From the Director ...

With "Groundhog Day" upon us – it is hard to believe 2009 is well underway.

As we look ahead to a great line up of sporting events, new opportunities and new challenges, we can’t help but reflect and be grateful for the successes of the past year.

During the course of the past twelve months, we welcomed many good friends back to San Jose. We hosted a multitude of events with great partners like the Pac-10, Amgen Tour of California and Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.  In the Olympic movement – we were thrilled to welcome back major championships collaborating with USA Gymnastics, US Fencing Association, USA Wrestling and USA Taekwondo as well as welcoming Olympic Alumni from many years and many sports as San Jose hosted the first-ever Olympian reunion. San Jose was also honored to host the US Olympic Team and official delegation during a four-week period in July and early August as they completed final preparations on their way to the historic Games in Beijing.

As we look forward to continuing that momentum into 2009, the San Jose Cycling Classic will take to the streets in a few short weeks, providing a week of cycling events and activities - anchored by the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, where Lance Armstrong will make his first comeback appearance in the U.S. – showcasing San Jose's active lifestyle, health consciousness, and green vision.

While Punxsutawney Phil can make predictions about the weather, the event forecast in San Jose is bright as we work with our terrific network of community and sports partners in preparation for a full calendar in 2009.

Patricia Ernstrom
Executive Director

Please update our address in your records:
San Jose Sports Authority
345 Park Avenue, MS A9-432
San Jose, CA 95110

The largest cycling event in America, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race presented by AEG that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding, course from Sacramento to Escondido from February 14-22, 2009.

The nine-day stage race—with a Stage 3 Start, 10 a.m.-noon, Feb. 17, at Park & Almaden in Downtown San Jose— will feature 17 of the world’s top professional teams, including world-renowned riders Lance Armstrong, two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer, three-time World Champion Oscar Freire and 2008 Olympic gold medal winner and world champion Fabian Cancellara, racing more than 750-miles from the state’s capitol, Sacramento, to San Diego County.

“San Jose is thrilled to once again welcome many of the top names in the cycling world to Silicon Valley for this exciting competition,” said San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed. “The elite teams participating in this year’s event exemplify the growing international recognition and prestige that comes with competing in the Amgen Tour of California.”

For more information, visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

Downtown San Jose will be the epicenter of the cycling world in mid February, when the City of San Jose hosts, for the fourth consecutive year, the Amgen Tour of California, as well as the first-ever San Jose Cycling Classic.

The San Jose Cycling Classic is an annual, multi-discipline cycling event for domestic professional, amateur and members of the vibrant Bay Area cycling community. The San Jose Cycling Classic is expected to attract more than 1,000 cycling athletes and 25,000 spectators to a full week of cycling activities! 

The San Jose Cycling Classic will also include the King of the Mountain Time Trial Race and Ride sponsored by Mattson Technology, the CEO Challenge powered by SunPower, the Criterium built by WEBCOR, and other activities throughout the week.

To learn more about the San Jose Cycling Classic, make plans to join us tomorrow (February 3) from 6-8 p.m. at Sports Basement, host of a special San Jose Cycling Classic evening, located at 1177 Kern Ave., in Sunnyvale, and visit be sure to visit www.sanjoseclassic.com.

The event will feature Katheryn Curi Mattis, a member of the Webcor Builders Women’s Professional Cycling Team.  Mattis will be on hand to share training tips as well as San Jose Cycling Classic race day advice.  One of only three women in the world to have ever won a road cycling World Cup (1st Place in the Geelong World Cup), Mattis also will share her observations from more than a decade of racing. In addition, members of the Bissell Pro Cycling Team will discussing their race experiences and offer tips for those in attendance.  They include Eric Wohlberg, Bissell Pro Cycling team director and three-time Olympian, as well as Andy Jacques-Maynes. The evening will also include an overview of the San Jose Cycling Classic, refreshments and special discounts throughout the store.

Volunteers Needed!
Experience the excitement of the San Jose Cycling Classic up close. Become a volunteer!

We are looking for key volunteers to assist with general set-up and supervision for the San Jose Cycling Classic’s King of the Mountain and the Criterium on Saturday, February 14, 2009, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. To Sign up as a San Jose Cycling Classic Volunteer send your name, phone number, email and availability to Carrie Benjamin at carrie@sjsa.org.

For more volunteer details, visit www.sanjosecyclingclassic.com.

Complete Schedule:

February 3:
• San Jose Cycling Classic Kick-off - Sports Basement (1177 Kern Ave, Sunnyvale), 6-8 p.m.

February 14:
• King of the Mountain Time Trial Race and Ride sponsored by Mattson Technology, 8:45 am - 2:00 pm
• CEO Challenge Powered by SunPower, 8:45 am - 2:00 pm
• Criterium built by WEBCOR, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

February 16:
• LiveStrong Challenge Kick-off Event @ The Tech

February 17:
• Amgen Tour of California

February 18:
• FREE movie night at Camera 12 Theatre - Featuring prizes and a special guest speaker at 6pm, followed by showing of The Flying Scotsman

February 19:
• "Get Back on Your Bike" brown bag lunch presentation at City Hall, 12pm. First 25 participants receive special giveaway.

The King of the Mountain will be the third annual climb and ride, beginning at San Jose City Hall and proceed to the base of Sierra Road. From there, cyclists will ascent a 10% grade, 3.7-mile, 1830-foot climb. Individual riders will obtain a personal timed score of their ascent.

Marked by high speeds, short courses, multiple laps, a tinge of menace and heart pounding sprints, a “crit” is one of the most exciting of all cycling’s competitive sports.  The San Jose Classic’s “Criterium built by Webcor” will be no exception.  To be staged in Downtown San Jose with the City’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez as the event’s main backdrop, category 1-5 riders will enjoy a day of thrilling racing testing their abilities to corner rapidly and sharply — and ride to win within a large group on a short circuit.

Funds raised from the San Jose Cycling Classic events will support health, fitness and cycling.  Beneficiaries include the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition and Fit for Learning, an initiative—provided by the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) in cooperation with Healthy Silicon Valley—that will increase physical activity and encourage healthy nutrition among elementary school students in Santa Clara County.  In addition, the San Jose Cycling Classic provides a platform to raise awareness about green mobility and the San Jose Green Vision.

For more information about the San Jose Cycling Classic, please visit, www.sanjosecyclingclassic.com.

Lance Armstrong Foundation will launch its 2009 San Jose fundraising campaign on Monday, February 16 at The Tech Museum of Innovation.  

The event is a kick-off for the San Jose LIVESTRONG Challenge coming up this summer, July 11-12.  Joining Lance Armstrong at the 2008 San Jose LiveStrong Challenge, were 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 event.

The kick-off takes place the during the weeklong San Jose Cycling Classic, www.sanjosecyclingclassic.com, and the night prior to the Amgen Tour of California Stage 3 Start, featuring the return of Lance Armstrong to professional racing. For further information, contact Kathy Romero at kathy@sjsa.org. Spaces are limited.

The First Tee of San Jose, a program of the San Jose Sports Authority, is proud to host The First Tee Network Meeting at The Fairmont San Jose from February 26 to March 1, 2009. The First Tee of San Jose is pleased to announce that General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), former U.S. Secretary of State and founding chairman of America's Promise Alliance, will deliver the keynote address at the Gala Dinner on March 1, 2009.

General Powell is expected to speak about the shared missions of the respective organizations and share his thoughts on what caring adults can do to help prepare and motivate young people to become responsible and productive citizens.

The First Tee of San Jose and the San Jose Sports Authority welcome members of the community to attend The First Tee Network Meeting Gala Dinner on Sunday, March 1st from 7:00PM to 9:30PM at The Fairmont San Jose. The cost of the event is $175 per person. Table sponsorships are available for priority seating of ten guests for $7,500, $5,000 and $3,000. To register, please visit www.thefirsttee.org (click on the blue Forces Fore Good icon) or contact George Maxe at 408-288-2937 or george@thefirstteesanjose.org.

The First Tee of San Jose provides life and golf skills programming to San Jose area youth ages 7 to 18. Participants learn to appreciate diversity, resolve conflicts, build confidence and set goals for their future. Programs focus on character development and life-enhancing values – honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

The 2009 REACH Youth Scholarship Awards Breakfast is scheduled for Friday, April 24 at the San Jose Marriott.

The REACH Youth Scholarship Program has provided grants to nearly 70 high school students over the past 12 years who have overcome adversity to excel in academics and sports. In 2008, 36 Santa Clara County high school seniors were nominated in the program, which stands for Recognizing Excellence, Adversity, Courage and Hard Work, and five were awarded.

The nominees and scholarship winners for 2009 will be honored at the REACH Awards Breakfast, chaired by former San Francisco 49er Ronnie Lott at the April 24th event. Sponsorship opportunties for this year's REACH Scholarship Award are available. For details, and ticket information, or to make a donation, contact Carrie Benjamin at 408.288.2936.

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

Looking ahead at the upcoming years' events calendar, 2009 will be another terrific year of sports and activities in San Jose.

Following the San Jose Cycling Classic in February, March will bring many of the country's top amateur Judo athletes to San Jose for the National Collegiate Judo Championships, hosted by the San Jose State University Judo Club.

In May, over 100 teams from across North America, and primarily Canada, will meet in San Jose for the 2009 Adult Safe Hockey Network North American Championships at Sharks Ice. The teams have competed in regional qualifiers in 2008 for the right to play in the 2009 championship event here in Silicon Valley.

A truly amazing spectator sport will spring into action at the McEnery Convention Center in June when San Jose hosts the USA Gymnastics Trampoline and Tumbling National Championships. Over 1,500 athletes from across the country will compete over 6 days in this high flying, action packed skills showcase.

The Sports Authority's complete schedule is listed below. For more information on tickets, sponsorships, or volunteer opportunities, visit www.sjsa.org or send an email to info@sjsa.org. More events to come, so stay tuned to www.sjsa.org for updates and news!

2008 San Jose Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

After hosting the entire US Olympic Team over a period of four weeks in July at San Jose State for official team processing en route to Beijing, San Jose took time this past fall to remember Santa Clara County's first-ever female Olympian, as well as three other distinguished individuals who made gold-medal contributions to our community.

On November 19, the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inducted four new members. One of the city’s most popular annual events the gala celebrates the rich sports heritage of San Jose and Santa Clara County and is held at the HP Pavilion. The presenting sponsor is Hewlett-Packard. Cisco Systems hosted this year's reception, and KFOX 98.5 FM and San Jose Magazine were presenting sponsors of the event.

The class of 2008 included Dick Gould, legendary Stanford tennis coach, who won 17 NCAA team championships and coached 10 singles and 14 doubles champions; George Gund III, sports executive and philanthropist, first owner of the expansion San Jose Sharks in 1990 and set the tone for San Jose’s emergence as a world-class sports city; Margaret Jenkins, Santa Clara County’s first female Olympian, competing in discus in the 1928 and 1932 Summer Games, and a trailblazer for women’s athletics; and John Oldham,  a standout baseball player at Campbell High School and San Jose State University, and longtime coach at San Jose City College and Santa Clara University.

The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony also honored five current athletes: Vashti Thomas of Mt. Pleasant High School and Nico Weiler of Los Gatos High School and as the Female and Male High School Athletes of the Year, Adam Tafralis of San Jose State and Candice Wiggins of Stanford as Male and Female Amateur Athletes of the Year, and Katherine Kolb-Olmstead of San Jose as Special Olympian of the Year.

To view pictures from this year's event, visit www.sjsa.org/hall_of_fame/.

Each Hall of Fame inductee is recognized with a bronze plaque permanently installed on the concourse at HP Pavilion.

The annual dinner is an event of the San Jose Sports Authority, San Jose Arena Authority, HP Pavilion Management/San Jose Sharks and the City of San José. The event benefits Special Olympics Northern California and the respective athletic departments of the high school award winners.

San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Jams Downtown San Jose

In its third year, the San Jose Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon was again a huge success, as a field of 10,141 ran, rocked, and rolled through the streets of downtown San Jose during this fun-filled, action-packed event.
The largest half marathon in the Bay Area, the San Jose event brings an estimated annual economic impact of $16.5 million to the City of San Jose.

Again in 2008, part of the race experience was a “Corporate GET FIT Challenge", where organizations of all sizes formed teams of colleagues to train and race together.

Gilbert Okari of Kenya finished the race in 1 hour, 1 minute and 46 seconds, 11 seconds ahead of Moroccan Ridouane Harroufi, who finished second at 1:01:57.  In the women’s division, Yuri Kano of Japan finished first with a time of 1:10:03, while Azalech Masresha of Ethiopia finished second at 1:10:36. 

For more information, visit www.rnrsj.com.