It’s All About Our Kids

You’ll notice that the focus of most of this issue of Sidelines is on our youth programs. This is a most rewarding message. Our coaches, our staff and most importantly, the young people who participate in and benefit from Sports Foundation youth initiatives are certainly busy this summer. We are sharing with you one of our great Dreams for Youth success stories. Read the story below about José Sanchez to learn how he’s excelled from DFY athlete to coach to administrator. Congratulations, José! We’re all very proud of you. You’ll also read about the many successes of our current DFY athletes as they compete nationwide.

Unlike nearly any of the other sports commissions across the USA, the San Antonio Sports Foundation operates several youth programs throughout the year including Dreams for Youth, the Community Olympic Development Program, the Diamond Shamrock Go!Kids Challenge™ and the list goes on. More than 175,000 boys and girls are touched by Sports Foundation youth initiatives annually.

All of this is made possible due to the support of our members and corporate sponsors. Forty seven percent of the SASF budget supports what counts the most -- investing in the citizens of tomorrow. We hope that you will continue to help make this all possible.

If you currently are not an individual member, please consider becoming a part of our team today (just click here for membership information). You’ll help us to keep building a city of champions!

Enjoy your summer,


Dr. Susan Blackwood
Executive Director

Yea, José!

The San Antonio Sports Foundation has named José Sanchez Assistant Director of Dreams for Youth and the Community Olympic Development Program. In this new position, José will oversee the entire fencing program and assist with other areas of DFY and the CODP. Previously he was DFY head fencing coach.

José graduated in May from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a bachelor’s degree in education, specializing in kinesiology. He has been part of the Sports Foundation since being introduced to fencing while a senior at Harlandale High School. After watching a demonstration conducted by DFY, he became hooked. He began fencing under Vinnie Bradford (’84 Olympian) and later, Les Bleamaster (’64 Olympian). After graduating from high school, he earned his fencing certification and began teaching for the Sports Foundation. José received his Monitour d’Arms accreditation from the United States Fencing Coaches Association in 2003.

The Sports Foundation’s fencing program has grown from one site and two coaches in 1998, to six sites (four of which are in underserved neighborhoods) and six coaches. The main training facility is centrally located near downtown and is the largest and the most completely outfitted fencing club in South Texas, with close to 100 members. Click here to e-mail José or call (210)820-2113 for information about any DFY or CODP program.

Hilton Stetson Forum Honors Fiesta Commission

The San Antonio Sports Foundation hosted more than 20 members of the Fiesta Commission at the Hilton Palacio del Rio’s Stetson Forum on June 28. Sports Foundation board member Pat Frost thanked the Fiesta Commission for making the Roundball Ruckus 3-on-3 basketball an official event of Fiesta for 2005. Through the Stetson Forum, the Hilton generously hosts a delicious luncheon for local charities. The charities may use the opportunity to entertain key supporters. We thank general manager Siegfried Richter, catering manager Estelle Rodriguez, and the whole Hilton Palacio del Rio staff for making such a wonderful event possible.
		Hilton Palacio del Rio staffers Linda Velazquez (front), Charles Moses and Estelle Rodriguez model Sports Foundation caps

College Volleyball Headed for SA

Get ready for the 2005 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship with the 2005 UTSA Dome Rally. This rally will serve as a rehearsal event for the championship and will showcase some of the best teams from around the country. The UTSA Dome Rally will take place Sept. 9-11 at the Alamodome. Tickets are on sale now through the UTSA Box Office (210) 458-8872. Prices are $8 for students and $15 for adults.

Also, don’t forget the NCAA’s Youth Education through Sports (YES) Clinics Dec. 17 for area boys and girls, ages 10-18. They will have the opportunity to learn volleyball fundamentals, along with conditioning, nutrition and life skills from college athletes and coaches. All youth participating in the free clinic will be treated to a day pass for the Championship Game that afternoon. Please call Anna Gomez-Vasquez at (210) 820-2102 to request a registration form.

All-session passes and ticket packages are still available for the 2005 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship Dec. 15 & 17 at www.saloc.org or by calling (210) 820-2104.

Sports Foundation Athletes Do Well in National Competitions

At the U.S. Fencing Summer National Championships in Sacramento, CA, several local CODP fencers did well. Gabrielle Strauss took silver in the Y12 Women’s Epee division. She came in second in a division of 44 competitors. Gabrielle will enter the eighth grade at St. Matthew’s Catholic School in the fall, and has fenced for three and a half years. She beat local teammate Kimberly Howell to reach the finals. Kimberly tied for third in the same division. Steven Kubik, son of CODP coach Wendell Kubik, came in 5th out of 104 competitors in the Division IA Men’s Foil.

Steve Kubik scoring (right) at Division 1A national Champs on his way to medal.

At the USA Badminton Jr. National Championship in Spokane, Wash., Crystal Bustamante and Veronika Gutierrez came in third in the Under 17 Girls Doubles.

DFY Fencers Give Back

Two Dreams for Youth fencing alumnus are helping out at Southside ISD this summer. Ian Lierly and Collin Wilhauer both graduated from Churchill High School in May. Following in the footsteps of head fencing coach José Sanchez, they are giving back to the program. DFY holds a summer program at Southside that offers fencing, gymnastics and badminton. The two graduates are teaching fencing to 80 children from the district. This fall, Collin will be heading to the University of North Texas and plans to continue fencing. Ian will stay in San Antonio and also plans to continue fencing at the Sports Foundation’s training center.

CODP Divers Make a Splash

The Community Olympic Development Program for diving sent five athletes to the Region VIII Junior Diving Championships June 24-26 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. The regional championships were the qualifier to the zone championships. After the zone competition, select divers compete in the Speedo National Junior Diving Championships.

The CODP divers have an extensive summer training schedule. They practice five hours a day five days a week and three hours on Saturday. Their training includes a combination of practicing diving skills in and out of the water.

(L to R) Emily Bell, Rachel Belcher, John Lynch, Isabella Houston, Coach Tommy Law, Stephanie Giddens, Rachelle Miller

John Lynch, a former CODP diver who now assists as a coach, has continued diving as a junior at the University of Wyoming. He began diving because his school did not offer the sport he played, soccer. Lynch has been diving for about six years and still loves the excitement.

“I thought it would be fun,” Lynch said, “and it still is!”

Training in diving has helped Lynch in other aspects of his life as well. Being able to follow a routine and managing time are important skills he learned in diving that are helping him find success in college.

CODP Diving Coach Tommy Law said many of his divers continue diving through college. Several of his divers graduated this year and will continue on to universities including Louisiana State University and the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Law said the group of divers he has now has not been diving for very long, but that they are an exceptional group of young people.

“They have not been diving for that long, we’re just fast learners,” he said.

Birdies for Charity® to Support DFY Program

The San Antonio Sports Foundation is excited to be a part of Birdies for Charity®, which is run in conjunction with the Valero Texas Open Sept. 21-25. Pledges made on behalf of the Sports Foundation will support our Dreams For Youth program.

Click here for a donation form! Mail or fax completed forms to the Sports Foundation office, in care of Gretchen Garceau-Kragh. If you have any questions, contact Gretchen at (210) 820-2109 or gkragh@sanantoniosports.org.

The San Antonio Sports Foundation congratulates Vinnie Bradford on being selected for induction into the San José State University Sports Hall of Fame. Bradford has played an integral role in developing the Sports Foundation’s Dreams For Youth fencing program. She is elated about receiving this prestigious honor.

Bradford began fencing as a child in Fort Worth, Texas, at a time when youth fencing did not exist. Along with DFY founder Stacey Johnson, Bradford was one of the only kids in the state practicing fencing and also one of the only females. She said San José State deserves recognition for leading the way for colleges and universities to offer scholarships and opportunities for women in sports.

“San José really was one of the first institutions to offer women’s scholarships,” Bradford explained. “If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have been able to go to college.”

While at San José State, Bradford earned All-American honors four times. She was a 1984 Olympian and has been a pioneer in women’s fencing throughout her career. Bradford is now an assistant professor of kinesiology at Palo Alto College.

Bradford continues to work with the DFY fencing program as a consultant. She has also worked to develop a fencing coaching education program at the DFY training center.

Champions Club
Individual Members at $1,000+

Gary & Shelia Arthur; Sam Barshop; Susan Blackwood; June Bratcher; Tim Brierty; Howard Burris; Jim Callaway; Cassandra Carr; James Doyle; Jim Dublin; Charlie Ebrom; Dr. Frank Fichtel; Larry Franklin; Pat & Kelley Frost; Dr. Jamie Garza; Claud Gilmer; William Greehey; Joe Guinn; Bill & Marcia Hanson; Scott Hefner; Scott Helbing; George C. Hixon; Peter Holt; Stacey Johnson; Michael Jourdan; Greg & Leigh Ann King; Michael Lynd; Lowry Mays; Red McCombs; James Mickey; Tom Reardon; Marty Roos; Dr. David Schmidt; Dr. Earl Smith; Steve Souter; Neill Walsdorf, Jr.; Carri Wells; Jeff Wentworth; Paul Young

Corporate Champions

Presenting Champions

City of San Antonio; SBC Communications Inc.

$50,000

Creative Link; IKON Office Solutions; San Antonio Express-News; Valero Energy Corporation

$20,000

Advantage Rent-A-Car; Pepsi Bottling Group; San Antonio Coca-Cola Bottling Co; San Antonio Spurs; Whataburger, Inc.

$10,000

Budget Car & Truck Rental; Cingular Wireless; Langley & Banack; Maverick Video Production; NuMedia: Oak Farms Dairy; Paladin IT Services; Methodist Children's Hospital; Spectrum Health Clubs; Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio, The Dominion Country Club

$5,000

George Becknell; Bender & Associates; BudCo., Inc.; The CE Group - Communication & Events; ChapmanSchewe Benefits Consulting; Comet Neon Advertising; Frost Bank; H-E-B Grocery Company; Hertz Corporation; Humana; JP Morgan Chase; KPMG; Merrill Lynch; Methodist Healthcare System; Michael Imbimbo, Inc.; Miner Corporation; PacifiCare; The Plaza Club; Nathaniel Sanderson, M.D.; Security Service Federal Credit Union; Soccer Sports Complex; Sterling Bank; Sterling Foods, Inc.; Jon Turner; Wells Fargo Bank; Zachry Hospitality, Inc.

$2,500

Allegra Print & Imaging; Bank of America; Broadway Bank; Carneiro, Chummney & Co.; C.C. Creations; Catering by Don Strange; Colonial Supplemental Insurance; Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated; Ear Medical Group; Ernst & Young; FIRSTMARK Credit Union; Fintan Technologies; Flowers Bakeries; Fulbright & Jaworski; GLI Distributing; Halo Distributing; Host/Chelsea Joint Venture of San Antonio; Initial Security; Dr. Susan Marenda-King; Marriott Plaza San Antonio; Marriott Rivercenter/Riverwalk; Mission Pharmacal; Pape-Dawson Consulting Engineers, Inc.; SpawGlass Contractors, Inc.; Tesoro Petroleum Companies; Walton Signage; Yantis Company

Grants/Foundations

The Alfred S. Gage Foundation, Bexar County Health & Human Services CDBG; Bexar County Women'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; Myra Stafford Pryor Charitable Trust; The Sequor Foundation; David & Betty Sachs Foundation; Smith Barney; Women’s Sports Foundation

Founding Sponsors

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