From the Director ...

The past two months have been a great time to be a sports fan in San Jose. Two major international events visited our City - USA vs. Ireland Rugby and USA vs. China Volleyball - cumulatively attracting 20,000 fans over the three days of competition.

In addition, we've hosted a Canadian-based adult amateur ice hockey tournament, a USA Taekwondo National Qualifying tournament, the 2009 U.S. Junior Olympic Trampoline and Tumbling National Championships, and the 2009 San Jose LiveStrong Challenge.

The months ahead offer opportunities for volunteerism and the chance to be spectator and cheer on the dedicated athletes, who have traveled here from around the country, at the ISI Figure Skating World Championships and the Summer National Senior Games.

We are excited to recap our recent events for you below - but we certainly hope you are able to experience them in person. We look forward to seeing you at a San Jose Sports Authority event in the near future, as we will continue to work with our partners to bring great sports events to San Jose.

I also want to extend our special congratulations to an outstanding former participant of our youth golf program, Mariko Tumangan, who at just 15 years old, played in last weekend's U.S. Women's Open. Well done.

Patricia Ernstrom
Executive Director

On June 26th & 27th, over 9,300 volleyball fans packed San Jose State's Event Center for two days of intense, world-class men's volleyball action between USA and China. Team USA, the defending Olympic gold-medalist and World League champs, thrilled the home crowd on both nights victories over the up-and-coming China team.

The impressive attendance is the second highest total for a two-day World League event in the United States. The atmosphere in the Event Center was an experience of international sport at its finest - with fans cheering, flags waiving, signs shaking, and faces painted in support of both teams.

Entertainment provided by the energetic Stanford Band, the impressive 60-member Chinese Line Dancers of America, and the Wilcox High School cheer squad contributed to the celebration of international sport and competition.

At the post-match press conference, USA Captain David Lee spoke about playing in front of a great crowd.

"I'd like to thank the city of San Jose and the organizing committee for drawing the great crowd," Lee said. "I didn't think it was going to be this big... San Jose was a great first venue."

USA Coach Alan Knipe echoed the sentiment.

"Thanks to the people and the organizers of San Jose," said Knipe. "This was the team's first chance to play on U.S. soil since Bejing and it was great having such a large crowd."

The San Jose matches will be rebroadcast on both ESPN2 and ESPNU. Click here for the complete television schedule.

USA continues to lead Pool A of the 2009 World League competition, which culminates with a final round championship July 22-26 in Belgrade, Serbia. The total World League prize purse is more than $20 million, with the winning team collecting a prize of more than $1 million.

Read the San Jose Mercury News' coverage of the event here.

Complete World League coverage is available at www.fivb.org and usavolleyball.org. To view photo galleries from San Jose's matches, use the following links:
June 26 | June 27.

SPECIAL THANKS:
The Sports Authority would like to extend sincere appreciation to San Jose Councilmember Kansen Chu and Daisy Chu with Santa Clara County Supervisor George Shirakawa's office for their assistance, and to the Local Organizing Committee, including Kim Oden and Lance Lew. The Sports Authority would also like to thank media and promotional partners NBC Bay Area, Sing Tao, Daily, KTSF26, Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment, Mix 106.5 and KFOX 98.5, Diana Ding, and Shou Chen, to event sponsors Hilton San Jose, The Party Helpers, Gordon Biersch, and Joseph George, as well as entertainment sponsors California Line Dancers of America, Wilcox High Dance Team, and the Stanford Band. On behlf of the Sports Authority and our partners at USA Volleyball and the Northern California Volleyball Association, thank you for your generous support.

The USA Men’s National Rugby Team kicked off their domestic season against the Irish National Team at Santa Clara University’s Buck Shaw Stadium on May 31st.  Over 10,000 fans from the Bay Area and beyond packed Buck Shaw on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to witness the competitive and festive 27-10 Ireland victory

USA, ranked 19th in the world entering the match, scored all 10 of its points in the second half and kept the 4th-ranked Irish team working-hard for the entire afternoon.

Regionally, interest and participation in Rugby has steadily increased in recent years, with over 200 independent clubs in California, many having multiple boys and girls teams at various levels and age groups.

The USA/Ireland match was a great example of the Bay Area's diverse sports landscape, and it's unique ability and access to a population capable of support for a wide-range of sporting events.

Read the San Jose Mercury News' coverage of the event here.

The event was a collaboration between USA Rugby, the San Jose Sports Authority, the San Jose Earthquakes, and Santa Clara University. For more information about USA Rugby, visit www.usarugby.org.

The LIVESTRONG Challenge returned to San Jose on July 11 & 12. San Jose turned out in force, as over 3,600 participants registered to run, walk, ride, or volunteer and take up the fight against cancer. Together, San Jose raised $1.3 million for the cause.

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who is being treated for breast cancer, spoke at the Fundraising Appreciation Dinner on Saturday night, and arrived early on Sunday morning to encourage the runners and riders before they began their events, which included a 5K run/walk, and rides of 10, 50, 65, or 100 miles.

The LIVESTRONG Challenge is the Lance Armstrong Foundation's signature fundraising event, with event proceeds directed toward cancer prevention, access to screening and care, research and quality of life for cancer survivors. Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, the LAF has raised more than $285 million for the fight against cancer.

Last year at the 2008 LIVESTRONG Challenge San Jose, Lance Armstrong was joined by nearly 2,900 cyclists, runners, walkers and an army of volunteers, who collectively raised over $1.5 million, the largest total for a first-time LIVESTRONG Challenge.

Learn more about the LIVESTRONG Challenge and future events at www.livestrongchallenge.org.

The REACH Youth Scholarship is an annual community program of the Sports Authority. REACH, an acronym for Recognizing Excellence, Adversity, Courage and Hard Work, awards scholarships to exemplary students who maintain a minimum GPA, participate in at least one high school athletic activity, and who have overcome significant adversity to reach their goals.

The 2009 REACH program was presented by Cisco Systems, with support from Hewlett-Packard, Adobe Systems, San Jose Marriott, San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau, Team San Jose, National Tennis Championships, Cal-Hi Sports Bay Area, San Jose Sharks, San Jose Giants, Corporate Printing Resource, Inc. and Southwest Airlines. Seven students were awarded a total of $10,000 in scholarships at the April 24th awards breakfast, hosted by the San Jose Marriott.

Ronnie Lott was joined by Stanford football head coach and former NFL great Jim Harbaugh, as well as San Jose Earthquakes’ Joe Cannon as the honorary and guest speakers at the breakfast.

On June 9, the REACH recipients were presented with a commendation from Mayor Chuck Reed, Councilmember Nora Campos, and the entire San Jose City Council, recognizing their "unwavering dedication to excel in both academics and athletics despite very difficult circumstances."

For information about REACH guidelines and selection criteria, visit www.sjsa.org.

Nearly 60 teams from across North America, and primarily Canada, spent a week in San Jose to battle for in the 2009 Adult Safe Hockey Network North American Championships at Sharks Ice.

The teams competed in regional qualifiers in 2008 for the right to play in the 2009 championship event in San Jose.

The Sports Authority partnered with local bars and restaurants to welcome the adult tournament to our City. Blendz, E&O Trading Company, Gordon Biersch, The Loft Bar and Bistro, Sonoma Chicken Coop, the San Jose Giants, and Stanley’s Sports Bar at Sharks Ice all participated in providing hospitality to the visiting competitors.

The San Jose Sharks' Jeremy Roenick made a special appearance on the final day of the tournament to present championship trophies to several of the division winners.

The event organizers' distributed a post-event survey to the tournament participants, and due in large part to the professionalism and dedication of Sharks Ice staff and management, the players responded with top marks for their San Jose hosts.

The ASHN Hockey Championships are held bi-annually. For more information, visit www.adultsafehockey.net.

A truly amazing spectator sport filled the McEnery Convention Center from June 23-29 when San Jose hosted the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympics Trampoline and Tumbling National Championships. Nearly 1,600 gymnasts represented 200 clubs from 37 states.

More than 120 champions were crowned during the six-day event, which featured competitions for both men and women in trampoline, double-mini trampoline and tumbling for Levels 5-10 and synchronized trampoline for Level 10.

Athletes qualified for the Junior Olympic Championships by meeting the qualifying criteria and score requirements which vary by category and event. Gymnasts in Levels 5-10 are ranked by their level of expertise, with 10 being the highest and just below elite.

For complete results from the Championships, visit www.usa-gymnastics.org/tt/

The First Tee of San Jose salutes Mariko Tumangan, former participant in the program at Rancho Del Pueblo, who qualified and participated in the 2009 Women's U.S. Open at the Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, PA. Best wishes for continued success from all of us at The First Tee of San Jose and the San Jose Sports Authority.

The First Tee of San Jose 2009 summer season is off to a strong start, filled to capacity with hundreds of young people participating in course classes and camps. The curriculum has recently been revamped to include a greater emphasis on life skills education than ever before. Registration for the fall season, which begins on Tuesday, September 15th, is at 8:30 am on Saturday, August 29th at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course.

Applied Materials presents The First Tee of San Jose 2009 Invitational on August 9th and 10th. This premier fundraising event is held annually at CordeValle, A Rosewood Resort. For information about playing in the golf tournament, attending the VIP reception and dinner, or becoming a sponsor, please visit www.thefirstteesanjose.org.
In 2008, the event generated $100,000 for life-skills education for youth.

The First Tee's premier annual event returns to Pebble Beach this summer with The Wal-Mart First Tee Open over Labor Day Weekend. The tournament pairs PGA Champions Tour professionals with The First Tee participants from chapters across the country who have qualified to play in the event based on a combination of golf and life skills accomplishments. The First Tee of San Jose will provide opportunities for San Jose participants to attend the tournament.

Over 1,200 ice skaters, ranging in age from 3 to 70 will converge on Sharks Ice from July 27 - August 1 to compete in the ISI World Recreational Team Championships. The Event includes a competitors party and official opening ceremony for all participants, as well as an opportunity for the general public see USA bronze medalist Caroline Zhang perform in a benefit event on Friday, July 31, with proceeds benefiting the ISI Education Foundation.

Sharks Ice at San Jose is known throughout the country for its outstanding ice skating programs and world-class staff.

More information about the Championships, as well as ticket information for the benefit show, is available at www.skateisi.com.

The 2009 Summer National Senior Games, presented by Humana, are coming to the Bay Area this summer, August 1 - 15. The event is the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors. Headquartered at Stanford University, events will be held throughout the Bay Area, with bowling and horseshoes competitions in San Jose. All events are free to the public, so be sure you get out to cheer for these great athletes.

To participate, athletes must be at least 50 years old and qualify at an NSGA State Games during calendar year 2008. Over 10,000 athletes will compete in Archery, Badminton, Basketball, Bowling, Cycling, Golf, Horseshoes, Race Walk, Racquetball, Road Race, Shuffleboard, Softball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track & Field, Triathlon, and Volleyball.

Volunteers are key to putting on an event of this magnitude. Reserve your role at this historic event!  Sign up today at www.2009seniorgames.org/become-a-volunteer and please help spread the word about the Senior Games to friends and colleagues. 

The Summer National Senior Games is operated by the National Senior Games Association, a non-profit member of the United States Olympic Committee dedicated to motivating senior men and women to lead a healthy lifestyle through the senior games movement, and works with state and federal agencies, colleges and universities to better understand and support healthy aging initiatives for seniors.

For more information, visit www.2009seniorgames.org.