General
American Gold Sports Alliance Launches Their Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Committee
The American Gold Sports Alliance is proud to announce the launch of their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. AGSA believes in the power of student-athletes to build trust, unity, and togetherness among people from all backgrounds. We also acknowledge that athletics are not immune to the impact of bias or discrimination. We accept that it is our responsibility to take action to reduce the impact of bias and discrimination so that student-athletes of all backgrounds are provided the best opportunity to be successful.
[Read more…] about American Gold Sports Alliance Launches Their Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity CommitteeAGSA Launches Their New Internship Program With Two New Hires
The American Gold Sports Alliance is pleased to announce the recent institution of their intern program! Taylor Shingler and Ashton Fields were hired in late 2020 and are the first two interns to join the program!
Taylor Shingler joins our team as our new Marketing and Outreach Coordinator. She is a lifelong resident of Lockport, Illinois, and is currently a junior sports business major at Maryville University in St. Louis where she also plays for the school’s softball team. At Maryville, Taylor is involved in various on-campus organizations including holding executive positions for the Alpha Lambda Honor Society and on the Rawlings Sports Business Management leadership council. Click here to read more about Taylor.
Ashton Fields comes to us from Oak Forest, Illinois as our new Pacific Rim Outreach Coordinator. She is a sophomore global studies major at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. For most of her life, she balanced dance and softball. Ashton was a four-year varsity softball player at Oak Forest High School. One of her biggest accomplishments was receiving All-Conference her junior and senior year. She also loved to run softball camps and educate younger athletes. Click here to read more about Ashton.
[Read more…] about AGSA Launches Their New Internship Program With Two New Hires4 The Future Foundation
The Thompson Brothers’ 4 The Future Foundation inspires youth by encouraging the benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle while promoting the attributes of the student-athlete and a call for generational leadership.
Their focus is on creating programs for indigenous and underserved communities where lacrosse meets culture, to create community-based opportunities that provide a pathway for the next generation to achieve their dreams.
[Read more…] about 4 The Future FoundationInter Tribal Sports
Established in 2002, the Inter Tribal Sports (ITS) mission is to unify tribal youth and communities through structured athletic programs while providing necessary resources and developing a strong foundation in culture, leadership and wellness.
The organization features year-round youth sports and enrichment programs designed specifically for southern California Native American communities. Featured sports include basketball, cheer, flag football, softball, cross country, and soccer. All of the league sports are co-ed, recreation, and non-contact sports. In addition to sports leagues, ITS offers wellness programming, cultural gatherings, group social outings and leadership activities. ITS provides athletic opportunities and values education in conjunction with cultural, physical, mental, and spiritual development.
[Read more…] about Inter Tribal SportsNike N7 Fund
Nike is committed to getting youth in Native American and Aboriginal communities moving so they can lead healthier, happier and more successful lives. Through Nike’s N7 Fund, we support organizations that provide sport and physical activity programming to youth in these communities. The N7 Fund helps them reach their greatest potential through play and sport and creates more equal playing fields for all. Since 2009, the N7 Fund has awarded more than $7.5 million in grants to 259 communities and organizations.
[Read more…] about Nike N7 FundAmerican Gold Sports Alliance January 2021 Newsletter
Secure Our Future
The USAFL Foundation was launched in 2020. The Foundation’s mission is to provide ongoing financial assistance for the development of Australian Football in the United States.
The Foundation will act as an annual funding mechanism to the USAFL, a USAFL emergency fund for extreme situations, and to support the growth of Australian Football in the United States. Our goal is to raise over $2.5 Million over the next three years to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the League in 2022, starting with raising pledges, in 2020, for $1M.
The league has evolved over the last twenty plus years. Our first decade was “Building the Foundation” of the game. We were young and brash and made it up as we went along. We quickly grew from a handful of founding clubs to over 20. We launched the men’s national team, the Revolution, in 1999. Our second decade was all about “Growing the Sport”. Nationals had become too big for host clubs to manage so the league took on running the Nationals and it has ballooned into the biggest single weekend footy carnival in the world (including Australia). We launched women’s footy which has grown significantly and along with that came the women’s national team, the Freedom.
[Read more…] about Secure Our FutureFor Wrestling Icon Dan Gable, Presidential Medal of Freedom is an Achievement of a Lifetime
By: Cody GoodwinDes Moines Register
Dan Gable stood inside the Oval Office on Monday afternoon. To his left, President Donald J. Trump rattled off Gable’s many wrestling accomplishments: state champ, national champ, Olympic champ, successful coach, relentless ambassador, on and on.
Trump then turned to Gable with a wry smile.
“Now, I’m larger than you, a little bit,” Trump said. “Do you think I could take you in wrestling?”
Gable didn’t even smile at the idea.
“You would have no chance,” he responded, sparking laughter.
President Trump awarded Gable the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Monday, the nation’s highest civilian honor. The modern iteration of the distinction was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 to recognize extraordinary individuals who have made exceptional contributions to America’s national interests, society and culture.
“I wouldn’t be here if I had just won an Olympic gold medal,” Gable said. “It has been a lifetime of work, learning from others, then taking that knowledge and applying it to others in many ways so that they can perform at their highest and be successful.”
Gable is the first wrestler — athlete or coach — to receive this honor. It is meant as an individual award, but for the 72-year-old, it represents so much more.
Gable’s whole family made the trip on Monday. His wife, Kathy, stood beside him, beaming. His four daughters, Molly, Jenni, Annie and Mackie, plus their husbands and his 13 grandchildren, filed in behind. He could not have pictured this day without them.