Compete September 2016

WOMEN ON

THE GRIDIRON

NGFFL'S GAY BOWL XVI

TIME TO TAILGATE

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SEPTEMBER 2016 Volume 10, Issue 9

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 ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? KICK–OFF

11 COMMUNITY HERO

Lance Burage: From Radio to the Football Field

12 LEFT FIELD

Speed Read, Grandstanding,Thumbs UP/DOWN

DEPARTMENTS 24 MVP

Brandon Waggoner

27 INTERVIEW

Sam Lehman – A Great Resource for the LGBT Community

30 ATHLETE

Solidarity in the Water

SPORTS 34 36

Is it Time to Rethink the Olympics?

Gay Softball World Series Pictorial Recap

OVERTIME

38 NUTRITION

Game Day Food for Hungry Fans

40 FITNESS

5 Fitness Tips As You Age

42 GYM BAG 44 EVENTS 46 STYLE

If it’s Time for Football, it’s Time to Tailgate!

COMPETE ONLINE

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

www.CompeteNetwork.com

COVER ATHLETE Derrick Johnson SPORT Flag Football PHOTOGRAPHER William Waybourn

| COMPETE | 5

FROM THE SKYBOX

BY ERIC CARLYLE, PUBLISHER/CEO

WAITING FOR THE NGFFL SEASON TO BEGIN

I

@CompeteEric

t's September so that must mean it is our Gay Bowl issue! We loved partnering with the National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL) to produce this month’s issue. Who doesn’t like to look at guys and gals playing a rough and tumble sport like football?

Through the years we have featured numerous NGFFL players in the magazine.

Some of the players who have made the Compete cover include Joey Jacinto, Molly Lenore (special Awards cover), Eric Reissner, Wade Davis and Jared Garduno.

And that doesn’t even include the numerous mentions of NGFFL co-founders Jim Buzinski and Cyd Zeigler.

Over the years I’ve become personal friends with many of the players. Joey worked for Compete Magazine, Molly was our 2012 Inspirational Athlete, Eric was our 2014 MVP award winner (and he was on the cover many years before winning), Wade (2015 Trailblazer award winner) and Jared, who graced the cover of Compete Magazine just last year. And of course, I have always admired Cyd and Jim for their efforts in sports diversity.

But of all the friendships I have made with flag football players, the one that is most meaningful is my relationship with Jared. I don't even remember when I first met him —it was several years ago but he is certainly a sports diversity catalyst within the NGFFL and he is working closely with Compete as we forge ahead with our Sports Diversity Leadership Council & Conference.

I bring this up because while his term as NGFFL commissioner is coming to an end, his dedication to the league continues to shine just as bright. He plans to continue to be a supporter of the NGFFL. And from what I’ve been told, he is a pretty good player, too.

I truly value Compete’s relationship with the NGFFL, both the players and board members. Now I am just waiting – looking forward to kickoff for the 2016 season.

Sport On,

Eric Carlyle Publisher/CEO eric@competenetwork.com

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| COMPETE | September 2016

FROM THE CATBIRD SEAT

BY CONNIE WARDMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CHANGING THE WORLD THROUGH SPORTS

Macro Based Fat Loss No Food Restrictions No Food Limitations @CompeteConnie

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all – it’s my favorite time of year and, I have to admit, football is my favorite sport. It brings back happy memories of rooting on my favorite team (Go Steelers!) with friends and family as we sat around the television, sharing our favorite game day food specialties with one another. While I always appreciated the conviviality, I didn’t realize then, never even thought about the social significance sports play in our lives.

In this issue of Compete we’re sharing stories of the National Gay Flag Football League and its players and the impact they’ve made in bringing people together. As it reminds me of those feelings of togetherness, that happily shared sense of community, it reinforces for me the power sports of all kinds have to bring people together. Whether it’s the rough and tumble sports like football or the more cerebral sports like bridge, it gives a variety of people with a variety of backgrounds a chance to get to know each other through a shared interest.

One of the stories in this issue is a powerful follow up account of the Ugandan swimmers who participated in the International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA) world championships in Canada this summer. Prior to leaving Uganda, two of the five swimmers were in jail, arrested at a Pride celebration –one of them was even urged by family not to return because of death threats. Thank goodness for gay sports organizations in countries like Uganda where same-sex relations are criminal.

They offer a refuge for LGBT athletes, providing them a sense of community, a respite from a daily sense of isolation.

In terms of sports diversity, perhaps the best barometer of where we are as a global society is the Olympic Games. Between the Summer and Winter Games, every two years we get to see the world viewed through the athletes who come to represent their countries. How exciting to realize that the Summer Games in Rio showcased more out athletes than ever before. We even got to participate vicariously in some marriage proposals.

I hope if you haven’t already thought about the power of sports in creating, building and sustaining a real community, that you’ll read the stories in this issue with that thought in mind. As Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to change the world.”

Anthony Collova, Owner

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

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9 20 The Official Gay Bowl is here!

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GAYBOWL XIV, Washington D.C. October 7-9, 2016 www.ngffl.com

COMMUNITY HERO

KICKOFF

Lance Burage From Radio Personality to Director of Officials Sport: Football

By Harry Andrew

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or diehard football fans, it’s all about team loyalty, favorite players and the ability to spit out the recent stats of both. Not many fans have that same kind of relationship with the referees, though. This relationship isn’t as complicated – if a referee makes a good call for your team, he’s a hero but if he makes a lousy call that goes against your team, he’s a bum.

But have you ever wondered what referees do when they’re not dressed in stripes, running up and down the field blowing whistles and dropping flags? They don’t have a full-time job like the team players, coaches and executives.

For these “weekend warriors,” officiating is a labor of love.

For Lance Burage, director of officials for the National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL), his day job is in the radio industry. He’s the program director for 93.1 WPOC country music radio located in Baltimore, Maryland. But when Gay Bowl XVI is held next month, Lance will be in charge of 46 officials, a record number for this year’s tournament. And he characterizes his job of keeping all 46 of those Type A personalities going in the same direction akin to herding cats.

Although he now lives in Baltimore, Lance grew up in southern Alabama, in Tuscaloosa to be exact. And in spite of his lifelong passion for football, he says he’s never been big enough to play the game. He did play some baseball up through ninth grade and then spent time in high school with the band, playing saxophone and serving as the drum major, perhaps since it allowed him to be at every football game.

According to him, he was the kid at the back of the band bus with the radio up to his ear listening to scores from all the football games, particularly the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide (Roll Tide!). He wound up attending college there, bringing with him his high school talent for radio announcing.

Now having spent over 20 years in the business, it’s all been in country music radio, mainly because when he applied for a job at a variety of stations, it was a country music station that called him back and hired him. He spent time working throughout the south but never abandoned his love for football. In fact, Lance says he was always attracted to the officiating side of sports and had often thought about getting the necessary training and certification to become an official.

During time spent in Florida in 2002-2003, he was unemployed after his station changed its format. He decided that if he was ever going to follow his dream of being involved in football officiating, this was the time to do it. And for the next 10 years he officiated at high school games across Florida,

Alabama and Georgia serving as a line judge for eight years and then a referee for the next two years.

It wasn’t until after a move to Atlanta in 2007 that Lance discovered a local gay flag football Photo courtesy of John Cox league and he jumped at the opportunity to be a part of it. The next year he was officiating at Gay Bowl VIII in Salt Lake City when Cyd Zeigler, co-founder of the NGFFL told him he was good at the job and then asked if he would consider becoming the league’s head official.

Since then Lance has developed more consistency within the growing number of the league’s officials. While individual referees may be better at the rules, at managing the game or at dealing with the players, he’s developing a cohesive cohort that thinks and acts with one brain. In addition to a book of rules and standard training on them and any new modifications, the group also has a mechanic’s manual that, among other things, tells an official where to stand to get the best view on different plays. This is especially impressive when you remember that all these officials are volunteers and are only together in a large group once a year for the Gay Bowl.

The NGFFL is a competitive league with a lot of physical contact, and when talking about the women’s division players, Lance says their level of play and their competitiveness and aggression is equal to the men’s. He notes that the only rule difference is that the women use a smaller football – they’re even welcome to play in open division play. On a personal level he says the only difference for him in officiating a women’s game is that at 5-foot-7, he can often see over their heads which is an advantage.

Since moving to Boston with his husband, Brad (together 13 years, married for two) in 2013, Lance now officiates in the DC Gay Flag Football League. Last year he was inducted into the NGFFL Hall of Fame which he considers an incredible honor. As he looks back at his years officiating the game he loves, he says it has taught him to develop lots of patience and the ability to keep things under control. But the most important gift he believes he’s gained is a general rounding out of his life skills.

So the next time you watch a football game, you may just look at the referee in a whole new way, appreciating the training and devotion the job requires. He or she may actually be a talented community hero, just like Lance Burage.

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 NOT EVERY LGBT PERSON IS SAFE COMING OUT

Even though next month is National LGBT Month and October 11 is designated as National Coming Out Day, we must remember that for many LGBT athletes and fans, it still isn’t safe to be out publically. While there were more out Olympians at the Summer Games in Rio than at any prior Olympic celebration, we saw the damage reporter Nico Hines of The Daily Beast did with his article using the gay hookup app Grindr to out closeted Olympic athletes.

Although no names were given, nevertheless Hines provided enough identifying information on an associated sport, country or other items that some athletes were able to be identified. And some of those athletes came from countries where being LGBT is punishable by death.

At first defending the story, the publisher then updated the article to remove any potential identifiers. That was met by a heavier barrage of complaints from individuals on up to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) calling the article sleazy, violating, poisonous, dangerous and wildly unethical.

Only after this overwhelming response did The Daily Beast finally take down the story entirely, call Hines back home and eventually fire him. It also published an apology for the entire business, a situation that should never have happened in the first place.

The fact that sex sells is no secret. But same-sex experiences tend to be sensationalized, treated as some sort of aberrant lifestyle instead of understanding that it is not a lifestyle or a choice; it is a life. There was already much made of the fact that the Olympic organizers were handing out 42 condoms per athlete. Yet to get a salacious story for his publisher, Hines chose to drop the straight hookup apps he’d also used to concentrate on the gay one.

People’s lives are at stake when being outed, literally – and yes, even in the U.S. This is not about “political correctness” gone awry. Those who write and publish this type of information bear a profound responsibility for their actions that impact the lives of others. A lack of understanding this on the part of the media as well as the general public needs to change … quickly!

CHRIS MOSIER’S “UNLIMITED COURAGE” FEATURED IN NIKE AD Chris Mosier is perhaps the number one person leading the way for an understanding and acceptance of transgender athletes. Over the past five or six years following his transition, Chris says that everything he has done has been with a “Just Do It” mindset.

“I didn’t know if I would be competitive against men; I just did it. Every success that I’ve had since then has shown me that anything is really possible,” said Chris. “By not stopping myself, not limiting myself and just really going for it, I’ve learned a lot about myself and also had the opportunity to further the conversation on trans inclusion in sports.”

How fitting then that Nike, whose swoosh logo stands for “Just Do It,” has featured Chris in its latest video, “Unlimited

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| COMPETE | September 2016

Courage” as part of the company’s new “Unlimited” campaign showcasing both everyday and professional athletes who push themselves to the limit. And to ensure a wide viewership, it was first aired during the start of the Rio Olympics.

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. Being that visible example has also led to Chris being the first openly trans athlete to be part of the Sports Illustrated Body Issue this year. Thanks to Chris Mosier, Compete Magazine’s 2013 Mark Bingham Athlete of the Year, for his unlimited courage, and to Nike for showcasing the fact that if you can dream it, you can achieve it!

PARIS 2018 AND FEDERATION OF GAY GAMES ANNOUNCE GAY GAMES 10 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Athletes from underrepresented populations around the world wanting to participate in Gay Games 10 being held in Paris in 2018 but who are financially challenged can apply to the Roy M. Coe Scholarship Fund.

To apply, go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/GG10Scholarship-Application and complete the scholarship application. The deadline for submitting an application is October 1, 2017. Applications will be reviewed and decisions will be finalized and communicated on or before January 1, 2018.

TWO GAY MEN REPRESENTED THE U.S. AT CLOSING OLYMPIC CEREMONY Jason Collins, retired NBA player and Army Secretary Eric Fanning, both men openly gay, were selected by the White House to represent the U.S. at the closing ceremonies for the Summer Games in Rio. They also met with U.S. athletes and attended some of the sporting events.

NBA’S ALL-STAR GAME MOVE INFLUENCED BY WARRIORS OUT PRESIDENT RICK WELTS In early July NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, team owners and high-ranking league executives attended a Board of Governors meeting. One of the issues discussed was North Carolina’s controversial anti-LGBT law that left in question the wisdom of holding the 2017 NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte when the state government refused to make changes to the law.

It was openly gay Rick Welts, president and chief operating officer of the Golden State Warriors whose personal story convinced the group to move the big money event out of Charlotte. In what is described as a “poignant address,” Welts shared with the group his heartfelt lifelong affiliation with the NBA and told them he didn’t feel comfortable attending the All-Star Game in Charlotte if the law wasn’t changed. Without dictating a move, his story as a gay man made a powerful impact on the almost 70 people in the room. The event has now been moved to New Orleans.

Note: To read Welts’ full story, check the Compete Blogs for the Classic November 2015 repeat of Compete’s interview with him.

GRANDSTANDING LETTERS TO COMPETE MAGAZINE

FIELD OF DREAMBOATS

(August 2016)

Your August cover model and MVP is a total dreamboat.

Cute. Sexy. And don’t even get me started on that cowboy hat.

Jason Lee Los Angeles, California GSWS GETS A TEXAS SIZE WELCOME (August 2016) I did not realize that the Gay Softball World Series was coming to my hometown until I read about it in Compete Magazine.

Austin is a growing city with a small town feel so I know all players will be warmly welcomed in the pure Texas style. I’ve marked the dates on my calendar, taken a day off from work and I am looking forward to spending at least one day cheering on the teams.

COMPETE READER SURVEY What SPF do you use in the summer?

10 SPF 10% 20 SPF 15%

30 SPF 55%

30+ SPF 20%

Ryan Vickers Austin, Texas 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

QUIZ

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

?

Q. When was the first flag football game played?

A..Flag football was first played as a recreational activity for American military personnel in the 1940s.

PIOTR MALACHOWSKI, POLISH DISCUS THROWER … for auctioning off his 2016 Olympic silver medal to raise funds for a three-year-old boy with a rare form of cancer to go to New York for treatment.

THE NBA … for choosing New Orleans as the new site for the 2017 All-Star Game in February, a move that’s felt as a positive nod to Louisiana’s relatively tolerant attitude toward the LGBT community. The original site of Charlotte, North Carolina was withdrawn in July due to the state’s anti-gay HB2 bill.

Source: FunFacts.com

RYAN LOCHTE, U.S. SWIMMER AND 12-TIME OLYMPIC MEDALIST … for causing an international incident by lying about being held up at gunpoint to cover his drunken vandalism at a local gas station during the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

LGBT SPORTSAFE INCLUSION PROGRAM … for its new partnership with the America East Conference and for its new Founders Club member, Temple University.

Pictured above, Henry Beam, Beam Law, PLC

We’ll leave you thinking ...

SO MANY

BALLS

IN THE AIR SO MANY GAY SPORTS LEAGUES — >>>> WITH STAY UP TO DATE WITH OUR MOBILE APP FIND US ON

SPORTS. DIVERSITY.

visit www.CompeteNetwork.com

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Photo by Pixil Studio 16

| COMPETE | September 2016

AG FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVERSITY

BY CONNIE WARDMAN

W

hile football fans look forward to the annual Gay Bowl, the gay version of the Super Bowl, it didn’t start out with a fullydeveloped idea of a nationally-organized effort behind gay flag football. It began with guys playing pickup games, especially on the west coast where the weather tended to be more cooperative. But the birth of the National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL) and its iconic Gay Bowl competition wasn’t far away. While we’ve shared parts of these stories before, we’ve never looked at the organization in its entirety and the positive impact it makes, a story that's worth telling.

Once actual teams began to form, the next logical step was to set up small tournaments. And in April of 2002 there were three teams that met at Hollywood High School in Los Angeles for the inaugural Gay Super Bowl. The charter members included Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. In just one more year Atlanta, Chicago and San Diego joined in to play in Gay Bowl II in San Francisco.

It didn’t take long for the organization to evolve. As job changes caused some of the guys to move around the country, missing the chance to play with their teammates prompted the creation of new teams. Former Phoenix commissioner, team founder and Hall of Famer Shawn Rea is the perfect example of this. His first experience playing with the NFGGL was in 2003 while he was living in Los Angeles.

Rea said that “We were just a group of guys who bonded over playing football. We were family in a way that we were good friends and we weren’t hiding who we were because we were all gay. That alone made playing with these guys easy.” Rea and his group of friends would play pickup games here and there but nothing was official. And they’d occasionally travel down to San Diego where their local league was growing, the result of the first Gay Bowl the previous year and their participation in the first Surf & Turf Tournament.

After moving to Phoenix, Rea initially traveled back and forth to San Diego to play. But it didn’t take long for him to start recruiting football players in the Phoenix area by word of mouth, and by 2006 the Phoenix Hellraisers Pictured Shawn Rea (left) and Jared Garduno (right)

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 17

(now the Phoenix Gay Flag Football League) was born.

Guys like Rich Serrano, Brian Miller and Joey Jacinto were among its first members. And when they recruited Jared Garduno, now current NGFFL commissioner, to the team, the Hellraisers gained its first set of sponsors and matching uniforms, showing up at Gay Bowl VII in New York City in style.

In many regards the NGFFL’s story is emblematic of the growing sports diversity movement. Like so many gay sports leagues, along the way the NGFFL has picked up a number of straight players. Some of them join because the gay leagues and teams are more fun, some because it’s the local team playing the game they love and some because they find really top notch athletes on gay teams.

Among the straight guys who have joined the NGFFL, Seth Greenleaf is a good example. He’s a Tony Awardwinning producer with a musical theatre background who wound up quarterbacking the New York Warriors. It didn’t take him long to realize that his teammates and opponents were tough, competitive football players who loved sports … and just happened to be gay.

Greenleaf admitted that prior to joining the team his original perception of LGBT athletes was that they were “wimpy, girly and not athletic.” But playing with them quickly changed his perception, saying he discovered “a lot of them can kick my ass! That they’re men, just like me.

Athletes, masculine and not at all weak.” He explained that playing a team sport is a unique bonding experience – in learning to trust your teammates you also share intense emotional moments that you will treasure all your life.

Deeply moved by their stories, by what he called “the plight of the gay athlete,” he determined to share their stories so others could see this side of gay culture. From this came the 2014 worldwide debut of “F(l)ag Football The Movie: A documentary about coming out … and scoring” that followed three NGFFL teams, the NY Warriors, the LA Motion and the Phoenix Hellraisers as they played their way to the 2010 Gay Bowl in Phoenix.

Based on the rave reviews and the number of awards the documentary received, it achieved its purpose of changing the stereotype of gay athletes for those who saw it. But in an especially heartwarming way, it also changed the life of one Pictured Seth Greenleaf at work filming.

Photo Courtesy of F(l)ag Football: The Movie

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| COMPETE | September 2016

of the athletes, Joey Jacinto, one of the early members of the Phoenix Hellraisers.

A very talented multisport gay athlete, coach and personal trainer now living in Oregon, Jacinto comes from a strong Latino family where being gay was something you didn’t talk about at home. He shared that Greenleaf at one point had asked if he’d like him to call his parents but says he wasn’t ready then to risk what their reaction might be.

But after playing in Gay Bowl XIII in Phoenix where Pictured Joey Jacinto with Dad and Mom (Gay Bowl XIII) his family came to watch him play, Jacinto shared on Facebook what I believe beautifully captures the essence of the acceptance experience many lucky gay athletes have had with their families. “I have played in a few Gay Bowls … but this might have been one of the best!! There have been a few bumps on the road with my family and me being gay, especially with my Dad. So I was nervous on how I was going to juggle family, friends and Gay Bowl XIII.” He went on to thank his teammates “… because you all gave me the opportunity to show my Dad that I am still the guy that he used to watch on Friday nights. We might have not won any trophy, but I want you all to know that next to my nephew and niece, my Dad was my greatest fan during Gay Bowl XIII and for that I am very thankful to you all.”

Many gay athletes I’ve spoken with over the years feel it’s important for people to understand that where we are today is thanks to the ripple effects made by the gay sports pioneers who had the courage to come out. Jacinto shared that gay sports leagues and teams like the Hellraisers are more than just sports to him, they’re “who I am, they made me the man I am today.” His comments are echoed by many of the players.

These same story lines have played themselves out in cities across the country, even moving into Canada. The NGFFL has now grown to 25 cities involved, most with multiple teams. There is an entire kit to support new groups interested in forming. And to show the evolving impact diversity and inclusion are having on today’s sports, the NGFFL now has a strong and growing women’s division.

Just like the birth of any living entity, the NGFFL continues to grow, to make changes and to positively impact the important work of the sports diversity movement. It’s what makes our individual and combined work so very meaningful. To quote Compete Magazine’s mission, we really are “uniting the gay and straight world through sports.”

GET READY FOR GAY BOWL XVI D

rop what you’re doing and make your plans now to attend Gay Bowl XVI. Traditionally held over the Columbus Day holiday weekend, this year it runs from October 7-9.

For the second time in the NGFFL’s history, the Gay Bowl is being held in Washington, D.C. which is not only the nation’s capital, it’s also a capital place for gay sports.

The host committee and board of directors for the DC Gay Flag Football League (DCGFFL) are excited to welcome you to their hometown and you won’t want to miss the competition. In fact, they’ve created a fun video outlining all the reasons to come – you don’t want to miss it either.

It’s on their website at gaybowl.org.

This year’s tournament features teams participating in three divisions: Open A, Open B and the Women’s division.

But much of the excitement is centered on which team, if any, can beat the San Diego Bolts. There have been many teams who have claimed dominance over the past 16 years – the Washington Monuments won two years in a row; the LA Motion won two years in a row - twice; the New York Warriors won three years in a row; and then the Bolts came along. They’ve won the last four championships in a row

and you can be sure there are lots of teams just waiting to break that winning streak.

While there are lots of great playing fields in the greater D.C. area, this year the games will be played on the National Mall – how cool is that. According to the DCGFFL, “With the scenery of the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Capitol building all in view, you’ll get to experience some of DC’s most breathtaking sights all while you run routes and defend passes.” Score one for the DCGFFL! Host hotel is the Washington Hilton with a special room rate as well as discounted parking. And if you’ve ever lived or visited in D.C., you know parking is a hassle. In fact, their website offers great directions from Ronald Reagan National Airport, by car, Metro, or using Uber, taxi or bike share in the area to get to and from the hotel and fields.

See you next month in D.C.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 19

HAPPY 5TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO THE WOMEN OF THE NGFFL

BY JARED GARDUNO

W

ho says women can’t play football? Certainly none of straight players. Make no mistake – the ladies were excited the women who are part of the Denver Gay & Lesbian and eager to participate in future Gay Bowls.

Flag Football League (DGLFFL)!

Now five years later, 10 women’s teams will be competOn Friday, September 21, 2012 the women’s division of ing for a chance to hoist the championship trophy when the the National Gay Flag Football League’s (NGFFL) annual women meet for Gay Bowl XVI in Washington, D.C. They’ll Gay Bowl tournament kicked off in Denver, the Mile High also be welcoming the latest addition to their division, the City. In their original bid, the DGLFFL tournament host team from Toronto. It certainly proves the adage that if you committee insisted that a women’s division would be born, build it, they will come! stating emphatically that failure was not an option.

What separates the Gay Bowl 7-on-7 from other Thanks to the tenacity of the DGLFFL trail blazers, national tournaments is that it includes brackets for both tournament men and women "Now five years later, 10 women’s teams will be competing for director Mollie where tournaments a chance to hoist the championship trophy when the women Leman and are predominantly meet for Gay Bowl XVI in Washington, D.C." Compete segregated, espeMagazine’s 2012 Inspirational Athlete of the Year Molly cially when they are 8-on-8. Other NGFFL tournaments Lenore, a dynamic women’s division was born. Congratuhave recently started to include a women's division, lations that year went to the Denver 303 who won the namely The Sunshine Cup in Florida held every year on inaugural women’s division game against the Brooklyn Presidents Day weekend and the Chicago Pride Bowl held Mavericks, 2-6, with MVP honors going to the Denver 303’s each June.

Ashleigh Miller.

Aszur Rollins, co-founder of the DGFFL Mile High Club During this first year of combining the men’s and team serves as the Gay Bowl women’s division liaison. women’s divisions into one tournament, the only two Currently eight of the 25-member-cities have a strong exceptions made to the men’s rules were the ball size (it women’s presence. With Aszur’s guidance, the NGFFL has was the NFL junior size) and there was no cap placed on high hopes that each member city will continue to raise awareness that there is a place for women in their local chapters. Having an emphasis on growth at the local level will lead to consistent growth for the Gay Bowl as well as helping gauge interest in a possible 8-on-8 division that could spike interest.

Having won four consecutive national Gay Bowl titles, the women from the Mile High City team are a force to be reckoned with. And they plan to make a clean sweep of the three major NGFFL tournaments in 2016. If they win at this year’s Gay Bowl, it will be the first time any team in the open or women’s division will have won all three tournaments in a year. We aren’t done with this year’s accomplishments. They have also won two 8-on-8 tournaments. What an amazing year it will be for them if they can win their fifth consecutive national title.

Pictured Denver Mile High Club Blue and White Teams Photo credit: John Cox

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Photo by Pixil Studio www.CompeteNetwork.com

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HONORING OUR PAST – THE NGFFL HALL OF FAME PHOTOS BY JOHN COX

W

hen Phoenix won the 2010 bid to host Gay Bowl X, founder of the Phoenix Hellraisers Shawn Rea and tournament director Jared Garduno planned the 10-year anniversary event to set a standard for future Gay Bowl organizers.

For the first time there was an opening and a closing ceremony; it also launched the National Gay Flag Football League’s (NGFFL) Hall of Fame, complete with an approval process and a voting formula to honor the first 10 years of Gay Bowl. As the highest honor the league can bestow on one of its players, to be considered for the Hall of Fame a member must have served locally, served nationally and must be a great athlete.

Members of its inaugural class were none other than co-founders of the NGFFL, Jim Buzinski and Cyd Zeigler, also the co-founders of Outsports. In addition to their athletic prowess, their induction celebrated the role they played in organizing the first Gay Bowl played in Los Angeles in 2002.

The Hall of Fame has enshrined the following players to honor their various contributions to the NGFFL:

Class of 2010 • •

Jim Buzinski – NGFFL co-founder, four-time Gay Bowl Champion Cyd Zeigler – NGFFL co-founder, seven-time Gay Bowl Champion

Class of 2011 • •

•

Demond Adams – MVP of Gay Bowls I and X, four-time Gay Bowl Champion Ivan Solis – founder of San Diego American Flag Football League, Gay Bowl V tournament director Thurman Williams – founder of National Flag Football League of Atlanta, national board member, Gay Bowl IV tournament director

Class of 2012 •

•

22

Shane Kinkennon – founder of DC Gay Flag Football League and Denver Gay & Lesbian Flag Football League, two-time Gay Bowl Champion, former NGFFL commissioner Shawn Rea – co-sponsor of Hall of Fame, Phoenix Gay Flag Football League founder, two-time co-tournament director

| COMPETE | September 2016

• •

Robert Sauer – founder of Boston Flag Football League, original member of Gay Bowl I Tony Stewart – first non-LGBT member of HOF, two-time Gay Bowl Champion

Class of 2013 • • •

Mark Barr – founder of Salt Lake Flag Football League, Gay Bowl VIII tournament director Wade Davis – three-time Gay Bowl Champion Molly Lenore – commissioner of New York Gay Flag Football League,co-founder of women's division,, three-time Gay Bowl Champion

Class of 2014 • •

Alon Hacohen – three-time Gay Bowl Champion, Gay Bowl MVP Ty Law – participated in six NGFFL Leagues, founder of Hawaii Gay Flag Football League

Class of 2015 •

•

Lance Burage – NGFFL head referee, long-time NGFFL board member, former commissioner of National Flag Football League of Atlanta Chris Whitlow – former commissioner of National Flag Football League of Atlanta

The NGFFL just announced the names of the five new members of the 2016 class (no honors listed yet).

They include: • Doug Komlenic of San Diego • Brandon Waggoner of Washington, D.C. • Rory Ray of New York • Eric Reissner of San Diego • Jared Garduno of Phoenix They will be inducted as part of the Gay Bowl XVI celebrations in Washington, D.C. Congratulations to the NGFFL and all its Hall of Fame honorees!

Doug Komlenic - San Diego

Brandon Waggoner - Washington, D.C.

Rory Ray - New York

Eric Reissner - San Diego

Jared Garduno - Phoenix

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| COMPETE | 23

BRANDON WAGGONER

TEAM COMPETE MVP

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

GREATEST ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT: Two-time champion of Chicago Pride Bowl; champion of Sunshine Cup.

GREATEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Graduation from law school.

SPORTS PLAYED: Not many until intramurals in college, then I played basketball, racquetball, flag football, tennis and ultimate frisbee.

WHY DO YOU LOVE SPORTS? I love the competition; the intelligence combined with execution.

BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE: My calves.

INTEREST: Football, football and more football.

FAVORITE TEAM: Dallas Cowboys.

FAVORITE ATHLETE: Peyton Manning.

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single.

SPORT: Flag Football.

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Washington, D.C.

HOMETOWN: Union City, Tennessee.

AGE: 38.

Photos by William Waybourn

INTERVIEW

SAM LEHMAN: A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THE LGBT COMMUNITY

BY CONNIE WARDMAN I’M FORTUNATE TO MEET MANY WONDERFUL people who are involved in one way or another with the sports diversity movement. I met Sam Lehman earlier this year in Las Vegas at a meeting of the Sports Diversity Leadership Council and realized what an important resource he is for the LGBT community.

Sam is a great athlete involved with the National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL), the New York Gay Flag Football League (NYGFFL) and the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA). But he’s also very involved with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), helping LGBT business owners improve and grow their businesses. I’d like you to meet him.

Compete: Sam, please tell me where you grew up and what sports you were involved in throughout your high school and college years.

Sam Lehman: I grew up in Mt. Lebanon, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I played basketball but mainly focused on baseball, a game my father taught me to play. I attended West Virginia University but did not play organized sports while I was there, only intramural sports.

C: When did you come out to your family and friends?

Coming from traditional western Pennsylvania, how was that news received?

SL: I came out to my family a few years after I moved to the New York City/Connecticut area. I met Robbie in 1990 and wanted to share my love for him with my family. Coming from an Irish Catholic family, I was a bit nervous how they would react but my family immediately reinforced how they loved me unconditionally – if I was happy, they were happy. I am one of six children and my siblings are my best friends; they would never abandon me.

C: What’s your career background, Sam? SL: I began my career working at Quinnipiac University for a company called ARA Services. After three years working with them, I left and began working for a company called IKON, a large distributor for Canon USA where I began in sales and quickly moved into management. Within a few years, I was promoted to run a division in New York City.

I truly loved my job and the amazing people I met. For weekend fun a fellow employee and I would write various mock business plans. We quickly felt one, in particular, would be a profitable business opportunity and we began to build a company we named Columbia Consulting Group.

The company was incorporated in 1997 and continues today.

C: When, where and how did you and your husband Rob Tanis-Evon meet?

SL: Robbie and I met on a hot summer night at a club in New Haven, Connecticut. I was out with my friends and

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAM LEHMAN

he was with his friends. I noticed him from across the room and was instantly smitten but I had no experience meeting guys at that point. On this particular night I was wearing a horribly matched outfit that consisted of a striped polo, plaid shorts and neon high-top Converse tennis shoes.

Robbie and his fashion-forward crew were debating if I was a top trend setter or a disillusioned fashion sap (he would prefer the latter).

Robbie sent one of his friends over to talk to me. By the way, she thought I was a trend setter who was far ahead of my time. She approached me, looked at my outfit and said, “I love how you put all of this together.” I looked at her and said, “Thank you; but what are you talking about?”

She walked away realizing I was not a trend setter After informing Robbie of that fact, he came over to say hello.

He had a large blond mop of hair reminiscent of the lead singer of Flock of Seagulls. That was 26 years ago and I am so thankful he came over to say hello. That was the moment that changed my life.

C: What is Rob’s career background? I understand he’s actually in the fashion industry.

SL: Robbie is one of the leading representatives of Giorgio Armani in New York City. He began his career at The Gap. But following my transfer to New York City, he was recruited to work for Mr. Armani and he has been with Giorgio Armani since 1997.

C: How have the two of you maintained such a strong relationship over the years? If I remember correctly, thanks to Facebook, you’ve been together for 26 years and officially married for one year Have sports played a part in your relationship?

SL: Early in our relationship I only had a handful of LGBT friends and I felt lost. Sports were such a large part of my life I felt disconnected from the LGBT community. But

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| COMPETE | 27

INTERVIEW

advocate for LGBT businesses who currently aren’t part of the chamber. I work monthly in Washington, D.C. on a certification committee; this is the very first step to becoming an active member in the NGLCC. I speak to as many new members as possible, helping them to develop success steps after certification. During the most recent conference, I was interviewed and asked to share my experiences and how my success may inspire others.

one day in 1994 I happened to see a flyer for an LGBT softball league called the Southern New England Friendship League.

Until then I had no idea the LGBT community had sports leagues. I tried out for a team in Wallingford, Connecticut and fell in love with LGBT sports. I had felt so lost before this but now I came home after the tryout and told Robbie, “I found a home!!”

I loved the league and all the new friends I was making.

As an adult I have had three life-changing events; meeting Robbie, joining the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and finding the Southern New England Friendship Softball League. Each event has had a positive impact on my life and I became a happier person as a result.

Robbie enjoys coming to my various sports tournaments around the country. He witnesses the joy I experience which, of course brings him joy. I love him so much for this!!

C. When did your Columbia Consulting Group become involved with the NGLCC? SL: We became a member of the NGLCC eight years ago and the group has revolutionized my company and the way we do business. Since joining, Columbia Consulting Group has been invited by the White House to attend an innovation summit and has also had the honor of ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The NYSE has honored Columbia as one of the top ten LGBT diversity suppliers within the business sector.

I am truly grateful for the opportunities presented by the chamber. Relating to sports, the NGLCC is comprised of 150 corporate partners whose sole purpose is to conduct business with LGBT suppliers; this includes Major League Baseball, the PGA and the U.S. Tennis Association. I recently attended an NGLCC conference in Palm Desert, California attended by 1,000 eager LGBT business professionals. Next August the conference is back in Las Vegas and attendance is likely to surpass 1,200.

C: I know you were a speaker at the Palm Springs conference. What sort of information did you share with the attendees?

SL: Columbia is one of a handful of the chamber’s “Platinum Suppliers” across the country. I am a vocal

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C: No one achieves success all on their own. Are there special people in your life who have mentored you? And what is it that drives you to in turn, mentor others?

SL: My entire family (including Robbie) has an excellent work ethic. That was instilled in me at an early age and continues to inspire me. I also happen to have a business partner, Doug Finlay who inspires me on a daily basis. He’s another one whose work ethic is infectious. Early on, my Dad told me to surround myself with successful people; very good advice.

I really consider my life a “daily miracle.” Life has given me many gifts, starting with my life with Robbie, participation in LGBT sports and my success with the NGLCC. It would be selfish of me to take these gifts and go home; it's important to share and give back as much as possible.

C: I know you play softball with the New York Cranky Yankees. Congratulations to you and your team for taking first place in the Master’s division of NAGAAA’s recent 40th anniversary Gay Softball World Series. But you’re also a referee for the NGFFL. Any particular reason why you don’t also play football?

SL: I played flag football for many years with the New York Gay Flag Football League (NYGFFL) but ultimately realized my body could not compete at the level I needed to be successful. Becoming a referee was a natural migration to still stay involved in the game.

C: Can you please share what it is you feel gay sports have given you over the years?

SL: I cannot minimize the impact gay sports have had on my life. Everyone likes to feel like they belong to a community; that aspect of my life was missing before gay sports. Today I am an active volunteer with the New York Gay Flag Football League, NAGAAA and the National Gay Flag Football League. And working with the LGBT leagues has led me to work with the NFL in various roles throughout the years. In September I was asked to join the referee team at USA Flag Football and I’m one of two U.S. referees working the World Flag Football Championships. All this became possible in 1994 the moment I noticed a simple flyer on a coffee shop wall in New Haven, Connecticut.

Thanks to people like Sam Lehman, an openly gay man, athlete, businessman, advocate, mentor, friend and husband, the LGBT community has a powerful resource. If you are an LGBT business owner interested in talking with Sam about the NGLCC, you may contact him at: slehman@columbianyc.com.

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ATHLETE

SOLIDARITY IN THE WATER

BY KEVIN MAJOROS EDITOR’S NOTE: Normally we only cover one athlete in this section. However, due to the growing international recognition of LGBT rights and the critical role sports diversity plays in this important movement, we are sharing the follow up story of the gay Ugandan swimmers who took part in the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA) world championships. They come from a country where they are denied basic civil rights for being gay; they risk not only jail but even their very lives to live an open, authentic life. We thank contributing writer and IGLA member Kevin Majoros for sharing his recent experience with these courageous athletes.

THE RAPID PROGRESSION OF LGBT RIGHTS AND support for the LGBT sports movement in the United States over the past few years has ignited a hope in many of us that the same progression will happen in other countries around the world.

When I arrived at the pool two weeks ago in Edmonton, Canada for the International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics world championships (IGLA), I was excited to meet the five members of the Uganda Kuchus Aquatic Team who would be competing with us over five days of competition. Kuchu is Ugandan slang for “gay.”

PHOTOS BY KEVIN MAJOROS

I was greeted with hugs and shy smiles at our meeting which evolved into a kinship over the week through the commonality of sports.

Just six months earlier, Nate Freeman, an American human rights lawyer working in Kampala, Uganda had begun the process of obtaining visas and funding to bring the swimmers to Canada to compete.

The IGLA Board, led by co-presidents Kris Pritchard and Elisabeth Turnbull-Brown, stepped forward with funding along with the host team, Edmonton’s Making Waves Swim Club providing free meet registration and housing. Several of the swim teams under the IGLA umbrella also donated money to the cause.

Uganda is one of the countries that criminalize samesex sexual acts and just a few days before the meet, two of the swimmers were sitting in a Ugandan jail cell after being arrested at a Pride event.

One thing that probably surprised many people at the swim meet was that the presence of the Ugandan swimmers changed the atmosphere of the entire event.

Pictured Clare Byarugaba, Kevin Muehleman, Didi Baks, Shoshanna Ehrlich, Nate Freeman and Adebayo Katiiti at the IGLA world championships in Edmonton.

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(Continued on page 32)

ATHLETE

“Having the Uganda Kuchus at IGLA this year was inspiring for many of us at the meet. The very existence of teams like the Kuchus is an act of bravery that deserves our support,” says Evan Cobb of Team New York Aquatics.

“One of the best outcomes of their participation was how it changed the conversation at the meet itself. To me it seemed like more than ever before, IGLA participants were talking about how sports play a role in the struggle for LGBT rights and dignity around the world and that we as athletes have a big role to play.”

It’s hard to say why any of us get involved in particular causes, but I like to point to the “Popcorn Theory” that was presented in the book, “In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving” by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy of “Blind Side” fame.

“It’s about noticing others and assigning that person value and potential,” they write. “You can’t help everyone, but you can try to help the hot ones who pop up in front of you. It requires that you perceive the person standing right in front of you and extend a hand in kindness.”

That speaks to what one of the Ugandan swimmers stated during a discussion panel when the moderator asked what people in the West could do to help the Ugandan cause. She replied, “We don’t need your help, we need your solidarity.”

One person who embodied that solidarity was swimmer Shoshanna Ehrlich of Liquid Assets New England Swimming in Boston. Not only did she spearhead the drive to raise $3,000 with her teammates, she was also seen pool-

Ungandan swimmers doing the butterfly stroke.

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side on a daily basis encouraging the Ugandan swimmers and offering tips on their swimming techniques.

“We have a lot of privilege here in the United States and we have a moral responsibility to contribute to the human rights of others,” Ehrlich says. “I wanted to offer as much swimming and emotional support as I could. They have risked so much just being here.”

Indeed. One Ugandan swimmer said that members of his family had asked him not to return and warned that he could be killed if he did. His future remains unclear.

As the week progressed, I bristled as the Ugandan swimmers were inundated with daily interviews from Canadian news outlets, often about deep topics and often right before they were stepping up on the blocks to compete.

I also smiled as I watched swimmers from all over the world engage with them on a human level. The week was filled with a mix of emotions as we enjoyed what we were experiencing, but also knew that it would be coming to an end. The Ugandans would be returning to an environment of persecution.

On night three of the competition, 20 members of the D.C. Aquatics Club hosted the Ugandan delegation for dinner and the two teams spent time enjoying a meal and watching the Olympic swimming together. I smiled again as my teammates engaged the Ugandans in typical swimmer conversations.

“Their presence at the meet really made me think about the human rights I have been afforded in the United States,” says D.C. Aquatics swimmer Kevin Muehleman.

“Our conversation was light and I asked how their swims were going and what they would be swimming the next day. It was important not to make a spectacle of them.”

While it was clear that everyone was affected by the presence of the Ugandan swimmers, it really hit home on the final day when we were joined at the pool by M.P. Randy Boissonnault and his caseworker, Nathalie Gahimbare. They had been instrumental in obtaining the visas to allow the swimmers to travel to Canada.

At the end of the competition, the Uganda Kuchus Aquatic Team had won the world title in the small-team category. After they received their victory plaque, they performed a rap to the song “I Know Who I Am” that left the audience in tears.

Saying goodbye is never easy but we will remain connected in solidarity through social media. My heart is heavy, but it is filled with hope.

SPORTS

IS IT TIME TO RETHINK THE OLYMPIC GAMES?

BY BRIAN PATRICK THE SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES IN RIO ARE NOW over but from September 7-18, the Paralympics will be taking over the world’s sports spotlight. Of course the financial crisis for Brazil is continuing and on August 31 the Brazilian senate finally impeached elected president Dilma Rousseff.

Yet in spite of earlier grumblings that the Paralympic Games would be cancelled, it appears they will go forward after all.

These recent games have been fraught with problems that are not tied just to Brazil. They shed light on the growing concern expressed by a number of potential future host cities. The money required to hold the games is already obscene and the oft-used response that the games bring in money to cover those expenses has been proved false time and time again.

Pictures of the wonderous “legacy” projects from many of the Olympic host sites for both the summer and winter games, including the 1936 German Games up through recent ones show expensive one-time-use facilities in abject ruin. Although always intended to be converted into postgame use for the host country’s citizens, few of them ever make the required Cinderella transformation.

To build the sports equivalent of Camelot every two years to provide us with that “one shining moment” – the grand spectacle of the world’s elite Olympic and Paralympic athletes competing in high-powered performances for those few precious days – drains even the wealthiest bank accounts.

David Goldblatt, author of “The Games: A Global History of the Olympics,” has written perhaps the best explanation of this change in support. Published in Quartz, a magazine covering the new global economy (http://qz.com/748894/ nobody-wants-to-host-the-olympic-games-anymore-canyou-blame-them/), it was written just prior to the Summer Games in Rio. He uses the city as his example, saying that what happens after the cameras and athletes leave the Olympic village in Rio will be totally different from the televised version of the city.

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Listing Rio as a “disastrous model of urban development and planning,” he says it’s a “disaster 30 years in the making.”

Rio, he maintains is like almost all prior host cities and won’t see any real rise in “growth, employment, wages or tourism.

Instead, the new infrastructure and housing left behind in host cities are “overwhelmingly focused on neighborhoods that are already super wealthy.” Goldblatt lists the example of Olympic athletes villages that turn into expensive gated communities or, as in Athens, that turn into a povertystricken ghetto.

In cities big enough to handle such a production, there is very little available space to build. As a result, poor neighborhoods are targeted for demolition, often through forced evictions with massive displacement of residents into even worse conditions. Much of the excessive and spiraling costs attached to hosting the games are also due to corruption in the host bidding process as well as the construction of the facilities. And don’t forget ugly nationalism in the form of propaganda, homophobia and doping schemes for a superior medal count as seen at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

There are many now calling for the Olympics to select a permanent site, maybe even in Greece to honor the origin of the games or elsewhere. Another option would be to use a network of cities globally that aren’t necessarily in the same country. Goldblatt says that there are many already demonstrated examples of ways that a smaller, more compartmentalized competition setup can work effectively.

One such example is the World Cup that often uses eightto-twelve co-hosts. A number of past host sites already have many of the geographic requirements for winter sports or for boating available with facilities already in place that can be a number of miles away from the rest of the celebrations taking place.

Acknowledging that these ideas can also bring problems of their own, still he notes that the number of really serious bidders to host the games is in “vertiginous decline.” There were only two bids for the 2022 Winter Games that will be held in Beijing, the only city to date that has hosted both the summer and winter games. There are five finalists to host the 2024 Summer Games: Los Angeles, Rome, Paris, Budapest and Hamburg. Of the five, the new mayor of Rome is strongly opposed to the bid placed before she was elected and would like to pull out of the running for economic reasons, and Goldblatt characterizes Budapest as a “lightweight.”

There is a real concern that the Olympics may not survive long-term without some change, whether it’s a change of scenery or a change in the way the process is handled. We would like to know what you think needs to happen. Send us your thoughts at letters@competenetwork.com.

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SPORTS

HAPPY 40TH TO THE GAY SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES!

BY HARRY ANDREW

GAY SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES 2016 PHOTOS COURTESY OF OUR FRIENDS AT NISSAN PHOTO CREDIT: LARRY BARTHEL #DRIVINGPRIDE #SAMETEAM

THE CANDLES ARE BLOWN OUT, THE CAKE IS GONE AND THE NORTH AMERICAN GAY AMATEUR Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) has closed its books on the historic 40th birthday celebration of its Gay Softball World Series (GSWS). It was held last month in Austin, Texas and, in spite of the rain, teams in all five divisions from the 43-member cities played their hearts out. Here are the first place winners in each division: • A Division: Dallas Texas Force – Powered by Woody’s • B Division: Los Angeles Thunder • C Division: Kansas City Cocktails • D Division: Phoenix Saints • Masters Division: New York Cranky Yankees

TRAVEL

HOME SWEET HOME IN SAN DIEGO

BY TRAVIS DAY SAN DIEGO OFFERS NUMEROUS GREAT attractions, including beautiful beaches, worldclass golf, SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, Hillcrest, Balboa Park and the iconic Gas Light District. But finding a value-based place to stay that is close to the best-of-the-best attractions can be tricky.

Kings Inn San Diego makes the search easy.

Kings Inn San Diego offers spacious accommodations in a newly remodeled two-story hotel just one mile from Hillcrest and centrally located to all the best of San Diego. Rooms are decorated in a clean, contemporary scheme featuring soft white bedding, full baths, cable TV, an iron and ironing board and an in-room coffee maker (no early morning stop at Starbuck’s needed), free Wi-Fi and free parking.

The hotel also features a heated pool and spa plus a fitness facility to get you moving and keep you fit. If you are looking for a space to host a wedding or meeting, check out Kings Inn San Diego’s wedding and event spaces. And remember, the hotel is non-smoking and pet friendly – pets are family, too.

If you get hungry, check out the two onsite dining options: Waffle Spot Diner and Amigo Spot Restaurant and Bar. You can find out more information about Kings Inn San Diego by visiting the website at www.kingsinnsandiego.com.

NUTRITION

GAME DAY FOOD FOR HUNGRY FANS

BY MIRIAM LATTO NOTHING ELSE CONJURES UP THE SPIRIT OF the fall season quite like football and tailgating. And if you’re one of the 240 million people in the world who are cleaning up their grills and washing out their coolers in preparation for a whole new season of fun, you’re probably also looking for fresh new takes on the standard party fare.

Enter Daina Falk, daughter of legendary sports agent David Falk who grew up at sporting events and around professional athletes who were her dad’s clients. Publicly known as “The Hungry Fan®,” she now expertly organizes the sports fan’s game day experience, whether at home or in a parking lot (which she calls “fangating”), at a stadium or a sports bar.

Daina’s first cookbook, “The Hungry Fan’s Game Day Cookbook: 165 Recipes for Eating, Drinking & Watching Sports,” was just released last month. Featuring tips on planning menus, packing snacks and finding top stadium eats, it also includes fun facts, team trivia and Daina's memories of growing up on the sidelines. Some of the recipes even come from Olympians and professional athletes such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Andre Agassi, Boomer Esiason and Robert Griffin III. The 256-page paperback is full of colored pictures and great tips. If you aren’t big on using store brands with preservatives, this book also includes condiment recipes you can make from scratch, preservative-free. Here are some of the topics for which Daina’s considered an expert: • Fangating™ Fails & Feats: Do’s and Don’ts for a Winning Game Day Gathering • How to Keep ‘Em Cool at a Hot Summer Game Day Gathering • 5 Game Day Foods with Flair • Enviro-Friendly Fangating™: How to Throw a Green Game Day Gathering • 5 Healthy/Spicy/Sustainable Fangating™ Foods That Are Sure to Score • Diet-Sensitive Fangating™ Fare: Tasty Game Day Dishes for Gluten-Free Guests • Killer Crock-Pot Fangating™ Favorites • Fast Fangating™: 15-Minute Finger Foods for Game Day Gatherings • Sports Spuds: 5 Sure-Fire Potato-Driven Dishes for Game Day Gatherings • How to Eat Healthy at Sports Bars, Stadiums and Other Calorie-Laden Locations

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•

Game Day Gourmet: Elevated Fangating™ Fare for Discriminating Game Day Guests • Insane Game Day Desserts for a Sweet Fangating™ Gathering A member of the Women’s Club Tennis Team while a student at Duke University, Daina went abroad after graduation, living in Florence and Paris where she studied both the fine and culinary arts. But since she was no longer playing a sport, she realized she needed to make adjustments in the recipes of her favorite foods. This realization triggered Daina’s belief that food is an important cultural component of every sports spectator’s experience, both domestically and internationally. And her new life’s journey into healthy eating is reflected in her recipes.

Her mobile app, Hungry Fan™ enables sports fans to easily locate concession and drink menus at over 70 ballparks, stadiums, arenas and speedways in North America. She also shares her game day recipes, including her healthy spin on “sportsfood” (a Twitter hashtag she created), on her HungryFan.com website and on Celebrations.com where she is the resident sports, fangating™, sportsfood expert.

This cookbook is the perfect helper to up your game on your own tailgating celebrations and is also the perfect gift for your favorite sports fans. If you can’t find it in your local bookstore, you can purchase it on Amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle versions.

MENTION COMPETE WHEN ORDERING TO RECEIVE A FREE GIFT

FITNESS

FIVE AREAS OF FOCUS AS YOU AGE

BY BRYAN LEE THE ONE THING NONE OF US LIKE TO ADMIT IS that as we get older we can no longer do some of the same things we used to do when we were younger. As we age, we move a little slower, take longer to get motivated and have to work twice as hard to achieve the same results that came so easily to us when we were in our twenties and thirties.

If you keep your mind and body sharp, it will make your transition into the “Golden Years” seamless.

Here are the five areas to focus on as you age:

BALANCE Perhaps one of the first signs of age is that we tend to lose our footing a little more easily. Practicing balance exercises with a BOSU Ball or balance disc will assist you in preventing falls. Even if you don’t have a balance ball or disc, you can simply practice standing on your left foot for 15 seconds, pause for 15 seconds, then stand on your right foot for 15 seconds. If that is way too easy, increase the time duration. Make sure you are standing next to something you can grab on to in case you lose your balance. Also make sure that the object is heavy enough not to topple over when you grab it or if it’s lightweight, like a small bookcase, that it is securely anchored to the wall.

HAND AND EYE COORDINATION Our reflexes slow down tremendously as the years tick away. Keeping up with hand-and-eye coordination exercises will keep you sharp and focused. The easiest exercise for this is a game of catch – just toss a ball back and forth with someone. Playing a sport like tennis, racquetball or pickle ball can assist you in keeping your coordination and concentration in check.

SWEAT Believe it or not, getting involved in an exercise that causes you to sweat actually helps to increase your brain activity, thereby aiding you in fighting off dementia and Alzheimer’s. Although you may not like to sweat, getting in a rigorous enough workout to get those glands activated will provide many health benefits to you as senior years strike.

STRENGTH The one thing we all tend to forget about in our workout routines is strength training.

Osteoporosis, arthritis and brittle bones can set in as the years add up, so keeping your bones and muscles strong is essential. Begin a weightlifting routine. And keep in mind that you don’t have to be a master lifter. You can start with weights as low as one-to-two pounds. Then increase the weights as needed.

POSTURE Arched and humped backs can also begin to occur when we wind up slumping into later life. A very easy exercise to work on to improve your posture is to clasp your hands behind your back, stand up straight and go for a walk, leaving your hands behind your back the entire time. Sitting on an exercise ball while watching television or working on your computer are both great ways to not only work on your posture but also your balance at the same time.

No one likes to get older.

But if you focus on these five areas as you age, you will remain forever fit.

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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OVERTIME

EVENTS

FOR A FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS PLEASE VISIT COMPETENETWORK.COM/EVENTS

CURRENT EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER BOWLING Game On Bowling Organization Tournament Sacramento, Sept. 10 Three Rivers Eastern Area Tournament Pittsburgh, Sept. 23 San Jose Invitational Tournament San Jose, Sept. 24

RODEO Show Me State Rodeo Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 2-4 Rodeo On The River (aka Best Buck in the Bay) San Francisco, Sept. 9-11 Sierra Stampede Sacramento, Sept. 16-18

SOCCER SF Spikes Folsom Weekend Soccer Tournament San Francisco, Sept. 23-25

SOFTBALL Dairyland Classic Milwaukee, Sept. 3 Gotham Softball Classic New York City, Sept. 3 St. Louis Arch Invitational St. Louis, Mo., Sept, 17-18

TENNIS Capital Classic XXIV Washington, D.C., Sept. 16-18 Indy Classic ‘16 Indianapolis, Sept. 23-25 Texas Open 2016 Dallas, Sept. 30 - Oct. 2

VOLLEYBALL Labor of Love Volleyball Classic 24 Columbus, Sept. 3

Sports Club at

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

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| COMPETE | September 2016

Emerald City Cat Fight Seattle, Sept. 10 Steel City Classic Pittsburgh, Sept. 24

MULTI-SPORT FESTIVAL WeHo Sports Festival Los Angeles, Sept. 3-5

CAMPUS PRIDE UNVEILS NEW ONLINE JOB BOARD CONGRATULATIONS GO TO CAMPUS PRIDE FOR its newly launched online searchable job board, located at CampusPride.jobs. The LGBTQ-friendly online job directory is specifically designed for LGBTQ young adults entering the job market from college.

The goal of this new directory is to connect young college adults with employers from LGBTQ-friendly companies who offer inclusive career opportunities – to make the job search easier and more accessible. The job board is in partnership with DirectEmployers Association, a nonprofit consortium of global employers.

Campus Pride will also host free webinars for LGBTQ and ally career-seeking young adults to provide techniques, leadership development tools and job opportunities for their career search. The organization provides resources and services to thousands of college students and nearly 1,400 campuses annually.

“The job board and fairs are a great way for our corporate partners to recruit and build relationships with our LGBTQ leaders. It is important that LGBTQ youth know which workplaces are leading the way for LGBTQ people, and in particular, transgender people,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride.

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STYLE

BY BOBBY CILETTI, STYLE EDITOR

IF IT’S TIME FOR FOOTBALL, IT’S TIME TO TAILGATE! BOBBY IS A TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE EXPERT AND FOUNDER OF THEDAYSOFTHECHIC.COM. TWITTER @BOBBYCILETTI

WITH OVER 50 MILLION FANS PARTICIPATING and over $12 billion spent on tailgating activities each football season, some could say the tailgate is just as important if not more so than the actual game. That’s not a stretch. It is estimated that approximately 35 percent of tailgaters will not enter a stadium to watch a football game, proving that tailgate can be as great as the game. With those statistics stacked, you won’t want to enter the next tailgate too casually. Consider these tips for becoming the MVP of this season’s tailgate.

FOOD & GRILLING Food and grilling are one of the most important elements of a tailgate. If you are hosting, check the wind direction. It is important set the grill up in area that will not have your guests shrouded in smoke. If you are splurging and want to impress, hire a chef for a few hours. What better way to enjoy the tailgate than having a drink in your hand and letting someone else do the work. If a chef is not in your budget, however, head over to Pinterest which has a wealth of tasty tailgating food ideas. From Bloody Mary bars to hot dog-topping buffets, the ideas are endless.

COOLERS In recent years there have been plenty of fancy coolers hitting the market. My natural instinct would usually be to take the bait; but not this time. The basic role of a cooler is to keep things cold … or hot. You can turn a cooler into a warming station. Think about it – a cooler is a giant insulated tub. To convert one to a warming station, heat some bricks carefully on the grill and wrap in tin foil. Layer them in the cooler and you have a warmer. Be sure to have extra coolers for storing raw foods, drinking ice, beverages, etc. Having separate coolers will ensure you’re prepared and food is safe. Plus extra coolers make great seats as long as they’re metal or sturdy plastic and not made of styrofoam.

SEATING You’re likely going to be in a parking lot for hours. Then when it is time for the game you’ll wind up walking quite a distance.

Bring an extra chair to ensure you have some place to sit. Plus when there are not enough chairs, someone is less likely to steal your seat if you brought your own.

YOU'RE GOING TO WEAR THOSE? Speaking of standing and walking, tailgates for sporting events are a marathon so it is best to wear the most comfortable shoes you have. There are other ways to look cute so do not

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rely on your footwear and sacrifice comfort. Consider tossing a pair of comfy insoles into a bag just in case.

Seriously.

MARK YOUR TUFT The parking lot is an endless sea of tailgating fans. How do you find your friends and their spot? There are technical strategies and markers if you are at a nicely laid out facility but I always love this idea. Balloons – get a unique mixture of balloons so there is an eye catching sign friends can see from a distance.

There are plenty of colors, shapes and sizes. The more unusual the combination, the better.

TEAM SPIRIT Don’t feel the need to go buy team apparel, especially if you are visiting friends who are hosting the event or if it is not your regular team that is playing. Instead, dress like you normally would and inquire about the team colors. Any nod in the right direction is appreciated. And remember there’s a difference between home and away colors.