Pink October Games. Several breweries and cafes will be offering specials. Click on the QR code to find out more!
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THE LYNN LEWIS FOUNDATION & LLF SPORTS TO OUR SPONSORS ...
A BIG THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS 8
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WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU!
AND A BIG THANKS TO OUR VENDORS: AARP Arizona
So Icy Brand LLC
HERO
Branded The Label
La Paz Salsa
Show You Right Zone
Clinica Medica Hispana
Shruumz
Vintage Vibes Apparel
Check for a Lump
Tanya Jackson
Spooner Sports Medicine
Insured to a T
The Food Truck League AZ
Allianz Partners
Poky’s Cocina
Aflac
Freedom Drinks
PlayMakers Club Foundation
Zookies
Special Thanks to Spooner Sports Medicine
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Speaking With David Smith (DS): Mashonda, it’s great to see you! How have you been? Mashonda Gilmore (MG): I’m doing pretty good, getting ready for the tournament which in itself is going to be pretty amazing. It’s our first west coast tournament and we’ve increased our numbers to 20 teams which is pretty big for a women’s tournament. It’s our biggest one yet, and next year’s will be in West Palm Beach and I anticipate having over 100 teams participating. We’re expanding to invite collegiate and high school athletes; then we’re going to have a new division that we haven’t announced yet. DS: How’s the Lynn Lewis Foundation dealing with such an expansion? MG: There’s the Lynn Lewis Foundation (LLF) in itself and then the tournament, which is the LLF’s 16th Annual Invitational as you know; there’s the sport side and then the program side where we help our caregivers and survivors. I want to separate the LLF from being a football organization because that’s not what we do. LLF’s primary mission is focused on helping people with breast cancer and that’s how I want people to recognize the Foundation.
MASHONDA PASCHAL-GILMORE, SDL Lynn Lewis Foundation Co-Founder
BY DAVID “DIRK” SMITH, M.SC., SDL DS: Football is just the platform to raise money, build community and get the word out. MG: Right! A lot of this came from an idea that we wanted to do something good for the world, community, and good for Lynn because she was a good friend of mine. Now it’s bigger than I ever imagined. I feel like our organization, the things we do and what we bring to the table is very unique. We have flag football and now we’re bringing in pickleball and 3x3 basketball. We have a lot of people who want to partner with us as well. But right now we’re just trying to rebrand to LLF Sports so we can have a team to manage the sports side, and then have a team to manage the program side where we focus on our caregivers and our survivors as well.
talking about the ladies on ESPN, I’m talking about unsung heroes in the community who are making an impact. I’ve always felt that that’s who I am. There’s a lot of flag football being generated and we’re the pioneers of starting flag football for women. I’m an advocate for women in general and I have a great respect for men who help to empower and elevate platforms for women like me. I just want the ladies to have a platform they deserve. I want the community in Mesa to know that among the 1,800 players, coaches and team managers, we want to be there and we have our supporters coming as well.
DS: That’s amazing, and I am so happy to see it thriving! Shifting a bit, tell me more about the Compete Sports Diversity Women’s Summit and getting that organized? MG: Well, Eric [Carlyle] is going to laugh if he hears this, but Eric and I are visionaries. We both had the idea of a Women’s Sports Council maybe a year and a half ago and we’ve just put it in motion. Whenever we talked about it, people wanted to be part of it. We’re hoping to make an impact in Arizona and across the nation. We really have the substance for these summits to inspire ordinary people. I’m not
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ATHLETES IN ACTION
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL – WITH A PURPOSE! It wasn’t all that long ago that the idea of women playing “serious” (aka ‘men’s’) sports was unthinkable for most people. For example, for years the NBA has kept the WNBA afloat; not because the women weren’t serious professional athletes but because there was never any attention paid to the league by the media and paying public. Women’s sports have had a long haul to reach credibility with the masses. But look at them now! And look at the Lynn Lewis Foundation (LLF) and its 16th Annual Lynn Lewis Invitational – this year one of sponsors for its Pink October Games is an NFL team, the Arizona Cardinals. This is incredible! When founder Lynn Lewis was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer, she passed the torch for her beloved women’s flag football organization to her friend, Mashonda Paschal-Gilmore. And Mashonda chose to honor her friend and mentor by cofounding the Lynn Lewis Foundation 16 years ago with her friend, Zeric Foster. The foundation’s goal for the last 16 years has been to raise awareness of breast cancer nationally and offer support to those afflicted by the disease as well as their caregivers. And they chose women’s flag football tournaments as the appropriate vehicle to fund their mission. In addition to supporting breast cancer survivors and their caregivers, there’s also support specifically for women, the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. It’s a special outreach that changes the game for girls and women in football, encouraging them to dare to be more than who they think they are or even think they can be – it empowers them! I know how much heart and soul the foundation puts into their mission on a daily basis. I really hope you enjoy the weekend. And when you get home, I hope you will work with the LLF and people in your own area to spread information about this wonderful resource. It will be a blessing to many who are needing cancer support as well as a blessing for the women and girls wanting to play football! Now that’s a “winner,” no matter how you look at it! With loving support to all,
CONNIE WARDMAN, M.A., SDLT Education Director | DEI Advocate
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