News from the San Jose Sports Authority
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The San Jose Sports Authority is a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase the City of San Jose’s economic development, visibility and civic pride through sports.
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Follow Us on Social Media!
Stay connected by following us on social media. Like our Facebook page to learn about upcoming Bay Area events, ticket promotions and links, volunteer opportunities, and content focused on Bay Area athletes from past and present!
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A Letter from Executive Director, John Poch
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Lessons in a Pandemic
San Jose was on the brink of another tremendous year of fantastic sporting events returning to the South Bay. These events included international soccer featuring the US National Teams, National Collegiate Judo Championship, American Junior Golf National Championship Qualifier, USA Water Polo Junior Olympics, the Premier Lacrosse League Tournament, Rock-n-Roll Races & Health Expo, the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame, US Figure Skating National Championships, US Figure Skating High Performance Development Camp, USA Fencing Jr. Olympics, NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament, and finishing ’21 with the NCAA Women’s College Cup. These events are designed to draw the masses to our venues, hotels and downtown region. Meanwhile, medical voices continue to suggest the coronavirus and its impact might be around for years.
You wonder what goes through our mind when we hear that.
We try to be focused on what we can control and what we can influence relying on the guidance of our City, County and State Public Health officials and leaders. Sure, there’s anxiety around the uncertainty. We’re not alone in that boat. We’re sort of all in this together. I know that’s the campaign going on right now, but it rings very true. Nothing about this virus has taken away from our mission to make San Jose and our region the premier sports destination on the West Cost. We’re focused on making the 2021 year exceptional. So, the goal doesn’t change. How we were going to do that has likely changed. That’s the challenge in front of us.
Such as … how do you stage a big event, when the catchphrase of our times is
social distancing?
What this process has definitely done is force us to adapt and to understand how we can continue to have an impact under these conditions. The models which were in place were dependent upon crowds, traveling, air traffic—that needs to be reevaluated. Anytime you’re changing models, it comes with an element of anxiety. But you’d better adapt and figure out what needs to change, in order for your mission to be successful.
The Sports Authority are fortunate to have been able to lean on the advice of our local sports leaders with the formation of our COVID19 Sports Advisory Committee. Led by industry sports icon Andy Dolich, our committee consists of;
- Jed Mettee of the San Jose Earthquakes
- Jim Mercurio of the San Francisco 49ers & Levi’s Stadium
- James Hamnett of the San Jose Sharks, SAP Center & Solar4America Ice
- Dan Orum of the San Jose Giants
- Duane Morgan & David Grissom of the Central Coast Section of the CIF
- Jamie Breslin of Stanford Athletics
- Marie Tuite of San Jose State Athletics
- Jamie Zaninovich of the PAC 12
- Aaron Woliczko of the West Coast Conference
- Jacqueline Rochelle Lopez of Team San Jose
- Charlie Faas of SJSU
- Andy Dolich, Committee Chair, Dolich Consulting
This group has been meeting twice a month sharing the latest developments and best practices in preparing to bring our sports to the “return to play” phase. Their shared sense of community spirit and leadership is our North Star. We know a lot of changes will be made for the future of sporting events, but I truly believe that San Jose and the South Bay sports community are fortunate to have the guidance and leadership from this very special group during the most challenging of times. Plenty of lessons to learn from a pandemic.
Be Well, Stay Safe, and Be Positive.
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Thank You For Supporting REACH on #GivingTuesday
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A huge thank you to everyone who supported the REACH Scholarship program during the global generosity movement, #GivingTuesday. We are truly inspired by the kind gestures of support and the commitment from the San Jose community to help high school students achieve their dreams. We look forward to awarding the college scholarships and naming the 2020 REACH recipients later this month. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!
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About the REACH Scholarship Program
REACH
is an acronym for “
R
ecognizing
E
xcellence,
A
dversity,
C
ourage and
H
ard
work.” Now in its 24
th
year, the REACH Youth Scholarship Program provides college funds to high school seniors from Santa Clara County who have overcome adversity to excel in the classroom and on the playing field.
The recipients come from all backgrounds and situations. Some students are battling cancer or coping with the loss of a loved one, while others are learning to live with the aftereffects of severe trauma. No two stories are alike, but they share an underlying message:
sports can be a source of strength and support in challenging times.
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Current Status & Where Your Donations Go
The
REACH selection committee
has begun reviewing the student applications and will soon decide how to allocate the dollars we raise. The committee typically award 8-10 scholarships ranging from $2,500 to a single top gift of $10,000. Given the cost of higher education today, the scholarship amounts may seem relatively modest, but they make a notable difference. It’s enough to buy books, cover student fees for a few years, or help with room & board.
Now, More than Ever!
We need your help to ensure this year’s scholarships are
at least
as generous as those in the past. Indeed, one could argue this is the most important year of the REACH program. Just consider the situation: it’s their senior year, these students have already overcome a great deal in their lives, and now their worlds have been upended by a global pandemic. We might not be able to give the students a better ending to their senior year, but we can help give them a stronger start to their college careers.
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How to Donate to REACH
Here are two ways to show your support of these deserving students:
1)
Individual Donations of $20, $50, $100 or more
… whatever you can contribute is welcome and appreciated. Here’s the hashtag link:
#GivingTuesdayREACH
. It takes only a few clicks to donate!!
2)
Become a REACH sponsor
(sponsorships start at $1,500). Please contact
Carrie Benjamin
, the SJSA’s event director, at (408) 288-2936 or
carrie@sjsa.org
, for details.
RAISE YOUR HANDS FOR REACH!
If you received this newsletter, you are a sports fan. And, if you are a sports fan, you surely know what a come-from-behind victory feels like – that magical “did-that-really-happen?” euphoria.
Let’s give these students that feeling. Let’s recognize them for what they’ve accomplished thus far while also showing them how much we believe in their futures. In short,
please donate to REACH
and help us tell these extraordinary students,
“WAY TO GO!”
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Meet Devyn, 2019 REACH Youth Scholarship Recipient
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Devyn was awarded a REACH Youth Scholarship in 2019 and is currently in her first year at UC Berkeley. She is pictured below with Honorary Co-Chairs and long-time REACH supporters Ronnie Lott and Brandi Chastain (left). Here’s what she said about the program:
"REACH gave me the platform not only to share my own story but also to stand for countless other survivors of sexual abuse. The scholarship was a blessing that alleviated the weight of guilt and silence that had burdened my life for many years, too.
Being one of the scholarship recipients from my community also allowed me to demonstrate how those of us from East Side San Jose rise from concrete. REACH recognizes the adversity student-athletes may face as well as the grit and resilience it takes to come out thriving.
I am forever grateful to all the people associated with REACH who supported me through one of the most terrifying journeys in my life. Now that I am at Cal, I have a greater appreciation for the efforts of the REACH program and how it makes a difference in higher education for students like myself. I will carry my life-changing experience with REACH forever!"
Additional testimonials and details about REACH are available on the SJSA’s website:
www.sjsa.org/reach
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The Great American 5000 - A Virtual Race Across America
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The Sports Authority has teamed up with the
Sports Backers
(Richmond, VA) to bring the
Great American 5000
to San Jose! The Great American 5000 is a virtual team run from San Francisco to New York – and everywhere in between! Assemble your crew of up to 12 or up to 24 people, run a cumulative 24 hours a day, and start to chip away at the 5,000k (3,107-mile) journey. An online map will track each group’s virtual progress across the country and a leader board will display the standings each day, with groups in open, female, and co-ed categories.
Your team has until September 14 to complete the 5,000k trek – that’s as few as 33.4 miles per day for your team (1.4 for each individual)! Run, walk, hike – it can all count towards your team’s mileage.
The experienced race organizers at the Sports Backers will be with you every step of the way! They can assist by setting up ways for you to stay connected with your team, highlight noteworthy portions of the virtual routes you are completing, and keep track of all the results at the end of each day. Who knew that social distancing could be so much fun!
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How the Race Works
The adventure officially kicks-off on Flag Day, June 14. Teams are limited to a cumulative 24 hours of activity each day. The key will be developing a strategy to maximize your team’s daily mileage while staying within the 24 hour limit. Multiple team members can run at the same time. Teams have until September 14 to complete the 5,000k trek.
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Join the Great American 5000 Today!
*Registration closes on
July 31 at 11:59 p.m.
Entries are non-refundable, non-transferable and cannot be deferred to another year.
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Netflix to Make Film About 1999 USWNT World Cup Champions
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Netflix has scored the rights to develop Jere Longman's book
The Girls of Summer: The US Women’s Soccer Team and How It Changed The World
into a feature film.
The movie will follow the 1999 U.S. women's national team on its journey to winning the Women's World Cup, where Brandi Chastain scored the winning penalty kick to break a 0–0 tie vs. China. A shocked Chastain fell to her knees and ripped her shirt off after the historic moment, which Sports Illustrated captured with its cover photo for the July 19, 1999, issue. The victory catapulted the iconic team, which also included stars Mia Hamm, Carla Overbeck, Julie Foudy, Briana Scurry, into the global spotlight.
The Vice President of Netflix, Tendo Nagenda, shared fond memories of watching the 99ers triumphant journey recalling the team “dominated headlines all summer and turned [Brandi] Chastain, Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm and the rest of the ‘99ers into role models. He continued to praise the team for “propelling women’s leagues forward all over the world, and inspiring an entire generation of young girls to dream bigger, thus paving the way for Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, and so many others to aspire to represent Team USA."
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The San Jose Sports Hall of Fame is Now Available Online
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Established in 1995, the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame honors those who have made extraordinary contributions in the sports world. Each inductee meets at least one of the following criteria:
- Developed his or her skills in Santa Clara County
- Played or coached for a county team or school
- Represented the county as an individual athlete
- Contributed in some extraordinary way to greater San Jose community in a sports-related program or project
Each inductee is recognized with a bronze plaque permanently installed on the concourse at the SAP Center at San Jose. Including the 2019 inductees, there are 114 South Bay sports icons enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
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In addition to the bronze plaques at the SAP Center, the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame is now available to view online at
sjsa.org
under the “
History of the Hall
” tab. The digital SJSHOF features an image of each inductee and a brief summary of their historic careers. The page serves as a virtual museum to learn fast facts about the inductees and view archived photos of the athletes in their prime. Be sure to check out your favorite SJSHOF class or inductee and stay tuned for more content coming soon!
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SJSU AD, Marie Tuite, Named to SVBJ list of 100 "Women of Influence"
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*Full article originally published on 5/22/20 by SJSU, written by Lawrence Fan
San Jose State University's
Marie Tuite
has been named to the 2020 list of 100 "Women of Influence" by the Silicon Valley Business Journal (SVBJ).
Tuite is the university's director of athletics and serves on the San Jose Sports Authority's Board of Directors.
Each year, the SVBJ honors and celebrates the 100 most influential women in Silicon Valley. Honorees have been selected from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors and include leaders in corporations, startups, small businesses, nonprofits, healthcare, education, and community services.
The SVBJ plans to honor its 2020 Women of Influence award winners at an October 15 dinner event. San Jose State University is the only organization this year with two honorees.
From Hall of Fame Student-Athlete to Athletics Director
Tuite, a two-sport student-athlete and Athletics Hall of Fame inductee at Central Michigan University, leads and manages a college athletics program with a $34 million budget that supports 22 sports programs, 490 student-athletes and more than 150 coaches and staff. She is one of only 11 women nationally with the responsibilities of athletics director at a NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institution, the organization's highest level of college athletics competition among 130 colleges and universities nationwide. In addition, she is the only woman with the athletics director leadership position among the seven NCAA Division I FBS schools in California.
"When I read the names of the other nominees and noticed the footprint of their work, I was so honored to be included with these extraordinary women," said Tuite, who leads a program that has earned 10 NCAA team championships and 52 NCAA individual titles over the years. Tuite oversees a population of student-athletes, coaches, and staff members who collectively participate in more than 10,000 hours of community service and campus engagement activities annually.
"I imagine the professional journey for many of the honorees may not always be an easy path to navigate," said Tuite. "So this wonderful acknowledgement serves as a positive beacon for all women from every imaginable background and a reminder to believe and to listen to our inner spirit that speaks to us every day. It's a privilege to stand shoulder to shoulder with these influential women."
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Follow Us on Social Media!
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Upcoming Event Schedule
June 20 (Tentative):
Bocce Battle
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San Jose Sports Authority | info@sjsa.org | www.sjsa.org
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