COMPETE November 2014

SPORTS. DIVERSITY.

FOOTBALL MANIA GAY BOWL XIV PHILADELPHIA

DISCIPLINED DEDICATION

ARIZONA BALLET’S HOLIDAY SEASON BEGINS

TOUGH TIMES

BOXING IN NAIROBI NOVEMBER 2014 • VOL. 8 NO. 11 • $5.95

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THE PETE ROSE DEBATE

Hey. I like your profile.

Thanks man. You too.

Wanna chill?

Way ahead of you!

©2014 COORS BREWING COMPANY, GOLDEN, CO

November 15, 2014 - Tempe, Arizona

Honoring the Best in Sports Diversity The evening will celebrate individuals and organizations that help fullll the publication’s mission of uniting the world through sports.

Registration Opens: 5:30 p.m.

VIP Pre-Event Reception: 6:00 p.m.

Main Event: 7:00 p.m.

DoubleTree by Hilton 2100 S Priest Dr. Tempe, AZ 85282

Blake Skjellerup Event Host

Olympian, LGBT Advocate

Esera Tuaolo Legacy Award Honoree Retired NFL Player

Sue Weiger Tickets Entrepreneurial Athlete Honoree General Admission $135 LPGA Golf Professional General Admission Table $1,250 VIP Admission $250 (includes VIP Reception) Other honorees include: VIP Table $2,500 (includes VIP Reception)

For More Information 480.222.4223 sportsdiversityawards.com

Phoenix Mercury Arizona State University and Many More Deserving Individuals and Organizations

NOVEMBER 2014 Volume 8, Issue 11 FOUNDERS Publisher Eric Carlyle • eric@competenetwork.com Publisher David Riach • david@competenetwork.com COMPETE MAGAZINE Managing Editor Joshua Wyrick • joshua@competenetwork.com Executive Editor Connie Wardman • connie@competenetwork.com Community Editor Ty Nolan • ty@competenetwork.com Style Editor Alfonzo Chavez • alfonzo@competenetwork.com Travel Editor Brian Raymond • brian@competenetwork.com Art Director Jay Gelnett • jay@competenetwork.com Contributors Harry Andrew, Renee Chase, Ian Colgate, Joseph Gaxiola, Amy Jones, Jeff Kagan, Miriam Latto, and Brian Patrick Photo Editor Jacquelyn Phillips • jacquelyn@competenetwork.com Photographers Gregg Edelman, Thomas Fleisher Vice President of Marketing Patrick Gamble • patrick@competenetwork.com Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Terry • kevin@competenetwork.com Sales & Partnerships Joseph Gaxiola • joseph@competenetwork.com Accounting Mary Essick • mary@competenetwork.com Distributors Arizona Edition – Paul Sanchez Distributing Southern California Edition – Five Star Distributing Nevada Edition – Five Star Distributing Copyright © 2014 MEDIA OUT LOUD, LLC All Rights Reserved.

Arizona/Nevada Edition 4703 South Lakeshore Drive, Suite 3 Tempe, Arizona 85282 • 480-222-4223 Southern California Edition 7080 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 1100 Los Angeles, California 90028 • 323-380-1068 Compete is a trademark of Media Out Loud, LLC MISSION STATEMENT Compete unites the world through sports.

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Photo by John W. Cox III

16 GAY BOWL XIV 20 ARIZONA BALLET 28 PUNCH SHRUNK LOVE 30 SMITHSONIAN NOW

DISPLAYS LGBT ITEMS

KICK–OFF 11 12 13 14

FACE OFF SPEED READ GRANDSTANDING THUMBS UP+DOWN

DEPARTMENTS 24 MVP 32 TRAVEL

Hitting Vegas

34 SPORTS–ARIZONA Arizona State In The NFL

36 SPORTS–SOCAL

Lambda Basketball League

38 SPORTS–NEVADA

Sin City Shootout Rides Again

40 FITNESS

A Fit Body Pays Off ... Literally

OVERTIME 42 GYM BAG 44 EVENTS 46 SPORTS YEARBOOK COMPETE ONLINE

Check out additional Compete Online stories at competenetwork.com

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COVER PHOTO

John Gress Photography

| COMPETE | 5

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PHOTO: Joan Lobis Brown Photography and POZ Magazine

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FROM THE SKYBOX

BY ERIC CARLYLE, CO-FOUNDER

Thanksgiving Falls on November 15th This Year

N

Inspiring Healthy Living Around the World

@CompeteEric

ovember is often a time to reflect and give thanks for all the wonderful people and things in our lives. November is certainly a time of reflection for me—it is the month we host our annual Compete Sports Diversity Awards, this year on November 15th.

We piloted the awards in 2010 with Greg Louganis presenting Michael Holtz, our 2010 Athlete of the Year with his award. Then in 2011 we officially launched our awards and were humbled to honor Ben Cohen, MBE and our 2011 Athlete of the Year David Rae. Fast forward to 2014 and we are at it again. This time Olympian Blake Skjellerup will co-host the event with me as we honor sports pioneers such as retired NFL player Esera Tuaolo and LPGA pro Sue Weiger.

For all of us at Compete, the greatest part of honoring the best in sports diversity is being a part of sports history. Each year our event gets a little bit bigger and a little bit better. There are some great surprises ahead but I don’t want to spoil them for you!

However, our Compete team could not do it without the help of our wonderful sponsors including U.S. Bank, HealthMarkets, Orbitz, AussieBum, Axiom for Men, Flip, Elevation, Jones Communications and Echo Magazine. And you are all invited to join us at the party!

Visit sportsdiversityawards.com for all the details.

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| COMPETE | 7

THE PICK-6

BY JOSHUA WYRICK, MANAGING EDITOR

Run With It

@CompeteJoshua

F

inding a hobby can be difficult, especially when you’re on a budget. The first barrier that rises up before any prospective player is always “Can I afford to do this?” or “Do I have time for this?” and often the answer is a quick “no.” This issue focuses on the people who bring affordable and interesting hobbies to people who need them in the form of community organizations and societies— whether they know it or not.

Always preaching diversity is nice and certainly helpful but it is another battle entirely to put it into action. In this November issue you’ll be transported to the harsh deserts of Kenya where a small boxing oasis exists under the banner of community empowerment. From the grittiness of Nairobi you’ll take the fast train to Ballet Arizona where young bodies are molded and transformed to practice the graceful art at the highest levels. Vacation ends in Philadelphia, where Gay Bowl fourteen (that’s XIV for Romans!) took place the second weekend in October. Compete was there along with the photo coverage to keep you sated until the Sin City Shootout in Las Vegas in January.

In the gym bag lie some of the most unique gifts for the upcoming holiday season and the people you are forced to give them to. A football that throws itself back to you and cricket-flour “candy” bars should keep even the most discerning Grinch at bay.

With the advent of the holiday season in the Americas, you’re likely to be asked the question about the “D” word roughly 100 million times.

While the word ‘donate’ often signals the point where you can stop reading, this time it isn’t a call to action, just great advice. Starting an international organization dedicated to the betterment of human beings everywhere can be a thankless and often impossible task, one that certainly isn’t easy—but supporting them is.

Inimatably,

Joshua Wyrick, Managing Editor joshua@competenetwork.com

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 9

A good meal can put a smile on your face.

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And they walk out with the recipes to try these nutritious and healthy dishes at home. But not before we share this meal together!

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FACE-OFF

KICKOFF

THE QUESTION Should Major League Baseball reinstate Pete Rose and admit him to the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Connie Wardman

Ty Nolan

Executive Editor @CompeteConnie

Community Editor @CompeteTy

INTEGRITY SHOULD COUNT

INDUCT HIM AND MOVE ON

Even if you never saw him play, you’re sure to know about Pete Rose. He was an amazing player who holds more records than anyone else in the recorded history of Major League Baseball (MLB). His stats are legendary­—4,256 hits; 3,562 games played; 14,053 at bats; and 10,328 outs. Additionally, he’s the only player in MLB history to play more than 500 games at five different positions.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of his being banned from the game because of his gambling. It also marks the 25th year of the on-going argument over whether or not Rose should be reinstated so he can be voted into the Hall of Fame (HOF). Those who are pro-reinstatement (including Rose, himself) are hoping that outgoing MLB commissioner Bud Selig will reinstate him as a last act before handing over the reins to his successor on January 24, 2015.

But we need to look beyond Rose’s athletic prowess and examine his personal conduct. He’s an admitted cheater whose arrogant lack of regard for the rules of the game should keep him out. If we want our athletes, especially the elite ones to be good role models, then personal integrity should be part of entry into the HOF, baseball’s highest honor. The fact that others already enshrined aren’t paragons of virtue shouldn’t be the excuse to continue rewarding the bad behavior of those who break the rules. If so, why have rules?

Rose lied for years about his illegal betting until an inhouse investigation led then-commissioner Bart Giamatti to banish him for life. Lawyer John M. Dowd conducted a thorough investigation of Rose and discovered he was betting around $2,000 per game on basketball, football, hockey and baseball—five-to-ten times a day! The report also noted that Rose lost over $67,000 and was repeatedly in debt to bookies, at one point owing one of them $200,000. Dowd said he could prove that Rose fixed games for his team to lose while a manager.

Giamatti talked tough about the ban but he’s credited with ending the scandal by having Rose finally admit his gambling and then voluntarily withdraw from baseball, a move that kept him from facing prison time. Rose was already given special treatment 25 years ago to take continued heat off everyone involved. The fact that he continues to expect special treatment is reflective of his blatant, unbridled arrogance.

Few athletes have drawn the controversy that “Charlie Hustle,” aka Pete Rose has among MLB fans and sports journalists; there is no debating the facts. In 1919 eight players of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life for selling out to bettors to intentionally lose the World Series. Betting on baseball was established as the ultimate taboo and the sign in every clubhouse states: “Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible.”

If it weren’t for the pesky fact that Rose broke the “ultimate taboo,” he’d already be in the Hall of Fame (HOF) as one of its greatest players. The vote seems to come down to “the integrity of the sport,” where honoring him means the sport itself would be lacking in honor. He was kicked to the curb during a period when a lot more mouth-service was given to the concepts of “All-American Values” and morality.

But it’s the 21st century and the media is constantly exposing sports greats like Lance Armstrong and Oscar Pistorius.

The NFL is also working hard to backpedal its support and promotion of great players who use their off-field time to physically abuse their partners and children.

Who has “stained” the reputation of MLB more? Rose or later players condemned for their use of PEDs (performance enhancing drugs)? That’s a no-win competition. The stats are showing the majority of Americans buy into the practicality of the HOF as a history museum, not a museum of morality. It documents the history of the MLB’s greatest players—and Rose is one of them.

Few professional sports are known for only having saints on the field. There’s also no question American culture cherishes stories of redemption. One of the problems is that Rose has never followed the redemption script. He’s never conveyed that he did wrong, admitted it and then asked humbly for forgiveness. His defense is one of arrogance: “Welcome me back because I’m Pete Rose.”

My feelings? “Not my Monkeys—Not my Circus.” I don’t think Rose is going to stain MLB any dirtier than it already is. If he gets inducted maybe his story won’t keep coming up over and over again and we can leave him in the museum and move on.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

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KICKOFF

LEFT FIELD

SPEED READ NFL’s Pinktober Now a Paler Shade of Pink

T

his is a time when the NFL needs to recognize its huge female fan base and reach out to them after all the recent players charged with domestic abuse, both spousal and child abuse. But in a strange turn of events, this year the NFL will pull back on its new league tradition of Pinktober, its support of breast cancer awareness month, according to Rick Chandler of sportsgrid. com.

Pink gear will still be available on NFL.com but there will much less pink worn by the players, like pink socks, gloves and wrist bands.

According to an insider from a “major sporting goods company,” there will still be “some pink” but the amount will be reduced and the current plan is to not have any pink shown during games that are nationally televised.

This decision, made prior to all the abuse allegations now in the forefront, came in response to negative feedback from last October’s games saying that the pink was a visual distraction for TV viewers.

The True Spirit of Sportsmanship

W

ith all the recent bad press for the NFL commissioner, team owners and players, it’s wonderful to report a story showing the true

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| COMPETE | November 2014

spirit of sportsmanship that we all claim to honor. At the October 4th game between the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals, the Pats paid tribute to Leah Still, four-year old daughter of Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still. In June Leah was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma.

In an amazing show of support, the Pats showed a touching video featuring children with cancer, including Leah that also included the popular music video for Cyndi Lauper and Sara Bareilles’ “Truly Brave.” In another moving show of support, the Patriots cheerleaders all wore Bengal jerseys with Still’s No. 75 and Patriots owner Robert Kraft stood and cheered. He also pledged $25,000 to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital where a week before the game, Leah had undergone surgery to remove the cancerous tumor.

Although Still had failed to make the Bengals 53-man roster, the team signed him to their practice squad to ensure he could get health insurance coverage for his daughter’s treatments. He has since been promoted to the Bengals active roster and was on hand for the tribute wearing black eye tape with “Leah Strong” written on it. In September the Bengals also started a fundraising campaign, announcing that all proceeds from the sales of Still’s jersey will be donated to the hospital for pediatric cancer care and research.

IOC Shoots Itself in the Foot for 2022 Games

N

orway has pulled its bid to host the 2022 Olympic Games due to what it calls “pompous” demands by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) bosses. In a 7,000-page document given to bidding chiefs, it requires the host country, in this case for Norway, to provide on their dime “fruit and cakes of the season;” a ceremony on the runway to welcome the IOC president and a meeting with the King of Norway prior to the opening ceremony with a cocktail reception to follow.

They also require extended “extra late” hours for the hotel bar; hotel minibars to stock Coca-Cola products; all IOC members to be given a new Samsung mobile phone with a Norwegian mobile subscription; and meeting rooms to be kept at exactly 20 degrees Celsius at all times. They even demanded separate lanes on all roads where IOC members will travel.

According to Norwegian finance minister Siv Jensen, people in Norway “shake their heads over the pompousness of the IOC’s requests.” Norway’s withdrawal leaves only two cities now bidding for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games—Almaty in Kazakhstan and Beijing.

COMPETE READER SURVEY

GRANDSTANDING LETTERS TO COMPETE MAGAZINE

What is your favorite autumn sport?

ROLLER DERBY IS SPORTS DIVERSITY (October 2014) As a child of the 70s I never really thought of roller derby as more than something featured on TV (such as “Laverne & Shirley,” “Charlie’s Angels,” etc.) but was delighted to see it covered so completely in Compete. I guess sports diversity also means a variety of sports coverage to Compete.

Basketball 14%

Stacy Thompson Phoenix, Arizona (via Rainbows Festival) GAY BOY NEXT DOOR (September 2014) Nice to see a real person on the cover of Compete. While I certainly enjoyed the eye candy that Austin Armacost and Davey Wavey provided, there is nothing sexier than a real, genuine gay athlete.

Hockey 29%

Football 57%

Rich Bruce Silverlake, California (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.

WONDERJOCK T E C H N O L O G Y

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aussieBum.com

KICKOFF

… for volunteering at a Pittsburgh shelter for battered and abused women. His stepfather shot and killed his mother before killing himself. Gay wants the NFL to fully comprehend the importance of domestic violence.

MO’NE DAVIS … this time for donating the jersey she wore during her winning game at the Little League Baseball World Series to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The 13-year old player with Philadelphia’s Taney Dragons has a 70 mph fastball.

CBS SPORTS NETWORK … for debuting the first nationally televised weekly all-female sports talk show. Airing on Tuesdays on CBS, it’s titled “We Need To Talk” and features 12 regular on-air commentators—Katrina Adams, Laila Ali, Swin Cash, Andrea Kremer, Allie LaForce, Lisa Leslie, Amy Trask, Lesley Visser and Tracy Wolfson.

Four or five of the 12 will appear on each show plus their guests.

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| COMPETE | November 2014

QUIZ

A: Barry Sanders – with Oklahoma State in 1988 and the Detroit Lions in 1997. - Source: Sports Trivia Championship

STEELERS CORNERBACK WILLIAM GAY

Who is the only running back ever to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, both in college and the NFL?

?

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

SPORTS

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES FOOTBALL PROGRAM ... for a professed lack of communication between coach Brady Hoke (he doesn’t wear a headset) and the athletic trainers/team physicians that allowed QB Shane Morris to play following a hit to the head in the fourth quarter of the game against Minnesota. Shane stumbled off the field but was allowed to go back in two plays later after the reserve QB lost his helmet.

F(l)AG FOOTBALL: THE MOVIE … for winning Best Documentary at the qFLIX Philadelphia 2014.

hoto Courtesy of “F(l)ag Football: The Movie

GAY BOWL

XIV WHERE HISTORY IS MADE

By Connie Wardman

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| COMPETE | November 2014

T

he 14th annual Gay Bowl, the National Gay Flag Football League’s (NGFFL) equivalent of the Super Bowl, is now in the record books. As sore muscles, cuts and scrapes begin to fade, personal memories of the event continue to make a powerful impact on all who were a part of it—players, officials, fans and sponsors. Over 700 athletes from the U.S. and Canada came to play … and win!

The San Diego Bolts won their third consecutive Gay Bowl championship in the A division, this time in a hard fought overtime

match by one point over the Phoenix Hellraisers. Coming in at third was the LA Motion.

B division winner ATL Storm beat the NY Warriors Pink with Den Summit Orange taking 3rd place. The women’s division (celebrating its third Gay Bowl appearance) had the Denver Mile High Club Blue taking home the trophy by one point over the Denver Mile High Club White with the South Florida Lady Cats ranking third in the standings.

You can see all the scores and standings on usgsn.com.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

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Courtesy of Gay Bowl XIV photographer John W. Cox III

Held in Philadelphia, the historic City of Brotherly (and Sisterly) Love, this year’s tournament tag line, “Where History is Made,” has taken on a deeper, broader meaning. It now represents an important, almost magical confluence of people and events in the gay sporting world of flag football that happened this year. It provides a microcosmic view of how the sports diversity movement has and continues to make history with its impact on our shared world.

This year marked not only the 14th year for the Gay Bowl and the NFL drafting Michael Sam as the first openly gay player, it also marked the 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.

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| COMPETE | November 2014

The brainchild of Seth Greenleaf, a Tony Award-winning producer with a musical theatre background, the documentary grew out of his experiences as a straight athlete quarterbacking the 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.

He 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 that he discovered “a lot of them can kick my ass! That they’re men, just like me. Athletes, masculine and not at all weak.”

As we talked about his reasons for taking on this project, Greenleaf 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.

Originally thinking he’d write a screen play, he woke at 4 a.m. one morning realizing he needed to film a documentary instead and immediately created a ballparked budget. When his accountant called the next day asking what he wanted to do with his deferred tax refund checks that came to within just a couple hundred dollars of his budget, he knew where the money would go. He put crews together in the three cities and called “Action!”

Greenleaf never expected the project to take the four years conventional wisdom says is required to get a documentary from inception to distribution. But the film was finished this year exactly four years from the day it began. Although it’s not yet ready for full distribution, it’s already

movie at the BendFilm festival in Bend, Oregon. As we talked about what seeing it meant to him, he shared that it was more than a film or a game, it was his life. As he was reliving that moment on the screen, he realized just how impactful the Hellraisers and the NGFFL league have been in his life.

Jacinto feels 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. He 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.”

Having had the privilege to talk with lots of gay athletes over my years with Compete, I know that Jacinto’s comments are echoed by many of them. It’s what makes our individual and combined work so meaningful. We really are uniting the gay and straight world through sports.

Seth Greenleaf at work filming.

Photo Courtesy of F(l)ag Football: The Movie won “Best Documentary” from qFLIX Philadelphia 2014 festival in September and rave reviews from its two October screenings at the BendFilm festival and Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. Based on its reviews, the film is already changing the stereotype of gay athletes.

In a heartwarming success story, one of the athletes in the film is Joey Jacinto, a diehard member of the Phoenix Hellraisers and a very talented multi-sport gay athlete, coach and personal trainer now living in Oregon.

From a strong Latino family, he says 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 following Gay Bowl XIII (also held in Phoenix), Jacinto shared on Facebook what I think 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.”

In an interesting twist, Jacinto missed this year’s Gay Bowl because he recently got engaged and they’re saving for their wedding and honeymoon. Since he wasn’t playing, he was able to view the finished

Joey Jacinto with Dad and Mom (Gay Bowl XIII)

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| COMPETE | 19

Arizona

Ballet

On It’s Toes For Equality

By Joshua Wyrick

If you’ve ever gone to a performance and seen the athleticism required to tell a story through dance, the competition is fierce. But to fully comprehend the rigorous discipline dancers put their bodies through to make their performances appear effortless, watch some of their daily workouts and rehearsals.

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Swan Lake Photo by Alexander Iziliaev

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 21

During the 14th century (that’s the 1300’s!) a great wave of change was sweeping Italian cultural elites off of their pointy-shoed feet and into tights. This period and the ensuing 200 years (give or take) would come to be known as the “Renaissance,” a time when humanity (or at least the Warren Buffets and Bill Gates’ of the day) crawled out from under the thumb of the theocratic thought of the Dark Ages and into the light.

Ballet started in Italy during the Renaissance before spreading to greater Europe, Russia and France.

The art form was born out of performance dancing and would only later gain the appearance of ballet that we know today, timed and choreographed to some of the most influential and majestic classical music ever written. Through discipline and practice that never ends, ballet has been an integral part of the cultural snowball of change that eventually brought about enlightenment for the peoples of the Old World.

Dance continues to serve as a cultural indicator for today’s cities wanting recognition as a major metropolitan area. But if you are an athlete, don’t dismiss it as a non-sport.

Just try a pliè—think deep, deep knee bend while keeping your heels flat on the floor. Ballet is as demanding and arduous as any other sport out there – it’s just done on your toes and in tights.

The Phoenix area is fortunate to claim Ballet Arizona as its resident ballet company. And the LGBT community, a traditional supporter of cultural events, got some support of its own from the group. On October 30th Ballet Arizona returned the favor as they worked with LGBT community leaders to take a hard stance on equality for all by holding LGBT Community Night at the ballet.

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The performance for the equality event was the Tchaikovsky-scored classic, “Swan Lake.” Ballet Arizona worked with director Ib Anderson, former ballet master for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and his Swan Lake production has been hailed as one of nation’s top three. In December he will also be the artistic director for the other Tchaikovsky-scored holiday classic, “The Nutcracker.”

On hand to talk further about the dancing die-hards who daily inhabit Ballet Arizona was Joseph Cavanaugh, manager of education and community outreach for the center.

With a passion originally ignited by erstwhile rapper M.C. Hammer, Cavanaugh began his dance career with the Winnipeg Ballet before moving to Arizona to get more serious about his craft.

In Phoenix Cavanaugh met a coach who helped him take his love for dancing to new levels. He says of his former instructor’s doggedness to make him a better dancer that “It was like having a coach in football that really wants to play still but can’t.”

Cavanaugh began the daily rigors that are part of being a professional dancer in the 21st century: endless Pilates sessions combined with gyrotonics (an exercise that emphasizes graceful, flowing movements that swimmers often use), followed by acupuncture and psychological training.

A professional dancer since 2001, Cavanaugh only recently retired from the limelight to perform the crucial behind-the-scenes work for the art form he holds so dear. Working with some of the most dedicated souls in the industry, he and others now help shape and form the bodies and minds of young people into the sharply-honed dancing instruments on display at Ballet Arizona and elsewhere across the globe.

Nutcracker Photo by Rosalie O’Connor

Le Carnaval des Animaux Photo by Rosalie O’Connor

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T YLER FOERSTER

TEAM COMPETE MVP

AGE: 28 HOMETOWN: Ferdinand, Ind. CURRENT RESIDENCE: San Diego SPORT: Flag Football RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Partnered FAVORITE ATHLETE: Tim Howard FAVORITE Team: Chicago Fire INTERESTS: Sports, Photography, Film, Web Design BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE: Height; being 6-foot 5 has its advantages WHY HE LOVES SPORTS: The combination between competition and camaraderie SPORTS PLAYED: Flag football, soccer, softball, ultimate volleyball, basketball, dodgeball, racquetball and track GREATEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Creating the USGSN.com, the U.S. Gay Sports Network ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS: Gay Bowl XIV Champion Defensive co-MVP Gay Games 9 Decathlon Bronze medalist in track & field Pride Bowl VI Champion Defensive MVP Sunshine Cup IV Champion Spirit award

Punch Shrunk Love Two young women stand facing each other from across the ring. They love one another outside of it but both are driven by a fierce competitive spirit and the desire to impress their peers. They spar after the bell rings and fight until both are exhausted—but both are smiling.

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| COMPETE | November 2014

T

hey are learning a tradition thousands of years old.

The sport of boxing as practiced in Ancient Greece and later transformed into modern fisticuffs in the United Kingdom has finally made its way to Kenya in the form of an international volunteer campaign known as Boxgirls.

Where temperatures often soar above 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the scorching deserts of Kenya, there is a silent revolution happening in the slums of its capital city, Nairobi. Beginning in Nairobi in 2007, Boxgirls has taken its model in Kenya to eventually spread to South Africa and to an international stage. The initiative originally began with a die-hard team of volunteers, including founder Heather Cameron, who badly wanted to teach the exercise of boxing to young women in Germany for the purpose of community strengthening.

As the volunteer effort continued, the initiative was granted awards and accolades from different international institutions, including the United Nations council. This spurred further involvement from volunteers to continue a more concerted effort for the expansion to Kenya and later South Africa. By the end of the decade the Boxgirls initiative had garnered both attention and honors. Cameron was awarded an Ashoka fellowship in recognition of the continued success of her work internationally.

Ashoka fellows, known as “innovators for the public,” are considered some of the most galvanizing volunteer workers in the world today. Among their ranks are people who, according to their site, “demonstrate unrivaled commitment to bold new ideas and prove that compassion, creativity and collaboration are tremendous forces for change.”

Along with boxing training, Boxgirls also provides a mobile library for young women to gain greater literacy in a part of the world that still lags far behind many others.“My communication has changed. I am now able to read and write well because of the books,” says program member, nine-year-old Celestine. Books are delivered straight to girls in need by students who are supervised by librarians.

As the sweat drips down faces and runs back into the soil of the earth, boxing gloves are lowered and stances relax. Children go home and open the pages of the most influential authors to ever walk the planet. Through Boxgirls and other programs like it, the world becomes a better place, if even for a day.

You can donate to the foundation at their website, Boxgirls.org

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 29

BRIGHT

Night

AT THE

Museum

Smithsonian Shines with LGBT Sports Exhibit

T

he true mark of human civilization is told by what is left behind long after we are gone. The story that can be told by our most monumental documents and treaties will show a clear picture of the ancient human condition. And now the Smithsonian Institution, long known as our nation’s attic, has woven precious LGBT relics into the tapestry of our modern times.

Hundreds of items are currently being added to the Smithsonian’s already massive collection of artifacts from around the country. Some of the pieces are from years past, like a sign from one of the first-ever pride rallies in front of the nation’s capital on April 17, 1965. It reads, “Discrimination against homosexuals is as immoral as discrimination against Negroes and Jews.”

Other items are from more recent LGBT cultural phenomena, like that of late 1990s smash television show, “Will and Grace.” Speaking to the Associated

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| COMPETE | November 2014

Press (AP), show co-creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick say the items they have personally donated amount to original scripts, casting ideas and political memorabilia as well as props, like main character Will Truman’s framed college degree.

“These particular guests that were invited into people’s living rooms happened to be your gay friends. … I don’t think people really had the opportunity to have that before and it served to … make people recognize that your close friends were gay,” Kohan tells the AP. “The fact that it’s in the … museum, maybe we [the show’s creators and actors] were a part of something that was bigger than we ever imagined.

Another category that makes an appearance in no small way at the exhibit is the wide world of LGBT sports. The first piece displayed is the tennis racquet of Renee Richards, famed transgender activist who was denied entry to the U.S. Open tennis tournament but who later won a court appeal in a precedent-setting case.

Many other items will eventually find their way there, such as Michael Sam’s St. Louis Rams #96 jersey; maybe even Chip Sarafin’s #79 jersey from Arizona State University.

The significance of these documented pieces and their place in American history cannot be overstated. Without this project, the history of the LGBT struggle could be subject to revisionist historians and the other ravages of time. Ensuring that history is remembered as it happened is a luxury that few peoples are afforded.

For gay people, this is the first step in a long journey toward absolution. In the cultural wave that has pushed the constant progression of LGBT rights, let us vow not lose a single item showing that LGBT people are now and have always been a part of the fabric of our common existence.

You can query the curators of the exhibit and even donate your own items here: Curatorial Department Smithsonian American Art Museum MRC 970 P.O. Box 37012 Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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ROM JANUARY 15-19 you can join 7,500 participants from 18 different sports for the 8th Annual Sin City Shootout, one of the largest annual gay sports competitions in the Brian Raymond world. Host hotel, the New Tropicana Las Vegas, was recently transformed into a bright, cheery and hip South Beach-themed property so book a room quickly or you may miss out on the group rate. If you like something more avant-garde and sophisticated, try one of my favorites, The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is iconic for a number of things. Obviously casinos top the list. But if you ever watched any TV series about Las Vegas showing the city’s neon lights, you may have wondered what happened to those incredibly beautiful, unique signs once those old casinos were gone. Fortunately, many of them ended up in the Neon Museum where you can explore two acresworth of nearly 150 historic signs that played an important role in Las Vegas’ history.

Top-notch restaurants with world-acclaimed chefs, elaborate entertainment shows and clubs have become the top Vegas attractions as gambling has become a smaller percentage of the city’s revenue. But make advance reservations so you don’t miss out. The iconic “Strip” offers many free attractions. Be sure to watch the Bellagio fountains dance in perfect synchrony to music any night after dark, then go inside where you’ll find a free seasonal horticultural conservatory that’s amazing.

Unlike the Strip, downtown Las Vegas’ “Fremont Street Experience” is almost the antithesis of the Strip’s mentality.

Along its five blocks you’ll find numerous stages built for music performances as well as a variety of street performers and artists, all of which create an exciting and vibrant atmosphere.

The streets are crowded but you are enveloped in a high energy crowd that feeds the excitement of being on the street.

Fremont Street is about variety; here you’ll find a top quality and stately steak and seafood house like the Triple George next to a dive bikers’ bar, Hogs & Heifers. And down a block or two you’ll find a large Denny’s with its own wedding chapel. Where the Strip is elegant and somewhat sedate, Fremont Street is loud, bold and earthy, so take your pick.

Vegas offers something for everyone, and with the Sin City Shootout bringing together nearly 10,000 gay athletes and fans, it will be a fun party weekend. Their website is sincityshootout.com.

To visit Las Vegas or for help in planning your own or group travel, contact Brian Raymond at brian@OutDestinations.com or 866-217-2341.

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SPORTS ARIZONA

FROM SATURDAY NIGHT SULTANS TO SUNDAY REGULARS: ARIZONA STATE IN THE NFL

BY JOSHUA WYRICK

BY NOW YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE PLAYERS you witness on a Sunday morning playing America’s most popular sport had a long road getting to the NFL. Out of millions of players around the country, few ever make it to starting on their high school squads, where games are played on Friday nights. Pare those select few down and you have just under a quarter of a million vying for the respect and attention of NFL scouts during college games. Whittle that number down once again and you’ll have the select group of athletes who get a chance to try for fame and fortune on the country’s biggest stage.

The real numbers look even more unlikely for a player to make the league-mandated 53-man roster: just 1.7 percent of all college players ever play for an NFL team, and at the High School level it is less than half that at .08 percent. To add to the list of young player’s woes, the overwhelming majority of NFL players come from an extremely small number of

schools, many located in football hotspots around Southern California and Florida, stalwart football havens.

Last year the NCAA yielded an extremely competitive Pacific 12 South division, with the Arizona State University Sun Devils falling just short of a Rose Bowl berth because of a Pac-12 Championship game loss against Stanford. It should come as no surprise that a few alumni from this lauded Arizona State team made it to the NFL and managed to snag coveted NFL roster spots ahead of the deadline this year, and Compete would like to congratulate them.

Linebacker Carl Bradford of the Green Bay Packers Defensive Tackle Will Sutton of the Chicago Bears Free Safety Robert Nelson of the Cleveland Browns Defensive Lineman Davon Coleman of the Dallas Cowboys The Sun Devils continue to be represented on a national stage by some of the most respected and tenancious players in the league.

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SPORTS SOCAL

HITTING THE HARD WOOD WITH LAMBDA BASKETBALL LEAGUE

BY CONNIE WARDMAN

I

f you live in the Los Angeles, Long Beach or Orange County area and love to play basketball, be sure to check out the Lambda Basketball League if you haven’t already. Started in 1990 by Mark Chambers, Thorn Edwards and Martin Rodriguez, the organization has now grown to include six teams involved in league play in three divisions. As part of the National Gay Basketball Association (NGBA), they also have five traveling teams that participate in competitions worldwide.

is a $5 donation per night and players need to bring their own black and white reversible jersey or black and white shirts.

The league is an integrated, inclusive organization for the LGBT community and allies are always welcome to join. They have three women who play regularly as well as several who, due to work or travel schedules cycle in and out. But it’s not just about league play and national/ international competitions for these

all love the feeling of being a giant family. According to Jason Jaramillo, president of the league since 2012, it’s a great way to meet people. He shared that members have met best friends through the league and some of the romantic relationships that were made there have led to marriage.

But never forget that members of Lambda Basketball League are competitive athletes. Of the five teams that traveled to Cleveland in August to compete in Gay Games 9, four of

Finals and Party Fall 2012 Photos courtesy of Lambda Basketball League You don’t need to play like LA Laker favorite Kobe Bryant to participate since Lambda welcomes all skill levels.

League play on Sunday afternoons in the fall and spring seasons last 10-11 weeks with the playoffs included. They also hold weekly open play or pick-up games on Tuesdays and Fridays with games played at two locations— Contreras High School in downtown Los Angeles and Bancroft Middle School in West Hollywood.

It’s a pay-as-you-go group. Cost for league play ranges between $65–90 per season that pays for gym and referee fees and a reversible jersey. Open play

36

| COMPETE | November 2014

basketball lovers.

The league holds a draft party a week before the start of each season.

And those playing in the Sunday league games generally go out for a post-game late lunch or early dinner. But they also get together for fun nights at the movies or playing board games and also gather for fundraisers for the local community. It’s not just about partying for this league. They also have a partnership with the other LGBT sports leagues and LA Condom to create STD awareness and promote safe sex.

Gay and straight, male and female members of the league—

them won medals. The LA Metrostars and LA Nightmares both earned gold medals while the Hollywood Blindside took silver and the LA United brought home bronze.

Those involved in the traveling teams are already looking forward to the 2015 tournaments. Over the Martin Luther King holiday in January they have a choice of the Sin City Shootout in Las Vegas as well as a tournament in Atlanta and another in San Diego.

For more information on Lambda Basketball League, check out their website at lambdabasketball.com.

SPORTS NEVADA

SIN CITY SHOOTOUT GROWS AGAIN

BY CONNIE WARDMAN COME JANUARY 15TH, thousands of gay athletes and fans from across the U. S. and Canada will once again descend on Las Vegas for the Sin City Shootout (SCS) 2015. Now in its eighth year, what started with only five sports has continued to grow into a slate of 18 different sports this year.

BASKETBALL BODYBUILDING BOWLING BRIDGE FLAG FOOTBALL DODGEBALL] KICKBALL DARTS FRISBEE

GOLF ICE HOCKEY SOCCER SOFTBALL TENNIS VOLLEYBALL WRESTLING BILLIARDS ROCK CLIMBING

Tournament director Eric Ryan is always looking to grow this festive weekend. And when you see the sports offered this year, there’s really something for everybody. Las Vegas is

38

| COMPETE | November 2014

the perfect setting for this tournament with a wonderful assortment of sports venues in addition to the many attractions. For those who want the full Vegas ambiance, SCS also offers discounts on shows and tours as well as restaurants and shopping.

The host hotel continues to be the New Tropicana Las Vegas. Although there’s a 1,200 room block reserved for participants, book your room now because they go quickly. In fact, they’ve sold out every year. The combination of sports and a great party atmosphere makes for a fun extended weekend, especially when Lance Bass is making a special appearance.

The welcome reception on Thursday night will provide lots of socialization to go along with the entertainment and special guests. Starting at 4:00 p.m. on Friday is the official registration party where you can “limber up” for the

games ahead by bending your elbow with a few cool ones. And once players register, they get a ticket for hourly drawings for show tickets, hotel stays, dinners—even a car.

Come Saturday, the games begin and run through Sunday. Make no mistake—no matter how much fun and adult liquid refreshment flows, players are really serious about winning! But

by Sunday evening, they games are over for the 2015 year and everyone gets ready for the closing party that runs from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. I have it on good authority from Ryan that last year’s closing party actually rocked the building.

Whether you come to play or cheer on your favorite team or player, you’re guaranteed to have a good time both on and off the fields!

For more information on pricing as well as hotel bookings, please visit sincityshootout.com

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BY CONNIE WARDMAN

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| COMPETE | November 2014

the donations would come rolling in.

Wrong.”

That’s when his innate creativity kicked in. He leveraged his chiseled body into a billboard, “selling” personalized semi-nude selfies for donations over $250. Tagging the name, business, website or social media handle of any major donor, he posted photos on all his social media outlets; the larger the donation, the more provocative the ad placement became.

He and his 19-person cycling team, #TheMackPack raised $132,700 and

Mackenroth himself raised $47,555, setting an individual fundraising record. While he didn’t meet his $50,000 personal goal by race day, Mackenroth shared that the ride was “life changing in so many ways. … You create amazing bonds with people when you conquer seemingly insurmountable challenges together.”

In a Housing Works update, however, Mackenroth raised $52,300. He’s already looking to 2015 to set a new fundraising record that will draw media attention to Housing Works and its important services.

Photo by Tyler Cheever Gnomes

J

ust when you think Jack Mackenroth, Compete Magazine’s 2012 Athlete of the Year couldn’t add one more accomplishment to his résumé, he does something else that continues to show why the judges selected him. A list of his remarkable talents and accomplishments include his athletic ability as a medal-winning swimmer, a fashion designer, fashion and fitness model, radio and television personality, business owner and HIV activist.

Any of these alone would be significant. But together they create the picture of a true champion. What enables him to be such a positive role model for so many, however, is his courage to be open about who he is—to share with the world the fact that he is a gay man who is HIVpositive (HIV+). And he’s committed his life to taking away the stigma of an HIV+ diagnosis.

As a novice cyclist he decided to take part in the recent BRAKING AIDS® Ride, a three-day 300-mile ride from Boston to New York to benefit Housing Works in New York City. He figured while it might be challenging, it would certainly be doable. Without advanced research he announced he’d raise $50,000 in only seven weeks for the AIDS advocacy organization that provides housing, medical, prevention and support services for those living in the New York City area.

And based on his past fundraising experiences, Mackenroth didn’t foresee a problem, saying “I figured with my massive social media reach (over 500,000 followers) I could just post a few occasional call-outs and

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Wearable tech is the new trend but no tech comes with the panache and simple usability of the Garmin Vivofit. Built for durability and endurance, the Vivofit can keep track of steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned, even your heart rate. The innovative “move bar” fills up when the user is sedentary and then decreases as physical movement is detected. The device also has an entire year of battery life for people too busy to charge yet another device. $129.99

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| COMPETE | 43

SPORTS

OVERTIME

EVENTS

GAY SPORTS EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY

COMPETE SPORTS DIVERSITY AWARDS Tempe, Arizona Nov. 15 BOWLING Los Angeles Silver Screen Invitational Tournament Los Angeles Nov. 21 Holiday Invitational Tournament Milwaukee Nov. 27 SOFTBALL Hurricane Showdown Fort Lauderdale Nov. 27 Palm Springs Turkey Shoot Out Palm Springs Nov. 28 VOLLEYBALL Vegas Baby!!

Las Vegas Nov. 1

PRIDE EVENTS Palm Springs Pride – Palm Springs Nov. 8–9 Olivia Lesbian Cruise – Tampa Nov. 23–30

44

| COMPETE | November 2014

OVERTIME

YEARBOOK THIS MONTH IN SPORTS HISTORY: NOVEMBER

1

2

3

4

5

22nd NYC Women’s Marathon won by Lisa Ondieki in 2:24:40 - 1992

NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg cancels NYC Marathon due to Hurricane Sandy damage - 2012

Phillies 3rd baseman Scott Rolen unanimously selected Rookie of Year - 1997

Orlando Magic’s 1st NBA game; lose to Nets, 111-106 - 1989

Bobby Fisher beats Boris Spassky to win Chess title in Belgrade - 1992

6

7

Art Modell officially announces NFL Cleveland Browns are moving to Baltimore - 1995

Magic Johnson says he has HIV virus & retires from LA Lakers - 1991

11

12

13

WNBA expands to Detroit & Washington D.C. - 1997

Dick the Bruiser beats Mad Dog Vachon in Omaha to become NWA champ - 1966

Willie Stargell & Keith Hernandez share NL MVP Award - 1979

17

18

19

Mario Lemieux enters NHL Hall of Fame - 1997

Sam’s Town Bowling Invitational won by Michelle Mullen - 1995

8 NY Yankee Catcher Yogi Berra wins 1st of his 3 MVP awards - 1951

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken wins his 2nd AL MVP - 1991

24

25

26

Karrie Webb wins ITT LPGA Tour Championship - 1996

Cleveland Browns penalized a record 209 yds against Chicago Bears - 1951

NBA team owners/players reach agreement ending 149-day lockout - 2011

Source: www.brainyhistory.com

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| COMPETE | November 2014

14 Don Shula becomes winningest coach in NFL history - 1993

20

15

21

Undertaker beats Hulk Hogan to become new WWF champ - 1991

10

16

Mickey Wright shoots 62, lowest golf score for a woman pro - 1964

Walter Payton (Bears) rushes for NFL-record 275 yards - 1977

27

9 Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard retires for 1st time - 1982

Major Indoor Soccer League holds 1st draft - 1978

22 NY Knicks pay Patrick Ewing record $18.8 million for 2-yr extension - 1991

23 Danny Murtaugh, mgr. of world champ Pirates announces retirement - 1971

28

29

30

Rickey Henderson signs record $3,000,000 per year Oak A’s contract - 1989

New Orleans Saints win, assuring their 1st winning NFL season - 1987

1st world championship of women’s soccer; U.S. defeats Norway 2-1 - 1991

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