The Golf Club of New England to host the 2012 U.S. Junior Amateur
In July 2012, The Golf Club of New England will host the first ever United States Golf Association championship in the State of New Hampshire’s history. The club has been chosen by the USGA as the site of the 2012 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. The dates for the championship are July 16-21, 2012.
“Earning the opportunity to host the U.S. Junior Amateur is a major triumph for the state and the club,” said Craig Benson, former Governor of the State of New Hampshire and current Honorary Chairman of The Golf Club of New England. “The first USGA championship was held in 1895. With the work we’ve done here at The Golf Club of New England, we finally have a venue worthy of joining the 47 other states that have shared the honor of hosting such an event. We look forward to hosting golf’s rising stars and hope to continue to be a part of the USGA’s rich heritage.”
Benson also announced an unprecedented effort to follow these rising stars as they embark on their golf careers. The Golf Club of New England will incorporate into its website “The Drive to New Hampshire,” a social media forum in which aspiring golfers who plan to compete in the 2012 Junior Amateur championship can post their profiles. “This is a great way for young golfers to share their progress and growth in the sport,” said Benson. For more information on “The Drive to New Hampshire,” visit www.golfclubne.com/nh.
The course opened in 2003 and was designed by the Arnold Palmer Course Design Company.
“We’re one of only two Arnold Palmer designed courses in New England,” said club chairperson Joseph Kane. “It’s a beautiful setting and will be a fitting challenge for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, an event that has helped launched the careers of golf greats such as Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.”
First held in 1948, the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship has showcased many of the sport’s greats at the start of their careers. Other notable participants in U.S. Junior Amateur Championships include Ben Crenshaw, David Duval, Jim Furyk, Lee Janzen, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard, Davis Love, Bill Mayfair, Johnny Miller, Corey Pavin, Jeff Sluman, Curtis Strange and Ken Venturi. The 2009 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion was Jordan Spieth; he was 15 years old when he won the event, held at Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
In the tradition of the USGA Junior Amateur, the championship is open to the public at no charge. Spectators are encouraged to attend.
The Golf Club of New England
Located in Stratham, New Hampshire, The Golf Club of New England is a short distance from the Massachusetts and Maine state borders, less than an hour drive from Boston and Portland. Over 7,500 yards long, this championship course is an imaginative blend of lush fairways, greens, and natural waterways designed by Arnold Palmer Course Design Company. The course opened in 2003. It is scheduled to host the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship in 2012. It has been the site of qualifiers for the 2004 U.S. Amateur, 2004 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur, 2005 U.S. Mid-Amateur and the 2005, 2006 and 2009 USGA Senior Amateur. For more information, visit www.golfclubne.com.
Washington Wizard’s player Gilbert Arenas sentenced in illegal gun possession case
Gilbert Arenas, a 28-year-old member of the NBA’s Washington Wizards, was sentenced today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to an 18-month suspended prison term and placed on two years of probation for a felony charge of Carrying a Pistol Without a License, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Cathy L. Lanier.
Arenas received the sentence this afternoon before Judge Robert Morin, who also ordered that Arenas spend 30 days in a halfway house as a condition of his probation, complete 400 hours of community service, and pay a fine of $5,000. The sentence stems from Arenas’ decision to bring four handguns into the Verizon Center in December of 2009 as part of an ongoing dispute with fellow teammate Javaris Crittenton.
According to the information provided to the Court by the United States, the dispute between Arenas and Crittenton stemmed from an argument the teammates had on a plane two days earlier in December 2009. During the argument, Arenas and Crittenton threatened to shoot one another. Although Arenas maintains that the statements he made during this exchange were made in jest, Crittenton and other witnesses took the threats seriously. On December 21, Arenas arrived at the Verizon Center, carried four handguns into the locker room, placed the handguns on Crittenton’s chair, and left a note stating “Pick 1.” When Crittenton saw the handguns and the note, he responded to this perceived threat by pulling out his own handgun, surprising Arenas, and creating a tense situation in the locker room that caused other members of the Wizards organization to flee the locker room. Eventually, both Arenas and Crittenton put their weapons away.
In the hours and days following this confrontation, Arenas provided conflicting accounts regarding when, how and why he brought the handguns into the Wizards’ locker room. Further, he attempted to conceal the fact that he and Crittenton had a confrontation, and went so far as to suggest to Crittenton that Crittenton should deny possessing a handgun in the locker room during the confrontation.
Arenas, who has a prior misdemeanor conviction for violating handgun possession laws in the State of California, pled guilty in this case to a felony charge of Carrying a Pistol Without a License on January 15, 2010.
“The citizens of the District of Columbia and this United States Attorney’s Office have made it clear that illegal possession of handguns in our city is not acceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Put simply, carrying weapons unlawfully in the District of Columbia will not be tolerated and will have consequences. Mr. Arenas is now a convicted felon, which should serve as a reminder that those who illegally possess firearms in the city, no matter who they are, will be held accountable.”
In announcing today’s sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and MPD Chief Lanier praised the work of MPD Detectives Robbie Saunders, Timothy Smith, and Joseph Oh, Officer Jeff Janczyk, and Sergeant James Black of MPD’s Intelligence Branch. He also acknowledged the efforts of members of his own staff including Investigators Christopher Brophy and Larry Grasso, Paralegal Kalisha Johnson-Clark, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, who is handling the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Chiney Ogwumike
Pac-10 Player of the Year and 2007-08 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year Nneka Ogwumike Surprises Sister With Elite Honor
In its 25th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, announced Chiney Ogwumike of Cy-Fair High School (Cypress, Texas) as its 2009-10 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Ogwumike was surprised with the news during an assembly at Cy-Fair High School by her sister Nneka Ogwumike, who earned Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors in 2007-08.
Since the Gatorade Player of the Year program began 25 years ago, no siblings have ever won national honors. Chiney joins her sister Nneka, 2007-08 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year, as the only sibling duo to ever win the national title in the history of the program for any sport.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Ogwumike as the nation’s best high school girls basketball player. A national advisory panel comprised of sportswriters and sport-specific experts from around the country helped select Ogwumike from more than 444,000 high school girls basketball players nationwide. Ogwumike is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special afternoon ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.
The 6-foot-3 senior forward led the Bobcats (36-1) to a Top 15 national ranking and the Class 5A state tournament title this past season, averaging 22.9 points, 13.9 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.1 blocks per game. The No. 1 national recruit in the Class of 2010 as ranked by ESPNU and Blue Star Basketball, Ogwumike amassed 31 points and 18 rebounds in the 65-41 Class 5A state championship game victory over Fort Bend Hightower. Selected to play in both the McDonald’s High School All-American Game and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-America Game this spring, she is also the 2010 Naismith National High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year. A three-time returning All-State selection, Ogwumike averaged 21.4 points and 12.6 rebounds as a junior. A member of the 2008 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team Trials Roster, Ogwumike started for the Bobcats’ 2007-08 Class 5A state championship as a sophomore.
A standout volleyball player, Ogwumike has maintained an A average in the classroom, ranks No. 3 in her class and serves as student body president. A member of the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Superintendent Student Leadership Committee, she co-founded the “Step Up 2 A Reason” fundraising event to benefit local underprivileged families. Also the vice president of her school’s civil rights club, she has volunteered more than 200 community-service hours on behalf of her church.
“She’s got a difficult name to say but she’s got an easy game to love,” said Director of Blue Star Basketball Mike Flynn. “She is so athletic, so smooth. Her game is unassuming. She’s an aggressive, dominant rebounder at a time when those are few and far between from high school to college. She’s the platinum standard for the word student-athlete.”
Ogwumike has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at Stanford University this fall.
“Without question, Chiney is deserving of recognition as the nation’s best high school girls basketball player based on her statistics on the court and the impact her accomplishments have had on Cy-Fair’s success,” said Gatorade Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing Jennifer Storms. “But she is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young players of what a leader and a student-athlete should be. She represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade Player of the Year recipient.”
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
To celebrate the award’s 25th anniversary, Gatorade wants you to vote for the All-Time Greatest Girls Basketball Player of the Year at www.gatorade.com/POY25. To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more information on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of former winners, and future announcement dates, visit http://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com/.
2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon registration closes as race reaches 45,000 participant capacity in record time
Limited Number of Entries Available Through Charities and Tour Groups
Open registration for the 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon officially closed today as 45,000 participants have signed up in record time to complete the 26.2-mile race. The capacity was met in 51 days, closing a full month ahead of 2009′s record pace. A limited number of entries remain available through affiliated charities and tour groups for the October 10 race.
“The enthusiasm displayed for this race from runners around the world is one of the primary reasons we are so pleased to continue leading this 33-year tradition,” said Bank of America Chicago and Illinois Market President Tim Maloney. “It is an honor to provide such a unique opportunity for the determined, passionate and driven individuals who register as well as setting a global stage upon which the color and vibrancy of this great city can be displayed.”
More than 85 of the race’s affiliated charities have entries remaining for participants still looking for a way into this year’s field. By registering through a charity, runners simultaneously become members of a fundraising effort that annually generates $10 million for more than 120 charitable causes. Interested individuals can visit chicagomarathon.com for details regarding late registration options through affiliated charitable organizations.
“This record rate of registration illustrates the growing popularity of the sport and our race in particular based on our 33-year tradition, but we are also hearing excitement for the historic date of 10/10/10 which adds a unique thrill this year,” said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski. “The demand that remains to get into this race will be a tremendous benefit to our charity partners and has the capacity to break our record of $10 million dollars in total funds raised.”
Chicago Marathon hopefuls living outside the U.S. also have the option to secure an entry via a number of tour operators offering travel packages that include registration to the 2010 race. All information regarding these offerings is available at chicagomarathon.com.
A member of the World Marathon Majors, the 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will start and finish in Chicago’s Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 10, welcoming runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. As a result, it generates more than $140 million in economic impact to the city, according to an academic study, and more than $10 million for charities. In advance of the race, a two-day Health & Fitness Expo will be held at McCormick Place on Friday, October 8 and Saturday, October 9. More information on the race, remaining registration options and how to get involved is available at chicagomarathon.com.
Source: Bank of America
Breaking Ground: BMX Dirt takes over abandoned construction site for Red Bull Stomping Ground
This summer, one man’s pile of dirt will become another man’s treasure.
Red Bull Stomping Ground will transform an abandoned construction zone into the ultimate dirt playground in Chicago on May 15, 2010.
Thousands will be able to witness a BMX dirt competition that will bring the tricks of the trails to an urban mecca, as riders from all over the world will meet in the Windy city to prove who has the best skills.
The abandoned construction site at the corner of Wells and Harrison in the heart of the city will be morphed into a one-of-a-kind BMX field of dreams. With a course designed by BMX legend Fuzzy Hall, dirt jumps will be mixed with found items in the construction site to challenge riders in a truly urban setting. Unlike many contests where the course must be built in several days, Red Bull Stomping Ground will be shaped over 3 weeks, giving ample time for the mind of Hall to run wild. He promises “turns, twists, hips, tons of options and just fun.”
Red Bull Stomping Ground’s style, setting, course and format will establish the top level BMX riders to put their skills on display. Twenty top BMX dirt athletes will be invited to compete and to kick start the dirt contest season, ride with friends, explore the city and show off what tricks they learned in the off-season. The qualifying round for invited professional athletes will take place on May 14th prior to the main event, as twenty five additional riders vie for one of the five open spots in Saturday’s exclusive contest.
This dirt competition will push past boundaries on what is currently possible on a BMX course. Confirmed riders include: Corey Bohan, Anthony Napolitan, Ryan Nyquist, TJ Ellis, Mike “Hucker” Clark, Ryan Guettler and Cam White.
COME ONE COME ALL
Tickets for Red Bull Stomping Ground can be purchased at www.RedBullStompingGround.com at the pre-sale price of $10.00 until April 15. The competition will take place from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the corner of Wells and Harrison. Parking is limited – it is recommended to walk, bike, or take the CTA. For CTA information, visit www.transitchicago.com or call 1-888-YOUR-CTA.