Go Spurs Go!

Best of luck to the San Antonio Spurs as they get closer to claiming the 2003 Championship. We are proud that such an incredible organization and ownership team call San Antonio home. The Sports Foundation has been very fortunate to have befitted from our partnership with San Antonio Spurs and Entertainment. Sports Foundation Board member and Spurs Executive Vice President, Russ Bookbinder and his staff have supported many Foundation endeavors. We applaud you for a great season!

We also look forward to the start of the first exciting WNBA Silver Stars season. Best wishes to Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, Candy Harvey and the Silver Stars team. We anticipate an exciting summer of games and hopefully another quest for a Championship!

Last week, one of the San Atnonio Sports Foundation’s key volunteers received a Profile in Leadership Award from the Mission City Business and Professional Women’s Association. Dr. Sean Habina (pictured right) is one of the most outstanding leaders and hardest working volunteers I have ever seen. Congrats Sean, and thanks for all that you do for the Sports Foundation and the many other organizations that benefit from your generosity and time commitment. We know many volunteers with the Sports Foundation deserve community recognition, and we thank all of you for your efforts.




sblackwood@sanantoniosports.org

DFY Badminton League Challenges Local Youth

Today, months of tough competition in the Sports Foundation's Dreams For Youth Junior Badminton League culminates in a championship match between four elementary school teams, each eager to win the title trophy.

The Sports Foundation's badminton program is the only organized elementary school league in the nation and features competition among hundreds of elementary school students in the North East, Northside and San Antonio Independent School Districts. All the teams remaining in the tournament are in the SAISD.

Melissa Suarez's son, Matthew, has been getting fit playing badminton this season for Collins Garden Elementary. "He really enjoys playing and it's good exercise for him. There's a lot of running around, so it has helped him get in shape. I'm going to keep him in as long as they offer it."

"We've seen so many improvements in the players and teams. Some of the players have become dedicated enough to become a part of the CODP (Community Olympic Development Program)," says coach Kampol Surapiboonchai, who was named "Developmental Coach of the Year" by the United States Olympic Committee. The CODP offers qualified athletes opportunities for advanced training and competition. This can lead athletes to college scholarships or potentially to the Olympics. Currently, thirteen students have been sponsored by CODP, all of whom have come from the SAISD.

The league is also part of the San Antonio Parks and Recreation After School Challenge Program, which requires that students have good attendance, behavior, and class scores. They must also be drug free.

Keith Harward, general manager of the Embassy Suites Hotel -- Airport, has both professional and personal ties to the Sports Foundation. He represents the San Antonio Hotel - Lodging Association on the Sports Foundation's board of directors and generously donated the use of his hotel's meeting facilities for a recent Sports Foundation strategic planning retreat. Earlier this month, this confirmed sports fan and dedicated dad was cheering on his twin sons as they played in the Sports Foundation's Roundball Ruckus 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

In his own words...

"The Sports Foundation's range of ability from support of local community efforts such as the "Dreams for Youth" programs to the attraction of college Final Four's is unique and outstanding. The Foundation is behind so many sports related activities that happen in San Antonio. I look forward to the opportunity to help partner the relationships between the Foundation and the hotel industry. It's a definite win win situation."

Keith Harward
GM, Embassy Suites Hotel - San Antonio Airport

PRESENTING: City of San Antonio; SBC Communications Inc.

Platinum: Clear Visions, Inc.; IKON Office Solutions;
San Antonio Express-News

Gold: Adecco; Cavender Auto Family; Creative Link; The Dominion Country Club; HealthSouth; IntelliSolve Group, Inc.; Matthews & Branscomb; San Antonio Coca-Cola Bottling Co; San Antonio Spurs; Valero Energy Corporation; Whataburger

Silver: Michael and Pam Berlanga; Cingular Wireless; Maverick Video Production; NuMedia: Paladin IT Services; Mark Phariss; Methodist Children's Hospital; USAA Real Estate Company

Bronze: George Becknell; Bender & Associates; Chase Bank of Texas, N.A.; Clever Endeavors; Frost Bank; HMS Host Corporation; Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases; Miner Corporation; Dr. David and Teresa Schmidt; Security Service Federal Credit Union; Southwest Business Corporation; Trinity University; Zachry Hospitality, Inc.

Champion: Bank of America, Cox & Smith, Inc.; Ear Medical Group; Grande Communications; Holiday Inn Select Airport; Lyda Builders, Inc; Momentum Sports Management; Racquetball & Fitness; Sterling Bank

All-Star: Block Distributing Company, Inc.; BudCo., Inc.; Catering by Don Strange; Contemporary Constructors, Inc.; Eichlitz, Dennis, Wray & Westheimer Agency, Inc.; Exposure, Inc.; Gallagher's Steak House; GLI, Inc.; Gunn Automotive Group; Initial Security; Marmon Mok; Metropolitan Contracting Co.; Padgett, Stratemann & Co.; Pape-Dawson Consulting Engineers, Inc.; Soules & Wallace; ; Sterling Foods, Inc.; Tesoro Petroleum; Yantis Company

Grants/Foundations: Bexar County Health & Human Services CDBG; Bexar County Woman's Bar Foundation; Brown Foundation; Charity Ball Foundation; Coleman Foundation; Criminal Justice Division JJDP Grant; Criminal Justice Division Safe and Drug Free Schools Grant; Light Foundation; David & Betty Sachs Foundation; Salomon Smith Barney; Women’s Sports Foundation

Founding Sponsors: City of San Antonio; H-E-B; USAA Foundation, A Charitable Trust; Valero Energy Corporation

* Corporations listed in bold are new or recently renewing members.