Naples, FL — March 2, 2026 — VAIR, the official and exclusive sports rating system for pickleball, announced it is finalizing a strategic partnership with a leading Vision AI technology provider to introduce AI-powered video analysis designed to help players better understand their skill level, improve more effectively, and enter the sport with greater confidence.

This initiative explores how artificial intelligence and video analysis can responsibly complement match-result ratings while preserving fairness, accuracy, and trust across the sport.

A Clearer Path for Players

Through this collaboration, VAIR is advancing a smarter onboarding and improvement pathway for players of all levels. Players can now upload gameplay videos directly to VAIR and receive an objective VAIR AI Rating along with detailed performance insights. New users receive one complimentary video analysis, making it easy to understand where they stand and what to focus on next.

Future updates will allow players to submit videos directly through the VAIR app and receive a full breakdown of their performance, including strengths, weaknesses, and targeted improvement areas.

Enhancing Insight While Preserving the Official Rating

VAIR emphasized that official ratings will continue to be generated through its match-results-based system, which remains the sport’s trusted source of truth. AI-powered video analysis will serve as a complementary layer of performance intelligence, helping players better understand the factors influencing their results.

By aligning video-based performance insights with VAIR’s unified rating framework, the initiative reinforces a consistent and transparent standard for player evaluation.

Building Toward a Composite Performance Model

As part of its long-term roadmap, VAIR is developing a composite rating approach that incorporates additional performance inputs alongside match results, including AI-driven video analysis. These inputs aim to provide deeper context around player impact, such as targeting patterns, team influence, and overall contribution beyond the final score.

Over time, this additional insight may further enhance rating accuracy while preserving the foundational role of verified match results.

Commitment to Fairness, Security, and Innovation

VAIR’s video analysis platform is designed with player privacy and data security in mind, delivering objective, unbiased performance insights through proprietary AI technology. The company remains committed to building the most fair, accurate, and trusted rating system in pickleball while responsibly integrating advanced technology to support player development.

ATLANTA, GA — During Mental Health Awareness Month, CAREGD (Culture. Care. Connection.), a culture-forward wellness and social impact brand, led a multi-city Mental Health Check-In Tour across Atlanta and Los Angeles, bringing real conversations and emotional check-ins into spaces where mental health is often overlooked.

From barbershops and basketball courts to fire stations and community events, CAREGD showed up with one clear message: your headspace comes first.

Led by Founder Lisa C. Williams, the tour centered authentic, unscripted moments—some professionally filmed, others captured in raw, phone-shot conversations—prioritizing presence over perfection. CAREGD connected with athletes, barbers, coaches, and first responders to normalize emotional wellness in environments where pressure, performance, and silence often coexist.

“We didn’t need perfect lighting or a full production crew,” said Lisa C. Williams, Founder of CAREGD. “Sometimes it was just me, a mic, and a few young men willing to be honest. Mental Health Month wasn’t about polish—it was about showing up, asking real questions, and holding space where it’s rarely held.”

Where CAREGD Checked In

B.E.S.T. Basketball Program (Building Effective Solutions Together) — Stockbridge, GA
Athletes reflected and recharged in a natural setting, reinforcing that rest is part of performance.
Coach David McRae | bestprogram.me

BallinIsMoney AAU Basketball — Atlanta, GA
High school athletes shared candid interviews while wearing Me 1st. Then Sports merch—reminding them that identity comes before the game.
Coach Avery McGinnis | @ballinismoney_hoops

Barbershop Pop-Ups — Atlanta, GA
In recognition of National Barber Mental Health Month, CAREGD checked in on culture shapers who spend their days checking in on others.
Ike Thomas & Tez Angelo | @tez.angelo

Centric Barber Lounge — Union City, GA
Owner Dre Dennis opened space for honest conversations around pressure, masculinity, and mental health.
@chopgod_ | @centricbarberlounge

Ballislife All-American Games — Long Beach, CA
At Long Beach City College’s Hall of Champions, CAREGD paused the hype to spotlight emotional wellness and headspace.
Matt Rodriguez, CEO | @ballislife

Athlete Wellness Fair — Westlake Village, CA
CAREGD tapped in with Dr. Carrie Hastings, Sports Psychologist for the LA Rams, and Monica Wurst, Yoga and Mindset Coach for elite athletes.
@sportpsychbydrh | @monica.wurst

Firefighter Wellness Tribute — Porter Ranch, CA (Stations 28, 8, 107)
CAREGD closed the month honoring Los Angeles firefighters who battled the 2025 wildfires—heroes carrying visible and invisible weight.
In partnership with @mayweatherfitporterranchca

Featured Interviews & Collaborators

• Devean Walker — LA Valley College Men’s Basketball | @theyyluvdev
• Roberto Bell — Barber | @berto._.bell
• Phillip Johnson — Founder, Black Men Need Hugs | @blkmenneedhugs
• Lisa C. Williams — Founder, CAREGD

Videography Credits

Select footage and interviews were captured by a talented team of visual storytellers who helped bring the movement to life:

• Hassan Wells | @hassanhaze
• Bernard “Nate” Brisbane | @natesoul
• Dez Brown | @dezzy.world

CAREGD thanks them for amplifying the message through authentic, powerful visuals.

About CAREGD

CAREGD (Culture. Care. Connection.) is a national wellness and social impact movement redefining how mental health is understood, experienced, and prioritized—beyond the therapy room and into everyday life. Cultural, not clinical, CAREGD builds emotionally intelligent campaigns such as Checking In – Are You Good?, Me 1st Then Sports, and You Matter More, helping communities interrupt silence before struggle turns into crisis.

Through pop-up activations, peer check-ins, message-driven merchandise, and tech-enabled insight tools, CAREGD turns connection into care—and prevention into practice.

Stay Connected

Instagram: @wearecaregd
Website: www.caregd.org
Email: info@caregd.org
Founder: Lisa C. Williams
Campaign Hashtags: #WeCheckInLoud #Me1stThenSports #YouMatterMore

One of the highlights of this year’s event is the chance to save up to $4,000 on five selected closeout hot tub models. These clearance models combine full spa performance with unbeatable pricing, making them an ideal choice for homeowners who want to enjoy the relaxation of a hot tub without paying full retail. Each model is available only while supplies last, and once they’re gone, they’re gone for good.

In addition to the closeout specials, all spa purchases during the Sierra Vista sale include a $2,080 accessories package at no extra cost. This bundle provides everything needed to start enjoying a new spa right away, including steps, a cover lifter, water care products, and more. The added value ensures buyers are fully set up from day one.

Shoppers will also benefit from factory-direct pricing across the full lineup of spas on display. Sunset Spas is bringing in dozens of models to the parking lot, giving customers the opportunity to browse in person, test seating layouts, and compare features before making a decision. With easy financing options available and immediate delivery on many models, Sunset Spas makes it simple to upgrade any backyard in time for the fall season.

“This is our biggest Sierra Vista event of the year, and it’s the last chance for residents to take advantage of these savings,” said a Sunset Spas spokesperson. “We’re especially excited to feature the $4,000 off deal on five closeout models. For anyone who has been thinking about adding a spa, this is the perfect opportunity to make it happen.”

The Final Days Parking Lot Sale runs through September 29th at 2290 E. Fry Blvd., Sierra Vista.

Are you ready to run faster, longer, and injury-free? In Faster Without Fail, sports chiropractor and veteran marathoner Dr. Leo Kormanik shares his revolutionary approach to achieving optimal running form. Drawing from his personal journey and extensive experience treating runners, Dr. Kormanik provides actionable strategies and insights that have been battle-tested by thousands of his patients.

Dr. Kormanik details proven techniques to prevent and overcome running injuries, the science behind perfecting your running form, customized approaches for runners of all levels, the common pitfalls that hinder performance and how to fix them, and exercises to enhance efficiency and speed.

With a blend of hard science, practical advice, and personal anecdotes, Faster Without Fail is your ultimate guide to running success. Whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or just starting out, this book will empower you to become the best runner you can be.

Dr. Kormanik stated, “Running benefits whoever chooses to partake consistently, but it is hands down the most injurious sport. How can something be so right yet so wrong? Simply put, most of us are doing it wrong. We were all meant to run, but we are all lost on how to do it properly. The running culture has yet to offer an honest solution to this dilemma. Understanding and implementing the principles in this book will be an important step forward in helping you achieve your running goals and enjoy the sport with fewer setbacks.”

When asked about his motivation for writing the book, Dr. Kormanik replied, “This book is meant to empower you. It can initially seem overwhelming since I spend so much time reviewing everything that can be wrong with our running form. This is necessary since it is essential to understand all the common pitfalls adequately. Once we expose the issues, we can build the body back up toward a better-running self. It’s no different from when we remodel a kitchen or a bathroom. We acknowledge all the issues, and then we address them head-on. Things get messy for a bit; then, we get a brand-new kitchen! In the case of running, we get to enjoy the benefits of running faster and staying healthier.” 

The book can be purchased on a special flash sale Monday, October 7, 2024, at: 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DHST4JYD

About Dr. Leo Kormanik

Dr. Leo Kormanik, a former elite distance runner and 2012 Olympic Trials marathon qualifier, turned his passion for overcoming injuries into a career in sports chiropractic. A Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner, he has treated many top-level athletes, including UFC fighters, NFL, MLB, and NHL players, and Olympic medalists. Dr. Leo earned his Doctor of Chiropractic and a Masters in Sports Injury Management from Life University. He founded Ohio Sports Chiropractic in 2012, bringing his expertise to northeast Ohio. As a thought leader, he shares insights on his YouTube channel, Running Rehab, and podcast, Mind Body Marathon. Dr. Leo enjoys running, family time, and new adventures outside his practice.

Growth Zone is a unique platform that brings together like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds to enhance their mental, physical, and financial well-being.

Watch this video on Linkedin to get more details about Growth Zone with Adam Marburger.

Registration is now open at Growth Zone.

Growth Zone: The Concept

In December 2023, Adam Marburger set out to create a space where individuals could come together to grow holistically.

“The best room to be in is the room for self-improvement,” says Marburger, who has a background in martial arts and a passion for personal development. Recognizing the high costs associated with hiring top-tier executive coaches, Marburger wanted to provide an affordable solution without compromising the quality of mentorship and support.

What Growth Zone Offers

Growth Zone meets bi-weekly via Zoom, featuring high-level guest speakers, book discussions, and interactive sessions focused on various aspects of personal growth. The program has already made a significant impact in its first six months, with participants reporting transformative changes in their lives.

“Success is defined differently for everyone, but we all have the same buckets that need watering—faith, family, finances, social circles, health, and mental well-being,” explains Marburger. “Our goal is to help individuals maintain balance across these areas to achieve a fulfilled life.”

Transformative Experiences

One of the standout features of Growth Zone is its inclusive approach. Participants from all walks of life, professions, and age groups come together to share their journeys and support one another. Despite their varied backgrounds and goals, members find common ground in their pursuit of self-improvement.

“The Growth Zone has provided me with incredible joy and fulfillment,” Marburger shares. “Seeing lives change and knowing that I played a part in that transformation is priceless.”

A Personal Mission

For Marburger, the creation of Growth Zone is deeply personal.

“I believe we are called to serve and help others,” he states. “My mission is to develop my team, help the community, and grow individuals into better versions of themselves every day.” This servant leadership mindset is at the heart of Growth Zone’s ethos.

About Adam Marburger

Adam Marburger is a successful entrepreneur with a background in martial arts and a passion for personal development. He has been described as a relentless and ferocious businessman, driven by an indestructible confidence shaped by his martial arts training. Marburger’s commitment to helping others achieve their full potential led to the creation of Growth Zone, a platform that embodies his vision of holistic growth and community support.

Join Growth Zone

 The program is designed to be accessible, providing valuable resources and mentorship at a fraction of the cost of traditional executive coaching.

Watch this video on Linkedin to get more details about Growth Zone with Adam Marburger.

Individuals interested in joining Growth Zone can learn more and sign up. 

‘Why Play Anywhere Else: How We Built Sticks Baseball into a National Brand’ topped Amazon Best Seller lists in the Baseball Coaching category and the number one Hot New Release in Business Systems and Planning and Strategic Management categories. Chase Brewster, acclaimed owner of Sticks Baseball, shares his visionary tale of transformation, triumph, success, and leadership in this captivating book.

In ‘Why Play Anywhere Else,’ Chase Brewster takes readers on a journey through the trials and triumphs of a relentless dreamer in the competitive world of youth baseball. With candor and insight, Brewster invites readers into the heart of his baseball program, Sticks Baseball, and its evolution from a fledgling team to a nationally recognized player placement organization with a sweeping impact.

This book is not just about baseball; it transcends the realm of sports and delves into the realms of leadership, innovation, and the audacious belief that one can set the world ablaze with a single spark of an idea. Brewster’s storytelling captivates with anecdotes, from the inception of his groundbreaking Sticks Fall League to the exhilaration of coaching in prestigious events like the Area Code Games, all while navigating the intricate dynamics of team management and player development.

At the core of Brewster’s journey are ten foundational pillars that he attributes to his success. These pillars, from nurturing curiosity and creativity to the strategic use of time and embracing mentorship, guided him through the complexities of managing and expanding Sticks Baseball Academy. The book serves as a masterclass in transformation, showcasing Brewster’s own transformation from a struggling coach to a visionary leader.

Brewster’s narrative is deeply personal. He shares not only his successes but also bares his soul, revealing the profound moments that define him as both a coach and a person. From the thrill of victories to the agony of unexpected challenges, his story is a vivid reminder that the road to success requires more than just talent—it involves hard work, strategic thinking, and sometimes, a leap into the unknown.

The success of ‘Why Play Anywhere Else’ is a testament to the power of belief, hard work, and community. Brewster expresses his gratitude, saying, “This recognition is not just about me or Sticks Baseball; it’s a testament to the power of belief, hard work, and community. Seeing ‘Why Play Anywhere Else’ resonate with so many is truly humbling. It reaffirms my conviction that with the right mindset and support, anyone can turn their vision into reality.”

Don’t miss the opportunity to delve into this gripping and enlightening book that underscores the importance of dreaming big, the necessity of support systems, and the power of community. ‘Why Play Anywhere Else: How We Built Sticks Baseball into a National Brand’ is not just an homage to the underdog; it’s also a blueprint for trailblazers and a beacon for anyone with a seemingly out-of-reach dream.

‘Why Play Anywhere Else: How We Built Sticks Baseball into a National Brand’ is available now on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1946694657

To learn more about Chase Brewster visit https://Chase-Brewster.com

About Chase Brewster

Chase Brewster, celebrated owner of Sticks Baseball and esteemed coach, is known for his dedication to nurturing young talent through their high school baseball careers and into collegiate and professional opportunities. With a remarkable track record of guiding over 550 players to college baseball and beyond, including 52 drafted athletes, Brewster’s influence extends far beyond the diamond. His commitment to player development and community enrichment in Texarkana and beyond makes him a beacon for aspiring athletes and a valued contributor to the world of baseball.

For the second year in a row, Garrison Phillips showcased his exceptional boxing skills as he earned a spot in the Championship rounds of the highly anticipated Houston Golden Gloves tournament. This year, after a very close split-decision loss in 2023, Phillips’ hand was raised as the Champion for 2024 in the 165 lbs novice division.

The thrilling showdown took place on Sunday, March 3rd, 2024 at the CDM Boxing Arena in Houston, Texas. Representing Main Street Boxing & Muay Thai, Phillips displayed unwavering determination and skill throughout the tournament, proving himself to be a rising contender in the boxing community.

At only 19 years old, Phillips has already made significant strides in his boxing career since he first started training at the age of 14. With a record of 5-2, he continues to challenge himself and push the boundaries of his abilities. His steadfast commitment to the sport has been evident in his relentless pursuit of excellence.

When asked about his win, Phillips stated, “Stay humble in victory and in defeat. Although I won, I feel like there’s a lot of things I have to work on to reach my goals, a lot of errors, and things I need to get fixed in order to get sharper.” This mindset reflects his dedication to continuous improvement and his persistent quest to become a more decorated amateur boxer.

Looking ahead, Phillips has set his sights on achieving even greater heights in the next two years. His goal is to participate in over 20 fights as an amateur before turning professional at the age of 21. With an ambition to become a world champion, Phillips envisions a future where he not only achieves personal success but also becomes a world-class coach, nurturing and guiding aspiring fighters with the same passion and determination that has fueled his own journey.

To witness Garrison Phillips in action and to support his road to the pros, visit Main Street Boxing & Muay Thai in Houston, Texas. For more information about the gym and their training programs, please visit their website at https://www.mainboxinggym.com.

Follow Garrison Phillips on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/garrg0il

The New Balance Future Stars Series (FSS) and Sports Academy have announced they are teaming up in a strategic collaboration to create an unprecedented platform for advancing amateur baseball players across the country. This alliance leverages the strengths of both organizations to fast-track player development and provide a direct path to college baseball and MLB club exposure.

Central to this collaboration is SA Baseball, Sports Academy’s club baseball program, known for its focused approach towards melding elite sports performance with fundamental baseball skills training. SA Baseball stands as more than just a club baseball program; it’s a platform where aspiring baseball athletes can work rigorously to turn their raw talent into refined skill and prepare for success on the bigger stages with the exposure Future Stars Series provides access to.

The collaboration extends to Sports Academy’s travel teams across the country, which will now become affiliates of the Future Stars Series. These affiliated teams and players will receive evaluation and hands-on player development from FSS scouts and staff several times a year. The arrangement also includes participation in Future Stars Series events and access to FSS tech partners like Stack Sports, Pelotero, and Athletes Go Live for a well-rounded development experience.

Chad Faulkner, Sports Academy CEO, said, “We are proud to unveil a pivotal partnership with Sports Academy Baseball (SA Baseball) and Future Stars Series. Sports Academy stands as a beacon of innovation and excellence in human performance and athlete development, operating in full-circle athletic ecosystems that unlock boundless opportunities for all athletes throughout their journey. Our partnership with Future Stars Series, experts in youth baseball development and talent identification, melds our holistic approach to athlete development with their specialized expertise and platform, crafting a pathway where athletic talent is not only recognized but meticulously honed and elevated to meet pinnacles of success. Together, we will forge futures in baseball, ensuring every young athlete can realize their fullest potential on their athletic journey.”

In recent weeks and months, the Future Stars Series and Sports Academy have worked together to identify true FSS partner organizations, like Team Louisiana, NorCal, Trombly, Dallas Patriots, GBSA, Game Prep, Dirtbags, Sandlot, STX Banditos, GPS among others, which excel in player exposure and development programs and are now part of the FSS family. While the FSS Partner Program continues, there will be a strong emphasis on adhering to the event participation criteria for both teams and individual players in the newly formed circuit.

Jeremy Booth, President and CEO of Future Stars Series, expressed, “This alliance marks a pivotal step, reshaping the landscape of amateur baseball once again. It significantly amplifies the opportunities for young athletes to make a real impact and ensures a rewarding return on the investments made by their families toward their growth. Wes Rynders, who was a founding member of the Georgia Bombers and is now with Sports Academy and a Special Assistant to the President with the Future Stars Series, was a key driving force in moving the collaboration forward. He’s someone who has a profound understanding of the game and dedication to nurturing talent, and was instrumental in bridging the visions of both organizations. Together with Sports Academy, we’re not just fostering athletic growth; we’re building a robust platform that propels these promising athletes closer to their dreams of college baseball and MLB club exposure. This synergy is about more than just baseball; it’s about creating a legacy of excellence and opportunities for every aspiring player out there.”

To learn more, visit:

Future Stars Series – https://FutureStarsSeries.com

Sports Academy Baseball –  http://sabaseball.us

About Sports Academy Baseball

SA Baseball, Sports Academy’s club baseball program, is expertly designed to be a convergence point of elite sports performance and baseball skills training. At SA Baseball, we are more than a club baseball program; we are a journey that every aspiring baseball athlete dreams to embark upon, ensuring they are prepared to achieve and exceed their vision of success.

SA Baseball is where raw talent is sculpted into refined skill, ensuring our athletes are prepared and propelled into their future in the sport, embodying the perfect blend of physical prowess, strategic acumen, and the self-confidence to perform under pressure. To learn more visit http://sabaseball.us

About Future Stars Series:
FUTURE STARS SERIES is the Global Initiative of PROGRAM 15 and New Balance Baseball. It boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, whose mission is to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. With a footprint in over 15 countries, participating players have earned signing bonuses well over 100M.  To learn more visit https://futurestarsseries.com

In a move set to revolutionize the sports industry, the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series has entered a long-term agreement with Stack Sports. This far-reaching strategic partnership not only covers baseball and softball but also extends to additional sports in the pipeline.

As part of the agreement, Future Stars Series will integrate the cutting-edge technology platforms from Stack Sports, such as Sports Connect, TeamInn, StackAthlete, Area Code Baseball and GamePlan into its operations to benefit players and families.

1. Simplified Mobile-First Registration: Courtesy of Sports Connect, this feature provides parents and athletes with an easy, mobile-friendly registration process. As an industry leader in creating mobile-first experiences, the Sports Connect team will bolster participation, streamline registration, and simplify club management.
2. Team Travel Simplified with TeamInn: A game-changer in travel planning, TeamInn will optimize the travel journey for both clubs and families, ensuring a seamless experience while on the road.
3. Empowered Athlete Connection via Stack Athlete: Future Stars Series players will now have access to StackAthlete’s robust mobile solutions and recruiting platforms to market themselves directly to college programs using Future Stars Series testing and game result information.
4. Premium Event Collaboration: This partnership paves the way for players to demonstrate their abilities to professional scouts and college coaches, by creating the industry’s best network of events. The teams are looking to collaborate on multiple events including, FSS Regional Events, Area Code ID series, the FSS Signature events at world class MLB stadiums like Fenway Park and Citi Field, as well as the iconic Area Code Games.
5. Data-Driven Performance Insights with GamePlan: GamePlan aggregates and organizes sports data for improved team performance and heightened player exposure. Already implemented at Area Code Baseball Events, and in over 20 MLB clubs, GamePlan will now be a staple at all Future Stars Series events, across individual, travel team, or organized levels.

This collaboration aims to enhance the efforts of Stack Sports and Future Stars Series in fostering player growth through developmental programs, increasing exposure to college and Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs, and streamlining circuits to assist in reliable planning for families, travel organizations, and MLB scouts. It is a significant stride forward in sports development, bringing together the best of technology and sports. It is a testament to the shared vision of New Balance Baseball’s Future Stars Series and Stack Sports to revolutionize the sports industry for the better.

Jeff Young, CEO of Stack Sports said, “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, a testament to our mutual commitment to enhancing baseball at every level. This partnership represents a perfect blend of passion, tradition, and the kind of innovation that Stack Sports technology brings to the table. Together, we’re not just creating the future of baseball; we’re making the game more accessible, dynamic, and rewarding for athletes everywhere. Working with an industry leader, innovator, and thought leader like Jeremy Booth is what makes advancements like this possible.”

Future Stars Series CEO and President, Jeremy Booth said, “This endeavor can only come to fruition through teamwork and vision, and in Stack, we’ve found partners on this journey that can truly change the game. It’s exciting to work with a group that puts people and players first, and the steps forward together will impact us all in a way that will leave us different than when we started.“

The partnership includes coordination of event calendar and player opportunity. This will streamline and improve the amateur baseball landscape with the support of the FSS Advisory Board and MLB clubs.  The Future Stars Series and Stack Sports Partners both shared their perspectives highlighting the strategic importance, shared vision, and anticipated benefits of this momentous collaboration.

“This partnership brings one of the most critical events on the summer showcase circuit for draft prospects in concert with an event series that puts players first. It’s a huge win for scouts, coaches, and most importantly for the best amateur players in the country.“ Keith Law, Writer – The Athletic

“Stack Sports has transformed the landscape of the baseball ecosystem, seamlessly connecting every step of the journey from little league diamonds to the Area Code baseball games and at the highest levels with MLB clubs. Through their cutting-edge technology, they’ve ensured the dream of every aspiring player is just a pitch away, fueling passion and unlocking potential at every turn.” –  Corey Rodriguez, Milwaukee Brewers Supervisor, Scout Teams/West Coast Special Assignment Scout

“A collaboration between the Stack Sports’ powered Area Code Baseball and the Future Stars Series will be a significant positive for baseball moving forward. Players will be able to showcase their talents for professional evaluators and college coaches while minimizing out-of-pocket expenses, while MLB teams will be able to efficiently allocate resources while viewing the best and the brightest.” –  Joe Katuska, Cincinnati Reds Scouting Director

“This is literally a game changer.  The alignment of Future Stars Series and Area Code marks a significant leap in amateur baseball, benefiting all stakeholders. From player development to enhancing player exposure, aiding scouting organizations, and streamlining operations for clubs. I’m excited for what’s to come.” – Dan Nellum, East Coast Crosschecker – Milwaukee Brewers

“The most successful teams in any sport, the ones making deep playoff runs and winning championships, are taking advantage of tools like GamePlan. In this hyper-competitive sports society, you either evolve or you get left behind. The seamless technology and level of support we get from the team at Stack Sports is crucial to our success and what helps us compete at the highest level.” – Rob Smith, Manager, Baseball Video Operations for the Atlanta Braves

“The impact this collaboration will have on the industry is immense. The growth of this particular showcase opportunity and quality in the overall data-gathering efforts will allow for players to maximize their summer process. The Area Code Games are a historic part of the amateur baseball fabric, and the Future Stars Series has done an exemplary job since its inception. I have consulted on this Union between Stack and the Series and am excited for what’s to come for baseball under Jeremy’s leadership.” – Mike Rikard, Red Sox VP of Scouting

Together, Future Stars Series and Stack Sports are paving the way for an enhanced player experience, enabled by this strategic technology and event partnership. Stay tuned for more exciting developments as this collaboration unfolds.

About Stack Sports:
With nearly 50 million users in 35 countries, Stack Sports is a global technology leader in SaaS platform offerings for the sports industry. The company provides world-class software and services to support national governing bodies, youth sports associations, leagues, clubs, parents, coaches, and athletes. Some of the largest and most prominent sports organizations including the U.S. Soccer Federation, Little League Baseball and Softball, and Pop Warner Little Scholars rely on Stack Sports technology to run and manage their organizations.

Stack Sports is headquartered in Dallas and is leading the industry one team at a time focusing on four key pillars — Grassroots Engagement, Participation Growth, Recruiting Pathways, and Elite Player Development. To learn more about how Stack Sports transforms the sports experience, please visit https://stacksports.com.

About Future Stars Series:
FUTURE STARS SERIES is the Global Initiative of PROGRAM 15 and New Balance Baseball. It boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, whose mission is to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. With a footprint in over 15 countries, participating players have earned signing bonuses well over 100M.  To learn more visit https://futurestarsseries.com

‘Inside the Mind of a Scout: What Every Parent Wishes They Knew About the Major League Scouting Process,’ an engaging and comprehensive guide by former Major League baseball scout Jeremy Booth, soared to the #1 Best Seller position in multiple Amazon categories during its official launch on May 22nd. The book has captured the hearts and minds of readers, dominating the Sports & Entertainment Industry, Sociology of Sports, Baseball Coaching, Baseball Statistics, Sports Psychology, and Baseball History categories.

On the book reaching #1, Booth said, “Just writing the book was a significant personal milestone for me. Never in my wildest imagination did I anticipate it becoming a Best Seller. I am deeply grateful to all those who have supported me and embraced the book. It’s truly overwhelming to see how the content has resonated and touched the lives of players and parents. My sincere hope is that the impact of this book continues to spread far and wide, empowering and assisting even more young players in their pursuit of excellence in the world of baseball.”

‘Inside the Mind of a Scout’ offers readers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the intriguing world of baseball scouting. Drawing from his extensive 18-year career as a player, coach, and talent evaluator with esteemed Major League organizations such as the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, and Seattle Mariners, Booth debunks myths and misconceptions, sharing what it truly takes for a player to capture a scout’s attention and be drafted.

Booth’s book equips players and parents with invaluable insights and empowers them to navigate the competitive realm of baseball with confidence. Through heartfelt accounts and personal experiences, the book emphasizes the significance of character evaluation, mental fortitude, and emotional resilience. It provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of what scouts truly seek in players’ positions, alleviating the anxiety often associated with being scouted.

‘Inside the Mind of a Scout’ serves as an indispensable guide, providing practical advice and strategies to players and parents. Booth emphasizes the importance of cherishing the journey and the game itself, while also highlighting the role of mentorship, hard work, and dedication in the pursuit of greatness.

As a former Major League Baseball Scout, Jeremy Booth understands the challenges and aspirations of young athletes. He is on a mission to help amateur players from all walks of life reach their full potential. Through his initiatives, PROGRAM 15 and The Future Stars Series in collaboration with New Balance Baseball, Booth aims to discover and support undiscovered talent and provide them with the guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

‘Inside the Mind of a Scout’ is a must-read for baseball enthusiasts and aspiring players alike. The book unveils the enigmatic world of baseball scouting, revealing the secrets, strategies, and insights that fuel a player’s path to success. From preparing for the next level to continually honing skills, Booth’s invaluable knowledge and tools enable readers to make intelligent choices and maintain a passion for the game.

Experience the thrill of the hunt through the eyes of a professional baseball scout and embrace the grind while savoring the journey. With the right mindset, support, and guidance, readers will be well-prepared to tackle the ultra-competitive world of baseball.

‘Inside the Mind of a Scout’ is available now on Amazon in both paperback and kindle formats at https://amazon.com/dp/B0C5S9TRS3

About Jeremy Booth:

Jeremy Booth is a former Major League Baseball scout with an 18-year career as a player, coach, and talent evaluator, having worked with Major League organizations such as the Minnesota Twins, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Seattle Mariners. He is also a renowned Baseball Analyst for KHOU-TV, the CBS affiliate in Houston, and Co-Host of the Extra Bases Podcast. As the Founder, President and CEO of PROGRAM 15 and The Future Stars Series in collaboration with New Balance Baseball, Booth aims to help amateur players from all backgrounds reach their full potential by providing guidance and mentorship from former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

Location Info:
Moerlein Lager House
115 Joe Nuxhall Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202
+1-513-421-2337

The Future Stars Series, which began in the fall of 2016 as a grassroots initiative to provide amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches – has since emerged as the gold standard for player identification and development events in the amateur baseball world.

Due to incredible public demand for several years, PROGRAM 15 Sports announces the launch of Future Stars Series Softball.

As the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification and Development Program for New Balance Baseball, PROGRAM 15 has been responsible for executing all Future Stars Series events since its inception. Led by President and CEO Jeremy Booth and backed by a staff with decades of Pro Baseball scouting experience, The Future Stars Series has earned a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experience available.

FSS Softball model will mirror the baseball model of individual player selection and promotion, which will lead to a 3-Day Signature Event. Player identification and development events will be scheduled throughout North American regions, including Canada.

Future Stars Series Regional Combine Locations
Los Angeles, CA
Fresno, CA
Houston, TX
Dallas, TX
Las Vegas, NV
Chicago, IL
Akron, OH
Indianapolis, IN
Orlando, FL
Mobile, AL
Philadelphia, PA
Raleigh, NC
Nashville, TN
Oklahoma City, OK
Toronto, ON
Portland, OR
*Dates and exact locations to be released in the coming weeks

Selected players will work with the Future Stars Series Foundation and enhance their brand directly through Future Stars Series Digital. The new series is also expected to work with NCSA for expanded player exposure.

According to Booth, interviews have begun for field development and evaluation staff as well as internal operations leadership.

“We’ve been asked for a while, and I’ve always been a big believer in the timing of things. This is the right time as we take the P15 Sports/FSS model to help and impact the legions of softball players out there grinding every day to achieve their true potential. The pathways into MLB careers have never been more open, and we’re here to help through education, promotion, and most importantly, holistic player growth,” Booth said about the new series.

The rising demand for the organization to step into the softball space is no surprise given the incredible milestones achieved by PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series over the past six years, such as:

• Implementing the PROGRAM 15 model of evaluation and role prediction.
  Developing International, amateur scouting, and player development departments.
• Growing The Future Stars Series footprint to cover 13 countries, impacting over 15,000 athletes throughout the world.
• Spotlighting over 100 MLB Draft Picks and International Signings along with hundreds of college-committed players who have participated in Future Stars Series events.
• The creation and expansion of major Future Stars Series annual events, including the Underclass Elite, Underclass Premier, Fresh 50, World and National Pro Combines, Caribbean Classic, as well as the FSS Main Event, which has been hosted three times at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox and Citifield, home of the New York Mets.

To learn more about Future Stars Series, visit https://FutureStarsSeries.com

ABOUT FUTURE STARS SERIES:
FUTURE STARS SERIES boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.
For more information on the Future Stars Series, visit FutureStarsSeries.com.
Follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

Launched in the fall of 2016 as a grassroots initiative between New Balance Baseball and PROGRAM 15, the Future Stars Series has emerged as the gold standard for player identification and development events in the amateur baseball world.

Led by President and CEO Jeremy Booth and backed by a staff of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches with decades of Pro Baseball scouting experience, Future Stars Series has earned a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experience available.

While Booth’s passion and dedication to the development and discovery of elite amateur players may fuel his vision for the next chapter of the Future Stars Series, he has no hesitation in crediting his highly skilled staff for bringing that vision to life. Continuing his unwavering commitment to changing the game of baseball, Booth announced the following Future Stars Series Staff additions.

Jason A. Churchill – VP of Future Stars Series Digital Content
Churchill will be leading Future Stars Series Digital, working closely with the content and media staff to enhance player exposure and accelerate the organization’s reach in markets around the globe through its digital media channels.

Churchill’s broad experience in all content generation and optimization levels includes Founder of ProspectInsider.com, ESPN analyst, Drive-Time host at CBS Radio, Stats & Insights for FOX Sports, Narrative Engineer & QA at Data Skrive, current host of Baseball Things and publisher of Mariners After Midnight on Substack.

On the addition of Churchill, Booth says, “Jason is a consummate professional with a unique blend of vision and operations understanding. He’s the right and only choice for me to lead the digital model and enhance player and fan experience across all levels of baseball, from the Future Stars Series to the Major Leagues.”

Brady Rodgers – New Balance Future Stars Series Partner Relations
Rodgers is focused on growing and enhancing FSS Partner Organizations from event service to player/organization growth. He will handle team sales, marketing, player development assistance, and player event coordination, ensuring all Partner Organization players can get the most out of the Future Stars Series.

Rodgers is a former MLB player with the Houston Astros. He was drafted twice, once out of Lamar Consolidated HS by Jeremy Booth for the Milwaukee Brewers and once out of Arizona State by the Houston Astros. He is an original Pro Member of PROGRAM 15 player growth and development in 2015 and 2016.

Jeremy Hamilton – Future Stars Series Foundation Director
Hamilton will lead fundraising initiatives, ensure player engagement and entrance, and assist on-site with player development and event operations.

Hamilton was drafted in the 5th round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Phillies out of Wright State, where he earned a degree in Organizational Leadership and was also a member of the USA Baseball National Team. As the Assistant Director at Cincinnati Reds Urban Youth Academy, he worked extensively in their baseball and softball programs.

David Sheaffer – Future Stars Series Digital Social Media Manager
Sheaffer will manage all FSS social media and grow the digital platform across all channels into fully interactive mediums leading to more player exposure and higher engagement and value.

Sheaffer is a former Triple A catcher in the Seattle Mariners Organization. He was drafted out of North Surry HS by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013 and signed with the Mariners in 2018 out of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.  Sheaffer holds a BA in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing and an MBA in International Finance.  He is the son of Future Stars Series field coordinator Danny Sheaffer.

Max Mize – New Balance Future Stars Series Baseball Operations Assistant
Mize works directly with Booth on the role prediction model and data analysis that ties together scouting and player development to ensure that nothing is missed collectively in departmental operations for maximum player growth and pathway enhancement. Mize is a 2016-2017 PROGRAM 15 player alumni and worked as an intern for P15/FSS while playing his entire college career. Mize joins the organization full-time after graduating with an MBA from Lamar University.

Booth said about the new additions, “We’re excited to formalize these positions with the people who have such a passion and drive to impact players and the game as a whole. I’ve known some of these guys for years and have been involved in their own professional growth as players and now scouting and development professionals. I know their work ethic and dedication, so I’m confident in their ability to deliver in all aspects of our core values and, most importantly, to pass those on to the players who participate here.”

ABOUT FUTURE STARS SERIES:
FUTURE STARS SERIES boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.
For more information on the Future Stars Series, visit FutureStarsSeries.com.
Follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

Two Yorkshire men have been competing with artists from all over the world in their second snow sculpture competition this month, completing their creation in record time.

Fitness coach Martin Sharp, from York, and tree surgeon Justin Scott, from Driffield, were pitted against sculptors from Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, France and the United States in the Kiruna International Snow Sculpture Competition 2023. The pair completed their sculpture, known as Figurative Animate X Three, in just two days, which was the new record for the event, which is held 140km north of the Arctic Circle in Swedish Lapland.

The creation – an abstract human figure with three sides – was the second snow sculpture created by the team in January. They had already competed in Shapes in White, an international snow sculpture competition in Austria, where their snow boat called Unsinkable 2 was awarded ninth place.

Martin, who runs the fitness and lifestyle coaching business Sharp Fit For Life, said it was the first time they had entered the Kiruna contest and the experience had been completely different.

The 45-year-old said: “In Austria, we were working on top of a mountain at high altitudes, whereas here we were sculpting in a city with everyday life going on around us. As it was lower altitude, we didn’t get tired as quickly so it felt easier and we were delighted to be the first to finish our sculpture in just two days.

“It took us about 15 or 16 hours in total – the snow was very soft, which meant we could pile through it quickly but the finish wasn’t as crisp as we’d hoped. There has also been a great sense of camaraderie between the sculptors with people sharing ideas and borrowing tools.

“The thing we have really enjoyed is that lots of people have been coming to watch the sculptures take form, including lots of children. There have been school parties coming to take a look and have a go at creating their own smaller snow sculptures and high school students worked with two sculptors to create a play park made out of snow.”

Although the pair weren’t named as the winner or runner-up, they were proud of their efforts and celebrated finishing with some traditional Lapland activities including dog sledding, a skidoo ride and a visit to an ice hotel.

While most personal trainers will be spending January helping their clients stick to their New Year’s Resolutions, Martin Sharp will be taking on a different kind of challenge.  

The York-based fitness coach and business consultant will be taking part in an international snow sculpture competition with Justin Scott, a tree surgeon and gardener from Driffield. The pair will be creating a snow boat called Unsinkable 2, which has been designed by Justin, an experienced and trained sculptor. 

Shapes in White, the 29th international snow sculpture competition, takes place in Silvretta Arena in Ischgl, Austria, from January 8 to 14. It sees artists and sculptors from all over the world turning the piles of snow into masterpieces – some as big as 10 metres high. 

Martin, who runs the fitness and lifestyle coaching business Sharp Fit For Life, said: “I’m really looking forward to the challenge – it’s a great way to start a new year. I started competing with Justin back in 2016 when his original team mate had to pull out at the last minute. 

“I’m not particularly artistic so, at first, I was really just there to shovel snow. Over the years, Justin has taught me a lot about snow sculpture and I’m looking forward to helping make his latest design a reality.”  

Earlier this year, the pair, who first met at Leeds Canoe Club back in 2002, came fourth in the competition. They created a huge snow sculpture of Eddie the Eagle, which was the same size as a double decker bus. 

The new design will be a sailing boat gliding through the snow in the mountains to fit in with the competition theme of future mobility and climate. 

Once their creation is complete, Justin and Martin will go on to compete in another snow sculpture competition in Swedish Lapland, 140km north of the Arctic Circle. It will be the first time the pair will take part in the Kiruna International Snow Sculpture Competition and they will be recreating an abstract bronze sculpture of the human form by Justin using snow. 

Martin added: “We are really excited to be competing in Sweden for the first time. It is a major competition and the snow there is excellent quality so it should be a great experience.” 

The Swedish competition is part of the Kiruna Snow Festival, which takes place from January 25 to 29 and includes a range of other winter activities, including dog sledding, figure skating and the snow blower world championship. 

PROGRAM 15 is proud to announce the Future Stars Series International Week will take place from August 31 through September 3, 2018, at Camelback Ranch-Glendale (Arizona), spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.

Elite players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League Players, Coaches and Scouts will be invited to join either the World (International Players) or National (U.S. Players) Team Rosters and compete at The Future Stars Series International Week.

This highly anticipated annual event featuring top amateur baseball players from Canada, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Japan, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and the USA.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, says, “As we have grown and worked to find and develop talent across the globe in our mission to execute the New Balance Future Stars Series, we have seen increased Major League interest and support from Scouts and player development personnel.

During very recent conversations with the group at Camelback Ranch-Glendale, it became clear that there was a fit with the venue and the timing of the event. We are extremely excited to get to play at Camelback Ranch-Glendale, Spring Training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.”

Zachary Fitzpatrick, Dodgers Coordinator of Amateur Scouting said, “Our scouts have quickly taken notice of the high-end, professional-level talent that Jeremy and his team at PROGRAM 15 have been able to identify, develop, and showcase in a very short time. We’re excited for the opportunity to host a talented group of high-character young men at Camelback Ranch-Glendale this Fall, and to provide a platform for them to compete and improve as they pursue their dreams of playing baseball at the next level.”

The Future Stars Series is the global initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

Amateur players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts and coaches are submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities and potential selection to regional and national team rosters for New Balance sponsored events.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT CAMELBACK RANCH-GLENDALE:
A state-of-the-art baseball facility like no other, Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona is the Spring Training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. Located on 141 acres at 111th Avenue and Camelback Road, this Sonoran Desert-inspired, two-team facility offers baseball fans more than top-quality playing fields and facilities.

The first-rate baseball facility includes more than 118,000 square feet of Major and Minor League clubhouse space, 13 full baseball fields and three half-fields. One of the largest complexes in the Cactus League, Camelback Ranch-Glendale boasts a capacity of 13,000, which includes 3,000 lawn seats, 12 luxury suites, and a party deck. Fans enjoy the ballpark’s modern amenities and design as well as dramatic mountain views that create one of the most inviting Spring Training atmospheres in all of baseball.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Los Angeles, CA – Black People Forward is gearing up for a newly-launched campaign titled, “Checking In, You Good Bro? You Good Sis?” where they will be checking in on the mental health headspace of Black student athletes. BPF provides Wellness programs to help Black Millennials and Gen Zs navigate the choices, challenges and changes they face in today’s world and are seeking donations and partners to launch their programs.

Suicide has become the second leading cause of death among student-athletes. A study carried out by The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) stated that within this group, black student-athletes have a higher chance of committing suicide. That’s because they face separate issues such as racism, inequality, instability at home, economical burdens, and more. Moreover, they are also less likely to seek mental support, further reinforcing this menace.

The Checking In campaign aims to reduce the rising suicide rates among black youth and comes at a critical time. Just in the first half of 2022, Five NCAA student-athletes in less than two months died by suicide.  Black student athletes face their own unique set of challenges, from community trauma and pressure to make it to the league, to ongoing effects of racism.

In 2020/2021, several black student athletes launched a Black Student Athlete Alliance on Predominately White Institutions (PWI) across the country to create a safe space and support one another with the challenges they face that are unique to Black athletes. Each of these alliances is working independently in silos. BPF’s goal is to bring all of the Black college athlete alliances together under one umbrella as well as invite young Black athletes from middle, high schools and travel clubs to join the newly forming National Black Student Athlete Alliance.

Lisa C. Williams, the founder of Black People Forward, said, “We have culturally designed wellness programs for Black student-athletes aimed to heal their heads and hearts, and help them hone in their hustle. We will be pairing the young athletes with their professional athlete heroes through our Dope Wellness Experiences. It’s time for Black people to move forward together.”

Each year, October 6 is celebrated as National Coaches Day along with World Mental Health Day. This year, beginning on National Coaches Day, BPF is asking organizations affiliated with sports or other physical activities to partake in the fundraising campaign with them. BPF is reaching out to coaching associations, athletic directors, professional athletes, gym trainers, and ancillaries to raise money for the new alliance and programs for Black student-athletes.

There are several ways associations and individuals can get involved.

BPF is looking for:

• Coaching and athletic director associations to have their members purchase one of the newly designed coaches Shaper t-shirts or a Black Student Athlete Ambassador t-shirt
• Professional athletes to purchase and wear the Black Student Athlete Ambassador t-shirts
• Sponsor-partners and sports professionals to lead a fundraising team

BPF recognizes coaches and sports instructors as highly qualified teachers and mentors. They help students achieve a better future through their ongoing mentorship of students and athletes. These coaches act as counsellors, mentors, and someone who they can look up to.

“We salute coaches for the positive mentorship of athletes of all ages receive from them. At BPF, we refer to coaches as Shapers. A shaper is an individual who has an impact on who an athlete will become. Coaches and all ancillary professionals involved in a young athlete’s life also have an influence in shaping who they will become. Thank you for being a positive Shaper in student-athletes’ lives.  Coaches of all races are welcomed and invited to join the fundraising efforts,” said Williams.

Two prominent coaches have already stepped up to join the cause raised by BPF to Check-In on Black student-athletes.

Coaches so far include:

Andre Chevalier, head coach of Sierra Canyon High School boys’ basketball team, and coach of Brony James, Lebron James’ son

Dahntay Jones, former professional basketball player, now the assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Contributions will be used to fund efforts to provide mental health programs, empowerment, and support to Black youth and young adults.

Coaching associations and professional athletes are encouraged to support the project.

Supporters can donate to Black People Forward by visiting https://bit.ly/BYlostparent.

For partnership and sponsorship inquiries contact serve@blackpeopleforward.org.

About Black People Forward (BPF)

Black People Forward (BPF) aims to restore racial identity, rebuild emotional wellness, and show Black youth and young adults’ new ways to earn a living (get the bag). We provide culturally focused and evidence-based experiences to help Black youth achieve better outcomes as adults. BPF is a new project, fiscally sponsored by F.L.O.S.S. – F & L Support Services. Donations are tax deductible.

The sixth annual New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Main Event — formerly known as International Week — is set to get underway on Friday, September 23rd at four-time minor-league Ballpark of the Year Dunkin Donuts Park in Hartford, CT, home of the Colorado Rockies Double-A affiliate.

The first of three games is set to get underway at 5:35 PM, and will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN with a big league crew on the call; Mike Ferrin, Jim Duquette and Alanna Rizzo will provide on-site coverage for the Main Event. Access live stream at https://futurestarsseries.com/tv

After drawing rave reviews for his message at the recent Underclass Elite in Frisco, Texas, motivational speaker Stephen Mackey will return to address Main Event players after the game in Hartford.

The event shifts to historic Fenway Park for the final two games on Saturday, with a doubleheader set to get started at 12:15 PM, with first pitch of the second contest slated for 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first.

While there are a ton of highly regarded bats in attendance, a lot of the national focus has been on the pitching, with an extraordinary amount of elite arms set to throw in front of a larger-than-ever guest list of big league executives and scouts throughout the weekend.

Subject to change as always, but the projected pitching matchup for Game 1 in Hartford is a good one, with Ethan Sutton set to start for Navy and Hudson Hamilton taking the ball for White & Red.  Hudson Mattox and Cole Lanford, who led the Underclass Elite event with seven strikeouts, are currently set to pitch in relief of Sutton.  Javi Torres and Jackson Elizondo are slated to follow Hamilton.

Luke McNeillie returns for his second consecutive Main Event, and will have the honor of getting the start at the first game at Fenway Park for Navy, where he’ll be opposed by Zane Adams, who was one of the standouts on the mound at the National Combine in Lake Charles this summer.  Harrison Lewis and Andrew Elkhill will relieve McNeillie, while Brayden Marx and Deegan Cordova will do the same for Adams.

New Jersey’s high school player of the year Alex Kranzler, also a two-time Main Event participant, will get the nod in the finale for Navy, opposed by Jake Brown, who will get the ball for White & Red freshly removed from winning a gold medal with Team USA.  Mac Heuer and Diego Ramos will follow Kranzler, with Cody New and Mason Gerrard set to pitch after Brown.  Additionally, Jevarra Martin and Braison Crews are set to find innings where they can for the Navy squad, while Jake Melvin and Vinny Hudson will also see work on the bump for White & Red.

After going under the “International Week” moniker for the first four years of its existence, this will be the second annual “Main Event,” which makes its return to the home of the Boston Red Sox, who hosted in both 2019 and 2020 before a very successful trip to Citi Field last year.

Regardless of name or venue, the event has helped produce some of the top prospects in baseball, including Grayson Rodriguez (2017), Bo Naylor (2017), Daniel Espino (2018), Zac Veen (2019), Dylan Crews (2019), Ricky Tiedemann (2019), Markevian “Tink” Hence (2019), Mick Abel (2017, 2018, 2019), Braden Montgomery (2020), Edwin Arroyo (2020), Cam Collier (2020, 2021) and seemingly countless others.

Player photos, videos and game highlights will be posted to https://futurestarsseries.com/category/fss-main-event/2022-main-event/

To learn more about Future Stars Series visit https://FutureStarsSeries.com

The New Balance Future Stars Series Underclass Elite event lived up to its name this past weekend.

The second annual installment of the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series event went off without a hitch at Riders Field, home of the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, the Frisco RoughRiders.  Two teams comprised of some of the best sophomores and juniors in the country — as well as one freshman — squared off for three games, starting with a doubleheader on Saturday.

That doubleheader was split — the Navy team won, 6-5, in Game 1, while the White team came back to win Game 2, 5-2, setting the stage for a winner-takes-all Game 3 on Sunday, which was won by the Navy team, 8-5.

All three games were broadcast live on YouTube and will be stored on DAZN as part of the agreement with the live and on-demand streaming service that gives sports fans around the world affordable access to sports anytime, anywhere.  It was a good start to the deal — which continues with a live broadcast on DAZN for the upcoming Main Event at Fenway Park — with a ton of talent on display for 27 innings of some of the best baseball we’ve seen all summer long.

Jeremy Booth, CEO and President of the Future Stars Series, said, “Underclass Elite had some of the best deliveries, strike throwing, execution, breaking balls, and feel to hit with consistent contact I’ve seen at this age group maybe ever… It was a group with building blocks to be very good players, all of which have future roles. Roles mean value, and that value translates into winning games. These are winning players.”

A large number of the players in attendance turned in stellar showings — both on Friday night’s workout and during game action over the weekend — that will both further their prospect status and keep them in the loop with upcoming Future Stars Series events, including Vinny Hudson, Cole Lanford and David Stanley, all of whom will be in attendance at the Main Event as the only underclass players on the rosters.

Several others also made their name in Frisco, with some big moments coming from Mason Middleton, RJ Cope, Trey Markham, Ryley Leininger, Markus Kirksey, Braden Regala, Chris Melvin, Conner Barth, Jake Downing, Shea Braaten, Trip Ancheta, Josiah Romeo and Zachary Gingrich to name a few.

Player photos, videos and game highlights can be seen at https://futurestarsseries.com/category/fss-underclass-elite/2022-underclass-elite/

To learn more about Future Stars Series visit https://FutureStarsSeries.com

The Laser Master LLC doctors designed ReliefNow Laser Methods© to help doctors who already have lasers in their practice to maximize their use and to help others who want to add Class 4 lasers to their practice to do so with ease.

“If you need a Class 4 laser, we will help you get the right one for your
needs,” said Dr. Hanopole, co-founder of Laser Masters LLC, ReliefNow
Laser Methods©.

“It all starts with high-powered Class IV Laser Therapy. This will put you on
a path to success and will ensure you achieve a huge increase in private
pay revenue while delivering your patients an extraordinary result,” said Dr.
Michael Rubenstein, co-founder of Laser Masters, LLC, ReliefNow Laser
Methods©.

“Next, we guide you to create either a sub-brand within your practice, or we
help you create a brand new identity. No matter which path you choose,
you do not need to worry about the overwhelming task of renting or buying
any new space for your Center. Your current practice is the perfect spot,”
added Dr. Hanopole.

“As a ReliefNow Laser Methods© licensed provider, you will learn how to
implement our simple system to add an additional $150k to $250k plus
‘Private Pay’ income to your existing practice,” he said.

“ReliefNow Laser Methods© is ideal to help serve your existing clients
with state-of-the-art laser methods,” added Dr. Rubenstein.

“New patients are attracted to your special laser methods and technology
first in order to avoid more invasive treatments like drugs and surgical
procedures,” he said.

Drs. Hanopole and Rubenstein have created a team to help functional medicine doctors and chiropractors to integrate the cash-based laser program into any current practice.

“Our team will fully integrate the business model for you,” said Dr.
Hanopole.

“Whether you are an experienced laser practitioner or brand new to the
world of Class 4 high-power deep tissue laser therapy, we promise that you
will be amazed at how easy it is to add new income to your practice,” he
said.

To learn more, visit The Laster Masters website or call 888-290-9921.

About Dr. Robert Hanopole, D.C.

Dr. Robert Hanopole attended both the University of Maryland and Life College of Chiropractic in Georgia, graduating as a chiropractor. He’s also Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA) certified through Texas Chiropractic College.

Originally incorporating cold laser into his practice, Dr. Hanopole has now added a high-power deep tissue laser therapy to help heal debilitating injuries. With this new and exciting laser therapy, he is able to help patients heal much faster and more efficiently.

“I’m incredibly rejuvenated and more passionate about chiropractic care than ever before,” he says while explaining the impact the high-power deep tissue laser therapy has on his patients. “The results are mind-blowing.”

Dr. Hanopole often sees those suffering from ailments such as knee injuries, shoulder injuries, rotator cuff injuries, elbow injuries, wrist and hand issues, carpal tunnel syndrome, foot pain, jaw pain, and plantar fasciitis.

About Dr. Michael Rubenstein

Dr. Michael Rubenstein attended Monmouth University and graduated with
a BA degree in Communications. He is a licensed personal trainer under
NASM and earned his doctorate from Life University in Marietta, Georgia.

He is the co-founder of Laser Masters, LLC and practices at Active Life Chiropractic and Wellness, Dr. Mike, and the rest of the team are ready to help you heal in a variety of ways, including chiropractic care, auto accident care, anti-aging, and regenerative medicine, laser therapy, weight loss, and GAINSWave ® sexual wellness.

Top 10 Proven Clinical Benefits of Laser Therapy

1. Anti-Inflammation
Laser therapy dilates the blood vessels, which decreases blood pressure, as well as activates the lymphatic drainage system which drains swollen areas. As a result, there is a reduction in swelling caused by bruising or inflammation.

2. Anti-Pain
Laser therapy has a high beneficial effect on nerve cells which block pain transmitted by these cells to the brain and which decrease nerve sensitivity. Also, due to less inflammation, there is less edema and less pain.

3. Accelerated Tissue Repair  and Cell Growth
Photons of light from lasers penetrate deeply into tissue and accelerate cellular reproduction and growth. The laser light increases the energy available to the cell so that the cell can take on nutrients faster and get rid of waste products.

4. Trigger Points and Acupuncture Points
Laser therapy stimulates muscle trigger points and acupuncture points on a
non-invasive basis providing musculoskeletal pain relief.

5. Increased Metabolic Activity
Laser therapy creates higher outputs of specific enzymes, greater oxygen and food particle loads for blood cells.

6. Reduced Scar Tissue Formation
Laser Therapy reduces the formation of scar tissue following tissue damage from cuts, scratches, burns, or surgery.

7. Improved Vascular Activity
Laser light will significantly increase the formation of new capillaries in damaged tissue which speeds up the healing process, closes wounds quickly, and reduces scar tissue.

8. Improved Nerve Function
Slow recovery of nerve functions in damaged tissue can result in numbness and impaired limbs. Laser light will speed up the regeneration and econnection process and optimize muscle action.

9. Immunoregulation
Laser light has a direct effect on immunity status by stimulation of immunoglobulins and lymphocytes. Laser Therapy is absorbed by molecule enzymes that react to laser light. The enzyme flavomono-nucleotide is activated and starts the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the major carrier of cell energy and the energy source for all chemical reactions in the cells.

10. Faster Wound Healing
Laser light stimulates collagen production in damaged tissue. Collagen is the essential protein required to replace old tissue or to repair tissue injuries.

Traverse is an Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming platform with a global Content Delivery Network. A platform designed for content creators to reach large global audiences on popular platforms, whether on smartphones or T.V., They provide a comprehensive all-in-one technology platform that enables you to start, maintain, and monetize independent Internet T.V. channels on networks distributed across all popular platforms. Combined with their web, mobile, and smart T.V. apps, their state-of-the-art software platform allows everyday video creators to transform their content into full-scale internet T.V. and video-on-demand content to reach to millions of potential viewers quickly.

Traverse Television Network gives a production team complete video content control. It can organize content into Categories, Create and Schedule Live Linear Playlists, Stream Live Broadcasts, and Restream to Social Media sites while providing security for your content and video streams. Content and streams are delivered to several edge networks to maximize the viewer’s experience. For more information, visit https://traversetv.com.

This event is presented by Bigger Than Life Sports & Entertainment and Sweet Science Boxing & MMA.

Bigger Than Life Sports & Entertainment is a full-service entertainment company specializing in Concert Promotion, Public Relations, and Artist Management. That is placing sports and entertainment celebrities at major events worldwide. Their relationships with boxers, famous music artists, and other celebrities help them create exceptional events that will be remembered forever. http://www.biggerthanlifeent.com.

Ejay Mathews, Co-founder of Bigger Than Life Sports and Entertainment LLC, has traveled worldwide, encountering numerous celebrities, including all recent U.S. Presidents: Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and Obama. Also, Don King, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Butch Lewis, Denzel Washington, Randall Cunningham, Eric Dickerson, Magic Johnson, Joe, and Gavin Maloof, former owners of the NBA Sacramento Kings and the world-famous Palms Resort & Casino, and Harry Belafonte.

Sweet Science Boxing & MMA, a dedicated member of USA Boxing and licensed through the California State Athletic Commission, aims to produce high-caliber boxers and MMA fighters. Still, as a community business, they are motivated to inspire and help people get in shape. https://traversetv.tv/https://www.sweetsciencegym.com.

Farmer vs. Bey is a historical event, but what’s it unique is that Bey (23-3-1, 11 knockouts) and Farmer (30-5-1, 6 K.O.’s) set this up themselves. Mickey Bey once held the IBF lightweight title. Tevin Farmer once held the IBF junior lightweight title. Bey hasn’t fought since he dropped a split decision to current lightweight world champion George Kambosos in 2019. Farmer hasn’t fought since he lost the IBF junior lightweight belt to Jo Jo Diaz in 2020. So, naturally, since the pair didn’t have dance partners lining up to fight either of them, they decided on their own to fight each other in a 10-round lightweight bout on August 12, 2022, at the Findlay Toyota Center.

Bey and Farmer made this fight after it came up on social media from former lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez, who thought Farmer should fight Haney. Bey thought Haney was too much for Farmer, but he volunteered himself to fight Farmer. Bey got in touch with one of Farmer’s people; they began talking and, through some contacts, got this venue,

Tevin Farmer – Headliner:

Farmer is an American professional boxer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who held the IBF super featherweight title from 2018 to 2020. Farmer started boxing late as boxers’ age goes. Still, once Tevin began, he moved his career along very fast by fighting more than any other fighter in the boxing business at the time, fighting six professional bouts a year; this is unheard of in this era of boxing today; most fighters are fighting twice in one year, six fights are getting it done. Farmer, who is right-handed but fights in a southpaw stance, is known for his old-school style and slick defensive skills with 37 Bouts, 30 Wins, and 6 K.O.’s—pattering his boxing style after one of the great Southpaws of the 80s, Parnell Whitaker with slick head movement. Now after not fighting for two years cause of the Pandemic. Tevin is excited about returning to the ring to regain his World Title.

Farmer won the IBF Super Featherweight title on August 3, 2018, with a 12-round unanimous decision over former world champion Billy Dib. He went on to make four successful defenses over James Tennyson, Francisco Fonseca, Jono Carroll, and Guillaume Frenois. In his last bout, Farmer dropped his belt to Joseph Diaz Jr. on January 30, 2020. Farmer also has wins over Angelo Ward (1-0), Tim Witherspoon Jr. (6-1-1), Tyrone Luckey (4-1-1)l, Camilo Perez (9-0, Noel Echievarria (11-1), Emanuel Gonzalez (14-0), Viktor Chernous (15-1-1), Angel Luna (10-0-1), Daulis Prescott (30-2, former world champion Gamaliel Diaz, Ivan Redkach (19-1-1), and Dardan Zenunaj (12-2).

Mickey Bey – Headliner

Mickey Bey, A ring veteran of 17 years, started boxing at a much earlier age, a young 8-year-old; he and his brother both fought, and Mickey ended up on the Olympics team even though he did not get a Medal. Bey is a 2x lightweight IBF champion. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, where he made his professional boxing debut at 21 against Shane Gierke. Bey had one set of grandparents who grew up with Don King. His other grandparents grew up with Al Haymon. Those two men are Bey’s inspiration. Bey has fought in 28 professional fights and has a record of 23 wins, three loses, one draw, and one no-contest. And 11 K.O.’s. Bey is also known as a great trainer with lightweight champion Devin Haney amongst others. Mickey Bey found himself on Top of the World.

Bey won the IBF Lightweight title with a 12-round split decision over Miguel Vazquez on September 13, 2014, in Las Vegas. He dropped the title when he lost a split decision to Rances Barthelemy on June 3, 2016. Bey also has wins over Rashad Ganaway (10-1-1), Alejandro Rodriguez (12-3), Jose Herrera Garcia (32-5) and Naim Nelson (12-0). In his last fight, Bey lost a split decision to current undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos on December 14, 2019, in New York.

To read the complete story and background about the dynamics of the fight in Business Innovators Magazine, go to https://businessinnovatorsmagazine.com/major-boxing-event-tevin-farmer-vs-mickey-bey-on-august-12-2022-at-the-findlay-toyota-center-in-prescott-valley-az-will-be-streamed-live-on-redemptionppv-com/2/.

To see the fight on Traverse TV, sign up for Pay-Per-View at Redemptionppv.com.

Since the invention of baseball, the appetite for player memorabilia has grown from a hobby of the die-hard fan to a bonafide investment asset class for serious collectors. Over the last couple of years, the memorabilia business has been rapidly expanding into the metaverse with digital collectibles in the form of NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Since 2019, the meteoric growth of the overall NFT market, which is a subset of the crypto ecosystem, soared from almost nothing to more than $44 billion in 2021.

Deloitte Global predicts that NFTs for sports media will generate more than $2 billion in transactions in 2022, about double the figure for 2021 and by the end of 2022 that 4–5 million sports fans globally will have purchased or been gifted an NFT sports collectible.

With that kind of momentum, it’s no wonder that professional sports organizations like the MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL are enthusiastically embracing NFTs as the next generation of collectibles.

Future Stars Series president and CEO Jeremy Booth is known for pushing the game of baseball and its amateur athletes into new territories through innovation. Recognizing the serendipitous timing of the NFT explosion coinciding with the NCAA rule change allowing college athletes and recruits to benefit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), his team wasted no time creating a groundbreaking platform to provide an entry point for amateur players to build their brands and connect with fans through the creation of digital assets.

Future Stars Series Digital is committed to helping players raise funds to assist with their tuition in the form of college scholarships through the Future Stars Series Foundation by creating value with the digital branding of their likeness in several ways.

In collaboration with Unitos International USA that launched MANAGERNFT fantasy sport play to earn games in blockchain, Future Stars Series Digital has combined the most profitable NFT sectors of Art and Gaming to create a Fantasy League comprised of Future Stars Series players. Players will earn money when fans buy their NFT as collector’s memorabilia.

In addition to NFTs in the fantasy baseball space and premium collectible artwork, players can grow their popularity through Future Stars Series Digital daily podcasts, print media, and soft rankings, which will collectively identify the best players in each grad class or before the draft without a number assigned to them. Players will be selected with an eye on future impact rather than only present numbers.

Commenting on the launch, Booth, who is also the president and CEO of the new Digital platform, said, “The formation of Future Stars Series Digital has been been in the works for quite a while. The how, the why, the when, and the what have all been questions that needed to be answered over the last five years. We’re beyond excited for the value this can bring to the partner organizations, the foundation and its scholarship programs for post-high school students, and the players themselves.”

The reputation the Future Stars Series has built for providing the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available will no doubt follow the organization into the digital realm.

According to insiders, at least 30 past and present Future Stars Series players have already signed on during the digital platform’s pre-launch, with former MLB execs and broadcast personnel, along with veteran sportswriters, slated to join the Future Stars Series Digital team for the podcasts, rankings, and print media as well as player brand growth and identification.

ABOUT FUTURE STARS SERIES:
FUTURE STARS SERIES boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.
For more information on the Future Stars Series, visit FutureStarsSeries.com.
Follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.
Follow Future Stars Series Digital on Twitter @FSS_Digital and Instagram @fssdigital

Learn more about MANAGERNFT at https://managernft.io
Follow on Instagram and Twitter

Kinetic Parking Solutions’ primary focus will be to promote the industry-leading two-tier bike rack, 2ParkUp. Two-tier parking is the ultimate solution to optimize space, creating the most bicycle parking spaces per square foot possible.

The 2ParkUp is a certified and proven solution suited for cyclists ages 8-80. This European/Dutch design is used by millions of people per day and holds the distinguished FietsParKeur Certificate confirming it as one of the finest bicycle parking solutions in the world.

Kinetic Parking Solutions, based in Washington, USA, is a full-service company that designs, supplies, and installs bicycle parking and micro-mobility solutions. Some of their current clients include the City of Los Angeles, City of Long Beach, Texas A & M University, Alliance Residential, Turner Construction, and numerous others across North America.

Elco Gauw, President of Kinetic Parking Solutions, Inc., said, “By adding 2ParkUp to our selection of best of breed solutions, together with Klaver’s complete line of products, we will continue to lead the competitive and rapidly growing North American marketplace.”

Klaver and Kinetic look forward to a long and successful relationship.

For more information:
https://www.kineticbikeparking.com/klaver/

For information on the 2ParkUp bike rack:
Video: https://youtu.be/IAc6n4D1VRI

The Black People Forward project (BPF) and Life After Ball (LAB) will be interviewing athletes about the importance of prioritizing their mental health in honor of April’s National Student Athlete month. The “Me 1st, Then Sports” interview series will allow elite and professional athletes to provide advice and encouragement to student athletes. Interviews will take place on Instagram live and on the iHeart radio show, Business Innovators Radio.

Athletes of all ages are under pressure in many areas. In recent months, high-profile athletes, actresses, political figures, musicians and other influencers have shared stories creating awareness and advocacy for mental health. Olympic, and professional athletes such as Naomi Osaka, Sha’Carri Richardson, Kevin Love, DeMar DeRozan, Serena Williams, Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, Noah Lyles, Simone Manuel, Raven Saunders, Lane Johnson, Brandon Marshall and several NFL players – Dax Prescott, Solomon Thomas, DeMario Davis, D.J. Chark, Adam Thielen have all spoken up about the importance of athletes caring for their mental health.

“I prioritize my well-being above everything, and mental health is equally as important to me as the physical (if not more),” Naomi Osaka said. “As much like I work with a coach on my forehands and backhands, I work with an expert therapist.”

Black athletes face unique challenges. “Black athletes deal with greater life pressures, stigma and today, told to shut up and play. These stressors along with low self-esteem, racism and an unknowing in their identity has caused anxiety, depression and can lead to suicidal thoughts. High school and youth athletes need more support, ” Lisa C. Williams, founder of the Black People Forward Project said.

Up to 35% of elite athletes suffer from mental health related issues. 30% of women and 25% of men who are student-athletes report having anxiety, and only 10% of all college athletes with known mental health conditions seek care from a mental health professional. 78% of racial and ethnic minority student athletes reported some form of mental health related issues. These alarming statistics can be seen in the increasing number of student athletes citing mental health reasons for stepping away or quitting their sport, sometimes at the top of their game.

Twenty-five-year-old tennis player Ash Barty retired in March 2022 while ranked as the No. 1 player in the world, saying she no longer had the “emotional drive” to compete at the top levels.

On March 10, Ohio State football player Harry Miller announced that he was retiring from football, citing mental health reasons. Miller is a straight-A student and likely class valedictorian who helped lead his team to the Georgia 5 state semi-finals his senior season.

The “Me 1^st, Then Sports” campaign will also include interviews with college athletes who started black student-athlete alliances on their campuses in 2020 – standing up for social justice. The Black People Forward Project and Life After Ball are excited to provide Black student athletes with the opportunity to gain valuable experiences interviewing pro athletes as part of this innovative program.

“Sometimes it’s the least likely person you expect to be struggling with their headspace,” Williams added. The “Me 1^st, Then Sports” campaign seeks to provide short interviews to help athletes not give up.

Check out Black Athlete Life and The Life After Ball on Instagram at:
https://instagram.com/blackathletelife

https://instagram.com/thelifeafterball

For more information, or to be considered to be interviewed, email: blackpeopleforwardproject@gmail.com. Donations can be made to: https://bit.ly/bpfdonate.

Contributions to the Black People Forward Project are tax-deductible. The Black People Forward Project is fiscally sponsored by (F.L.O.S.S.) tax identification number is 47-3451951.

About The Black People Forward Project

The Black People Forward Project changes lives nationwide one dinner at a time by improving self-esteem in under-resourced youth. The mission is to positively impact the wellbeing, wellness and wealth of black student-athletes, young black creatives and entrepreneurs. The goal is to become the premier mentoring and mental health experience for Black youth and young adults. Through partnerships with professional sports teams and Black professionals in Sports + Entertainment + Entrepreneurship, The Black People Forward Project will rebirth a positive racial identity in black youth. The project’s focus is to tackle unaddressed trauma, strengthen black youth’s identity and expose them to different ways to earn a living (get the bag) so they can achieve better outcomes as adults.

About Life After Ball

LAB is a nonprofit 501 (c)3 organization that is designed to provide life skills programs for student athletes to help them succeed in life outside of sports through mentorships, education, and community outreach. LAB was designed to help empower athletes to maximize their education and employment opportunities and helps them stride confidently into a dual or post-sports career. It supports athletes at all stages of their career, helping them discover their potential and plan for their life beyond the world of competitive sport through our Core C’s – Connection, Community, Careers, and Counseling.

On February 18, Jaia Thomas, Esq., of Diverse Representation, is hosting the 2022 NBA All-Star Brunch celebrating Black agents, attorneys, managers, publicists and other executives in the industry. The event is sponsored by WarnerMedia, Morgan Stanley Global Sports and Entertainment and Porter Wright. The goal of the event is to provide a powerful opportunity for Black athletes and sports professionals to meet new people, network, share brunch, and learn from a panel of speakers. Brunch will be followed by an insightful conversation about the state of diversity in the sports industry and pathways to ensuring a greater number of professional athletes, teams, leagues, and organizations are hiring and retaining Black professionals. 

One sponsor of this year’s NBA All-Star Brunch is Luke Fedlam, a Partner at Porter Wright. Luke is passionate about supporting black athletes, advisors and sports industry professionals. “Anytime that you can bring together black agents, attorneys, managers, publicists, sports executives throughout the sports industry, it’s going to be a great time. We get involved because voices of black advisors need to be heard and relationships built to maximize the network and wealth of experience that we all have in this space and to help mentor younger professionals who are just getting started in the sports industry.”

Luke and Porter Wright have sponsored this event before, “It’s always like family. We typically will have around a hundred people networking and supporting each other.” He added, “As a partner in the event, we want to help shed light on Black professionals in the sports industry, to be able to help athletes and entertainers who are looking for qualified counsel and advisors who happen to also be black. This is one of those rare opportunities throughout the year to be able to bring a room full of those professionals from across the country together in one space.”

Luke believes in the power of connecting Black athletes to professionals in many different fields that can help them have a successful career during and after their time in the NBA. “Every year I’m always meeting new people. I love being able to build and grow my network, and that can lead to new professional relationships. I go into it from a mindset of, ‘How can I be a resource for other people who might need my services and how can I go find people who can be a resource for the clients that might need their resources?’”

To learn more about Luke Fedlam, Esq. and Event Sponsor Porter Wright visit: https://www.porterwright.com/luke-a-fedlam/

The NBA All-Star Brunch has lined up a powerful and diverse group of speakers to discuss the state of diversity in the sports industry this year.

2022 NBA All-Star Brunch Speakers

Olivia Scarlett, Director of Talent Relations at Turner Sports

Olivia Scarlett is an Emmy Award winning director of talent relations for Turner Sports. Scarlett manages talent requests for show productions, special features and special guest bookings for Turner Sports including NBA and special projects such as Capital One’s The Match and NBA Awards Show, as well as podcasts, digital and social media platforms.

Frederick Nance, Global Managing Partner at Squire Patton Boggs

Frederick R. Nance is the Global Managing Partner at Squire Patton Boggs. Fred has a leadership role in the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives serving as the firm’s Global DEI Counsel. He serves as business counsel to NBA star LeBron James, comedian Dave Chappelle and other notable athletes and entertainers.

Josh Beauregard-Bell, Agent at Octagon Sports

Josh Beauregard-Bell is currently a sports agent within the Basketball Division of Octagon Sports. Josh assists in the management of top NBA players and overseas professional players.

Octavius (Ted) Reid III, Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor with Morgan Stanley

Octavius T. (Ted) Reid, III is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor with Morgan Stanley. As a Morgan Stanley Global Sports and Entertainment Director, he provides financial management services and helps guide many professionals through what can be an incredibly difficult space to navigate.

Event Moderators:

Jaia Thomas, Esq., Founder and CEO of Diverse Representation

Jaia Thomas, Esq. is a sports and entertainment attorney with over fifteen years of experience on both coasts. Her day-to-day consists of structuring, drafting, reviewing, and negotiating an array of agreements relating to the production, distribution, publishing and licensing of television and film content. Her clients range from artists, filmmakers, producers, production companies, social media influencers, and studios.

Luke Fedlam, Esq., Partner at Porter Wright

Luke Fedlam, Esq. is a protector, educator and national resource for athletes at all levels and phases of their career. With nearly 20 years of experience working with athletes, he leads Porter Wright’s Sports Law practice as a non-agent sports attorney.

PROGRAM 15, the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification and Development Program for New Balance Baseball convened for their Future Stars Series organizational meetings in Houston last week to discuss their 2022 events calendar and program expansion details.

What began in the fall of 2016 as a grassroots initiative between New Balance Baseball and PROGRAM 15, the Future Stars Series has emerged as the gold standard for player identification and development events in the amateur baseball world. The organization has put a spotlight on over 70 MLB Draft Picks and International Signings along with hundreds of college-committed players who have participated in Future Stars Series events.

Jeremy Booth, CEO and President of the Future Stars Series, disclosed a preview to sports journalist and the organization’s lead writer Mike Ashmore that promises to make 2022 even bigger and better with the rollout of a new streamlined roadmap for player selections to the organization’s U.S. based signature events.

2022 Future Stars Series National Championships
Returning to Lake Charles, Louisiana this summer, the National Championship Tournaments are set for June 28th through July 24th. The highly anticipated annual event puts the spotlight on P15 Partner Program teams from across North America, crowning a true national champion from each high school age group. Players will be seen by major league scouts and college recruiters, and be evaluated by PROGRAM 15 Scouting staff for potential selection to Future Stars Series invitation-only Scouting and Development events.

2022 Future Stars Series National and Underclass Combines
This year’s National and Underclass Combines will also be held in Lake Charles during the National Championship Tournaments to provide maximum exposure for participating players. These combines serve as the selection round for this year’s U.S.-based Future Stars Series signature events. Participation is by invitation only and will be held the day prior to the National Championship Opening Ceremonies for each age group’s tournament series.

Player selection for this year’s Main Event and Underclass Elite signature events will immediately follow the crowning of the 2023 and 2024 classes National Tournament Champions. New Balance and Marucci are expected to be on-site for custom uniform, bat, and glove fitting for advancing players.

The National Championship Tournaments, as well as the National and Underclass Combines, will be covered by a full broadcast and social media team. Online streaming for the events will be available via GameKast Live.

2022 Future Stars Series Signature 3-Day Events (U.S.)

Main Event – The annual signature event is scheduled to return to Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. Currently set for July 29-31 but subject to change given the fluid nature of the MLB lockout, this invitation-only series features the best and brightest high school players from around the country who have been identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Scouting Staff through the National Combines.

Underclass Elite – The second annual edition of this signature event will feature the top 50 rising juniors and possibly sophomores selected from the Underclass Combines.

Fresh 50 – In its inaugural year, this signature event will showcase 50 rising sophomores and possibly freshmen selected from the Underclass Combines.

Dates and locations for the Underclass Elite and Fresh 50 will be confirmed as COVID restrictions and other factors are being determined. However, insiders are very optimistic for the return of select events to Fenway Park in Boston and a Future Stars Series debut at the famous Jackie Robinson MLB Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida.

Players invited to compete in Future Stars Series Signature 3-day events will receive custom New Balance uniforms, apparel and limited edition, specially designed footwear. Marucci will be providing bats and gloves. Players will also receive G-Form protective gear of their choice, along with Franklin Batting Gloves.

Future Stars Series Foundation
The New Balance Future Stars Series is not just about discovering and developing the MLB Heroes of tomorrow. It’s about finding and developing the leaders of tomorrow by creating real opportunities where they don’t exist today: opportunities for education, opportunities to give back to their community …opportunities for a future.

Made possible through a partnership with the Future Stars Series Foundation, there is no cost to players selected to attend the signature events. Rather than paying a fee for a priceless experience, each player will have the opportunity to ‘give back’ by working with the foundation to raise money and awareness for various causes that directly impact communities.

The Future Stars Series Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable and philanthropic arm of the Future Stars Series. It was created to strengthen the organization’s ongoing commitment to provide all players regardless of background, financial situation, or location an opportunity of a lifetime they may not otherwise be able to afford.

Partner Program Update
A revised all-inclusive partner program is expected to be rolled out beginning the second half of 2022. Although full details have yet to be revealed, one feature has caught the attention of several organizations. While Regional Combines, which are open to players outside of partner programs, will still serve to identify players for potential invitations to National and Underclass Combines, players from partner programs will now be able to bypass the Regional Combine requirement provided they attended their organization’s Future Stars Series Scout Day.

“We’re extremely excited to utilize a model that we believe enhances already strong relationships and helps promote players from partner programs to colleges and all 30 big-league clubs,” said Jeremy Booth, CEO and President of the Future Stars Series.

“We’re grateful for the relationships that allow this to happen as the Future Stars Series initiatives continue to move forward in a big way. We’re doubly excited for our players who have not yet seen the national environment to participate whether with a partner program or not, and to be able to provide events where we can put them in competitive situations and further their development. We’re looking forward to the participation of those particular players before they ultimately return to their respective travel programs.”

To learn more about Future Stars Series visit https://FutureStarsSeries.com

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance Athletics, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for more than 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance MADE U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns and operates four factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 7,000 associates around the globe and in 2020 reported worldwide sales of $3.3 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit https://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

PROGRAM 15 has confirmed that they will be on hand to write scouting reports and add a level of social media exposure for players attending the First Annual Marucci Weekend with The Future Stars Series January 15th – 16th.

Players attending the events will be evaluated by PROGRAM 15 Professional Scouts for potential invitations to upcoming Future Stars Series Player Identification and Development events as well as selecting the Future Stars Series Marucci Weekend Best Prospect.

Marucci Sports social media will be tweeting players identified by PROGRAM 15 scouts in conjunction with Future Stars Series and P15 social media coverage which has reached 42 million unique viewers in 2021.

Backed by decades of Pro Baseball Scouting experience, Future Stars Series Scouting and Evaluation events have built a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available, providing in-depth and credible evaluations that are trusted by Major League scouts and college coaches across the country.

Marucci Sports has been the official equipment provider of bats, fielding gloves, baseballs, catchers gear, and helmets for The Future Stars Series and will continue to expand their reach by providing custom equipment to players participating in Future Stars Series Signature Events – Fresh 50, Underclass Elite, Caribbean Classic, and the Main Event.

The announcement of the Annual Marucci Weekend with The Future Stars Series deepens the relationship between two of the most highly respected organizations in the world of amateur baseball.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT MARUCCI:
Based in Baton Rouge, Marucci was founded by two former Big Leaguers and their athletic trainer who began handcrafting bats for some of the best players in the game from their garage in 2004. Fast forward to today, that dedication to quality and understanding of players’ needs has turned Marucci into an All-American success story. Today, Marucci is the Number One bat in the Big Leagues.

What began in the fall of 2016 as a grassroots initiative between New Balance Baseball and PROGRAM 15 to provide amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches – has quickly emerged as the gold standard for player identification and development events in the amateur baseball world.

PROGRAM 15, the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification and Development Program for New Balance Baseball, has been responsible for executing all Future Stars Series events since its inception. Led by President and CEO Jeremy Booth and backed by P15’s staff with decades of Pro Baseball scouting experience, The Future Stars Series has earned a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experience available.

That’s no surprise given the incredible milestones achieved by PROGRAM 15 over the past five years, such as:

• Implementing the PROGRAM 15 model of evaluation and role prediction.
• Developing International, amateur scouting, and player development departments.
• Growing The Future Stars Series footprint to cover 13 countries, impacting over 15,000 athletes throughout the world.
• Spotlighting over 70 MLB Draft Picks and International Signings along with hundreds of college committed players who have participated in Future Stars Series events.
• The creation and expansion of major Future Stars Series annual events including the Underclass Elite, Fresh 50, World and National Pro Combines as well as the FSS Main Event which has been hosted twice at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox and most recently at Citifield, home of the New York Mets.
• Overseeing the execution of the first baseball game in an MLB park with fans during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
• Opening enrollment for P15 Scout School to develop the next wave of MLB professionals, including the opportunity to join the PROGRAM 15 scouting staff in areas around the country upon completion.
• Creating a Baseball Operations Internship pipeline with MLB to prepare candidates for non-player roles in professional baseball organizations, including Will Scott who recently joined the San Diego Padres as an Area Scout in the Four Corners.
• Rolling out P15 instructs – Premier live and virtual online player development and feedback program welcomed its inaugural class. Players participating in the program can earn invitations to Future Stars Series Signature Events all the way to the Main Event at Citi Field.
• Formation of The Future Stars Series Advisory Board, which includes 28 MLB personnel and their clubs standing with the initiative.

While Booth’s passion and dedication to the development and discovery of elite amateur players may fuel his vision for the next chapter of PROGRAM 15, he has no hesitation in crediting his highly skilled staff for bringing that vision to life. Continuing his unwavering commitment to change the game of baseball, Booth announced the following PROGRAM 15 Baseball Operations Staff Promotions, effective immediately.

Gordon Blakeley – VP of Player Personnel
Blakeley has been with PROGRAM 15 since 2019. Reporting directly to President and CEO Jeremy Booth, he is responsible for player selection and advancement within the Future Stars Series Scouting & Development framework. Blakeley is a 35 year MLB veteran in the executive and scouting departments with the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves. Blakeley has been involved in the scouting, signing, and development of many current and former MLB players such as Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Alfonso Soriano, El Duque Hernandez, Miguel Andujar, Gary Sanchez, Luis Severino, and Ron Acuna. Personally signing 13 players that appeared in MLB All-Star Games, Blakeley has earned five World Series rings and seven American League Championships.

Chris Capozzi – VP of Baseball Operations
Capozzi has been with PROGRAM 15 since 2019. Reporting directly to President and CEO Jeremy Booth, he will assist in the implementation and construction of both individual and team events. With a unique ability to bring lessons from the locker room to the board room, Capozzi is a highly respected consultant, speaker, strategic planner, and seasoned coach on and off the field.

Rick Oliver – VP of Scouting and Player Development
Oliver has been with PROGRAM 15 since 2018. He will oversee the P15 Scouting and Development department along with his role as the main instructor for P15 Scout School as well as lead in selecting the replacement for his previous position as P15 Director of Scouting. Oliver brings 28 years of experience with the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau; 10 years as an area scout, 18 years as the Assistant Director with oversight of amateur scouting, cross-checking, and Scout School, as well as, 11 years as a collegiate coach at University of La Verne, Cal State Fullerton (CWS) and Chapman College. Oliver played four years in the California Angels organization, finishing in Triple-A (PCL Champions).

James Lofton Jr. – Director of Player Development
Lofton has been with PROGRAM 15 since 2019, appearing as a team manager in every FSS Signature Event. He leads the execution of player development for each event, driving the progressive flow and feedback for each player to reach their ceiling. The former Boston Red Sox shortstop spent 15 years in the pros, including the Boston, Baltimore, and Cincinnati minor league systems, as well as in several independent leagues.

Anthony Granato – Field Coordinator
Granato has been with PROGRAM 15 since 2017. Along with his duties as P15’s National Infield Coordinator, Granato works alongside James Lofton Jr. in event flow and combine execution. Granato’s professional baseball career includes 10 years with the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies organizations as well as Independent and International professional baseball leagues.

Jose Silva – International Pitching Coordinator
Silva has been with PROGRAM 15 since 2017. Appearing at all FSS Signature Events, he leads PROGRAM 15 pitching development internationally, contributing as a primary instructor domestically as well. Silva’s professional baseball career includes six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Cincinnati Reds. Silva has represented Mexico as a coach in the 2017 World Baseball Classic and 2020 Summer Olympics.

Jason Phillips – Special Assistant to Player Development, Pitching
Phillips has been with PROGRAM 15 since 2017. Heavily involved in P15 Instructs and player feedback, Phillips attends events domestically and internationally, working with Pitching Coordinators Jose Silva and Stephen Randolph in all major events. Phillips is a former Major League pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians.

Danny Sheaffer – Catching Coordinator
Sheaffer leads catching development through FSS Scouting and Development events and P15 instructs and is a Team Manager at all FSS Signature Events. Sheaffer is a Major League veteran, including seven seasons as a player with the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, and St. Louis Cardinals, and 10 years as a manager and coach in the Minor Leagues with the Tampa Bay Rays and Houston Astros organizations.

Booth said about the promotions, “We’re excited to formalize these positions with the people who have such a hand in the P15/FSS culture and execution of that culture to impact players and the game as a whole. I’m personally thankful for their work ethic and dedication to deliver in all aspects of our core values and, most importantly, to pass those on to the players who participate here. From the beginning of their tenure, this group of professionals has set an example, and I’m able to learn from all of them every day as we set course for the future together.”

To learn more about New Balance Future Stars Series visit https://futurestarsseries.com

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance Athletics, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for more than 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance MADE U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns and operates four factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 7,000 associates around the globe and in 2020 reported worldwide sales of $3.3 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit https://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

What separates great athletes from good athletes goes beyond physical skills, years of dedicated practice, and gifted genetics. While those are certainly important, the best of the best will tell you that mindset and mental preparation played just as important a role as physical preparation in their success.

On a recent episode of Influencers Radio with Jack Mize, Psychologist and Mental Game Coach Dr. Delice Coffey discussed how she is helping junior high, high school, college, and semi-professional basketball players to elevate their game by educating and empowering them to be the best version of themselves so that they can soar to the top in sports and life.

During the interview, Dr. Coffey explained why so many of the greatest athletes attribute mental preparation to their ability to perform at those highest levels, saying, “What separates the good athletes from the elite athletes is their mental game. And what I mean by that is when athletes get to the level where they’ve put in their 10,000 hours, have trained over and over again, and have put in so much time developing their physical skills so they’re super great. But what happens is everyone at that level has put in the time and the work. They’re all great. So, the thing that’s going to separate them is how well they can focus, how well they can maintain composure, and whether they can get that mental edge during very difficult times when the competition is really close. It’s the mindset that will separate them and have the good athletes become great athletes and winning over and over again.”

Dr. Coffey played organized sports in junior high and high school. Having always admired elite athletes and wanting to be one herself, she became an International Table Tennis Champion in college.  After college, she started bodybuilding, eventually switching to powerlifting.  As a result of her ability to focus and visualize what she wanted, she won several local competitions and went on to break ten North Carolina State records, the APA national record, and the APA world record, all while working as a Psychologist in the clinical field.

After doing clinical work for over two decades, Dr. Coffey started studying sports psychology and realized that her natural ability to focus and visualize is a science that can be taught, and she wanted to learn how to teach others.

Today, as the Founder of Living Well n Sport & Life and the D. Coffey Foundation for Athletics and Education, Dr. Coffey specializes in sport and clinical psychology and is dedicated to improving the overall well-being of young athletes, both mentally and physically.

Dr. Coffey is also the author of “An Athlete’s Guide to Peak Performance Series,” which includes two books, “Building Confidence” and “Focus Like A Champion,” as well as “Mindfulness & Guided Imagery Audio.”

To listen to the full interview, visit https://influencersradio.com/dr-delice-coffey

To learn more about Dr. Delice Coffey, visit http://MindsetSportsPsychology.com

R&B Arms in Santa Clarita, CA continues to add new parts, new products, and expand their services to better serve their clients and customers. From custom backplates to hard-to-find parts, custom cerakote, custom stippling, and a number of specialized accessories, beginner to advanced enthusiasts can find what they are looking for at R&B Arms.

In recent years there has been a growing demand for personal protection and support for 2nd Amendment rights. Co-Founders Anthony Russell and Billy Ballard, opened R&B Arms in Santa Clarita to provide a level of service they saw lacking in the industry. Since opening their local shop, they have continued to add new products & services and work to ensure the availability of inventory for their growing list of customers.

“When you want to get something done right or need help finding the right product, come see us.” That’s a common motto of R&B Arms, known for one-of-a-kind custom cerakote applications, custom products, and hard-to-find parts and accessories. “We pride ourselves on quality craftsmanship and offering products that we personally use and stand behind”, says Anthony Russell, co-founder of R&B Arms.

R&B Arms clients can shop available products through their online store or in-person at their Santa Clarita shop located at 25457 Rye Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91355. Anyone looking for something in particular or needing a special order can contact R&B Arms directly at (661) 365-0505, or by emailing Anthony Russell, russell (at) rbarmsusa (dot) com.

With this change in direction, the company is entering a new era of growth and innovation. R&B Arms is constantly innovating and expanding its list of services, which will be aiding them immensely in growing their business in the future. You can learn more about their custom cerakote and product offerings by visiting their website at https://www.rbarmsusa.com/.

Location Info:
R&B Arms
25457 Rye Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91355
+1 (661) 365-0505

PROGRAM 15 and New Balance Baseball continue their unwavering commitment to change the game of baseball, announcing their collaboration with Southern Nevada Preparatory Athletics.

In partnership with Southern Nevada Preps, the New Balance Future Stars Series will identify teams and players across the country to compete in fall tournaments throughout Las Vegas, Arizona, Southern California, Northern California, and the Northwest.

During the fall regional tournaments, elite players will be identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League Players, Coaches, and Scouts to participate in fall signature events this year. Teams from surrounding states will participate in 4 age groups (17/18U, 16U, 15U, 14U) with a 3-game minimum using NHSF Rules.

Southern Nevada Preps will operate tournament events in conjunction with the New Balance Future Stars Series brand in beginning with The Las Vegas Fall Super Regional, which kicks off September 10th with games played at college and high school fields located in the Henderson, Las Vegas, and Southern Nevada area.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series said, “Robert and SNP are professionals. You can feel the energy from the minute he speaks and it’s contagious. We’re looking forward to the relationship and growing together for players on the West Coast for years to come.”

Since its inception in 2016, The New Balance Future Stars Series has impacted over 15,000 athletes all over the world. As the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification and Development Program for New Balance Baseball, PROGRAM 15 is backed by decades of Pro Baseball Scouting experience. Their highly-skilled scouting staff provides amateur players in-depth and credible evaluations they can trust because they are the same credible evaluations that are trusted by Major League scouts and college coaches across the country.

For more information on The New Balance Future Stars Series Las Vegas Fall Super Regional as well as other events visit https://FutureStarsSeries.com

ABOUT SOUTHERN NEVADA PREPARATORY ATHLETICS:
Southern Nevada Preparatory Athletics aims to bring quality baseball league play and tournaments to the Southern Nevada region. SN Preps events provide exceptional competition and positive exposure. To learn more visit https://www.snpreps.com

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance Athletics, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for more than 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance MADE U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns and operates four factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 7,000 associates around the globe and in 2020 reported worldwide sales of $3.3 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit https://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

Chozen Martial Arts Academy has partnered with Adopt a Cop BJJ to provide free Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training to our local law enforcement officers free of charge.

“We teach BJJ to our students for self defense,” owner and Head Instructor Danny Trujillo says. “But police and law enforcement can use the same skills to give them more options to protect and serve our community.”

As police departments nationwide review their training requirements, Brazilian jiu-jitsu has become a prominent part of the conversation. BJJ incorporates a wide array of holds and submission techniques that give officers additional, non-lethal means of addressing resisting suspects while reducing the chances of injury to both parties.

Community leaders nationwide have pushed for police departments to include BJJ requirements to officer training. Former Presidential candidate Andrew Yang has advocated for mandatory BJJ training. In addition, a recently proposed Michigan bill would require Michigan police cadets to obtain their blue belt, the second ranked belt in BJJ after white.

Trujillo shares, “No doubt there are times that higher uses of force are needed, but BJJ can help reduce those instances significantly. Plus, it’s a great workout, which means our law enforcement will be healthier and more fit. It’s a win-win for them and our community.”

For more information or to apply, please contact Heather at 909-599-7511 or go to https://adoptacopbjj.org/pages/officer-application

Chozen Martial Arts Academy serves the communities of La Verne, San Dimas, Glendora, and surrounding areas by providing training in karate, Krav Maga, and BJJ.

Adopt a Cop BJJ is a nonprofit, donation based program that allows active duty patrolling police officer’s around the country to train at any Adopt A Cop BJJ affiliated academy and will pay 100% of the officer’s membership until they reach the rank of Blue belt. 

Location Info:
Chozen Martial Arts Academy
670 Arrow Hwy, La Verne, CA 91750
(909)599-7511

PROGRAM 15 continues to push the game of baseball and its amateur athletes into new territories through innovation by partnering with ProPlayAI as the Official Biomechanics Player Development Partner for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series.

ProPlayAI is a leading human motion intelligence company that brings lab-grade biomechanics data and insights to users’ fingertips through proprietary computer vision software that captures data directly from a smartphone.

“We used to need a full biomechanics lab, or complex multi-camera systems to deliver these types of reports in the past, but with PitchAI – one camera is all we need to deliver an accurate biomechanics assessment to identify deficiencies, strengths, and areas for development in these top prospects.” says ProPlayAI’s Chief Scientist, Dr. Michael Sonne “Working with PROGRAM15 puts the technology in the hands of some of the top prospects, and we’re excited to be a part of their development process- both in practice, bullpens, and games.”

With the new partnership, ProPlayAI Biomechanical analysis feedback will be captured in real-time and incorporated into PROGRAM 15’s player evaluation model for select New Balance Future Stars Series events, including:

NBFSS Regional Combines
NBFSS Underclass Combine
NBFSS National and World Combines
NBFSS Underclass Elite
NBFSS Caribbean Classic
NBFSS Main Event at Fenway Park

PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, Jeremy Booth, says, “We’re excited to take this step with ProPlayerAI toward better analysis designed to be used for player growth. It’s cutting edge technology, and this relationship continues our mission to wade through the noise and ineffectiveness of the market at large and focus on what truly has impact and longevity.”

Players attending New Balance Future Stars Series select events will have ProPlayAI Biomechanical analysis feedback included in their P15 Scouting Reports as well as their player profiles on PROGRAM 15’s proprietary Scouting Database, which is available to college recruiting staff and pro scouts.

PROGRAM 15 Scouting Reports are just one of the reasons Future Stars Series Scouting and Evaluation events have built a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available. Backed by decades of Pro Baseball experience, PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts, and coaches provide in-depth and credible evaluations that are trusted by Major League scouts and college coaches across the country.

ABOUT ProPlayAI:
Based in Toronto, Canada, ProPlayAI is a leading human motion intelligence company that brings lab-grade biomechanics data and insights to the fingertips of users through proprietary computer vision software. For further information or to see ProPlayAI products in action, visit https://proplayai.com/pitchai or contact info@proplayai.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit https://futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2017 reported worldwide sales of $4 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

LYNNFIELD, MA – When he was 12 years old, Matthew Ciampa of Lynnfield had a problem. He lived with a life-threatening peanut allergy and needed to carry allergy medication with him at all times, but his basketball uniform didn’t have any pockets.

Rather than let his allergy sideline him, Ciampa found a solution. He designed an athletic sock with a secure pocket large enough to carry his allergy medication. Then he realized many other children with food allergies would benefit from his socks. According to the Center for Disease Control, eight percent of U.S. children, nearly 6 million kids, have a food allergy.

“For kids with allergies, having an easy way to keep your medication with you offers freedom to pursue all the activities you love,” said Ciampa. “And there is less worry for you and your parents.”

Today, his dream of helping children with allergies across the country is becoming a reality. The trademark for his Treasure Socks was approved in December 2020 and production of the new product is now complete. The socks will retail for $16 and are now available for sale at treasuresocks.com. A portion of the proceeds of Treasure Socks will be donated to the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) to support food allergy research.

Ciampa’s Treasure Socks could be lifesaving. According to FARE, teenagers and young adults with severe allergies are at the highest risk for fatal anaphylaxis because they often forget their medicine, misplace it or simply don’t want carry it all the time. Ciampa knows the ideal situation for people at risk of anaphylaxis is to have their medication physically on them. Yet an alarming study by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Allergy Clinic found that only 40 percent of children with severe food allergies regularly carried their medication with them.

Ciampa, now a 10^th-grader at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts is an honor student, member of the Spire Society and three-sport athlete competing in soccer, basketball and volleyball. He also volunteers in the Children’s Food Allergy Buddies Program at MassGeneral Hospital.

The product launch is the result of four years of planning. Ciampa has been working with a patent attorney, sock manufacturer, Young Entrepreneurs Academy and MassChallenge to bring his idea to market. FARE named him a Rising Young Innovator of the Year finalist, and he presented Treasure Socks at the Teen Summit competition in Newport Beach, California.

For more information, visit TreasureSocks.com, facebook.com/treasuresocks and @treasuresocks on Instagram.

Reporters can schedule an interview with Ciampa by contacting Kathy Ciampa (info@treasuresocks.com) at 617-901-2879.

The Moxie Golf Process helps golfers rediscover their natural athletic ability — instead of focusing on swing mechanics — by offering simple, easy to learn solutions for golfers at all levels, experiencing obstacles in their golf game.

Moxness explained, “There are so many frustrated golfers in the golfing arena because they aren’t achieving the level of play they want. There are also many golfers who experience some form of YIPS in their golfing experience. From my personal playing and teaching experience I believe it is because we as golfers are trying to be perfect instead of using a process to play the game. Moxie Golf teaches a process you can manage without having to master perfection! This process accesses your natural abilities and makes the game of golf fun to play.”

She added, “I have great empathy for golfers as I watch them struggle to make perfect swings, yet they are not achieving success. But there is so much more to golf than a perfect swing! There is a process to enjoyment, freedom and success in all our golfing experiences and I’ve tried to teach others this process so they can get back to enjoying the game!”

Moxness is the best-selling author of Connect The Dots With Mini-Mox, an illustrated instruction book that covers the Moxie Golf philosophy and process. Connect The Dots With Mini-Mox explains how to “simply play simply” by focusing on how to use the golf club to hit great golf shots. It helps readers understand why different shots happen in their golf game and how to fix them. It also helps golfers become consistent in their ball striking by understanding the principles of a good impact position and explains principles of creating more power and distance. Golfers can gain an understanding of how to better control golf shots by practicing with the exercises in the book.

Dr. Claudia Carroll shared, “This is the best and most understandable golf book I’ve ever read. It has improved all aspects of my golf game remarkably. Connect the Dots is totally understandable and simplifies previous complicated techniques of golf. It is a book for all handicappers. It’s the only golf book you’ll ever need in your bag!”

She added, “Barb’s technique of explaining the game of golf is proven with hundreds of her students as well as people who have only read her book. I’m grateful to have found this invaluable golf book. Golf is indeed fun and rewarding again because of incorporating the sage instruction in Barb Moxness’ books, Golf From The Inside Out and Connect the Dots.”

The book is available in print online at:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HGTT1LV $19.95 US.

Tune in and listen to Barb’s interview on Business Innovators radio at:
https://lnkd.in/gmQ4zpr.

About Barb Moxness

Barb Moxness is a LPGA and Legends Tour Golf Professional, and founder of Moxie Golf Academy, based in Rio Verde, Arizona. Moxie Golf Academy offers instruction from two-day golf retreats to individual lessons for golfers of all levels. All instruction is based on the unique “Moxie Golf Process” created Moxness who has been named a Golf Digest “Top Teacher.”

Connect with Barb Moxness via LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/barb-moxness-697a0710/?fbclid=IwAR0m7RsdIQR4kkw8FRSNIy-fpHL9jXYKpINQ1Yz0CBPwnCcTSatvPu4Y2V4.

To learn more about Moxie Golf Academy, visit: http://www.moxiegolfacademy.com.

Jamie Kenny has spent her entire life immersed in the equestrian world. Her company, Spanish Horses For Sale, specialises in PRE (Pura Raza Español) horses. Based in Malaga, in the heart of Andalucia, she is ideally located to find the very best horses in Spain for clients.

Having sourced, evaluated, and exported horses valued from a few thousand euros to a six-figure Grand Prix horse, Jamie understands the importance of correctly assessing a horse before buying it.

“I am always conscious that I am acting for the buyer and not for the seller, so whenever I consider a horse, my first line of thought is whether or not I would buy this horse myself,” Jaime states.

During the interview on Business Innovators, Kenny highlights some of the processes that she goes through:

The first stage is, of course, to check whether the horse is suitable for the client´s needs. There is a world of difference between finding a horse for an amateur looking for a pleasure or trail horse to sourcing a horse for a world-class equestrian looking to compete at Grand Prix.

Having competed herself at national and international levels, she has a wealth of experience that buyers can count on. Whilst putting the horse through its paces, videos are also taken, allowing buyers to see for themselves how the horse performs.

The second stage is checking for vices and potential health problems. This is where particular attention needs to be paid, as sellers may very well not disclose if a horse has any vices. Health problems would include any lumps, bumps, or swellings that the buyer would need to be made aware of.

Only when this is done should a veterinary examination be conducted. This needs to be carried out with an eye to which country the horse will be exported. For example, in Europe, only a health certificate is needed, but for the USA or Australia, a Piroplasmosis test is required.

If the horse passes the full pre-purchase examination by a vet, including X-rays and blood tests, then Kenny will arrange for the transport of the horse to the buyer´s door. She uses a number of companies that specialise in transporting horses by air and that will handle all of the documentation and, if necessary, compliance with any quarantine requirements in the destination country.

Click here to read the full interview with Jamie Kenny on Business Innovators Magazine.

For more information on buying a horse in Spain and the services offered by Spanish Horses For Sale, Jamie Kenny can be contacted by telephone at + 34 622 181 903, by email Jjaspanishhorsesforsale@gmail.com or visit the website www.spanishhorsesforsale.com.

After building his identity as an NFL star, thought leader, sports broadcaster, and entrepreneur, Jordan Babineaux is now receiving accolades as an author. Jordan’s recently released book titled Pivot to Win is receiving high praise in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The book is currently Amazon’s top bestseller in all three countries, including two categories in the United States. Pivot to Win is currently available in Kindle as well as Paperback versions. 

In his book, Jordan shares the challenges he faced while rising through the NFL to fulfill a dream he envisioned as a kid. He talks about the uncomfortable reality of leaving the NFL, starting a broadcast career, and becoming an entrepreneur, consultant, and owner of several businesses. He discusses the adversities he has triumphed over, the hard lessons that he has learned, and things he had to accept to grow.

Jordan also shares:

• How to cultivate the mentality and determination needed to pivot successfully
• Why pivots are hard and what tools people need to persevere
• Why having a Pivot to Win Playbook is critical for anyone who desires greatness

“Pivot to Win is a must-read for anyone pursuing challenging goals, a better life, or a desire to overcome difficult circumstances. Jordan Babineaux shows us how important the inner game is to win—and offers clear, actionable techniques for mastering that game. He does this through a moving memoir that conveys his personal story and the deep motivation he has that fueled his success. Self-knowledge, self-awareness, and self-control are superpowers when it comes to winning, and Babineaux is the motivational coach to help you bring your all to the game,” said Marilyn Gist, Ph.D., former professor, University of Washington and Seattle University, and author of The Extraordinary Power of Leader Humility. 

Jordan comes from the small town of Port Arthur, Texas with an NCAA Division II football career under his belt. While leaving the NFL, he felt like losing his identity along with his jersey. However, with his courage and fierce determination, he was able to avoid the pitfalls that many professional athletes face during transition. Partnering with his brother Jonathan Babineaux, he has built several successful businesses, including a film production company and a Seattle-based transportation service.

To find out more about Jordan and his new book, please visit https://pivottowin.com/

About Jordan Babineaux     

Jordan Babineaux, author of Pivot to Win, transitioned from nearly a decade playing in the NFL to become a sports broadcaster, entrepreneur, and business executive. He currently serves as the “voice” of the Seattle Seahawks on both television and radio, while also helping organizations, teams, and leaders navigate their pivots. Babineaux and his brother Jonathan, former defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons, founded a company that produced several filmed comedy specials as well as the movie Woman Thou Art Loosed. They also launched a specialized car service in Seattle and created the Babineaux Foundation, a nonprofit that gives back to their hometown of Port Arthur, Texas, and contributes to Lupus research. Jordan Babineaux holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Southern Arkansas University and is all set to earn his MBA from Seattle University in 2021. He lives in Seattle with his wife and three children. His new book Pivot to Win is now an Amazon bestseller in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Reed Bilbray
reedb@pivottowin.com

PROGRAM 15 will host two Player Identification events in the eastern and western regions of the US during January and February 2021. PROGRAM 15 CEO/President of Baseball Operations Jeremy Booth, VP of Player Personnel Gordon Blakeley, and Field Coordinator James Lofton will evaluate attendees on behalf of sports management agency Amuse Sports USA to represent players for opportunities to play professional baseball in Asia.

Backed by decades of Pro Baseball Scouting experience, PROGRAM 15’s in-depth and credible evaluations are trusted by Major League scouts and college coaches across the country. The collaboration is a perfect fit with Amuse Sports USA whose client roster includes active players on teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPO), Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), and Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL).

Booth said, “This event is another piece in PROGRAM 15’s vision to enhance evaluation for players across the globe. We’ve never in our lifetime seen times like these, and players are looking for a place to play. When you factor in the loss of Major League Baseball affiliated opportunities, the international market becomes even more attractive for players to enter. We are excited to work with Amuse Sports USA to assist in these opportunities to advance players in their career path.”

Analytical data including video, Blast Motion swing performance metrics, and Scoutcast field performance metrics will be captured on all players attending the events.

High school graduates, current college, as well as professional players are eligible to attend.

Visit https://futurestarsseries.com/p15-amuse-sports-pro-player-id/ for Dates, Locations, and Event registration.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT AMUSE SPORTS USA:
Amuse Sports USA Inc. works closely with Athlete Solution Inc. to offer attentive services that include training and mental care of athletes, agent work such as contract negotiations and domestic and international player transfers, management service such as endorsement deals with brands and media appearances, and life planning for a post-retirement career. For more information on Amuse Sports USA visit https://teamamsports.com/en/

Dean explained: “I have been a prominent martial artist for over 30 years, I have Dan Grades in different martial arts and have been inducted into the UK martial arts hall of fame.  Yet I found there were some aspects of my personality and life that brought me to feel fear.   Yes, believe it or not, I suffered from a sense of fear and anxiety.  So, I studied these sensations and was surprised at my findings which brought about my new system.

I became passionate about health and what I see as its Four Elements that allow us to thrive, they are Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Well Being.   You see, after being told by experts my wife and I could never have kids naturally, I embarked on a path uncovering what true health was, to see if there was another way. It turned out there was, and so our son Sam was conceived naturally.

Whilst I am not decrying the medical profession, it concerned me that sometimes in the west, Clinicians often come up with an opinion based on their understanding of a clinical symptom, rather than that of an individual’s “whole body”, by which I mean an Holistic approach.”

Dean’s system is designed for successful businessmen, entrepreneurs and CEO’s who are stressed, anxious and feel burnt out. The program helps to optimise their health and performance by removing internal self-limiting emotions so that they can relax, feel happy and fulfilled and spend more time with their family.

Coulson went on to say:  “The trouble is that so many men bottle things up and don’t seek help and all this does, is make things worse. I realised how I could use my Martial Arts skills and abilities of self-protection in the way I was able to coach, train and mentor those who are experiencing apprehension, panic attacks and a sudden sense of fear.   If you don’t express yourself, those repressed emotions can present as pain and disease. What I developed was a new way of looking at and tackling these ‘Man Problems’ that really works.”

If you would like to know more about Dean’s Programme contact him on dean (at) deancoulson (dot) co (dot) uk

Active Girls, Healthy Women was originally launched in 2012 and relaunched on May 19, 2020.  It became a number-one best-seller in the United States, Canada, and Australia, and was among the top-five best-sellers in the United Kingdom. The book was a sales leader in categories including “Exercise & Fitness,” “Women’s Health,” “Teen & Young Adult Fitness & Exercise,” “Children’s Fitness,” “Health Reference,” “Aerobics,” and more.  Tran has sold more books than television personality and renowned trainer Jillian Michaels and Olympic gold medalist, Aly Raisman.

Author Mai Tran states that she wrote this book as a response to the obesity epidemic among children in the United States. “One in three American kids is obese and, with so many food options available and a lack of health and physical education in parents, the obesity epidemic expands every year.  This breaks my heart. As adults and parents, we have an obligation to help our children not only be the best versions of themselves but also help them develop healthy eating habits and active lifestyles,” she stated.

“I wrote Active Girls, Healthy Women with one purpose in mind: to help guide our young girls in the direction of building a solid foundation based on health, strength, and fitness so they become healthy, fit, and strong women!” said Tran.

The relaunch of Active Girls, Healthy Women is particularly relevant during the current global health crisis, when many of us—including children—are sheltering in place. As Tran says, “The best thing to do during the COVID-19 pandemic is to remain calm, stay active, and keep our bodies moving! Staying active and exercising is important because, when we exercise, our body releases chemicals called endorphins, which make us feel good. This is what we all need during these challenging and uncertain times—a big dose of endorphins!”

For people currently unable to go to the gym or who don’t feel comfortable yet doing so, Tran’s book is a great option. “The quick and simple exercises in my book can be done at home without any special equipment. Some of the great aerobic exercises that condition all parts of the body are pushups, burpees, planks, alternating Superman, bicycles, cross-body V-ups, crunches, and many various types of lunges.  Additional exercises are included in the book,” she explained.

Active Girls, Healthy Women is available at amazon.com.

About Mai Tran: Mai Tran is an Asian-American author, model, and entrepreneur from Boston, Massachusetts. She went to Boston College and has gone on to become one of the world’s leading fitness professionals. Mai has represented a number of top international sports-nutrition and supplement companies and is the current spokesmodel for Cardillo Weightbelts. She still resides in Boston and spends her time working on her company, FitChic, and a television series project. You can follow Ms. Tran on Instagram, click here.

While almost everywhere is locked-down indoors, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Canadian Basketball Journeys (CBJ) has released Women For The Win, the first in a series of anthology books that include personal stories of perseverance and determination from WNBA & professional players, coaches, and agents, to inspire the next generation of female athletes.

The eBook was published last month and reached International Bestseller status on Amazon, in multiple categories and countries. The book listing page on Amazon continues the bear the coveted #1 Bestseller Orange Flag, a result of achieving THREE #1 best seller positions in Canada, where it was produced.

A softcover print, hardcover print, and audiobook edition of Women For The Win (Volume 1), will be released in the coming months, with plans for alternate-language editions.

Amazon review by Jerry Howarth
“Aycha writes about her feelings so well that every reader will enjoy and learn from them whether they are into sports or not. It’s called life as Aycha shows us how she overcame various adversities to make her the person she is today so positively influencing others. The best way I can sum up Aycha who I have known for years is this: as a person she went from glass half empty to glass half full to now glass overflowing with her most loving heart for others. After reading her story you will be overflowing with praise for her, too.”
– 5.0 out of 5 stars

Opportunities to meet directly with the co-authors begin in early May, with a “Meet the Co-Authors” series beginning May 7 with WNBA Player and Team Canada member, Kayla Alexander.

Register and participate at:
https://www.canadianbasketballjourneys.ca/meet-the-co-authors/

Women For The Win is not just another book, it’s an opportunity to join a family. The Canadian Basketball Journeys “family” is creating active communities, and opportunities for young athletes to connect individually and personally with leading female athletes, coaches, agents, and broadcasters, to inspire and enrich their own journeys into leadership through sports. CBJ is committed to creating initiatives that fosters family involvement and promotes basketball, wellness, and education – these initiatives are funded by the proceeds of books, and event sponsors.
#CBJFamily and #CBJShareYourStory

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Created by Alison Canning and Kevin Wilson, NBYMP
“We intentionally released this book now to give our co-authors an opportunity to connect and listen to families and offer them hope, encouragement and love as a fellow person.”

Foreword by Tariq Sbiet, Founder of North Pole Hoops and CEO, National Preparatory Association

Sharing their own stories of overcoming personal and external challenges and obstacles, the list of coauthors includes:
* Natalie Achonwa, WNBA Player, Team Canada Member, 2x Olympic Athlete
* Kayla Alexander, WNBA Player, Team Canada Member 2021 Olympic Debut, Children’s Book Author
* Bridget Carleton, WNBA Player, Team Canada Member 2021 Olympic Debut
* Aycha Hamaoui-Askarova, Collegiate Coach & Educator, Director of Basketball Development NBYMP
* Alex Kiss-Rusk, Professional Basketball Player, Team Canada Member
* Meghan McPeak, Play-by-Play Broadcaster (WNBA/NBA G-League), Manager Content & Programming MSN
* Mariah Thomas, Professional Basketball Player, Team Canada Member, Founder of Enrich Fit
* Katherine Plouffe, Professional Basketball Player, Team Canada Member
* Micaella Riche, Former Professional Basketball Player, Women’s Basketball Scout & Collegiate Coach Basketball, Operations Manager-Lay Up Youth Bball
* Chantal Vallée, CIS National Champion, Coach Head Coach/General Manager for Men’s CEBL Team (Professional BBall)
* Leisa Washington, WNBA/NBA Basketball Agent, Founder of Camda Sports Foundation

Canadian Basketball Journeys presents “Women For The Win” OFFICIAL Author Intro Video
https://youtu.be/3EEVAAM4_2Y

Interview with Kayla Alexander

CBJ is supported by 6 Canadian provincial basketball associations including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick, with more partnerships anticipated.

CBJ is a collaboration of Kevin Wilson, founder of NBYMP (National Basketball Youth Mentorship Program) and Alison Canning, founder of non profit organization Let’s Get Together.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
“Women for the Win”, is a series of personal stories with potentially transformative tips that promise to educate and empower those who read it. There are 5 more volumes of stories already on the playbook, along with live events and programs to strengthen the connections between readers to the authors.

CBJ is a creative platform that empowers families through stories, perspectives, and love. In partnership with Canada’s most influential and iconic people, CBJ hopes to assist youth and families along their own journey both on-and-off the basketball court.

Through CBJ’s book series, online presence, and events, families can expect a positive, yet thought provoking experience. The “CBJ family” is expanding globally and growing to become an educational platform filled with positivity, love and faith.

The book is available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086SBY5FY and online at https://www.canadianbasketballjourneys.ca/

Jake Rauchbach is recognized as an authority on both mindset and high-performance, Jake’s On-line Training Course provides players, coaches, parents, and teams the blueprint for unlocking mindset and an athlete’s true potential.

Rauchbach has a master’s degree from Temple University, and an M.B.A. from Drexel University, and Business Certification from Cambridge University. He is certified in high-performance.

MindRight Pro is the Leading-Edge of High-Performance Mindfulness training and has been proven repeatedly to help players at the highest levels of basketball statistically improve their games.

The Jake Rauchbach Story:

After suffering a traumatic injury as a young child and experiencing the depression, PTSD, and chronic physical challenges that followed, Jake was forced to reach outside of the box for an effective and repeatable way that gave him relief. As a teenager, he researched, applied, and implemented psychology, sports psychology mindfulness, mental training, and other types of holistic methods.

Drawing upon the most powerful aspects from each modality, Jake discovered a multi-layered process to enable him to feel better. The breakthroughs in his healing journey weren’t just confined to his personal life but also extended to basketball performance.

As he began to train his mind and unpack the trauma he had experienced, Jake’s confidence, focus, and overall basketball performance began to improve on the court.

After his playing career, Jake earned two master’s degrees, received numerous high-performance certifications, and founded the MindRight Pro Coaching Program intending to help other players improve their performance.

Jake’s work has helped athletes of all sports, including Olympians, NFL players, UFC fighters, and College All-American lacrosse and soccer players.

Rauchbach has been around the world and back in search of what the best-of-the-best do to obtain high performance – those who blur the lines between superstardom and supernatural – pushing the boundaries to what we think is impossible – from world champions and Olympians to the hall of fame coaches, mixed-martial artists, actors, to business executives – the planet’s best, those who seemingly bend the laws of physics with their mind.

Throughout this process, Jake has acted as a go-to consultant for NBA, Olympic, EuroLeague, High-Major College, and High-School All-American players, and also consults directly for professional and college teams and head coaches.

The MindRight Pro Program:

The MindRight Pro Program is a multi-layered, systematic approach combining high-performance mindfulness, mental training, and life-skills coaching. It is proven to facilitate statistical performance improvement for players. MindRight Pro teaches and instills foundational mental-skills, life-skills, that can be used throughout a career to navigate on and off-court situations that may arise.

Here is what the professionals are saying about Jake’s Program:

SB Nation calls Jake’s program, “The next frontier in basketball.” Doug Gottlieb says, “The missing link for so many has been found.” Hall of Fame Temple Head Coach Fran Dunphy says, “Jake has unique skills that elevate the overall achievement of a team.” Golden State Warrior Damion Lee says, “MindRight Pro helped me make an NBA team.”

In Europe. Will Cummings, Oldenburg Basketball Club’s leading scorer, and All-Star proclaimed, “Jake helped prepare me to play Pro basketball.” Israeli SuperLeague veteran Tal Dunne, “This is the first time in my career that I don’t get nervous at the foul line.” The 2009 NBA three-point champion and NBA Veteran Daequan Cook said, “It helped me get to the next level.”

Bottom Line Results are based on the holistic player development training; it statistically improves performance and opens the door for players to enhance skill-sets both on the court and within off-court lives. It empowers players and gives them the skills to bypass potentially hazardous situations that may arise throughout a career.

The High-Performance Mindfulness Podcast is Live With Jake Rauchbach!

Jake interviews some of the Top Performing Professionals in The World Of Sports and Performance. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-performance-mindfulness-with-jake-rauchbach/id1498540528

Here are three of the most popular shows:

• Noah Croom, A-General Manager Minnesota Timberwolves (16-19′) Joins the HPM Show! Noah Croom, former Assistant General Manager (Minnesota Timberwolves & Vancouver Grizzlies) and agent joins the HPM show! During his time with the T-Wolves, Noah spearheaded innovative mental health initiatives that served his players…
• Coach Jake & Dr. Erin Shannon (A.K.A the NFL’s Witch Doctor) Set it OFF! Coach Jake Rauchbach and guest Co-Host Dr. Erin Shannon (A.K.A the First woman EVER to grace an NFL sideline, A.K.A The NFL’s Witch Doctor) open the show with backstories, revealing secrets, and powerful mental performance…
• Hue Jackson – Former Head Coach Cleveland Browns & Oakland Raiders joins to breakdown Mental Performance in the NFL! Former Cleveland Browns & Oakland Raiders Head Coach Hue Jackson joins the HPM show to talk Mental Performance & Integrated Player Development. Co-host Dr. Shannon is back to Chop it up with her former boss! Coach Jackson, Dr. Shannon &…

 To learn more about Jake Rauchbach & MindRight Pro LLC go to www.mindrightpro.com. If you would like to reach Jake you can email him at jake.rauchbach@mindrightpro.com

Believe it or not, it’s been 49 years since the NYC Marathon go its feet under it and started running through Central Park with the help of Marathon Co-Founder Vincent Chiappetta (https://blogs.yu.edu/news/vincent-chiappetta-yu-biology-professor-nyc-marathon-co-founder/). Chiappetta arguably one of the most important people in New York City’s running history. He began volunteering at races in 1963, and his running career began at NYU in the mid-1950s. Chiappetta still proudly supports the NYC Marathon runners on race day, though he doesn’t run the race himself anymore. The current organizers of the New York City Marathon have planned a year-long schedule of events—celebrating half century of running—to run throughout 2020. Even though it turns 49 this year, the NYC Marathon and interest in the sport of long-distance running is still going strong. Michael Capiraso, president and CEO of New York Road Runners (NYRR), told Reuters recently, “I think there are more people interested in running a marathon now than there ever have been,” said Capiraso. “From a standpoint of participation and demand, it’s never been stronger certainly for us here in New York.”

Known in long distance running for being a tireless early proponent of allowing women to compete in running sports on an even basis with men, and for embracing the movement to make long distance running a separate sport from track and field, Chiappetta also worked tirelessly over many decades to change the rules of the sport to be more athlete friendly. Key moments in the history of long-distance running and track and field resulted from Vince’s leadership. During his long and respected career, he even got to teach Fred Lebow the sport of long-distance running.

These days Chiappetta may only run a mile or two a day for fun, but he’s still immersed in his passion for the sport of long-distance running in other ways. Currently he is participating in a show called Gotta Run. To date, Gotta Run has recorded 261 full episodes and over 50 Gotta Run with Will Moments. These programs can be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GottaRunWithWill/videos. Gotta Run allows a new generation of long-distance runners to “meet” well-known personalities from the running community and learn how they have used the gift of running to transform their lives and to better the lives of others.

Chiapetta recently released a book of his artwork and poetry  called New York As We Know It. It was a No. 1 Best Seller in Canada and the USA in multiple categories including Running and Jogging, Two-Hour Sports and Outdoor Sports,Poetry, and  Exercise and Fitness. It was a hot new release and is currently availlable at Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/New-York-as-We-Know-ebook/dp/B081H7C24D

Chiappetta is available for interviews. To schedule an interview, please reach out to him at: vincentchiappettabook@gmail.com or chiappet@yu.edu

PROGRAM 15 and New Balance Baseball continue their unwavering commitment to change the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches with the announcement of their collaboration with BASEBALL B.C., the recognized Provincial Sport Organization for amateur baseball in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

BASEBALL B.C. will host Future Stars Series Player Identification and Development events throughout the British Columbia province starting with the February 16th Skills Training & Evaluation Regional Pro Combine in Vancouver.

All players attending Baseball B.C. events will be evaluated by PROGRAM 15 Professional Scouts for selection to attend the Future Stars Series World Combine and potential invitation to join the World Team Roster for the Future Stars Series International Week, the annual signature event of New Balance Baseball and PROGRAM 15 held at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series says, “As the governing body for baseball in British Columbia, Baseball BC is always looking to evolve and grow players in their province. World team Coach Corey Eckstein is a huge believer in them, and the news was met with strong support from Jamie Bodaly with partner program the Langley Blaze. It’s exciting to start this relationship now and watch it grow over time with the integration of several events in BC to help players achieve.”

BASEBALL B.C. staff will use the scouting, developmental, and analytical information provide by PROGRAM 15 to help players grow and advance and potentially in their selection process for the B.C. entry in the Canada Cup Championship event held every summer between the Canadian provinces. Beginning in 2021, BASEBALL B.C. will bring a full team to Florida for the Future Stars Series World Combine event.

Shawn Schaefer, Grassroots Coordinator, BASEBALL B.C. said, “We are looking forward to our partnership with the Future Star Series while bringing developmental and exposure benefits with the goal of long term success to our athletes in British Columbia.”

ABOUT THE BASEBALL B.C.
BASEBALL B.C. (the B.C. Amateur Baseball Association) is the recognized governing body for baseball in British Columbia. Through its programs and leadership, BASEBALL B.C., in cooperation with its affiliates, supports the development of baseball and aspirations of its members by offering opportunities and setting procedures, standards and policies. BASEBALL B.C. is a unified and democratic organization representing and supporting all legitimate systems of baseball and its different sport expressions. To learn more about BASEBALL B.C. visit https://www.baseball.bc.ca

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2017 reported worldwide sales of $4 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

Heather Mowers’ recent release, Confessions Of A Horse Healer, A Journey Into Self-Healing, hit Amazon.com’s best seller list on December 10th, 2019, climbing all the way to number one in the Horse Racing and Equestrian categories in Canada and France.

The book also climbed to number two in the Racing category on Amazon USA.

Mowers’ empowering journey with the horse shows to bring forth an extraordinary level of care for our horses and other animals around us.

In response to the book hitting number one, Mowers stated, “I am excited to have reached the international Best Seller status as I want to reach more people with my message. I’m here to show there is a better way with the horse and it starts with dealing with our own issues. Horses are a mirror of what is going with ourselves. I believe in doing the work, facing our fears and looking at what triggers us so we can further evolve as multi-dimensional beings, healing the soul, mind and body. It’s time to revolutionize the horse industry.”

With the recent controversy around horse training in the media, Confessions Of A Horse Healer addresses a hot topic and a must-read for anyone in the horse industry.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather Mower’s purpose is to bring forth the next level of extraordinary care to horses and humans. She believes there is a better way: moving away from force or dominance into harmony with the horse is a path Heather loves walking.

Heather Mowers shows empaths who work alongside horses how to manage their emotional intelligence through self-awareness and regulation, so they can let go of what is weighing them down and reach their full potential. Her clients become empowered on their journey, bringing their healing gifts into this world without fear so they too can revolutionize the horse industry.

Heather Mowers’ vision is to have more empaths heal any horse or person they come in contact with by just them being themselves. She believes in finding the truth of our “I AM” and values and seeks the truth in everything.

Heather Mowers is the connection catalyst for human and horse, helping horsewomen on a spiritual journey hear both their own voice and the voice of the horse so they can connect in a new awakened relationship. Mowers is a Reiki Master and acupuncturist in the making and brings decades of horse training experience.

To learn more about Heather Mowers, visit https://equineenergysolutions.co/free-offerings/

Confessions Of A Horse Healer A Journey Into Self-Healing is now available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0829G79BF

Yenn Gaines, a husband, father and grandfather spent over 40 days in ICU resulting from the injuries he incurred from being shot at an event. Proceeds from the Girls Winter Basketball Clinic which will be held at Lafayette High School, on Saturday, December 14th, will support their family.

Angela Lewis, former professional basketball player and Saint Louis University standout became friends with Yenn’s wife, LaRoyce, when they participated in the highly selective FOCUS St. Louis Coro Women in Leadership program in 2014.

“LaRoyce always talked about her family. She especially talked about Yenn and what a great man he is. When I heard about what happened, I knew we could use this clinic to be bigger than basketball.”

LaRoyce and Yenn have known each other since middle school, but didn’t reconnect until over a decade later. LaRoyce explains, “Yenn is special because he is so selfless. He consistently puts others before himself. On one of our first dates his grandmother called and needed something from the store and that was the end of our date, but it made me fall in love with him.”

Yenn has worked as a Millwright and in the construction industry for nearly 20 years. Locally, Yenn has worked on several bridges such as the Salisbury, Granite City, Wentzville and the highway 94 bridge to St. Charles. In addition, he has helped build houses in the Winghaven sub-division and worked on the median in Chesterfield.

He traveled the country making sure the turbines in power plants and nuclear power plants were functioning properly, which is a catalyst for the electricity used by consumers daily. Although he was on the road regularly for work, his priorities remained clear.

“Family is everything to me because I grew up with my grandmother. My father was killed at a young age and I never got to meet him. I wanted to make sure that I would always be there for my kids, family and grandkids.”

As the St. Louis region heals from this event and others, Lewis hopes to cultivate a mindset of giving for the 3rd – 8th grade girls who will attend the clinic.

“Everyone can use their gifts and talents to make life better for others in our community. Basketball just happens to be my gift to give.”

Lewis extends her passion for transforming the lives of young people through sports off the court. She has authored multiple books, The Game Changing Assist: Six Simple Ways to Choose Success, Post Moves: The Female Athlete’s Guide to Dominate Life After College and The Fundamental Game Plan: Every Basketball Players Academic and Athletic 12 Week Success Tracker.

The Girls Winter Basketball Clinic will be held on Saturday, December 14th from 9am – 11am at Lafayette High School(Wildwood MO) for 3rd-8th graders and the cost is $30.

To find out more information about the clinic visit angelarlewis.com or call 314-598-7870.

You can also support the Gaines family directly through their GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-yenn .

The clinic is organized by former Saint Louis University basketball standout, Angela Lewis who is friends with Yenn’s wife LaRoyce.

LaRoyce and Angela’s friendship developed when they participated in FOCUS St. Louis’s Coro Women in Leadership program in 2014.

“LaRoyce always talked about her family. She especially talked about Yenn and what a great man he is. When I heard about what happened, I knew we could use this clinic to be bigger than basketball.”

LaRoyce and Yenn have known each other since middle school, but didn’t reconnect until over a decade later. LaRoyce explains, “Yenn is special because he is so selfless. He consistently puts others before himself. On one of our first dates his grandmother called and needed something from the store and that was the end of our date, but it made me fall in love with him.”

Yenn has worked as a Millwright and in the construction industry for nearly 20 years. Locally, Yenn has worked on several bridges such as the Salisbury, Granite City, Wentzville and the highway 94 bridge to St. Charles. In addition, he has helped build houses in the Winghaven sub-division and worked on the median in Chesterfield. 

Often he traveled the country making sure the turbines in power plants and nuclear power plants were functioning properly. Although he traveled often for work he was clear about his priorities. 

“Family is everything to me because I grew up with my grandmother. My father was killed at a young age and I never got to meet him. I wanted to make sure that I would always be there for my kids, family and grandkids.”

As the St. Louis region heals from this event and others, Lewis hopes to cultivate a mindset of giving for the 3rd – 8th grade girls who will be attending the clinic. 

“Everyone can use their gifts and talents to make life better for others in our community. Basketball just happens to be my gift to give.” 

The Girls Winter Basketball Clinic will be held on December 14th from 9am – 11am at Lafayette High School(Wildwood MO) for 3rd-8th graders and the cost is $30.

To find out more information about the clinic visit angelarlewis.com or call 314-598-7870. You can directly support the Gaines family through their GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-yenn. 

The Performance Psychology Center offers in-person and online services to individuals, groups and athletic departments. The PPC specializes in providing tele-mental health (online video and phone meetings), increasing access to services for athletes and professionals. PPC services include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, mental skills training, mental health screenings, educational workshops and consultation with Sports Medicine staff and administrators. The PPC teaches the “Champion’s Mindset” as a framework for going beyond mental toughness toward being mentally trained. In training meetings or in combination with therapy, clients learn to use skills such as breathing, self-talk, and imagery to improve focus, confidence and getting into the zone to perform when it matters most.

“I’ve been working professionally with athletes for 10+ years. I consider it an incredible honor to work with my clients at dynamic and important times in their lives. I am a former college athlete, and as I often tell people, I would do about anything to go back in time and know what I know now and be able to apply it back then. I would have 1) performed better, 2) saved myself a lot of suffering and 3) ultimately had more fun competing. Now that’s my passion, to share the knowledge and expertise from the field of Sport Psychology and my work with athletes over a decade so that they can benefit in their life and sport. My commitment is to athlete well-being first and foremost and my experience proves that peak performance flows from there.” – Dr. Joe Puentes, Clinical and Sport Psychologist, Owner of the Performance Psychology Center.

Clients at the Performance Psychology Center will benefit from meeting with licensed clinicians who understand current and former athletes because they come from athletic backgrounds, were trained in athletic settings and have expertise in Sport and Performance Psychology. Further, accessing Sport Psychology services through the tele-health platform (online video meetings) makes meeting with a trained professional easier and more time-efficient. Clients save time by eliminating commuting and utilizing a more flexible schedule. Additionally, tele-health meetings through the PPC are confidential, secure and HIPPA compliant.

“Dr. Joe Puentes and the Performance Psychology Center (PPC) offer multi-dimensional levels of support for athletes and intercollegiate athletics departments. Working with individual student-athletes, teams, coaching staffs, sports medicine staffs or departments as a whole, PPC focuses on student-athlete wellness and improvement. PPC has the clinical knowledge as well as student-athlete experience behind them to ensure your student-athletes, coaches and staff have the best professional guidance when it comes to mental health and performance improvement.” -Bill Fusco, Former Director of Athletics at Sonoma State University, University of San Francisco and Dominican University.

For athletes at all levels and their caretakers (i.e. coaches, Sports Medicine staff, parents and administrators) the Performance Psychology Center aims to be a valuable resource for mental health and peak performance. Offering therapy, training, and education through in-person and online video meetings give the additional benefit of making it more accessible to meet with licensed therapists with expertise in Sport Psychology.  If you or someone you know would benefit from connecting with the PPC, contact them at info (at) performancepsychologycenter (dot) com or at (707)596-8289. More information & resources can be found by visiting https://www.performancepsychologycenter.com.

Joe Puentes, Psy.D. earned his Doctorate of Psychology in 2011 in Clinical-Community Psychology from the University of La Verne (APA Accredited). He completed his pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Notre Dame (APA Accredited) where he specialized in providing Alcohol and Drug treatment as well as Sport Psychology services to students and student athletes. Dr. Joe is a member of the Redwood Psychology Association, the California Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association, and the Collegiate Clinical Sport Psychology Association.

Location Info:
Performance Psychology Center
2455 Bennett Valley Rd suite b 208, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
(707) 596-8280

The announcer stepped in the ring at 7pm, welcomed the crowd, introduced the first match and two and a half furious hours later the last match was decided and the winners are…. the Corbett family and the Fayetteville community.

Sports are competitive by their very nature and wrestling is no exception. And although there’s a first and second place, when done properly, everybody wins.

As Tim Gallwey, Inner Game of Tennis author turned professional excellence coach says, “Competition is the sincerest form of cooperation.” From that perspective, where the participants force each other to stretch and sweat, demanding higher performance, the first annual Corbett Cup would have to be dubbed a success on many levels.

The Venue

Brainstormed by Senior Fit4Life Manager Scott Mathews, who is a pro wrestler himself, the Corbett Cup was billed as a wrestling entertainment event to support and increase awareness for stem cell research. The recipient of this particular charitable event is the patriarch of the Corbett family to help defray some of the cost of his stem cell treatments.

Toward that end, Scott and his crew invited the pro competitors, had the ring built outside the Fit4Life Health Club Fort Bragg Road location, found the sponsors, sold the tickets and generally handled all the details associated with hosting a large event. One important component of this is the upbeat music that serves from beginning to end as part of the background energy. This element was ably handled by DJ Captn Krunch, a popular local professional music provider. Complementing his energy was a local Polynesian dance group called Alo o pasefika.

When asked about the undertaking, Mathews says, “Ever since I was a kid, while all my friends wanted to be cops, firemen or astronauts, I wanted to become a pro wrestler. I just had a passion for it. I pursued the training, started the journey through competing and now its become a viable part of the community, helping those who need it.”

The Competitors

The Zero Gravity division winner was Rob Killjoy from the Ugly Ducklings out of South Carolina. In the Open Challenge match, second place came with a nasty twist where that participant had to drink a shaker cup full of a sour brew forgotten and left in a car trunk for an undetermined amount of days. Thankfully Mitch Hurley, the “So Cal Knockout”, avoided that by prevailing over his unfortunate foe, Baron Bullard.

In the Heavyweight(really BIG guys) Match between former WWE Superstar Michael Tarver and Joshua Cutshall, Tarver was victorious in a close contest.

The Tag-Team Match featured four fierce, intense competitors when Team Fearless faced down the Airtime Rockers, led by Ryan Mills, Fitness Manager at the Goldsboro Fit4Life.  Scott Mathews and former WCW Superstar ‘Lodi’ comprised the victorious Team Fearless. Goldsboro Fit4Life General Manager, Eric Vaudreuil, was the special referee of the hard-fought match.

The Corbett Cup Rumble was composed of 7 competitors when every 2 minutes a competitor entered the ring. The only way to win this match was through elimination by ejection over the top rope or by pin fall.

Champion of the event, the first Rumble King and Corbett Cup winner is a local wrestler known as D-Mack. Born and raised in Fayetteville, the Champion is an athlete who developed an intense passion for wrestling and now has 20 years of experience under his championship belt.

The Fans

Over 100 enthusiastic, vocal fans cheered wildly for the ‘good’ guys and ‘booed’ the bad guys all the while listening to trash talk among the wrestlers and responding when directed toward the seats. There was quite a range among the ticket holders as exemplified by Jayla, an FTCC intern working at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship close to the venue, who attended with her grandfather.

Jayla summarized the evening this way, “The matches were hard to predict a champion because of the athleticism of these amazing athletes. It was great how there was this banter between the competitors, but also how the wrestlers were energetically interactive with the crowd. My grandfather thought the competitor banter was amusing and he was sure to yell his own suggestions back to the wrestlers. This was a fun, memorable experience for a great cause.”

The Results

Mathews told us that he was happy to use his wrestling platform to reach people, let them take a break from the challenges and issues of daily life and contribute to a worthy charitable event. He said proceeds were still being tallied, but he was confident that the figure they’ll be presenting to the Corbett family will be four figures. He gave a shout-out to the sponsors: Fit4Life Health Clubs, Mid-South Lighting, On Point Realty, Redtro Habitat Sneaker Boutique, ABC Fitness Products, A&D Lawn Mower Repair, Fairway Motors, Steere’s Nutrition, Total Clean, VIP Kitchen, PDQ and Gotcha Back School Kickoff.

The success of the event has already led an interested party to approach Mathews about future events and he is ready to go. He suggests staying tuned to their Wrestling4Life Facebook Page and in the near future many more people will be hearing that very familiar announcement, “In this cornerrr……….”

Social Media: On Instagram: @W4L_Wrestling4life, On Facebook: Wrestling 4 Life, @wrestling4lifeNC, Website: Click Fit4Life Health Clubs Fort Bragg Rd Fayetteville NC.

Location Info:
Fit4Life Health Clubs
2803 Fort Bragg Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28303
(910) 568-5962

The 2019 ATA International World Champions held in Little Rock, AR recently celebrated 50 years of competitions at one of the nation’s most exclusive martial arts tournaments. Over 20,000 competitors, supporters, and spectators were a part of this event including World Conference seminars, a Tournament of Champions, international testing, competitions, and the traditional Master’s Ceremony. 

The ATA tournament of champions brings people together from all over the world to celebrate the discipline of martial arts, make connections, and get inspired by fellow martial arts students and instructors. 

Instructor Jill Cross from Saddle Rock ATA knows how much her students love the ATA World Championships, and is excited about the transition of that energy when they return to the mat at home. One student, 9-year-old Levi, started Taekwondo at age 5 and is now a 2nd-degree black belt. Levi has the heart of a true champion; Instructor Cross has seen that he never gives less than 100% effort and regardless of winning or losing he always stays positive.

Competing in the world championships is a feat on its own, with many martial arts students traveling from around the globe to partake in the ATA International World Championships in Little Rock. Martial artists devote their time and expertise fully to this event and are rewarded with challenging tournaments and connections with their peers. 

“Levi is a kid who makes new friends everywhere he goes and made new friends in every ring he was in at Worlds,” says Cross. “I was so proud of him as I watched him compete.  He won some, he lost some but always walked away with a smile. Levi says he’s going to do Taekwondo until he’s 47. He even says wants to work for me when he grows up!” 

Founded in 1969, ATA is the largest organization in North America dedicated to the discipline of Taekwondo, and the ATA conference is a great way for those who practice martial arts to travel, test their skills in a high-energy environment, and get support from martial artists around the world. 

Saddle Rock ATA regularly hosts free community workshops and events for the public to try martial arts. For more information about classes, email ​info@SaddleRockATA.com or visit https://www.saddlerockata.com/

The Future Stars Series has experienced exponential growth over the last three years. What began as a grassroots effort by New Balance Baseball and PROGRAM 15 to reach as many undiscovered players as possible has grabbed the attention of over 100 of the most respected amateur baseball organizations throughout the US, Canada, and Latin America who have come on board as Regional Directors and Partners.

With growth comes opportunity. PROGRAM 15 has announced the following dates and locations for the upcoming New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Super Regional Tournaments.

Mid-Atlantic Philadelphia, PA Sep 13-15
NorCal Stockton, CA Sep 13-15
Southeast Panama City, FL Sep 20-22
Midwest Joplin, MO Sep 20-22
Southwest Las Vegas, NV Sep 20-22
Florida Cocoa Beach, FL Sep 27-29
Texas Houston, TX Sep 27-29
Great Lakes Joliet, IL Sep 27-29
Ohio Valley Cincinnati, OH Sep 27-29
Northeast Boston, MA Oct 4-6
Gulf Coast Sterlington, La Oct 4-6
Texas Dallas,TX Oct 11-13
Carolinas Cary, NC Oct 19-20
Northwest Portland, OR TBD

More dates and locations will be announced as they are confirmed including events hosted at MLB Urban Youth Academies in Dallas, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series said, “This is the next step in providing a cohesive quality return and analysis for players. Continually seen by MLB scouts and colleges in environments that go beyond the singular event and keeps a development focus for player advancement”.

The invitation-only four-game events will be hosted by PROGRAM 15 Regional Director organizations and feature PROGRAM 15 Partner teams as well as high school age prospective partner programs that have been identified through Future Stars Series Advisory Board members and Partner Events including select MLB Youth Academy teams.

Participation in the Super Regional tournaments will provide players accelerated visibility to the highest echelons of decision-makers at the professional and college baseball levels. Results of the events will be used to seed teams for the 2020 Future Stars series National Championship Trials, where a true national champion will be crowned for each age group.

Tournament logistics for each event will be managed by 2D Baseball in conjunction with FiveTool Baseball Crossroads Baseball, Atlantic Coast Baseball, and Impact Baseball.

PROGRAM 15 professional scouting staff will create Individual Scouting Reports which are made available to college and pro scouts across the country as well as each player through a stored profile on the PROGRAM 15 Proprietary Scouting Database. Select players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts and coaches will be submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities and a potential invitation to join elite players from around the world at the prestigious New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series International Week.

Visit the following websites for Future Stars Series Super Regional Tournaments information and registration.
https://FutureStarsSeries.com
https://www.2dsports.org
https://fivetool.org

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2017 reported worldwide sales of $4 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

The best and brightest amateur baseball talent from Puerto Rico, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, Australia, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, and Venezuela will come together at the Coastal Florida Sports Park, home of the PROGRAM 15 / New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Florida Event Operations in March 2020 for the inaugural Future Stars Series World Combine.

Led by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts, and coaches, Future Stars Series Training and Evaluation Combines have garnered a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series said, “This event is another piece in the vision to enhance player development and evaluation for players across the globe. We’re excited to work with these countries to advance their players and assist in a high return for both players and their future clubs. To bring this volume of players together into one place for all the MLB clubs and colleges to see is going to be a lot of fun along with selecting the world team from this event in conjunction with the advisory board clubs”.

Participation in the World Combine is by invitation only. Elite players will be selected by PROGRAM 15 staff through workouts and player development camps in designated locations throughout the Caribbean and Canada. Additional countries are currently under consideration and will be announced as they are confirmed.

The World Combine will be broadcast globally by FloSports TV, the exclusive Live Streaming and On-Demand Coverage Provider for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series. The event includes a player evaluation and testing day followed by four days of games.

All players will be evaluated by PROGRAM 15 staff for potential invitations to join the 2020 World Team Roster for the Future Stars Series International Week, where they will compete head to head with the National Team at the annual signature event of New Balance Baseball and PROGRAM 15.

PROGRAM 15 and The Future Stars Series has built solid joint venture and sponsorship relationships with several undisputed global brand leaders in amateur and Major League Baseball, which will be involved in this highly anticipated event, including New Balance Baseball, Franklin Sports, Vizual Edge, Diamond Kinetics, Monsterful, Motus, Torch Eyewear and G-Form.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2017 reported worldwide sales of $4 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

PROGRAM 15 and the New Balance Future Stars Series is taking their commitment to “Developing The Stars of Tomorrow” beyond on-field amateur baseball talent with the announcement of a new Baseball Operations Internship Program.

Led by Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, the internship is designed to provide a foundation for Major League Baseball careers in the roles of player evaluation, development, analytics, and baseball operations.

The first round of intern candidates were selected after Booth met with longtime colleague Tyrone Brooks, Senior Director, Front Office and Field Staff Diversity Pipeline Program at Major League Baseball for his recommendations to the program.

Booth says, “We’re very fortunate to have such qualified candidates. I remember what it’s like to want to work in baseball in ways other than playing. So much can help that process and accelerate a person’s growth by solidifying the foundation. Since my first year scouting, I’ve been a part of the Buck O’Neil Scouts and Coaches Association. In addition to Tyrone, Future Stars Series Advisory Board members Junior Vizcaino, Danny Montgomery, Kevin Bootay, Bobby Heck, Arnold Braithwaite and Dan Nellum are members as well. The message there has always been to pay it forward to the next wave and make it better, and if we can be a help to these young minds then we’re all in”.

Each intern candidate, which include former pro and college players along with those with analytic backgrounds, was vetted thoroughly by PROGRAM 15 with Brooks and Future Stars Series Advisory Board clubs. There are both short and long term opportunities available based on each candidate’s goals, development curve, and long term goals in baseball. Interns will be present with scouts and development staff at events and partner events across the country.

Kevin Bootay, Major League Scout with the Miami Marlins said, “Baseball is at a crossroads where the new generation of players, coaches and scouts should have a sense of the history of baseball as well as the feel and instincts to play the game. It is incumbent on mentors to pass this along to this new generation. PROGRAM 15 is at the forefront of this mission of sharing that knowledge.”

Future internship opportunities for college students as well as masters grads seeking a career in professional baseball operations are in development.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2017 reported worldwide sales of $4 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

PROGRAM 15 Scouting Reports are just one of the reasons Future Stars Series Scouting and Evaluation events have built a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available.

Backed by decades of Pro Baseball Scouting experience, PROGRAM 15 ’s highly skilled scouting staff provides amateur players in-depth and credible evaluations they can trust, because they are the same credible evaluations that are trusted by Major League scouts and college coaches across the country.

NY Mets Scouting Director, Marc Tramuta stated, “The evaluation staff at the PROGRAM 15 has had their credibility tested daily throughout Major League Baseball. Reading their reports and discussing the players with them directly leaves little doubt as to what you’ll be seeing. It’s easy to look forward to the Future Stars Series Events and the players in them.”

The following former Professional Scouts and Major League veterans have been added to the PROGRAM 15 Scouting Staff and will be covering New Balance Future Stars Series Regional, National and International Player Evaluation events.

Gordon Blakeley – Southeast US and International Scout
Gordon is a 35 year MLB executive with the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves as area scout, national cross checker, Director of Professional Scouting, Assistant to General Manager, and Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations. Has been involved in the Scouting, Signing, and Development of many current MLB players such as Alex Rodriguez,David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Alfonso Soriano, El Duque Hernandez, Miguel Andujar, Gary Sanchez, Luis Severino and Ron Acuna. Blakeley personally signed 13 players that appeared in MLB All-Star Games. He is a New York Yankees executive with 5 WS rings from 1996, 1997-1999, and 2009 and 7 American League Championships.

Ben Moore – Pacific Rim Scout
Ben grew up playing baseball in the capital city of Australia, Canberra, and was one of the youngest players ever to sign a baseball contract with the Australian Capital Territory Acadamy of Sports. Ben represented Australia for baseball in their junior national teams. He signed and played at Howard Junior College in Texas. He is currently the Head Coach of the Downunder Travellers. Ben has a passion for seeing Australian baseball players develop and progress. Ben will lead the scouting efforts in the Pacific rim for PROGRAM 15.

Derrick Ross – Scout
Former MLB scout with 15+ years’ experience identifying the physical and mental tools needed to play Major League baseball. Ross has worked with both the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians where he was heavily involved in drafting 70+ players from his region, a large % of whom have signed, and are playing in both the Majors/Minors. Ross has multiple connections to college coaches, professional scouts, pro coaches, and front office executives that he utilizes to advise players.

Nick Brugh – Scout
Brugh most recently served as a Scout with the Tampa Bay Rays. Prior to Tampa Bay, he spent 4 years in the Pittsburgh Pirates Player Development Department with MiLB Operations, Scouting, Research, Baseball Tech, and Video. Nick also worked at Dominican Republic complex for the entire 2016 season and was a member of the 2017 EL Championship Staff. Nick is an alum of Walsh University (Canton, OH) and was a pitcher for the Cavaliers.

Bill Bliss – Scout
Bliss was a 3rd round draft pick out of Villanova University as an RHP in 1991. He went on to play in the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies systems for 7 years. After his playing days, Bill scouted 4 years with the Baltimore Orioles, coached 2 years with the Philadelphia Phillies, scouted 6 additional years with the AtlantaBraves, and also coached 2 years in the Atlantic League. He is a pitching consultant with various travel team organizations, and signed Ryne Harper in the 37th round out of Austin Peay University, called up by Mariners in 2016 and in MLB camp with Twins in 2019.

Tim Moore – Scout
Moore was drafted professionally in the 13th round of the MLB Draft out of High School and has an 8 year minor league playing career. He attended MLB Scout School in 2001 and went on to scout 15 years as a Professional/Amateur Scout. His resume includes being an Amateur Scout for the Cleveland Indians (2002-2004), AtlantaBraves (2004-2011), and a Pro Scout for the 2017 World Series Champion Houston Astros (2013-2017).

Darin Blair – Scout
Blair started as an Associate Scout with the Kansas City Royals. He worked for the Kansas City Royals 1996-2000, Montreal Expos 2001, Florida Marlins 2002-2006, Baltimore Orioles 2006-2013, and Atlanta Braves 2015- present. Darin has signed 15 players; 3 from Independent Leagues, 9 Drafts, and 3 Free Agents. 2 of his signees have made it to MLB.

Mark Stathas – Scout
Stathas finished his college career at the University Texas El Paso where Baseball America ranked him 13th in the country in National Batting. He also holds the Western Athletic Conference hitting record with a .630 average. Mark was selected by the New York Yankees in the 1st round (23rd overall selection) of the MLB Draft. He has worked for the Detroit Tigers as an Associate Scout 2015 present.

Rick Arnold – Scout
Arnold has 36 years of MLB, Professional, Amateur, and International scouting experience. He’s worked with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, as well as the Major League Scouting Bureau.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Serie says, “The Future Stars Series mission is about a better return for players and the game as a whole. These scouts are a mix of guys who have done the job at the highest levels and those who have the faith of the MLB clubs as leaders of tomorrow. This crew will join our existing veterans to scout all events and partner events to consistently see the players that participate and help them advance. I’m excited to go forward with them as we work to be the best we can be each day, and today is a day where I can say we got better”.

PROGRAM 15 and The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series continue their unwavering commitment to change the game of baseball with the addition of new members to their Advisory Board.

Offering guidance in their respective areas of expertise, which range from international play to amateur and professional player analysis and development, the following members have been named to the PROGRAM 15 – New Balance Future Stars Series Advisory Board.

Darin Everson – Colorado Rockies – Hitting Coordinator
Rob Holiday – Philadelphia Phillies – Director, Amateur Scouting Administration
Rick Strickland – Texas Rangers – Hitting Consultant

On the new Advisory Board appointments, Booth stated, “Rob, Rick, and Darin come from all different cross sections of the game. Rob has been instrumental in the leadership of the Phillies scouting and development departments for 3 decades and a big influence in their give back initiatives. Rick has been a leader in his field for a long time and is always at the cutting edge of the game while working hard to find a way to make it accessible for all. Darin has seen the trials and difficulties of players from the cold weather environments in being seen and moving forward the correct way, and all have earned their resumes and accomplishments. We are excited to have their influence and input”.

Members of the advisory board consult directly with Booth on ways to improve the amateur baseball experience as well as innovate new ways to elevate the development and growth experience for both players and evaluators.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2017 reported worldwide sales of $4 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

What started as a grassroots initiative just three short years ago between PROGRAM 15 and New Balance Baseball, The Future Stars Series has become one of the most innovative and talked about amateur baseball player development and identification systems in the industry.

Continuing their commitment of “Developing The Stars of Tomorrow”, PROGRAM 15 has announced the unification of top amateur baseball tournament leaders for one simple but powerful mission.

To discover and put a spotlight on talented players, teams and the leaders of those organizations through a series of events focused on good teams playing against good teams.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, said, “Talking with every college coach and professional scout or executive, they continue to reiterate the need to see players truly compete against peers of their ability for an extended period of time.

We vet the organizations involved here thoroughly through college and pro scouts, and it’s become something where to be invited here, you have to do things in a way that focuses on the programs, provides financial relief to the family, and allows high-level return through true scouting reports, advanced analytics, and development feedback. We’re excited that the vision is shared and look forward to getting this going for the partner programs both here now and the ones we will bring on board.”

This series of events will provide players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through accelerated visibility to the highest echelons of decision makers at the professional and college baseball levels as well as a path for player and team advancement to Future Stars Series Training and Evaluation Combines and the Future Stars Series National Championship Tournaments.

Joining PROGRAM 15 in these unification events are:

2D Sports – The Official Team Event Logistics Organization of the Future Stars Series.

Five Tool Baseball – The Official Team and Family Focused Event Operations Organization of the Future Stars Series.

Crossroads Baseball – This Future Stars Series Partner Event promotes the development, education, and recruitment of High School Baseball Players.

Atlantic Coast Baseball – Promotes amateur baseball through “The Ultimate Tournament Experience” by providing teams and their families with the highest quality service, top-notch accommodations, superior communication, and an unparalleled baseball experience that will ensure lifelong memories.

Music City Classic – This Future Stars Series Partner Event is one of the top “invite only” tournaments in the country attracting hundreds of college coaches and professional scouts to Nashville each summer.

NorCal World Series – Nationally-recognized event featuring The Who’s Who in the Northern California baseball community.

Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) – This Future Stars Series Event Partner is regarded as one of the most talented and competitive summer collegiate baseball leagues in the country.

Impact Baseball – This Future Stars Series Event Partner provides college coaches, professional scouts, and athletes exposure to each other while educating and promoting the game of baseball.

The events will follow the 2D Baseball Scout Series format and will be operated by Crossroads, VTool, and Atlantic Coast Baseball along with the nationally respected Music City Classic, Impact Baseball, NorCal and Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) tournament hosts.

Ross Blankenship, COO of 2D Sports said, “2019 is going to be an exciting year for teams, fans, and the scouts. We have put together an impressive team of professionals to develop a plan that will be nothing short of impressive. In 2019, teams will be able to take part in a Regional and Super Regional model that will play into an impressive National event. We have secured some of the best facilities in the country to host these events and will be bringing in some of the most talented teams around the country which will be evaluated by some of the most well respected scouts in the game. What you will see in 2019 will only be the beginning of what is to come in 2020 with the expansion of this model on a National level. The best is yet to come.”

Projected Regions and Event Locations
Northeast – Boston, MA
Mid Atlantic – Philadelphia, PA
Carolinas – North Carolina
Texas – Houston, TX
Texas – Dallas, TX
Gulf Coast – Sterlington, LA
Southeast – Panama City, FL
Florida – Cocoa Beach, FL
Great Lakes – Joliet, IL
Northwest – Seattle, WA
Midwest – Joplin, MO
SoCal/NV – Las Vegas, NV
NorCal – Stockton, CA
Ohio Valley – Cincinnati, OH

Amateur players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts and coaches will be submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities and potential selection to regional and national team rosters for New Balance sponsored events.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2017 reported worldwide sales of $4 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

Future Stars Series Scouting and Evaluation events, led by PROGRAM 15’s faculty and staff of former pro scouts, Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans has built a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available.

With Florida being the spring training home to half of Major League Baseball teams it makes perfect sense that PROGRAM 15 has selected Coastal Florida Sports Park as the Florida-based home to PROGRAM 15 and New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series events and training camps.

Coastal Florida Sports Park, located on the Central East coast of Florida ten miles from Cocoa Beach, will provide players, teams, and coaches attending PROGRAM 15 and Future Stars Series events an outstanding, one-of-a-kind experience at a facility with a rich history.

PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, Jeremy Booth says, “We’re ecstatic to find a home in the southeast in a place as dynamic and cutting edge as Coastal Florida Sports Park. Their location, facilities, network, and commitment to excellence and innovation are unrivaled in their area.

Their access to all regions of the east coast and international appeal coupled with the ability to fully accommodate every player’s needs in a cost-effective way is exactly what we’re looking for. We look forward to their hosting of many events including tournaments, player Identification days, and combines.”

The one-time spring training home of the Astros and Marlins has undergone 50 million dollars in renovations and upgrades and includes a 5,000 seat Major League Stadium with clubhouses, 9 additional fields, including 5 MLB size fields. The 35,000 Sq. Ft. Indoor Training Facility has 14 Indoor Batting Cages with 7 ProBatter Video Simulators and up to 12 indoor bullpens.

The on site All-Star Player Resort, which houses up to 84 teams, has a full kitchen and catering service, Rec Hall with two 30′ big screens and six 72″ big screens, 2 Arcades and 50″ big screens in every players suite.

Chris Capozzi, Senior Vice President of Operations for Coastal Florida Sports Park says, “When providing a world class experience for baseball development on our campus, we needed the most dynamic and innovative team we could find to call our state of the art complex home. The choice was simple, PROGRAM 15 is hands down the leader and game changing partner we wanted to work with. We could not be more excited to be the Southeast home for significant events in player identification, tournaments and assessments. Sunny Florida provides year round opportunities for true player development and PROGRAM 15 will be able to impact more players and provide pathways for success that you will not find anywhere else.”

To learn more about Coastal Florida Sports Park visit https://coastalfloridasportspark.com

COASTAL FLORIDA SPORTS PARK:
A sports complex to beat all sports complexes, Coastal Florida Sports Park is a place where athletes of all levels can practice and play in facilities fit for the pros and truly improve their ability to compete in the game and move to the next level. The complex was designed and created by the organization’s corporate board of directors, owners, employees and staff that is made up of real baseball people, such as D-1 & D-2 head coaches, professional MLB veteran players and many other baseball and softball individuals that have helped to create and shape the Southern United States travel, college and professional baseball and softball industries. Their internal connections and relationships with the MLB, NCAA, NAIA, and JUCO colleges and coaches along with the MLB-style facilities, training center, relationships and events, allows Coastal Florida Sports Park to promote and assist placement of athletes to the NCAA, NAIA and JUCO for college placement like no others can. For more information visit https://coastalfloridasportspark.com or @coastalflsports on Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2017 reported worldwide sales of $4 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

Since 1912, Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball and home to the Boston Red Sox, has hosted 11 World Series. PROGRAM 15 is proud to announce that Fenway Park will host the main event showdown between the World and National teams on September 22nd during the 2019 New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series International Week.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, says, “I’m excited for this event to move to such an iconic location. With Boston as a home base for New Balance, Franklin, GForm, and All Star along with being a special place in my life’s history, this is appropriate for the signature event of New Balance Baseball and its global grassroots efforts.”

The annual signature event of New Balance Baseball is an invitation-only series featuring international high school talent identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League Players, Coaches and Scouts through Future Stars Series player development combines, scout days, partner events and national trials.

“Future Stars Series International Week selects the best amateur baseball players from around the world to compete in our own backyard. Our partnership with the Boston Red Sox elevates this event to become a premiere prospect event and we are thrilled to grow the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification program for New Balance Baseball,” said Neil Brooks, Senior Marketing Manager of New Balance Baseball.

The past two years have seen top amateur baseball players from Canada, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Japan, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico (World Team) and USA (National Team) compete head to head during the highly anticipated three-game series.

The inaugural New Balance Future Stars Series International Week was held in 2017 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas and featured an incredible 14 players who were chosen in the following 2018 MLB Draft, including TWO first round picks, Grayson Rodriguez (11th overall, Baltimore Orioles) and Noah Naylor (29th overall, Cleveland Indians).

The 2018 International Week was held at Camelback Ranch in Glendale Arizona, spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. Last year’s annual event featured several players expected to be picked during the upcoming 2019 MLB Draft.

NY Mets Scouting Director, Marc Tramuta stated, “The evaluation staff at PROGRAM 15 has had their credibility tested daily throughout Major League Baseball. Reading their reports and discussing the players with them directly leaves little doubt as to what you’ll be seeing. It’s easy to look forward to the Future Stars Series Events and the players in them.”

The following players have already been selected for the 2019 National and World Team rosters with additional players currently being evaluated for invitations.

NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER
Mick Abel, RHP (Gunderson Baseball) 2018 Returning Player
Max Carlson, RHP (Blizzard) 2018 Returning Player
Nick Griffin, LHP (AR Sticks)
Tink Hence, RHP (AR Sticks)
Hayden Durke, RHP (Team LA)
Michael Brooks, IF (Scorpions) 2018 Returning Player
Tommy Troy, SS (NorCal)
Nate Clow, SS (Giants Scout Team/FTB)
Kyle Russell, SS (New Level Prep)
Dylan Crews, OF (Scorpions)
Braylon Bishop, (2021) CF (AR Sticks)
Tyler Soderstrom, C (NorCal)
Nate Wohlgemuth, RHP (Oklahoma Fuel)

WORLD TEAM ROSTER
Joseph Gonzalez, RHP (PR) 2018 Returning Player
Alex Ayala, LHP (Panama) 2018 Returning Player
Caden Griffin, LHP (CAN)
Luis Hernandez, C/OF (PR)
Luis Gonzalez, C (PR)
Sabin Ceballos, SS/3B (PR)
Peter Vasquez, SS (2021, PR)
Jose Izarra, SS (VZ) 2018 Returning Player
Jessiel Garcia, OF (2021, PR) 2018 Returning Player
Roque Salinas, OF (MEX)
David Calabrese, OF (CAN)

The Future Stars Series is the global initiative between New Balance and PROGRAM 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2017 reported worldwide sales of $4 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.

Continuing their unwavering commitment to change the game of baseball, PROGRAM 15 has announced their collaboration with Five Tool Showcases on New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Events.

Five Tool Showcases will work hand in hand with 2D Sports to manage Team and Family Focused Event Logistics for Future Stars Series Tournaments around the country, including Super Regionals, leading up to the highly anticipated National Trials this summer. This will allow PROGRAM 15’s staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts, and coaches to focus on the professional scouting and development of the players.

Five Tool Founder and President, Lynn Vanlandingham stated, “The vision of PROGRAM 15 to partner with the clubs and provide a system to assist in the analysis, development and promotion of the club’s players aligns with the vision that Cherie and I had when we founded Five Tool”.

Started in January of 2013 as a joint effort between college coaches and select clubs to establish events that provide quality competition at quality venues, Five Tool events allow the players to showcase their abilities in a manner that is friendly to the college recruiters and professional scouts while allowing the clubs to maintain fiscal responsibility to their members.

Vanlandingham, added, “Another, exciting aspect of this venture is to provide OBJECTIVE data for the players. Subjective rankings currently garner much attention in the Travel Ball world; however, objective data allows a player to establish a baseline of where he is today and set out a plan to improve his skills. After establishing a baseline, a parent can invest their money in strength, hitting or pitching coaches instead of chasing the same data in showcase after showcase. We believe that this combination of quality individual events, in conjunction with our traditional tournaments will provide a high value to our customer base.”

PROGRAM 15 will also serve as the Amateur Baseball Player Identification Partner of Five Tool Showcases West and Midwest Regions for 2019.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, said, “Lynn and the Vtool crew have established a level of event that has changed the landscape of amateur baseball. Working with him and his group of professionals is a natural fit. With their established relationship with 2D, it’s an easy marriage to change the game and come together for the good of the players.”

ABOUT FIVE TOOL
Five Tool Showcases was established in January of 2013. The foundation was a joint effort between college coaches and select clubs to establish events that provide quality competition at quality venues. The goal is to provide events that allow the players to showcase their abilities and do so in a manner that is friendly to the college recruiters and professional scouts while allowing the clubs to maintain fiscal responsibility to their members. Five Tool’s goal is to host local teams seeking exposure for their players while accommodating out of town clubs in a manner that minimizes travel and the expense associated with select baseball. The mix of local and regional clubs provides great competition in a central location that is convenient for college recruiters and professional scouts in the central, Midwest, Northwest, Southeast, Texas, and West regions. For more information on Five Tool visit fivetool.org.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Quantity and Quality rarely come in the same package, but that’s exactly what PROGRAM 15 is bringing to the world of amateur baseball player scouting and development with the announcement that Evolution Metrix will be joining them at all New Balance Future Stars Series Combines, Tournaments, and Partner Events.

Quantity: PROGRAM 15 has instantly and exponentially expanded their scouting and player identification power with the Evolution Metrix network of over 200 data collectors capturing player data and analytics at all New Balance Future Stars Series Combines, Tournaments, and Partner Events, as well as high school games and amateur baseball events across the country for PROGRAM 15 Scouts to evaluate and cross-check.

Quality: PROGRAM 15 Scouting reports and database will now include multiple advanced data points on players that are not currently being recorded at traditional amateur baseball showcase events.

PROGRAM 15 Scouting Reports are just one of the reasons Future Stars Series Scouting and Evaluation events have built a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available.

Backed by decades of Pro Baseball Scouting experience, PROGRAM 15 ’s highly-skilled scouting staff provides amateur players in-depth and credible evaluations they can trust because they are the same credible evaluations that are trusted by Major League scouts and college coaches across the country.

Evolution Metrix will assist PROGRAM 15 in the capture of simple and advanced data for relevant player analytic assessment at all New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series and Partner Events. The analytic models and data are then compiled by PROGRAM 15 scouting and advisory staff to best assist in both development and true player evaluation.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series said, “Players need a standard to train against that provides a true evaluation for prediction of future success, and neither evaluation nor development can exist without the other. The impact of this relationship with Evolution Metrix is going to be tremendous. It’s like rocket fuel for our scouting staff. It’s a huge win for players, our partner programs, and for baseball.”

Justin Volman, CEO and Founder of Evolution Metrix said, “Working with PROGRAM 15 is an exciting step for our business and will allow both organizations to extend their reach both throughout the US and Internationally.”

Amateur players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts and coaches are submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities and potential selection to regional and national team rosters for New Balance sponsored events including a potential invitation to join elite players from around the world at the prestigious New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series International Week.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT EVOLUTION METRIX
With over 200 scouts in key areas across the globe, Evolution Metrix is able to collect both quantitative and qualitative data on thousands of baseball players for whom that data is not always readily available. To learn more about visit https://evolutionmetrix.com or @evolutionmetrix on Twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

PROGRAM 15 Scouting Reports are just one of the reasons Future Stars Series Scouting and Evaluation events have built a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available.

Backed by decades of Pro Baseball Scouting experience, PROGRAM 15 ’s highly skilled scouting staff provides amateur players in-depth and credible evaluations they can trust, because they are the same credible evaluations that are trusted by Major League scouts and college coaches across the country.

NY Mets Scouting Director, Marc Tramuta stated, “The evaluation staff at the PROGRAM 15 has had their credibility tested daily throughout Major League Baseball. Reading their reports and discussing the players with them directly leaves little doubt as to what you’ll be seeing. It’s easy to look forward to the Future Stars Series Events and the players in them.”

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series recently confirmed the 2019 Scouting Staff which includes former Professional Scouts and Major League veterans who will be covering New Balance Future Stars Series Regional, National and International Player Evaluation events.

Rick Oliver – Director of Scouting
Rick Oliver brings 28 years of experience with the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau; 10 years as an area scout, 18 years as the Assistant Director with oversight of amateur scouting, cross-checking, and Scout School, as well as, 11 years as a collegiate coach at U La Verne, Cal State Fullerton (CWS) and Chapman College. Oliver played four years in the California Angels organization; finishing in Triple A (PCL Champions).

Adam Czajkowski – Northeast Supervisor
Adam Czajkowski has 7 years of professional baseball experience, beginning his player evaluation career as an Assistant Coach at Erie Community College in Buffalo, NY while serving as an Associate Scout for the Washington Nationals. He would move on to the Pittsburgh Pirates and would spend a season working with their Major League staff as a video intern. He would later join the New York Yankees within the Scouting/Player Development departments, ultimately signing 2 major league players. Czajkowski has worked with the PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series since inception, first in the front office and now as the Northeast Scouting Supervisor.

Mike Eaglin – West Coast Supervisor
Mike Eaglin spent four years as Scouting Supervisor for the Minnesota Twins, as well as, the better part of a decade as a pro player with the Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox. Before becoming a scout, Eaglin transitioned his knowledge and experience as a professional athlete into the field of coaching and player development. Eaglin started “E3 High Performance Baseball, LLC” to develop the tools of amateur and professional ballplayers across the state of California and beyond.

Rusty Gerhardt – Texas, Gulf Coast
Rusty Gerhardt spent 18 years on the field as a pitcher, manager, and coach in the San Diego Padres Organization. While with San Diego, Gerhardt pitched in 23 Major league games. He eventually joined the MLB Scouting Bureau in North Texas and Louisiana, patrolling the area’s high school, college, and junior college baseball talent for 28 years. Gerhardt is also a graduate of Clemson University where he was inducted in their Hall of Fame. Over the last 25 years, Gerhardt has organized and worked 200+ Open Tryout camps across a 9-state area.

Robbie Moen – Texas, Midwest
Robbie Moen was a standout player at the University of Arizona. After a 4-year pro career, Moen spent 9 years in collegiate baseball as an assistant coach for the University of Arizona, Kansas State University and Loyola Marymount University. Moen was hired by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as a scout and signed Robi Estrada, Steven Tinoco, and Jake Thompson.

Brad Matthews – Southeast Supervisor
Brad Matthews scouting career has spanned over two decades as a Major and Minor League Scout with the Toronto Blue Jays, an Area Scouting Supervisor with the Tampa Bay Rays, and part-time scout with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds. Matthews has drafted and signed 39 players including 6 Major Leaguers and was responsible for signing the 1st overall pick and later Cy Young Award winner and 5-time all-star, David Price in 2007. The following year he was selected the Tampa Bay Rays Scout Of The Year. Matthews evaluated Major and Minor League players for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2012-2018.

Noel Sevilla – International Director
Noel Sevilla brings 10+ years of pro baseball scouting experience in the amateur, pro, and international scouting departments for the Boston Red Sox (2008-2010), Seattle Mariners (20102016), and as an MLB Scouting Consultant for The Baltimore Orioles (2017-present). He’s a member of the South Florida Collegiate Baseball League Advisory Commission (2013present). Sevilla is the signing scout of closer Edwin Diaz (3rd round, 2012 MLB Draft) and played a vital role on the signing of former Cuban free agent Guillermo Heredia.

Brad Stoll – Midwest
Brad Stoll has spent 17 years as a part-time scout with the Milwaukee Brewers and nearly 15 of those years as Head Baseball Coach at nationally ranked Lawrence High School, leading his team to the Final 4 or winning the State Title nearly 30% of his tenure. Stoll was named Kansas 6A coach of the year in 2009 as well as Baseball Coaches of America Region 5 Coach of the Year. From 2009-2016, Stoll was the Assistant Coach for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League which played in the championship series twice. Stoll has served as a member of the USA Baseball 18U task force selection committee. He has been a guest speaker at state coaches’ conventions in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas, as well as, a presenter at the ABCA National Convention.

ESPN Senior Writer, Keith Law said “PROGRAM 15 has assembled an enviable staff of longtime industry veterans who bring their experience, scouting acumen, and development expertise to all of their events. They get the right players on the field and they work to help those players improve.”

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

On the heels of a banner 2018, PROGRAM 15 continues their unwavering commitment to change the game of baseball with the announcement of their collaboration with 2D Sports on New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series and Scout Game events.

2D Sports has been named the Official Team Event Logistics Organization of the Future Stars Series and will license and run Future Stars Series Tournaments around the country, including Super Regionals, as well as be involved with the highly anticipated National Trials this summer.

As the Official Team and Amateur Baseball Player Identification Partner of 2D Sports and The Scout Games, PROGRAM 15 will vet and approve all teams participating in the Scout Games events.

2D COO Ross Blankenship stated, “We are extremely excited about this partnership. We are now going to have the ability to truly provide all the teams and players with two important pieces to enhance their overall growth as players and as programs.”

Brandon Magierowski, 2D CEO, added, “PROGRAM 15’s scouting platform merged with 2D event logistics will improve the overall event experience and provide more opportunity for players across the Country to be recruited to College programs and play at the Professional level.”

The Scout Games will also serve as the regional event arm of The Future Stars Series and along with upcoming FSS Partner Events, will be an integral piece of the road leading to National Trials and potential invitation to join elite players from around the world at the prestigious New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series International Week.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, said, “Here you have two innovative groups with deep foundations in the game, doing things for the right reasons. It’s an easy partnership that complements each other’s core goals and strengths. This isn’t just excitement, man I’m truly happy to be working with these guys.”

Individual players can register with PROGRAM 15 to attend Scouting and Evaluation sessions held at Scout Game locations prior to the event.

Led by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts, and coaches, Future Stars Series Training and Evaluation events have garnered a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available.

ABOUT 2D SPORTS
2D Sports hosts travel baseball tournaments and showcases at top-tier NCAA, NJCAA, and NAIA venues throughout Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, and Florida. For more information on 2D Sports visit www.2dsports.org or @2D_sports on Twitter and 2dsports on Facebook.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Jay Hollingshed a Mental Performance coach and the owner of Jay Hollingshed LLC has started the new year by introducing a year-long live coaching event on Facebook & Instagram. His Modern Mental Performance Coaching has already helped many business leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers, and businesses to build mental resilience and maintain a strong mental game.  Jay currently offers a comprehensive range of coaching services including seminars, workshops, public speaking, and elite client coaching.

Jay’s Modern Mental Performance Coaching can be attributed to his personal mental performance struggles, education, and the combined wisdom of many renowned stage entertainers, top-level fortune 50 executives, ’BiG 10’ college coaches, and former professional athletes. Having spent several years of his life as a career fire-fighter, Jay volunteered as a trained peer counselor and conducted multiple deep dive mental assessments with fire, police and military personnel, and the psychologists that treat them.  He has also gained tremendously from the former columnist of SUCCESS® Magazine and legendary coaching guru John Maxwell.

Jay has lived his teachings. As a child, Jay displayed certain mental issues, for which he was often referred to as the “weird kid” in the class. Starting from elementary school to the first semester of his doctoral program, he regularly scored poorly on standardized tests, struggling academically. After being dismissed from his doctoral program in 2017 and again in 2018, at the age of forty-five, Jay went through a mentally draining, seven-hour clinical neuropsychological exam, and was diagnosed with a combined type ADHD, and a multi-symptom Reading Disorder. However, following his own teachings and other non-medicinal researched methods, Jay is successfully reducing the need for his ADHD medication, and force-setting stronger reading comprehension levels to position himself for the round three of his doctoral program.

Based on Jay’s experiences and interviews, the following seven phrases emerged as the pillars of his mental performance coaching program.

• Awareness and Mindfulness

• Confidence and Motivation

• Focus and Concentration

• Goal Setting

• Imagery and Visualization

• Managing Stress

• Positive and Negative Self Talk

Having overcome transient depression not once, but twice, Jay now wants to share the secrets of his mental resilience free of charge. He is available as a guest speaker, sharing how his grit and determination got him through a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration, without knowledge of his ADHD and a reading disorder of multiple symptoms.    

To find out more about Jay Hollingshed and his Modern Mental Performance Coaching, please visit http://www.JayHollingshed.com/

About Jay Hollingshed: Jay Hollingshed helps executives, entrepreneurs, organizational leaders, career athletes, and professional entertainers enhance their performance in high-intensity situations. Jay’s a proven Mental Performance coach and owner of Jay Hollingshed LLC, where he offers a trio of coaching services including public speaking on his personal testimony. Jay has his Master’s degree in healthcare administration and a Bachelor’s degree in organizational development. Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee and now a native of Columbus, Ohio, Jay has a passion for helping others succeed and lives that through his work.

Contact:

Follow Coach Jay on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/jamesjay.hollingshed

Follow Coach Jay on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/jay.hollingshed/channel/

Like & Subscribe to Coach Jay on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCukBBX6QJayg8-PdsxI2x5g?view_as=subscriber

Free Speaking  
http://jayhollingshed.com/index.html

When PROGRAM 15 were looking to hold their next New Balance Baseball Futures Stars Series event in the New England area, it seemed only logical that they’d look to partner with a group that’s been at the forefront of player development in that area.

The Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) and Brockton Rox will host the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series invite-only tournament with testing for enhanced college and professional exposure during the first week of October 2019.

Given PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Jeremy Booth’s long relationship with FCBL Commissioner Chris Hall, as well as Rox GM Todd Marlin, the partnership was seemingly inevitable.

“I’ve known Chris and Todd for a long time since we were all involved in the Can-Am league,” Booth said. “They’ve done an excellent job with the Futures League in building it from the ground up. They’ve seen their endeavor grow to a national level as a proving ground for collegiate players as they grind to move forward. Their reach stretches deep into the college ranks, and we’re excited to partner up with a group who’s professionally and progressively minded to being a full exposure and development product to the northeast regions.”

The Future Stars Series has seen a meteoric rise over the past few years since its inception, with partner programs joining at an increasingly rapid rate and the quality of events continuing to improve to previously unseen levels Many in the industry are still buzzing about International Week at Camelback Ranch despite now being more than two months removed from the wildly successful three-game series.

Led by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts, and coaches, Future Stars Series Regional Training and Evaluation Events have garnered a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experience available.

The Futures League was co-developed by Drew Weber and long-time force in independent baseball Chris Carminucci back in 2010 and has a lengthy list of alumni who’ve gone on to be drafted, including 2015 first-rounder Chris Shaw as well as 28 players in 2018.

“The Futures League has just continued to grow,” said Marlin, whose Rox are hosting the event. “It’s gotten better every year; the quality of play has gotten better. Some people may look from the outside looking in and say we’ve lost teams, but sometimes you get stronger by making changes and growing in the right direction, and I think that’s what the league is set up to do now.

“Brockton itself, we’re really evolving. It was a tough few years there before we came in, and we had a couple tough ones ourselves. But, we’re trying to rebuild those alliances within the community that were lost over the years, and we’re starting to show signs of that. We’re growing – not as quickly as we want, but it’s getting there – and we’re starting to learn the market a whole lot better.”

Forging a logical partnership with PROGRAM 15 can only help both groups, especially given how like-minded they both are in regards to the importance of development.

“I’d known Jeremy through his days of playing when I was running Nashua or Worcester, we’d had dealings, and I knew Chris Hall has been friends with him for a long time as well,” Marlin said, continuing, “I just think this is a really natural fit for the two programs; New Balance being right in our backyard doesn’t hurt at all either…everything that we can do like this helps us. It’s a little bit different for the types of things that we do. This in particular is going to bring some credence to what we’re doing here in Brockton, and it’s also going to show us an opportunity to show off our facility, which we really like to do, especially to kids who might have hopes of hopefully being in the Futures League in a few years.”

On the future of the collaboration beyond October, Marlin said, “I would really hope so, I would hope that something like this continues to grow and can spread throughout New England. I know Jeremy’s got lots of big visions, and if we can be a part of that, we would be very happy with it.”

ABOUT FUTURES COLLEGIATE BASEBALL LEAGUE (FCBL)

The FCBL is summer collegiate baseball at its best! Regarded as one of the most talented and competitive leagues in the country, (FCBL) began its initial year of operations in 2011 founded by ownership groups from both the Brockton Rox (Can-Am League) and the Lowell Spinners (Single A affiliate Boston Red Sox). To learn more visit http://thefuturesleague.com/

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

For years, the Impact Baseball 16U and 17U World Series have been some of the most anticipated events in the Carolinas.

Next year, they’ll be even better.

When the 2019 16U event gets underway on June 27 in Raleigh-Durham, NC, it will mark the beginning of a partnership between Impact Baseball and the New Balance Future Stars Series powered by PROGRAM 15.  That partnership will continue through the prestigious 17U event, which takes place between July 19-22.

“Those are our two best tournaments,” said Impact Baseball founder and creator Andy Partin, who also runs the Dirtbags, a new PROGRAM 15/Future Stars Series partner program. “I feel like those are the two every year where a lot of the teams in this area, they circle it on their calendar. The Impact 16U World Series for the Carolinas and in this area, it’s a big deal. 16U and 17U, they’ve been around for a long time. We’ve got great venues, we’ve got great teams over four or five days. It’s a cool atmosphere. I think (NBBFSS/P15 CEO) Jeremy (Booth) and his guys are going to bring a little bit extra to those tournaments.”

With an emphasis on development at these tournaments, as well Partin’s incredible success with the Dirtbags, partnering with Impact was a logical move for Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series.

Booth said, “The Impact events have done exactly what the name says: Impact the game and the region. As we move ahead to help players across the country, working with events with such credibility is always the goal, and the Impact consistently keeps its seat on the highest level.”

Partin started Impact Baseball in 2001 – before he founded the Dirtbags – and has continually been looking for a way to add value to his events while keeping costs down, explaining, “There’s facility fees and all those things that continue to rise, but we try to find ways to still bring a lot of value at a good price for a lot of teams.  I think the value and what’s going to be important with having Jeremy and all the scouts coming to these events and actually sitting there and watching the games and sharing what’s happening on the field is not just going to help all of those teams, but it’ll help college coaches.  Those guys, they need help. They can’t be everywhere. By partnering, this is going to be a cool situation where a lot more is going to happen for these kids. And that’s important to us, getting information out about who’s doing what and trying to get more eyes on these kids. I think Jeremy and his group is going to help us do that at these tournaments.”

Each player on a registered team will go through a full evaluation and receive their measurable data, and selected players will receive a scouting report written by PROGRAM 15 Pro Scouts.

Player profiles and evaluations will be logged into the PROGRAM 15 Proprietary Scouting Database and made available to college coaches and pro scouts.

Both teams and players will have the opportunity to advance within the Future Stars Series events. Players identified by PROGRAM 15’s MLB experienced scouting staff will be submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities to attend the organization’s highly regarded invite-only Skills, Training and Evaluation Combines, selection to New Balance sponsored regional and national events as well as a coveted spot on the National or World Team Rosters for the 2019 New Balance Baseball International Week.

Led by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts, and coaches, Future Stars Series Regional Training and Evaluation Combines have garnered a reputation as the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experience available.

ABOUT IMPACT BASEBALL
Impact Baseball has been operating since 2001 hosting innovative baseball and softball showcase tournaments and training camps for youth and high school athletes. Events are held at top-notch facilities providing college coaches, professional scouts and athletes exposure to each other while educating and promoting the game.

The Impact Baseball brand believes in challenging the status quo and always finding new vehicles to carry athletes up the ladder to their highest level.  Their goal is to educate athletes, parents, and others in a variety of ways, as well as to recognize as many deserving athletes and their accomplishments as possible.

To learn more about Impact Baseball visit ImpactBaseball.com

Master Michael Sirota has over 35-years of experience in the Martial Arts and is intent on transforming the world through global empowerment – one student at a time. As Master Sirota confirms, “Sirota’s Alchymy promotes personal alchymy in our students and our society… to develop personal empowerment”.

Backed by a long list of awards and certifications from international governing bodies in the field of Martial Arts, Master Sirota is truly a Merlin of our time. Specializing in several Martial Art forms such as Taekwondo and Hapkido (the art of self-defense), Master Sirota and his team confirm that their expertise transforms the physical state through the use of the mind. This level of transformation can be likened to the magic performed by Merlin the Magician in the fables of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

When the powers of the mind are harnessed, magic truly does happen to transform the self through self-discipline and self-direction leading to the more confident, more capable individual many of us aspire to be. The difference with Master Sirota and his team is that their clientele will enjoy major improvements on a personal level and become highly capable in the art of self-defense simultaneously.

In an increasingly challenging world, learning Hapkido has become close to a necessity for self-protection. Why go through life being afraid of the physical harm that can befall one, when help is just a ‘phone call away? The most striking feature of this transformational Centre is that it also caters to the needs of people with physical disabilities. Along with children, individuals with physical disabilities are among the most vulnerable members in society. With specialized direction though, they too can become proficient in defending themselves from any potential threats.

With a cornucopia of accolades to support Master Sirota’s expertise in this field, no further proof is required of his competence. Supported by a team of professionals, Master Sirota is truly changing lives through the classes he has provided in the cities of Redmond, Vancouver, Ladner, Burnaby, Surrey, and Delta for more than a quarter of a century. All age groups are welcome to join his classes, with special camps for children being just one more service aimed at transforming the world where it will create the greatest benefit for a brighter future – with yourself. Be your own Merlin and harness your alchemy to play your part in this bright new future.

Sirota’s Alchymy Martial Arts & Life Skills Centre is a Centre of Personal Transformation!

If you would like more information about this topic, please visit Sirota’s Alchymy website for more information.

The Scorpions are one of the most well-known and highly-respected programs in travel baseball has produced. The alumni list for the Scorpions Baseball Club is an impressive one with household names like Chris Sale and Zach Greinke dotting a lengthy list of big leaguers, but that’s not what Scorpions President & CEO Bob Rikeman is the most proud of when he speaks about the program he took over around two years ago.

“I think what I’m most proud of is creating value,” Rikeman said. “If you look at travel baseball, no investment broker in the world is going to tell you it’s a good investment. It’s just not. If you look at things from a business standpoint; if you think about it, you spend all this money for your kid to potentially get a 25-percent scholarship. If that’s at a state school, you may get $1,100. So, if you look at all the money people are spending on travel baseball, what are you giving back to them? I think the value we’re creating with the scholarship program, the academic tutoring, the things that are good for all of the kids…that’s what I’m most proud of, not just the kids that are getting the big-time scholarship in the ACC or SEC schools.”

The Scorpions were founded by Sal Lombardo in 1994 to positively effect the lives of its players both on and off the field. The focus isn’t primarily on the players who will one day turn into the Chris Sale’s and Zach Greinke’s. It’s looking out for, as Rikeman puts it, “the other 90 percent” who are looking to further their educations and careers at the college level.

“When I took it over, they were already starting to grow,” says Rikeman, a long-time college coach and scout for the Chicago White Sox.

“They already had affiliates. One of the things I wanted to do – and I coached college and was a scout in professional baseball for almost 25 years – was not go back on the field, but run a business. My goal for this organization was to create development within travel baseball. There’s too much, in my opinion, missing school to play baseball in tournaments and five games in 24 hours. I want to change travel baseball to make it more of a development-based organization where we’re getting kids to go to college for the right fit.

“The 10 percent of kids that go to the SEC schools, they don’t need the Scorpions, Evoshield, anybody. They’re good enough they’re going to get drafted. But what about the other 90 percent of kids who are in your organization and paying to play baseball? What are we doing for those kids? So that’s really what I want, to make it more development-based. We’ve added a scholarship program, so that every single kid who plays for the Scorpions gets scholarship money towards private school. If they go to Rollins, Jacksonville or even a Harvard, they can earn up to $23,500 per kid. We want to do things like that. We have an academic tutoring program we’ve implemented. It’s trying to be different than, ‘Give me your money and let’s go to a tournament.’ There are programs out there that have had much more success in guys going to the major leagues, but our major success rate is with college. That’s something that I’m really proud of, that we’re trying to find as many spots for kids to play as humanly possible so they can continue playing a game they love.”

There are certainly plenty of opportunities for those under the Scorpions vast umbrella do so, with teams all over Florida and now Georgia that host players from ages 9-18; they also own a Florida Collegiate League team called the Seminole County Scorpions.

But it’s the extraordinary commitment to development – both on and off the field – that made the Scorpions core values mesh with those of the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series powered by PROGRAM 15.

“I think there was two things that made it a fit,” Rikeman said. “One, I really like sitting down with PROGRAM 15/New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series CEO Jeremy Booth and talking baseball with him, and I like his philosophy of teaching the game and making sure we’re helping every kid. That’s maybe not 100 percent possible, and I understand that, but in some way, shape or form we can try to help every kid in some way. I know we can’t get every kid a baseball scholarship, I know we can’t get every kid in the SEC. But, I like Jeremy’s philosophy of trying to teach every single kid to be better, and I think that’s going to help them be better in life and everything else. That was one key. The other thing is the program is just outstanding. We had a couple kids go to Camelback this year, and they loved it. I know Neil Brooks, his son plays for us, and I respect him a ton. When he came to me and said, ‘I really think you need to talk to these guys, it’s time,’ I said OK. I think it’s a good fit for what I’m looking for with the Scorpions and a good fit for what Jeremy’s looking for with PROGRAM 15.”

The connection for both programs was Mr. Brooks, the manager for Baseball Sports Marketing at New Balance. Rikeman had initially approached Brooks — whose son Michael plays for the Scorpions and was one of two members of the organization, along with Dylan Simmons, who played at the International Week event at Camelback Ranch this year – when he first took over the Scorpions, but things ultimately didn’t come together until this summer, when Booth flew down to Orlando to meet with Rikeman.

Things went so well, the announcement of the Scorpions joining forces with PROGRAM 15/New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series was made the very same day.

“Bob Rikeman is a baseball guy with a huge heart for players,”PROGRAM 15/New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series CEO Jeremy Booth. “He is the epitome of what we’re looking to work with here in the global grassroots player identification and development group. I’m going to lean on Bob not only for Florida, but for the New England region where we both have roots. The Scorpions have been a national name for a long time, and ‘Rike’ is taking their tradition to a new level. We’re excited to be part of that journey with them and we can’t wait to get to Florida in December and feature their teams on FloSports next summer.”

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

After being a huge hit in 2017 and 2018, with over a dozen College Coaches in attendance to scout the incredible talent on display, the Pennsylvania Invitational is back for more in 2019 with pro scout evaluations and expanded opportunities for exposure as a Partner Event of the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series powered by PROGRAM 15.

The 3rd Annual Pennsylvania Invitational will be held July 5-7, 2019 in Pittsburgh, PA. Geared toward collegiate exposure, each player on a registered team for the invite-only event will go through a full evaluation and receive their measurable data. Selected players will receive a scouting report written by PROGRAM 15 Pro Scouts and both teams and players will have the opportunity to advance within the Future Stars Series events.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, says, “We are excited to work together with Atlantic Coast Baseball on this event. ACB and Matt DeSantis have a great relationship with PROGRAM 15 Mid Atlantic Regional Director Mark Helsel and US Elite, and we cannot wait to get to the region and help players grow.”

Players identified by PROGRAM 15’s MLB experienced scouting staff will be submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities to attend the organizations’ highly regarded invite-only Skills, Training and Evaluation Combines, selection to New Balance sponsored regional and national events as well as a coveted spot on the National or World Team Rosters for the 2019 New Balance Baseball International Week.

Led by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts, and coaches, Future Stars Series Regional Training and Evaluation Combines have garnered a reputation as one of the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available.

Atlantic Coast Baseball owner Matt DeSantis says, “We are thrilled to come together with Future Stars Series powered by PROGRAM 15. Bringing this type of event to Pittsburgh will be a huge benefit to players in our region. Pennsylvania has needed an opportunity for our young baseball players as our region has flown under the radar despite some talented players. We can’t wait to provide players the exposure that PROGRAM 15 brings. This is the way to help our high school baseball talent take one step closer towards achieving their dream.“

To learn more about the 3rd Annual Pennsylvania Invitational and request an Invitation visit https://www.playacbaseball.com/tournaments-lrc.php

ABOUT ATLANTIC COAST BASEBALL
Atlantic Coast Baseball (home of the Cap Classic® Series) is passionate about the game of Baseball and has been hosting the Atlantic’s premier events since 2006. The mission of ACB is to promote amateur baseball through “The Ultimate Tournament Experience”, by providing our teams and their families with the highest quality service, top-notch accommodations, superior communication, and an unparalleled baseball experience that will ensure lifelong memories!

ABOUT PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

At first, Rick Strickland was just looking for a way to give back to a community that helped him put together a solid professional career as an outfielder in the New York Yankees organization.

Over two decades later, he finds himself at the helm of one of the premier programs when it comes to player development in youth baseball, the St. Louis Pirates.

“The genesis of getting into coaching, it wasn’t something that I initially wanted to do,” Strickland admits.

“I did have some younger cousins that were involved in high school baseball back in the early 90’s, and I remember I was sitting on the sidelines and trying to piece my life together after pro ball, and one of the dads asked me if I would coach. It wasn’t anything that was planned out, I was just volunteering my time and just doing it. It was wanting to offer something back to the community, and even to this day, it’s grassroots, which goes back to community service. The Pirates weren’t put together as a business, it was a community involvement to give back. Some of these people when I was coming up were supportive of me and taking me places and spending their money and resources that they had just to see that I was able to be successful in the game.”

Since then, the Pirates, the newest partner program of the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series powered by PROGRAM 15, have evolved. The Pirates started as a fall season program with the goal of promoting area high school players to college and professional scouts. The program was so successful that it grew into a year-round institution in 2006. Due to the program’s efforts, hundreds of student athletes have received college baseball scholarships and many have gone on to play the sport professionally.

As that grassroots-movement grew, so did the talent level of the players they were able to attract. The Pirates have seen dozens of alumni taken in the MLB Draft – included are first-rounders Jake Odorizzi, Jon Harris, and Kyle Parker, as well as notables like Cody Asche and Mitch Keller – and seemingly countless players commit to colleges all across the country.

“The biggest thing we’ve done is we’ve been very blessed to have some really good players,” Strickland said. “It’s not that we go out and scour the country looking for those players, our basis has always been if we get a player, we’ll put everything we can into that player to make him better. As we got more talented players, it was easy to for us to become identifiable through the recruitment channels and through the club channels by the caliber of players we had. So, when that goes out and we get people committing to schools, there’s that grassroots-movement where people start talking about it. You want to do what’s right for the kid. It’s not cheap to do, sure, but I think people understand it all goes back into making sure the player is as good as he can possibly be.”

However, when asked what he’s the most proud of over his two-plus decades at the helm of the Pirates, that didn’t come up. While some might use the opportunity to brag about the amount of players who’ve come through his doors that he’s sent to professional careers, Strickland instead chose to look at the amount of lives his program’s been able to impact, regardless of whether they made it to the big leagues or never played again past their time in St. Louis.

“Collectively, you look over the years at all the kids you helped and that you’ve had some involvement with,” he said. “When we started to have some success, I would always ask myself, ‘Is it our program that’s really having this profound effect or is it the actual kid?’ I sat back and looked at it, and there would be these kids in their senior years that were in American Legion ball or some house league or something like that, and they didn’t have any opportunities to play college ball and nobody was recruiting them. But then, when they came here, those activities started to happen.

“When I look back at it over the years, the two things we’ve done is we’ve helped make kids better and we’ve had a positive influence in the community. More importantly, when you look at the list of players who’ve come through the program and how we’ve been able to help them move on to the next level with college baseball and in some instances, pro ball, that’s what really speaks. A great deal of the players who’ve come through here have gone on to extend their baseball career, and that’s really how we keep score. It isn’t how much money we make or how many wins or losses we get, we measure it by how many lives we actually impact.”

It was that philosophy, as well as an incredible devotion to player development, that led Strickland and the Pirates to partner with the New Balance Future Stars Series and PROGRAM 15 .

“I met Jeremy in Jupiter in 2012,” Strickland recalled. “We exchanged business cards at that time, but I stumbled across him this past year at the ABCA and he was talking about what he was doing with PROGRAM 15. I’ve always been trying to create relationships with people who are trying to push the game in the development part and the mentorship part with players in a different direction, people who are real. Talking to him, he was saying things I’d already been saying, but not motivated enough to do on my own. He was trying to do those things. What you want to do is align yourself with people who are like-minded, and that’s why I said we were going to take a chance and partner up with PROGRAM 15 and see where it takes us.”

Strickland will likely field teams at the upcoming National Tournaments in Cypress, Texas in late June and July, 2019. Whether it be his program’s innovations with technology – especially in being one of the first in the country to utilize the Hittrax system – or unique approach to an elite training regimen, the fruits of the labor that comes from that attention to detail with player development will surely be on display.

“I can tell you that from our standpoint, when it comes to development, that’s all our program is. Our focus isn’t so much on the baseball aspect of it…from the traditional method of teaching kids how to play baseball, we were past that five years ago,” Strickland said.

“When Jeremy was talking about the training and development stuff, I’ll be honest, I’m already there. People come to us for development ideas and technology and stuff you can use to help develop your kids, so we already had a good foundation with that. I’d had a lot of relationships with these companies that PROGRAM 15 was looking at, so this was a natural fit. From the development side, that’s the number one thing we think that we’re good at. Players get developed, and it’s different than some of the other programs, even in our area. We know that we’ve inspired other programs to come out and do things. Any time you can find people who are really dedicated to the development side, that’s a natural fit for me.”

The feeling is certainly mutual.

“Rick Strickland and the St. Louis Pirates are a staple of amateur baseball in the Midwest,”said PROGRAM 15/New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series CEO Jeremy Booth. “They’ve earned their national rep through dedication to player development and a no fear approach to helping players in progressive ways. They embody ‘Fearlessly Independent’ and we get better having both Rick personally and the Pirates organization as a partner program. The scout day we held in St. Louis was a huge success, and they’re loaded with prospects. We can’t wait to see them in Houston.”

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

AUSTIN, Texas — October 16, 2018 — Today, FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, announced an expanded agreement with PROGRAM 15 to provide live and on-demand coverage of the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Nationals exclusively on FloLive.tv.

In the original agreement, FloSports agreed to live stream the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series International Week in 2018-19 on FloLive.tv. The updated agreement adds roughly 240 baseball games to the live event schedule. The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Nationals powered by PROGRAM 15 will take place at the National Training Center in Cypress, Texas, July 10-28, 2019.

The expanded agreement includes the 15s, 16s and 17s age groups of the 2019 New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Nationals. More than 600 players for each age group will be in attendance, including some of the best individual talent in the country. Scouts from all Major League Baseball teams are expected to be in attendance as well as college coaches from across the country.

“We’re excited to be able to bring more baseball events to FloSports and expand the viewership of this event,” PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Series Jeremy Booth said. “Beyond player development, providing exposure for these athletes is one of PROGRAM 15’s top priorities, which is possible with FloSports’ incredible reach. New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series International Week on FloLive went very smoothly, and we’re looking forward to a very long and successful relationship.”

“PPROGRAM 15’s staff of former MLB scouts, players and coaches hand selects the very best amateur players in the country to compete in the Nationals,” FloSports Director of Rights Acquisition Lindsey Ross said. “We are thrilled to extend our partnership with the Future Star Series and add national exposure to these events.”

Streaming more than 10,000 live competitions per year, FloSports continues to emerge as the global leader in live, in-depth, and on-demand digital coverage for passionate sports fans.

To access live and on-demand coverage of all baseball games, visit FloLive.tv to become a monthly or annual PRO subscriber. Either subscription unlocks access to premium content across the entire FloSports network. Watch the events across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Roku, or Apple TV 4.

About FloSports
FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, partners with event rights holders and governing bodies to unlock a world of sports coverage that true fans have been waiting for. Through live streaming of premier events, original video programming, and weekly studio shows, FloSports is growing the sports, the events, the athletes, and the fans. Current verticals under the FloSports header include Basketball, MMA, Football, Wrestling, Track, Gymnastics, and more.

About PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

About New Balance
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

It was clear this was different from the second they walked in the door.

From the moment the 21 members of the National Team and 23 members of the World Team set foot in their respective clubhouses at Camelback Ranch – the beautiful spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox – that this wasn’t going to be like any event they’d ever been at before.

After a successful debut event in Sugar Land, Texas, the second annual International Week series put on by PROGRAM 15 and the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series was highly anticipated.

It did not disappoint.

Not when the players walked into a professional clubhouse full of gear made just for them by PROGRAM 15/New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series partners like New Balance, Wilson, Torch Eyewear, Franklin, Zinger, All-Star and more.

Not when there were PROGRAM 15/New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series staff at every turn to help an already talented group get even better.

Not when the three-game series put some of the absolute best amateur talent on the planet on display.

It did not disappoint. 

Not for the players.  Not for their families.  Not for the sponsors.  Not for the partner programs.  Not for the staff.

Did. Not. Disappoint.

“This wasn’t a showcase. International Week is about giving back,” said PROGRAM 15/New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series CEO Jeremy Booth. 

“This event, for me, was a brotherhood opportunity. To truly to get to know the players that will lead this game for the next generation is truly important to all of us that were involved. Some of the cleanest baseball I’ve seen at the amateur level, and highly entertaining to watch. The players that attended considered it their first day in professional baseball. The staff made an impact, and the responses we’ve been seeing from the players made it all worth it.”

After the National Team swept the three-game series last year, the event was a lot more competitive the second time around; behind a dazzling start by Daniel Espino, the World Team took Game 2 for their first-ever victory at the event. 

“It’s been great competition, there are great players here from all around the world,” said World Team standout Blake Buckle, who went 4-for-6 and is a returnee from the inaugural event in 2017. 

“It’s gotten better since last year with more recognition, a lot more scouts in the stands and the sponsors have really been supporting it. It’s been a great event. Last year, I think it was a bit lopsided for us. The World team got boatran in all three games, basically. But this year, it’s more competitive and seems like more of an equal playing field as it expands.”

But a just-as-stacked National Team roster was simply too much, and they were able to take Game 3 and win the series for the second consecutive year.

“The level of talent for the International Week event was second to none,” said PROGRAM 15/New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series director of player development Sean Travers. 

“Even better than the talent level, was the players desire to learn and apply what the instructors and coaches were suggesting.  There were major adjustments being made over the three days.  What an incredible baseball environment.”

International Week, which was broadcast to a reach of over 40 million viewers on FloSports, drew rave reviews from everyone in attendance – including members of PROGRAM 15/New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series’s expansive advisory board as well as a strong contingent of scouts from numerous big league and college teams – and also garnered national attention in an ESPN.com article written by Keith Law.

“We took a step forward together in this event to accomplish goals for players, the game, and to give back like our sponsors are so renowned for,” Booth said. “You could see the difference on their faces in how they left versus when they arrived.  We can’t wait for 2019.”

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Called “Everyday Fighter”, the podcast shares the personal stories of regular people that are fighting battles both inside and outside of the ring.

Each week Philipp Lomboy, a martial arts instructor, interviews a new “everyday fighter”. Guests have ranged from veteran martial artists to parents just months into their training to amateur boxer grandmothers.

This week, rather than covering stories about McGregor or Nurmagomedov, Lomboy interviewed Bret Martineau, a business consultant that turned his life around through Muay Thai.

Lomboy shares, “While I’ve personally been inspired by famous champions in combat sports, I’ve been inspired just as much by the people I train with every day: mothers, fathers, neighbors – people of all different backgrounds and experience levels.

“We each have our stories of wins and struggles that others can learn from. You don’t have to be a celebrity champion to encourage and inspire others with your story.”

At launch the first three episodes of the podcast featured a 30-year kung fu master that overcame an abusive childhood, an executive coach that literally fought back against his bully, and a motivational speaker that lost 100 pounds in five months.

In his introductory episode explaining the format of his podcast, Lomboy said whether you’ve thrown a punch or not, we can all identify with the feeling of fighting: fighting our boss, fighting with our spouse, feeling beaten down.

Rather than focusing on the fighting and training itself, Lomboy’s questions focus primarily on capturing his guests’ mental and emotional experiences as they make their way through their journey through the fight world.

Lomboy shares, “I don’t want to focus on having celebrities and champions on my show, but I won’t shy away from it. I recently interviewed a former UFC fighter and he was under the impression that, like other interviewers, I would ask him mostly about specific fights and opponents from his time in the Octagon. I didn’t touch those at all and focused primarily on the emotional struggles that came with multiple career changes and having a family. While that stuff isn’t necessarily flashy or exciting, it’s more interesting and relatable.”

A reviewer on iTunes echoed Lomboy’s sentiment saying, “His guests aren’t A-list names, and it makes it relatable and actionable. I’m really looking forward to more episodes.”

In addition to interviews, Everyday Fighter also features solo episodes with Lomboy sharing lessons and anecdotes from his own experiences. He also releases a weekly “best of the week” short-form episode that features highlight clips from the previous week.

As to his aspirations with Everyday Fighter, Lomboy has lofty goals. He says, “One of my big inspirations is Brandon Stanton and what he’s built with Humans of New York. He created a following of 18 million people worldwide by sharing authentic stories of regular people. I’d love to do the same for everyday fighters.”

Everyday Fighter releases new episodes every Monday, Thursday, and Sunday and is available on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, and Spotify.

Darren Prince, owner of Prince Marketing Group, representing and working with numerous celebrities and sports figures, will be offering pre-launch copies of his new book, Aiming High, on September 18, 2018.  The official launch is scheduled for October 2, but for one day only, readers can get an advance copy of the book through Amazon.  In this groundbreaking autobiography, Prince describes his descent into the darkness of opiate addiction and how he overcame this deadly problem, one that destroys the lives of millions of Americans each year.

At one time, Darren Prince seemed to have it all.  He was a world-renowned celebrity agent, representing and working with such figures as Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Hulk Hogan, Dennis Rodman, “Smokin’ Joe” Frazier, Muhammad Ali, Joe Montana and Chevy Chase.  However, none of his clients knew what Prince was facing:  a growing dependence on opiates that affected every aspect of his life.  After a nearly fatal drug overdose, Prince began to see that, in order to save his life, he would have to recover from his addiction and find a new path forward.  This meant examining the reasons for his problem and addressing them directly.  Looking back on 10 years of sobriety, Prince has good advice for those facing the same crisis:  “We discover the best of ourselves when life gets hard.”

After hitting “rock bottom at the top,” Prince learned to value himself as much as his respected clients.  He found that he mattered, not just to himself, but to those closest to him.  Their support and guidance, and the spiritual fellowship he’s a part of, helped him overcome his addiction and find a new way to live without the support of drugs.  His words resonate with those who may believe they are unworthy of affection, admiration and care.  He has made it his mission to share his story with the world in the hope that others who are dependent on substances to motivate themselves can find a better way.

Aiming High will be available for early release on September 18 and will officially launch on October 2 through Light Hustler Publishers.  With a forward by Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Aiming High promises to deliver sound advice on dealing with feelings of depression and despair and finding hope in the darkest times from a man who has lived through them.

Darren Prince has been in the sports and entertainment industry since he was 14 years old. He built a multi-million dollar baseball card company and then became a leader in private autograph signings. After selling his company, he launched Prince Marketing Group in 1996, representing Magic Johnson, “Smokin’ Joe” Frazier, Dennis Rodman, Chevy Chase, and Pamela Anderson for marketing opportunities such as endorsements, corporate events and licensing. Over the years PMG has continued to add such legendary talent as Charlie Sheen, Ric Flair, Roy Jones, Jr., and the late Evel Knievel and Burt Reynolds.

Nike has announced on 9/3/18 their controversial decision to have Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback of the San Fransisco 49ers, act as the face of their 30th “Just Do It” branding campaign and that sparked a barrage of reactions and calls to boycott the company’s products.

The social media platforms as well as news outlets, showed people expressing disapproval from Nike’s selection and vowing never to by the brand’s gear while others are burning Nike’s clothes and shoes they own or cutting off the famous “swoosh” logo.

As a result of the strong reaction to the branding selection, Nike’s stock has lost 3% of its value, and some conclude it was a bad move – like actor James Woods that called it “brand suicide.”

But not all agree with that statement. Serena Williams tweeted her support to Kaepernick shortly after the new ad was released: “Especially proud to be a part of the Nike family today. #justdoit,” and LeBron James commented: “I stand with anyone who believes in change..and I stand with Nike every day, all day.”

On the same lines, marketing and brand expert, Barak Granot, wrote an article, published on Business Innovators Magazine, titled “Nike – Kaepernick: A Brilliant Move or a Branding Disaster?” in which he dissects the repercussions of the controversial decision from a marketing and branding standpoint.

“Nike took a significant risk,” says Granot, “they will lose money. The stock will take a dive and sales can be slow. It will diminish the brand in the short term.” Granot explains his stand but then adds that in the longer term, the move will prove as beneficial to Nike for several reasons.

“Nike knew that almost unanimously, celebrities will go all-in in supporting that move,” explains Granot and adds, “in the long run, the weight of celebrities endorsing Nike’s brand will outweigh the outrage that has no ‘face.’ The boycott movement will die off eventually because there is no one to lead it and to be the “celeb face” of it. Without celebrity endorsement, there will be less (if any) media coverage in the long run, and the cause will be forgotten.”

In the meanwhile, people rejecting Nike’s selection are slamming the company on social media and time will tell whether Nike chose right in getting involved in this charged debate or if those celebrities and experts were correct on their predictions.

GLENDALE, Arizona — August 28, 2018 – In response to worldwide demand and the success of last year’s inaugural New Balance Future Stars Series International Week, which featured 14 players who went on to be selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, PROGRAM 15 has partnered with FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, to provide live and on-demand coverage for this year’s International Week on FloLive.tv. The event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 1, through Monday, Sept. 3, at Camelback Ranch Stadium in Glendale, AZ.

FloLive will provide exclusive game coverage, including live, instant replay and video-on-demand archived footage for the highly anticipated annual event at Camelback Ranch, the spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. Top amateur baseball prospects will be playing from Canada, Panama, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Japan, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Slovakia, and the USA.

“FloSports is a group of innovators who have succeeded in elevating the quality, comfort, and delivery in online and live streaming broadcasts,” said Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series. “As our reach has spread across many countries, we are beyond excited to work with them to give fans around the world the opportunity to follow our elite amateur baseball prospects year-round.”

“We are really excited about our partnership with PROGRAM 15, and we see the upcoming Future Star Series as just the beginning,” FloSports Director of Rights Acquisition Lindsey Ross said. “We view this as an excellent opportunity to showcase elite baseball talent to a global audience of fans.”

To access live and on-demand coverage of New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series events, visit FloLive.tv and become a monthly or annual PRO subscriber. Either subscription unlocks access to premium content across the entire FloSports network. Watch the events on all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Roku, or Apple TV 4.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT FLOSPORTS
FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, partners with event rights holders, governing bodies, and other media companies to unlock a world of sports coverage that true fans have been waiting for. Through live streaming of premier events, original video programming, and weekly studio shows, FloSports is growing the sports, the events, the athletes, and the fans. Current verticals under the FloSports header include Rugby, Basketball, MMA, Football, Wrestling, Track, Gymnastics, Hockey, and more.
For more information, visit www.FloSports.tv.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

OnGo is perfect for the health-conscious consumer with around 4 calories per spray. In addition to the low-calorie content, it is packed with nutrients such as B3, B6, B12, and Taurine. With these amazing options of nutrient content, there is no reason to look for any other supplement.

The Portable on Demand Energy Source

As some of the busiest business people in the world know, airport energy drinks are NOT the way to go. It is a great way to spill your drink all over your laptop as you are quickly boarding a plane. There are over 60 uses in a bottle of OnGo, it is an affordable solution for the economical consumer and can be taken anywhere.

According to Ashoo Jain, the Founder of OnGo, “When I look around I see a world that is filled with people moving at the speed of light. Everyone has somewhere to be and something to do. I tried to create a product that would be healthy, available anywhere, and offer focus to the busy user. Even if the delays and the hectic nature of life are an issue, having proper energy supplementation will not ever be an issue.”

Ashoo has been the leader in this market as OnGo has found its way into the hands of some very high profile users. Chris Mazder is a professional athlete and Olympian who swears by the product, “OnGo Energy Spray is changing the game. It helps me keep a sustained energy boost throughout my day, so I can transition easily across all my activities, from being an athlete to a dad and everything else I have to do.”

OnGo is the perfect choice for anyone who is looking to step up their game and do it in a healthy way. Many options are out there on the market, but there are few that are designed from inception with the consumer in mind. Ashoo Jain is a very busy man himself and when he was thinking of the product, he knew that the athletes of all industries deserve the same treatment. There should be a solution for all companies and industries that will empower the workers to keep their focus and offer peak performance. Let’s face it, life is not slowing down anytime soon. In addition to not slowing down, it is not going to get any easier. The market keeps evolving with new products and solutions and the consumer is looking for the best one. Clearly, the winner is OnGo Energy for a great sustained energy source.

Granite Bay, California – John Moore president of JM Racing Team announced their plans for the 2018 season. JM Racing Team is competing in three stock car series for the 2018 Racing Season; the Southwest Tour Series, The Pacific Challenge Series, and the Pro Late Model Series. 

The Pro Late Model Series began in Roseville on Saturday, June 16, 2018, and was attended by a record-breaking crowd.  This was the Grand Re-Opening of a new era for the All American Speedway. http://www.allamericanspeedway.com The Raceway is promoted and managed by Napa Auto Parts Racing, K&N Team Owner, and West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame member Bill McAnally.

“John More has been instrumental at the All American Speedway as a competitor and local business supporter. Great to have John and son Cole competing in the late model division. John has the same vision as I do to build the speedway to be a Roseville community asset.  A place providing family entertainment with a safe and fun place for local racers to compete.  John is always 100% all in and I would not want to tackle this task without his support.”, noted Bill McAnally of Bill McAnally Racing Promotions.

John Moore added “JM Racing is excited about competing at the Roseville speedway. It is a great pleasure to be able to race once again in front of our hometown crowd”.

JM Environmental Inc. is adding it’s support for the All American Speedway this year by sponsoring a race on Saturday, September 8^th, 2018. The race is “Late Model JM Environmental Highline 150” with a $10,000 prize.

The father and son team, John Moore #27, and Cole Moore #20 are heavily involved in the sport. They are racing at the highest levels of competition and consistently placing in the top ten in all three series. They have multiple top-five finishes and one win.  John Moore #27, is one point away from leading the points in the Pacific Challenge Series.  After leading the majority of the main event, Cole Moore #20 had a career-high best finish in the prestigious Southwest Tour Series with a second place.

JM Racing Team is sponsored by Thryv and JM Environmental Inc.  Thryv provides software to help local businesses run and grow. CRM, Text and Email Marketing, Social Media, Websites and more. Thryv is part of Dex Media (OTCMKTS: DMDA). For more information about Thryv go to https://www.thryv.com

JM Environmental, Inc. are specialists in hazardous materials abatement and demolition. JM Environmental is licensed in California (#693564 A, B, C21, C-22, ASB, & HAZ) and Nevada (#0073480 A-13, A-22, & A-23). Some of their specialties include fire debris and ash removal, concrete demolition and debris removal, asbestos abatement, lead removal, demolition, mold remediation, and bio-hazard remediation. For more information about JM Environmental call (916) 726-0304 or go to http://www.jmenv.com

Location Info:
JM Environmental Inc.
213 Kenroy Ln # 1, Roseville, California 95678
(916) 726-0304

There are fans and then there are “Hockey Fans” and then there are “Smashville Hockey” Fans.  So, when Ryan Kesler took to Twitter after dropping gloves with Ryan Johansen in the March Hockey Meeting between the Ducks and the Predators, you can be assured the “Smashville” Fans had something to say about that, specifically one talking Dog by the name of Landry Agnes Davis, a German Shepard from Nashville, TN. 

Landry Agnes loves her team and offers witty commentary before and after each Nashville Predators game. Additionally, the German Shepard is a fan favorite and offered many memes and skits that have kept fans itching during the Off Season. On the Kesler / Johansen Tweet, Landry Agnes’s created a parody of the Francis Ford Coppola movie, the Godfather where she immerses herself as the Godshepard.  Here is her recent video…

Landry Agnes Davis is curious if Ryan Kesler will watch her Godshepard video on her Twitter, account, @landryagnesgsd, but be assured several passionate hockey fans have viewed and shared her Godshepard Parody.

Man fans have enjoyed the fun movie reference response and have even chimed in on Landry’s Video about the Kesler /Johansen Tweet.  Nashville Fans are eager to see the two passionate teams face off on November 8^th.

Check out the Godshepard’s full Video along with other Hockey Videos on her Facebook Page @landryagnesdavis.   This Hockey Season will be one to watch and even for fans who have never seen Hockey, the energy from Smashville is one to watch.

PROGRAM 15 and The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series continue their unwavering commitment to change the game of baseball with the addition of new members to their Advisory Board.

According to Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, the advisory board will be tasked to advance the organization’s mission to provide amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

Members of the advisory board will consult directly with Booth on ways to improve the amateur baseball experience as well as innovate new ways to elevate the development and growth experience for both players and evaluators.

Booth says, “As we continue to build out and execute the initiatives of Program15 and the NB Future Stars Series of Player development and identification through Major League Professionals, we’ve added expertise at the highest levels to assist in and advise on our endeavors. I could not be more gratified than to see this list of baseball decision makers and industry visionaries join us with their support and guidance. The advisory board members have quite literally impacted how the game is played, evaluated, and measured. They have built World Series champions and drafted all stars. They have changed the game for the better. We couldn’t ask for a better group and nowhere else in amateur baseball is this type of support and interest paralleled.”

Offering guidance in their respective areas of expertise, which range from international play to amateur and professional player analysis and development, the following members have been named to the PROGRAM 15 – New Balance Future Stars Series Advisory Board.

Bobby Heck, Special Assistant to the GM, Tampa Bay – Heck began his career as a scout for the Texas Rangers in 1995 and continued his scouting career with the Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros.  In 2012, Heck moved on to the Tampa Bay Rays as special assistant to the General Manager.

David Post, Special Assistant to the GM, Padres – Post signed with the Dodgers as a 10th-round draft selection in 1992 and had a minor league career spanning 12 seasons with the Dodgers, Indians, Pirates, Yankees and Rockies organizations. In 2004, he began his scouting career with the Marlins, covering the Northwest from 2004-06 and Florida in 2007. In the offseason of 2007, he joined the Astros as a national crosschecker. In 2012, Baseball America named Post on a list of “Top 10 Future Scouting Directors.” Post was hired by the Padres in 2014 as a special assistant to the general manager/scouting

Brian Bridges, Scouting Director, Braves – Brian Bridges joined the Braves in 2008 as an area supervisor, then was promoted to a regional crosschecker in the Southeast. Bridges was promoted to Scout Director in 2014.

Junior Vizcaino, International Scouting Director,  Pirates – Vizcaino began his baseball career after being drafted in the 11th round of the January 1985 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He spent nine years in the Minor Leagues and became a scout for the Atlanta Braves in 1994. In 2000, Vizcaino moved to the Kansas City Royals and was promoted to National Scouting Supervisor in 2007. In 2017, the Pirates brought him back as the Director of International Scouting.

Scott Barnsby, Scouting Director, Indians – Barnsby has scouted thousands of players during his 15 years with the Indians. He started as an area scout, served as a regional and national crosschecker, and was promoted to Director of Amateur Scouting in 2017. Barnsby served as the point person for the Indians’ draft in June 2018.

Jason Smith, National Crosschecker, Angels – Jason Smith was an Area scout for the Cleveland Indians from 2001-2013, and the west coast crosschecker from 2014-16. Smith signed JD Martin, Francisco , Wolters, Pestano as an area scout, and supervised the West coast and drafting of: Adam Plutko, Greg Allen, Shane Bieber.

Darren Fenster, Minor League Manager, Red Sox  – Darren Fenster was a three-time All-American shortstop at Rutgers University, and was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 2000 MLB Draft. He played from 2000 through 2004 for four Royals minor league teams, before suffering a career-ending ACL injury during the 2005 spring training. Fenster joined the Boston Red Sox organization in 2012, making his professional coaching debut as the hitting instructor for Class A Greenville Drive in the 2012 season. In 2013, Fenster was promoted to the manager of the Red Sox Gulf Coast League rookie team. In 2014, he was promoted again returning to Greenville as the Drive’s 2014 manager.

Dan Nellum, East Coast Crosschecker, Brewers – A native of Washington, Nellum has spent the past seven years scouting the Mid-Atlantic for the Brewers after a 16-year college coaching career. The Central Florida graduate began coaching at Seminole State College before coaching at his alma mater for a year. He served as an assistant coach at Georgetown from 1993-1996, Old Dominion from 1997-1999 and Navy from 2000-2007.

The addition of the new board members bolsters the leadership and strength of the existing advisory board which includes the following:

Marc Tramuta, Scouting Director, NY Mets
Mark Snipp, Special Assignment Scout, Arizona Diamondbacks
Joe Butler, Pro Scout, Chicago White Sox
Darnell Coles, Hitting Coach, Milwaukee Brewers
Derek Johnson, Pitching Coach, Milwaukee Brewers
Kevin Bootay, Pro Scout, Miami Marlins
Arnold Brathwaite, Northeast Supervisor, San Francisco Giants
Keith Law, ESPN Writer

The MLB teams represented on the advisory board are the Brewers, Mets, Giants, White Sox, Angels, Braves, Marlins, Rays, Pirates, Red Sox, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Padres, and Indians.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about PROGRAM 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest PROGRAM 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

When 10-year old Cassidy Warner posted a video on social media about being bullied, she never realized the New York Yankees would step in to lend support.

Cassidy’s story and the effort to stop bullying was just one of five days celebrated by the Yankees during their 10th annual Hope Week – a week dedicated to helping others persevere and excel.

Yankees HOPE Week (Helping Others Persevere & Excel Week) is an annual program run by the New York Yankees that celebrates individuals, families, or organizations worthy of support.

Director of the non-profit Bullyproof America, Alex Chango said, “When a group of people like the New York Yankees all recognize and agree that bullying is a problem that can be fixed, you know it’s an important issue.  There are kids like Cassidy all over the world going through exactly the same thing. But you don’t have to be the Yankees to help these kids – you can be a local sports team, a business, or even just one person willing to make a friend.”

Cassidy’s post moved others, such as actor Hugh Jackman, who shared ABC News’ version of it on his verified Facebook account.

“Hi Cassidy …. I’m Hugh,” Jackman wrote. “I want you to know you’re loved, special & smart. You’re strong, funny & beautiful both inside and out. BULLYING IS NOT OK. Please never stop asking for help. You will find it from people and places you never thought possible. I’m your friend.”

Chango echoed Jackman’s opinion, “Every day in America, there are 16,000 kids just like Cassidy who miss school because of bullying. They are kids who love school, but are afraid of getting hurt.”

Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience:

• Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist into adulthood.
• Health complaints
• Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation. They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.
• A very small number of bullied children might retaliate through extremely violent measures. In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied.
  

Chango states, “Our non-profit, Bullyproof America, holds free bullying prevention workshops and classes around the country. By incorporating communication exercises, confidence building, and martial arts, kids learn the skills to feel empowered at home and in school.”

Every Yankees player participates in HOPE Week with the goal of personally connecting with individuals in the settings of their greatest personal accomplishments. It was started in 2009 with the purpose of performing acts of goodwill to provide encouragement to more than just the recipient of the gesture.  It takes place every year in the summer.

To learn more about Yankees HOPE Week visit: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/nyy/community/hope_index.jsp

To learn more about Alex Chango and Bullyproof America visit: http://BullyProofAmerica.org

PROGRAM 15 is proud to offer discounted ticket rates to Thursday & Friday Astros home games being played during the 2018 Future Stars Series National Tournaments between June 27 and July 30, 2018. Participating players and their families will have the opportunity to see the World Series Champion Houston Astros play at Minute Maid Park in downtown Houston.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, says, “Last year we focused on baseball. With the level of play we had along with the teams coming to compete this summer, we wanted to focus on the off-field experience in 2018 to complement the baseball and give our families the best Houston has to offer. Seeing the hometown team step up to give affordable baseball to the families attending is outstanding for everyone and shows the class of the organization.”

The Future Stars Series is the global initiative between New Balance and PROGRAM 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

Amateur players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts and coaches are submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities and potential selection to regional and national team rosters for New Balance sponsored events.

For information on special ticket prices and game schedule visit http://futurestarsseries.com/fss-astros/

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT THE FUTURE STARS SERIES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
The 2018 Future Stars Series National Tournaments will be held at the Cy-Fair Sports Association Schiel Road Complex between June 27 and July 30, 2018. These five events will feature some of the top talent in the 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 grad classes.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

The scouting reports and database information generated through today’s amateur baseball showcase events are often the primary conduit to college recruiters and scouts that so many players and their families rely upon for reaching the next level of baseball.

However, most of these events have one big and rarely talked about problem. The information is 20 feet wide but only two inches deep, filled with glowing scouting reports on the obvious, easy-to-identify prospects; players who recruiters and scouts will be tripping over themselves to get to…with or without a report. Even the most inexperienced level of scout often found evaluating many of the showcase events today has a shelf full of reports on players they were ‘right about.’

And that’s the big problem. There are many truly talented players that scouts misjudge or overlook entirely.

PROGRAM 15, the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification and Development Program for New Balance Baseball and Prospect Wire, one of the largest and highly regarded scouting services for high school baseball in America, are on a mission to evolve the scouting and recruiting process and provide these players a real opportunity to reach their true potential.

By merging the unquestionable credibility of PROGRAM 15’s Scouting and Evaluation Reports with Prospect Wire’s innovative Scoutcast real-time analytics, these two recognized leaders in the amateur baseball player development and evaluation world are committed to making sure no player goes undocumented or unevaluated during the upcoming Prospect Wire Elite 100 Events.

PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts and coaches will be on site to evaluate and write pro scouting reports on players attending the events. Along with their extensive scouting experience, PROGRAM 15 staff will have access to video and analytics data on every pitch, every swing and every play of the games collected through Scoutcast, the new, state of the art scouting solution from the founder of Prospect Wire, Matt Bomeisl.

PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, Jeremy Booth said, “Matt and the Prospect Wire crew continue to innovate and find ways to improve their system. It’s just another big step in partnership as we move forward to make a difference and help players succeed. We will implement this comprehensive solution in all Future Stars Series events and coming team scout days.”

Scoutcast is driven by several technologies, spearheaded by Flightscope’s doppler radar system, and uses Scoutcast’s own proprietary technology to generate a platform of analytics and video within hours of completion.

For a complete schedule of Prospect Wire Events visit https://prospectwire.com/events/ or follow them on Twitter @ProspectWire

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com/.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

PROGRAM 15 National Training Center
22515 Schiel Rd Cypress, TX 77433
Customer Support (832) 430-1312

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

PROGRAM 15 is proud to announce the NorCal World Series has been added as one of the partner events for the New Balance Future Stars Series. PROGRAM 15 and Future Stars Series staff will attend and scout the NorCal World Series event to write MLB scouting reports and select players for the 2018 International Week and invite-only combines in the fall.

The best and brightest of Northern California’s top baseball-playing student athletes will come together in one unified regional event to be held June 8-11, 2018 in Stockton, CA. The event will include Batting Practice, Defensive Workouts, and each player will play in 3-4 competitive games. This is a must-see event for college and professional scouts.

Led by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts, and coaches, Future Stars Series Regional Training and Evaluation Combines have garnered a reputation as one of the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, says, “Tony Crivello is a legend in Northern California baseball over the last two plus decades. He’s had hundreds of college players come through his program and over 50 major leaguers. He is the Northern California Regional director for PROGRAM 15 and is involved in the training centers we are building across the country. As a special assistant to me in all areas of youth baseball, he has shown time and time again to have vision and the best interests of the players in mind. Bringing this event into the fold was an absolute cake decision.”

Tony Crivello, President and GM of NorCal Baseball, said, “We are thrilled to become a partner with PROGRAM 15. We feel we have one of the best events in the country with some of the best players in the country. There is no doubt the PROGRAM 15 model and vision fits what we believe in. Jeremy and his staff are the best in baseball at evaluations and development. There is no doubt that every player in our event will benefit from PROGRAM 15 and the vision of better baseball players.”

Amateur players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts and coaches are submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities and potential selection to regional and national team rosters for New Balance sponsored events.

To learn more about The NorCal World Series visit https://www.norcalworldseries.com/

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT THE NORCAL WORLD SERIES:
The NorCal World Series is a nationally-recognized event that features The Who’s Who in the Northern California baseball community. The NorCal World Series promotes the highest level of high school baseball the region has to offer and continues to assist participating student-athletes achieve their goal of becoming college ballplayers. The best players year in and year out choose the NorCal World Series to compete and be seen by college and pro scouts. More than 50 participants in the NorCal World Series events have signed MLB contracts.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

PROGRAM 15 and Future Stars Series National Training Complex located at Cy-Fair Sports Association
22515 Schiel Rd, Cypress, TX 77433
Customer Support (832) 430-1312

Florida fashion designer Michael Della Penna has introduced what could be the most versatile and creative women’s fashion sportswear brand created in the USA. A statement as bold and vibrant as the colors of this abstract art-based sportswear line that can be worn as workout gear or as trendy and fashionable upscale attire for a dinner party or club attire for a trendy nightclub. Della Penna Fashion is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to kick off the line and give prospective customers a chance to get some great deals in exchange for pledges. We recently spoke to Della Penna and went over the basics of his goals for the new clothing line.

The Main Problem: Over 95% of women’s fashion sportswear sold today is not exciting, with repetitive stock prints, dull colors, and made with low tech fabrics. Mass production of sportswear is being outsourced overseas causing an increase in supply and price deflation in the U.S. wholesale channel, which is already overwhelmed with product that all looks the same. This is a challenging problem when customers search for a unique and innovative product but see limited options from top companies already selling women’s fashion.

The Art: Based on their surveys, 89% of female participants consider art, that is printed on Sportswear, to be a strong element of self-empowerment, self-expression and a visual fashion statement. According to a Forbes Lifestyle article, “Be Bold, Wear A Graphic Print . . . Women should consider incorporating a graphic print. Advancements in sublimated printing technologies and traditional knitwear have resulted in an explosion of complex, colorful graphic print garments. This trend has popped up everywhere from activewear leggings to cocktail dresses.”

The Della Penna Fashion Art Collection is all about the creative Original Art Component, and it’s not just printed on leggings, but printed on everything that the brand manufactures, unlike most top women’s sportswear brands who shy away from placing bold art on their tops, jackets and dresses. Della Penna stated “Each garment is designed and printed with a digitally engineered method using bright color saturation and special effects that offer a powerful visual impact to our customer. Our survey research also tells us that our collection transcends demographic generations.” “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life,” – Pablo Picasso.

Made in USA: While more than 97 percent of apparel sold in the U.S. are made overseas, according to the American Apparel & Footwear Association, the Della Penna Fashion Art collection is made in the USA. The main disadvantages of manufacturing outside the US that affect Americans are poor quality, lack of control and most importantly loss of intellectual property. This means that American ideas can be stolen and utilized around the world with almost no legal recourse for American designers.

The benefits of American manufacturing mean investment and finance for the American economy. The more that this reasoning is pushed into national manufacturing, the more the nation’s economy will reap the benefits. With growth in American manufacturing, comes a surge in investment opportunities, which benefits all Americans.

The Inspiration: Michael Della Penna is a student of Art History and has always believed that Art and Fashion have inspired each other since the beginning of creativity. He draws inspiration from mythological stories which explain our beliefs and our history; thus, providing a rich source of creativity. This inspiration fosters profound creativity that offers the customer a product unlike other fashion sportwear manufacturers in the marketplace.

The Solution: Their customers tell them that when they wear the collection, many people, men and women alike, stop them and ask them questions about the clothing such as, “where can I find it?”.. or “where did you buy it?” And they comment how unique, exciting and how it projects energy from across the room.
According to Michael, “The benefit to our customers is simply that they feel great and look great when they wear our apparel!”

If you are interested in more information on Della Penna fashions, they are currently running a fund-raising campaign. You can find that info and even get product in exchange for your pledged funds by clicking on this link: http://lsame.news/fashion

Click to view entire, Fashionable Art Sportswear Line

PROGRAM 15 continues to push the game of baseball, and it’s amateur athletes into new territories through innovation by selecting Supplement Pharm, the healthy lifestyle company that develops and provides high-quality sports nutrition products to athletes and fitness enthusiasts, to help players participating in Future Stars Series Combines and Tournaments gain better performance through nutrition.

Led by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts, and coaches, Future Stars Series Regional Training and Evaluation Combines have garnered a reputation as one of the most comprehensive amateur baseball player identification and development experiences available.

Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, says, “Supplement Pharm is some of the best sports nutrition I’ve ever used in training. They have worked hard to perfect and develop products that will help athletes separate themselves. Excited to add them to aid in athlete’s growth.”

Sean Rose, CEO and Co-founder of Supplement Pharm, said, “We’re excited to become the official sports nutrition partner of PROGRAM 15 and the New Balance Future Star Series Combines and Tournaments. PROGRAM 15 is the most elite player evaluation and development program in the world, comprised of former professional players, MLB scouts and Executives sharing the same goal as us here at Supplement Pharm, to help athletes push beyond one’s boundaries and achieve their highest potential at both the amateur and professional levels.”

Amateur players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts and coaches are submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities and potential selection to regional and national team rosters for New Balance sponsored events.

To learn more about Supplement Pharm, visit http://www.athlete-armour.com/

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT SEAN ROSE AND SUPPLEMENT PHARM:
Sean Rose is CEO and Co-founder of Supplement Pharm, a premier sports nutrition company founded in 2013 and based out of St. Louis, Missouri, dedicated to helping athletes optimize their training and athletic performance by offering products to help build and improve strength & muscle, endurance, and support lifestyle goals of every kind.

More than ever, athletes face the reality of tough competition. It is imperative to make use of every advantage in order to maintain relevant in your sport. Nutrition and supplementation is equally as important as training, especially for pro-athletes. Supplement Pharm is dedicated to offering the most exclusive products to inspire performance and push beyond one’s boundaries. To learn more about Supplement Pharm products visit www.athlete-armour.com or @my1sp on Instagram.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

But a few lucky people, clients of James Laidlaw’s InHome Golf, are enjoying full rounds in their very own golf simulator room, outfitted with the latest technology and including customised room design and furnishings to suit their family’s desires.

Previously in-home golf rooms were available and affordable only for very high net worth individuals, as member benefits for golf courses, or at luxury retirement lifestyle communities. Laidlaw has been involved with the golf simulator business for over 8 years and has watched the industry focus change.

Now, with realistic ball flight simulations finally available, James Laidlaw has shifted his focus to offer the highest quality design customisations and installations for in-home golf rooms in newly built family homes and golf clubs. A new level of customization options are available in high quality design, to create a simulated golf experience not readily available before to individual homeowners.

“Traditional golf simulator companies don’t allow for any real customization” Laidlaw shares, “They force you into their ‘cookie cutter’ offering with little room for individuality. I started InHome Golf to help golfers build their ideal space at a reasonable price. The most important things I can offer are flexible design, unlimited options and professional service!”

Real estate trends show an increase in popularity and the value of luxury new home rooms for various uses: Cribs-style “man caves” are less on trend, and more often families are searching for the ultimate personalised “family room” for entertaining, gaming, watching TV/movies, and of course playing golf.

Professional design is most critical, because all the elements are chosen for both individual quality and their ability to function seamlessly with other components. Golf rooms can double as multi-function family entertainment rooms incorporating DVD and Blu-Ray, satellite TV, internet and gaming.

Helping golfers design and build their own space is what InHome Golf is all about offering unbiased and professional advice to help families achieve the golf room of their dreams.

About James Laidlaw:
James Laidlaw was the president of the Talk of Mackenzie Toastmasters group from 2002 – 2003, which is a role he credits for pushing him to pursue his passions and get into the golf industry.

His golf career began in 2003 as Sales Manager for the Royal Canadian Golf Association (now Golf Canada), responsible for hospitality and sponsorship sales for the two Canadian Opens.

In 2010 Laidlaw joined High Definition Golf as Director of Business Development representing their golf simulator products worldwide. HD Golf is known for its very popular IR camera ball tracking technology and high resolution graphic golf courses.

In 2013 Laidlaw joined TrackMan as Director of Sales in Canada. TrackMan’s radar based launch monitor is a staple on the professional tours and considered to be the best tracking system on the market.

James Laidlaw has been providing expert insights and opinions for media for years – writing articles, blogging, and hosting his own charity golf tournament for family and friends.

In 2015 he was selected by Canada’s #1 talk radio station Newstalk1010 as the People’s Voice and has since been sharing his opinions and insights on-air weekly with well-known Canadian journalists like Christie Blatchford and Lorrie Goldstein. Hear him Monday mornings at 7:45am with John Moore on Moore in the Morning.

James Laidlaw is available for expert insights in media interviews, articles, content and events in the golf industry, as well as corporate events and special events. Laidlaw hosts prospective clients and golf pros, as well as media, TV and film productions (especially news programming and luxury real estate & interior design / renovations shows), at his golf simulator design showroom space shared with Rymar Turf Grass in Mississauga, Ontario.

About InHome Golf:
InHome Golf was created in response to a glaring gap in the golf simulator business: Creative design and affordable customization. James Laidlaw understands the golf simulator business like few others, and brings a level of design, service and professionalism that can’t be matched by the bigger companies.

In Home Golf offers a free design guide for people planning an in home golf room in their new build luxury home – copies can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/InHomeGolf

More information on James Laidlaw and In Home Golf room design options can be found at www.InHomeGolf.ca

Join Laidlaw’s free Facebook group to socialize with “Golfers in Canada” https://www.facebook.com/groups/133089344004925

Master K9 trainers Scott Minson and his training partner Darcy Phillipps of Dog 2 Dog launched the first of many programs on their new training resource site for dog owners.

“There is so much inaccurate and incomplete information about the proper training of our furry friends that I felt compelled to share my life long experience with the world.  Our goal is to help everyone live more joyfully with their dogs.” stated Minson.

As part of their launch, Minson and Phillips are offering their “Potty Training Manual” for just $1 and they are selling their beginning and advanced potty training videos at a 75% discount on their new site.

Another part of their mission is to help dog owners live joyfully with their dog by offering free training and nutrition advice on their Facebook page.  The duo has also assembled a team of professionals to aid dog owners in navigating the K9 worlds of nutrition, proper play habits, and great ways to work with veterinarians.

Phillipps says, “Every day we come into contact with loving pet owners who have been given so much bad advice on dog training and K9 nutrition that we really wanted to help more people become better informed.” 

For more information go to www.dogtwodog.com/potty-training-perfected or call 801-916-4221.       

Whether it’s pre-fuel before a good workout, recovery from a great workout, adding some spring to the step or as a meal replacement for weight management, the smoothies and health drinks provided by Power Blendz satisfy many health and wellness needs.

The names are impactful and descriptive: Power Shake, Power Greens, Carb Cutter, Slim n’ Tone, Fat Burner, Pure Protein, Muscle Builder and Energizer to name a few.

The ingredients abound in a chorus of healthy elements: nutritionally advanced meal replacement, kick of energy, fat attacking supplements, recovery, high quality whey protein, low calories, high fiber, low carb low calorie and more.

Then there are the flavors w hich tantalize the imagination: Cookies n’ Cream, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Strawberry Shortcake, Cookie Monster, Berry Blast and Orange Creamsicle just to name a few.

Along with the standard fare, they will add a ‘shake booster’ shot for recovery or strength. They also serve wheat grass shots, protein bars, coffee, Gatorade, monster drinks and water.

All of the above are served by knowledgeable and personable staff who take interest in providing the best drink for their guests, each of whom have individual and unique needs.

This is demonstrated by Ezra, a regular at Ritz Epps Fitness Center who works up an appetite every time he trains. He describes his favorite drink this way, “The Power Shake is good stuff. It really helps me because I get so hungry after working out and don’t want to eat so much. It works very well for me.”

Power Blendz smoothie bar locations all serve the same purpose, to provide high quality ingredients with the best taste for the right health goals in a convenient location with a helpful staff. When asked, random fitness guests say that the staff always goes above and beyond to ensure the customer has a great experience and takes the time to provide the right smoothie for their guests.

Amanda, Eileen and Holly work at Ritz Epps Fitness Center and all display those traits when helping their customers. Eileen is a group fitness instructor who had never tasted a Power Blendz smoothie until one day, “I was curious to see what the smoothies were like, so I tried the Pina Colada shake and it was such a delightful, uplifting, wonderful experience, I knew I had to work here and look at me now!” She continued, “My instincts kick in and I want to make sure everyone gets what they need before training and we all know that growth occurs after the workout so that is also important.”

The location in Fit4LIfe Human Performance Center is in Fayetteville NC about 10 miles from Fort Bragg. The gym offers traditional training with weight machines, cardio equipment and free weights, but additionally for those who want functional fitness, there are sleds, bands, tires, rubber exercise balls and more. There is also 2400 square feet of Astro Turf for athletes to practice sport-specific moves.

The Power Blendz locations on Fort Bragg NC are in Callahan Athletic Center, Hercules Fitness Center and Ritz Epps Fitness Center, which makes it convenient for the military who train on base before or after their workouts and even to stop in for a healthy meal replacement at lunch when they are pressed for time.

These gyms are large buildings which house all the weight training, cardio and fitness facilities that one could want. Some offer basketball courts, racquetball and handball courts, outdoor tracks and more. A list of locations and their contact information is below.

Power Blendz Smoothie bars located in Fayetteville at:

Fit4Life Health Club and Human Performance Center
2803 Fort Bragg Rd
Fayetteville NC 28303
(910) 568-5962
http://fit4lifehealthclubs.com/fayetteville/

Power Blendz Smoothie bars located on Fort Bragg NC at:

Callahan Athletic Center
1705 2 Woodruff St
Fort Bragg NC 28310
(910) 396-3037
http://www.military.com/base-guide/fort-bragg/contact/callahan-athletic-center/1788

Hercules Fitness Center
763 Armistead St
Fort Bragg NC 28307
(910) 394-2892
http://www.military.com/base-guide/pope-field/contact/hercules-fitness-center/1819

Ritz Epps Fitness Center
C 7215 Champion Main Rd
Fort Bragg NC 28307
(910) 432-1031
http://www.military.com/base-guide/fort-bragg/contact/ritz-epps-physical-fitness-center/19986

Five health and fitness trendsetters from the US and Canada became #1 Amazon Bestselling Authors when their book “Never Too Late for Fitness (Volume 2)” reached #1 on the Amazon.com Category Best Seller Lists on February 16, 2018. “Never Too Late for Fitness (Volume 2)” was also named on the Amazon Hot New Releases in three categories; Sports Health and Safety, Two-Hour Sports and Outdoor Short Reads, and Injuries and Rehabilitation.

The book is co-authored by Ryan Comeau, D.C., Carter Davis, Mike Carberry, D.C., William Hogarty, and Phil Faris

“Never Too Late for Fitness (Volume 2)” is a collaborative book series featuring leading fitness professionals from across the US and Canada who are passionate and committed to helping people over 50 get fit, stay fit and live longer healthier and happier lives.

The CDC says that almost half of the American population suffers from chronic illness, the leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. According to the National Council on Aging, about 80 percent of older adults have at least one chronic disease and 68 percent have at least two.

The good news about chronic diseases is that most people who suffer from these conditions can eliminate or reduce the health impact with early detection, treatment and lifestyle changes like exercise and nutrition.

Spotlight Publishing owner, Phil Faris says, “This book is dedicated to every person over 50 who thought about giving up on their fitness goals but didn’t! Every day they stay active and healthy they are inspiring someone somewhere to follow in your footsteps. It could be a spouse, family members, friends, neighbors or their children and grandchildren. It could be people they do not know that see them at the gym, out walking, biking or playing ball with their grandkids. It does not matter. There are people every day that look at them and thinks, “I want to look that good when I am that age!” To all those role models, we say thank you!”

Faris expressed appreciation for the book’s contributors, saying, “We are extremely fortunate to have the caliber of health and fitness trendsetters who gave their time to be interviewed for this project on Never Too Late for Fitness Radio. Every one of them is a true advocate and educator. To have Amazon put this book at the top of their Best Seller lists in the Sports Health and Safety, Two-Hour Sports and Outdoor Short Reads, and Injuries and Rehabilitation categories is an incredible achievement that showcases the appreciation and recognition they deserve.”

Readers can find empowering strategies on the following topics:

Helping People to Move Better and Pain-Free – Ryan Comeau, D.C.

Saving Veteran Lives One Gym Membership at a Time – Carter Davis

How a Medically Integrated, Holistic Health Care Model Improves Patient Outcomes and Helps Practices Thrive – Dr. Mike Carberry, D.C.

How Small Lifestyle Changes Can Save Your Life and Improve Your Fitness – William Hogarty

Why Never Too Late for Fitness is More Than Cardio and Lifting Weights – Phil Faris

In response to the recent success of “Never Too Late for Fitness (Volume 2),” Faris shares, “I am very grateful that so many people over 50 are committed to improving their fitness and chose our book to help them do so. I am also pleased to leverage the book’s success to support a worthy cause, the Three Rangers Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides lifelong support for all veterans and their families. 100% of the royalties from the retail sales of “Never Too Late for Fitness – Volume 2” are donated to this unique 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.”

Since 2015, the Three Rangers Foundation has evolved from an initial concept to a leading Ranger community organization providing veterans with access to professional mentors and experts to assist with the transition and provide guidance for a successful life.

“We have helped roughly 40 veterans nationwide in the last two years,” Three Rangers executive director Larry D. Moores said. “The satisfaction is in seeing these men and women make the personal commitment for self-betterment while growing the network of organizations that want to assist the veteran community.”

To learn more about the Three Rangers Foundation visit http://www.threerangersfoundation.org/.

Never Too Late for Fitness (Volume 2) is now available on Kindle at https://www.amazon.com

Whether a person loves to exercise, finds it a necessary evil or just does it because the doctor recommends it, the new wave of functional fitness is an efficient, effective and even enjoyable way to train.

In our research we have found that many people have heard the term functional fitness, yet don’t really know what it is. There are varyious explanations of the trend and in our opinion, this one from the Mayo Clinic nicely clarifies it.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, “Functional fitness exercises train your muscles to help you do everyday activities safely and efficiently. Find out more about functional fitness exercises – and what they can do for you.”

Notice there is a suggestion for further research on the subject. The Mayo Clinic supports what fitness professionals and enthusiasts have known for years. This is the fact that while all fitness can be cosmetically rewarding, the health and functional benefits for each individual are the real rewards.

Functional fitness exercises are structured to involve compound movements that will help people in their daily lives as they perform tasks like pushing or holding open a heavy office door, changing a tire or lifting and holding a young child. It’s about improving functional performance in life.

Most people can perform the workouts at their own level. Results can be achieved relatively quickly, some readily evident such as muscle appearing where none previously existed. Other benefits, such as increased positivity and confidence, are more closely experienced. For many it is the ideal fitness program.

Professional local fitness and health facilities offer environments where information is shared on fitness and nutrition and most importantly provide support which fosters a healthy lifestyle.

There are several great options for Functional Fitness training around Fayetteville NC .

When it comes to huge gyms there is the Omni Health and Fitness Center at 1400 Walter Reed Drive. The total fitness area is probably the largest in the county. There is a women-only training room and a large room specifically designated for Functional Fitness with the requisite bands, weighted balls, weights with handles and cardio machines. A large carpeted alley among the weight stack machines offers weighted sleds, tractor tire, wooden jump boxes and heavy swing ropes. For more information, Call the Omni directly at 910-565-6218 or visit the website by clicking Omni Health and Fitness Center Fayetteville NC

In the Haymount area there is a unique and popular training facility called Fit4Life Sports Performance and Wellness Center. Located at 2803 Fort Bragg Road this gym has all the traditional cardio, weight and aerobics areas and also offers approximately 2400 square feet of indoor turf, on which almost any functional fitness exercise can be performed. This area is also great for athletes who wish to practice their ‘sport specific’ movements for achieving that edge in their competitive sports. Personal trainers are available as well. There is also a child play area for parents who wish to bring their children to the gym.

Manager Scott Mathews sums it up this way, “Having a gym full of people is a great thing and it allows us to participate in fundraisers for local charities and do more community promotions about health and fitness. All of which we hope will change attitudes about the traditional gym culture and lead to healthier lifestyles for everyone.”

Fit4Life is open 24 hours every day of the year, accessible with a coded, digital membership card. For more information visit the website here: fit4life functional fitness or call the club at 910-568-5962.

In the Methodist University area of North Fayetteville, the premiere medical massage clinic in the county, Healing Hands Body Therapy, has just expanded with a Functional Fitness room offering Rehabilitative Yoga and Functional Fitness classes.

Professionals conduct the classes and the smaller class size is popular as it allows the instructors to focus more attention and give guidance on form and intensity as they walk each class member through the movements.

One interesting twist according to owner Brenda Howell, “Our instructors use bands and simple equipment that can be duplicated at home. Because of this people may find that they have some ‘homework’ when not attending classes, helping participants develop better consistency.”

For more information or even to book classes or massage treatment online, visit the website at healing hands functional fitness or call the office at 910-818-2513 and speak with Emily or Sarah.

Each facility listed here has unique services to offer. All of them are open for people to visit and take a tour. This is the way to find the best combination for each participant’s unique situation. Indeed, just showing up for training is the main ingredient and consistency is the best friend to fitness in general and functional fitness specifically.

IT consulting company owner, Ed Bensinger, was a featured speaker at Business Expert Forum at Harvard Faculty Club, an annual conference of thought leaders from around the globe including CEOs, dignitaries, professionals, and leaders in the technical and medical fields. Ed Bensinger has dedicated himself and his employees to helping business owners keep their focus on the bottom line rather than their IT issues. He shared the stage with New York Times Best-selling author Suzanne Somers. 

His company specializes in working with firms that have between 10 and 250 workstations, often in multiple locations or with remote users. Bensinger Consulting has 14 years’ of experience specializing in the secure, seamless integration of email, file sharing, access to accounting packages, phone systems, and line-of-business applications. No longer do clients need to worry about having different versions of company files in several locations. Executives can now access accounting and reporting data from anywhere. Employees in satellite locations or working from home can send and receive calls as though they are in the corporate office. Bensinger Consulting employees answer their phones live in order to provide clients with the support they need, when they need it.

“If you are a small to midsize business, and you want to turn technology into a power tool that can move your business forward instead of a problem that costs you time and money, then we can help,” said owner Ed Bensinger. “Our clients rely on their computers, network, and internet for daily operations. Most have a specialized line of business application or ERP that they use to run their business and rely heavily on that software being operational. They represent a broad cross-section of industries and are located primarily in Phoenix and Las Vegas, but we have clients from the Atlantic to the Pacific.”

Bensinger Consulting provides reliability and security for a client’s computer network and ensures that data is always backed up. Inventories are easily tracked while employees do the jobs they do best rather than waste time on computer problems. “Paying to prevent problems is more efficient than paying to fix them,” Ed Bensinger said.

Bensinger Consulting is a Microsoft Partner that has been providing cloud solutions to clients since 2008. In 2009, they became the first Microsoft partner in Arizona to achieve a special Microsoft certification in Virtualization, putting Bensinger Consulting on the cutting edge of cloud technology.

Ed Bensinger’s technology career includes 21 years of Microsoft certification and jobs working for Conrail, Motorola, Fijitsu, MindSpring and Earthlink, and a nuclear power plant, prior to founding Bensinger Consulting in 2003.

His firm specializes in providing IT solutions nationwide for small and medium-sized businesses, helping them save thousands of dollars on hiring, salaries, and benefits, while improving their network with Enterprise Class solutions and years of experience.

Ed Bensinger is committed to the highest customer service, far beyond just fixing problems. Ed is a trusted advisor. He helps clients make informed decisions that balance their IT needs with budgetary concerns.  Ed partners with clients every step of the way, each and every day.

From tea bag manufacturers to commercial real estate firms, Bensinger Consulting provides IT solutions that support clients doing in excess of $1,000,000,000 in annual sales.

In Ed’s free time, he enjoys hiking with his wife and their three rescue dogs.

Visit the Website: bensingerconsulting.com

Jacqui Wahl, an experienced sales professional in Charlotte, NC, was present as the special guest in a recently broadcasted episode of Business Innovators Radio’s Making Major Moves in the Marketplace. On course of being interviewed by the show host Ed Bracey, Jacqui revealed insightful details about the past and present experiences related to her illustrious sales career.

Jacqui started the discussion by mentioning that she is currently engaged as an Account Executive in Group Sales for the NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets. In a job role that is significantly different from stereotyped sales positions, she organizes theme nights and events to bring in large crowds where her efforts are primarily focused on awareness events partnering with different non-profits in the community as well as networking events, fundraisers, and corporate outings.  

After her graduation from Florida State University, Jacqui started a career in the field of PR. She held multiple PR roles in New York City’s fashion industry before making her way back down south to Charlotte, North Carolina for a marketing position. This is the time when she found her niche working in sales and eventually ended up in her present position.  

During the interview, Jacqui spoke about the necessary qualities to succeed in a sales career. “You do need a certain skillset. You do have to have the natural ability to connect with others and find ways to talk to them, “she said. Jacqui also informed that she has had more than a few mentors that have taught her the tricks to succeed in a challenging work environment.

A business development expert and noted mentor, Ed Bracey has been a lifelong volunteer for women’s empowerment. He is the founder of Synergy of Empowered Women, a non-profit offering business coaching to help women reach their fullest potential in life. Making Major Moves in the Marketplace is a production of Synergy of Empowered Women. Through this show, Ed looks to inspire the listeners by showcasing some of today’s most extraordinary women entrepreneurs and business leaders.   

To listen to the entire episode of the show with Jacqui Wahl, please visit https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/jacqui-wahl-account-executive-group-sales-hornets-sports-entertainment/

About Ed Bracey: A lifelong volunteer, Ed Bracey has over 32 years Business Development Experience.  After graduation from The Citadel, Ed served this country as an officer in the Marine Corps overseas and stateside.  Beginning a sales career, Ed led sales teams locally, nationally and internationally.  After founding Synergy of Empowered women, Ed supported this cause with his own funds.  Due to recent nationwide expansion, fund raising has begun to ensure our causes to empower women are fully funded.

Contact:
Jacqui Wahl
Account Executive, Group Sales
HORNETS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
333 East Trade Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
T  704.688.9057
F  704.688.8735
jwahl@hornets.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-wahl-65a45234/
Instagram: @jacquiwahl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacqui.wahl

Contact:
Ed Bracey
Founder
www.synergyofempoweredwomen.com

PROGRAM 15 and Wilson Sporting Goods Co. are both known for their unwavering commitment to innovation and pushing the game of baseball and it’s athletes into new territories. Over the past 100 years, Wilson athletes have won Golden Glove awards, World Series championships, Olympic medals and they will soon add the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series World Champions to that list.

PROGRAM 15 has announced Wilson Sporting Goods Co. as the official supplier of baseballs and gloves for the The 2018 New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series International Week. The invitation-only series features international high school talent identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional baseball veterans. Each player participating on the International Week World and National team rosters will receive a Wilson glove.

Chad Moeller, 11 Year MLB Catcher, and PROGRAM 15 National Catching Coordinator said, “Wilson coming together with PROGRAM15 and the Future Stars Series makes perfect sense. They’re a legendary brand and used by Major League players everywhere. Players will benefit from their addition and International Week just got better as well”.

Wilson will also be the official baseball for PROGRAM 15’s National Skills, Evaluation and Training Combines as well as the National Trials – Championship Tournaments to be held June 27 through July 30th, 2018 in Houston, TX.

PROGRAM 15 has been responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Combines and Tournaments, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, Jeremy Booth says, “We are ecstatic to add a group like Wilson to the fold. Their gloves are second to none, and we’re excited to have our players and partner programs using one of the best gloves on the planet. Adding them to International Week was a no-brainer.

We used Wilson baseballs last year in our events and the quality is exceptional. We are proud to have them as the official ball and look forward to working with Wilson as they’ve joined the movement.”

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about PROGRAM 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest PROGRAM 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT WILSON:
Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods Co., a division of Amer Sports, is the world’s leading manufacturer of sports equipment, apparel and accessories. Through its dedication to creating products that enable athletes at every level to perform at their best, Wilson has earned its place as a leader in sporting goods for over a century. Twitter – @wilsonballglove, and on Facebook – Facebook.com/WilsonBaseball.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

On a recent episode of Remarkable Radio with Mark Imperial, Mike DeCubellis D.C., Owner and Director of Main Street Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Downers Grove, discussed How Chiropractic Treats The Problems, Not The Symptoms.

According to DeCubellis D.C., it is important to find the root cause of pain so with proper treatment, the pain won’t come back.

DeCubellis D.C., said “What we do is we try to treat the problems not the symptoms. What that means is that if someone comes in with pain, we want to figure out why they’re in pain. What we don’t want, is to do a treatment or two, pain starts to get better, then it comes back, and we don’t have an explanation for why. So we get to the root cause right away. We fix the cause of the pain and we’re confident that it is not going to come back. We do a lot of specialized testing to get to the root cause. X-rays, orthopedic tests, range of motion tests — but it really depends on the patient’s history and what brought them in. ”.

When host Mark Imperial asked what are the most common ailments he sees in his office, DeCubellis D.C. answered, “You know, the two biggest things we see are neck and back pain. We also see quite a bit of Headaches, carpal tunnel and joint issues as well. The best advice I can give is: if you have a pain somewhere in the neck or back, a headache, or pain elsewhere and it’s persisted for more than a couple of days—If it hasn’t gone away by now, it’s not going to go away. What we do is we try to figure out what is the best way we can work with you. Unfortunately we can’t help everyone. Sometimes people have waited too long and it’s become more serious. This is why we work with other doctors in the area — Neurologists, Orthopedic surgeons– and we can make sure patients get the best help. The best advice I can give is: it’s always better to get things checked out sooner rather than later. The longer it’s there, the longer it takes to get rid of, but the more chance for other complications to arise as well. The sooner the better”.

During the Interview DeCubellis D.C. shared when to see a Chiropractor or a Doctor, explaining, “Over 80 percent of all the hospital visits in this country are from neck and back pain. And the problem with that is that if you go into hospital with back pain and they find out that it’s not an emergency, they really don’t have much to offer you except medication! And even if those medications help, they’re going to wear off at some point. They don’t fix anything, they just kind of help you get out of that initial phase of healing. Because what happens is, any time you have pain, or you have an injury, your body goes through three specific phases of healing: Your body goes through the inflammation phase; the repair phase; and the remodel phase. Now the inflammation phase is only supposed to last a couple of days. During that phase, that’s when you get your anti-inflammatories, you might get some pain medication, and you use ice, because your body is basically just in panic mode and we’re trying to calm that down. The repair phase is where the actual healing happens. That’s when your body is producing new collagen. It’s unfortunately using scar tissue first. That’s what immature collagen is, scar tissue. The only way to have it mature and not stay as scar tissue is to restore the normal motion or movement of the injured area. This is why it is vital to see the right kind of Dr at the right time. MD’s are great during the inflammation phase. When patients have really bad pain, and they go to their M.D.  or their primary care Doctor. They’ll get an anti-inflammatory, maybe they get some pain meds for a week or two, and then they come see us because there’s no one who can fill in that void in the repair phase except for the chiropractors. And it really takes someone who knows what they’re doing. There’s a specific type of treatment you’ve got to do at different levels. But also, you’ve got to test along the way. We can’t just be having patients come in doing things and saying we’ll just see in a couple of weeks and hope you get better. We’ve got to monitor along the way, because we want to make sure we get the best possible outcome, and can prove the improvement. And if we’re not, that’s when you go to Plan B, Plan C, plan D”.

Mike DeCubellis D.C. is the owner and director at Main Street Chiropractic. After completing his degrees from the University of Florida and Palmer Chiropractic College, he opened Main Street Chiropractic in 2009. Dr. DeCubellis has been featured in Suburban Life Magazine’s Professional Spotlight on 4 different occasions, and voted Best Chiropractor in Downers Grove multiple times. The most recent was 2017 by two separate publications, including Suburban Life. His clinical approach works on the actual problem to achieve long lasting symptom relief.

The interview concluded with DeCubellis D.C. saying “The biggest thing with what I do is try to restore the body’s normal movement patterns…What I like to do is I always like to look at the patient before we do treatments. We have specialized motion studies we can do that show problems, like ligament issue, standard tests miss. I also prefer take X-rays on most patients, so I know what I’m working on, and I can to make sure it’s safe.”.

To listen to the full interview on Remarkable Radio, visit https://www.wckg.com/remarkableradio/mike-decubellis/.

To learn more about Mike DeCubellis D.C. and Main Street Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Downers Grove, IL, please visit http://ChiropracticDownersGrove.com/.

Jeremy M. Matranga, RFC shares his thoughts and experience on leadership and success in financial matters

Financial educator, Jeremy Matranga, was a featured speaker at the annual thought leaders conference Business Expert Forum at the Harvard Faculty Club. These thought leaders include CEOs, dignitaries, professionals, best-selling authors, technical and medical experts from around the world. A well-known financial educator in The Woodlands, Texas. he is the founder and the president of Platinum Tax & Wealth Management, a company that helps individuals pursue their financial goals by providing high-quality information, services, and product. By engaging clients on a regular basis, Platinum Tax & Wealth Management keeps them focused on an approach that helps them realize their dreams. Matranga has assisted retirees, as well as those who are about to retire, avoid making costly financial mistakes. Clients who have benefited from his expertise and advice include current and past employees of ExxonMobil, AT&T, South Western Energy and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.

Matranga believes that there is no fast track to success unless someone is willing to learn from his mistakes, surround himself with successful people, is inquisitive and seeks the services of a business coach. He says his desire to educate and help others is what sets him apart from the rest of the pack and that his commitment to his own continued education is to help others improve their finances and not for his own benefit.

Although he is considered to be a business leader Matranga’s idea of leadership is different than most. “Some people may be born leaders but practicing and constantly working on leadership skills can help in making a leader.” He says a leader is a humble servant of the people with a high level of integrity.

Matranga is a regular speaker in various forums, radio and television shows where he lectures on financial topics. He is a committed family man and enjoys spending time with his wife and their three children.

 Securities and Advisory Services offered through Cetera Investments LLC, member FINRA, SIPC. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity.

PROGRAM 15, the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification and Development Program for New Balance Baseball has announced the December 1st Grand Opening of their Northern California Regional Training Center.

Located in Rancho Cordova, CA, the NorCal Training Center will be available to teams and individual baseball players of all ages and skill levels.  The almost 15,000 square feet facility is equipped with seven batting cages, two tee cages along with areas for strength and conditioning and fielding development.

As an official  PROGRAM 15 Regional Training Center, the structure and philosophy are based on the highly innovative baseball player development system created and used by PROGRAM 15 at their National Training Center in Texas as well as at the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series international combines and events.

The NorCal facility will offer personalized instruction, small group fundamental clinics and advanced position specific workshops as well as exclusive monthly onsite player development sessions attended by members of PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former professional players, coaches, scouts and Major League veterans.

Owner of the NorCal Training Center, Jamie Timms, a seasoned and highly respected entrepreneur with a passion for baseball and an eye for opportunity learned about PROGRAM 15 through former MLB Scout and childhood friend, Butch Baccala, who also happens to be the VP of Scouting for PROGRAM 15.

Timms said, “Both my boys play baseball and I absolutely love the game.  What I saw in PROGRAM 15 was the opportunity to achieve my goal of helping a lot of kids.  Not just in developing the physical skills to play the game of baseball, but to help every kid reach their full potential and give them an opportunity to further their higher education through baseball, whether it be a Junior College or D1 University.  That focus and dedication is exactly what I saw in PROGRAM 15. The more I saw the success of the program and the players, the more I wanted to be part of that organization.”

PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, Jeremy Booth says, “Jamie is driven to help players and take the next step toward maximum results in player growth. He’s entrenched in the community and interested in unifying the region for the youth and this group will work exceptionally well with our regional director, Rob Bruno of NorCal baseball.”

The PROGRAM 15 NorCal Regional Training Center, located at 11347 Folsom Blvd. Suite A,B,D, Rancho Cordova, CA. 95742, is scheduled to open December 1st.

For updates on the NorCal location visit http://program15norcal.com

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about PROGRAM 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest PROGRAM 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Laser Therapy is a surgery-free, drug-free option for individuals suffering from both acute and chronic pain. Treatments are fast, safe, and painless. Most patients see results in 3 to 5 treatment sessions and the treatments have a therapeutic effect continuing for up to 18 hours after the treatment.

According to Dr. Dan VanderWeit, since getting this piece of equipment, they’ve been able to treat and cure everything from plantar fasciitis, knee problems, post surgical pain and swelling, down to a jammed finger. This piece of equipment is astonishing.

“I am truly amazed at the results with the Class IV laser therapy. Recovery time for acute and chronic conditions improved greatly within the first few treatments. We finally have the technology to treat conditions that were usually referred out. Chronic conditions, sprain/strains, swelling, extremity pains…GONE!” said VanderWeit.

Laser Therapy is clinically proven to reduce pain and inflammation associated with many common musculoskeletal conditions, such as Shoulder pain, neck pain, tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, knee and ankle pain, arthritic pain and much more. Laser Therapy is endorsed by professional clinical organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), and the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP®) and over 3,000 research studies have been conducted in the field.

“I wouldn’t believe how well this laser therapy worked if I didn’t heal my own chronic aches and pains. With all the new advances in technology and healing modalities, we thought it was time to get it in our office, now we have it. There is no condition to this day that we have not improved with this technology. If it is good enough to have in the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc., then its good enough to have in our office.” VanderWeit shared with incredible enthusiasm and confidence.

The LightForce EX Deep Tissue Therapy Laser by LiteCure® Medical is FDA cleared and represents a great advance in medical technology. Preferred Chiropractic & Auto Injury is proud to provide another effective treatment option to our patients with this latest proven technology.

VanderWeit asserted, “Safe, non-invasive, effective, FDA approved, and affordable, this has to be one of the best modalities that we have incorporated into our office.”

About Preferred Chiropractic & Auto Injury
Preferred Chiropractic & Auto Injury is a Round Lake Beach based practice specializing in pain relief and chiropractic therapy, and other adjunctive therapies. The practice is staffed by Dr. Dan VanderWeit & Dr. Keith Richard who bring over 36 combined years of experience to the patients of Round Lake Beach and the surrounding Lake County area.

Their Round Lake Beach chiropractic practice aims to get patients out of pain by properly diagnosing and treating auto trauma victims, sports injuries, chronic pain syndromes and acute injuries, utilizing the most current medical technology. A primary focus is eliminating or reducing the need for surgery or drugs.

Preferred Chiropractic & Auto Injury is located at 314 W. Rollins Rd. Ste B, Round Lake Beach, IL 60073. To find out how they can help improve your quality of life by reducing the pain and inflammation associated with your painful musculoskeletal condition visit them online at www.lakecountydoctors.com, or call 847-546-4220, to set up an appointment.

San Diego expert handicapper Greg Lawlor when introducing The Race Horse Body Language Training Academy said “By watching a race horse before the race and noting it’s actions of eyes, tail, walk, how it stands and other indicators of health and attitude such as fear or anger, which all have an impact on it’s performance, will give the person that understands the actions a competitive edge.”

Reading the Body Language of a horse is a skill that can be learned. A horse is an animal that has been domesticated but retains all of the instincts of it’s ancestors. The horse will react to stimuli in the same way every time. If it feels great it will show it. It is the same for every emotion, fear, anger or ill health. Understanding those conditioned reflexes the horse is showing is reading it’s Body Language.

Greg Lawlor was quoted in the Small Business Trendsetters Magazine as saying “Race Horse Body Language is used by only about 3% to 5% of all handicappers. Race Horse Body Language is the best kept secret in horse racing.” He continued, “Think about this, we know how human body language reveals a great deal about a person. When you have been out all day and come home, you know immediately how your mate is feeling as soon as you walk through the door. Wouldn’t it be great if a horse could tell you when he feels like winning? That sure would give you a competitive edge wouldn’t it?”

Reading horses Body Language is a skill that has been used for years but until recently could only be used while at the race track. That is changing according to Mr. Lawlor, “In the past a person had to be at the race track to use Body Language. But 90% of all bettors today are on line or at off track facilities. The Race Horse Body Language Training Academy teaches any person how to become a body language expert with horses using the power of a computer and on line video as well as using it at the track. Adding body language to a person’s handicap skills will allow them to use it to either confirm or eliminate your choice in any particular race. “

The Race Horse Body Language Training Academy has a web posting of a 100 race test they have conducted. This test shows the date, track, horse, odds and results. In the test a hypothetical wager of $2 was placed on win, place and show in each race. The horse was picked strictly on it’s body language. The win rate was 40%. 77% were in the money and the ROI was 63%. Any person can see the 100 Race Test by going to http://ThoroughbredBodyLanguage.com/100-day-test-results/

The Body Language Basic Training is going to be offered to the public in Webinars that are presented in partnership with various Handicapping Experts and major race tracks such as Del Mar and Santa Anita.

For more information or to contact the Body Language Training Academy and Greg Lawlor, visit http://ThoroughbredBodyLanguage.com

(New York and Houston)- Monsterful VR, the innovative and fast growing immersion engagement brand for sports and technology, today announced a partnership with Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15, and the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series to design and implement a custom programmed Virtual Reality training system to enhance player development through technology. The new patented interactive VR platform is the latest advancement in the space, and the first of its kind on the market. The implementation is set to begin in 2018.

“I’m thrilled to announce this partnership as the next evolution in our fast growing business,” said Jarett Sims, Monsterful VR founder. “We’re interested in ensuring that from end to end we have an ecosystem where kids age six and up to Major League players are using our system effectively to improve their play quality. Jeremy Booth’s experience in evaluating and coaching some of the great players in the game today as well as working with the younger athletes on a consistent basis, brings a lot to Monsterful so it’s exciting to work with him and now have him on our board as well. Baseball is our next step, but not our last for sure.”

“Jarett Sims and the Monsterful Staff’s experience in developing quality Major League player development products made this an easy decision,” added PROGRAM 15 founder and veteran MLB talent evaluator Booth. “This technology has already shown results with players we recently tested it with at the New Balance Future Stars Series International Week. I’m very excited about working with Jarett to lead this innovation in player development and translate analytical data into accelerated player growth.”

Set to launch the first quarter of 2018, RBI-VR, Monsterful VR’s state-of-the-art training platform that extends far beyond the entertainment value of Play the Pros (PTP), which debuted as a consumer facing product at Detroit’s Comerica Park to wrap up the 2017 regular season.  The RBI-VR virtual reality gaming engine is built on a proprietary process developed by Monsterful VR engineers for compiling and calculating the enormous amount of data used to recreate the throwing mechanics, correct biomechanics, vertical and horizontal release point of any pitcher in the league with near 100% accuracy.

Utilizing virtual reality to enhance pitch recognition and reaction time while minimizing injury risk is the perfect marriage of sport and technology. One of the revolutionary features built into RBI-VR is that it does not just provide players with the experience of hitting against Major League level pitching. The platform also evaluates, documents and provides Major League level feedback to the hitter that can also be made available to recruiters and scouts.

The fully immersive nature of the RBI-VR hitting experience is based on a physics engine built by Monsterful VR which accurately replicates the Magnus Effect – the phenomenon that governs the spin and flight of the ball once thrown by the pitcher – and the accurate physics of the bat + ball collision. The software is not just a close representation of the game, but a highly refined, accurate and measurable re-creation what it is to hit against Major League pitching, and allows for the capture of the tens of thousands of new data points measured by the system with each swing.

The Program 15 and New Balance Future Stars Series VR Tournament will be held in January for Baseball academies across the country with Monsterful VR’s RBI-VR training product.

Major League Baseball’s Detroit Tigers recently expanded their Fan Experience at Comerica Park with the debut of Monsterful VR’s Play the Pros (PtP) virtual reality batting cage. The Play the Pros fan engagement platform enables ball parks, entertainment venues, and retail establishments around the country to provide fans the opportunity to virtually step up to the plate at a major league ballpark and take real swings against simulated pitches from their favorite MLB pitchers. It will soon be expanded into a remote platform bringing this unique experience into the home and commercial establishments as well. 

ABOUT MONSTERFUL VR:
A leader in designing best-in-class sports VR experiences, Monsterful VR’s success is built on revolutionary technology. When developing its baseball platform, the company incorporated feedback from an advisory board that includes Detroit Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon, Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker, Philadelphia Phillies catching coach John McLaren, and former MLBPA COO Gene Orza . Others, such as baseball legend Edgar Martinez, were also consulted.

The fully immersive virtual reality experience enables hitters to face top pitchers in baseball. It tracks their swing analytics based on proven metrics, triggering real-time feedback. Artificial Intelligence and predictive analytics are additional features that make Monsterful VR’s RBI-VR unlike any player development tool coaches have used before.

For more information on Monsterful visit www.monsterfulvr.com

ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.

When it comes to high school baseball, and high school sports in general, quality information is scattered all over the place. It can cause worthy players to get lost in the shuffle. Prospect Wire President and Founder Matt Bomeisl was one of those players. With no college commitment to play baseball after graduating from high school in 1999, Bomeisl joined a summer travel team. During one tournament, he caught the eye of then-Florida Gators Head Coach Andy Lopez and committed to the University of Florida on the spot.

Fortunately, Bomeisl finally had the opportunity to be seen by someone with a true eye for baseball, even though he had been largely ignored by the showcase scouts.

Unfortunately he is the exception.

The scouting reports and database information generated by today’s amateur baseball showcase events are often the primary conduit to college recruiters and scouts that so many players and their families rely upon for reaching the next level of baseball.

However, most of them have one big and rarely talked about problem. The information is 20 feet wide but only two inches deep filled with glowing scouting reports on the obvious, easy-to-identify prospects; players who recruiters and scouts will be tripping over themselves to get to… with or without a report. Even the most inexperienced level of scout, often found evaluating many of the showcase events today, has a shelf full of reports on players they were right about.

And that’s the big problem. The truly talented players these scouts are wrong about fade away without the opportunity to reach their true potential.

Two recognized leaders in the amatueur baseball scouting world, PROGRAM 15 and Prospect Wire, have stepped forward to evolve the amateur baseball scouting world with a better way.

Bomeisl always dreamed of turning around and helping players in a the way he was helped that summer of 1999. That’s exactly what he did when he started Prospect Wire. Today, as one of the most highly regarded national tournament and event providers, Prospect Wire helps connect players by working and sharing information with colleges and MLB Scouts as they follow players progress through the different levels of baseball.

Bomeisl says, “We have utilized technology across all parts of our events to bring a first class experience to our participants and go above and beyond in the process of providing exposure and coverage to the players.”

PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball operations Jeremy Booth has had a diverse baseball career as a pro player, hitting coach, scout and cross-checker for Major League organizations.

Booth explains,”Those were incredibly valuable experiences that provided me with a view that most people involved in this game just don’t have the opportunity to see.

I got to witness the evolution of success for a lot of players, which gave me a unique perspective that changed the way I look at amateur players and their potential. I discovered two very important things. First, that there are a handful of very key variables that have a huge impact on a player’s future in this game that weren’t being measured or even addressed in most player development processes. Second, many of the theories, data points, and evaluation methods being used as blindly accepted predictors of baseball talent are flat out wrong.

What’s troubling to me, and to the future of baseball, is the amount of raw talent that has gone unnoticed. I’ve seen players with tremendous potential neglected or completely ignored in the shadows of guys who happen to fit the current, and in my opinion, often flawed evaluation and prediction methods.”

As the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification and Development Program for New Balance Baseball, PROGRAM 15 is responsible for executing the Future Stars Series Combines and Tournaments, which is a grassroots initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

The PROGRAM 15 faculty and staff includes former pro scouts, Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans. The passion, drive and ability to evaluate and identify potential high level players who may otherwise go unnoticed by less experienced eyes, have earned PROGRAM 15 the respect of the player evaluation and development world.

Recognizing the staggering odds for an amateur player to reach the Major Leagues, PROGRAM 15 and Prospect Wire have teamed up to to develop a modern data driven scouting system which will provide each player the opportunity to grow and reach a level of achievement matching his highest potential.

While that may not be at the level to secure an MLB contract, it can translate into the opportunity to earn scholarships from Junior College to Division 1 University Baseball programs; something that has been out of reach for many amateur players until now.

PROGRAM 15 and Prospect Wire are committed to provide the very best on field training and development combined with the very best in player evaluation data and exposure.

Future Stars Series Skills, Training & Evaluation Combines include individual PROGRAM 15 Scouting Reports and Developmental Feedback from scouts who have signed Major League players.

For the new data driven scouting system Prospect Wire will capture advanced data using FlightScope analytics and provide social media coverage and videos for the PROGRAM 15 Regional Combines to connect and share player information with colleges and MLB Scouts.

PROGRAM 15 Scouts will also crosscheck and write up scouting reports on players identified by Prospect Wire through their extensive event coverage.

On the scouting system partnership, Bomeisl says, “We are very excited to bring our scouts, social media coverage, and college text alert system to these events. The guys at Program 15 are putting an emphasis on player development which is something that is missing from the event side in amateur baseball.”

The partnership was a logical fit for Booth, who is constantly seeking to work with those who have the integrity and vision of Bomeisl and Prospect Wire, saying, “When you find those people with a commitment to excellence and pride in their work product, those are the ones who you seek to work with and ultimately become a match. Prospect Wire has a track record of excellence and player growth. They truly want to help players and help the game.”

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, please visit http://program15.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB

To Learn more about Prospect Wire visit https://prospectwire.com/ or follow them on Twitter @ProspectWire

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

Dr. Anthony Pivonka is an innovator and bestselling author in scoliosis treatment. He knows firsthand that patients wearing a corrective scoliosis brace may not be doing their stretching exercises correctly which can lead to further curvature, or delay improvements in posture.  So, he recently connected with a PhD professor at ASU named Dr. Jorge Caviedes to figure out how to monitor the quality and efficiency of these stretching exercises and movements while a patient is away from the clinic, using high tech wearable technology.

Together, the Doctors integrated stretch sensors into a special cloth that will be woven into a garment i.e. a T-shirt. The garment will sync up wirelessly by Bluetooth in conjunction with a phone app that will monitor, track and log the quality and efficiency of the stretch and provide immediate feedback to the patient on whether the exercise was done properly or not.  If too many exercises are not performed properly, a notification is sent to the treatment provider to signal that additional instruction may be needed. The data collected will be imported into other software for further analysis. 

“This innovative method is in the testing phase now and will start with case studies carried out throughout the coming year,” Dr. Pivonka was quoted.  “The results will be presented at next year’s conference”. Future plans are also in development to provide feedback on bad posture in general; helping to create good postural habits over time using wearables.

Meeting once every year, SOSORT is an international scientific research society dedicated advancing scoliosis treatment by effectively using proven methods. The membership body of SOSORT is made up of physical therapists, medical doctors and orthotists from around the globe.

Both Dr. Caviedes  and Dr. Pivonka submitted an abstract to the SOSORT conference and were invited to give an oral presentation entitled “Spine Posture Detection and Correction Using Active and Passive Biofeedback” at the May SOSORT meeting in Lyon France. Drs. Pivonka and Caviedes traveled to France to present their innovative concept. The idea was received with high interest. The full abstract can be found in the book of abstracts for the conference ..on SOSORT’s website.

Dr. Pivonka is a 1993 graduate cum laude, Doctor of Chiropractic from LIFE Chiropractic College in  Marietta, Georgia.  He has twenty three years and counting of experience working with scoliosis patients. He has spent a great deal of time and effort researching the best options for scoliosis patients. His philosophy is, “if you can get started early with the best care available there is a high likelihood that almost anyone can be spared from what my mother has had to endure.” Dr. Pivonka is a treatment expert, innovator, and leader in scoliosis care.

New Balance Baseball has elevated their commitment to “Developing the Stars of Tomorrow” by announcing PROGRAM 15 as the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification and Development Program for New Balance Baseball.

Amateur players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts and coaches will be submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities and potential selection to regional and national team rosters for New Balance sponsored events.  

New Balance Baseball sponsors Future Stars Series and Area Code Games.

PROGRAM 15 has been responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Combines and Tournaments, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

Future Stars Series has experienced exponential growth over the last year. The grassroots effort by New Balance Baseball and PROGRAM 15 to reach as many undiscovered players as possible has grabbed the attention of over 70 of the most respected organizations in amateur baseball who have come on board as Regional Directors and Partners.

Founded by CEO and President of Baseball operations Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans.

Booth’s passion and drive have earned him the respect of the player evaluation and development world.  Booth attributes his reputation and ability to evaluate and develop player potential to his diverse career as a pro player, hitting coach, scout and cross-checker for Major League organizations.  This experience also led him to develop the Combine Athletic Testing System used by PROGRAM 15 staff.

Booth explains,”It was an incredibly valuable experience that provided me with a view that most people involved in this game just don’t have the opportunity to see.

I got to witness the evolution of success for a lot of players, which gave me a unique perspective that changed the way I look at amateur players and their potential.  I discovered two very important things. First, that there are a handful of very key variables that have a huge impact on a player’s future in this game that weren’t being measured or even addressed in most player development processes. Second, many of the theories, data points, and evaluation methods being used as blindly accepted predictors of baseball talent are flat out wrong.

I’ve watched too many players and their families pay a ton of money to have their hopes and expectations mismanaged. While it’s easy put the blame on ‘Trophy Mills.’ I think this occurs more often due to misinformation and evaluation errors than intentional deception. It’s generally good people giving bad advice.

But what’s more troubling to me, and to the future of baseball, is the amount of raw talent that has gone unnoticed. Not just because of financial obstacles. I’ve seen players with tremendous potential neglected or completely ignored in the shadows of guys who happen to fit the current, and in my opinion, often flawed evaluation and prediction methods. Collectively, it’s a player evaluation and development failure, and I knew the whole process could be and should be better.

That’s the foundation on which the Program 15 Combine Athletic Testing System was created.”

Future Stars Series Evaluation and Training Combines are led and attended by the PROGRAM 15 National Staff of Major League Veteran players, scouts and coaches. Each player is provided field apparel and footwear by New Balance and put through PROGRAM 15’s Combine Athletic Testing System which includes a full scouting report, developmental feedback and plan to assist in their long-term growth from scouts who have signed Major League players.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about PROGRAM 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest PROGRAM 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

The core business of Fayetteville Hyperbarics is serving patients with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) where 100% pure oxygen under pressure is provided in a ninety-minute session to facilitate healing for a variety of health issues from autism to traumatic brain injury.

Over the last several months, CEO Denise Mercado has transitioned it into a highly effective Wellness Center, modeled after the great work of similar centers in the western states, and taking it to the next level. This is what attracted the interest of a medical professional of the stature of Dr. Faillace, a general surgeon with decades of experience and an impeccable professional reputation in her practice.

Interestingly in early meetings, Dr.Faillace was mildly skeptical about using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for other diagnoses beyond those she had experienced in surgical and wound care. A review of current literature opened her mind. As a clinician Dr. Faillace was swayed with the research available online and from providers in the field. Then she was introduced by the wellness team to the local successful case studies, ranging from treatment of autistic children to Lyme disease sufferers to professional athletes with concussions and soldiers with Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD.

This is when she learned about the local, recently developed, Veterans Rehab Project (VRP). VRP is part of Mission 22, a global non-profit organization, dedicated to helping reduce the amount of Veteran suicides by treating TBI and PTSD. Eight soldiers have completed the program with eight successes and more are beginning treatment to regain their lives.

Dr. Faillace describes it this way, “Our goal is to provide a multidisciplinary approach to wellness. In the collaborative of the team effort is where the results really begin to manifest themselves. In the case of soldiers whose health has been neglected for a variety of reasons in and out of their control, the transformation has been phenomenal and we are now reaching out to new patient niches.”

Mercado and the provider team want to introduce their new Medical Director to the community and help local leaders to learn about how the practice has developed into a complete Wellness Center. Of course, along with the Medical Director, will be the team of health professionals who provide the HBOT, medical massage, physical therapy, nutrition counseling, fitness training and psychological counseling in a collaborative or ala care fashion, and always offering a multidisciplinary approach.

Tours of the facility for visitors will include a visit the hyperbaric chamber room, medical massage area and the new, medical grade far infrared sauna. This is a top of the line sauna which, as opposed to the average sauna, provides a warming factor penetrating deep into the skin to help remove many of the heavy metals and other toxins encountered in modern daily living. It is a singular session in which each user can create a customized environment.

Invitations are going out to local influencers in the Fayetteville NC and Fort Bragg NC community who would like to be aware of a facility which touches every corner of the All-American touted area and beyond.

For example concussions and TBI have been found occurring in amateur, high school, college and professional sports. Then there are the soldiers who have careers of head injuries. Then include local first responders and it doesn’t stop there. Success has also been achieved in helping health conscious, active people achieve new levels by boosting recovery from strenuous exercise and facilitating training for fitness competitions such as CrossFit, powerlifting, body building and marathons.

Mercado has found Invitation response very gratifying, even though the active, contributing members of the military and civilian community are staying very busy. Among the face to face invitations, the feeling is they will likely see many colleagues and associates with whom they know and work, along with leaders they will want to meet, who are just now arriving in Fayetteville and Fort Bragg.

For more information about the providers and the program please visit: www.fayettevillehbot.com

The open house will be held on August 15th, 2017 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. with light refreshments being served at:
Fayetteville Hyperbarics Wellness Center
3035A Boone Trail Ext.
Fayetteville NC 28304
(910) 920-1165

The Future Stars Series nationwide search for amateur baseball talent which was started as an initiative to ‘Change The Game’ of baseball between New Balance and Program 15 in 2016 will land at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, TX August 14-17.

The Future Stars Series International Week is an invitation only series featuring international high school talent identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional baseball veterans through Future Stars Series Regional Combines and Development Camps and the recent Future Stars Series National Trials – Championship Tournaments held in Houston, TX.

The National team roster includes top amateur players from the U.S. and the World team top players from Canada, Japan, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Mexico.

 The two teams will go head to head in a three-game series with the winner being crowned as the inaugural New Balance Future Stars Series World Champions.  

*** FUTURE STARS SERIES NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER

NAME / JERSEY NUMBER / POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT / SCHOOL COMMITMENT

AJ Miller / #33 / 1B / 6’2″ / 205 lbs / Oregon
Andrew Walling / #29 / LHP / 1B / 6’3″ / 204 lbs / Oregon State University
Damon Casetta-Stubbs / #18 / RHP / 6’4″ / 200 lbs / Seattle U
Dominic Pipkin / #23 / RHP / 6’4″ / 170 lbs / Cal
Grayson Rodriguez / #16 / RHP / 6’5″ / 220 lbs / Texas A&M
Hunter Watson / #32 / 3B / 6’4″ / 215 lbs / Texas A&M
Jack Filby / #25 / C / 6′ / 180 lbs / UCLA
Jackson Cobb / #19 / C / OF / 6’4″ / 210 lbs / Univeristy of Kansas
Josh Richter / #34 / RHP / 6’3″ / 200 lbs
Justin Williams / #5 / 3B / 6’2″ / 200 lbs / Penn State
Mason Ronan / #9 / LHP / 6’2″ / 195 lbs / Michigan State
Mick Abel / #13 / RHP / 6’5″ / 170 lbs / Oregon State (2020)
Nic Kent / #3 / SS / 6’2″ / 180 lbs / University of Virginia
Osiris Johnson / #11 / OF / 6’1″ / 185 lbs / Cal State Fullerton
Phillip Dull / #14 / RHP / UT / 6′ / 180 lbs / West Virginia
Porter Brown / #22 / OF / 5’11” / 170  lbs
Sean Guilbe / #7 / SS / 6’2″ / 205 lbs / Univ. of Tennessee
T.J. McKenzie / #17 / SS / 2B / 6’1″ / 160 lbs / Vanderbilt
Thomas Schultz / #26 / RHP / 6’5″ / 196  lbs/ Vanderbilt (2019)
Troy LaNeve / #15 / RF / 6′ / 195  lbs/ Vanderbilt (2019)
Vinny Tosti / #2 / CF / 6’1″ / 193  lbs/ University of Oregon
William Duncan / #66 / RHP / 6’5″ / 195 lbs

NATIONAL TEAM COACHING STAFF
Manager: Tony Crivello, NorCal Baseball
Bench Coach: Steve Trombly, Trombly Baseball
Pitching Coach: Jason Phillips, US Elite Baseball
Hitting Coach: Karl Carswell, KC Barnstormers
3rd Base Coach: Will Roland, Citius Baseball
1st Base Coach: Greg Blaesing, Rhino Baseball
Bullpen Coach: Randy Curtis, ABD Baseball

***FUTURE STARS SERIES WORLD TEAM ROSTER

NAME / JERSEY NUMBER / POSITION / HEIGHT / WEIGHT / SCHOOL COMMITMENT

Franco Aleman / #6 / RHP / 6’6″ / 220 lbs / Cuba
Jaden Brown / #23 /  SS / 6’1″ / 178 lbs / Canada
Blake Buckle / #20 /  LF / C / 6’2″ / 205 lbs / Canada
Evan Chenier / #19 /  RHP / 6’5″ / 210 lbs / Canada
Mateo Gil / #2 / SS / 6’2″ / 180 / TCU  lbs/ Mexico
Alberto Gonzalez III / #22 /  RHP / 6’1″ / 178 lbs / Mexico
Jose Gutierrez / #24 / 1B / 6’2″ / 230 lbs / Dallas Baptist University / Mexico
Jesus Jacquez / #13 / RHP / 6’5″ / 210  lbs/ Dominican Republic
Yeankarlos Lleras / #39 /  RHP / 6′ / 160 lbs / FIU / Puerto Rico
Wendell Y Marrero / #16 /  RF / 6’1″ / 205 lbs / Puerto Rico
Travis McDougall / #17 / RHP / 6’6″ / 200 lbs / Canada
Tyler McWillie / #11 /  RHP / 6’2″ / 210 lbs / Canada
Noah Naylor / #12 /  C / 6′ / 195 lbs/ Texas A&M / Canada
Sebastian Nuñez / #28 /  C / 5’8″ / 170 lbs / Puerto Rico
Dylan Ohlsen / #18 /  3B / 6′ / 195 lbs / Canada
Roberto Peña / #99 / RHP / 6’2″ / 205 lbs / University of Florida / Venezuela
Kevin Pérez / #30 /  CF / 6’3″ / 178  lbs/ Puerto Rico
Edinson Renteria Jr. / #3 /  3B / 6’1″ / 185 lbs / Columbia
Cerfi Solano / #1 /  2B / 5’11” / 185 lbs / Dominican Republic
Angel Tiburcio / #33 / RHP / 6’3″ / 210 lbs / FIU / Dominican Republic
Xavier Valentín / #26 / C / 5’10” / 180 lbs / FIU / Puerto Rico
Taisei Yahiro / #29 / OF / 6’3″ / 180 lbs / Japan

WORLD TEAM COACHING STAFF
Manager: Sean Travers, Ontario Blue Jays
Bench Coach: Corey Eckstein, Sandlot British Columbia
Pitching Coach: Mike Steed, Ontario Blue Jays
Hitting Coach: Rafael Santo Domingo, PRBAHS (Puerto Rico)
3rd Base Coach: Mike Garza, Primetime Baseball
1st Base Coach: Alvin Montilla, Dominican Republic
Bullpen Coach: JR Bardin, Texas Sun Devils

PROGRAM 15 and Future Stars Series CEO and President of Baseball Operations, Jeremy Booth said, “Our goal when we started this venture was to elevate the game of baseball by providing players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. With the upcoming Future Stars Series International Week, the baseball world will get to see that’s exactly what we accomplished”.

On August 14th all National and World team players will get to participate in a Development and Testing day with PROGRAM 15 National Staff composed of former MLB Players, Scouts, Executives & Coaches including:

Jeremy Booth – CEO, President of Baseball Operations, Former Pro Player & MLB Scout
Butch Baccala – Vice President of Scouting, 25 + Year MLB Scout
Trenidad Hubbard – Director of Player Development, 10 + Year MLB Player
Roberto Kelly – National Outfield and Baserunning Coordinator, 14+ Year MLB Player
Stephen Randolph – National Pitching Coordinator, 6 + Year MLB Player
Chad Moeller – National Catching Coordinator, 11+ Year MLB Player
Benji Gil – National Infield Coordinator, 8+ Year MLB Player
Adam Czajkowski – Director of Operations, Former MLB Scouting Supervisor

Former Player and General Manager of the Houston Astros, Manager of World Series winning New York Yankees and MLB Vice President of On-Field Discipline, Bob Watson, is scheduled to make a special appearance to address the players.

All Tournament players will be outfitted head-to-toe from Future Stars Series Sponsors.

New Balance will provide each player with Uniforms, Equipment Bags, Workout Attire and Footwear (BP Jackets, Shirt, Shorts, Turfs and Spikes).

Zinger Bats will provide two bats for each player
Franklin Sports will be providing Batting Gloves
All-Star Sports will be providing Catchers Gear, Helmets and Bags.

Scouts, Coaches, and Staff will be using evaluation and development tools provided by:

Blast Motion – the industry’s most accurate motion capture sensor integrated with communication, analysis, coaching, and management tools will also be on hand for demonstrations and data collection.

FlightScope – The first multi-frequency 3D tracking radar for baseball employing direct distance measurement to provide accurate positions, speeds, and angles of pitched and hit ball trajectories.

Other Future Stars Series Sponsors behind the initiative include:
Akadema
Oakley
SkillShow
NCSA (Next College Student Athlete)

The three-game series, which will be attended by college and pro scouts will be open to the public and begins on August 15th at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, TX – Home of the Sugar Land Skeeters.

For more information about Future Stars Series International Week visit http://futurestarsseries.com/international-week

About The Future Stars Series
The Future Stars Series is Official Global Player Identification and Development Series of New Balance Baseball.  

As New Balance Baseball’s exclusive Grassroots Outreach Program the Future Stars Series core mission is to elevate the game of baseball by discovering players across all economic levels and providing them with the opportunity to achieve their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

All Future Stars Series Events include true Major League scouting evaluations, developmental feedback and plan to assist in their long-term growth from scouts who have signed Major League players. Player profiles and evaluations will be logged into the Blast Motion swing sensor data and Flightscope analytic data.  Individual Scouting Reports are made available to each player through a stored profile on the PROGRAM 15 Proprietary Scouting Database.

The Organizations Behind The Future Stars Series
Led by New Balance Baseball and PROGRAM 15, the Future Stars Series is executed by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of Major League Veteran players, scouts, coaches, and executives.

Through joint ventures and sponsorships, the Future Stars Series has built solid relationships with several undisputed global brand leaders in Major League Baseball.

Future Stars Series Path for Individual Players
The Future Stars Series international search for undiscovered talent begins with Regional Combines and Development Camps.  

Players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional baseball veterans are submitted to New Balance Baseball for advancement and potential selection to Regional, National, and International team rosters.

Future Stars Series Regional Team rosters are divided into Upperclass and Underclass Divisions. Players selected by New Balance Baseball will be invited to participate in the Future Stars Series National Event in Houston, TX where they will compete for a spot on National and World Teams.

Future Stars Series International Weekend
Elite players identified through Regional Combines, Tournaments and the National Event will be invited to join either the World (International Players) or National (U.S. Players) Team Rosters and compete at The Future Stars Series International Weekend

International Weekend is the signature event of Program15 and the New Balance
Baseball Future Stars Series.  Held in Houston, TX, this highly anticipated annual event featuring top amateur baseball players from Canada, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Japan, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and the USA.

The Future Stars Series Partner Programs
The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series and Program 15 have experienced exponential growth over the last year, grabbing the attention of over 70 of the most respected organizations in amateur baseball who have come on board as Regional Directors and Partners.

Future Stars Series Partner Program extends to geographic regions throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Each Region is comprised of a maximum of 16 Travel Organizations. As a convenience to player families and travel arrangements, Regions are led by a Director based in a centrally located hub for the program.

Partner Programs compete in Regional Tournaments to advance to the National Event in Houston, TX, where a true Future Stars Series National Champion is crowned.

To ensure maximum scouting and player development, the National Event holds a maximum of 64 qualifying teams

For the latest combine schedules and to register for upcoming events visit http://futurestarsseries.com/combine-schedule.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about PROGRAM 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest PROGRAM 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About PROGRAM 15

PROGRAM 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance

New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

PROGRAM 15 has confirmed the following dates and locations for the highly regarded Future Stars Series Skills and Evaluation Combines through November with additional 2017 dates to be announced within the next few weeks.

8/25-26: Vancouver, BC (Langley Blaze Complex)
8/28-29: Calgary, AB (Lethbridge)
8/31-9/1: Toronto, ON (U of Toronto)
9/9-10: Chicago, IL (TBD)
9/16-17: Seattle, WA (U of Washington)
9/23-24: Kansas City, MO (U of Kansas)
9/30-10/1: Philadelphia, PA (Pitt/Maryland)
10/7-8: Houston, TX (Premier Baseball of Texas Sports Complex)
10/14-15: Boston, MA (NEBC complex)
10/28-29: San Francisco, CA (Cal)
11/4-5: Richmond, VA (Tuckahoe Sports Complex)
11/11-12: Los Angeles, CA (USC)

The Future Stars Series nationwide search for amateur baseball talent is the initiative between New Balance and PROGRAM 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

The grassroots effort to reach as many undiscovered players as possible has experienced exponential growth over the last year, grabbing the attention of over 70 of the most respected organizations in amateur baseball who have come on board as Regional Directors and Partners.

The Future Stars Series Skills and Evaluation Combines consist of the following two-day combine structure and are open to all amateur high school age players.

Day One:
– Tool Testing and Player Development by Position
– Athletic Strength and Conditioning Testing with Instruction
– Hitting: Blast Motion Metrics, Exit Velocity, Raw Power, Swing Analysis and Development
– Pitching: Game Calling, Long toss, Game Day Routine, Arm Care
– Recruiting Education with NCSA

Day Two:
– Mental Skills Workshop
– Games

New Balance Baseball will provide all players with:
– Footwear
– New Balance Future Stars Series Combine Hat & Shirt

Each player will receive a full PROGRAM 15 Scouting Report, developmental feedback and plan to assist in their long-term growth from scouts who have signed Major League players. Player profiles and evaluations will be logged into the PROGRAM 15 Proprietary Scouting Database.

Future Stars Series Skills and Evaluation Combines are led and attended by the PROGRAM 15 National Staff of Major League Veteran players, scouts, and coaches including:

Jeremy Booth – CEO and President of Baseball Operations
Butch Baccala – VP of Scouting – 25+ Years MLB Scout
Adam Czajkowski – Director of Operations – Former MLB Scouting Supervisor
Trenidad Hubbard – Director of Player Development – 10+ Years MLB Player
Roberto Kelly – National Outfield and Baserunning Coordinator – 14+ Years MLB Player
Chad Moeller – National Catching Coordinator – 11+ Years MLB Player
Benji Gil – National Infield Coordinator 8+ Years MLB Player
Steve Randolph – National Pitching Coordinator – 6+ Years MLB Player

Scouts, Coaches, and Staff will be using evaluation and development tools provided by:

Blast Motion – the industry’s most accurate motion capture sensor integrated with communication, analysis, coaching, and management tools that enable the daily drive to improve.

SkillShow – Leader in onsite sports filming and Draft scouting videos used by many MLB scouting departments. Player videos will be made available to each participant.

PROGRAM 15 President and Director of Development, Jeremy Booth stated, “Our program is specifically designed to develop the individual player’s ability to his full potential, then to get that player the results that their ability deserves. Our commitment is the same, whether it’s a young man with the desire to move from select ball to playing in high school, from high school to being recruited by a college or from college to MLB draft pick.”

Amateur players identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League and professional players, scouts and coaches will be submitted to New Balance Baseball for advanced opportunities and potential selection to regional and national team rosters.

The Future Stars Series Skills and Evaluation Combines are hosted by a selected regional college program or summer league and will serve as a recruiting showcase opportunity as well.

For information and to register, visit http://FutureStarsSeries.com/combine-schedule

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about PROGRAM 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest PROGRAM 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

The weekend had a rainy start as hundreds of the nation’s top amateur baseball players from the Class of 2018 descended upon the Premier Baseball of Texas Sports Complex just outside of Houston, TX June 24-28.

Twenty Four teams from as far west as California, east as Pennsylvania, north as Wisconsin, as well as southern strongholds of Louisiana and Texas, came to battle it out to see who would be crowned the inaugural New Balance Future Stars Series National Champions. After three rounds of hard-fought games, US Elite Baseball out of Pennsylvania emerged as the winners in a very close championship game.

But the chance to win a tournament isn’t what drew this caliber of players from across the country. Far from it.

Unlike so many of today’s amateur baseball ‘Showcase’ events, The Future Stars Series isn’t about winning trophies. It’s much bigger than that. In addition to tournament play, each player is put through PROGRAM 15’s Combine Athletic Testing System which includes a full scouting report, developmental feedback and plan to assist in their long-term growth from former MLB players, coaches and scouts.

Started just over a year ago as a grassroots effort by New Balance Baseball and PROGRAM 15 to reach as many undiscovered players as possible, the Future Stars Series has grabbed the attention of over 70 of the most respected organizations in amateur baseball who have come on board as Regional Directors and Partners.

This unique combination and opportunity has spurred a growing legion of parents, players, coaches, and scouts who consider the Future Stars Series to be the New Standard For Player Scouting and Development Events.

According to James Bills, Owner and Head Trainer for the University of Baseball as well as associate scout for the New York Mets, “It’s a great event. As an associate scout, I’ve gotten to sit in the booth and you see a lot of talent here, probably some of the best talent that I’ve seen this year….. I’ve been an associate scout for the New York Mets for the last five years. I’ve been around baseball 22 years coaching, and my facility’s been open almost two years now. I’ve been to a lot of different events. I run a lot of events and have been involved with some of the biggest events there ever were in the state of Texas, been across the country and I’m gonna tell you that this has probably been one of the coolest things.”

When asked about the technology used by the Future Stars Series Bills stated, “The cool thing about the analytic stuff is that when we are watching from the bleachers, we can see VELOs and exit velocities. You want to see that kind of stuff because, as a parent, you want to see where your player can get better or how they compare with other players.

I think a lot of times these kids feel like they’re doing more than what they actually are and now they’ve got something to compare them with. Their buddy standing beside them has an exit VELO of 91.1 and then they have an exit VELO of 81.1, yet, they feel like they’re doing a lot more than he is and they don’t know why he’s getting playing time over them…. it’s pretty impressive to watch their faces when they say, ‘Well, I see what I need to work on.’”

Gabe Gamboa with ABD Academy from Southern California shared his thoughts on being part of PROGRAM 15 and the Future Stars Series, “Just a class act event. Top notch facility so far, and just excited to see what the future comes to all with this event.”

Gamboa went on to describe the opportunities for his team, saying, “We got out to the field and you got to take pregame, got some BP, I had scouts around evaluating players. In addition to that, we got some big league guys doing the times. Just running 60, 40 shuttles, the Blast Motion sensor. It was really intensive, in-depth, first day of the combine…. The advances in technology, I think they’ve got about four or five different companies out here. There’s CrunchAnalytics, FlightScope, Blast Motion. Just all that technology, all the information just leading the pack. I haven’t seen this at any event before”.

CEO and President of Baseball Operations for Program 15 and the New Balance Future Stars Series, Jeremy Booth agrees, stating, “The bar has definitely been raised, which is exactly what we set out to do from the beginning. Our mission is to change the game of baseball. Both on and off the field because I’ve watched too many players and their families pay a ton of money to have their hopes and expectations mismanaged. While it’s easy to put the blame on ‘Trophy Mills,’ I think this occurs more often due to misinformation and evaluation errors than intentional deception. It’s generally good people giving bad advice.

But what’s more troubling to me, and to the future of baseball is the amount of raw talent that has gone unnoticed. Not just because of financial obstacles. I’ve seen players with tremendous potential neglected or completely ignored in the shadows of guys who happen to fit the current, and in my opinion, often flawed evaluation and prediction methods. Collectively, it’s a player evaluation and development failure, and I knew the whole process could be and should be better. That’s the foundation on which the Program 15 Combine Athletic Testing System was created and that’s what the Future Stars Series is all about.”

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook. 

Columbus, Ohio  Leadership Coach and Public Speaker, Jay Hollingshed Hit #1 on the Amazon.com  Best Seller’s List in two categories on December, 21 2016 for the release of Local Business Mavericks. The book ranked #1 US  the Free Enterprise category and 1# CA Policy & Current Events category.

Local Business Mavericks Volume 14, is a compilation of 1on1 conversations with some of the top entrepreneurs in their industry. Each contributing author reveals their strategies for helping overcome the toughest obstacles standing in the way of their customers success.

Jay states, “One popular misconception is an educational sports psychology and a clinical sports psychology coach are one and the same and actually they are not. There’s a distinct difference. Now, a clinical sports psychologist has endured an expensive amount of training in sport and exercise sciences and is an actual medical doctor that’s licensed by a governing state regulatory board to diagnose and treat emotional disorders.”

Jay Hollingshed lives in Columbus, Ohio where he is the owner of jayHOLLINGSHED LLC, where he is a Leadership Coach. He developed his critical thinking and passion for helping others developed during his time as a Memphis firefighter.  Jay Spent eight years volunteering, speaking and training for the United Way of the Mid-South. For a short time, Jay was also a department technician for LeBonheur children’s hospital, where he played a vital role in helping maintain the emotional well-being of patients and their families.

Jay has a Bachelors of Science degree in Management & Organizational Development from Bethel University, and has a Masters in Healthcare Administration. Jay’s certification as a Professional speaker came through both Dale Carnegie and John Maxwell training. He received his LIfe and Executive Coaching Certifications through John Maxwell University, and his Sports Psychology Coaching Certification via  Spencer Institute.

To learn more about Jay Hollingshed visit www.JayHollingshed.com

Local Business Mavericks Volume 14 is available on Amazon.com Kindle at http://www.amazon.com

The Puma Baseball Academy (PBA) isn’t only one of Program 15’s fastest growing partners, it’s also quickly becoming one of their most successful.

Started just five years ago about Mike Medel, they began as a one-team program and have quickly grown to nine teams, with players ranging from age 12 to 18, with four main instructors overseeing player development.

“It’s hard for me to get just any instructor, our instructors need to have a good, strong background and have the same philosophies that we have and I have, which is being all about the kids,” Medel explained.  “We work out of an 18,000 square foot facility, which helps a lot.  We practice two to three times a week during the winter, then travel all summer to Perfect Game tournaments and Future Stars Series tournaments and those sorts of things.”

Medel’s PBA program has sent countless kids to college programs, with many from this year waiting to commit until getting seen at the upcoming Program 15 New Balance Future Stars Series national events down in Houston.

“Our first group we had that was going to graduate was 2016, and they were all committed into college,” Medel said.  “2017, they’re all committed into college.  Now we have 2018 that have a bunch offers; one that’s committed and a bunch that are holding out.  They’re telling me they’re waiting until after Houston.”

Those Houston events are critical for Medel’s program and the players within it, and also speak volumes to just how quickly PBA has grown.

“It’s very important,” he said.  “I think with what (P15/NBFSS CEO) Jeremy Booth has put in place and with his belief system, it’s exactly what we believe with the development of the kids and finding them the right fit for college.  It’s not just trying to put a square peg in a round hole, but trying to be a part of something so large that believes the same way we do with the people that are involved; Trenidad Hubbard, Benji Gil, Roberto Kelly, you could go on and on.  It’s a passion that he has that we truly believe in.  That’s why I started what I did with PBA, and now being a part of something like this, it’s a dream come true.  Really quickly, we’ve got something that is going to be a national program.”

PBA getting involved with P15 happened on something of a whim to begin with, with Medel noticing some social media interactions with fellow Wisconsin program Rhino Baseball that intrigued him about what Booth and company were trying to do.

“I saw Future Stars Series followed Rhino on Twitter, and I called Rhino Baseball Academy and Greg (Blaesing) from there and asked him for more info about it, and he called me and said they were looking for one more academy in Wisconsin, but only an academy that cares about the kids where it’s all about development, and not about stealing kids,” Medel said.

“Develop your kids, get them to learn at the highest level so they can play at the highest level they’re capable of and that’s exactly the same passion we shared.  We talked to Jeremy, and he said to include PBA.  We’re so excited to be a part of this.  The kids are excited, we’re excited.  As instructors and as an owner, we’re excited and think huge things are going to happen in the future for the Future Stars Series.”

And, with that budding partnership, big things are ahead for PBA as well, which continues to grow.

“Mike’s attention to detail, his energy, integrity, and willingness to work together for the good of the game and his players are separators,” Booth said. “The vision he has is to do it right and make a difference, and everything I’ve seen proves he’s on a mission and successful at it. It’s a perfect fit for the change the game movement, and we look forward to a long future together.”

It’s a future that continues to grow…

“What I’m the most proud of isn’t just how fast we’ve grown, but why we’ve grown,” Medel said.  “We’ve grown because we care all about each individual player.  I don’t want to sound cliche, but it really is true.  We’re getting these kids who are major program Division 1 guys scholarship offers, but it’s the second and third tier kids who are probably Division 3, NAIA, Division 2…we work just as hard to get them and make sure they’re all in the right fit for college.  That’s really why I do it.  After four years of college, they can walk out saying I had a phenomenal education and had a phenomenal four-year baseball career, and hopefully they learned a lot that they can take into the regular world.”

To learn more about Puma Baseball Academy, click here.

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook. 

The book, titled My Quest for Personal Mastery, tells the individual stories of how martial arts has changed the lives of its authors and also of how they have positively impacted their local community over the years.

Through time the group of instructors has been instrumental in teaching personal empowerment and confidence concepts like anti-bullying, self defense, daily life skills lessons and much more.   These incredible people have taught literally thousands of children and adults in the Sandy area.

They have also been personally responsible for leading charity efforts that have raised well over $200,000 in money, toys, clothes, food and more in their community.

Brett Lechtenberg, Owner of Personal Mastery Martial Arts, says, “In this modern era of video games, texting and Facebook, so many young people have become complacent, unfocused, and have lost the ability to communicate effectively, let alone think critically.”

In this book, you will find a group of young people who have embraced today’s technology and faced numerous life challenges. Even so, this group learned how to improve their focus, magnify their communication skills, and think outside the box; all while simultaneously leaving a positive impact on the world regardless of what distractions may have been going on around them or what challenges may have faced them in life.”

The release of their new book coincides with all authors testing for various ranks of black belt, on June 3.   Three of them are testing for the rank of Master Instructor. 

Chris Hill, mother of two of the authors, Marissa and Kim, as well as three other black belts said, “It is exciting to see my children excel and become empowered in the martial arts and now become best selling authors as well. “ 

“I want to give a big thank you to everyone who bought the book. You helped me reach my goal, and for that I am very thankful,” expounded Taylor Davie. 

For more information about this group of authors, contact personalmastery1@gmail.com or call 801-947-1010

To purchase My Quest for Personal Mastery on Amazon Kindle, visit a.co/bVkzOC4

Pictured

Back row:  Teresa Lechtenberg, Brittany Alleman Ayers, Alex Peters, Dalton Lechtenberg, Brett Lechtenberg

Front row: Taylor Davie, Bree Wise, Kim Hill, Marissa Hill.

Mr. Barry Brown, an energetic, animated and experienced solution-based consultant, speaker and trainer hit #1 on the Amazon.com College Guides Category Best Sellers List on 11th May, 2017 for the promotion of The Student-Athlete Playbook. The book also ranked No. 1 in the Sports & Outdoors and No.2 in the Sociology of Sports categories.

The Student-Athlete Playbook (Success in the Classroom, Sports & Life!) shares vital information about who is and what is a student-athlete. The book also discusses how student-athletes should grow and conduct themselves.  Character matters!

Parents, student-athletes, teachers, coaches, athletic directors, principals, and superintendents will all find value in the inspiration and motivation of this book that focuses on character education, life and social skills.

The Student-Athlete Playbook aims to provide an outline of “life plays” that will absolutely help a student-athlete achieve their goals when they focus and put forth maximum effort to make it happen!

The Student-Athlete Playbook is a game changer for student-athletes involved in sports across the board, and it encourages them to work towards achieving greatness in the classroom, in their respective sport and in everything that they do in life!

Barry Brown states, “A Student-Athlete is a person that takes their education and the opportunity to learn as serious as their athletics and the opportunity to develop as a top level athlete. Becoming a best-selling author allows me and ‘The Student-Athlete Achievement Program’ team to reach and help more student-athletes!”

Due to the work Mr. Brown and his team have done, and continue to do with youth, he has been awarded the “2017 Torchbearer Award” by Georgia State Rep. Sharon Beasley-Teague! Mr. Brown’s experience as a student-athlete, artist, educator and entertainment consultant gives him a great perspective that allows him to relate to parents, youth, coaches, teachers, administrators and superintendents of today, and inspire them!

To learn more about Barry Brown and “The Student-Athlete Achievement Program,” visit http://www.studentathleteplaybook.org

The Student-Athlete Playbook is available on Amazon.com in Paperback and Kindle at http://amazon.com/dp/B00KZ2DR1C

Rob Bruno, general manager of NorCal Baseball and Program 15 Future Stars Series Northern California Regional Director, has a simple shirt called “By The Numbers” that tells a detailed story for his storied program.

“On there, we list guys – not specific players – but numbers of players that have gone through our program,” Bruno said. “Our guys are full-time players. We don’t invite players, we don’t have guest players, we don’t fly in players. These are guys that are full-time NorCal baseball players for usually multiple years. On the shirt, it has 480 Division 1 players, 250+ players drafted, 45 MLB players, 20 first-round picks, 10 All-Stars and a couple MVP’s. We’ve got a pretty neat history, and we’ve been pretty fortunate.”

The list of names that have been through since NorCal Baseball since its inception in 1991 is both long and impressive; Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, Troy Tulowitzki…just to name a few. But for as proud as Bruno is of what his players have gone on to accomplish on the field, he was quick to point to another lesser-known player who’s played a big role in his community.

“I think we’re just as proud of a guy like Marcel Longmire, who after playing in the minors with the Cubs, became a correctional officer,” Bruno said. “We’re just as proud as we are of the 45 big leaguers.”

Yes, the on-field accomplishments for NorCal are significant – three players from their 2011 class have made the big leagues, four in 1995 and six in 2005 – but spotlighting Longmire speaks to the overall mission of the program.

“Our philosophy is you’re going to be a person a lot longer than you’re going to be a player, so you have to make good decisions on who’s going to develop you as a person and not just a baseball player,” Bruno said.

“About 90 percent of our players that are playing in our top group at each grade level – we invite by grade, not age – get scholarships to Division 1. That’s more important to us than any trophy or plaque or ring. Neither Tony or I own one of those, we don’t care. We’ll give it to the team mom, the bat boy. That’s not what drives us. Trying to develop great kids and great young men on and off the field, that’s our way of giving back. We’ve chosen baseball as our vehicle.”

Bruno, along with Tony Crivello, who has helped run the program since 1995, make it a point to bring their players to college programs that not only focus on solid baseball, but strong academics as well.

“Wherever we go, and Stanford’s local, so we have a good relationship with them and have probably sent a dozen guys there, including Mark Appel and others who have done well,” Bruno said. “They’re one of the top academic schools in the country. If you look at it that way, Stanford is wonderful. So is Cal, so is UCLA, so is Michigan, so is Duke. A lot of our kids will go to top academic schools and Ivy League schools; Dartmouth, Penn. It’s important to find a great personal fit and not just a great baseball fit. Wherever we go, we try to give our kids the opportunity to go to schools, visit and make it an educational experience and not just a baseball experience. We’ll talk to schools and coaches and find out what they’re looking for, and it’s all part of the maturation process of making good decisions when they get to the next level.”

Subsequently, NorCal and Program 15 chose each other to work together to help get their own programs get to the next level as well, with the benefits solely focused on developing the next generation of players.

“The more I spoke to (P15 and NBFSS CEO) Jeremy (Booth), the more I saw his vision was aligned with our vision,” Bruno said. “I would tell you that youth baseball has gotten out of control, and the priorities are skewed. The only people that are really thriving in this atmosphere are the ones running tournaments and showcases. The priorities have become showcasing and individualism instead of learning how to be a great teammate, individual development and learning how to win. The emphasis is too much on who is in the stands watching instead of what you’re doing to make yourself better. When I spoke to Jeremy, he was about development, grass roots, getting better and getting back to an era to find out how good you were against the best competition possible instead of how many people are watching.”

Booth added, “Rob is a pioneer in this industry and has always stayed ahead of the curve. He is careful who he supports and where he leads his players. His track record of player growth speaks for itself and having his guidance and vision here with us is a win for everyone involved. A person with his goals and values can only make us all better and I look forward to working with him for years to come.”

To learn more about NorCal Baseball, visit http://www.norcalbaseball.org/

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook. 

The first thing visitors see when viewing 5 Star National’s website is the note from program President Andy Burress explaining the history of the program.

It reads, in part, “Mr. Buddy Meyers, created the first ‘Chain Baseball’ team in 1985 after his company Chain Reps LLC. I played for Chain Baseball in 1993 and started coaching a Chain team in 2007. The Chain name has been a stepping stone over the past few years to help our organization get to where we are today.

“Mr. Buddy never envisioned what our organization has become. From San Diego, CA to Winston-Salem, NC from Forest Park, GA to Bradenton, FL, the growth of our organization and the impact that a couple of old south Georgia boys have created is unbelievable. With growth, always comes growing pains, Mr. Buddy’s Chain Baseball infrastructure was flawed and never designed to grow to this magnitude.

“I feel certain that Mr. Buddy would be proud of our accomplishments since his passing in 2014. We recorded back to back 15U and 16U PG National Championships. Our freshman group was ranked #2 in the country and our sophomore group was ranked #3 in the country. This past year alone we have had 32 D1 commits. These were all were firsts in the history of ‘Chain.’”

Burress played for seven seasons (1995-2001) in the Cincinnati Reds system, and started his own indoor baseball facility shortly thereafter.  With that came the creation of some travel teams.

“The 5 Star program was a huge program out of Jacksonville that had been very successful, so we took on the name and kept the same colors,” Burress explained.  “The people are the same.  It’s crazy, you never really think about a baseball company becoming a multi-million dollar business.  We cleaned that (name situation) up, and we have 14 different facilities are either partner facilities or facilities that we own directly all the way from Winston-Salem, North Carolina to Bradenton, Florida.  We felt like if we were going to be a national program, an important part of what we were doing is instruction and being able to provide kids a place to go and work out.  If we had a big group of people, I’d go find a facility and either partner with them or buy them out so that we would have a place for our guys to go work out.  It’s been good.  We’ve opened up new ones, we’ve partnered with different facilities.  We’ve grown into what we are today, and it’s been really good.”

It was several years ago that 5 Star National truly expanded into the national program that it is today, with, as Burress mentioned in the original note, teams ranked second and third in the country.  The program has consistently been a hotbed for top talent — World Series champion Terrance Gore is among the graduates — and that isn’t changing any time soon with what’s coming down the pike.

“We have two (possible) first rounders this year, D.L. Hall and Cole Brannen, and we had a first-rounder last year,” Burress said.  “In the 2019 class, we probably have who I feel like would be one of the best players to ever play the game come through in Rece Hinds.  I think those guys will be huge prospects moving forward, I think they’ll make national headlines.”

In the end, it’s about making those players better while Burress has them, and going about it in the right way.  With that said, joining forces with Program 15, the New Balance Future Stars Series and CEO Jeremy Booth made for a fit that just felt right.

“Jeremy, with his background and being on the pro side of things, he has a tremendous feel for the high level programs and high level baseball,” Burress said.  “We do a lot of work with a lot of different programs just for the simple fact that they’re ones that we believe in.  Jeremy’s background and what he’s doing, it’s definitely on the side of what the upper end athlete (wants).  That’s been key, trying to find something for the top players in the country to go and do.”

Burress is the Future Stars Series Regional director for the Florida and Georgia regions.

“Andy and I were introduced through a longtime mutual friend, Andy Cannizaro (head baseball coach at Mississippi State) and we also shared teammates with Randi Mallard,” Booth said. “His background, experiences, integrity, vision, and attention to detail with his process made this easy for me. The more homework I did on his group, the more impressed I was. I’m excited to have him and 5 Star lead Georgia and Tennessee for us as we step into the future together. I’m also really looking forward to seeing the talent he and his group have put together for this summer as we look to build the national team for international Weekend.”

To learn more about 5 Star Baseball, visit https://www.5starnational.com/

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook. 

From the moment Showtime Baseball was started back in 2000, Billy Hayes’ vision was to develop the complete player, both on the field and in the classroom.

17 years later, and neither of those ideals have ever wavered.

“We’ve seen it grow tenfold,” said Hayes of his Washington-based program. “As far as the talent, we’ve had some very talented teams and we’ve had kids drafted, but our goal is to assist getting kids an education through baseball. I’ve seen that come from the ground roots until now; the cumulative grade point average for our college prep team is a 3.65. All those kids will eventually sign a scholarship, I think 16 have so far. It’s come a long way. We have a good reputation with scouts and colleges.”

Showtime initially started with one team, and now has 23 between their two divisions; their North Division is based in Puyallup, while the South Division is out of their original site of Vancouver, Washington. The program competes nationally every year, and has done so quite successfully.

“We’ve travelled across the country through all our age groups,” Hayes said. “We’ve had several state champions, national champions. We seek out the competition. Where the best competition is, that’s where we go.”

Hayes, who will have two 2018 teams and a 2020 team at the New Balance Future Stars Series and Program 15 events down in Houston, has had countless players earn college scholarships out of Showtime, and saw Clint Coulter get drafted in the first round by the Milwaukee Brewers just five years ago.

This year, Isaiah Smith could follow suit. Considered one of the top prep prospects on the west coast, the Washington State University commit was listed among Baseball America’s Top 100 High School Prospects this year.

With Hayes and Showtime’s ability to cultivate that kind of talent and commitment to the classroom, his philosophies matched those of Program 15. Working together with NBFSS/P15 CEO Jeremy Booth and his All-Star staff made too much sense to not make it happen.

“I think the system he’s put together, the package with the combines and getting the word out on our players as far as the reports on each player, I think that’s valuable to the player and it’s valuable to our program,” Hayes said.

“The energy that’s behind it and the people that are behind it, in my eyes, it’s built for success. The first combine we had in the northwest kind of confirmed my beliefs on all that with Trenidad Hubbard, Benji Gil, Roberto Kelly, Butch (Baccala), Adam (Czajkowski)…the whole team, they were here. When you hear about something, that’s one thing, but when you see that action and see the results from it, it’s a whole different thing. It made me feel my decision to join Program 15 was more than justified.”

Booth is just as happy that Showtime is on board.

“Billy is a good human being and a baseball man who is all about what’s best for his players and the game as a whole,” he said. “He wants to be part of something bigger than him and his humility is staggering at times. We’re excited to have him as an anchor in the Northwest for 2017 and beyond.”

To learn more about Showtime Baseball, visit http://www.showtimebaseball.com/

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook. 

The Future Stars Series nationwide search for amateur baseball talent, which was started as an initiative to ‘Change The Game’ of baseball between New Balance and Program 15 in 2016, will land at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, TX August 18-20, where the National and World teams will go head to head at the inaugural New Balance Future Stars Series International Weekend.

The National Team will feature players from the U.S. while the World Team will feature players from Canada, Japan, Dominican, Puerto Rico and Colombia.

Player participation in the three-game series is by invitation only featuring top high school talent selected by former MLB players and scouts from national and international Future Stars Series player development and scouting combines and the upcoming Future Stars Series National Trials event.

Program 15 and Future Stars Series CEO and President of Baseball Operations, Jeremy Booth said, “Our goal when we started this venture was to elevate the game of baseball by providing players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. With the upcoming Future Stars Series International Weekend, the baseball world will get to see that’s exactly what we accomplished.”

Booth’s reputation combined with his relentless drive and passion has grabbed the attention of college and MLB scouts across the nation. The Future Stars Series is clearly redefining the process in which top amateur baseball talent is being discovered. This made saying ‘yes’ an easy decision for the top names in baseball training and development who were hand picked as the coaching staff for both teams.

The Future Stars Series International Weekend Coaching Staffs

NATIONAL TEAM
 – Manager: Tony Crivello, NorCal Baseball
 – Bench Coach: Steve Trombly, Trombly Baseball
 – Pitching Coach: Jason Phillips, US Elite Baseball
 – Hitting Coach: Karl Carswell, KC Barnstormers
 – 3rd Base Coach: Will Roland, Citius Baseball
 – 1st Base Coach: Greg Blaesing, Rhino Baseball
 – Bullpen Coach: Randy Curtis, ABD Baseball

WORLD TEAM
 – Manager: Sean Travers, Ontario Blue Jays
 – Bench Coach: Corey Eckstein, Sandlot British Columbia
 – Pitching Coach: Mike Steed, Ontario Blue Jays
 – Hitting Coach: Rafael Santo Domingo, PRBAHS (Puerto Rico)
 – 3rd Base Coach: Mike Garza, Primetime Baseball
 – 1st Base Coach: Alvin Montilla, Dominican Republic
 – Bullpen Coach: JR Bardin, Texas Sun Devils

On August 17th, all National and World team players will get to participate in a Development and Testing day with Program 15 National Staff composed of former MLB Players, Scouts, Executives and Coaches with 10 World Series Rings under their belts, including:

 – Jeremy Booth – CEO, President of Baseball Operations, Former Pro Player & MLB Scout
 – Butch Baccala – Vice President of Scouting, 25 + Year MLB Scout
 – Trenidad Hubbard – Director of Player Development, 10 + Year MLB Player
 – Roberto Kelly – National Outfield and Baserunning Coordinator, 14+ Year MLB Player
 – Jim Parque – National Pitching Coordinator, 6 + Year MLB Player
 – Chad Moeller – National Catching Coordinator, 11+ Year MLB Player
 – Benji Gil – National Infield Coordinator, 8+ Year MLB Player
 – Nelson Gord – College Recruiting Expert
 – Adam Czajkowski – Director of Operations, Former MLB Scouting Supervisor

Former Player and General Manager of the Houston Astros, Manager of World Series winning New York Yankees, and MLB Vice President of On-Field Discipline, Bob Watson, will make a special appearance to address the players.

Each Tournament player will be outfitted head-to-toe from Future Stars Series Sponsors.

 – New Balance will provide each player with Uniforms, workout attire and footwear (BP Jackets, dri-fit, shorts, turfs, and spikes).
 – Zinger Bats will provide two bats for each player.
 – Franklin Sports will be providing batting gloves.
 – All-Star Sports will be providing Catchers Gear, Helmets and Bags.

Blast Motion – the industry’s most accurate motion capture sensor integrated with communication, analysis, coaching, and management tools will also be on hand for demonstrations and data collection.

Other Future Stars Series Sponsors behind the initiative include:
Akadema
Oakley
Skill Show
NCSA (Next College Student Athlete)

The three-game series, which will be attended by college and pro scouts, will be open to the public and begins on August 18th at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, TX – Home of the Sugar Land Skeeters.

The Future Stars Series National Trials will be held in the Houston, TX area at Baseball USA and Premier Baseball of Texas Complexes on the following dates.
Class of 2018: June 24-28
Class of 2019: July 1-5
Class of 2020: July 8-12

To learn more visit http://futurestarsseries.com/events/national-trials-event/

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Now in their fifth season of existence, Rhino Baseball has quickly and effectively grown to become one of the premier programs in both Illinois and Wisconsin.

“We started in 2012, myself and a couple of the other coaches had come from another program that was just not really going the direction that we felt was best,” recalled Greg Blaesing, who is Rhino Baseball’s general manager, director of player development and a coach.

“After one year we met a guy at a tournament, Andy Zwirchitz, who played ball with (Program 15 and New Balance Future Stars Series CEO Jeremy Booth) in the Atlantic League. That’s how we found out about Program 15, it was through ‘Squeeze.’ Then (former Atlantic League pitcher) Randi Mallard knew JB, and that’s how this all started. After a year in Illinois, we opened up Rhino Baseball Wisconsin and Squeeze and Mallard have been there the whole time and done a great job. We have ten teams in Wisconsin and 28 teams in Illinois.”

Rhino Baseball is closing in on 100 college commits, and should reach that number by the start of next season.

“We don’t train other teams or other programs, our facilities are private – so at the end of the day, it’s for us and all we care about is their development and seeing our seniors having a place to go and play post-high school,” Blaesing said. “That’s what we’re the most proud of, seeing guys get out of travel baseball what they want, which is an opportunity to play at the next level and at the highest level they possibly can.”

Especially in Illinois, the travel baseball world is extremely competitive, with Blaesing estimating there are 50 12-year-old teams within a ten-mile radius of his facility. But it seems that after doing the research, parents are choosing Rhino Baseball.

“There’s a lot of good travel programs out there, but I think we have the players best interests at heart,” Blaesing said.

“We offer training year-round to our players, everything is included and it’ll handle all parts of their game. All of our guys are guys who played collegiately or professionally; great staff and guys that care about the kids first and foremost. Nobody’s trophy hunting, they know we focus on development and that’s it; development, then get them off to college. Some of the perks are we offer strength, speed and agility (training), so they get that from a former player who does a great job. We do a lot of classroom sessions, mental training.

“That’s where I spend my time with these guys, player makeup and how important grades are and how there’s more to baseball than just the stat line. Be a good teammate, and how you can help your team win more even if you aren’t the most talented guy, understanding situations. Rhino Baseball is very private, we try to keep it like a country club where you can use the facility whenever you want, practice year-round, and you’ve always got that structure around you. Then you focus on the longer-term goals of making sure they’re good humans, great teammates and people who help their team win whether it’s baseball or when they get a job down the road. We want leaders in the community.”

Given that Program 15 is certainly focused on helping to create the next generation of the game both on and off the field, combining forces was an easy choice for Blaesing and Booth to make.

“Partnering with New Balance, you’re getting great products at affordable rates, which is nice for families,” Blaesing said.

“For a guy that runs a program, I can tell you it’s great having that staff of guys that have played at the highest level and were successful. I can pick up the phone and call and ask for advice on how to handle certain players or what they would recommend that we do so we can give each player the best experience and maximize their development. The combines, we ran a high school combine at the end of January, and the feedback from the families was tremendous. The players were looked at from a non-biased source and could say, ‘Hey, this is what he’s good at and this what he needs to work at.’ They focused on character, too. That goes a long way. The world they live in, which is just, ‘showcase, showcase, showcase,’ and it’s how hard do you throw and how fast do you run, unfortunately that’s not really baseball. Baseball is so much more. Getting guys who understand that and are telling players that, it’s very refreshing for our players.”

Booth was more than happy to work with Blaesing and Rhino, given the mutual respect between the two sides.

“Greg and Rhino Baseball do things right; great baseball people with big hearts and forward thinkers who make sure they’re always doing what’s best for players,” Booth said.

“He mentions leaning on us, well we’ve leaned on him too. Squeeze, Randi, and I were together in Atlantic City. Those two guys were fun to be around. First day I got to AC, Randi says, “Hey you, new catcher. Come here.” I go to see him and he says, “Listen, I throw real hard and I’m not sure where it’s going. Just set up in the middle because it’s going to one way or the other and heavy.” I just looked at him and said, “OK, man.” But that type of baseball and self-understanding is what these guys do there. They just teach each individual player to know themselves and play their game within a team concept. Winning formula and translates to players moving on and up which is exactly what they’ve done.”

In addition, Blaesing is particularly excited about taking his Rhino Baseball teams down to Houston for Program 15’s national events.

“I can’t wait for those to get started,” he said. “I know teams are involved across the country, and it’s a lot of the top programs that have the right ideals as programs as far as why they’re doing this. When you’re playing against other teams like that, that’ll be a big opportunity as far as recruiting goes to get guys more opportunities than they currently have.”

To learn more about Rhino Baseball, visit http://www.rhinosportsacademy.com/

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Program 15 and Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) have entered into a partnership that will help both sides “change the game” for New Balance Future Stars Series players. 

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

Not only will NCSA serve as a clearinghouse for Progam 15 organizations for them to input information that will help their players in the recruiting process, but NCSA will provide an estimated (based on 5,000 enrolled players) 250 leadership grants at an approximate retail value of $3,000 each totaling $750,000 for select players to access some of their premium tools.

Through the utilization of NCSA technology and the new Team Edition platform, Program 15 New Balance Future Stars Series organizations will be able to input their roster information, providing the national staff a platform for entering in player evaluations.  The staff will also be able to recommend schools to individual players and monitor their recruiting activity.  It will ensure that players in Program 15 are on track academically, putting more of a focus on off-field accomplishments.

Roughly five percent of Program 15 players will receive the “Athleadership” Grant — which is, according to the Athleadership Grant website, dedicated to helping young athletes achieve their goals of participating in athletics at the collegiate level.  Coaches will recommend players within their program who best demonstrate qualities like integrity, hard work and community contributions and a selection committee will go through those applications.

“I’m beyond excited,” said Nelson Gord, Director of Recruiting Education For Program 15. “You’re going to have your top kids that will be drafted and go to SEC schools and whatnot, but that’s a small fraction of everyone.  My passion has always been taking a kid that’s a first generation college student and finding an opportunity for him to help assist in paying for his education and finding a place where he can get onto the field and change the game; break the cycle that goes on in some communities and some families, and create a better future for these young men beyond the game of baseball, but because of the game of baseball.”

Program 15 is excited to offer this incredible opportunity to its players and organizations and is proud to partner with the NCSA in doing so.

“When working with Nelson and the NCSA, we’re trying to find a way to be an asset to all players to aid in the process,” said Program 15 and New Balance Future Stars Series CEO Jeremy Booth.

“We have organizations partnered with us who do a good job and are passionate about helping their players. This has a chance to be a big accelerant and help players stay ahead of the process through the academic requirements and the high demands currently in recruiting today. The grant has the potential to help players even more though our collective efforts, which is what the series is about.”

Despite having no marketing budget, GamePrep Baseball Academy founded by Anthony Granato continues to grow and provide baseball players with the proper evaluation, education, development, exposure, and competition necessary to excel in baseball and life off the field.

Granato attracts prospective players to his program mostly through recommendations from one of his many satisfied players or player parents. 

“I think a lot of it has to do with people coming to our practices and seeing how we do things,” he said. “It’s really been references and word of mouth. I’ve sent out e-mails to people I’ve made connections with, but I’ve never done any marketing since I started, it’s all been through word of mouth. Realistically, it’s been players hear from other parents or other players in our program, that they’ve got to see what these guys are doing in practice.”

Granato was a successful pro, spending time in the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies organizations before winning several championships in independent ball, including two with the Atlantic League’s Somerset Patriots as an infielder in 2008 and 2009 before finishing up overseas.

“In my offseasons from playing, I was doing a lot of lessons and working with young kids and helping teams out,” Granato recalled.

“Towards the end of my career, around 2011 or 2012, I’d come back in the offseason and a lot of my players were playing on travel teams, but I didn’t really like what I was seeing. I felt like it was getting away from development and practicing and helping kids learn their skills and develop their instincts. It was more, ‘Hey, let’s get on a good team, wear nice uniforms and win a bunch of trophies.’ There were things going on I didn’t like.”

The “showcase player” was breeding selfishness in baseball, creating young players who were self-centered and not team-oriented. Granato wanted to do things differently.

“In seeing that, I said when I was done playing, that my passion is baseball and I’d been doing it for so many years that with my experience and my background I felt like I could really help kids and give back to my community where I grew up and help players that are serious about baseball here develop their skills and learn the game the right way,” he said.

“That’s what triggered it, and from there it slowly built over time. One of the kids from my lessons, his dad and I have been friends for years and we go way back, and he had coached a team for a couple years. They were young, 11 or 12 years old, and he said, ‘Hey, they’ve been listening to me and they’re out of Little League and I’d rather just have them with coaches that have played and can really help them. Would you be interested in taking over the team?’ I did, and that was my first team back in 2012. The coaches I brought on are guys with good backgrounds and a lot of experience, and they’re good guys who are passionate. I think that was very visible to the parents, so it slowly started growing and attention started coming towards our teams, and now we’re here.”

“Here” has become an impressive place for Granato’s GamePrep Baseball Academy, which he founded. Not only has he experienced growth within his own program, but with the type of player he’s been able to help out as well.

“At first, we weren’t getting the most talented players, but we were getting kids that worked really hard and overachieving because of it,” Granato said.

“They were putting in the time and the effort and in the years I’ve been coaching, I think I might have had two or three players from our program not make their high school team. I think people were seeing we were getting overachievers and wondering how these kids were getting so much better in a short period of time, and I think it was the kids having the desire. But the reality of it is, they needed an outlet to help them. With the way travel ball is around here, especially at the younger ages, it’s spread out and there’s so many teams and so many options. It gives people a false sense of reality in thinking my team is better because he’s on a winning team, when in reality he might be on a more talented team, but he’s not really developing. When they get to high school, they kind of hit their plateau. That’s what’s drawing people to us, the quality coaching and how we run things.”

It was that integrity, attention to detail and staff that made Program 15 and GamePrep Baseball Academy a logical fit for each other, not to mention that Booth and Granato had played against each other in the Atlantic League.

“Anthony is a former player and a grinder who played the game hard and with a focus on getting the most out of his ability,” Booth said.

“He’s a guy that you noticed on the other side of the diamond, and one that would find a way to make his presence felt. When it came time to select partner programs, I had zero doubt that he would bring those same traits to the next generation of players and the Future Stars Series. He not only represents Northern California well, but the Series as a whole.”

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

To learn more about GamePrep Baseball, visit http://www.gameprepbaseballacademy.com/

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

US Elite Baseball National Director Mark Helsel has a saying he likes to use with his kids that he borrowed from NorCal Baseball and Program 15 Northern California Regional Director Rob Bruno.

“You’re going be a human being a lot longer than you’re going to be a baseball player.”

Helsel’s program has sent over 200 kids to Division 1 schools with scholarships over the last six years.

Helsel has several players in pro ball like Max McDowell (Brewers), John Sansone (Reds) and Travis Blankenhorn (Twins) who will soon, hopefully, give him his first major-league program alum.

But first and foremost for Helsel and US Elite Baseball, which serves as the Program 15 Future Stars Series Mid Atlantic Regional Director program, it’s about developing good young men. After all, these young men are going to be a human being a lot longer than they’re going to be a baseball player.

“When you tell that to a kid, the point is, ‘Who are you becoming in the process,’” Helsel said.

“We know it’s important to you, all of you want to play in the big leagues and all of you think baseball is everything in your life, but you’re 16. When you’re 22 and the game is done for you – and I’d love to say you can play until you’re 35, but at 22, if you play college baseball, most likely that’s the end of your career — who did you become from 14 years old to, in our program, 17? When we hold them accountable to all these disciplines, you can apply all of them in real life. These are life lessons we’re teaching them, and that’s why it’s so important. We want them to be successful people, not just good baseball players.”

Of course, the baseball side plays a big role in things as well, and US Elite is certainly no slouch there. Helsel started the program ten years ago when his son, Christian, told him he wanted to play in the SEC.

“That began a pretty amazing journey, and some amazing things happened along the way,” Helsel said.

“I met Rob Bruno; he’s still my mentor to this day. It was a serendipitous meeting out in Arizona, and it led to my son playing for him. When that happened, my son got exposed to playing with high level kids…six of the kids on the 14U team my son played for are in pro ball right now. But I also got exposed to life at the top of the food chain, and Rob was instrumental in helping me get into the world of making connections and credibility.”

Over the years, Helsel has been meticulous in identifying who his program should consist of, what they do and why they do it.

“In a nutshell, the thing that I think separates us is we’re still a small program focused exclusively on quality. We only have nine teams this year, and every one of them, the kids are all hand-picked from a wide geographic area. The way we’re picking them is their makeup, their ability, their parents…we have a lot of discipline built into the program, and we’re recruiting these kids and telling them they have the ability to play at a high level based on our evaluations. Now, we’re going to groom them to that high level. That’s what we do.”

But, at the end of the day, that success can all be traced to finding the right mix of off-field makeup while cultivating on-field talent. “Uncommon standards” is more than just a lip service slogan on their website.

“Last year, we played in the Perfect Game World Series, our 16 year-olds, and we made it to the semis and took third…we beat some great programs; we out-hustled, out-energized and many times outclassed the other programs because we don’t have any entitlement in our program,” Helsel said.

“There’s no prima donna syndrome going on. I could care less if a kid throws 94 and could win a national championship; if he’s late, he’s not playing. If he’s a jerk, he’s not playing. We built that into the program, and I think that helps us with college coaches. We have some kids playing pro ball now, but we’re developing character and makeup as much as how good of a baseball player they are.”

Helsel’s philosophies align perfectly with those of Program 15, and Jeremy Booth, CEO of Program 15 and New Balance Future Stars Series was eager to connect the two sides.

“When you think of US Elite, you think of integrity and values,” Booth said.

“Yes, they have good players and have done an excellent job of advancing the players who play for them and the game as a whole. But the vision Mark has to grow his players and leave it better than he found it, that’s what made this easy for me. Excellent people with a big foundation in and hunger to help the game, that’s what you think of when the name US Elite is mentioned. Mark’s passion is a separator, and I look forward to seeing them in Houston this summer and working together for the long haul.”

The feeling was mutual for Helsel.

“Jeremy’s a great guy, and he made a great first impression on me,” Helsel said.

“I love his background; where he comes from is a big deal. I love the work that he’s established, so when I think of Program 15, I think of a network of people. And I love their vision. Jeremy has definitely made it clear that they feel like there’s a void, and he’s a man on a mission to fill the void. I like to be around people who are on missions, and I feel maybe he saw a lot of that in me, because I’m on a mission too. We are going to be known as the first program to really, seriously incorporate personal development into baseball…Jeremy and I, we’re two guys on a mission, and those missions are aligned with each other. It was an easy decision for me.”

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

To learn more about US Elite Baseball, visit http://uselitebaseball.com

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Chris Dyson does not just write about hockey; he has many years of experience in teaching the game, with a focus on training goaltenders from a young age to develop the skills needed for success. Now, Dyson has launched his book, Target Practice: 8 Mistakes That Ruin a Love of the Game, which synthesizes his experience and helps coaches and parents understand the proper steps and tools to work with and develop goaltenders of any age.

As an ice hockey goaltending consultant and instructor as well as an advocate for the ethical advancement of children in minor sport, Dyson has spent many years working with young hockey players. Now, his book offers a way for coaches to become positive influences in these young players’ lives as well as enhance their enjoyment of the game. The book is filled with support and insight that allows coaches to help goalies develop the core essential skills necessary to win and become compassionate about hockey.

Dyson is on a mission to address one of the biggest problems facing minor hockey in North America. According to Dyson, the majority of hockey coaches lack the understanding to develop goaltenders properly. This can result in frustration for the coach, team and goaltender as well as parents and supporters. Dyson asks, “How do coaches rectify this major problem and properly develop their goaltenders, while keeping the game fun for everyone?”

Target Practice provides coaches with simple and progressive techniques that allow them to avoid common mistakes and produce good, well-rounded goaltenders. Critics have praised the book, stating, “Target Practice brilliantly addresses some of the biggest problems plaguing minor hockey, offering easy-to-understand, simple-to-implement strategies. Advocating the ethical advancement of children to improve grassroots hockey, Dyson has a three year plan to  positively affect 50,000 goaltenders and coaches. He is truly helping children to love the game, learn life skills, and continue playing longer.”

Visit the Target Practice Initiative website www.targetpracticeinitiative.com for FREE membership to a library of FREE instructional material provided by goalie coaches from around the globe. Also look for the upcoming online educational system, launching this summer, which will provide minor hockey coaches with a solid understanding and certification in the essential core goaltending skills. Visit www.puckstoppers.com for more information and to learn about one of the longest running goalie development programs on the planet.

About Chris Dyson: Chris Dyson is passionate about hockey—in particular, about goaltending. His mission is to change the game from the grassroots up by providing coaches with reliable, proven techniques for keeping the game fun while raising strong goaltenders. Chris has instructed students from 18 countries and seeded Puckstoppers Goalie Schools in Europe, the United States and Canada.

When it comes to high school baseball, and high school sports in general, quality information is scattered all over the place. It can cause worthy players to get lost in the shuffle. Prospect Wire President and Founder Matt Bomeisl was one of those players. Still unsigned for baseball after graduating from high school, Bomeisl caught on with a sponsored travel team in 1999 and played in a tournament over the summer in front of then-Florida Gators Head Coach Andy Lopez. Bomeisl committed to Florida on the spot, and has always dreamed of turning around and helping players in a similar fashion to the way he was helped in the summer of 1999.

Prospect Wire is now the highly regarded national tournament and event provider and online database of accurate, reliable reports on for amateur high school baseball players. Prospect Wire helps connect players by working and sharing information with colleges and MLB Scouts as they follow players progress through the different levels of baseball.

Bomeisl says, “We have utilized technology across all parts of our events to bring a first class experience to our participants and go above and beyond in the process of providing exposure and coverage to the players.”

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

Bomeisl and Program 15 / New Balance Future Stars Series CEO and President of Baseball Operations Jeremy Booth were introduced in February by Future Stars Series Northern California Regional Director Rob Bruno of NorCal Baseball.  Bruno felt there was a way the two organizations could complement each other.

In a recent interview with veteran sports writer Mike Ashmore Bomeisl said, “We are very excited to bring our scouts, social media coverage and college text alert system to supplement the event.  The guys at Program 15 are putting an emphasis on player development which is something that is missing from the event side in amateur baseball. Our partnership on this event is to bring that additional element of exposure for the players and participants. The fact that the guys at Program 15 made an effort to do this shows where their priorities are in branching out or doing whatever it takes to make the event in Houston as beneficial as possible for the participants.”

The partnership was a logical fit for Booth, who is constantly seeking to work with those with the integrity and vision that Bomeisl and Prospect Wire have shown.

Booth said, “When you find those people with a commitment to excellence and pride in their work product, those are the ones who you seek to work with and ultimately become a match.  Prospect Wire has a track record of excellence and player growth. They truly want to help players and help the game. I am extremely excited that they will be at our events and look forward to this summer and beyond.”

The Future Stars Series National Trials will be held in Houston, Tx with the following schedule by age group.

Class of 2018 – June 24th-28th

Class of 2019 – July 1st – 5th

Class of 2020 – July 8th-12th

Each player will be evaluated for an opportunity to be selected as a member of the National Team to play in the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series International Weekend held in August.

For more information about the Future Stars Series National Trials and team registration visit: http://futurestarsseries.com/national-trials-event/

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, please visit http://program15.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB

To Learn more about Prospect Wire visit https://prospectwire.com/

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

Injuries may have derailed Butch Baccala’s major league dreams as a player, but his influence as a scout, where he served as an Area Supervisor, Regional Crosschecker and National Crosschecker, is still felt at the game’s highest level today.

Now the VP of Scouting for Program 15 and the New Balance Future Stars Series, that ability to properly and fairly evaluate a player is as important as ever, and is a role Baccala takes very seriously. But the baseball lifer doesn’t view it as giving back to the next generation of players, instead focusing on the position he’s in to help make those dreams he once had come true.

“I look at it as being an extreme honor to be an evaluator that can influence schools or people so that it may lead to a scholarship or an opportunity for a player,” Baccala said.

“You always want to help kids who had dreams, because when I was a player, I had huge major-league dreams and you’d like to be able to do that for another kid. A lot of times, we’re a dream maker, and a lot of times, we’re a dream breaker.”

Baccala, who is in both his high school and college’s respective hall of fames as a player and was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies, has made a lot of those dreams come true with the Atlanta Braves as a Regional Crosschecker, then the Cincinnati Reds as a National Crosschecker, and lastly the Seattle Mariners where he started as an Area Supervisor and then circled back later in his career as a National Crosschecker.

He also runs the California Academy of Baseball, which is a partner of Program 15, for whom his responsibilities are to make sure that every player that comes to one of the Program 15 combines or events is properly scouted and evaluated to best of their abilities.

“I’ve always looked at it, even when I was an area scout or regional crosschecker or national crosschecker, as just going to a bigger playground,” Baccala said.

“On those bigger playgrounds, you see better players. You’re just trying to give a fair evaluation. These evaluations go out to different schools and different coaches, so you’re just trying to help a get be noticed by a school that maybe he wants to go to and maybe open the door to an opportunity.”

After Baccala worked together with Program 15 and New Balance Future Stars Series CEO and President of Baseball Operations Jeremy Booth in the scouting department with the Mariners, the two were searching for an opportunity to work together again.

“When we were both with Seattle, I had a tremendous amount of respect for Jeremy,” Baccala said.

“In the draft rooms, Jeremy would always speak his piece and he was accountable for the region he worked in. Plus, when he would go around the country scouting players, he was a stand-up guy and he gave a fair evaluation. For a guy in my position, as the national crosschecker, you knew when he gave you an opinion that you could really count on it.

That evolved, as we grew together in Seattle, (and I knew) that we were going to work together some day. Last September, I think it was, he calls me and says, ‘Are you ready to come to work for me?’ I was ready to do whatever he wanted me to do and was happy to be a part of a team that he was involved with.”

Booth was more than happy to bring him aboard, saying, “Butch and I met when I was doing Southern Texas and Louisiana for Milwaukee and he was doing the west coast for Seattle.  When the Mariners called to bring me over to do the Midwest, Butch was someone I had already spent some time getting to know. The thing about Butch is his passion; the man genuinely cares about the game, players, and the people he works with. When I moved over to take the West and spend more time with our affiliates, my first question was to make sure Butch was moving up. He has always had my back and I have his, and I respect his evaluation skills to the point where I don’t question him. When we parted ways in Seattle, I knew we would work together again and the first chance I had to make that a reality I took it.”

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

The Future Stars Series nationwide search for amateur baseball talent is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

The Northern California Future Stars Series Skills and Evaluation Camp is open to all amateur players in the graduating classes of 2018-2021 age groups and will be hosted by Hit Lab Sport at Dublin High School in Dublin, CA and St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA

The Future Stars Series Skills and Evaluation Camps consist of the following structure.

Tools testing by position
Athletic strength and conditioning testing with instruction
Defensive skill player development by position
Hitting: on field and in Cages with instruction
Pitchers: arm care, long toss, PFP’s, pitching fundamentals, defensive instruction
Mental Skills Workshop

Camp scouts, coaches, and staff will be using evaluation and development tools provided by BLAST MOTION, the industry’s most accurate motion capture sensor integrated with communication, analysis, coaching, and management tools that enable the daily drive to improve.

Each player will receive a full Program 15 scouting report, developmental feedback and plan to assist in their long-term growth from a staff composed of former MLB Players, Scouts, Executives & Coaches with 10 World Series Rings.

The Future Stars Series camps are led and attended by the Program 15 National Staff of Major League Veteran players, scouts, and coaches including Jeremy Booth, Trenidad Hubbard, Benji Gil, Butch Baccala, Adam Czajkowski, Roberto Kelly, Chad Moeller and Dorian Jackson.

Program 15 CEO and President of Baseball Operations, Jeremy Booth stated, “Our program is specifically designed to develop each individual player’s ability to his full potential, then to get that player the results that their ability deserves. Our commitment is the same, whether it’s a young man with the desire to move from select ball to playing in high school, from high school to being recruited by a Division 1 college or from college to MLB draft pick.”

Many professional and MLB players including George Springer, A.J. Reed, Brady Rodgers, Michael Reed, Scott Manea, Alex Jackson, Zack Wells, Tyler Beede and Leon Byrd got a jump on the pre-season by working with Program 15’s training and development staff before heading off to spring training.

On his recent offseason with Program 15, Astros first baseman A.J. Reed said, “It was nice to have that outside set of eyes watch me work on my swing and giving me feedback. I feel like I made some pretty good strides working with Jeremy this offseason and I put myself in a good position to be ready for this year”.

Astros pitcher Brady Rogers said, “Jeremy saw me at my best in high school and in college. My first few years in pro ball, I didn’t feel like myself, something was off. Coming here really helped me take that step forward. Is it a coincidence that the first offseason I spent with Program 15 I ended up making it to the big leagues that next year? I don’t think so. Working with Jeremy really helped me to take a huge leap forward and make my dream of getting to the big leagues come true”.

For information and to register, visit the Future Stars page http://futurestarsseries.com/northern-california/

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about Program 15, visit http://program15.com. And keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

The evolution of Program 15 and New Balance Future Stars Series from the knowledge that Jeremy Booth had gained during his unique career in baseball to the player development powerhouse it is today wasn’t an overnight process.

Far from it, really.

As Booth neared the end of a playing career that not only took him all over the country, but Canada and Mexico as well, he started thinking of ways to help improve the instruction given to those who would make up the game’s next generation. Booth transitioned into a variety of off-field roles, and it was there where that idea really started to take off.

“Over my time scouting, I had an inside view into watching what was working well and what wasn’t working well, what was accepted, and watching people pay a ton of money for a bunch of different things,” he said.

“It didn’t seem like they were getting what they should be out of it. Players just weren’t reaching their ceilings. Businesses were winning meaningless trophies, but what about the players? They’re the next wave and the game was feeling it. Collectively, it was a player development failure, and I thought we could do some things better. People complain about it all the time, and want to see change. Having this type of background and knowledge of being a hitting coach or a scout or a cross-checker or a player that had to fight for my own stuff everywhere I went, you learn what works and what doesn’t.”

The different phases of what became Program 15 came together organically. For example, one of the first players Booth worked with was Jon Moscot, who is currently in the big leagues with the Cincinnati Reds. At the time, Moscot’s father, Elliot, happened to be Booth’s optometrist.

“His dad was paying for a lot of instruction, but that instruction just wasn’t very good,” Booth remembers. “There were other ways to help the kid. It wasn’t about money, it was about helping the player who clearly wanted to play baseball.”

Eventually, after quickly rising through the ranks to become a cross-checker for the Seattle Mariners, Booth fully left scouting and started officially working with pro players, and the notes and format he’d been working on for years were formalized into one document.

That document became Program 15.

But Booth couldn’t do it alone. He put together an impressive staff that’s collectively earned 11 World Series rings, and it was that level of expertise that’s not only attracted players from all across the country, but highly respected baseball minds like Bob Watson.

Watson, a two-time big league All-Star as a player, is perhaps best known as his run as general manager of the New York Yankees, helping to build the roster that ended the Bronx Bombers’ 18-year World Series drought in 1996.

“I think the main thing that got my attention was that he was using ex-players as staff members, people who knew what they were talking about,” said Watson, who currently serves in advisory role.

“So many times, you’ve got parents and other folks wanting to help out, and they do more damage than help. This idea of working with professionals, both on and off the field, it really got my attention. Everybody that’s on staff and especially on field has been there, done that. (Here), we’re trying to teach them what we want to get across. I don’t like to go to Little League games because I get upset with what’s been taught on how to swing and how to throw and how to catch. That’s the big part, giving back and then giving back something that’s going to help the kids.”

With Watson and other notable veterans of the game both on and off the field in the fold, Program 15 sought out a partner. They found the right fit last June.

“(Other companies) loved the idea, but in the end New Balance stepped ahead of them and wanted to partner up with us on it and make it a reality,” Booth said.

“New Balance is focused on helping players and growing the game. Yes, there’s a business component in everything, but the focus isn’t on the dollar. They’re focused more on trying to find a better product in a better way. If you look at things they’re aligned with, they’re not associated with big business, it’s family and community and enhancement.”

Together, Program 15 and New Balance have been focused on changing the game. Through a series of combines and tournaments, Booth is trying to steer the game away from “showcases” and the pitfalls that can come from focusing on them.

“It has to do with feedback, it has to do with athletic testing and assessment, it has to do with skills and player growth,” Booth explained.

“There’s different ways to build a player besides just the normal showcase environment, which really isn’t helping a player or helping our game. It’s creating ‘showcase players,’ but these combines are a way to get true evaluation and development back as well as exposure for players. That idea started as a roving development camp, which we’re executing and have been executing, and the next phase of that was building smaller tournaments with good players and putting that together so there was a feeder system into a higher event.”

With a series of national events again planned for 2017, only time will tell which players will serve as the next success stories in a program that’s already generated a long lost of them.

“We’ve had players who’ve been going to high, high level camps and not seen anything, but one tweak there and it’s a different focus or goal setting to give them a path, they’re going to a Division 1 school on scholarship,” Booth said.

“There’s so many ways this thing helps. But the most fun thing is taking the forgotten kid – whether he’s got a bunch of tools or not a lot of tools – and giving him that path and aligning him with other people who have that same vision of what the game should look like. That’s the fun part. And that’s going to happen again and again.”

Regardless of where that path may take the player, the focus will always remain on achieving improvement in the right way.

“With us, you’re going to leave better than you came every time. That’s a guarantee,” Booth said.

“When you walk in our building or whatever facility we’ll be in across the country, you’re going to be changed when you leave. Whether it’s skills, player development, outlook, approach, exposure…there’s a better pathway and a better environment that we can give rather than just, ‘Hey, let’s hit the ball in the air, run like hell and let’s throw the ball hard.’ There’s so much more to helping a player and building a player besides that, and you only learn that once you get beyond what the lesson says and get into what you need to do to be successful.”

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit http://futurestarsseries.com.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built on the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player. To learn more about Program 15, please visit http://program15.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Atlanta House Cleaning Company, Atlanta Eco Cleaners, want fans to have fun during Super Bowl LI and cheer on the Atlanta Falcons. It’s not every year that the Falcons make it to the Super Bowl and although people in Atlanta may host a Super Bowl party every year, this one is going to be special for Atlantans.

There are a lot of things to think about when hosting a Super Bowl party from inviting friends and family to making sure to have enough drinks and snacks available to last through the whole game. There is an often over looked area though that might not be thought of until the last minute….Cleaning!

Amanda Howe, owner of Atlanta Eco Cleaners says, “People make all the preparations for the party and get all the supplies home, then forget that they need to clean up before the party so they can invite people into a nice clean home to get into the spirit of the game. It sometimes becomes a last minute stress and that is certainly not what you want to feel as your guest arrive.”

Atlanta Eco Cleaners have a checklist on their website on How To Prepare For A Super Bowl Party and what to do when the party is underway. While passion is running high and the game is on, it is easy for fans to lose their minds in the moment and forget where the trash can is. There are usually a lot of spills and trash lying around everywhere as people don’t want to take their eyes off the game. Even half-time is a spectacle, as well as all the commercial breaks. So, there is no time to clean up. Heck, the host would be lucky if they even get up to go to the bathroom.

After the game has finished there can be a disastrous scene. The food and drinks are everywhere. The floor cannot be seen because of the trash and it can be hard to get guests to stay and help clean up. But, there is a problem. They have had a few beers and are either happy and celebrating or mad and sulking. Neither of these moods enhances the chance of them sticking around to help clean. 

Maybe after 4 hours of destroying the house, it is for them to just leave, but when all is quiet and guests are gone, take a look at the aftermath and it may be time to call in the help.

Atlanta Eco Cleaners are offering a special price for Super Bowl clean up after the party. Howe says, “We have been called in many times to clean up after Super Bowl parties and it can be a mess. It can be very overwhelming for one person to do on their own. That is why we wanted to offer Atlanta Falcons fans a special deal on party clean up after the game. We will come in and clear all the food, drinks and trash and haul it all away and wipe everything down so your home can get back to normal again, all for just $99.”

Atlanta Eco Cleaners hope this is going to be the year for the Atlanta Falcons and there will be cause to celebrate. 

To find our more about Atlanta Eco Cleaners, visit their website or call Amanda at (404) 793-7550 to set up a special Super Bowl party cleaning. 

Atlanta Eco Cleaners have been serving the people of Atlanta for over 5 years and have been awarded one of the top cleaning services in Atlanta by Expertise.com as well as being featured on many major media websites as the cleaners to the stars.

On a recent episode of Business Innovators Radio with Mark Imperial, Andrea Carlomusto, Certified Personal Trainer, discussed how to discover and achieve true fitness potential.

According to Carlomusto, many folks don’t know their potential. They start with one goal and they end up surprising themselves.

Carlomusto, said “The type of people that I serve, they normally don’t know their potential. They come in and they want to lose weight, like with any trainer, or they want to gain muscle or they want to get back to good before surgery or whatever ailed them. Then we kind of take it to the next level”.

When host Mark Imperial asked “are there a certain type [of client] that really gravitates towards you?” Carlomusto answered, “The young bodybuilders, the young guys in their twenties, they tend to come to me for the bodybuilding. I don’t know if it’s because I’m kind of like a mom or if they just want to try out a girl trainer to see if I have anything different to offer. A lot of the times, I kind of scare off the older demographic until they get to know me because I am very aggressive and very direct. Once they get to me, we go through [a conversation] and if we are a good match, usually they are lifers, which are good”.

During the Interview Carlomusto shared that her methods are a little strange, explaining, “You go through school and you know the physiology and I tend to test everything. I test everything out on myself first. I think I’m the toughest case. If I don’t think something is working or someone plateaus, that’s when you get a little creative. Like I said, I started off just rehabbing myself. I came up with a way to build up without injury…You know, I was pretty fragile back then. It’s a slow process in the beginning, and then it hits. I kind of tend to get people ready for their heavier loads and their heavy workouts. Then that’s when the fun starts”.

Andrea Carlomusto is a Certified W.I.T.S. Advanced Level Personal Trainer and Founder of RX-Training.com and her clients are thrilled with their results.

“If you’re serious about getting in shape and toned up, Ande is the trainer to try. She will push you to your limits and keep you coming back for more. Not only is she a great trainer but she is personable, understanding, compassionate and dedicated to YOU!” – Glenda S

“RX-Training helps transform not only your body but your mind too. I’ve had knee surgery and have been overweight for most of my adult life and with the help of RX-Training I’m doing things I never thought I could do again!” – Ashley S

“Ande is the best trainer that I have ever had. She’s fun, energetic, and truly motivating. She listens to you, and builds a workout plan specific to your fitness goals and objectives. She is always there for me, and has made working out something that I look forward to. She’s the best! She’ll make a difference in your life.” – Dave P

The interview concluded with Carlomusto saying “Keep it simple and trust your body. Your body is naturally going to do what it needs to do. Don’t fight it. Work with your strengths while you are working on your weaknesses to bring them up. Definitely trust yourself. Don’t let anybody tell you what you are doing is wrong if you are not hurting yourself. Everybody is made differently. You have to train the way your body specified. That’s probably the biggest piece of advice I’d give to anybody in the gym. ”.

To listen to the full interview on Business Innovators Radio, visit http://businessinnovatorsradio.com/special-edition-women-of-fitness-speak-with-mark-imperial/

To learn more about Andrea Carlomusto, please visit http://www.rx-training.com/

On a recent episode of Business Innovators Radio with Mark Imperial, Bryson and Melissa Johnson, creators of the Stryker Pro Fitness Program, discussed how to get fit using Stryker Pro Fitness.

According to the Johnsons, martial arts training is one of the most proven and effective ways to get fit, however many people don’t have the access to a quality academy. Many more folks’ schedules won’t accommodate an academy’s class schedule, so a better solution was needed.

Bryson Johnson said, “we created this product called Stryker Pro which allows us to actually teach people all over the country and to start a movement to get people in the family…mom, dad, the kids, in their living room training with our videos…so that we can have a wider reach and make a bigger impact.”

When host Mark Imperial asked, “Tell me what Stryker Pro is and who is it for?” Bryson answered, “I can teach anyone to do it. You don’t have to be a martial artist, you don’t have to have any experience. We take you from the very beginning and teach you different techniques…I created a system that incorporates targets on a pole, it’s portable. It’s similar to, we call it a portable punching bag. ” Bryson goes on to say that, “Mom and Dad or the kids, they can pull it out of the closet and roll it back and they have their training, which we believe is very important. We know that when people train together they’re more likely to stick with it and have a great support system.”

During the Interview Bryson shared some of what makes Stryker Pro different, explaining, “The most unique part of it is the resistance banded targets. They can be adjustable. It can do a free spin, and it’s light impact. It kind of changes the paradigm or the though process behind impact training or combat training, or the high impact heavy bag type of work. Of course that is very important when you’re training to be a boxer or something, but when I looked at this, having the ability to do a lot of the different techniques and have a low impact on the body, I can teach anyone to do it. You don’t have to be a martial artist, and you don’t have to have any experience. We take you from the very beginning and teach you different techniques.”

Stryker Pro Fitness users are already reporting results.

“…a better workout as I’m able to strike harder for a longer period of time without impact pain. It’s a well conceived and versatile piece of equipment.”  – Lana

“Mr. And Mrs. Johnson are great instructors!  Their passion for teaching and martial arts is evident in how they run their school!” – Tanya

“I’m so glad this product is at my house, i can defintely get the target practice i need.” – Stephen, a Black Belt Expert User

Bryson and Melissa Johnson are Tae Kwon Do Black Belts, academy owners in Cary, North Carolina, and the creators of the Stryker Pro Fitness Program.

The interview concluded with Bryson saying this about martial arts teaching, “It’s really that balance between the pen and the sword where we don’t want to just be fighters, but we want to actually improve our communities and we want to be smart and we want to help others. It’s just this all-inclusive good family type of benefit. Everyone benefits from the martial arts.”

To listen to the full interview on Business Innovators Radio, visit http://businessinnovatorsradio.com/fitness-professionals-special-edition-with-mark-imperial/

To learn more about Stryker Pro Fitness, please visit http://www.strykerpro.com/

Mark Imperial, Host and Publisher of Remarkable Radio and Media, along with Managing Partner Stewart Andrew Alexander confirmed they have officially launched a National search for Health, Nutrition, and Fitness Professionals, to be featured in the upcoming book, “Remarkable Health and Fitness – Conversations With Leading Health, Nutrition and Fitness Professionals”.

Explaining the search process, Imperial said, “This is an important book for us, so we will be reaching out to a select group of Health, Nutrition, and Fitness Professionals we feel are true advocates for the success of health-seeking individuals who want to live a healthy lifestyle, while at the same time committing to spread the word about a great organization like Junior Achievement.

Imperial and Alexander have pledged 100% of the royalties from the retail sales of the book to be donated to the non-profit benefiting Young Entrepreneurs and Future Leaders.

Scheduled for release in Winter 2016/2017, “Remarkable Health and Fitness – Conversations With Leading Health, Nutrition and Fitness Professionals“ will spotlight each of the professionals selected from this search, sharing their insights and real world experience on achieving remarkable results in the areas of Health, Nutrition and Fitness.

Imperial said, “The Health, Nutrition, and Fitness Professionals we select are passionate about helping individuals who want to live a healthy lifestyle. They will answer the most common questions and bust the myths and misconceptions so many people have about achieving remarkable results in the areas of Health, Nutrition and Fitness. “Remarkable Health and Fitness – Conversations With Leading Health, Nutrition and Fitness Professionals” will cover a lot information that is rarely talked about, including nutrition tips, workout tips, and tips on staying motivated.”

With several industry leaders expressing interest in participating, Imperial and Alexander are expecting to announce the final selections in the next 30 days.

However, Imperial asserted, “One of the reasons we launched this search is because we did not want to go the route of filling this book with the stereotypical ‘Experts.’ This search would be unnecessary if that was the case. We anticipate a lot of exposure around this project, for both Junior Achievement and the people we select to feature in the book, so we really want to showcase those Health, Nutrition, and Fitness Professionals who are actually in the trenches, working hard every day and willing to share that experience to benefit a great cause and the success of individuals who want to live a healthy lifestyle. That is what will make this a win, win, win project.”

Find business reviews for Mark Imperial here: https://goo.gl/KXAnqT   

Find out more about this project by email: mark@markimperial.com

To learn more about Junior Achievement, visit http://juniorachievement.org

The Future Stars Series is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

In a grassroots effort to reach as many undiscovered players as possible, New Balance and Program 15 have announced the addition of 22 Regional Directors and Partner Programs to The Future Stars Series.

Regional Directors
Regional Directors will be the single voice for their region to bring players and teams together. They are charged with finding and selecting The Future Stars Series travel baseball teams to play in regional tournaments and to evaluate players for the opportunity to advance to the Super Regionals. Each director is chosen based on their merit and baseball experience as a player or coach and development ability.

Partner Programs
Partner programs are alliances with amateur baseball clubs and training and development facilities throughout North America that will participate in series tournaments and become part of the Future Stars Series and Program15 family.

The following Regional Directors and Partner Programs part of The Future Stars Series.

CANADA
Regional Director
– Sean Travers, Ontario Blue Jays, Mississauga, ON

COLORADO
Partner Program
– Johnny Bess, Colorado West Lookouts Baseball, Colorado Springs, CO

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Regional Director
– California Academy of Baseball, Folsom, CA

Partner Programs
– Darren Nicholson, Hit Lab, Dublin, CA
– Chico Aces, Chico, CA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Regional Director
– Mike Eaglin, The Factory Baseball, Los Angeles, CA

GEORGIA / NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Regional Director
– Ryan Robinson, Next Level Baseball, Tallahassee, FL

GREAT LAKES
Regional Director
– Greg Blaesing, Andy Zwirchitz: Rhino Baseball, Chicago, IL

Partner Program
– Hensley Baseball, Eau Claire, WI

GULF COAST
Regional Director
– Chris Pool, Louisiana Knights, New Orleans, LA

Partner Program
– Louisiana Legends, Lafayette, LA

MID-ATLANTIC
Regional Director
– Jason Aspito, Director- US Elite Baseball, N Huntingdon, PA

Partner Programs
– Northeast Pride Baseball, Hawley, PA
– Backyard Academy, York, PA

TEXAS
Partner Programs
– Marucci Elite Texas, Houston, TX
– James Bills, University Of Baseball, Leander, TX
– Phenom Baseball, Dallas, TX
– Citius Baseball, Corpus Christ, TX

NEW ENGLAND
Regional Director
– Ed Riley RBI Warriors, Worcester, MA

Partner Program
– New England Ruffnecks, Northboro, MA

NORTHWEST
Regional Director
– Billy Hayes – Showtime Baseball, Vancouver and Seattle, WA

OHIO / INDIANA / MICHIGAN
Regional Director
– Nate Perry – Prospects Baseball Network/Midwest Prospects, Cincinnati, OH

Program 15 President and Director of Development, Jeremy Booth said, “This is an impressive group of men to lead their regions as we move into the next wave of stars. Each member of the alliance is chosen carefully and puts the player ahead of themselves, which is the only way it should be. The collective of this group has already been responsible for dozens of first round draft picks, and thousands of college scholarships for young players and The Future Stars Series will continue to build on that momentum”.

For assistance with connecting teams and players with Regional Directors visit Program15.com

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built on the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player. To learn more about Program 15, please visit http://program15.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Media Contact
Company Name: New Balance
Contact Person: Carrie Kabat
Email: carrie.kabat@newbalance.com
Phone: 617-783-6710
Country: United States
Website: http://newbalance.com

The Future Stars Series nationwide search for amateur baseball talent is the initiative between New Balance and Program 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

The Fall 2016 Future Stars Series camps and development sessions are open to all amateur high school aged players. Camps for players in the 10-14 age group will be added for the Spring 2017 sessions.

Players attending a Future Stars Series event will receive a full scouting report, developmental feedback and plan to assist in their long-term growth from scouts who have signed Major League players. Each player will also be evaluated for a potential invitation to participate in the National Trials and opportunity to be selected as a member of the National Team to play in an International World Series scheduled for the Summer of 2017 in Houston, TX.

The Future Stars Series Skills and Evaluation Camps consist of the following two-day combine structure.

Saturday:
Tools testing by position
Athletic strength and conditioning testing with instruction
Defensive skill player development by position
Hitting: on field and in Cages with instruction
Pitchers: arm care, long toss, PFP’s, pitching fundamentals, defensive instruction

Sunday:
Mental skills
Games

Each Future Stars Series camp is led and attended by the Program 15 National Staff of Major League Veteran players, scouts and coaches including Jeremy Booth, Jesse Barfield, Trenidad Hubbard, Benji Gil, Delwyn Young, Chuck McElroy, Chip Ambres, Butch Baccala, Adam Czjakowski and others.

Program 15 President and Director of Development, Jeremy Booth stated, “Our program is specifically designed to develop each individual player’s ability to his full potential, then to get that player the results that their ability deserves. Our commitment is the same, whether it’s a young man with the desire to move from select ball to playing in high school, from high school to being recruited by a Division 1 college or from college to MLB draft pick.”

The Future Stars Series Skills and Evaluation Camps are hosted by a selected regional college program or summer league and will serve as a recruiting showcase opportunity as well.

Fall 2016 Dates and Cities for High School Aged Players
Houston – 10/1-2 – Sam Houston State University and Baseball USA
Boston – 10/8-9 – Brockton Rox Stadium
Seattle – 10/15-16 – University of Washington
Atlanta – 10/23-24 – Homeplate Chili Dogs Complex
San Francisco – 10/29-30 – University of San Francisco
Phoenix – 11/5-6 – Grand Canyon University‎
New Orleans – 11/12-13 – University of New Orleans
Los Angeles – 11/19-20 – University of Southern California and East LA Community College
Miami – 12/3-4 – Florida International University
Dallas – 12/10-11 – Dallas Baptist University
Orlando – 12/17-18 – University of Central Florida

For information and to register, visit the Future Stars page at Program15.com/future-stars-series

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player. To learn more about Program 15, please visit http://program15.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Media Contact
Company Name: New Balance
Contact Person: Carrie Kabat
Email: carrie.kabat@newbalance.com
Phone: 617-783-6710
Country: United States
Website: http://newbalance.com

Beech Grove Farm has been family owned and operated since 1936. Fourth generation family member Anita Baase operates the farm. Beech Grove Farm first operated as a tobacco farm and since 1987 as an equine facility specializing in horse care and education.

Baase said, “Hosting our military and veterans is such an honor. This special event during September is an opportunity to express my own appreciation for their service and sacrifice to our country. We hope to make this an annual event.”

Kristina Truluck, an active member of the United States Army, based at Fort Meade, MD said, “I have really enjoyed taking riding lessons and the trail rides at Beech Grove Farm. Being in the Army is stressful and this is a great way for me to get out in nature and relax in the natural wooded environment.” She continued, “The farm is a family-oriented facility and quite an asset, so close to the urban areas surrounding Washington D.C. and Baltimore.“

Beech Grove Farm is located within the Baltimore, Washington, and Annapolis triangle on 114 acres in Gambrills, Maryland. The farm offers horse boarding and equine care, riding lessons, trail rides, and equine education. Beech Grove Farm has hosted 4-H projects, Girl Scout activities and has catered to the horse needs of area individuals since 1987.

For more information about Beech Grove Farm, visit http://www.BeechGroveFarm.biz.

The Future Stars Series is part of Program 15’s goal of “Developing the Stars of Tomorrow”, and aligns with both organizations’ mission to “Change the Game” of baseball both on and off-field. With this new initiative, these two industry innovators are coming together to elevate the game of baseball by providing players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.

Based out of the Marucci Houston 40,000 square foot indoor training facility at Baseball USA in Houston, TX; Program 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans including former MLB Vice President of On-Field Discipline as well as Houston Astros and New York Yankees General Manager, Bob Watson.

“Our program is specifically designed to develop each individual player’s ability to his full potential, then to get that player the results that their ability deserves”, says Program 15 President and Director of Development, Jeremy Booth. “Our commitment is the same, whether it’s a young man with the desire to move from select ball to playing in high school, from high school to being recruited by a Division 1 college or from college to MLB draft pick.”

Recognizing the staggering odds for an amateur player to reach the Major Leagues, New Balance and Program 15 are committed to providing every player in the program with the opportunity to grow and reach a level of achievement matching their highest potential. While that may not be enough to secure an MLB contract, it can translate into playing baseball at the high school level as well as the opportunity to earn scholarships from Junior College to Division 1 University Baseball programs, something that has been out of reach for many of these young men until now.

To make these opportunities economically accessible to more players, Future Stars Series will help families focus their financial resources to the level of baseball that best matches the individual player’s potential. New Balance will contribute to this effort by providing baseball and training apparel and footwear to all athletes as they participate in Program 15 training and competition.

Future Stars Series is not just about discovering and developing the MLB Heroes of tomorrow, it’s about discovering and developing the leaders of tomorrow, by creating real opportunities where they don’t exist today: opportunities for an education, opportunities for a future.

In a grassroots effort to reach as many undiscovered players as possible, Future Stars Series skills and evaluation camps along with program tryouts will be held at 16 regional satellite locations across the United States and one in Canada. Dates and locations to be announced.

For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter.

To learn more about New Balance baseball, visit http://www.newbalance.com/men/featured/baseball/, and follow @NB_Baseball on Twitter and @Nbbaseball on Instagram.

About Program 15:
Program 15, based in Houston, TX is built with the idea of quieting the noise and helping families to navigate the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels through the execution of personalized development plans for each player. To learn more about Program 15, please visit http://program15.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest Program 15 news and announcements on Twitter @Program15BB.

About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 5,000 associates around the globe, and in 2015 reported worldwide sales of $3.72 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com. Keep up-to-date with all of the latest New Balance news on Twitter @NewBalance and newbalance on Facebook.

Media Contact
Company Name: New Balance
Contact Person: Carrie Kabat
Email: carrie.kabat@newbalance.com
Phone: 617-783-6710
Country: United States
Website: http://newbalance.com

Dr. Nikki Green, of Fort Worth Cosmetic & Family Dentistry recently spearheaded a mouthguard campaign for a local school in Fort Worth, TX, helping football players protect their smile. She chose to work this year with Lake Country Christian School.

While her services are generally limited to her practice, Dr. Green was driven by a need to reach out to the community to provide this valuable piece of equipment to middle school and high school players on selected teams.

“At Fort Worth Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, we are pleased to help provide area football players the access to quality mouthguards,” Dr. Green said. “These devices may seem small, but their potential impact on players’ health is enormous.”

The recipients were young men in the transition years of dentistry, which means that while they may be still losing some back baby teeth, but most have developed their adult front teeth already.  During this critical time frame, the dentists stress the importance to protect those teeth during any direct contact physical activity.

Through this community service project, Dr. Green noted that her desire to help provide custom fit mouthguards for the 2016 football season was not only to help protect teeth, but also because research suggests that the use of mouthguards while playing football may also reduce the incidences of concussions.

“I am proud that Fort Worth Cosmetic & Family Dentistry was able to help reduce the risks for these players in such a high-contact sport,” Dr. Green said. “Unfortunately, injuries are inevitable, but we were able to provide these dental devices to help prevent injuries from becoming more serious.”

Dr. Green stated that she would like to incorporate other dentists and other offices and spread this mouthguard campaign throughout all of the Fort Worth area. 

Fort Worth Cosmetic & Family Dentistry is a state of the art dental facility. With pleasant, professional staff who utilize the newest techniques available, this is NOT your typical dental office. With patients’ comfort foremost in their minds, it is modern and comfortable with all the amenities of home like Wi-Fi, heated massage chairs, patient blankets and TV monitors in the ceiling.

The Panthers were penalized 5 yards when quarterback Cam Newton ran onto the field in celebration after an interception, and that negated linebacker A.J. Klein’s 94-yard return for a touchdown.

“I just got too excited,” Newton told reporters. “I was hoping they would give a warning.”

Since last year, when Newton’s Carolina Panthers lost in the Super Bowl to the Denver Broncos, he has been criticized for not going after a fumble in the waning moments of the game, and he had a less than ideal press conference afterward.

Brian Ainsley Horn, co-founder of Authority Alchemy feels this mistake could also cost Newton endorsement and branding deals.

Horn said, “The people who criticize Cam will argue that this is further proof of his lack of class. They’ll say that if Cam can celebrate, dance, dab, and take group photos during the game when he is winning, he should be able to face the music after a loss. Some of those criticisms have merit, and we have seen both sides of criticizing Cam and defending Cam.  However, the lasting issue is whether his recent behavior could impact his rising star endorsement power moving forward.”

According to Horn, the smart thing for Cam and his endorsement partners to do would be to flip this into a new marketing angle where Cam’s reaction can actually be targeted to his fans and defenders.

Best-selling author and internet entrepreneur, Brian Ainsley Horn, helps professionals leverage their knowledge to gain authority status in their industry, then uses “authority marketing” to get them national media exposure.Brian is a regular contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine, Huffington Post and The Examiner.

He is also an in demand speaker that has traveled the world entertaining and educating audiences.

For more information on Brian Ainsley Horn and his company, Authority Media Group, LLC, please visit AuthorityAlchemy.com.

Program 15 President and Director of Development, Jeremy Booth, officially announced the following appointments to the organization’s growing faculty and staff of MLB veterans.

Adam Czajkowski – Assistant Director of Baseball Operations
Czajkowski’s 6 years of scouting and player development experience with the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates adds a powerful set of eyes and toolset to the evaluation component of Program 15. His deep understanding of the player evaluation, report writing and transitions process used by so many professional and college organizations is valued across the country.

Booth said, “Adam has been my right hand from the beginning and an invaluable asset as far as growing Program 15 into what it’s become.”

Benji Gil – National Infield Coordinator
A first round draft pick, Gil made his Major League Baseball debut with the Texas Rangers in 1993 and was a member of the 2002 World Series Champions Anaheim Angels.

Booth said, “Benji has a wealth of knowledge and is one of those people you love to sit back and just watch and listen. He’s a renowned utility infielder and excellent defender who understands the building blocks of what a player needs today and how to grow them tomorrow.”

Trenidad Hubbard – National Field Coordinator
With over twenty years in professional baseball, Trenidad Hubbard’s reputation as a baseball expert is backed by his experience as a player, including eleven years in the Majors, then transitioning to Outfield and Baserunning Coordinator.

Booth stated, “Hub’s done it all. He’s played infield, he’s caught, he’s incredible in the outfield, which allows him to see the game in different ways at all different positions. As someone who had to grind his way to the big leagues, Trenidad understands building players; he understands a step at a time; he understands progression. He’s also one of the most knowledgeable, articulate and passionate men I’ve ever been around and I’m confident he’ll be a tremendous asset to what Program 15 is doing nationally.”

Dr. Kevin McGovern – National Director of Sports Medicine
Dr. McGovern is an expert in the field of human movement and the inventor of G.A.M.E.(Graded Active Movement Exam), which quantifies human movement dysfunction and has been used in the fields of Physical Therapy, Occupational Health, and Sports Performance.

In addition to professional baseball players, Dr. McGovern has had the pleasure of working with NCAA, NAIA, USA Women’s Hockey, USA Judo, Bellator Fighting Championship, and World Wrestling Entertainment.

Booth explained, “I met Dr. McGovern when I had a partial tear of my UCL, now 12 years ago. He fixed me and had me back on the field in 6 weeks throwing harder than ever before. Program 15 is committed to helping our players grow properly and, for me, Dr. McGovern was the only choice to step into the role of National Director of Sports Medicine.”

Adam Dunn – Hitting Consultant
The New Caney High School alumni and two-time MLB All-Star made his MLB debut in July 2001 and set a National League rookie record in August by hitting 12 home runs in a single month. He is also just the 50th player in MLB history to hit 400 career home runs.

“When Adam saw what we were doing and he was excited about where Program 15 is headed with player development. We both knew he should be involved. To learn from Adam’s knowledge and experience, we’re talking about a guy who hit 462 home runs in the big leagues, it’s just a tremendous opportunity and benefit that we are proud to provide our players,” Booth said.

Tom O’Hara – Vice President and COO
As a Katy, TX native and well respected in the local baseball-rich community, O’Hara has been an integral part of building Program 15 on the business side and will run the daily business operations, both locally and across the country.

Booth said, “Tom and I met when his son Beau, who is now enrolling at the University of Texas, came to me because he wasn’t achieving results through the traditional process. We were able to help him develop and grow as a unit into the player he is today and Tom has been instrumental in helping us understand how we can best serve the community.”

James Gamble – Director of Tournaments
As a professional scout and Founder of Global Scouting Bureau, Gamble has assisted thousands of athletes to advance with direct placement to Colleges and Professional Teams worldwide.

Booth said, “James has coached and scouted players around the world, from the US to Korea, Mexico, Italy and is responsible for signing several players who have been picked up by teams like the Yankees, Devil Rays, and Pirates. We are thrilled to have a guy who’s earned the level of respect and relationships with scouts and coaches as James come onboard.”

Program 15 is built with the idea of quieting the noise and navigating the paths of proper instruction and development plans for all youth players and their families with aspirations of playing baseball beyond high school and select ball levels.

It is documented that the transition from college athletics to the workforce is difficult for many athletes. As a result, Angela Lewis compiled the new book Post Moves: The Female Athlete’s Guide to Dominate Life After College. This book brings together fifteen women who are former college athletes to share their personal accounts about life after college.

Angela Lewis, a former professional athlete, did not know what career path she would take once her playing days were over. After years of uncertainty, she is now the director of a non profit helping youth succeed through entrepreneurship. Her past uncertainty fueled the desire to partner with others to offer female college athletes career advice and access to successful professionals.

All of the women in the book have witnessed many young women struggle to transition after college. Lewis explains, “Female athletes learn so many valuable lessons from playing sports and this book provides examples of how other women utilize those skills in their day to day lives.” 

Laura Gentile, founder of espnW, stated in an article on ESPN, “From work ethic to adaptability to superior problem-solving ability, these women enter the workforce ready to win and demonstrate that ability as they rise throughout their career.”

Ernst and Young conducted research on female executives and Beth Brooke-Marciniak, Global Vice Chair, Public Policy explains  “Participation in sport not only influences leadership skills, style and career development, but it is also a powerful motivator for female executives.”

Angela Hucles, President of Women’s Sports Foundation asserts in a recent article, “Being involved in sports is such a fantastic way to really reach your goals and your dreams, not just within a sport but in life as well.”

Each contributor of Post Moves has a unique perspective and offers wisdom about the transition from college to the workforce. They are transparent about the challenges such as dealing with postpartum depression, overcoming career ending injuries, dropping out of high school and the emotional impact of divorce. 

The contributors to Post Moves: The Female Athlete’s Guide to Dominate Life After College include: 

• Pasha Cook, University of Memphis, basketball

• Khalia Collier, Columbia College and Missouri Baptist University, basketball and golf

• Alicia Herald, Washington University in St. Louis, basketball

• Cecelia Townes, Howard University, tennis

• Osa Osula, George Mason, basketball

• Lisa Miceli Standage, Turman State University, basketball

• Fernanda Corral, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education Mexico, basketball

• Peppi Brown-Armstrong, Duke, basketball

• Erica Smith, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, basketball

• Joi Madison, California State Northridge, water polo and swimming

• Priscilla Pacheco Tallman, University of Georgia, volleyball

• Marisa Gonzalez, Southwest Minnesota State University, soccer

• Claire Zovko, Pacific Lutheran University, basketball

• Emily Jaskowiak, University of Tulsa, basketball

• Anna Sydorska, Texas Christan University, tennis

Female college athletes across the world will be able to connect to the contributors experiences due to the authenticity of the stories. The book is set to be released in mid September and published through the Global Athlete Media Network. A portion of the proceeds with support the Women’s Sports Foundation. For more information contact info@globalathletemedia.com. 

The Delaware Mud Run is, a mudder-syle race. This goes beyond running a 5k; there will be boot-camp style obstacles surrounded by (or consisting of) mud. Participants should be prepared to slip, slide, and slosh along the course to the finish line. Viewing areas along the course are available for participants’ friends and loved ones to watch the action and get a good laugh.

Participation in the Mud Run involves teams of four in either the men’s, women’s, or Co-Ed categories (and individuals can register for the race as well). There will be prizes for the fastest teams, the team with the most creativity, and teams that raises the most money for the Leukemia Research Foundation of Delaware. In addition, each team member gets a Delaware Mud Run tee-shirt and a SchagrinGas sponsored koozie.

Beyond the fun and festiveness of the event, your participation helps an important cause. Last year’s Mud Run raised nearly $200,000 that went toward leukemia research. In its eighth year, funding from the Leukemia Research Foundation of Delaware enables researchers to make crucial discoveries that will help the medical world develop a better understanding of blood cancers. Each dollar will lead to better treatments and, ultimately, we hope, a cure for this terrible of disease.

To learn more about the Delaware Mud Run, please check out the website to register your team (or yourself), learn more about the course, donate to the Leukemia Research Foundation of Delaware, and much more. Register soon, as the registration fee increases on July 29th, August 12, August 26. Registration will close on Sept. 10.

Support a great cause and have a great time at Frightland on Sept. 18th.

The new book hit Amazon.com best-seller lists within 24 hours of the USA book release. It was ranked #1 in “Knowledge Capital” as well as #1 in “Business Ethics”. It also received “HOT NEW RELEASE” status.  

“In all aspects, Shaheed is changing the world. He’s making it safer and helping so many people. A legacy that most people could learn from…” says Shareen Richter, an international professor.  

Expert Mavericks brings together the stories of 13 South African business leaders taking you on a journey of their trials, tribulations, and victories to become the Mavericks they are today. Shaeed’s story is included with 12 others: Albert Bardavid, Dr. Ridwan Mia, Anthony Goodman, Carla Da Silva, Craig Wing, Janine Hills, Alex Granger, Tandy Coleman, Rowan Swartz, Shereen Hunter, Pam Green and Cassper Nyovest.  

Shaheed is the CEO of Swat Special Ops. He has developed a reputation as the 007 in crime fighting in the security industry. Shaheed not only does private security, but is also a member of the civilian crime intelligence network. He has been called in many times to use his expertise by the police in fighting crime. He has helped with kidnapping and missing person cases, pro bono, that have had 100% positive outcomes. Shaheed is also a writer and frequently writes poetry.  

For more information on Shaheed, please visit his website at www.swatspecialops.co.za

T. Allen Hanes, President of T. Allen Hanes Publishing Group and Ken Rochon, President of The Umbrella Syndicate, in association with Perfect Publishing have officially launched a nationwide search for Dentist, to be featured in the upcoming book, “Keep Smiling” Shift Happens Celebrity Edition.

Explaining the search process, T. Allen Hanes said, “This is an important book series for us, so we’ll be reaching out to a select group of Dentists we feel are true educators and advocates for the smiles of consumers and prospects in the nation’s communities, while at the same time committing to spread the word about a great organization like Leader Dogs for The Blind.”

Ken Rochon continued, “After meeting Barry Shore the founder of the “Keep Smiling movement I went home and couldn’t stop thinking about this man and his mission. I decided to call him up and ask if I could help him create the keep smiling movement on social media and books. I felt confident I could turn his card and philosophy and two of the biggest movements on the planet. He agreed and sent me a hundred thousand cards to get started with. This book is to honor my friend Barry and to show I have put the cards to good use when this card is placed in someone’s hand magic happens and smile radiates in the person’s spirit is awakened”

T. Allen Hanes Publishing Group and Perfect Publishing has pledged 100% of the royalties from the retail sales of the book to be donated to Leader Dogs for The Blind.

Scheduled for a summer release, “Keep Smiling” Shift Happens Celebrity Edition will spotlight each of the Dentist selected from this search, sharing their insights and real world experience on how they have impacted their clients by providing them with a new smile.

With several industry leaders expressing interest in participating, T. Allen Hanes Publishing Group and Perfect Publishing is expected to make an announcement revealing the final selections by July 15th, 2016.

However, Hanes asserted, “One of the reasons we launched this search is because we didn’t want to go the route of filling this book with the stereotypical ‘Experts.’ This search would be unnecessary if that was the case.”

“We anticipate a lot of exposure around this project, for The “Keep Smiling” movement, Leader Dogs for The Blind and the people we select to feature in the book, so we really want to showcase those Dentists who are actually in the trenches, working hard every day and willing to share that experience to benefit a great cause and the success of providing smiles for their clients and prospects. That’s what will make this a win, win, win project.”

Find out more about this project at www.keepsmilingbook.info.

To learn more about Leader Dogs for The Blind, visit http://www.leaderdog.org.

Medical evaluations at the NFL Scouting Combine are not televised because they aren’t glamorous or entertaining. But for some, they can make or break your initial start in the NFL. For Jeron, at age 21 with his dream of playing in the NFL right in front of him, he was blindsided with the news that he had early onset arthritis and degenerative, bone on bone conditions in both knees. His friends retired from the NFL now ask, “Why am I in more pain now than I did when I was playing?” So Mr. Mastrud founded PNT, which helps athletes gain back the active lifestyle they lost due to injury, so they can train effectively, play with their kids, and stay in good shape for a lifetime.

“Before, I was strong. I was in good shape. Once I retired, I wanted to have a functional, active life free of pain. I’ve seen many guys after they were done playing, barely in their 40s and 50s, having significant loss of mobility or just taking pain meds daily. I like to snowboard, wake surf and play pickup basketball, and would like to do that later in life. Personally, this is why I started Pacific Neuro Therapy,” says founder Jeron Mastrud, former Dolphins and Raiders Tight End.

PNT appeals to players and past players because they trust Jeron as someone who understands their situation, their world, and the problems they have experienced or are living with. He completely understands how players have multiple pain issues and injuries, often from head to toe. “It’s rare to come across someone in the NFL who hasn’t had a surgery, or at least an injury of some sort,” states Mastrud.

Players and former players who experience joint degeneration, arthritis, and other widespread issues often feel that their only option is joint replacement or living with their condition. Athletes do what they can to mask the pain while playing— cortisone injections, pain pills (ex. Percocet) , or getting a surgery. Ultimately, these measures don’t address the root cause of the pain. This gap between problem and long-term solution presented a unique opportunity for Jeron to meet the needs of his fellow players.

“We have worked with both current and former players. These guys wanted a solution and not just a Band-Aid. They wanted to be pain-free and enjoy their lives or be on the field doing what they love, not stuck in a training room,” continues Mastrud.

Instead of simply masking the pain or temporarily decreasing inflammation, Jeron’s company, Pacific Neuro Therapy, offers a solution in finding the root cause of the pain, addressing it, and helping players become pain-free with the innovative treatment offered.

About Pacific Neuro Therapy

Former NFL player and founder of Pacific Neuro Therapy Jeron Mastrud believes no one deserves to live in pain. It was during his time in professional football—playing tight end for the Dolphins and Raiders from 2010-2014—that Jeron first encountered the revolutionary treatment used at PNT while addressing his own injuries, and he experienced great success. Pacific Neuro Therapy offers a revolutionary solution to chronic pain and rehabilitation. Their professional staff provides focused attention and one-on-one experiences, understanding that every injury or chronic condition is unique to the patient. They work diligently to discover the source of the pain right away and create an informed plan for moving forward.

If you’d like to learn more about Pacific Neuro Therapy and how the team at PNT can help with your specific issue, please make a no-obligation phone call or visit http://PacificNeuroTherapy.net

Program 15, innovators in baseball player development and training for all ages, and Marucci Houston, one of the top amateur baseball programs in the country, have announced a strategic collaboration that will provide the most comprehensive player development and training experience available.

Jeremy Booth, President and Director of Development for Program 15, says of the collaboration, “Program 15 and Marucci don’t just complement each other, this combination will exponentially strengthen the core value of the two organizations by allowing us each to focus on what we do best.”

What Program 15 does best is player development at an individual level. They don’t organize travel teams, manage rosters, or set lineups. Booth and his organization have built a reputation for their ability to develop top baseball talent of all ages by focusing on the individual player.

Booth explains why this unique system attracts so many serious athletes, “The benchmark for our success is not about putting the best nine guys on the field to win a tournament and collect another trophy. Our players don’t call us ‘coach,’ because we’re not their coach, we don’t get involved with coaching their teams. Our mission is to develop each individual player’s ability to his full potential, then to get that player the results that their ability deserves. Our commitment is the same, whether it’s a young man with the desire to move from select ball to playing in high school, from high school to being recruited by a Division 1 college or from college to MLB draft pick.”

Program 15 looks at each player through individual Scouting evaluations, then applies Major League teaching based on those evaluations, which goes much deeper than learning how to swing a bat a certain way or how to throw a changeup. With a faculty and advisory team of former Major League players, including Booth’s experience as a player and MLB Scout, Program 15 is in a league of its own when it comes to player development.

During a recent interview with Talking Stros Radio Show, Booth detailed his process, saying, “We start with the scouting evaluation of the player and we grow him into his role. Scouting evaluation, it takes many different things to do it. It takes physical analysis, it takes athletic analysis, it takes baseball analysis with tools and how they turn into skills. That changes at each particular level. The beauty of our staff and our goals, we’re able to give families a step-by-step basis of what they should be seeing out of their players. That helps these kids grow into who they want to be and hopefully impacts lives.”

In contrast to Program 15’s focus on the individual, Marucci Baseball is one of the most recognized and respected organizations for developing young players within a team environment, backed by the experience and guidance, both on and off the field, from Major League talent including MLB All-Star Adam Dunn.

According to Booth, this contrast is what makes the teaming of the two organizations so valuable for the players. “Baseball USA is a Houston Landmark, and Marucci has done an outstanding job of establishing it as an elite destination for youth and high school baseball teams. These guys do an incredible job giving young, talented players the opportunity to put their abilities to work in a team environment, and I am looking forward to working very closely with the Marucci staff to impact the game of baseball. As Marucci says ‘honor the game,’ we say ‘change the game.’ We’re working together to make sure we achieve those goals. The ideology lines up very well”.

Marucci Houston’s general manager, Chris Schultea, echoes Booth’s sentiments, “When Jeremy first reached out to us, we immediately felt the synergy between the two programs. We both are big believers in development and not playing the game year-round. There needs to be some downtime, which falls in place for Program 15 for the training and the downtime and the recovery time. Marucci Houston believes in development first, rather than win at all cost, so we felt that by pairing both programs together, now having them under one roof would be a marriage made in heaven.”

It’s easy to understand why the combination of Marucci Houston and Program 15 under one roof now has some Major League veterans and local sports media referring to the 40,000 square foot indoor training facility at Baseball USA as ‘Prospect City.’

To hear Jeremy Booth’s full Talking Stros interview visit: http://www.program15.com/climbing-tal-s-hill
To learn more about Program 15 visit: http://program15.com
To learn more about Marucci Houston / Baseball USA visit: http://maruccielitehouston.net

Jeremy Booth, President of Program 15, has officially confirmed reports that three Major League Baseball veterans have been tapped to play key roles in the highly anticipated expansion of the Houston-based Baseball Player Development operation.

Chuck McElroy has joined Program 15 as National Pitching Coordinator. McElroy is a 12 year veteran of the Major Leagues including time with the Phillies, Cubs, Reds, Angels, Rockies, Orioles, White Sox, and Padres.

Booth stated, “I’m thrilled to have a proven winner and renowned teacher like Chuck McElroy come on board.  The tenacity and passion that Chuck brings from his playing career have molded so many young players into Champions”.

Joining Program 15 as Hitting Coordinator is 2004 Major League All-Star Ken Harvey. The former first baseman was the Kansas City Royals only player selected to the 2004 American League All-Star roster where he shared the dugout with some of the decade’s biggest names, including David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriquez, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter.  

“Having a player of Ken’s caliber on the P15 faculty is just one of the things that set us apart, it’s what sets our players apart. Learning from the highest level of experience versus theory is a rare opportunity and an experience that our young men will never forget”, Booth exclaimed.

One of the strongest testaments to Booth’s reputation and commitment to Program 15 came with the announcement that former MLB Vice President of On-Field Discipline, Bob Watson, has stepped into the role of Special Assistant to the President, Jeremy Booth.

Watson’s impressive career spans 50 years, including 19 years as a player. He made his MLB debut in 1966 with the Houston Astros, where he became a fan favorite and represented the team in two all star games over the next 13 years. He rounded out his playing career with the Red Sox, Braves and Yankees.  He would later take on the role as General Manager of the Houston Astros and New York Yankees, where he won the World Series in 1996.

After winning the World Title, Watson joined the MLB commissioner’s office as the VP of On-Field Discipline and built USA Baseball from the ground up.  Although he retired  from both posts in 2011, Watson continues to be active in both the MLB Players and Alumni Associations.

Upon revealing Watson’s role with Program 15, Booth said, “We are extremely fortunate to have Bob Watson, the man who many credit with building the Yankees empire, helping us in our mission. It’s not often that kids at the high school or even college levels have the chance to benefit from this kind of track record. Having access to Bob’s experience and desire to impact all levels of today’s player through proper development and scouting really makes what we are doing at Program 15 unparalleled”.

With the additions of Bob Watson, Chuck McElroy, and Ken Harvey to the Program 15 family, Jeremy Booth’s vision of changing the face of Baseball Player Development has taken a giant leap in becoming a reality.

For more information about Program 15 visit http://program15.com

Bill Westerlund, PGA teaching professional, and developer of ‘core breathing for golf’ said “professional golfers are no different than any other business person. They want one thing out of their career, to make more money. Their goals are, first, to make the cut then finish in the top 10 or better yet to win.”

Bill is taking applications from PGA touring professionals that want to make more cuts, finish higher and win. The person selected will not pay a cent for this training and will not be asked to replace any of his or her team.

The first cornerstone of Bills revolutionary discovery are lessons learned from the golfing great, Ben Hogan. In Ben’s book “Five Lessons” he explained how he formed his swing in three elements: his core-generating energy, his muscle tension coordination and the physical way he moved his body from the ground up.

The second was realized from Martial Arts classes. In those classes Bill discovered the importance of breathing with your core.

In applying those principals in a scientific process to his golf swing, he discovered that improvement in distance and accuracy was immediate. Bill teaches his method in San Diego and has seen dramatic improvements in his students.

Bill wants to give this discovery to one tour player, either male or female, who wants to improve their performance and make more cuts.

Bill says “A tour player has a good swing and most have a full team of coaches and advisors; a personal trainer, a swing coach, a sports psychologist and others. I do not want to replace any of those people. But I do want to help the chosen athlete realize their dream and I am going to do that at no cost to the applicant.

“I am asking any PGA tour player that wants to take advantage of this offer to send an e-mail telling me about your history on the tour and what your goals are for the future. Include your personal phone number and I will call so we can talk further.”

If the chosen player is in Southern California and within driving distance from San Diego, there will be absolutely no charge to the player. If the chosen player is outside that area, travel and expenses will be charged to the player.

You can contact Bill by e-mail bill_westerlund@hotmail.com

You can see the article mentioned above about Ben Hogan’s internal motors by visiting the posting page on Bill’s Web Site
http://pgainstructor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Southland-Golf-Mag.-Article-April-2013.pdf

Capital Christian Center, April 16, 2016: – The Ernest Leon Moore Foundation invites the Sacramento community members and fans to watch for the first annual “Marlon Moore Charity Classic” event on Saturday, April 16, 2016, at Capital Christian Center located at 9470 Micron Ave, Sacramento, CA 95827. The tickets will be $20 each and $25 at the door. Fans can buy tickets online on www.elmmf.org.

The “Marlon Moore Charity Classic,” sponsored by The Ernest Leon Moore Foundation, will benefit the Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento, an organization that helps and provides shelter and care to children who have suffered abuse and neglect. The doors open at 10:00 AM, with participants viewing the sponsor tables and pre-game show. The basketball game will include two half-time shows and closing ceremonies. The audience will have a chance to win prizes from a raffle during the game.

“This is our inaugural Marlon Moore Charity Classic and I want to make it a memorable and fun for everyone,” said Marlon Moore, Wide Receiver of the Cleveland Browns. “The Children’s Receiving Home is a wonderful organization and I want to make this event a sure-fire success.”

There will be a live DJ and music at the entire event. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. The show should end at about 1:30 P.M. Following the event, players will be available to take pictures and sign autographs with fans.

For more information, buy tickets or donate online, please visit www.elmmf.org.

Moore, a wide receiver in the NFL for over 5 years, including 2 years with the Cleveland Browns, grew up in Sacramento and attended Natomas High School. He has a long history of giving back to the communities in which he lives; in 2016, he founded the Ernest Leon Moore Foundation, an organization that gives back to the Sacramento community.

Other NFL players participating in the event include professional NFL players Asa Jackson, Dwayne Bowe, and Rashad Jones.

The event will take place on April 16, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Capital Christian Center, 9470 Micron Ave., Sacramento. Doors will open at 10 a.m., but the basketball game will start at 11 a.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. For more information, please visit www.emmfl.org or call (916) 916.435-6222.

For more information about the Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home visit their website www.crhkids.org or call Tanya Kravchuk, Development Director,  916.349.7530 x23, tkravchuk@crhkids.org.

Holley was selected from candidates around the world to contribute his personal story of complete lifestyle transformation. In his chapter, he shares how he transformed his life and mindset, going from feeling that his life was out of control and he was totally helpless, weighing in at over 400lbs, to completing 2 IRONMAN triathlons, joining the Base Race Team, and becoming a professional holistic health coach.

Feeling trapped in a downward spiral of unhappiness with his career and weight, Holley discovered through his weight loss journey a new passion for sport (triathlon), that now defines him and his joy for helping others overcome their fears.

It was after a night of drinking in 2006, when he couldn’t recall what he’d done, he knew it was time for a change “I said to myself ‘What the hell am I doing? There has got to be more to living life than being unhappy with your job, going out and getting smashed, and waking up not remembering what happened the following day.”

This realization was the spark that he needed to take the reins of his life and discover a whole different perspective on life and himself.

Matt Miller, the President of Base Performance sports nutrition company explains why they chose Holley to represent them as a brand ambassador, and then welcomed him onto their sponsored race team, “Chris has been inspiring others through his lead-by-example attitude. Through his consistency and ability to express to people the honesty of his setbacks and how he picked himself back up and pushed forward. This approach allows others to find their victories in their daily life, no matter how big or small they are.”

Currently, Holley travels frequently for races and public speaking engagements; at home and online offers include 3 and 6-month healthy lifestyle transformation programs, and sports nutrition packages to help athletes become more metabolically efficient in how they can burn more fat for fuel, and finally individual triathlon training plans.

Jerry McCormick is an example client of Holley’s who is following on a similar path – he’s busy and focused his life on career achievements (Associate Producer at FOX 5 San Diego and Adjunct Professor at San Diego City College), to stay in his comfort zone. He shares, “I was afraid to swim most of my life until I met Chris. Chris is a rare teacher who has patience, understanding and determination. Within a few weeks, I was swimming across the pool. I owe this life changing moment to Chris who worked with me and helped me conquer my fear of the water.  I selected Chris as a teacher because he understands how important it is to stay fit and motivated. I’m currently overweight, but Chris is serving as my inspiration to achieve a better life.”

And with current athletes, like client Patty Luxton, Holley provides both training and nutrition coaching “I’ve been working with Chris for two months on a personalized nutrition and metabolic efficiency plan, as well as a fitness training plan. Training for triathlons this year, and my big goal is a half Ironman in October. Chris has been instrumental in giving me nutrition and fitness tools, confidence and encouragement, so I can meet my goals this year!

I’ve long struggled with snacking and foods with high carb content, so I knew this wasn’t going to be easy for me.  But Chris eases you into it, gives you ideas for foods, and provides good information on what to eat and when.  I have more energy, my workouts are stronger than they ever have been, I’ve lost weight, and I feel good about achieving the goals I have set, all thanks to Chris and his personalized work.”

And another client “I have been impressed the most that he has never let his transformation change the core of who he is: loving, caring, compassionate and downright helpful. I have also been impressed in his ability to recognize his self worth and know what is BEST for him along the way. He stands his ground and it shows because you matter! He shows that and it’s inspiring.  He never made this journey unrealistic because if it was I would not have been as successful in my health and wellness in getting as far as I have.” says client Candice Kennedy in Los Angeles.

Holley’s goal is to promote healthy weight loss and wellness through daily diet and mindset changes to promote long term success. He enjoys public speaking to corporate health groups, weight loss groups, and health & wellness events, and provides 3 and 6-month transformation programs to change your life. Holley also specializes in individual coaching for triathletes, swimmers, and other endurance athletes.

To connect with Chris Holley, and to order a copy of Silver Linings Storybook please visit www.chrisholleyhealthcoach.com or his personal blog at sdfitnoexcuses.wordpress.com

“It’s about neighbors helping our community. Train today’s youth for tomorrows leaders,” says Coach Viliami Tuivais, Founder of Invictus Foundation. “We teach our kids fundamental and academic skills on from the curriculum, but we need to teach them life skills like integrity and confidence as well.” Viliami Tuivais, is known as Coach V to the community. He is a former college coach who still does motivational speaking. His love for coaching is the reason he wants to reach the younger generation and provide positive reinforcement.

Invictus Foundation has been working with community partners like,  All Poly Foundation (out of Utah), Sacramento Sheriffs Activities League. Republic Services, For Any Auto-Nissan, Infinity, Mazda-of Elk Grove, and Ernest Leon Moore Memorial Foundation with similar causes. Working together to build a community and keep kids motivated is Invictus Foundation’s final goal.  All of the partners do not want to burden families with additional cost. The program is free to all participants. 

Kids ages 7-14 will participate in conditioning and agility drills led by current and former NFL players as well as the Invictus Foundation coaching staff. Conditioning and agility drills will conclude after 60 minutes and be immediately followed by media interviews and youth/NFL Player interaction. All participants will receive an NFL Play 60 T-shirt, certificate of participation and will have the opportunity for pictures and autographs.

DJ Walker, a star basketball player at St. Genevieve’s High School in Los Angeles, was recently featured in a national photo essay in USA Today which focused on the question of whether college athletes should be able to form a union and seek payment. For Walker, it was an honor and a chance to appear before a national audience. “I was very excited when I first heard I would appear in USA Today,” said Walker. “It was quite an honor!”

Determination, hard work, leadership and talent are just a few of the words being used to describe DJ Walker. As a senior at St. Genevieve’s High School, Walker is leading the school’s varsity basketball team to great success. Walker’s success on the court didn’t come easy for him, who came late to the game of basketball and had a lot of catching up to do in order to compete at a high level.

Walker is getting attention on the court for his basketball skills, but those who know him are recognizing his potential to be a leader and role model on a larger stage. Walker is quick to tell anyone who will listen that he grew up with few role models and even less resources. Rather than wallow in self-pity or become turned off by life, Walker directed his energy to overcoming the odds and making a difference. He describes it this way, “I didn’t have the resources and experiences that other kids had, but rather than get angry, I decided to get stronger and do everything I can to develop into an elite player.”

Right now, Walker is making that difference on the basketball court and is displaying the qualities that are getting noticed. Basketball is more than a game for Walker; it is an outlet to display the kind of person he is, and it is a stepping stone to greater things. DJ’s coach, Sean Collyer, describes Walker as the ultimate team player and the first to cheer others on and encourage them to succeed. Coach Collyer marvels at his work ethic which involves early morning training, dedication to academics, focusing on training and still finding time to volunteer in his community.

Walker is currently averaging 19.8 points and four assists during play, and his senior season hasn’t even started. Walker’s motto is “never give up,” and he has his eyes set on college. His season starts in January, and colleges are already seeking him out. “I want to be the first to do something that I love,” Walker says. “My family members aren’t doing what they love. They’re just doing things that they have to do to make ends meet. I want to do something that I love.”

The question of whether college athletes should be paid will be decided far from the court at St. Genevieve’s, but there seems to be little doubt that DJ Walker will be one of the scholarship athletes that the decision will impact when the time comes.

To learn more about DJ Walker, contact Sean Collyer at St. Genevieve’s High School at 818.894.6417.
###

The Bengals are fully invested in this focused attempt to give themselves the best possible chance at winning the Utah state soccer championship in May. 

The Brighton soccer team, under Coach Tom Cushing, has always been one of the top programs in the state and will continue to be because each year the players invest in the off-season program that sport performance expert Brett Rosen of Integrated Sports Performance has brought to the program.

Brett Rosen stated, “I am honored to be working with Coach Cushing and this great group of young athletes. This group definitely has the talent, heart, and coaching to win the state championship.”

The team trains at the Rosen’s ISP facility an additional 3 days per week, besides their normal club training on the soccer field. The team is on a comprehensive program of multi directional training, strength building and overall athletic development

Senior Goalkeeper, David Shumway, stated, “Integrated Sports Performance is a fantastic program led by a very well educated coach. Brett has helped each individual athlete reach their athletic potential. This is what will give Brighton an edge this soccer season. Every player is putting in hard work now to be in the best physical condition possible. ISP has helped us reach our goals and will be the driving force behind our road to become state champions.”

Some of the Brighton players participating in the ISP program are: David Shumway, Michael Williams, Brad Jackson, Justin Mendel, Jackson Paul, Ethan Paul, Traedon Chamberlain, David Brog, Zach Harmer, Jace Vance, Jackson Goaslind, Thatcher Schwendiman, Zach Seager, Alex Pasmann, and Thomas Jensen.

The Brighton team will take the field for its first game on March 7 against long time rival Alta, which will be a great showcase to demonstrate the value of their offseason training as they start the road to  the state championship at Rio Tinto stadium on May 27.

You can find more information about similar team training programs for your teams at https://www.integratedsportsut.com/ or call Brett Rosen at 801-598-2660.

Bates has been skiing since he was 2 years old and spends approximately 6 hours per day honing his skills in the snowy mountains of Utah during the winter season.

His parents are incredibly supportive of his dream of being a national champion and have him in special schooling that allows him to train extensively during the winter months. When most kids are in school during the winter, Bates gets to ski for hours on end, but has to study more in the summer when most of his friends are off enjoying the sun.

Bates is also supported in part by Twin Peaks Ski Shop, Nick Vigos, Kastle, and Giro, with such things as skis, boots, helmets, and other essentials that keep him warm and safe and better enable him to go for the gold.

A big part of his training plan involves working with specialized coaches and trainers. One of those trainers is strength and conditioning expert Brett Rosen. Rosen owns Integrated Sports Performance (ISP) in Cottonwood Heights, Utah and he is known as the best at developing young athletes desiring to compete at the highest level.

Bates stated, “Training at ISP allows me to ski to my full potential, which will help me excel at competitions this year.”

Rosen helps Bates condition himself to shred all day doing things that are incredibly physically taxing and leave most skiers Bates’ age exhausted and ready to quit.

Rosen’s unique skills and exceptional knowledge base have made him a favorite amongst coaches of other athletes and teams in Utah such as the Brighton High School Boys and Girls Soccer Teams, Lillian Moore (a Utah State record holder in the 100 fly and current BYU swimmer), and the Alta/Bird Freeride Team.

Rosen was quoted as saying, “Working with young athletes like Hank is very rewarding. It is great to see his excitement and willingness to work hard and be coached. His effort and consistency will pay off during competition this year.”

You can follow Bates and his journey on Vimeo, YouTube and Instagram and get training tips from Rosen on the ISP instagram page.

W. David Medina Ph.D., owner of Medina Kenpo Karate in Springfield, Pennsylvania became an Amazon Bestselling Author for the second time with his book, Grandmaster Frank Trejo.  The book reached No. 1 in the Kindle store for Short Reads in Sports & Outdoors and Biographies & Memoirs.  The book also reached No. 3 in Martial Arts.

Medina interviewed Grandmaster Frank Trejo on a variety of topics including how Grandmaster Trejo started in the martial arts, what his current view of the martial arts world is and mistakes that all martial artists can avoid.

Medina enlisted the help of his two daughters, Mackenzie Medina and Riley Medina in writing the book.

Medina noted, “This book was a great opportunity for my daughters and me to pay tribute to one of the world’s greatest martial arts instructor.  I’m hoping that his timeless advice featured in the book will help martial artists around the world hone their skills to an even sharper degree.”

A native of Springfield, Pennsylvania, W. David Medina has been training and teaching martial arts for over 35 years.  He started training at the age of 10 and began competing and coaching shortly after.  He was inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame four times, and he is also an Honors Graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Medina founded his karate school in 1999.  He also specializes in teaching children on the autism spectrum and providing support for siblings of special needs families.

To learn more or for more information visit  www.medinakenpo.com

November 2015 – Karate School Owner W. David Medina Ph.D. of Medina Kenpo Karate in Springfield, PA was selected out of thousands of Karate School Owners to appear in a national photo essay in USA Today on Autism.

W. David Medina Ph.D. was selected mainly because of his years of success in working with special needs children and families at The Kinney Center of St. Joe’s University and his karate school in Springfield.

“It was an honor to be recognized on such a big scale,” says Medina. “I hope this picture helps to show special needs families the infinite possibilities that their families can experience.”

The published picture showed two brothers sharing a hug during a belt ceremony celebration. Both brothers are part of the classes geared towards kids on the autism spectrum.

W. David Medina Ph.D. is a Best Selling Author and Honors Graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is the Owner and CEO of Medina Kenpo Karate in Springfield, PA.

For more information on W. David Medina Ph.D. and Medina Kenpo Karate visit:
www.medinakenpo.com

Business Growth Accelerator, Donna Gunter, has opened an authority media agency in Orange that will focus on serving the Southeast Texas market.

Gunter’s agency, BizSmart Media, will help entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals grow their businesses by positioning themselves as an authority in their market using different forms of media.

“I’ve spent the last 15 years working virtually with business professionals and entrepreneurs around the globe as a digital marketing specialist.  The opportunity to work in authority positioning jumped out at me as a natural progression of my skills.  I’m excited to connect with businesses in Southeast Texas and focus on helping them generate more qualified leads for their business by helping them publish an authority positioning book and branding them as industry experts,” said Gunter. “I’m honored and excited to start this new adventure,” she added.

Times are changing, and to attract attention to a brand, business owners not only need to promote their businesses, but also to promote themselves as a brand. Consumers are moving away from liking a brand and more moving toward liking people behind the brand. Authority marketing tactics are gaining mainstream appeal, and businesses leaders are talking about it.

John Jantsch, author of best-selling book, Duct Tape Marketing, said in an article for Entrepreneur Magazine, “Building personal brand authority is perhaps the most important element of marketing today for a brand, business, or individual trying to gain an edge. It doesn’t matter how big or little an audience you might command, it’s all about the right people believing in your point of view or way of doing business.”

A story on Fox News stated, “The simple truth is, if you aren’t deliberately, systematically, methodically — or rapidly and dramatically — establishing yourself as a celebrity, at least to your clientele and target market, you’re asleep at the wheel, ignoring what is fueling the entire economy around you, neglecting development of a measurably valuable asset.”

Daniel Newman, a contributor for Forbes Magazine, wrote in a June article, “Influencers may be marketing’s next ‘golden goose,’ as people no longer trust ads, but they do trust people. More accurately, they trust a voice of authority.”

The demand for authority marketing and position services is growing due to the recent media coverage, and BizSmart Media will service that need.

“I love helping business leaders and professionals become an ‘overnight’ authority in their field by publishing an authority positioning book and then strategically using the book as leverage to grow their businesses and get more qualified leads,” notes Gunter. “My clients love to be able to call themselves a best-selling author. More importantly, this strategy works whether your business is local or serves the world.”

For more information about Donna Gunter and BizSmart Media, please visit http://www.BizSmartMedia.com or call 409-291-8501.

Three local Kickboxers are getting ready to compete on Team USA Kickboxing for the WAKO World Championships of Kickboxing. After a dominating performance in Las Vegas, Nevada at the WAKO North American Championship, These 3 Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) Kickboxers from Greubels Mixed Martial Arts in Augusta, Ga. Have over 100 combined fights, all have competed and done well in these Championships but none have taken home the highest honor of Gold yet. Chris Richardson (28, Augusta, Ga), Adam Poore (26, Aiken , Sc) and Nathan Key (26, Augusta, Ga) are the Competitors striving to claim the top spots among the best kickboxers in the world.

Christopher Bernard Richardson was born June 26, 1987. He is an amateur kick boxer, born on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, fighting out of Augusta Georgia. His current record is 16 wins and 6 losses. Bernard’s next competition is the WAKO World Championship taking place in Dublin Ireland on the 21st of November. The 5’11” fighter began training kickboxing in 2008. What began as personal challenge evolved into a passion. Bernard turned his natural athleticism into a precise and explosive martial arts prowess, winning seven titles in the past seven years. The talented fighter has since added Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) (blue belt), Boxing, Muay Thai, and Judo (yellow belt) to his arsenal. Preparation for the upcoming tournament includes practice five days a week, four hours a day, hitting strength training, cardio, technique and sparring. Bernard participated in this tournament in 2013 and lost a tough fight on points after all three rounds to a team France fighter, who subsequently was unable to continue the tournament. This time around Bernard hopes to win the gold medal by staying active with his strikes and kicks and keeping the pressure on his opponents.

Adam Poore is the top welterweight kickboxer in the United States. He is ranked #1 in the US branch of WAKO (world association of kickboxing organizations). He has won the World Kickboxing Association (WKA) North American championship twice, as well as the International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) World Classic three times. Through hard work and determination Adam has earned a spot on the US team, and will be competing in the WAKO World championships in Belgrade, Serbia on the 23^rd of October this month. Adam started training in Tae Kwon Do at age nine, earning his black belt by age fifteen. He competed across the United States and believes that this early competition experience has helped him greatly in his kickboxing career. After earning his black belt Adam became disenchanted with Tae Kwon Do and stopped training. He said “I stopped training because I wanted to be ‘normal’. The competition was getting harder and I wasn’t getting the respect I thought I had earned. Kids would do the karate kid stance when they saw me at school, it was ridiculous. That was all Bull***t though, some people make fun of what they don’t have out of jealousy. Its better to stand out, even if its hard.” Without martial arts Adam ballooned up to two hundred and fifty pounds. At age twenty he wanted to get back into martial arts, he discovered Greubels MMA and saw that their kickboxing program had incredible credentials. Adam then decided to become a champion kickboxer. Training alone, he lost over eighty pounds until he felt his body was ready for the rigors of intense fight training. After signing up at Greubels, he trained for about a year until his first real match. Since that time he has had thirty seven fights and hopes to go professional in the upcoming year. Adam is currently a trainer at Greubels MMA and hopes to help people accomplish their goals through Martial Arts. He is thankful for the help he has gotten along the way and enjoys helping others and watching them improve. Adam is determined to represent his country to the best of his ability and bring home a medal back from Serbia.

Nathan Key was born and raised mostly in Augusta Ga. He attended Westside and Lakeside high school class of 2007. His martial arts journey began his junior year of high school and a year later was in Croatia fighting in the junior kickboxing World Champions to which he earned the silver medal in a very tough fight against Russia. He continued fighting through college racking up around 60 total fights to this day, he mainly does kickboxing but has competed in cage fights or Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), boxing, and Jiu Jitsu. When asked about his goals he says “my goal is to go as far as I can in martial arts and fight the best in the world. Win, lose, or draw I just want to improve and test myself.” He is also attending the full contact Kickboxing World championship in Dublin Ireland. This will be his 5^th time fighting in these World Championships, coming away with 2 silvers and a top 8 and he is currently ranked #3 in the world in the -75kg weight class. After this his dream and plan is to fight in as many professional kickboxing shows as possible as he makes his name in the World of mixed martial arts, with the ultimate 5 year goal of being the Champion of the heavily coveted UFC’s Lightweight Title.

Current Tae Kwon Do black belt and former 5 time world champion in the International Martial Arts Council (IMAC) Dustin Yoe had this to say “this is the best martial arts gym I have trained at in the past 7 years. The coaches are the best that I have worked with. The quality can be seen when you have 3 fighters each competing at the world championships on Team USA.”

All 3 of these fighters have a passion for martial arts and are in pursuit of fulfilling their dreams everyday. Be sure to follow these fighters on social media as they journey to their world championships representing WAKO Team USA, or if you are interesting in joining the team and training with these guys, please contact Greubels MMA, 2917 Riverwest Dr, Augusta, GA 30907. (706) 737-0911. For more online information visit this link http://greubelsmma.com/

If someone would like to be a sponsor of the CSRA members of team USA, there are plenty of company and personal sponsorships packages available to help them out and get your companies name out there.

The book hit best-seller lists on Amazon.com in Canada and Australia within 24 hours. It was ranked #1 in the “Ethics” category, as well as #3 in Kindle “Consulting” and #4 in the overall books “Small Business and Entrepreneurship” category.

Naomi Barr was introduced to entrepreneurialism at a young age. Her parents sold vitamins and mini-trampolines as she was growing up. She started in her first direct sales company when she was 18 years old. Barr has always been interested in finding ways to help people whether it is with someone else’s products or from showing her own creations at the local county fair. She first entered the direct sales arena as a Mary Kay consultant. For a fresh 18 year old who didn’t wear make-up or wash her face every day, it was a very interesting product to sell. To say the least, she admits really only dabbling in the business because she was not committed to the product – she had enrolled to help out her sister and to make a little bit of money. Eventually she moved on from Mary Kay to sell Tupperware. While she enjoyed the product, she was not crazy about the parties required to sell the product. She did okay with her Tupperware business but added on Avon to increase my money making opportunities. She stopped working both companies when she went to work at Disney World on the College Program.

When she returned from Disney, she continued her Tupperware business and worked it for additional income every now and then while still looking for other companies that she might be interested in joining.

Barr partnered up as a Lia Sophia adviser because she loved the jewelry, the money making potential, and the concept that she could help women feel better about themselves by accessorizing with jewelry.

She was then given the opportunity to become a Team Beach Body coach, she took the chance to change her health and her future. She is still creating her story and building her health and fitness business through Team Beach Body.

“Put Me in Coach Vol 1”, The World’s Leading Coaches and Entrepreneurs reveal TOP STRATEGIES For the Game of Life and Business, contains material gathered and authored from top coaches from around the world. It is aimed at inspiring readers to rise up after a fall, wake up from the deep slumber and step into the life they desire. The book contains tips and strategies to improve health, deal with social problems, and build a solid business.

Naomi Barr is available for book signings, as well as speaking engagements.

For more information about Naomi Barr, connect with her on LinkedIn.

To purchase, Put Me In Coach Vol 1 visit Amazon.com: 

Shelley Devine, Fitness Trainer and Coach of Evolve Bootcamp in Boston, Massachusetts was selected out of many submissions to appear in a national photo essay in USAToday.com on Fitness and Wellness.

Devine was selected because of her track record of helping her clients maintain and embrace a healthy lifestyle and her 5 Star Reputation in her local community.

Shelley Devine expressed, “I was elated to have Evolve Bootcamp chosen for the photo essay. It’s my goal to inspire and teach others about living a fit and healthy lifestyle.” Devine added “The photo generated a lot of positive buzz for me and what we do at Evolve Bootcamp.”

In the photo, students from Shelley Devine’s Evolve Bootcamp class are working out in an outdoor environment doing high intensity interval training using their own body weight and plyometric movements.

Devine’s goal is to deliver a sense of warmth, friendliness, and spirit, along with butt kicking, hellishly, fun filled, workouts that embody a caring attitude evoking the idea; “every body that exercises outside …….does so without boundaries and naturally evolves!” according to Devine.

Shelley Devine, is the founder and owner of Evolve Bootcamp, a personal training and bootcamp service dedicated to motivating and educating clients on establishing and maintaining a balanced, healthy and fit lifestyle.

Evolve Bootcamp was founded in 2009 with the purpose to get you back to your true essence by breathing fresh air, adapting to seasonal change, and moving your body naturally as you run down paths along a river, leap over puddles, lift your own body weight, get dirty, jump to new heights, on grass fields under the open sky.  

As a Fitness and Wellness Professional, Shelley’s mission is to inspire and teach others about living a fit and healthy lifestyle. She believes staying active outdoors everyday is a no brainer to creating, maintaining and embracing a healthy lifestyle.

To see the image from the photo essay, visit here: http://www.usatoday.com/yourtake/asset/posts/611763/

For more information on Shelley Devine and Evolve Bootcamp visit: http://www.evolve-bootcamp.com

Adventurer and veteran Lonnie Bedwell recently launched the electronic version of 226: How I Became the First Blind Person to Kayak the Grand Canyon, which rapidly landed on five bestseller lists, including No.#1 and Hot New Release in Kayaking on Amazon. The book narrates Bedwell’s amazing achievement navigating the Colorado River whitewater through the entire Grand Canyon.

Bedwell, a U.S. Navy veteran and “’lights-out’ blind,” embarked on the dangerous and historic undertaking to draw public awareness to the plight of disabled veterans who have served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan, and to show these veterans, many of whom suffer from clinical depression, what they could accomplish by taking advantage of volunteer programs like Team River Runner.

“I’m always incredibly grateful when someone tells me that I inspired them to keep moving, keep growing and enjoy life again,” says Bedwell. “I hope this book helps someone else like me achieve his or her dreams.”
The book also features testimonies from veterans about how Team River Runner improved their minds, bodies and spirits by providing challenging physical activities geared toward their individual needs.

“You can learn a lot from Lonnie,” says former combat medic Alex Nielson, who was Bedwell’s lead guide on the trip. “I learned so much from him that by the end of our time together in the Grand Canyon, I realized that the trip was really as much about Lonnie guiding me as it was about me guiding Lonnie.”

After serving nine years as a crewmember on the USS Oklahoma City SSM723 submarine, followed by service in the National Guard, Bedwell lost his sight in a near-fatal hunting accident. Since then, he has raised three daughters as a single father, acted as a mentor in the adaptive sports programs at the VA’s Central Blind Rehabilitation Center in Chicago, and of course, become the first blind individual to kayak the Grand Canyon.

Find out more about Lonnie at http://www.LonnieBedwell.com.

Westwood Sunglasses announces their first signature line, Tribal Collection, to launch Monday, June 1, 2015 on Kickstarter.  The Tribal Collection will feature five new frames inspired by art from cultures around the world; Tattoo features tribal tattoos from the Pacific Islands, Tapestry features the textile arts of ancient Latin America, Temple features the Henna patterns of India, Tundra features the feather accessory of the Native American, and Totem features the wood carvings of indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest.

“Inspired by a variety of art and variety of people that make up different cultures of the world, the new Tribal Collection has a style for all walks of life.”  Michael Diamond, Chief Marketing Officer, Westwood Sunglasses

Westwood Sunglasses was founded in the outdoor recreation mecca of Ogden, Utah.  On the Wasatch Front of the Rocky Mountains, outdoor recreation is abundant. It all happens at around 5,500 feet above sea level. So the need is simple; a go anywhere, do anything pair of shades in the battle against UV rays… with an emphasis on looking fresh.

Throughout the region, and all within a short drive, there is a large array of options for water sports. Too many times expensive accessories have been lost to the drink. The solution:  A stylish pair of shades that float.  Each handcrafted pair of Westwood Sunglasses is made entirely of eco-friendly, high-quality natural wood, and features polarized lenses and flexible hinges. Weighing in at .8 ounces, these comfortable sunglasses are feather-light and do, indeed, float in water.

While Westwood Sunglasses uses the environment to create products, they also believe in returning the favor.  For every pair purchased, Westwood Sunglasses will plant a tree in coordination with TreeUtah.org to help keep the Rocky Mountains healthy and beautiful.

“The Tribal Collection is wearable art. Each frame is artistic in design; yet, subtle enough to wear in public. By far, this is my favorite collection on the market.”  Adam Jackson, President of Westwood Sunglasses

To make the Tribal Collection a reality, Westwood Sunglasses needs to raise $6,500 to fund initial manufacturing costs.  Through Kickstarter, supporters will receive wholesale pricing (50% discount), be the first to wear the new Tribal Collection, and become ambassadors of the brand.  

Those interested in supporting Westwood Sunglasses can visit the campaign page at www.westwoodtribe.com.

Join the tribe…rock some Westwoods.

For additional information, contact:

Adam Jackson, President

adam@westwoodsunglasses.com

April 27, 2015 – Sports Psychologist, Dr. Michelle Cleere, hit #1 on the Amazon.com Sports Psychology Best Sellers List on April 27, 2015 for the release of Beating the Tennis Demons. The book also ranked Number 1 in the Tennis and Sports And Outdoors categories.

Beating the Tennis Demons System is the result of Dr. Cleere’s work with athletes in her quest to discovering what has the greatest impact on athletes, in the shortest amount of time.

Dr. Cleere found out the key moments in the game of tennis. These key moments are prime opportunities for the demons to jump in and sabotage tennis players. This is how the Beating the Tennis Demons System was born.

Identifying the key moments in the game of tennis led Dr. Cleere to develop routines that help players step into the court, serve and bounce back from mistakes with confidence and speed.

When a player is on the court they have to apply all the explicit learning that takes place during practice and use it as implicit muscle memory. The human brain is like a muscle. New research shows that, as with muscles, the more a certain part of the brain is used, the larger it will get and the better it works. London taxi drivers have very large hippocampi – the part of the brain that deals with spatial mapping.

The takeaway for a tennis player is that the more they practice learning how to use their brain in a way that facilitates being present and mindful in practice, the more it will be able to do that in a match. The more their brain is able to deal with adversity: stress, doubts, fears, etc. in life, the better it will work on the court.

The results that athletes experience when they are able to overcome the tennis demons include: improved focus, better consistency, increased confidence, less tension and the ability to move around the court more fluidly.

Fear and anxiety are two of the most common denominators in the inability of a tennis player to win a match. “Never play from a place of fear. Fear controls everything particularly your concentration. Fear makes you late and tentative on your strokes and leaves you second guessing the placement of your first serve. Fear stiffens your muscles and makes your breathing shallow. None of this facilitates you playing your best tennis”, advices Dr. Cleere.

Dr. Cleere’s clients have been able to get out of their head and focus at the task at hand. They have been capable of letting go of the past, forgetting about the future and being present because they realize that is where they have the most control.

Dr. Cleere states, “Over the years what I realized is that most athletes only need small tweaks to make a huge difference. That is the foundation of the Beating the Demons System. The Beating the Tennis Demons System helps Tennis players stay out of their head (away from the demons) and focused on playing tennis.”

To learn more about Dr. Michelle Cleere visit http://drmichellecleere.com/

Beating the Tennis Demons is available on Amazon.com Kindle at http://www.amazon.com

1614 Aerobics and Fitness in Bear, Delaware is offering an exciting weight loss and mileage contest to motivate members to get moving with their exercise goals. The contest is called the 1614 Five Hundred and it runs until February 27th. Interested participants can sign up as an individual or as part of a team.

Participants race to the end of the contest either with the amount of miles they move or pounds they lose. To sign up for the mileage contest, members can simply approach any gym employee at their earliest convenience. To sign up for the weight loss contest, see one of 1614’s certified trainers. These trainers will record participants’ body fat and monitor it weekly.

“Success is only accomplished through a well developed goal, clearly set objectives, and an organized plan,” stated Mike Womer. “Together we can exceed all of your goals and expectations.  To do the impossible we need to see the invisible.”

The contest is named for one of 1614’s Personal Trainers, Alan “NASCAR” Bartocci.

“We first make our habits, and then our habits make us,” Bartocci stated. “Are you tired of diets and disappointment? I can help you achieve your fitness goals! I have personally changed my body drastically by committing to changing my lifestyle. I decided to change my life by altering both my eating habits, as well as my daily activities and as a result, I lost 80 pounds and 4 sizes.”

Winners in each category will receive prizes at the conclusion of the contest. The contest is designed to raise awareness for 1614’s annual 5k, which will be held on February 28th.

The mission of  1614 Aerobics and Fitness is to provide the opportunity to every person to be physically fit and continue to pursue their fitness goals in a clean, friendly, and positive environment. 1614 offers the widest variety of cardio and weight training in Bear, Delaware. Members can choose from several membership options to customize their own individual programs and maximize their workout. A variety of weights, machines, and classes are offered to meet personal needs.

Members can expect to improve in such areas as speed and agility training, aerobics, and weight training. 1614 also has special programs for members over the age of 55, high school and college athletes, and clients who need rehabilitation.

For more information, please visit http://1614fitness.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/1614fitness.