Youth Radio - Topic: Sports

Eating Healthy In the Workplace

msanders — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:13:38 -0500

The following originally aired on KCBS.

By: Tierra Walls

Does your job affect what you eat? Because mine has.

In high school, I played three sports for five months straight every year. I made sure that I packed a sandwich, fruit, and water for after school.

As senior year arrived, I started to change. I wasn’t into sports as I was before. I needed to save money for college – so I got a job at Kentucky Fried Chicken, joining the 21 percent of all food beverage workers were between the ages of 16 and 19.

At KFC we got one free meal, every 5 hours that we worked. -- I worked 45 hours a week. My plan was to make money, not consume more calories. Yet I still ended up eating two crispy wings dipped in BBQ sauce and potato wedges every shift.

I recently got a job at a healthy foods organization instead. Now, I prepare healthy meals for others, which gives me an opportunity to make healthier choices for myself. I’ve been cooking more and trying to watch what I eat.

Now that my work environment has changed, I always prefer eating a home cooked meal instead of to eating fast food.

Where Can We Play Ball?

rgee — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:04:21 -0500

This story was originally published on L.A. Youth.

By Karina Arias

I’ve always been a tomboy. As a kid, I liked getting scrapes and bruises playing kickball and tetherball with the boys a lot more than playing with makeup with the girls. I was one of the best tetherball players and I scored the most during kickball. But in sixth grade all I saw were boys’ sports teams at school.

Whenever I passed by the girls’ gym after school I saw the boys inside shooting hoops and it was the boys’ soccer team kicking and passing on the field. I was jealous. So instead of playing sports after school, I went home and watched TV. I also started hanging around with girls who didn’t take school seriously. I stopped caring as much about my homework and I got my first Ds on my report cards. My mother would ask me, “Why are your grades so low?” I would tell her that my teachers had made mistakes with the grading.

Since she spoke very little English, she wasn’t able to confirm this with my teachers. By the end of sixth grade, I wasn’t motivated about school at all. It was so unfair that boys had all these opportunities. I felt like everything—sports, politics, some households—was dominated by men and I wanted to prove that girls are just as good as guys, even better sometimes. But to do that girls need opportunities to play sports in school, otherwise some of them will give in to the stereotype that men are better.

One day in November of seventh grade, I saw three sweaty girls walking after school. I asked them why they were so tired. “Drill team,” one of the girls replied. I asked if I could try out and they said yes. I was excited that I had found something to keep me active. I was doing fine when practice started, but then I turned to my left and saw three girls on the ground doing splits. I didn’t think I could do splits. When practice ended the coach told us about the uniforms. They were small, sparkly, royal-blue dresses. The length was about 5 inches above the knee and when a girl twirled, the skirt would rise up higher and show the bottom part of the uniform that was stitched to the skirt, which looked like underwear.

I thought about all the people who would see us perform: men, women and other kids our age or older. I have been raised to respect myself, and the idea of showing that much skin made me uncomfortable. I didn’t want to join the drill team. This wasn’t playing sports; this was cheering for sports. I quit drill team two days later and I felt like I would never play sports for my school.

A few months later I had a conversation that brought back my passion for sports. I was sitting next to Mr. Martinez, a teacher’s aide at my middle school, and told him about my drill team experience. I asked him if he knew how I could join a city league to play a sport. “Why don’t you join the softball team?” he asked me. I didn’t even know what softball was, let alone that the school had a team. I thought “soft” ball sounded too girly. But he explained that softball was like baseball and the team had girls and boys. Now, I was excited. Tryouts were that day after school. During sixth period my stomach felt weird and I couldn’t pay attention. Would I be able to dive to catch balls as well as the guys? Would I be able to hit the ball?

We played on concrete

For practice we met on the concrete PE field in front of the soccer/baseball field. Why did we have to play on concrete when there was a field right next to it? Then it hit me—this is a mixed-gender team. The boys’ soccer team gets a decent place to play while we don’t. It made me feel as if the school didn’t care about our team. When Mr. Martinez arrived at the “field” at 3:30 p.m., he began unloading the equipment from his car: gloves, three buckets of balls and five bats.

I asked, “Why do you carry this around with you? Can’t you leave it at school?” “This is all mine,” he said. He told me that he had paid for all of the equipment with his own money. So the school gave the boys’ soccer and basketball teams equipment, fields and three coaches, while we didn’t get anything. The only girls’ sport that seemed to get money was the drill team. Even though I was frustrated, that first practice went great. I learned how to throw the ball and field grounders. Mr. Martinez even called me “the rookie MVP.”

When I got home I couldn’t wait to tell my mom how my day had gone. During the next two years, I became one of the two best players, along with my teammate Miguel, and I was definitely the most competitive player on the team. I got mad when the coach said that someone else on the team was playing better than me. Miguel and I always tried to hit more home runs than each other. I loved it. And at the end of eighth grade we won a tournament against other middle schools in the area.

Being part of the softball team wasn’t only about getting to play sports though. I started liking school again and my grades improved a lot. I went from Cs and Ds in sixth grade to almost all As in eighth grade. When I started high school I was nervous before softball tryouts, because I thought everyone would be better than me. But on the first day the coach called me over during a drill and said, “You’re good, you know that? You have potential.”

I was excited that I had made a good impression. I made the varsity team, but unfortunately the team didn’t get enough money from the school. We had helmets that didn’t fit and didn’t have any padding inside. The area where we practiced was too lumpy to play games on, we didn’t have dugouts and there were bald spots on the grass. We had to play all of our home games at other schools. Meanwhile, the boys’ baseball field is awesome. The grass is green, the dirt is smooth and they have dugouts. I was mad that we didn’t have good equipment and a place to play, but I still loved being on the team.

How would we slide in shorts?

Another example of how we didn’t get enough support was uniforms. We got new jerseys that everyone liked but instead of pants we got silky, loose shorts. We complained to the coach that they were too short and that we couldn’t play as aggressively in them, like diving for balls and sliding while stealing bases. One girl slid and after the umpire called her safe, she looked at her leg and there was blood mixed with dirt from the field. I never dove for balls because I didn’t want to get all cut up.

Our coach said that we got shorts because they were affordable. Again, it made us feel like the school didn’t care about girls’ sports. My teammates and I decided that everyone would buy their own pants. They were about $30 a pair, and after we got them some girls started sliding into bases again.

Freshman year our team sucked. We won only two games. Not everyone on the team tried hard all the time, even with the new pants. I think that the lack of support from the school is one of the reasons not everyone tried hard. They probably felt like if the school wasn’t going to give them anything, then they didn’t have a reason to try their best. We had one home game on our rocky practice area, but there was no place for the fans to sit and many of them ended up leaving. If there were bleachers I think more people would come out to the games.

As we kept losing and losing there were times I wanted to quit. If not all of my teammates were going to work hard, why should I do this at all? Every week I would complain to my mom that my teammates didn’t try hard enough and that the school didn’t provide good equipment. But my mom always said not to worry about everybody else and to focus on being the best player I could be. She would ask me if I really wanted to be on the team even with all the problems and I always said, “Yes, I do.” She said that if I really loved something I should stick with it and find the good in it. I still loved playing so I couldn’t quit. I didn’t want to become the girl I was in sixth grade who didn’t care about anything. And I was proud of the 4.0 GPA I’d earned.

Sophomore year things improved. The school bought us new helmets with padding, batting tees and balls and we got a new coach. More players tried harder and we won four games. Getting new equipment and a new coach who knew more about softball made it feel like the school began to care, but we still didn’t have a field to play on.

Later in 10th grade my teammate Yarely wrote an article in the school newspaper about how girls’ sports were second class compared to boys’ sports. I was glad someone tried to bring attention to the unequal treatment. Unfortunately, nothing changed.

We’re supposed to get a field one day

To find out more about why the softball team seemed to get less support, I interviewed my school’s former athletic director, Mr. Minix. He told me that in 2004 the Los Angeles Unified School District started a $2.7 million building project at my school that included a new gym floor, new bleachers for the gym, lights for the football field, restrooms in the locker rooms and moving the tennis courts to make space for a softball field. But after Green Dot, a charter school company, took over the school in 2008, they stopped working on the improvements because no one knew who would pay for it or be in charge, he said. The good news is that he said the work has started back up but he doesn’t know when it will be finished.

After the interview I realized that I was making judgments based on what I assumed without getting the facts. But I still feel like we’re not getting enough support.

If the school supported us more, then maybe more girls would join the sports teams and learn the things I’ve learned, like teamwork, responsibility and leadership. When I started playing softball in middle school I had a huge ego and I cared more about my performance than the team’s. I used to get angry at my teammates who weren’t as good as me, but I would never help them.

But freshman year, I saw how Alejandra, the team captain, always helped our teammates by showing them how to throw the ball properly and how to swing the bat. I realized that I should do the same thing because that would help my teammates get better.

When the coach isn’t at practice, I take over and run the drills. I show my teammates how to hit better and explain rules. I like doing this because it feels like they’re looking up to me and if they see me help teammates, they’ll do the same thing.

I needed sports when I was younger. Playing made me more confident and showed me that I’m not just an average girl. Every girl deserves that opportunity.

Vegetarian Athletes on the Rise

alex — Thu, 26 May 2011 15:56:12 -0500

When the words “professional athletes” comes to mind, we tend to think of toned bodies, rigid workout schedules, and large appetites. The average fan would naturally assume that the diets of athletes like Jet’s hero Joe Namath and slugger Hank Aaron included a lot of meat as a source of protein and bulk for their strong-bodied machines. The reality is that more former and current athletes have given up meat as the source of their protein in exchange for vegetable based diets.

So who exactly are these vegetarians? How about Carl Lewis, famous Olympian track start from the 1980’s. And Mike Tyson, legendary boxer, now turned TV host and pigeon-owner. Mike has taken on a warm and fuzzy persona that includes a shift to veganism for a healthier lifestyle.

Even Carmelo Anthony, New York’s most recent sports celebrity after being traded to the Knicks from Denver turns vegetarian when he’s on a diet. But the list does not end there. For a multitude of reasons, increasing numbers hall of famers and rising stars all have turned to meat free diet.

Quitting Football and Falling In Love

wilmer — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:31:20 -0500

By Ross Andrews

There are few things in life as satisfying as ‘laying the boom’ on an opponent and feeling his body crumple in return.

To be a great at football, you kind of have to be built to play the game. I’m not. I weigh 130 pounds, I speak in monotone, and I’m as fast as LA traffic. I got manhandled during the two years I played high school football. And when a tight end literally threw me on a run play, I thought maybe football isn’t right for me.

That said, I loved playing. It was an outlet for a bad day. If I got a crappy grade in school, I’d take my frustration out on the ball carrier. And ironically, I’ve learned to love the sport even more since taking off the shoulder pads. While in uniform, I was blind to how the game really worked. All of a sudden I fell in love with watching the perfect execution of a bone-crunching hit or a one-handed catch for a touchdown.

Now, every Sunday I get together with my friends to reminisce, and enjoy football as it’s meant to be played – by people who really know what they’re doing.

Previously:

Skateboarding: New Hope And Hobby In Afghanistan And Uganda

rgee — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:07:22 -0500

As you may know, skateboards have been around in the U.S. since the 1950’s, and are ingrained in pop culture. Skateboarding in the U.S. even has its own fashion and lingo.

But this sport is gradually traveling around the world, and has made a difference in two places in particular: Afghanistan and Uganda.

In the U.S. skateboarders search for sidewalk bumps or stone ledges to grind on and jump off of. Just imagine skateboarding around piles of rubble, blown up cars, and collapsing buildings. This is the reality for kids in Afghanistan, where the sport is catching on. A man named Oliver Percovitch, from Canada, started a Skateboarding school in Kabul in 2009, called Skateistan, according to the New York Times. The school is for boys and girls, ages 5 - 17, is open six days a week, and sits on top of an ex-Taliban public execution site.

International donations of skate gear and money helped start this project, with the goal of distracting youth from the destruction and violence around them. From the looks of things, these kids are having fun! For every hour of skateboarding that they do, they have one hour of instruction - in things like English, the Quran, and health. Girls are separated from boys in these classes because of Islamic tradition.

Not only is the introduction of skateboarding serving to improve the life of young people in Afghanistan, but it’s actually causing some social change. Islamic girls in Afghanistan must be veiled when they reach puberty, according to custom. This means they can’t skate alongside boys after that, but according to the USA Today article, young girls who skateboard are gaining social confidence and a voice.

Now, travel Southwest a ways... and meet the Uganda Skateboard Union, where instead of skateboarding around building rubble, you’re dodging chickens and dogs! Skateboarding was introduced to this country by another young Canadian, Brian Lye. Brian and his friend Jackson Mubiru, raised enough money to build the country’s first skate park, and received massive amounts of donations from all over the world. The goal of the Union is to keep Ugandan youth from getting bored and to educate them. Brian Lye is somewhat of a hero in Uganda, and returned to the Uganda skate park on July 6, 2010, only to find youth ready to take him on with new tricks!

Soccer's Popularity In America

sanfran — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:57:05 -0500

By: Rod Aminzadeh

There are several major reasons why Soccer is not a popular sport in the United States. First of all, there are just too many national sports in America such as football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. Most people have grown up with these sports and soccer is kind of a new game, so people haven't adapted to it. Secondly, there are not enough international games for the soccer clubs playing in the U.S. The only important soccer tournament in America is Major League Soccer (MLS). There are also some college tournaments but not many people even know about it.

Soccer clubs in other continents like Europe, Asia, and South America, are really active and have several international games and tournaments such as "Champions League" and "UEFA Europa League" in Europe, "Copa Libatadores" in South America, and "AFC Champion Leagues" in Asia.

Sports in America are seasonal. On other continents, the soccer season lasts about nine months plus playing a couple of international tournaments during their regular season.

"Soccer has very few chances for commercials and so very few opportunities for television companies to make money from showing soccer, especially as it is not a massively popular sport in the U.S. Perhaps if it had the coverage, it would generate fans and in time make the money, as the rest of the world knows, the potential is there for some serious profits."

via Helium.

Another reason why people aren’t as interested is the lack of scoring in soccer. Americans enjoy watching sports that have a high scores, making it more exciting for them. For example, in football, the players score several touchdowns. Basketball scores can get as high as 100 points per game. Then you have soccer, where teams score about one or two goals on average and it's not exciting enough to grab people's attention—at least in the U.S

"Soccer has become more popular in the US in the last years and many young people, either male and females, regularly play it in the colleges, but it hasn't still reached the popularity and passion levels of Europe, Latin America and also Africa, so that it's difficult to find in the US stadiums build just for soccer."

via Helium.

Hopefully, we'll see more soccer being played and watched in the United States in the upcoming years and gain the respect that it deserves in America.

First Ever Youth Olympic Games Begin

rgee — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:44:55 -0500

Some moments just stick with you. Moments like when Kerri Strug, United States Olympic gymnast, nailed her second vault routine even though she had a sprained ankle, and was carried up to the medal platform to stand with her team. I remember wanting to be just like her. She was a national superstar.

A younger generation of superstars is about to be born. The first ever YouthOlympic Gamestakes place this August in Singapore... and the torch has already been lit!

Over 3,600 young athletes, ages 14 - 18, from 100 different countries will be competing in 26 sports from August 14th to August 26th. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, was the mastermind behind this idea saying the games are a, “gateway for youth to improve their performance on the field and in life.”

The26 eventsinclude sports like basketball, archery, canoe-kayak, handball, taekwondo, and the modern pentathlon. In the regular Summer Olympic Games, the pentathlon consists of five sports: fencing, swimming, running, shooting, and riding. The Youth Olympic Games will exclude riding from this event.

The torch for the Youth Olympic Games was lit in Olympia, the birth place of the Olympic Games. It travelled to Berlin and Dakar, and is currently making its way towards Mexico City, then Auckland, then Seoul, eventually ending up in Singapore on August 14th. It will burn for 12 days until the games are finished.

TheOpening Ceremonywill definitely be worth watching. Over 7,000 youth performers will be singing, dancing, and showcasing amazing costumes. Stay with us for updates on the U.S.A. contenders, and the highlights from the first Youth Olympic Games.

Birdies are Better Than Balls

wilmer — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:21:58 -0500

The following originally aired on KCBS.

By: Elena Hernandez

My high school badminton team doesn’t get a lot of support, and no one really cares, or comes to watch our games. But despite that, we’re the fastest growing team.

Last year I played basketball, and after running suicides 6 days a week, I thought badminton would be a piece of cake. But this sport offers different challenges.

Top doubles players hit an average of 40-50 shots in 20 seconds, yet all the time, I hear classmates say “Badminton, that’s not even a sport.” But it is a sport, and one that allows you to be as competitive as you want it to be. On my team everyone gets an equal chance to play regardless of how good they are, which isn’t at all like basketball.

There I felt divisions between the basketball players who were really good and just okay. The better you played, the more included you were. And at the end of the season, it was like friendships just ended. We hardly every talked after that.

Badminton has been completely different. It’s not a seasonal friendship. We’re each other’s fans, on and off the court.

Previously:

Necessary Roughness Episode 1

patrick — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:33:08 -0500

Youth Radio’s Shaw Killip discusses athletes and guns on an episode of his show “Necessary Roughness.”

Derrick Rose For Rookie Of The Year

patrick — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:42:57 -0500

By Dishan Lowe

Derrick Rose was the number one pick in the 2009 NBA draft. The point guard out of the University of Memphis was selected by the Chicago Bulls. He is my pick for Rookie of The Year. The Chicago native is playing in his hometown but he seems to be dealing with the pressure well. He was the nation’s top high school point guard in 2007. He was Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2007. He was the skills challenge champion at the 2009 NBA all-star weekend beating Devin Harris, Mo Williams, and Tony Parker.

He is averaging 16 points per game. In his first week he pulled a Michael Jordan and scored 26 points. Derrick Rose has come to the NBA and let all the other rookies know that he is going to be on top out of the gate. He is averaging 3.6 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. He is a person that can keep his game face on until he leaves the court so it looks to reporters and photographers like he is not happy when he is. He is someone that can show his feelings when he gets comfortable where he is. Derrick Rose is a man that you can depend on if your starting point guard is out. He fights as hard as he can to help not only himself look good and his team as well. He can be very laid back and show no emotions. Derrick Rose is my favorite rookie and espn.sports.go.com will back me on saying that not only is he a great basketball player but he is also very intelligent. Also he does not struggle with his perimeter shots and he has not suffered any injuries. I’m not saying that he is a superhero and can’t mess up or get hurt. I’m saying at this moment nothing is going bad for him. He needs to work on his defense more and when he does he will be one of the greatest that has ever played.