RACE FACES OLYMPIC FEVER PAR EXCELLENCE: THE DINAH HITS PALM SPRINGS CALLING ALL TENNIS PLAYERS
10 FITNESS TRENDS MARCH 2016 • VOL. 10 NO. 3 $3.95 • COMPETENETWORK.COM
MARCH 2016 Volume 10, Issue 3
PHOTOS COURTESY OF RAM RACING
PUBLISHERS Eric Carlyle • eric@competenetwork.com Patrick Gamble • patrick@competenetwork.com COMPETE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief Connie Wardman • connie@competenetwork.com Style Editor Alfonzo Chavez • alfonzo@competenetwork.com Graphic Design Assistant Matt Boyd • mattb@competenetwork.com Contributors Harry Andrew, Ian Colgate, Jay D’Angelo, Joseph Gaxiola, Jeff Hocker, Jon Johanson, Jeff Kagan, Miriam Latto, Charles Naurath, Dr. Rob Elliott Owens and Brian Patrick Photo Editor Jacquelyn Phillips • jacquelyn@competenetwork.com Photographers Thomas Fleisher, Leland Gebhardt Sales & Partnerships KC Jones • kc@competenetwork.com Jonathan Bierner • jonathan@competenetwork.com Administration Camille Fitzgerald • 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. COMPETENETWORK.COM FACEBOOK.COM/COMPETEMAG @COMPETESPORTS
COMPETE MAGAZINE
16 MY OWN STAR TREK ADVENTURE 20 THE ROAD TO RIO KICK–OFF
11 COMMUNITY HERO Chris Mosier
12 LEFT FIELD
Speed Read, Grandstanding,Thumbs UP/DOWN
DEPARTMENTS 24 MVP
Jose Sambas
27 ATHLETE
Vincent Russo
30 ATHLETE ALLY
Athlete Ally Calls for Diversity & Inclusion in FIFA
SPORTS 32 34 36
Calling All Tennis Players Profile of a Winning Team LPGA and The Dinah – Two Events; One Weekend
OVERTIME
38 NUTRITION
5 Tips for Athletes Doing Hard Exercise
40 FITNESS
10 Fitness Trends for Swimsuit Season
42 GYM BAG 44 EVENTS 46 BEDROOM SPORTS
COMPETE ONLINE
Check out more Compete stories online at: competenetwork.com www.CompeteNetwork.com
COVER ATHLETE Wesley Sylvester, Runner COVER PHOTO Courtesy of RAM Racing
| COMPETE | 5
FROM THE SKYBOX BY ERIC CARLYLE, CO-FOUNDER
WE ARE “ON THE ROAD TO RIO,” TOO
W
@CompeteEric
e are so pleased to continue bringing you Compete each month. Our team is very proud of the work we do to advance sports diversity by highlighting the efforts being made by a wide range of athletes, sports fans, businesses and organizations. What began as a simple outreach to the gay sports community continues to evolve into a forum for sports diversity where our contributors, readers and advertising partners come together each month to make a difference. In this issue we feature The Road to Rio. Compete’s journey has not been unlike the journey of many athletes, both gay and straight, chasing their Olympic dreams to Rio this summer. Now in our tenth year, we’ve been training for at least that long to be the most fun and informative sports diversity media organization across print and digital platforms. We’ve faced the challenges of an economic recession in the same manner an Olympian might face an unexpected injury. We simply dusted ourselves off and continued to move forward. But what makes it easy to continue bringing you the best in sports diversity are the stories that inspire us to keep writing. Athletes that continually overcome challenges and adversities to compete at the highest levels of play, whether in college, recreational, semi-professional or professional sports reflect the very best in us. And we love to get your feedback on how much you enjoy reading about them. You inspire us as we continue featuring these stories in the pages of Compete for many years to come. Sport On,
Eric Carlyle Chief Executive Officer eric@competenetwork.com
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| COMPETE | March 2016
FROM THE CATBIRD SEAT BY CONNIE WARDMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
IT’S TIME TO COMPETE @CompeteConnie
M
arch, known as the month that comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, is the perfect time for our summer sports preview issue. It’s time to get outside and ditch your cabin fever, the result of this wild winter weather. Whether you’re a runner, triathlete, golfer, tennis or soccer player, we’ve got a little something for everyone. It’s also time for a first overview of the Summer Olympics being held this August in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Beyond the thrill of the competitions, the Olympic Games have an exciting unpredictability to them that’s always reflective of our current state of affairs as a global society, particularly in terms of sports diversity. While the 2012 Summer Olympiad in London was a major victory for gay athletes being able to be out, the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi were the polar opposite, reflecting instead the rampant homophobia of the Russian government that threatened openly gay athletes and fans with arrest. But in 2016 the big news is the positive step forward for transgender athletes. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has updated its competition guidelines, no longer requiring expensive and unnecessary gender reassignment surgery and reducing the required time an athlete must be on hormone replacement therapy from two years to one. The impact of this change goes far beyond those wanting to compete in the Olympic Games since many international, national and local sports organizations, leagues and teams use the IOC guidelines. I hope you also enjoy reading about trans athlete Chris Mosier’s role in changing the outdated IOC guidelines as well as the active role Athlete Ally has taken to urge FIFA, the international governing body for football (soccer to those in the U.S.) to pass crucial reforms in the wake of the international scandal that included charges of wire-fraud, money laundering and racketeering. One of the important reforms is to finally give women a greater role in the organization’s decision making. So get a “spring” in your step and get ready to get out there and COMPETE! Keep Smiling,
Connie Wardman, Editor-in-Chief connie@competenetwork.com
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| COMPETE | March 2016
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COMMUNITY HERO
KICKOFF
Chris Mosier – Blazing a Trail for Trans Athletes THERE HAS been a growing awareness of transgender athletes over the past couple of years, thanks in particular to professional MMA fighter Fallon Fox and triathlete and sprint duathlete Chris Mosier, Compete’s 2013 Athlete of the Year. Mosier won't be competing in this year's Olympic Games since the duathlon isn't an Olympic sport. The recent change in International Olympic Committee (IOC) competition guidelines for transgender athletes that no longer requires gender reassignment surgery and two years of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) wouldn’t be complete without including his role in the change. Every day Mosier says he reads the following quote, “Be who you needed when you were younger,” a sentiment that fuels the reason he is willing to be open about his transition. He’s not looking for that elusive fifteen minutes of fame; he’s paying it forward, being the transgender athlete role model he looked for and couldn’t find when he was younger. What put the IOC rule change process into overdrive was Mosier’s seventh-place finish in the men’s 35-39 age category at the Duathlon National Championship in June 2015, earning him a spot on the national men’s team competing for Team USA at the 2016 World Duathlon Championship in Spain this June. As the first transgender man to make Team USA, the U.S. national men’s team that matches his gender identity as opposed to his assigned sex at birth, it still wasn’t guaranteed that Mosier would be eligible to compete with his teammates in the world finals.
He’s always been an athlete and an extremely competitive one who never has been willing to be a “middle of the pack” competitor. Clearly, Mosier has been able to compete as a man so it’s very important to him that he follows the rules and regulations of any meet in which he’s participating so, in his words, “there will never be a case where I win something and people contest it.” Once he qualified for Team USA, he contacted the International Triathlon Union (ITU), host of the upcoming world championships for a status check. He ultimately learned that they follow the IOC rules that would exclude him from the duathlon (a duathlon being a run-bike-run format as opposed to a triathlon format of swim-bike-run) competition However, once the IOC revised its guidelines, Mosier only needed to ensure that the ITU would abide by the revisions in order for him to compete. If they didn’t, he already had engaged legal counsel — and started a GoFundMe page to help pay for it – to contest a potential negative decision, something that now doesn’t appear to be needed. And the ultimate result of his activism to change the IOC requirements used by so many international, national and local sports organizations means that transgender athletes will now be able to compete and win legitimately in their sports of choice, even in the Olympics. In an interview last year with Outsports, Mosier said “Many transgender athletes stop competing when they transition categories. I want people to know it is possible to maintain an identity as an athlete and transition. When I was considering transition, I did not see transgender men competing at a high level in the way I aspired to compete. I am excited to be a visible example for other trans athletes or people considering a medical transition.”
“Be who you needed when you were younger,”
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
| COMPETE | 11
KICKOFF
LEFT FIELD
SPEED READ POTENTIAL TEST TO DETECT CTE WHILE ALIVE IS ANNOUNCED
With the mounting evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) found in the brains of deceased athletes, particularly retired NFL players, the concussion controversy continues to rage. Part of the problem has been that the only way to detect CTE is after a person has died. However, San Diego-based Exosome Sciences, Inc. in collaboration with Aethlon Medical, Inc. and investigators at Boston University and the University of Washington has announced publication of preliminary findings of a blood test to detect CTE while a person is still living. The plus for current athletes, particularly those in contact sports is this; having the ability to detect CTE in living subjects will enable researches to better determine its incidence as well as examining risk factors to understand why CTE occurs in some people while not in others. This should enable researchers to start clinical trials using methods aimed at treating Alzheimer’s and other related neurodegenerative diseases that hopefully may lead to improved methods of detecting these and other causes of dementia.
NEW YORK METS 2016 PRIDE NIGHT The New York Mets have announced they’re holding their first Pride Night at their game against the San Diego Padres on August 13. The Mets Pride Night is being organized in consultation with the LGBT Network and its CEO, David Kilmnick, a longtime season ticket holder and lifelong Mets fans. A significant portion of each ticket sold for that game will go to the LGBT Network’s anti-bullying program that works with public schools in the Queens and Long Island areas to address the bullying issue and offer remedies for change. Putting all this in perspective in an article he wrote for MLB.com was Billy Bean, now MLB vice president for social responsibility and inclusion. He recounted that when he was first hired as ambassador for inclusion in the summer of 2014, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson reached out to him, wanting him to play in a spring training game for the Mets to show support of MLB’s message of inclusiveness. Rather than detract from any of the Mets players, they agreed that Bean would “throw some batting practice and help their coaching staff for a day.” The genesis of the Mets Pride Night, according to Bean came following a June panel on diversity and inclusion held at Molloy College on Long Island when Kilmnick introduced himself and began to tell Bean of his dream for a pride celebration with his favorite team. After contacting
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| COMPETE | March 2016
the Mets front office to schedule a meeting, they all met in September to lay the plans for the upcoming event. “As I expected, David’s vision and proposal to the Mets made everyone very enthusiastic,” Bean said. “A decision like this can only happen if it comes from the very top of an organization, which is a huge compliment to the Wilpon family and the Mets’ executive staff.” All this is reflective of just how important MBL’s message of inclusiveness has been and how effective Bean’s efforts have been in getting the message across, delivering it in only the most positive way. This is another example of why Compete Magazine presented a dual Pioneer Award to MLB and to Billy Bean at its annual November Sports Diversity Awards. Congratulations go to everyone involved! To order tickets for the August 13 game, go to: http://mlb.mlb.com/ticketing/singlegame.jsp?c_ id=nym#game=448608
SPORTS EQUALITY FOUNDATION LAUNCHES Announcing its launch in late January, the Sports Equality Foundation is a rebranding of the U.S. branch of the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation. Its new focus as a grant-making foundation will address four core areas of work affecting the cyclical process of coming out in sports: providing needed resources for LGBT people preparing to come out; whether done publically or privately, sharing their story as they come out; assistance as they become a role model for other LGBT people; and leading cultural progress. The board includes co-chairs Patrick Davis and Kathleen Hatch, Alison Doerfler, Anthony Nicodemo, Kirk Walker and Cyd Zeigler. Advisory board members include Billy Bean, Howard Bragman, Jason Collins, Christina Kahrl, Conner Mertens and Brian Sims.
NFL LEGEND KEEPS DAUGHTER’S LEGACY ALIVE Fred Biletnikoff, Hall of Fame receiver for the Oakland Raiders, retired in 1978 with six Pro Bowls and an MVP performance in Super Bowl XI to his name. In 1999 his daughter Tracey was murdered by an ex-boyfriend she’d met in drug rehab. At age 20, she had finally beaten her drug addiction and was working as a teen drug counselor. Biletnikoff and his wife, Angela are building a new house called Tracey’s Place of Hope, a $500,000 project funded by the Biletnikoff Foundation. Residents there are all teens who have struggled with substance abuse. He wants one-on-one contact with the residents, saying “We speak to a few girls, but we really speak to them. If we get to them, it’s worth it.”
GRANDSTANDING LETTERS TO COMPETE MAGAZINE
BEST BODY (February 2016) I took notice of bodybuilding photos when I received my copy of Compete this month. As a competitive bodybuilder many question me on whether bodybuilding is really a sport. The answer is an easy, yes! The effort and rigor I put forth in training and preparing for competition is easily comparable to any other type of sport.
Mark Rogers Palm Springs, Calif. (via email)
DIVERSITY TOUCHDOWN (February 2016) Anthony Collova is smoking hot! Great to see my favorite sports magazine featuring a straight athlete in their magazine.
Argyle Kennedy
COMPETE READER SURVEY Favorite Super Bowl 50 Commercial? Other 11% Honda “A New Truck to Love” 21%
T-Mobile “Drop the Balls” 36%
Heinz “Weiner Stampede” 32%
Miami, Fla. (via email)
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
| COMPETE | 13
SPORTS KICKOFF
… for launching a sports radio show hosted by three women, including out columnist Kate Fagan, a writer for ESPN The Magazine, espnW and ESPN.com.
ADIDAS … for including a warranty in their contracts that protects athletes from being dropped if they come out.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE … for publishing three separate covers for their swimsuit issue that include a diversity in the body shapes of their cover women, including UFC star Rhonda Rousey.
A.The International Tennis Federation (ITF) introduced yellow tennis balls into the tennis rules after research showed they were more visible to television viewers.
ESPN
?
Source: International Tennis Federation
THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN
QUIZ
Traditionally, tennis balls were either white or black, depending on the court surface. When were yellow tennis balls first used and why?
BOXER MANNY PACQUIAO ... for comparing gays to animals, apologizing and then saying that gays should be put to death.
EZEKIEL ANSAH, DETROIT LIONS DEFENSIVE END … for leading a donation drive with teammates that collected 94,000 bottles of water for the residents of Flint, Michigan who are suffering from high levels of lead in their water system.
ARGENTINE SOCCER STAR LIONEL MESSI … for making a 5-year-old Afghan boy’s dream come true. Murtaza Ahmadi loves Messi but the family couldn’t afford to buy him a jersey. So Murtaza’s older brother made him one out of a plastic bag. After the picture went viral, Messi sent Murtaza a real La Albiceleste jersey he signed and a football. Here are before and after pictures of a happy boy!
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| COMPETE | March 2016
Pictured: Charles Flanagan and Donna Jones
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| COMPETE | March 2016
RUNNING MY OWN PERSONAL
STAR TREK ADVENTURE By Ian Colgate PHOTOS COURTESY OF RAM RACING
I
've heard people say that when they run they feel at-one with nature. But my experience is different. Maybe it’s like yours. When I run I find I’m at-one with myself. I take that time to contemplate my successes, my future and more often than not, the life lessons I’ve learned, especially those from years of watching Star Trek. I started running when I was 28. As an overweight, unhappy man living in a small community, I was trying to figure where I fit in. But my path to finding where I fit didn’t begin by running; it began by walking up and down the driveway once or twice a day, eventually expanding to around my neighborhood. I doubt that the neighborhood round trip was even as big as a regular city block but for me, it was agonizing. Sore legs, sore quads, lots of sweat … LOTS of sweat. Mind you, it was February so the temperature was chilly. But believe me when I tell you that moving my body created lots of heat. Every day I would add a few more steps to what I considered my personal (Star) Trek, out to explore strange new worlds. As I increased the distance I was walking, I began to almost enjoy the time I was starting to spend outside. In a highly illogical moment I decided to boldly go where this man had never gone before. I began to venture from the safety and security of my community to across the street and down the block where I began to explore the public park. There were lakes and trees, playground equipment and sandboxes and even other walkers and runners – I was seeking out new life and new civilizations. At first I was embarrassed to be seen slowly pushing my overweight body across the park while the fit and trim
runners passed me at warp speed like I was standing still. But I told my body that resistance was futile. I was givin’ her all I had, so I lifted a hand to give the runners my best Vulcan salute and always got a wave of some sort in reply – I was starting to feel like one of them on the inside even though my body had not yet made that much progress. Fascinating! By April my walks had turned into full-fledged runs. I was pushing my now somewhat less overweight body harder and faster. At this point I still had a belly that shook when I ran like the proverbial “bowl full of jelly.” But just when I thought I might have to settle for a career moonlighting as Santa Claus instead of Spock, I surprised myself when I realized that I was running two miles a day. The physical pain was still there but I didn’t feel like someone had set their phasers to stun me; I was able to work that out inside myself, seeing it as progress to becoming a new me. I was truly becoming at-one with myself. I began to believe I’m a runner, not a scientist, mechanic, engineer, not even an overweight coal miner. As my runs gradually got longer, I began to be the one passing the walkers in the park at warp speed, although not breaking any Starfleet record. And now, remembering how happy and connected those waves from others had made me feel, I always make sure to salute these walkers. After all, one of them might be at the early stage of a journey like mine. I now run the full gambit of amateur races, from 5K races to full marathons. It’s no longer a chore. Beam me up, Scotty – I’m having fun living long and prospering!
www.CompeteNetwork.com
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THE ROAD TO RIO IS DIVERSE By Connie Wardman
“Sport
has the power to change the world. It has the
power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way
that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand.
only despair.
“It
Sport can create hope where once there was
is more powerful than government in breaking down
racial barriers.
discrimination.”
It
laughs in the face of all kinds of
- Nelson Mandela, May 25, 2000 20
| COMPETE | March 2016
T
he 2016 Olympic Summer Games are being held in Rio de Janeiro August 5-21, now less than six months away. Aside from the exciting competition and the magic of the opening and closing ceremonies, this road to Rio will go down in history as another Olympiad that showcases the current systemic changes going on in our global society, particularly in the area of sports diversity – once again confirming Nelson Mandela’s observation that “sport has the power to change the world.” Requirements for Transgender Athletes Change Perhaps the most important change is for the transgender sports community. The impact of these changes will go far beyond the Olympic Games since a number of international, national and local sports organizations follow the International Olympic Committee (IOC) requirements instituted in 2004 for transgender athletes – to be eligible to compete they must change their sex both legally and anatomically and have taken hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for a minimum of two years prior to competing. But now, due to the recent change in guidelines by the IOC, transgender or trans athletes will be allowed to compete without having the previously-required external and internal gender reassignment surgery because it’s not only very expensive and rarely covered by insurance but also because genitalia has no relation whatsoever to a person’s athletic performance. The revised guidelines also reduce the required amount of time taking HRT before being eligible to compete from two years to one. These revised IOC guidelines were made in November 2015 in an unpublicized “Consensus Meeting on Sex Reassignment and Hyperandrogenism,” and were expected to be adopted before the start of the Summer Olympic Games in August. These guidelines now match the NCAA rules. The original concern about transgender athletes competing was the “advantage” controversy, especially for male-to-female (MTF) transgender women – concern that even when their transition into a female body was complete, they would still have an unfair advantage over other women due to their higher male testosterone levels and greater musculature and strength.
Whether through ignorance, prejudice or both, many continue to believe that a trans woman, with or without male genitalia, still maintains her male strength and build without recognizing that testosterone, the primary male hormone and the one often given as a performance enhancer (PED), is reduced by her daily HRT regimen. On the flip side, however, few have cared about female-tomale (FTM) transgender athletes because the belief is that they couldn’t possibly be able to compete with men. But the question of unfair advantage by transgender athletes has now been answered definitively by the medical community involved in transgender medicine. Whether they are current transgender athletes like MTF professional MMA fighter Fallon Fox or like FTM triathlete and sprint duathlete Chris Mosier, these athletes do not have an unfair advantage because of the effect of the regular HRT they are required to take – that after time spent on the daily-required HRT, the regular hormone levels of trans athletes are similar to their cisgender or non-trans competitors. The First U.S. Olympian to Compete Wearing a Hijab Olympic history will also be made this year by Ibtihaj Muhammad, a 30-year-old Muslim woman from New Jersey who will represent the U.S. as a saber fencer in the Summer Games wearing a hijab. Although the U.S. Olympic fencing team won’t be officially announced until April, her recent win of a bronze medal in Athens at the Women’s World Saber Cup January 30 gives her enough points to secure her place on the U.S. Ibtihaj Muhammad team. Currently ranked seventh among the top saber fencers in the world, Muhammad began fencing in high school at age 13 because her parents, who introduced her to the sport, “were looking for a sport for me to play where I wouldn’t have to alter the uniform as a Muslim woman” (referring to the fact that fencing uniforms cover an athlete’s head). Although Muhammad played a variety of sports in high school, fencing became her sport of choice and she was recruited to fence by Duke University.
Fallon Fox & Chris Mosier at 2013 Nike Summit. www.CompeteNetwork.com
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Muhammad says that fencing has taught her “how to aspire higher, sacrifice, work hard and overcome defeat. I want to compete in the Olympics for the United States to prove that nothing should hinder anyone from reaching their goals – not race, religion or gender. I want to set an example that anything is possible with perseverance.”
Omara Durand and guide; photo by Ricardo López. Following graduation she decided to compete professionally for a number of reasons, one of which was to break the diversity barrier in a sport that has traditionally been dominated by whites. In the same way Mosier never saw a transgender male role model in sports to emulate, Muhammad had the same negative experience as a Muslim female athlete. In a recent CNN interview, she said that “There are a lot of African American athletes, but I can’t think of a female Muslim woman I can look up to for inspiration as an athlete.” In an interview with BuzzFeed News she said, “Historically, it’s always been a white sport reserved for people with money. I don’t think it’s a good representation of the U.S., or of society as a whole.” Another reason she chose to pursue fencing is to break the Muslim career expectation that “you are always a doctor or a lawyer.” On the U.S. Fencing organization’s website, she says that “When most people picture an Olympic fencer, they probably do not imagine a person like me. Fortunately, I am not most people. I have always believed that with hard work, dedication and perseverance, I could one day walk with my U.S. teammates into Olympic history.” And thanks to that belief, here she is – living her dream. She has earned an impressive number of team and individual medals since her first world cup appearance at age 23. And at a time when being Muslim in America is a challenging if not dangerous existence, she is an example of an American Muslim female athlete representing her sport and her country in the most positive way. Even President Barack Obama gave her a shout-out during his recent speech at a Baltimore mosque. Asking her to stand for applause, he told her to “Bring home the gold … No pressure.”
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| COMPETE | March 2016
Blind Cuban Sprinter Working to Compete as an Olympian Gold medal Paralympian Omara Durand has already proved her speed as a sprinter in the London 2012 Paralympics and in three sprint races in the 2015 Paralympics held in Qatar. The legally blind Cuban is no stranger to competing in T13-class races for visuallyimpaired athletes, always running with a guide to ensure she doesn’t stray into another runner’s lane. Durand already made history last year by clocking the fastest 100m T12 time ever by a female Parathlete at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games. And now she’s working on claiming a spot on the Cuban 4x100 meter relay team in the Rio Olympics. It was in 2012 when South African runner Oscar Pistorius, better known to the world as the “Blade Runner,” made history at the London Games by being the first double leg amputee to participate in the 2012 Olympics as part of the South African 4x400-meter relay team thanks to the technology of his prostheses. But Durand is the first legally blind athlete working to show that by running without technology, only with a guide, she is able (as opposed to dis-abled) to compete against Olympians. Ecology and Epidemiology Concerns Converge The games are also reflecting our growing concerns for our planet and our global health and wellbeing. The public health crisis caused by the recent outbreak of the Zika virus in Rio that is rapidly spreading throughout the Americas has caused at least one elite Olympian, soccer star goalie Hope Solo to say that if the Olympics were being held today
Photo credit: Wikimedia
rather than in August, “I wouldn’t go.” Her decision is based on her concern over the possibility of having a healthy baby when she returns from Brazil since the virus has been linked to birth defects in babies born from mothers bitten while pregnant by mosquitoes carrying the disease. The IOC has announced that the games will go on as planned and the head of the U.N. World Health Organization predicts that the Zika virus will be “way down” before the games open. But the U.S. Olympic Committee has announced that it won’t prevent any athlete who feels uncomfortable going to Brazil from opting out of attending and has hired two infectious disease specialists to give advice to athletes before leaving for Rio. While that seems unlikely given the years of sacrifice and training it takes an athlete to reach Olympic status, still it could potentially alter the makeup of the competitions. This outbreak has also raised concerns over the larger issue of a warming planet that’s now enabling diseasecarrying mosquitoes to thrive as well as the effects of contaminated water supplies. Part of Rio’s bid for the 2016 games was a commitment to clean water for the games, something that would be its legacy to its citizens. But even now the raw sewage-polluted waters in Rio, even far offshore, continue to raise health concerns for athletes, particularly those in the swimming and boating events. A July 30, 2015 ESPN article said that “In the first independent comprehensive testing for both viruses and bacteria at the Olympic sites, the AP conducted four rounds of tests starting in March. The results have alarmed international experts and dismayed competitors training in Rio, some of whom have already fallen ill with fevers, vomiting and diarrhea.” And Ivan Bulaja, a coach for the Australian team said “This is by far the worst water quality we’ve ever seen in our sailing careers.” Water pollution has long been a problem in Brazil’s urban areas where most sewage not only isn’t collected, it also goes untreated. In Rio itself, much of the waste runs through open-air ditches to polluted streams and rivers filled with dead fish and trash that feed the Olympic water venues. And recently, a person's arm was found floating in the bay. But now a sagging economy in Brazil means that the promised water system overhaul is a promise Rio can’t keep. As we march ever closer to the Olympic Games in August, it continues to be an event that reflects where we are as a global society, both the good, the bad and the ugly in terms of race, religion, gender, ecology, public health and especially, sports diversity. It continues to call for us to take action, to continue the values of the Olympic movement of Friendship, Respect and Excellence and the Paralympic values of Determination, Inspiration, Courage and Equality. Sport really does have the power to change the world!
www.CompeteNetwork.com
| COMPETE | 23
ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS: GLTA Player of the Year, GLTA World Champion in Singles and Doubles in Open Division.
GREATEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT: My greatest personal achievement is to surround myself with extraordinary friends that I can call family. We share the same values and spirit in life and in sports.
SPORTS PLAYED: Tennis, Volleyball, Track
WHY YOU LOVE SPORTS: I love the competition and the will to win that happens mentally and physically
BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE: Smile
INTERESTS: Sports, Movies, Travelling
FAVORITE TEAM: Green Bay Packers
FAVORITE ATHLETE: Roger Federer/Stephen Curry
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single
SPORT: Tennis
CURRENT RESIDENCE: Los Angeles
HOMETOWN: Los Angeles
AGE: 51
JOSE SAMBAS
TEAM COMPETE MVP
To be included in our MVP section, e-mail: MVP@competenetwork.com
ATHLETE
VINCENT RUSSO – AN EDUCATOR PASSIONATE ABOUT FITNESS AND NUTRITION
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VINCENT RUSSO
VINCENT RUSSO IS AN ATHLETE, A BODYBUILDER and educator who is passionate about both fitness and nutrition. As an All-State football and baseball player from David Brearley High School in Kenilworth, New Jersey, Russo went on to play football as an All-MAC in college. Graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in biology, Russo now teaches high school science at the Alternative School [for behavior] in Rahway, New Jersey. He has also coached high school football for six years and high school baseball for two years. But Russo’s interest in educating people doesn’t stop at the high school level. He has coached classes at Orange Theory Fitness for two years and has the following certifications: • NFPT certified personal trainer • CPR certified • Clinical Nutritional License (pending) So it should come as no surprise that he is also a sponsored athlete with Bodybuilding.com and with Grenade. Additionally, he’s an ambassador for Fit Mark Bags. Compete: Why are you so passionate about fitness? Vincent Russo: Fitness has been a part of my life ever since I can remember. I always needed to be the best player on the field or the fastest kid running track in gym class. And this was only achievable through rigorous training. I remember my father reading muscle magazines and I would look at these guys and wish I could one day look like that. When I realized that I had the lifting aspects of fitness down, the drive to make myself better led me to work on bettering my overall health. This is where nutrition became a big part of my life. Fitness is not just about how many times you can make it to the gym or how long you can run; it’s about living a healthy and fit lifestyle and then sharing your experiential knowledge with others who are seeking advice. C: Why do you believe nutrition is so important? VR: My nutrition philosophy is geared toward reaching goals in a sane and healthy way. I provide personalized nutritional plans that are used to teach clients the impor-
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ATHLETE
tance of nutrient timing and how to use nutrition to their advantage in reaching their fitness/ health goals which also helps them live a healthy and fit lifestyle. I refuse to provide my clients with a quick-fix method that can degrade the metabolism. One key aspect I preach is to NOT be concerned with "scale weight.” Instead, be more concerned with energy levels, strength levels and how you feel over all. I customize nutrition plans to the individual and his or her desired goals. The methods used are scientifically sound and evidencebased in order to achieve optimal physical, mental and emotional performance. C: How does your education background play into all this? VR: I am an educator at heart. I firmly believe that education is the key to better health. I believe the more you know, the more empowered you are to make better decisions to achieve your goals. If I can have a positive influence on someone’s life and impact it in a positive way, then my job in this life is complete. This is why I choose to teach in a behavioral school and not in a more prestigious academic environment with future Harvard alums. C: What makes you different from other athletes and fitness models? VR: Many athletes and fitness models choose to keep their secrets to success to themselves to stay on top of the game. But I am here to share my experiences, to share what has worked for me as well as my clients. I choose to give as much information that I know will benefit another person as I can to as many people I can. C: What is your main goal that drives you in life? VR: My main goal is to have my clients say to me, “VIN, thanks for all you have done! I’ve learned so much from you through this experience. And because of what you taught me, I am now able to do this by myself!”
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SPORTS
ATHLETE ALLY
ATHLETE ALLY CALLS FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN SOCCER WORLDWIDE BY BRIAN PATRICK AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, ATHLETE ALLY’S founder and executive director Hudson Taylor will be traveling to Zurich, Switzerland the end of February to meet with FIFA committee members, anti-discrimination advisors and FIFA communication staff regarding what the organization is doing to end homophobia on the pitch and in the stands. The conversation will also center on supporting the February 26 passage of the reform recommendations made by the 2016 FIFA reform committee as the full group meets for their 2016 Extraordinary FIFA Congress. At this landmark occasion the member associations will vote both for a new FIFA president and for crucial reforms to improve the governance, transparency and culture of the organization as a whole, specifically around accountability and diversity. FIFA, the worldwide governing body for football (better known in the U.S. as soccer), was founded in Zurich in 1904 and over the years has grown into the world’s most popular sport. But it’s also one that is just now coming out of the depths of a huge international scandal that included charges of wire-fraud, money laundering and racketeering that led to several top leaders being forced out. As the organization begins to pick up the pieces, one of the most important points in the full slate of proposed reforms put forth by the FIFA executive committee is to finally address giving women a greater role in the organization’s decision making. Soccer is a male-dominated sport that didn’t even recognize women as part of the game until the 1990s. With the growing popularity of women’s soccer in the U.S., inclusion of women may not seem like much of an issue to the average sports fans here. But that is primarily due to the success over the past 44 years of the groundbreaking Title IX legislation that ensures equal participation opportunities in sports for both genders. Moya Dodd, a retired member of the Australian women’s national soccer team who is now one of three women on the executive committee, has added a proposal to increase the number of women on FIFA’s top decisionmaking committee. That would change it from one female voting member out of 25 today to six women out of 37 members. It also includes a statute that FIFA must develop women’s soccer on a global scale and promote full participation of women at all levels of the sport, both on and off the field.
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This is, indeed, a groundbreaking moment. And the hash tag #WomenInFIFA has turned into a rallying cry by Athlete Ally with its open letter that calls for more women within FIFA’s governing body. Almost 1,500 individuals have signed this letter – many of them elite athletes that, according to Taylor, include: Olympic medalists – 51 gold, 19 silver and 11 bronze winners; World Championship medalists – 29 gold, 23 silver and 6 bronze winners; PanAm medalists – 12 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze winners; and World Cup medalists – 17 gold, 10 silver and 15 bronze winners. In part, the letter mentions that numerous studies provide evidence that diversity within an organization, one that is gender-balanced, delivers better decisions, the organization itself performs better and the severity and frequency of fraud is reduced. But it also cautions that critical mass is essential, noting that boardroom diversity advocates place the recommended number of women to at least 30 percent of the overall group. At that point, the culture shifts away from women being a special interest group to becoming part of the normalized mainstream. To achieve a gender balance within the organization, the FIFA Congress must vote to pass these gender equality reforms on the 26th – a vote that will require 75 percent support from a governing body that consists of 207 men and two women. This is a time for FIFA to regain its reputation and the public trust it has lost by actively resourcing participation opportunities for women and girls at all levels of the sport as part of its overall reform package. It is time for FIFA to become a positive change agent not only within the world of soccer but as the most popular sport worldwide, to become a world leader in diversity and inclusion in sport.
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SPORTS
CALLING ALL TENNIS PLAYERS FOR THE LA OPEN 2016 BY HARRY ANDREW
WHEN THE EASTER WEEKEND ROLLS AROUND, forget your local Easter egg hunt. Instead, follow the Easter Bunny – grab your tennis racket and head to Burbank, California because it’s time for the LA Open 2016 on March 25-27. It’s hosted by the Los Angeles Tennis Association, better known as LATA. While open to all ages and skill levels, the singles and doubles tournament is sponsored by LATA’s international organization, the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA) that manages and sanctions the gay tennis circuit around the world. As one of LATA’s three national tournaments held each year, the LA Open is always ranked in the Top 10 GLTA events worldwide, a fact that draws 170 players from across the globe. While competition at the LA Open is always fierce, the atmosphere is always friendly and supportive. This is one of the important reasons why LATA’s membership has continued to grow since its inception in 1978, making
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF LOS ANGELES TENNIS ASSOCIATION
it now the largest gay tennis organization in the U.S. with a focus on developing and coordinating tennis activities for the LGBTQ community within the greater Los Angeles community. For serious tennis players, there are lots of opportunities to play. Even though sports venues are in short supply in the Los Angeles area, LATA offers league play every night of the week, spreading it across five or six venues from Burbank to the valley to city center in Los Angeles. Through LATA’s resources, players have year-round access to players of all levels and styles in competitive, structured or informal settings — whatever suits each player’s schedule. This is all part of the group’s goal to promote greater health and happiness by helping each member reach his or her potential, both on and off the court! Beyond tournaments such as the LA Open, LATA also offers team tennis, tennis socials, clinics, social doubles and ladder challenges throughout the year. But you don’t
SPORTS
have to be a serious player to be part of the group. Like many gay-oriented sports organizations, LATA is open to players of all ages and skill levels as well as sexual preference and orientation. And the best part for many is the group’s active yearround social calendar that attracts both gay and straight members. It includes a summer picnic, a year-end holiday party and an assortment of fun outings like barbeques, bowling, even ice skating. As a non-profit organization itself, LATA uses its tournaments to raise funds for other non-profit social service organizations in the Los Angeles area that serve the LGBTQ community, homeless teens and special needs groups such as Special Olympics as well as AIDS-related organizations. Prior to a tournament, a local non-profit is selected to receive the monies raised during that event. Jose Sambas, this month’s Team Compete MVP, is an excellent example of LATA’s membership. He loved playing tennis and was looking for a way to be more
connected with the gay sports community. After learning about LATA through an article, he signed up five years ago and has been a board member ever since, additionally serving this year as the group’s publicity chair. He, like many others, feels he’s found in LATA his “court away from home.” If you would like to join LATA as a member, go to www.lataweb.com
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SPORTS
PROFILE OF A WINNING TEAM
…
TEAM DC
BY HARRY ANDREW MANY LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS HAVE AN umbrella organization for all the LGBT sports organizations within its area and Washington, D.C. has one of the best and most active – Team DC. Billing itself as “Washington’s Gay Sports Connection,” the 501(c)(3) organization was established in 1990 and formally incorporated in 2003. It encourages and supports involvement in team and individual sports within the LGBT and ally community by serving as a clearinghouse for information about the associated teams, clubs and their events. With close to 40 different teams/clubs represented, Team DC has approximately 7,000 LGBT athletes and allies within the greater Washington, D.C. metro area that includes parts of northern Virginia and eastern Maryland. Because it’s the national seat of government, the area attracts a wide variety of athletes from around the globe with a wide variety of interests, many of them government and military personnel in mobile positions who need a way to fit into and be accepted by a new community. The group’s mission is to strengthen the LGBT community in the metro area through sports, making “recreational sports a welcoming and safe place for all participants by promoting and supporting fun and healthy team activities and competitions.” And a large part of that includes a number of convivial events that support members from different teams and leagues getting to know one another. One of the most popular is the Night OUT series of events. It began in 2003 with a Night OUT at the Nationals. It was so successful that the baseball event has now grown into the largest LGBT community event in professional sports in the U.S. Anticipated to draw over 4,000 people, this year’s event against the Chicago Cubs on June 14 will mark its 12th anniversary. Not content to rest on its laurels, Team DC expanded the Night OUT concept to include other professional sports in the area beginning in 2011. This year’s slate of Nights OUT includes: • Women's Football – the Washington Prodigy • Pro soccer, hosted by the Federal Triangles Soccer Club • The NFL, hosted by the DC Gay Flag Football League • College basketball – BB&T Classic, two college basketball games for the price of one • Professional hockey – the Washington Capitals • Pro world team tennis doubles, the Washington Kastles, hosted by the Capital Tennis Association • Pro basketball – the Washington Wizards • Pro women’s basketball – the Washington Mystics
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But the organization also offers casino nights during the spring, fall and winter seasons. The Spring Casino Night this year is scheduled for Saturday, April 23 at Buffalo Billiards. The evening, which features blackjack, poker and craps, uses dealers from the Team DC-affiliated sports clubs with proceeds being split evenly among the participating clubs. The event with Josh Zimmerman, 2015 Team DC Model Search Winner the most long-term Photo by Robert Mercer of Ripped Genes, LLC benefit to LGBT future college-bound athletes (not to mention the best eye-candy!) is Team DC’s annual Fashion Show & Model Search. With hot guys in sexy clothing from some top designers, the evening is filled with excitement. Held the end of February each year at Town Danceboutique, the proceeds from the Fashion Show & Model Search support the Team DC College Scholarship Program. And Compete Magazine joins in by featuring the winning model on one of its monthly covers. For self-identified LGBT student-athletes graduating from high schools in the Washington, D.C. metro area who will be attending a fully accredited two- or four-year college or university, the Team DC Student-Athlete Scholarship will provide each winner up to $2,000 of financial support to offset the cost of educational expenses. In addition to showing a dedication to excellence in both academic and athletic fields, they must also show promise as positive role models for the LGBT community. Recipients of Team DC’s Champions awards and college scholarships are then honored in November at the organization’s Night of Champions, a three-course seated dinner and awards program that also includes a cocktail reception and silent auction. Congratulations go to Team DC; its board of directors, sports council members and of course, Brent Minor, its executive director for a job well done.
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SPORTS
THE LPGA ANA INSPIRATION CHAMPIONSHIP AND CLUB SKIRTS DINAH SHORE WEEKEND BY MIRIAM LATTO FROM MARCH 28 TO APRIL 3, WOMEN GOLFERS worldwide will be flocking to the Palm Springs area for the LPGA’s ANA (All Nippon Airways) Inspiration Championship. While this tournament name (which became official in 2015) may not trigger immediate recognition, it’s the latest name for what started in 1972 as the Colgate Dinah Shore Championship. Dinah Shore, for those of you too young to remember, was a popular big band singer and radio and television host whose career spanned the 1940s to the 1980s. Due to a childhood attack of polio that left her with a paralyzed leg, she later became an avid golfer and supporter of women’s professional golf, helping to found the tournament that is now the ANA Inspiration. To acknowledge Shore’s contributions to golf, she was elected an honorary member of the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1994 and in 1998 she became a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Held each spring at the world famous Mission Hills Country Club’s Dinah Shore Tournament Course in Rancho Mirage, the ANA is still one of the major tournaments on the LPGA tour and has a purse of $2,600,000. Designed by Desmond Muirhead in 1970, the 18-hole course has a 40-year history of being rated as one of the top courses in the Coachella Valley. You can actually take a flyover of the course by going to http://www.clubcorp. com/Clubs/Mission-Hills-Country-Club/Amenities/Golf/ Dinah-Shore-Tournament-Course-Flyover. This tournament has also long been popular with lesbians, whether or not they’re golfers. Although it isn’t affiliated with the ANA Inspiration tournament, the Dinah Shore Weekend, also called the Palm Springs Women’s Weekend or Club Skirts Presents The Dinah, continues to grow and is now known as the world’s largest lesbian event. It was founded in 1991 by Mariah Hanson who believed that the lesbian community deserved the “best of the best.” This five-day music festival is hosted annually by The Hilton. In a recent interview by Nick Cimarusti, Hanson shared that in college she was known for throwing the best parties and decided that a party centered around what was then the-Dinah Shore Golf Tournament was a natural transition from her popular college events. Describing the weekend as a cross between Woodstock and lesbian spring break,
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she says the inclusive “lovefest” element to the weekend is an important antidote to the low self-esteem many LGBT people grapple with. Billed as “The Largest Girl Party Music Festival in the World,” by event organizer Club Skirts (Hanson is also the Club Skirts founder), it books major celebrities and entertainers each year for the variety of events that include pool parties, concerts and dances that are held in and around the Hilton Hotel and Spa, the Palm Springs Convention Center, local gay clubs and the trendy Saguaro Palm Springs resort which is playing host to one of the pool parties. Elle King is in full concert at the Friday Night White Party along with DJ Mary Mac spinning live. New this year is a celebrity dunk tank with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center that includes a dollar-for-dollar matching donation by Club Skirts. Also on the agenda is a huge game of Twister and beer pong. For the complete schedule with all the events and performers listed, go to http://thedinah. com/events. Each event has an admission charge that generally ranges between $35 to $100 but if you’ll be there for the entire weekend, your best buy is a weekend pass that sells for $269. Tickets to the ANA Golf Championship can be purchased at: http://www.anainspiration.com/tickets/ Tickets for Club Skirts The Dinah can be purchased at: https:// www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=G92VYH7
NUTRITION
FIVE NUTRITION TIPS FOR ATHLETES DOING HARD EXERCISE BY MIRIAM LATTO AS ATHLETES KICK UP THEIR EXERCISE routines getting ready for endurance races being cycled or run in warmer weather, they also need to eat a diet that can not only help them to perform well but to also recover quickly afterward. Peter Jaret shares five tips for athletes who are doing hard exercise for 90 or more minutes, especially if they’re including high intensity training that requires lots of endurance. Here are his five guidelines.
DRINK FLUIDS EARLY AND OFTEN Dehydration not only can hurt your performance, it can be life-threatening! Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink – by that time you may be seriously dehydrated, according to sports dietitian Joy Dubost, PhD, who advises all high-intensity athletes to drink fluids early and often since intense exercise makes you lose fluid quickly. Jaret says endurance athletes like marathon runners or long-distance cyclists should drink 8-12 ounces of fluid every 10-15 minutes during an event. And when possible, drink chilled fluids which are more easily absorbed than those at room temperature. They also help cool down the body.
LOAD UP ON CARBOHYDRATES Remember that your body changes carbs into glucose, a form of sugar and then stores it in your muscles as glycogen. This means that carbs are really your main fuel to get out there and compete. If you exercise under 90 minutes, Jaret says your glycogen storage is adequate, even for high intensity exercise. But if you spend more than 90 minutes, here are the strategies he suggests you use: • Carbohydrate loading for 3-4 days before an event can help top up your glycogen stores, says Dubost. • Your diet should get about 70 percent of its calories from carbs that include breads, cereals, pasta, fruit and veggies to achieve maximum carbohydrate storage. • On the day of a big event you need to give your stomach time to empty. So plan to eat your last meal 3-4 hours before exercising. • To avoid dehydration, stay away from eating sugary or starchy foods within 30 minutes of starting any activity. • Replenish carbs, minerals and water during long exercise sessions by eating a snack and drinking
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•
fluid every 15-20 minutes. While many athletes prefer sports bars, sports drinks or gels for convenience, don’t forget that fruit and fruit juice are also excellent choices. And after intensive exercise, reload on carbohydrates. Dubost suggests that post-exercise is the time for less refined carbs, like a whole-grain bagel or carrot sticks.
GET ENOUGH PROTEIN BUT NOT TOO MUCH Protein is what maintains your muscles but getting too much can put a strain on your kidneys. Choose lean meats, fish, poultry, nuts, beans, eggs or milk over protein supplements. Know how much protein you need so you won’t overdo. Jaret says the average person needs 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day, but a strength athlete may need up to 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight. That works out to about 150 grams of protein for a 200-pound athlete. Milk, says Dubost, is one of the best post-event recovery foods because it provides a good balance of protein and carbs. In addition to calcium for strong bones, she mentions that milk also contains casein and whey protein, a combination that may be particularly helpful for athletes; whey is absorbed quickly and casein is digested more slowly, ensuring your long-term recovery.
GO EASY ON FAT If you’re an endurance athlete, remember that when your carbohydrate stores run low, your body turns to fat for energy. Most athletes get all their required fat from following a good basic diet that includes mostly unsaturated fat from foods like nuts, avocados, olives, vegetable oils and fatty fish like salmon and tuna. But on the day of your event, avoid fatty foods since they can upset your stomach.
REPLACE LOST ELECTROLYTES Sweating not only removes fluids, it also removes electrolytes which help transmit nerve signals in your body. Sports drinks are good for replacing electrolytes. But if you’re losing a lot of fluid as you sweat, he recommends diluting sports drinks with equal amounts of water to restore a good balance of both. Source: WebMD
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FITNESS
TEN TOP FITNESS TRENDS FOR SWIMSUIT SEASON BY MIRIAM LATTO THIS IS OUR SUMMER SPORTS PREVIEW ISSUE and this is also the best time to start getting your body swimsuit-ready. We all know that no matter how much we hope for the perfect body overnight, getting that body we want isn’t an overnight or even a once-in-awhile proposition. Not every fitness trend works for every individual, however, and having a routine you enjoy is a major key to achieving your desired results. Here are 10 top fitness trends in 2016 taken from a survey by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) of over 2,800 health and fitness professionals worldwide. Thanks go to Kylie Gilbert from Shape.com for breaking down a truly academic survey replete with facts, figures and charts into a list you can place on the side of your refrigerator. Participants were given 40 possible trends from which to choose. Interestingly, many of their choices are the same from 2015 so you know these are trends that have staying power, even when you find your own staying power waffling from time-to-time. So to achieve your best results, choose one you know will not only engage and hold your interest but will also work for your schedule and budget and then get to it.
1. Wearable technology. If you don’t already know that fitness trackers are a huge trend, you could be living like a hermit. The survey says fitness trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors, and GPS tracking devices from brands like Jawbone, Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin and other manufacturers, will continue to hold their place in 2016.
2. Bodyweight training. Gilbert shares that it’s no secret that the folks at Shape favor bodyweight training, noting that the use of minimal equipment makes it both a convenient and affordable way to do an “anywhere workout.”
3. High-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT she describes as any workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity combined with fixed periods of less-intense activity or even complete rest. And one of its many benefits is that the entire workout can usually be performed in 30-minutes or less.
4. Strength training. Although you’ll build muscle, strength training is a necessary part of any workout program because you’ll also burn more body fat and calories while protecting your bone health and muscle mass.
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5. Educated and experienced fitness professionals. Gilbert notes that we’ve seen the rise of the personal trainer/ celebrity which she says indicates now more than ever, the importance of national fitness certifications and credentials.
6. Personal training. Whether you’re a “newbie” looking to learn the ropes or trying to reach a new fitness goal, personal trainers are still the smart way to get the most out of your gym time.
7. Functional fitness. Functional fitness is a sensible approach that mimics and supports your everyday activities, like bending down, picking things up, walking up stairs and pulling or pushing open doors.
8. Fitness programs for older adults. There are a number of studies showing that after 40, we begin to lose muscle mass and strength. So fitness programs that keep older adults healthy and active are crucial. Gilbert is happy to see that health and fitness professionals will continue to focus on creating ageappropriate and safe workout programs in 2016.
9. Exercise and weight loss. While this may not seem like a trend, nutrition in addition to exercise continues to be a key component of weight-loss programs.
10. Yoga. Yoga is now more popular than ever, coming up with creative names, like fat yoga and salty yoga to sound new and fresh. Even though yoga has slipped a few spots on this year’s list, since the practice dates back between 5,000 to 10,000 years, there’s no doubt that yoga—which includes Power Yoga, Yogalates, Bikram, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Kripalu, Anurara, Kundalini, Sivananda and others—remains in the top 10 trends for 2016. Source: Shape Magazine. To read the ACSM’s full report, go to http://journals.lww.com/
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OVERTIME
EVENTS
CURRENT EVENTS IN MARCH AQUATICS TNYA Swim and Dive Camp 2016 Fort Lauderdale, Mar. 13-19
BOWLING Second City Open Tournament Chicago Chicago, Mar. 3 Phoenix Regional Invitational Tournament Phoenix, Mar. 17 St. Patricks Invitational Tournament Memphis, Mar. 18 Silicon Valley Invitational Tournament San Jose, Mar. 18 Winter Express Trio Tournament Ann Arbor, Mar. 19 Dixie Invitational Bowling Tournament Atlanta, Mar. 25
FLAG FOOTBALL Duel in the Desert Palm Springs, Mar. 25-27
TENNIS Palm Springs Doubles 2016 Palm Springs, Mar. 3-6 2016 ChATTAhoochee Doubles Classic Atlanta, Mar. 11-13 ATB Championships 2016 Tampa, Mar. 12-13 LA Open 2016 Burbank, Mar. 25-27
VOLLEYBALL Hotlanta Classic Atlanta, Mar. 19 Lone Star Volleyball Classic Houston, Mar. 25
DUKE UNIVERSITY SPORTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE DUKE UNIVERSITY’S SPORTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE Leadership Conference is being hosted by Duke at their Bryan Center on Saturday, March 5 for North Carolina’s sports community. Those invited will include athletes, athletic directors, coaches, referees, parents and families of athletes as well as teachers and administrators at all levels of the educational spectrum. All are invited to share their experiences supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA) athletes and/or promoting and adopting LGBTQIA-inclusive policies at their institutions or organizations. Following the keynote address by Nzinga Shaw, chief diversity & inclusion officer of the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club, attendees will participate in workshops covering inclusive fan culture, creating inclusive spaces for LGBTQIA athletes, coaches' responsibility in creating inclusive spaces and homophobia in hypermasculine sports. The conference is sponsored by Athlete Ally, Duke Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity and Duke Athlete Ally.
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BEDROOM SPORTS
DATING, SEX AND RELATIONSHIP ADVICE
BY RYAN O’CONNER, GUEST COLUMNIST
OPEN RELATIONSHIPS – OPENING A CAN OF WORMS QUESTION: My longtime boyfriend and I have agreed to have an open relationship with very specific conditions. We can only see other people when we travel alone outside our home city. The problem is that Jack travels at least once a month with his softball team and I only get out of town once or twice a year. This doesn’t seem fair to me anymore. What are your thoughts? KIRK, WEST HOLLYWOOD
ANSWER: Kirk, as long as you and Jack are consenting adults and mutually agree to an arrangement, far be it from me to judge. However, since you specifically asked for advice, I will give you my two cents worth. First, it seems to me that your real issue isn’t with the fact that your arrangement isn’t fair, it’s that you don’t have the opportunity to be with as many other people as your boyfriend. That could be a deeper relationship issue which I am not qualified to answer. But at face value, you could always make plans for getaways with a date when you know Jack will be hitting the softball with his teammates. Then again, it may be odd to specifically plan a trip simply to have sex outside your relationship with Jack. I think the real solution here is to sit down with Jack and discuss your relationship goals and get some real clarity on how ending or modifying the open part of your relationship might benefit you both. QUESTION: I’ve been in and out of relationships for the past nine years. I really enjoy being single now and am not looking for anything long-term. Is something wrong with me? LONNIE, SEATTLE
ANSWER: No. And nothing will be wrong with you when and if you decide to commit to a long-term relationship, either.
RYAN O’CONNER is just a regular guy who is dating in this great big world. His advice comes from personal experience and his advice is for entertainment purposes only. We recommend you consult a physician, counselor or therapist in your area for specific advice about your personal situation. Otherwise, questions can be submitted to bedroom@competenetwork.com.
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| COMPETE | March 2016