Compete September 2015

THIRD ANNUAL UNDERWEAR ISSUE

SPORTS. DIVERSITY.

SAVANNAH BURTON TALKS DODGEBALL

NISSAN DRIVES

2015 GSWS

SEPTEMBER 2015 • VOL. 9 NO. 9 $3.95 • COMPETENETWORK.COM

SEPTEMBER 2015 Volume 9, Issue 9

COMPETE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief Connie Wardman • connie@competenetwork.com CompeteNetwork.com Editor Ty Nolan • ty@competenetwork.com Style Editor Alfonzo Chavez • alfonzo@competenetwork.com Art Director Jay Gelnett • jay@competenetwork.com Graphic Design Assistant Matt Boyd • mattb@competenetwork.com Contributors Harry Andrew, Ian Colgate, Joseph Gaxiola, Jeff Hocker, Amy Jones, Jeff Kagan, Miriam Latto, Charles Naurath, Dr. Rob Elliott Owens, Brian Patrick, R. Zachary Sanzone and James Williamson Photo Editor Jacquelyn Phillips • jacquelyn@competenetwork.com Photographers Thomas Fleisher, Leland Gebhardt Sales & Partnerships Tony Apodaca • tony@competenetwork.com Jonathan Bierner • jonathan@competenetwork.com Copyright © 2015 MEDIA OUT LOUD, LLC All Rights Reserved.

Corporate Office 4703 South Lakeshore Drive, Suite 3 Tempe, Arizona 85282 • 480-222-4223 Compete is a trademark of Media Out Loud, LLC MISSION STATEMENT Compete unites the world through sports.

COMPETENETWORK.COM FACEBOOK.COM/COMPETEMAG @COMPETESPORTS

COMPETE MAGAZINE

Photo by Male Basics Underwear

PUBLISHERS Eric Carlyle • eric@competenetwork.com Patrick Gamble • patrick@competenetwork.com

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COVERING YOUR “ASSETS” IN THE NEWEST UNDERWEAR

KICK–OFF

10 COMMUNITY HERO Anthony Collova

12 LEFT FIELD

Speed Read, Grandstanding, Thumbs UP/DOWN

ATHLETES

24 MVP REPLAY – JOHN DEFFEE 27 ATHLETE – SAVANNAH BURTON SPORTS

31 34 36

2015 WORLD DODGEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP 2015 GAY SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES GAY GAMES FOUNDER DR. TOM WADDELL SPEAKS

LIFESTYLE

38 FITNESS

Understanding Your Running Data

40 NUTRITION Paleo Revised

OVERTIME

42 GYM BAG 44 EVENTS 46 SPORTS YEARBOOK COMPETE ONLINE

Check out more Compete stories online at: competenetwork.com

COVER ATHLETE Anthony Collova, Bodybuilder COVER PHOTO Brock Elliott Photography

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 5

FROM THE SKYBOX

BY ERIC CARLYLE, CO-FOUNDER

In It to Win It

I

@CompeteEric

n 2008 Compete Magazine named Jeff Kagan its first Athlete of the Year. Since then Kagan has been joined by six other amateur athletes that have taken their place beside Jeff and accepted this important honor. In 2013 we changed the name of the award to the Mark Bingham Athlete of the Year Award (AOTY). Bingham was a founding member of the San Francisco Fog Rugby Football Club and a hero aboard flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.

Each year the award honors two athletes—Bingham for his bravery and dedication to LGBT sports and the winner for his or her dedication to sports and to the LGBT community. Each year we invite our winner to the Compete Sports Diversity Awards to accept this honor in person and be acknowledged for his or her efforts.

This year we will be hosting the Awards in Los Angeles on November 10 and we would love to honor ‌ well, you. The AOTY nomination process begins September 10th and runs through October 1st. Nominations will be reviewed by our selection committee and the winner will be announced during our Awards.

The selection criteria include a commitment to personal achievement, active participation in an individual or team sport, commitment to supporting/encouraging others in sports and a commitment to the LGBT sporting community or the overall LGBT community.

You can nominate yourself (or another deserving athlete) online at www.competenetwork.com/aoty. We would love to name you our 2015 Mark Bingham Athlete of the Year.

Sport On,

Eric Carlyle Chief Executive Officer eric@competenetwork.com

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| COMPETE | September 2015

FROM THE CATBIRD SEAT

BY CONNIE WARDMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

If It’s September, It’s Our Underwear Issue

W

@CompeteConnie

elcome to our third annual underwear issue, an issue that is always a reader favorite. Whether your personal style calls for the universal tighty whiteys, briefs or something a bit more exotic, this issue showcases lots of impressive choices (and the models aren’t bad, either).

Enjoy the view but don’t miss the stories on this year’s World Dodgeball Championship and a follow-up story on dodgeball player Savannah Burton, Canada’s first openly transgender woman playing in a team sport in an international competition.

Then there’s the Gay Softball World Series (GSWS) that once again brought thousands of NAGAAA players and fans back to a welcoming Columbus, Ohio. And in honor of the GSWS, we’ve chosen an MVP Classic – John Deffee, a member of NAGAAA’s Hall of Fame and a Compete Magazine Athlete of the Year.

And making its debut over the Labor Day Weekend is the WeHo Sports Festival. Being held in cooperation with UCLA, teams will be using the campus’ sports facilities. Featured are 10 different sports: Basketball, Dodgeball, Flag Football, Hockey, Rock Climbing, Swimming, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball and Water Polo. So sports fans, if you’re in the area, feel free to drop by and cheer on your favorite team and/or athlete.

If you follow a strict Paleo diet, there’s a great article on the latest research into our ancient ancestors’ eating habits suggesting that they also ate some carbs. And for you runners, there is great advice from two running experts on learning how to make sense of your running data.

All-in-all, a great read for those wonderful Indian summer days.

Keep Smiling,

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

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| COMPETE | September 2015

The Compete Charity Golf Classic is an upscale golf event hosted in Scottsdale. The event brings the LGBT community together for a morning of recreational golf, giving them the opportunity to give back to the charitable organization of their choice.

The event is hosted by LPGA golf professional Sue Wieger. #1 International Best Selling Author Starrre Golf Club 11500 N Hayden H Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Sunday, September 20, 2015 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Pre-registration: Individuals $100 Teams $400 Prizes will be given for: * Best Team * Top Team Fundraiser Top * Individual Fundraiser * Best Dressed * Most Pride Team * Best Individual Sportsmanship * Best iCompete Video competenetwork.com/golf 480-222-4223

Author of "Golf - The Last Six Inches.

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KICKOFF

COMMUNITY HERO

Anthony Collova Bodybuilder/Men’s Physique Division Owner, MyOatmeal.com, Community Activist

I

f you were looking for a community hero, it would be hard to beat Anthony Collova. Better known as ANT, you can see from our cover photo of him that he’s got a great body. But there’s definitely a story behind it.

An active kid, he was thin, agile and fast – hard to catch.

Over the years he participated in hockey, gymnastics, tae kwon do, boxing, soccer, baseball, motocross and GrecoRoman wrestling. And after he joined the Coast Guard, he added resistance training to the mix. But eventually growing tired of being involved in so many activities, Collova decided to settle on weight training, not so much for the sport but rather for his health and physique.

As so often happens in life, he says he lost sight of his priorities and ended up getting involved with street drugs, losing seven years of his life as he systematically destroyed his body. But he eventually entered a treatment program and has managed to stay clean and sober for the last 17 years. It was following a painful divorce 12 years ago that he decided to go back to the gym and started working out once again.

In 2010 Collova saw a friend compete in bodybuilding and he decided to give it a try. Even though he says bodybuilding is more of a beauty pageant than a sport, he feels more comfortable with it compared to the other team sports he had been involved in when he was younger. He competes in the Men’s Physique division that is different than bodybuilding. Rather than a bikini, they wear board shorts and have a different set of poses. They are also not required to be as massive or as lean as the bodybuilders.

Although one of the smaller competitors, he says he doesn’t compete to win a trophy. To him, it’s about bettering himself. Collova likes to challenge himself. He loves the gym and loves showing off his hard work and looking sexy.

It’s really about having fun and staying in shape.

Along with Kathy, who he calls “the love of my life,” he runs the company they founded based on a dream he had (literally!) – MyOatmeal.com. With a mission of making the world better and encouraging others to do the same … one bag of healthy oatmeal at a time, the company reflects their values of giving back to the community and encouraging others to do the same.

Offering healthy oatmeal blends as well as glutenfree, vegan protein powders and granola, you not only can choose your oats, you can also order your own spe-

cial blend of oatmeal with flavors like amaretto, carrot cake, German chocolate cake or pumpkin spice.

Next you can add your choice of fruits, nuts, seeds and more; more as in sweetener, spices and exotic powders like bee pollen or an antioxidant blend of 22 savory spices.

Photo by Brock Elliot Photography Your very own special brand is then shipped to you anywhere in the world based on your schedule.

It’s no surprise that with such health-conscious ingredients the company sells mostly to athletes. But their goal is to use the company as a platform to do good things in their community. They align themselves with non-profit organizations and community groups that help at-risk youth, children and adults with special needs, deployed military members and their families as well as anyone who simply needs a hot meal. According to Collova, “We LOVE knowing that what we do directly contributes to the health and happiness of someone who needs it. That is our real purpose for being in business. Helping others.”

Photo by Brock Elliot Photography

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.

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| COMPETE | September 2015

PB Banana Bread Oatmeal Protein Cookies

Looking for a healthy treat that satisfies your sweet tooth and your need for extra protein?

Try this amazing recipe of peanut butter banana bread oatmeal cookies from MyOatmeal.com Ingredients: - 1 bag PB Banana Bread Oatmeal from MyOatmeal.com - ½ cup flavored whey protein - 2 eggs - ¼ cup coconut oil (or butter) - ¼ cup coconut flour (or white flour) - 1 ¼ tsp baking poweder - ¼ cup water or milk - 1 tsp salt Optional Ingredients: - ½ cup raisins, cranberries or chocolate chips - Top with seeds, coconut, or icing Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 2. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients.

3. Lightly beat eggs in a separate bowl with milk and oil.

4. Mix the dry ingredients with the egg mixture.

5. Dollop batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

6. Bake 19-22 minutes until firm and the tops are golden.

7. Cool and enjoy!

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KICKOFF

LEFT FIELD

SPEED READ LET’S HEAR IT FOR BREAKING THE GENDER BARRIER IN PRO SPORTS YES, LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE WOMEN WHO ARE FINALLY being hired into full-time positions in men’s sports as well as the men and their organizations who recognize that gender doesn’t have anything to do with a great sports mind and leadership abilities.

Sports diversity is about equality, inclusion and acceptance.

It’s about recognizing that any person who has the physical, mental and emotional skills to play a sport should be treated the same, given the same opportunities to participate as anyone else regardless of gender.

Reading Twitter shows that many male sports fans continue to dismiss women in positions of authority within the big male team sports. But what is becoming increasing clear is that the pro athletes in those sports whose paychecks reflect how well or poorly they and their teammates have played, are really interested in working with someone who knows the game inside-out and can help them become better players. For them, it’s about winning games and championships.

We’ve written about Becky Hammon who has been making successful coaching inroads with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs as a full-time assistant coach. But within the last several months we now have Jen Welter, Sarah Thomas and Nancy Lieberman joining Hammon as women breaking the gender barrier. And their hirings aren’t simply for publicity purposes.

Jen Welter Hired in July as a preseason linebackers coach by the Arizona Cardinals, Jen Welter has become the first female NFL coach.

Bruce Arians, coach of the Cardinals was open to the idea. Already referred to as the “quarterback whisperer,” Ariens isn’t afraid to make bold choices that are non-traditional. Back in March he had talked about women coaching in the NFL without any prompting.

When asked if he’d consider hiring one, his response was “The minute they can prove they can make a player better, they’ll be hired.”

Welter has a master’s degree in sports management and a doctorate in psychology but she’s also known as a football junkie – she not only loves studying the game, she’s also had an active playing career and brings lots of practical experience to the table.

Having played rugby in college, Welter then transitioned into pro football and for 14 years she played in a professional women’s league, on Team USA and played running back and special teams for the Texas Revolution of the Indoor Football league, a professional men’s league.

Brought in for summer training camp, Welter has already bonded with the players, some of whom admit to having initial misgivings about having a woman on the coaching staff. As summer camp and the preseason games wind down, it’s not known at this point whether or not she’ll stay with the Cardinals. She says she isn’t sure what comes next but vows to keep herself open and live 100 percent in the moment, taking this experience for what it is.

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| COMPETE | September 2015

“I’ve had such a great experience with these guys. I love it,” said Welter. “I could do this for a long time. But, like anything, it’s always about the right opportunity. I love this team and this family, they have been so great to me. It’s like, wow, how could you not want to do this?” In an interview with USA TODAY Sports, Ariens has said that he’ll give Welter the highest recommendation to any coach interested in hiring her. He also said that he’d like to have her back on the Cardinals staff next season if she hasn’t already accepted a full-time coaching job before that.

Sarah Thomas At the Cardinals’ preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs another historic moment was captured by an AP photographer – Welter, the first woman NFL coach, shaking hands with Sarah Thomas, the first woman to act as an on-the-field official.

In was just this past April that the NFL hired Thomas as its first full-time female official.

Thomas has done some past sideline work for the Browns, Colts and Saints minicamp practices but she’s built her reputation as an official at the NCAA level. She joined seven other officials hired by the NFL this spring. NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino said in a statement, “Our incoming officials have all demonstrated that they are among the best in college football.

We are excited about having them join us.”

Originally starting with high school football in 1999, Thomas’ firsts included being the first female official refereeing a college bowl game in 2009 for the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl and then a 2011 job working the Rice-Northwestern game as the first woman to referee in a Big Ten stadium.

But she doesn’t think it’s been harder for her as a female. Back in 2013 Thomas told ABC News that “I think that we are just out here working as officials. ... I think just on our credentials, just as officials, I think that’s what moves us along, not because of our gender or our race.”

Nancy Lieberman In July the Sacramento Kings announced that they were adding Olympian and Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy “Lady Magic” Lieberman to their coaching staff, making her the second female full-time assistant coach in the NBA. Like Hammon, she worked with the Kings at Summer League held in Las Vegas.

Kings vice president Vlade Divac announced on July 30 that “Definitely I’m going to offer her a job. George (Karl) and I talked about bringing her back after she helped us at Summer League (in Las Vegas). She was terrific. She brings a different dimension. I think is a nice opportunity for her.”

Like Hammon, Welter and Thomas, Lieberman already has an impressive resume as a player. As an Olympian and WNBA player who was enshrined in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, she has also served as head coach and general manger of the Detroit Shock for three years before being hired to coach the Mavericks’ D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends and rising to the role of assistant general manager in 2011.

It looks like the time has finally come for sports fans and players to come to the same conclusion as professional players and listen to someone with knowledge and experience who can make them a better, more successful player regardless of their gender.

GRANDSTANDING

COMPETE READER SURVEY

LETTERS TO COMPETE MAGAZINE MAN IN MOTION (August 2015) Chris Mosier is an inspiration. When I received the August issue of Compete I was excited to see Chris on the cover. I became familiar with him after Caitlyn Jenner came out as transgender. I had seen some of Chris’ comments in the news and thought “wow, this is really a person that wants to make a difference in the world.” Your article just confirmed my original thought, that Chris Mosier is an inspiration.

Lee Watley (via email) Miami FALLING FOR FALLON (August 2015) Bravo to Compete Magazine for its feature story on MMA fighter Fallon Fox. Women in sports often go overlooked and that is even more so for transgender women. What I see in Fox is a bright, brave and committed athlete..

Favorite Extreme Sport?

Other 11% Bungee Jumping 24%

Rock Climbing 38%

Sky Diving 27%

Dani Smith (via Facebook) Miami 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

KICKOFF

SPORTS

LEBRON JAMES OF THE NBA’S CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

… for paying for 1,100 kids to go to the University of Akron. In a partnership between the LeBron James Family Foundation and the University of Akron, every kid who completes James’ “I Promise” program, fulfilling both attendance and grade requirements, will get a fouryear fully-paid scholarship to the University of Akron.

TENNIS BAD BOY NICK KYRGIOS ... for below-the-belt trash talk during the second set of the Montreal Masters directed toward opponent Stan Wawrinka, telling him that Wawrinka’s girlfriend was intimate with someone else.

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| COMPETE | September 2015

A. It was “Slammin’ Sammy” Snead, winner of 7 major golf championships; he had many memorable duels with Ben Hogan in the 1940s and 1950s.

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

?

QUIZ

Q. Which PGA Hall of Famer uttered this famous quote: “The three things I fear most in golf are lightning, Ben Hogan and a downhill putt?”

MICHAEL SAM

… for having the courage to walk away from football for “mental health” reasons. While we all have wished him success as pro football’s first openly gay player, ultimately he’s the one who must bear all the pressures. We wish him well in whatever he decides to do going forward

THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME … for reversing their decision to let Junior Seau’s daughter, Sydney speak at his enshrinement ceremony.

SO WHAT

ARE YOU

WEARING UNDER THERE?

W

hen was the last time you splurged on a comfortable and form-fitting pair of underwear? If you’re ready to spruce up your wardrobe and your life, this is a great time to do it. So throw away those old, torn Fruit of the Loom undies and make an upgrade. There are new cuts, special fabrics and designs guaranteed to make you feel confident and sexy.

Do you remember the old rhyme, “I see Paris, I see France. I see lots of underpants?” Well we have lots to show you thanks to four fabulous companies that specialize in high-end undergarments. We want to thank them for sharing their wonderful new lines with us. And if you like what you see, we encourage you to go to their websites.

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INTERESTS: Softball, watching sports, spending time with family & friends, going to movies, working out.

FAVORITE ATHLETE: Ben Cohen, not only for his ability and skillset he had in his sport, but for not being afraid to stand up for what he believes and inspiring others to do so.

SPORT: Softball - A Division

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Phoenix, Arizona

HOMETOWN: San Antonio, Texas

AGE: 42

JOHN DEFFEE

From August 2013 Compete

REPLAY

TEAM COMPETE MVP

If you’d like to be included in our MVP section, e-mail MVP@competenetwork.com

WHY HE LOVES SPORTS: Particularly speaking of my experience with any competitive sport I’ve been involved in… I Love the camaraderie, competitiveness, and challenge it brings to one’s self to continue to improve on one’s own skill set and mental focus of the game, but mostly the friendships and what I consider new family members I have made through my experiences since being involved.

BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE: I’m told my smile and eyes

DISLIKES: None – I like being a positive person.

LIKES: Confident, trusting, loyal friendships, that create unforgettable memories made that with the tiniest reminder/ recollection/reference (song, word, picture, place) puts an immediate smile on your face, that makes you feel proud of your associations with those people.

Photos by Don Thompson

ATHLETE

TRANSGENDER ATHLETE SAVANNAH BURTON REPRESENTS CANADA AT WORLD DODGEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

BY CONNIE WARDMAN WHEN THE WORLD DODGEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP was held last month in Las Vegas, the Canadian women’s team included Savannah Burton, her country’s first out transgender athlete in a team sport participating in a world championship. I had a chance to talk with her about her coming out experience and how she navigated the process of being approved to play on a national team of women, the gender with which she identifies.

An actress by profession, Burton now sees her larger role as a transgender advocate. She understands from her own experience that young transgender athletes are looking for a trans sports role model to emulate. They want to see another trans athlete competing, making it in the sports world with other athletes.

Burton has also identified another important personal goal—she wants to change the policy of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and any other organizations that have an additional requirement for a trans athlete to have gender reassignment surgery before they can be eligible to play.

It’s important to her that people understand that gender reassignment surgery has no bearing on athletic performance. It doesn’t benefit an athlete – what it does do is put a transgender athlete at a disadvantage. Many don’t want the surgery and for those who do, most of them can’t afford the cost. Burton feels that it’s really unethical to require gender reassignment surgery in order to participate in sporting events.

Chosen to share her story with The Transgender Project, an online collection of personal stories of transgender women and men from across Canada, the site is meant to educate, entertain and inspire its readers about the diversity that exists within the trans community. The comment on Burton’s story says, “We focus on her fight to compete for Canada as a woman in international sport without undergoing sex reassignment surgery as dictated by IOC rules for transgender participation.” And in the fall the documentary “Am I a Boy or Girl” featuring Burton will air.

A native of Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, she’s been living in Toronto for the past 15 years. Burton has always loved sports. She’s a competitive dodgeball player, white-water kayaker and baseball player. But her

PHOTOS BY JESSY HAAVEN

early self-doubts, her fear that people would discover she was transgender had only caused her to become increasingly isolated.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 27

ATHLETE

Burton feels this fear of being “outed” caused her to fall short of the truly elite athlete she could have been in her younger years. Her move to Toronto left Burton more at ease with herself. It also prompted her to train harder, working to hone her athletic ability. And by 2012 she played on the men’s team representing Canada at the 2012 World Dodgeball World Championship in Malaysia where Canada won the silver medal.

But she still hadn’t made the transition from male to the female she always knew she was meant to be. At that point Burton decided to step away from sports to work on her personal transition. She spent the next two years on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) taking testosterone blockers and in September 2013 she began to live full-time as a woman.

As she became happier with herself, her love of sports prompted her desire to compete again and she began the process of trying out for the women’s dodgeball team this time. Burton’s request marked the first time the Canadian Dodgeball Association had to deal with the question of trans athletes as participants.

Association spokesperson Bethel Lascano said they took the question to dodgeball’s international governing body. They decided that to participate, Burton needed to have a legal sex change and receive HRT for a “sufficient length of time.” Since Burton had already met their criteria, they approved her request to play.

Burton confesses to being really nervous about making her dodgeball comeback, saying “… it was great; people were so cool and so nice to me.” And this time when she tried out, Burton was one of eight women chosen to make the Canadian women’s team that played in the 2015 World Dodgeball World Championship in Las Vegas.

When I asked her about her experience playing in a world tournament as a woman, Burton said that “The dodgeball community was amazing and many players came up to me and said very positive things to me. I feel very fortunate to be able to be a part of such a wonderful team with so many amazing people and talented athletes.”

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| COMPETE | September 2015

Photo courtesy of Savannah Burton

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SPORTS

VEGAS HOSTS THE 2015 WORLD DODGEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

BY MIRIAM LATTO

PHOTOS BY JESSY HAAVEN

THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE WORLD OF DODGEBALL came together in Las Vegas August 15-16 for the 2015 World Dodgeball Championship.

Hosted by the World Dodgeball Federation, 14 men’s and women’s division teams from the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, France and Mexico joined the local Las Vegas team to battle for the world championship.

A series of exhibition games were held the day before at the Fashion Show Mall to give teams a chance to practice. It also provided exciting entertainment for the crowd gathered behind nets that ensured onlookers didn’t become part of the fun.

In a slightly more intense version of the game you played in elementary school, these players seem to float through the air like the balls they’re throwing at their opponents. And here are some pictures to prove it.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 31

SPORTS

FINAL STANDINGS MEN’S DIVISION USA – Gold Malaysia – Silver Canada – Bronze

FINAL STANDINGS WOMEN’S DIVISION USA – Gold Australia – Silver Malaysia - Bronze

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| COMPETE | September 2015

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SPORTS

GSWS REPORT

NISSAN SUPPORTS EQUALITY ON EVERY ROAD YOU TRAVEL Proud Partner Of The 2015 Gay Softball World Series #Sameteam For Equality THIS SUMMER, NISSAN HIT A HOME RUN with its partnership with the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) and its 39th Annual Gay Softball World Series event in Columbus, Ohio.

The event made GSWS history with more than 185 softball teams competing from 43 cities across the United States and Canada. The multidivision tournament was more than just a ball game. The 9-day event also featured opening and closing ceremonies, community events, celebrity performances and more.

“Nissan has the most diverse consumer base of any automotive manufacturer and is eager to champion grassroots LGBT events that give consumers a chance to interact with both our vehicles and our LGBT and ally employees,” said Rick Ash, Senior Manager, Nissan Marketing. “It’s an honor for Nissan to bring more visibility to all of the LGBT athletes who competed.”

Since 2013, Nissan has scored a perfect 100 in the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Corporate Equality Index for its LGBT-inclusive policies and commitment to the community. The company was among the fastest risers in the history of the index.

Nissan’s commitment to the LGBT community starts with its own employees. The company strives to ensure internal policies and benefit packages are inclusive of everyone. And Nissan’s Gay Straight Alliance at Nissan (GSAN) is the driving force behind the company’s LGBT outreach efforts, focusing on its hometown of Nashville as well as on other regional LGBT events.

DiversityInc Magazine also named Nissan to its 2015 Top 25 Noteworthy Companies list for the second year in a row. The company is an active member of the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce and a sponsor of the annual National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association convention. Nissan’s Diversity Office—with the help of GSAN—has

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| COMPETE | September 2015

sponsored several workshops for area business leaders where they can share diversity best practices for creating an inclusive environment for employees and supporting the LGBT community in Middle Tennessee.

COME OUT AND PLAY. Nissan proudly sponsors the 2015 Gay Softball World Series.

NissanUSA.com Always wear your seat belt, and please don’t drink and drive. ©2015 Nissan North America, Inc.

SPORTS

GAY GAMES/GLISA

WHAT WOULD TOM WADDELL SAY?

Archival Documents Allow Gay Games Founder To Add His Voice To The Current One World Event Discussions

BY SHAMEY CRAMER

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In his pitch for supporting the work of the IGOA and an equitable site selection procedure, Dr. Waddell called for equal representation by continent during the voting process.

In 1983, all these issues were internal discussions, long before the massive growth of the LGBTIQ sports world spurred by the inaugural Gay Games—a world that now includes international governing bodies, annual multisport events with 5,000–6,000 participants, and multiple sport teams and activities in most urban centres. How do we bring a sense of order to all of this uncontrolled growth so that participation remains the primary focus?

In the transcripts, Dr. Waddell states: “I would hope that the Gay Games would continue to be not an event of becoming the best but to provide equal opportunity for everyone to do their best, for the sheer joy and hell of it. That’s what makes these Games different from any other.”

Regardless of what the future holds, the words of our founder still guide the FGG in our mission, one that provides an equal opportunity for everyone to address the issues of homophobia, sexism, racism and other forms of discrimination—a mission of Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best.™ Shamey Cramer was founder/co-chair of Team Los Angeles (1982-1985, 2002) and president of the Los Angeles 2006 Gay Games VII bid finalist (2000-2004). He captured a bronze medal at Gay Games VIII – Cologne 2010 as a member of West Hollywood Aquatics water polo and serves as officer of ceremonies for the Federation of Gay Games (2011-present).

GGIV (NYC, 1994) Photo: Federation of Gay Games

A RECENT MEMO of Understanding signed by the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) and Gay & Lesbian International Sport Association (GLISA) considers the possibility for a partnership between the two governing bodies to produce a single, quadrennial LGBTIQ sport and culture festival with human GGI Opening Photo: Lisa Kanemoto rights components in 2022. The next step in the process known as One World Event (1WE) will be to clarify the event name and its site selection process, among other things.

As founder of Team Los Angeles, I worked with the late Gay Games founder Dr. Thomas F. Waddell and ten others from May 1982 to June 1985 to create the International Gay Olympic Association (IGOA), the first international governing body created to perpetuate the Gay Games.

Being the archivist that I am, I retrieved my copy of transcripts from a meeting hosted by Dr. Waddell in San Francisco on April 9, 1983. Interestingly, the issues we are dealing with today were the same issues we dealt with then.

The lawsuit by the United States Olympic Committee to prevent us from using the word “Olympic” was underway.

A healthy discussion ensued, including Dr. Waddell; Peter Todd, representing the Free Australian Athletic Association; Jean-Nickolaus Tretter, representing the Minnesota Lesbian/Gay Committee of the International Gay Olympic Association, whose membership was 65 percent female; and others about whether or not it should remain being called simply the Gay Games.

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7TH ST AND MONROE IN PHOENIX

FITNESS

MAKING SENSE OF YOUR RUNNING DATA

BY HARRY ANDREW WE ARE LIVING IN A WORLD OF UNLIMITED information and nowhere is this more true than in the sports world. We’re inundated almost daily with new wearable devices with advanced metrics that provide athletes, coaches and trainers real-time performance data. Whether you’re running, throwing a football, shooting a basket, swinging a golf club or any other sport, you only have to have a pulse for one of them to provide measurable data.

So what do you do with all this new data? Information is only worthwhile if you know how to interpret it.

Since many of the more affordable devices on the market today are for runners, Live Science writer Elizabeth Palermo recently spoke with two expert running coaches who offered five tips to make sense of your running data.

1. Pay Attention to Your Total Time and Distance According to John Honerkamp, running coach and senior manager of runner products and services at New York Road Runner, the most basic data from any GPS running watch – your total time spent running and the total

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distance you covered – are the most important metrics you should be tracking. Calling basic GPS information the key, he says that any information beyond that, like cadence and heart rate, can be helpful but it’s not necessary.

Honerkamp recommends that runners always follow the “coaching standard,” that of gradually building your endurance by increasing the number of miles you finish on your longest run every week. But he also cautions not to exceed more than 10 percent per week.

2. Check Your Pace (But Not Too Often) Measured in minutes per mile, your pace is another helpful piece of information because it enables you to estimate your effort over the course of a run. “You don’t need to look at your pace every five seconds,” said Honerkamp, “since things like going up a hill will change your pace, and you don’t want to change your pace all the time just because of your watch.” He recommends checking your pace every mile or so just to ensure you’re on the right track.

3. Don’t Ignore Elevation Gain Jack Daniels, the two-time Olympic medalist and running coach with the Run SMART Project, says that this information can be handy in certain situations, like determining whether you’re running uphill or downhill in relatively flat areas where it can be hard to tell. Since you’re likely to run at a slower pace as the elevation increases, he says that if you’re training for a race like the Boston Marathon that has a hilly course, you’d be smart to train your body in advance for those elevation changes.

4. Cadence (Sometimes) Counts Your steps-per-minute or your cadence, says Honerkamp, isn’t a metric most runners need to analyze after every workout. But like elevation gain, there are certain situations where that information is helpful. For example, if a runner is working with a podiatrist or doctor but is still getting injured constantly, then pace is something to look at because it’s directly related to running economy or running efficiency – the amount of work you need to do to maintain a certain speed.

The most efficient cadence, according to Daniels, is about 180 steps-per-minute. This is based on his testing runners at a variety of stride rates and always find-

ing that this rate uses the least amount of energy. If you’re working on improving your running form then check your cadence every few weeks to determine if your efficiency has improved.

5. Efficiency is Great, But Don’t Get Hung Up On It Cadence is just one measure of running efficiency.

Some of the most advanced running watches also track vertical oscillation (your up/down movement or “bounce”) and ground contact time (the amount of time your foot stays on the ground with every step). But Honerkamp doesn’t believe these metrics are something the average runner needs to worry about.

Daniels agrees with Honerkamp, saying that “a runner who tends to bounce up and down a lot will certainly be less efficient than a runner who focuses on moving horizontally instead of vertically.” Instead, he tells his runners to “Try to imagine you are running over a field of raw eggs and you don’t want to break any of them.”

To see Live Science’s list of best GPS watches of 2015 go to: www.livescience.com/45043-best-gps-running-watches.html.

And to see their list of best fitness tracker bands go to: www.livescience.com/41556-best-fitness-trackers.html.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

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NUTRITION

GIVE YOUR PALEO COOKBOOK A REST

BY MIRIAM LATTO ARE YOU AN ATHLETE OBSESSED WITH EATING a strict Paleo diet? If so, relax a bit and quit trying to outcaveman our ancient forebearers in the diet department. It now appears that our ancient ancestors ate carbs and we, as part of the human race, are better for it. Fitness, in this case is nutritional fitness.

Evolutionary scientists have long recognized that protein was essential to the rapid growth of the human brain.

But according to Alena Hall, associate Healthy Living editor for The Huffington Post, Spanish researchers have found that our ancient ancestors may very well have eaten starchy carbohydrates like potatoes and yams and even cooked them.

Dr. Karen Hardy and her team from the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona say that the human brain uses 25 percent of the body’s energy and 60 percent of the glucose available in the blood to function and grow. And the largest portion of glucose comes from starch. It starts to break down as we begin to chew due to the body’s amylase enzymes. But to do the job effectively, the starch needs to be cooked to some degree.

This isn’t meant to downplay the roll of a primarily meat-based diet in developing the brain and other associated human traits. In their report the researchers wrote that “We argue that digestible carbohydrates were also necessary to accommodate the increased metabolic demands of a growing brain.” Or as Hall puts it, “Big brains need carbs. It’s scientific fact.”

Being a great athlete isn’t simply about peak physical fitness. The very best athletes are the smart athletes – the ones whose brains are quick on the uptake, the ones who can read what’s coming at them and make corrective changes on the fly. And all this depends on a well balanced diet that includes a few healthy carbs along the way.

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Here is Hall’s list to follow if you need one and she also mentions Dr. Daniel Amen’s book, “Use Your Brain To Change Your Age” as a good source.

FISH—Two servings a week provide omega 3 fatty acids that are important for brain function, lowering risks of dementia and stroke while helping improve memory.

NUTS & DARK CHOCOLATE—Dark chocolate sharpens focus due to its caffeine and an ounce of nuts or seeds daily offers vitamin E, helping to slow cognitive decline.

BLUEBERRIES—They help reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

HERBS & SPICES—Cinnamon balances blood sugar; garlic, oregano and rosemary increase blood flow to the brain; curry is an anti-inflammatory; and saffron can act as an anti-depressant.

GOOD FATS—Per Dr. Amen, foods rich in omega 3s, such as almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, fish, lamb, avacados and green leafy vegetables, promote brain health and help the body better absorb vitamins.

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES—Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts not only have brain health benefits, a Harvard Medical School study found that women who ate more of these lowered their brain age by one-to-two years according to Prevention.

WHOLE GRAINS—Blood glucose levels can be stabilized by a diet rich in whole grains, leaving you more energized and focused.

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OVERTIME

EVENTS

FOR MORE EVENTS VISIT COMPETENETWORK.COM/EVENTS

INAUGURAL WEHO SPORTS FESTIVAL HELD OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND IS THE KICKOFF FOR the first WeHo Sports Festival being held at UCLA. With a number of sports leagues located in and around the West Hollywood area promoting sports diversity, this festival enables them to come together and compete on the campus of UCLA using its sports facilities. It also is meant to encourage the community to both partner and participate with these local teams and leagues.

AQUATICS

RODEO

Labor Day in LA Water Polo Tournament Los Angeles, Sept. 5-6 DSST 30th Anniversary Swim Meet San Diego, Sept. 12

Best Buck in the Bay San Francisco, Sept. 11-13

SKY DIVING

BASKETBALL

Rainbow Boogie Gay Skydiving Perris, California; Sept. 10-13

West Coast Regional Los Angeles, Sept. 5-6

TENNIS

BOWLING St. Louis Show Me Classic St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 4-7 Las Vegas Showgirl Invitational Tournament Las Vegas, Sept. 4 ORBIT Raleigh Bowling International Raleigh, NC, Sept. 5 The Albuquerque Roadrunner Tournament Albuquerque, Sept. 18 San Jose Invitational Tournament San Jose, Sept. 25 Huntsville Invitational Classic Huntsville, Ala., Sept. 25

SOFTBALL Sacramento Camellia Softball Classic Sacramento, Sept. 4 Pacific Cup International Softball Tournament Vancouver, BC, Sept. 5 Gotham Softball Classic New York, Sept. 5 Dairyland Classic Milwaukee, Sept. 5 St. Louis Arch Invitational St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 19

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The WeHo Sports Festival is the brainchild of the Los Angeles Volleyball Organization (LAVO), and this year the following sports are included: • Basketball • Swimming • Dodgeball • Soccer • Flag Football • Tennis • Volleyball • Hockey • Rock Climbing • Water Polo

| COMPETE | September 2015

Centre Court 2015 Los Angeles, Sept 5-7 Rose City Open XXV Portland, Sept. 5-7 2015 Provincetown Clay Court Classic Provincetown, Sept. 10-13 Capital Classic XXIII Washington, D.C., Sept. 12-14 Indy Tennis Classic 2015 Indianapolis, Sept. 25-27 2015 Peach International Tennis Decatur, Sept. 4-7

VOLLEYBALL Labor of Love Classic Columbus, Sept 5 West Hollywood Sport Festival Los Angeles, Sept 5 Summer Send Off Wisconsin Dells, Sept. 12 Emerald City Cat Fight Seattle, Sept. 12 Beantown Classic Boston, Sept. 12 Battle of the Alamo San Antonio, Sept. 12

OVERTIME

SPORTS YEARBOOK THIS MONTH IN SPORTS HISTORY: SEPTEMBER

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Baltimore Ravens 1st NFL game, beat Oakland Raiders, 17-14 - 1996

Swimmer Diana Nyad becomes 1st person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage - 2013

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Michael Spinks TKOs Steffen Tangstad in 4 for heavyweight boxing title - 1986

Serena Williams beats Caroline Wozniacki to win 18 US Open Grand Slam singles - 2014

Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Spokane Women’s Golf Open - 1963

The Rugby World Cup begins in New Zealand - 2011

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Cleveland Indians stage 1st “I hate the Yankee Hanky Night” - 1977

12 White Sox win 90th game; 1st time to win this many since 1920 - 1954

19 U.S. Olympic diver Greg Louganis hits his head on diving board - 1988

Carolina Hurricane’s 1st exhibition game beat NY Islanders 4-1 - 1997

3 Andre Agassi retires from tennis after winning 60 career titles - 2006

19-yr-old golfer Hyo-Joo Kim is 3rd youngest female golfer to win major tournament - 2014

20 Billy Jean King beats Bobby Riggs in battleof-sexes tennis match - 1973

21 USA Basketball announces “Dream Team” for 1992 Olympics - 1991

Texas Rangers retire their 1st number, Nolan Ryan’s #34 - 1996

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Amos Alonzo Stagg retires as football coach at 98 - 1960

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Harry Gant wins NSACAR Goody’s 500 - 1991

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NY District Judge rules women sportswriters can’t be banned from locker rooms - 1978

Tiger Woods named PGA Tour Player of the Year for 11th time - 2013

8 White Sox indicted for throwing 1919 World Series (Black Sox scandal) - 1920

Florence Griffith Joyner of USA sets 200 m woman’s record (21.34) - 1988

1st U.S. amateur swim meet (New York Athletic Club) - 1877

Source: www.brainyhistory.com

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4 Scott Michael Pellaton sets barefoot waterski speed rec (119.36 mph) - 1983

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Emerson Fittipaldi youngest to win an auto race World Championship - 1972

17 24th Olympic Games open at Seoul, Korea - 1998

18 LA Mighty Ducks play 1st NHL pre-season game against Penguins - 1993

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Deion Sanders leaves MLB Braves July 31 to report to NFL Falcons, returns - 1991

WNBA announces adding Detroit and Washington D.C. franchises - 1997

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