Female Athletes

My little contribution to a "Best of '09" series by Women Talk Sports bloggers is a selection of favorites from this blog. I don't expect you'll find a particular mood or theme, less so a standard of quality, but rather, I hope, a few morsels that provoke reflection or simply entertain:

The story of Tina Lockwood

A Kind of Grace

Super shenanigans

Esther Williams

A lesson from the past

Athlete or sex symbol? A false dichotomy

A Wonder Woman of color?

Aneta Florczyk: setting records, inspiring women

Female Muscle: a little schooling for its detractors

Ruminating on the big fight

DC shakeup. The ugly paradox

The Body Issue

Advancing women's sports: largely a bootstrap process

Bridgett "Baby Doll" Riley and her art of violence


Happy New Year!


More "Best of '09" from other WTS bloggers:

Best of '09: Forming a community, WomenTalkSports.com

The "Best" of 2009 and the State of Girls & Women in Sports

Best of '09: A Fresh Meat’s Perspective

Best of '09 – A Year for Women in Wake

2009 Salute to Women in Sports

Victories and Failures in Women's Sports in 2009, or #FTW and #FAIL (Hot or Not for us old-timers)

Best of 2009: The Humble Emergence of Tanisha Wright

Best of the Best of 2009

Last week the Associated Press named Serena Williams its Female Athlete of the Year. Not long after the United States Sports Academy named Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbaeva its Female Athlete of the Year.

Despite its name, the USSA selects athletes from around the globe for its ballot. Isinbaeva received a plurality of 1.9 million votes cast worldwide. Williams, on the other hand, received 66 of 158 votes cast by AP editors.

A "Christmas spectacular" starring members of the University of Calgary basketball team:




Have a safe and happy holiday!

Kudos to the Nittany Lions for one of the great runs in sports history. (And who knows? It may not be over yet.)

Champions when they left, they return home status unchanged:

One gets an education in medical advances just by keeping up with Dara Torres. Recently, Torres underwent a new biotechnology procedure to repair a knee that had been giving her trouble. (Should we now call her Biotech Woman?) She talked about her experience on The Early Show this week:

The Penn State volleyball team are off for Tampa in pursuit of their third consecutive national championship. Saturday they earned a spot in the semifinals by winning their 100th consecutive match, the longest winning streak in women's Division I sports history (and second longest overall if men's Division I is admitted).

They face Hawaii (31-2) tomorrow night at 9pm ET. The match will be shown on ESPN2.

If you follow women's sports, you'll no doubt see many familiar faces in this 2009 highlights video from the Women's Sports Foundation.

During this season of giving we shouldn't forget to consider where our kindness is needed most. Today, I share with you a gentle reminder that arrived in my Inbox earlier this week.

Rebecca Welsh, nee Neuenswander, is a former taekwondo champion well on her way to a brilliant acting career. But what so obviously matters most to her is HALO, the foundation she started to help orphans worldwide. My plan is to honor this Holiday appeal from her, and my hope in sharing it is that you will do the same:

Dear HALO Supporters,

Thank you for your continued support in 2009! This year we have added 4 new orphanages to the HALO family. Each of our 13 homes and programs serves as a safe haven from the streets to suffering children. As the Holiday season approaches, the needs of our orphanages continue to grow. Please kindly consider making a donation to help us meet these needs. Join us in giving the gift of a brighter future - from food to medical care to providing mentors for the children. With your help we can continue to provide a bright future for the parentless.

If you would like to make a donation in honor of someone you love, you will receive a HALO Holiday Card that you may present to them as a gift. Simply click on the link below to donate and type their name in the "In Tribute to" box.

You may also donate by sending a check to: The HALO Foundation, 1600 Genessee #528 Kansas City, MO 64102 or by calling 816.472.4256

Click here to donate

Please consider sharing this email with your loved ones and asking them to make a donation in your name as your Holiday gift. Its the gift that makes a difference in the life of a needy child.

We are very grateful for your generosity. You have given us the tools to build a bridge between the fortunate and the unfortunate.

Warmest Holiday Greetings,

Rebecca Welsh
Founder, The HALO Foundation

Isis the Amazon might soon become professional wrestling's biggest—literally and figuratively—female star. A formidable physical presence by any measure, Isis isn't shy about her might:

Are you stronger than the average man?

LOL! Is that a serious question? I’m 6'9" tall, weigh over 200 lbs, solid muscle and I work out 6 days a week. I can leg press over 700 lbs, incline press 165 lbs, squat 345 lbs and any workout with dumbbells, I use over 25 lbs. So yes, I’m quite a bit stronger than the "average man". (The Amazon FAQ)

A fact readily understood when you see her in action: