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Foundations That Support African American Women In Sports

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Black Women in sports are in a somewhat scarce, but with mentors and women who are already athletes that can encourage young girls and women to participatein sports, it become an successful improvement. Black Women Sports Foundation, also known as BWSF is an organization which encourages women of color to participate and play sports. It was founded in 1992 by Tina Sloane Green, Alpha Alexander, Nikki Franke, and Linda Greene as a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the involvement ofBlack women and girls in all avenues of sports. These avenues include athletics, coaching and administration. The idea of these organizations is to promote healthy lifestyles. For youth it means having access to the afterschool programs and sports activities. Also the BWSF also helps in the involvement with the youth girls in athletics and sprts by providing them wth “hands-on” activities such as camps and actual sports organizations outside of school.

Another organization is the Women’s Sports Foundation, another non-profit organization and program dedicated to young girls and wmen to be and stay active in sports. This organization was founded to help represent and be the voice of reason when it comes to wmen and sports. As we know, African American women are undder-represented in sports. The only sports they are restricted to. In some instances are basketball and track & field as well as the least expensive sports.

African American women makes up less than 5 of all high school athletes, less than 10 of all college athletes, less than 2 of all coaches and less than 1 of all college athletic administrators. Through the Women’s Sports Foundation, the president now African American, heavyweight boxing Hampion Laila Ali, plans to continue in making a difference in getting young girls to show up and show out in all sports available for the young girls and women to play.

Angela Hucles: Two-Time World Cup Medalist

admin — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Being an African American woman in the United States can always be a challenge. In fact, being a minority anywhere is difficult. Angela Hucles grew up in a difficult neighborhood in Virginia and she did not have the easiest childhoods. However, she was always destined to be a talented athlete. She was into soccer from the first few years of her life, and always found time to play. Even when she was at school, she wanted to play soccer more than she ever wanted to study. Luckily, her dreams came true and she went on to become a professional in the Women’s Professional Soccer league.

She enjoyed a great WPS career and won quite a few medals and titles with her teams. However, it was internationally that Angela Hucles really made her name. She become a mainstay of the team pretty quickly, and never relinquished her place until retirement. During her long career with the Women’s team, she managed to win TWO Olympic Gold Medals and TWO World Cup winners medals. That is an amazing four winner’s medals and she certainly has had some career. Everything she touched was great, and she was a crucial member of this unbelievable team.Still bored? Click to continue: The 8 Sexiest Players On The US Women’s National Soccer Team PHOTOS

Laila Ali On The Importance Of Girls In Sports

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Laila Ali, the most powerful heavyweight boxing champion of the world, just as her father the great boxing champion and legend, Muhammad Ali (Cashus Clay), is a true believer in girls becoming active in sports. Laila Ali comes from a long tradition of sports and being active. From research she has conducted, being involved in sports and being active positively affects everything from a child’s physical and emotional well-being to academic performance. It also puts a positive outlook on the girls going to college. It is unfortunate that those who are not involved in sports is at a greater risk for obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis and other chronic diseases. And now more than ever, girls need the guidance and support needed to participate in sports.

Laila Ali has committed herself into ensuring women from elite athletes to young girls have a chance into getting involved in sports. Being the president of Women’s Sports Foundation, Ali is also involved in a program called, “GoGirlGo”. This is an award-winning organization that helps girls become physically active. Within the program, the girls experience different stories of different champion athletes and celebrities, and use sports to teach life lessons on various topics. Those topics cover bullying, emotional stress, body image, eating disorders, weight, alcohol and drug use. With all these programs and positivity within sports, all girls are destined to b great and elite athletes of our future.

Olympics Bound?

admin — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If you grew up watching Olympic events on Satellite TV wondering what you had to do to become an Olympic quality athlete we’ve got some tips. If you’ve still got Olympic dreams, keep the spirit alive!
Practice, Practice, Practice: There’s no substitute for it! Did you know it takes approximately 10,000 hours of doing the same thing to become an expert at it? If you’re passionate about your sport you’ve got to put in the time.
Pick an Obscure Sport: The first step to getting noticed at your sport is to be the best at it and you’ve got a much better chance of being good at, say, shotput, than you do basketball simply because less people do it. Pick something everyone else isn’t already doing.
Get the Right Coaches: If you’re still in school work with the best coaches and talk to them about your goals. If you’ve got internet access, email the US Olympic Committee and ask them to send out a scout – if you’re good enough and recommended highly they may just do it!

Figure Skater Debi Thomas Hits The Ice

admin — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Debi Thomas was a figure skater that displayed a wonderful combination of skill, grace and charm while on the ice. No other figure skater in the history of the sport has displayed as much beauty and skill on the ice as Debi Thomas.

Debi Thomas was a national champion. Debi Thomas won the National Figure Skating Championships in 1986 and 1988. She won The National Figure Skating Championship while she was a freshman at Stanford University. Debi Thomas was the first African American woman to ever win a national figure skating title. In 1988 Debi Thomas went on to compete in the Olympics in Calgary, Canada. She won a bronze medal in the 1988 Olympics. This was the first Olympic medal for any African American woman in figure skating.

Debi Thomas started her career as a professional figure skater after the 1988 Olympics. She won three professional skating titles competing as a professional figure skater. Debi Thomas would also spend four years as a professional figure skater with Stars on Ice. After four years Debi Thomas retired from her professional skating career. After her wonderful career as a figure skater Debi Thomas was inducted into the Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2000.

Alice Coachman: First Black Woman To Win Gold

admin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

In 1948, Alice Coachman became the first African American to win a gold medal in the Olympics. It had been a long and difficult road to success. Alice was born in 1923 in Albany, Georgia. She was one of ten children and had a difficult childhood. She struggled to develop her athletic ability as a young lady, as there was opposition to women in sports during this time period. She would practice for hours, determined to improve herself and become successful.

Even though Alice’s parents discouraged her interest in sports, Alice was determined to become an athlete. She was encouraged in this pursuit by her Aunt, who stood up for her and helped her overcome opposition to fulfill her dream. Alice’s story is an inspiration to many and her success inspired many young women to follow in her footsteps.

Alice earned her medal in the high jump competition and was the only female American athlete to win a medal of any kind at the London Olympics that year. Coachman had dominated the high jump championship from 1939 through 1948, but was unable to compete in the 1940 and 1944 Olympic Games as they were cancelled because of World War II.

Florence Griffith Joyner Dubbed “Fastest Woman In The World”

admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Florence Griffith Joyner was dubbed the “Fastest Woman In The World” when she was a track star in the late 1980s. She dominated the 1988 Olympics in South Korea. “FloJo” was raised in the public housing project in LA and started racing internationally in the early 80s. She had a good career right off the start finishing 2nd in the 200m finals at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. She was mostly known as a 200m runner until the 1987 World Championships where she decided to run the 100m and set a world record.

She later raced in the 1988 Olympics in South Korea. She won the Gold Medal in both the 200m dash and the 100m dash and set world records in both events. She was indeed the fastest woman in the world and she had the stats to prove it. She was also dubbed the best amateur athlete in the United States in 1988 for her accomplishments on the track.

Sadly, Joyner died in her sleep at the young age of 38 after suffering a seizure in her sleep. She left behind a legacy for women athletes by breaking down the barriers for speed and still having her own personal style on the track best exhibited by her extremely long fingernails and flashy uniforms.Want to know more? Go ahead: Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered , you will never GROW.

Venus and Serena: Tennis Runs In The Family

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Venus and Serena Williams have been two of the dominant forces in women’s tennis since their arrival on the scene in 1998.

The sisters were brought up loving the game. Their father, Richard, tried to get his first three daughters into the game, but found they were not cut out for it. Venus and and her older sister Serena, however, took to the game immediately and Richard knew saw great potential in them. The two girls played six hours per day using rackets of poor quality on a court with potholes.

The two began to compete at five years old and word had gotten around that these two girls had great skill, when national training camps began to recruit them at their Compton, Los Angeles home. As teenagers, Richard entered his girls into the pro circuit before they were of age, pulling them from schooling where they were ‘A’ students. The two competed in private events until they each reached the age of 18 and made a big splash on the pro scene.

Serena Williams at 29 years of age has laid claim to 37 career singles titles and two Olympic medals. She has won the most prize money of any female athlete in history. Venus owns 43 career titles and two Olympic medals. As a team, the duo has won 19 doubles titles.