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~ Life begins where your comfort zone ends

KatHowland

Category Archives: Sports and Social Media

Rio 2016

05 Friday Aug 2016

Posted by Kat in Sports and Social Media, Summer 2016

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Rio2016

RioThe eyes of the world will be on Rio tonight for the Opening Ceremonies of the first Olympic Games to be held in South America.

Ready for some fun stats:

17,000 — Number of Olympic athletes and officials.

78,000 —  The capacity of Maracana stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies will be held.

10,500 —  Athletes

206 — Countries

306 — Gold medals, 136 for women, 161 for men, 9 mixed.

3,200 —  Officials (referees, judges, and assistants) will oversee the competitions.

1— Team of refugees competing under the Olympic banner for the first time – using the power of sport to inspire the world.  Follow #TeamRefugees on social media to learn more about these brave athletes.

The U.S. Olympic Team is represented by 554 athletes (262 men, 292 women).

Five members of Team USA are from New Hampshire:

  • Sarah True, Hanover: Triathlon
  • Jessica Parratto, Dover: Synchronized & Individual 10m platform diving
  • Tessa Gobbo, Chesterfield: Rowing (women’s eight)
  • Alex Karwoski, Hollis: Rowing (men’s eight)
  • Abbey D’Agostino, Dartmouth College grad: 5,000 meters

All of us in Dover are cheering extra loud for Jessica who started diving here at the Dover Indoor Pool and the Jenny Thompson Outdoor Pool on the Seacoast (her parents coached our local swimming program).  Jessica moved to Indiana at age 14 to train for her Olympic dream and also swam for the University of Pennsylvania.  Learn more about Jessica at http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/who-jessica-parratto

Go Team USA!

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Girls Are Champions

28 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by Kat in Coach Kat, Sports and Social Media

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GirlsAre, NCAA, Pat Summitt, PlayLikeAGirl, WSF

My blog reaches young athletes who might not realize why so many of us owe a huge debt to legendary coach Pat Summitt.  She was one of the greatest coaches ever, in any sport.  She elevated women’s sports and raised the game for all of us.

Summitt

She was an incredible basketball player, graduating from the University of Tennessee-Martin as an All-American and all-time leading scorer (1,045 points).  She was co-captain of the 1976 U.S. Olympic Team, leading Team USA to a silver medal in Montreal.  And she was Head Coach at the University of Tennessee for thirty-eight years from 1974-2012 with a record of 1,098-208 (more wins than any college coach ever).

Pat’s Definite Dozen

1.  Respect Yourself and Others

There is no such thing as self-respect without respect for others.
Individual success is a myth. No one succeeds all by themselves.
People who do not respect those around them will not make good team members and probably lack self-esteem themselves.
When you ask yourself, “Do I deserve to succeed?”, make sure the answer is yes.

2.  Take Full Responsibility

There are no shortcuts to success.
You can’t assume larger responsibility without taking responsibility for the small things, too.
Being responsible sometimes means making tough, unpopular decisions.
Admit to and make yourself accountable for mistakes. How can you improve if you’re never wrong?

3.  Develop and Demonstrate Loyalty

Loyalty is not unilateral. You have to give it to receive it.
The family business model is a successful one because it fosters loyalty and trust.
Surround yourself with people who are better than you are. Seek out quality people, acknowledge their talents, and let them do their jobs. You win with people.

4.  Learn to Be a Great Communicator

Communication eliminates mistakes.
Listening is crucial to good communication.
We communicate all the time, even when we don’t realize it. Be aware of body language.
Make good eye contact.
Silence is a form of communication, too. Sometimes less is more.

5.  Discipline Yourself So No One Else Has To

Self-discipline helps you believe in yourself.
Group discipline produces a unified effort toward a common goal.
When disciplining others, be fair, be firm, be consistent.
Discipline helps you finish a job, and finishing is what separates excellent work from average work.

6.  Make Hard Work Your Passion

Do the things that aren’t fun first, and do them well.
Plan your work, and work your plan.
See yourself as self-employed.

7.  Don’t Just Work Hard, Work Smart

Success is about having the right person, in the right place, at the right time.
Know your strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
When you understand yourself and those around you, you are better able to minimize weaknesses and maximize strengths. Personality profiles help.

8.  Put the Team Before Yourself

Teamwork doesn’t come naturally. It must be taught.
Teamwork allows common people to obtain uncommon results.
Not everyone is born to lead. Role players are critical to group success.
In group success there is individual success.

9.  Make Winning an Attitude

Combine practice with belief.
Attitude is a choice. Maintain a positive outlook.
No one ever got anywhere by being negative.
Confidence is what happens when you’ve done the hard work that entitles you to succeed.

10.  Be a Competitor

Competition isn’t social. It separates achievers from the average.
You can’t always be the most talented person in the room, but you can be the most competitive.
Influence your opponent: By being competitive you can affect how your adversary performs.
There is nothing wrong with having competitive instincts. They are survival instincts.

11.  Change Is a Must

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts the most.
Change equals self-improvement. Push yourself to places you haven’t been before.
Take risks. You can’t steal second base with your foot on first.

12.  Handle Success Like You Handle Failure

You can’t always control what happens, but you can control how you handle it.
Sometimes you learn more from losing than winning. Losing forces you to reexamine.
It’s harder to stay on top than it is to make the climb. Continue to seek new goals.

pat-summitt1

To make a donation to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s, please visit The Pat Summitt Foundation.

Because of pioneers like Coach Summitt, #GirlsAre Champions.

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Happy Olympic Day

23 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by Kat in Coach Kat, Miss Rockingham County, Sports and Social Media

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fitness, OlympicDay

SS

I just got my Miss New Hampshire photos from Katrina Bernard Photography and realize I have lots of people to thank! Today is Olympic Day, a day to celebrate the birth of the modern Olympic Games in 1894 while promoting fitness, well-being, culture and education, along with the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. The Olympic Day pillars – move, learn and discover – are promoted in every corner of the globe.

Fitness is my passion and I set out to make a strong statement onstage this year.  Discipline, integrity, and personal growth are really important to me. I adopted a lifestyle of daily strength and cardio workouts with running, yoga, and skating to increase muscle endurance, strength, and power. Life is a team sport and I am very lucky to have the best team in the world.

I owe a huge hug and endless thanks to Jon Arnold at Integrated Fitness of Dover & Epping. Jon is an extraordinary athlete, coach, human being, and friend. He pushed and inspired me to crush every workout and eat clean with healthy nutrition plans to reach peak performance onstage. Summer classes at Integrated Fitness are starting soon, sign-up at http://www.ifitnessnh.com/

I love my friends at Orangetheory Fitness in Portsmouth.  Thank you for the early morning, high-energy, heart pumping classes. Orangetheory Fitness is new to New Hampshire, but they have 400 studios in the US and seven other countries. It’s a fitness program that uses heart rate monitored, interval based workouts proven to stimulate metabolism and increase energy. You have to try a class!

Thank you to forever Miss Rockingham County Katrina Ulaky for teaching me her super confident supermodel walk. Thank you to forever Miss Gate City Jillian Granucci for being my ultimate fitness role model and a constant source of great advice!  And thank you to Kandice Pelletier for this amazing, award-winning suit.

One last thing, fitness is for EVERYONE!  The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition is working to inspire all Americans to accelerate their journey to a healthy lifestyle.  Join the #0to60 campaign!

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Skating To A Brighter Future

07 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by Kat in Coach Kat, Sports and Social Media

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DisneyDreams, GateCityFSC, ItsGreatToSkate, SkatingToABrighterFuture, SynchroStars, USFigureSkating

The Gate City Figure Skating Club will celebrate their 13th Annual Spring Ice Show on Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.

This year’s theme is “Disney Dreams.”  Over 95 skaters will entertain the audience with Disney–themed programs at Nashua’s Conway Arena, home to several hockey clubs and teams, a leading Learn to Skate program, and the Gate City Figure Skating Club.

This year’s event will showcase the top skaters in New Hampshire’s largest figure skating club, with entertaining exhibitions from the Synchro Stars* Synchronized Skating Teams, charming programs from Conway Arena Learn to Skate participants, and featured guest skaters from the 2016 US Figure Skating Championships.

This show offers an enjoyable, family-friendly afternoon of figure skating. Please come and share in this entertaining event with our skaters!

LTSU

U.S. Figure Skating, USA Hockey and US Speedskating have launched an exciting, NEW program called Learn to Skate USA to share the many health, social and developmental benefits gained through ice skating.  The foundation for Learn to Skate USA is based in fun, safe and solid skill progression and provides all skaters the necessary tools they need to reach their goals.

*The Synchro Stars will be fielding four teams for the 2016-2017 Season:  Intermediate, Pre-Juvenile, Beginner 1 and Beginner 2.  Visit our beautiful new website for more information:  https://synchrostars.org/about/mission.html

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Play Ball!

31 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by Kat in Sports and Social Media, Summer 2016

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Red Sox, You Can Play

Boston-Red-Sox Print

Two of my favorite organizations are working together to host a special event on Friday, June 3rd.  Join the Red Sox, You Can Play, and Billy Bean, Major League Baseball’s Vice-President of Social Responsibility & Inclusion at Fenway Park, America’s oldest and most beloved ballpark.

Purchase tickets at http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ticketing/pride_night.jsp or contact Travis Pollio at tpollio@redsox.com or 617-226-6790 for groups of 20 or more.

#GoSox

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ProjectPlay

17 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by Kat in Coach Kat, Sports and Social Media

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fitness, ProjectPlay

projectplaybigforcover-1000x500Today’s Washington Post has an important article written by Michael Rosenwald on the importance of making youth sports available and affordable to all:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2016/05/17/youth-sports-participation-is-up-slightly-but-many-kids-are-still-left-behind/

Aspen Institute Research shows that the needs of most children are not being met, “Fewer than half of children ages 6 to 11 meet the U.S. Surgeon General’s recommendation for engaging in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.(4) One way to address that deficit is through sport activity, especially team sports, as children often enjoy playing in groups. But fewer of them are doing so now than just a few years ago. The federal government does not track sports participation rates among preteens, but according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), which does, 40 percent of kids played team sports on a regular basis in 2013, down from 44.5 percent in 2008. Further, only 52.2 percent took part in those activities even once during the year, down from 58.6 percent.(5)“

The Project Play Summit has assembled a brilliant team of fitness experts in Washington, DC to help build a healthier future for America.  First Lady Michelle Obama will be hosting an important discussion on parenting active children and the importance of making sport affordable and accessible for all youth — regardless of zip code or ability.  This half-hour conversation begins at 11:40am ET and will be live-streamed at http://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/live

More than 60 other leaders, journalists and athletes will also speak during the Project Play Summit, the nation’s premier gathering of leaders at the intersection of sport, youth and health. Among them: Mary Davis, CEO, Special Olympics International; Tab Ramos, Youth Technical Director, US Soccer Federation; Jim Whitehead, CEO, American College of Sports Medicine; Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, CEO, Laureus Foundation USA; Dr. Bennet Omalu, Chief Medical Examiner, San Joaquin County (Calif.); Alonzo Mourning, former NBA All-Star; Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; and Billie Jean King, civil rights pioneer. The latter three are all members of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition.

For more information on today’s Summit visit http://aspenprojectplay.org/events/2016-project-play-summit.

And get your copy of the ProjectPlay Report – A playbook to get every kid in the game at http://youthreport.projectplay.us/

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National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

11 Wednesday May 2016

Posted by Kat in Coach Kat, Sports and Social Media

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fitness, GirlsAre, MoveInMay, NWHW, ProjectPlay

Presidential Proclamation

wh_logo_seal

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

For generations, sports have brought Americans of all ages together and helped us celebrate our country’s competitive spirit. When we work to instill an appreciation for physical fitness in our people, we do more than honor an age-old tradition — we take a critical step toward ensuring the prospect of a long and healthy life. During National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, we highlight the importance of staying active, and we encourage all Americans to partake in physical activity to maintain their health and well-being.

Sports and other forms of physical activity inspire us — they bridge differences, unite Americans from every walk of life, and teach the importance of teamwork.* Whether exploring the great outdoors or shooting hoops with friends, regular physical activity can also relieve stress, boost energy and self-esteem, and prevent numerous chronic diseases, including some of the leading causes of death, such as cancer, stroke, and heart disease. Children should engage in physical activity for at least 1 hour each day, and adults should do so for at least 30 minutes. Critical to enabling our youth to reach their fullest potential, regular exercise must go hand-in-hand with healthy eating and proper nutrition — because our children’s well-being tomorrow depends on what they eat today.

This year, we celebrate six decades since President Dwight Eisenhower established the President’s Council on Youth Fitness, known today as the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. The Council partners with the public, private, and non-profit sectors to empower people to lead healthy and active lives. Through their I Can Do It, You Can Do It! program, the Council facilitates physical activity for individuals with disabilities and offers opportunities for regular exercise at sites across our country. My Administration’s Go4Life campaign is motivating older Americans to recommit to making exercise a part of their daily lives. And First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative continues to inspire a rising generation to eat healthily and get plenty of physical activity so they can grow up strong and pursue their dreams. For more information on my Administration’s actions to promote sports and physical fitness — and for ways you can get involved — visit http://www.Fitness.gov and http://www.LetsMove.gov.

Participation in sports and other physical activity represents our country’s promise: the idea that if you work hard, commit to a goal, and never give up on yourself, there is nothing you cannot achieve. This month, let us each strive to make fitness a greater part of our lives, and let us join together as one American team to promote physical activity and chart a healthier, fitter future for our country.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2016 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. I call upon the people of the United States to make daily physical activity, sports participation, and good nutrition a priority in their lives.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.

BARACK OBAMA

*This is the heart of my platform.  Sport unites and inspires us.  Through teamwork we learn to respect and celebrate diversity.

Learn more at:  http://www.fitness.gov/ and http://youcanplayproject.org/

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#GirlsAre Strong

08 Sunday May 2016

Posted by Kat in Coach Kat, Sports and Social Media

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#GirlsAre, fitness, Strong

My favorite organizations are launching an exciting new initiative today.  #GirlsAre is a nationwide campaign bringing together more than 45 companies, media partners, non-profit organizations, and celebrity voices to empower girls and women to move and celebrate their athleticism during National Physical Fitness & Sports Month.

GirlsAre

  

Girls today are far less likely than boys to achieve recommended amounts of physical activity. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the Clinton Foundation are joining forces to shine a spotlight on the disparities between girls’ and boys’ physical activity rates and inspire a new generation of strong, active women.

Learn more at:  https://www.healthiergeneration.org/about_us/supporters/girlsare_strong/

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Happy Snopening Day

05 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by Kat in Miami University, Sports and Social Media

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Red Sox Scholars, Scholarship

RSF

It’s Opening Day!  My Red Sox were ready to crush Meggie Wittman’s Indians yesterday…but it snowed in Cleveland (and Boston), so the game was postponed until today.

NESN2.jpg

It’s my Opening Day tradition to say, “Thank you!” to the Red Sox Foundation, the official team charity of the Boston Red Sox.  I was very lucky to be selected as one of ten students in the inaugural class of New Hampshire Red Sox Scholars in 2010.  We were invited to spend an incredible day at Fenway Park with John Henry and Linda Pizzuti Henry.  My grandfather will tell you it was one of the best days of his life too.

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Since 2002, the Red Sox Foundation has awarded more than $83 million in grants and funding to charitable programs serving children and families across New England.  That includes more than $3 million in support for the Red Sox Scholars Program, which was created in 2003.  The Red Sox Foundation’s outreach and service programs have a powerful, positive impact across New England.One of the many ways they fundraise is through scoreboard messages on the New Balance scoreboard.  To order a scoreboard message at Fenway Park, visit https://www.redsoxfoundation.org/scoreboard or call (617) 226-6377.

29729_10150203400775093_2602197_n

See you at Fenway!  Go Sox!

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Synchro Stars Celebration

11 Friday Mar 2016

Posted by Kat in Coach Kat, Sports and Social Media

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Girl Scouts, It's Great To Skate, synchro stars

Exhibition

Join the Synchro Stars on Sunday at St. Anselms’ Sullivan Arena to celebrate a wonderful season!  I’ll be singing the national anthem and you’ll get to enjoy special guests, solos, and performances by all of our teams.  There will be a bake sale, incredible raffles, gift baskets, and tickets to area sporting events.  Come out to support New Hampshire’s largest Synchronized Skating event!

When: Sunday, March 13. Doors open at 3:30

Admission: $5 (cash preferred) Any Boy Scout or Girl Scout in uniform will receive a patch and $1 admission.

Where: St. Anselms’ Sullivan Arena, Rundlett Hill Road, Goffstown, NH

Thank you to our generous sponsors!  http://www.synchrostars.net/march-exhibition

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