photo courtesy: George Washington U

Kay-Kay Allums was an unimpressive point guard her first two seasons on the George Washington University’s women’s basketball team. But in her junior year, Allums will always be remembered for the statement she made off the court. The 21-year old has publicly come out as transgender, asking all teammates and coaches to refer to him as a male and changed his name to Kye. Allums will be the first transgender person ever to play NCAA Division I college basketball.

“It got too tough. It got too tough to not be me,” Allums said. “People would call me a girl and say, ‘she’ and refer to me as someone I knew I wasn’t.”

Allums knew she was transgender in high school but kept it to herself. She planned on finishing her college basketball career without telling anyone, but decided she could not take being called a girl anymore. George Washington University is located in Washington, D.C.

Allums will not be able to have surgery or begin hormone therapy while she is still playing basketball, but plans on fully converting once her playing days are over. Right now she wants to be a role model for other teens and young adults who may be struggling to come to terms with their transgender identity. “

I wanted to set an example for other people who are afraid to be themselves,” Allums said. Allums said it was very easy for her to tell her coaches and teammates, but writing an email to her brother took her 15 minutes to type and five hours to send. The young man said he has received an outpouring of love from her community, back home in Minnesota and all across the rest of the world. “GW has been supportive during this transition,” Allums said. “This means a lot. I didn’t choose to be born in this body and feel the way I do. I decided to transition, that is change my name and pronouns because it bothered me to hide who I am, and I am trying to help myself and others to be who they are. I told my teammates first and they, including my coaches, have supported me. My teammates have embraced me as the big brother of the team. They have been my family, and I love them all.”

GW officials have publicly acknowledged the historic significance of Allums’ announcement.

“The George Washington University women’s basketball program, including myself, supports Kye’s right to make this decision,” said Mike Bozeman, head coach of the university’s women’s basketball team. Allums will play in his first game since his coming out on Nov. 13 at the Best Buy Classic in Minneapolis. He started 20 out of 26 games last year and averaged 7.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists in 24.9 minutes per game. Allums has a scholarship to play on the women’s basketball team, but at this point there are no indications that he will lose it. He has no plans to play for the George Washington men’s basketball team.

Allums announcement has helped others with their own transition. “Kye is a brave, courageous young man and I’m very proud of what he is doing,” said Anthony Jacob Nizza, a female-to-male transsexual who began his transition at age 39. “Makes me feel very proud to be who I am.”

More than 500 participants will span 165 miles over two days as the SMART Ride 7 prepares to hit the road Nov. 18-20. The Southern Most AIDS/HIV Ride has raised more than $2.2 million for charity since it began in 2003, and 100 percent of the proceeds from the event go directly to HIV/AIDS charities.

Riders, who range in age from 18 to 73, come from all across the country to take part in the ride, which begins in Miami and ends in Key West. An estimated 19 percent of the riders are positive; 50 percent know someone living with HIV/AIDS; and 36 percent have lost someone to HIV/AIDS.

I can remember making fun of the male cheerleaders in high school — all the cheerleaders, come to think of it. The only thing funnier to me at sports banquets, besides getting a letter in chess, was getting a letter in cheerleading. I felt that just because your sport makes it on ESPN, that doesn’t justify calling it a “sport”. That was until Deshon Allen set me straight.

Deshon, along with his coaching partner Jamie, opened South Florida All Star Gym on Wednesday, November 3. They are located at 1144 South Congress Ave next to the Metro PCS in Palm Springs, Florida in Palm Beach County. The “Lady Makos Dancers” of the Palm Beach Makos minor league football team were on hand to perform and do a meet and greet. The gym serves as home to the South Florida Panthers All Stars cheerleading teams as well as be opening to the public for anyone who wants to advance their cheer needs or maybe get started.

Starting at three years of age all the way up to adult and “parent” classes, the SFAS gym has all the bases covered. You’ll learn the proper skills needed for jumps, motions and stunts as well as gain skills and excel in flexibility.

“Anything you want to know or learn about cheering, we do it” says Deshon. “We’re even offering our space for any squad in the area that wants to come and practice here.”

What that means is those high schools that don’t necessarily have the money or see the need to provide the cheer team with their own mats to practice on, as opposed to using the ones the wrestling teams use can use the SFAS facility. Deshon also told me that “it takes a lot to run a business these days, especially with this economy.” That’s why he and his team have gone that extra mile to check prices with other similar programs all over the state. After the uniform and pom-poms and coach’s fee, things can start to add up. “Our classes are $85 a month, and that includes one class a week with your coach and/or team.”

Be on the look out for the Makos Dancers as the Palm Beach Makos open their season this coming January. For more information and to keep up with both teams, find them on Facebook at: South Florida Panthers All Stars and Lady Makos Dancers.

I grew up walking up and down the boardwalk of Virginia Beach. Every October brings the Neptune Festival back to life after lying dormant from the previous year. The thing every visitor to the festival visits every year is the sand sculpting contest, but the past decade has seen an introduction of something new and exciting. Thanks to this festival, I first played a sport where I couldn’t throw the ball 300 feet but I could get just as dirty and have just as much fun. Beach volleyball has exploded all over the country, and the city of Wilton Manors is no different.

I strolled onto the court around 6 p.m. on Tuesday to find a myriad of players on the single court at Hagen Park. I did see one familiar face that I remember playing with before I moved away from Florida in 2009. Nelson Maldonado, 24 from Fort Lauderdale, was just picking himself out of the sand after a nice dig to save a point and the win. Turns out he plays on every Tuesdays with the guys from Somos.

“I usually come on Tuesdays, but (my friend) Ricardo invited me out to play on Saturdays and that’s when I found out about the other ‘leagues’ that take place”.

Volleyball at the park is the chosen activity that the Latin men from Somos have chosen to fill their week. Somos is a Latin social group for the men in our community, but anyone can come and play. “You can bring your pet”, says Nelson, “even the ones with four legs.” That sort of humor is what makes the go easy games so much fun. Yeah, winning is great, but it’s a great opportunity to meet new people like Guisseppe Quispe. Guisseppe is 25 and is the Group Mediator for Somos. He and Anthony Alexander decided they needed something for the guys to do on a Tuesday and five months ago started this group for their guys to come out and give they’re best shot at a bump, set and spike. Luck for me, they want anyone to come out and play: any gender, and age and any orientation. I found myself flashing back to when I was a varsity player in high school when I was shouting out ‘three touches’ every time my team would just volley the ball back over the net. I realized no one really cared too much about technique; it’s a learning experience for most. I may not be Kerry Walsh, but my team did take both sets I was able to play. There are even talks to start a soccer group on Thursdays when the cooler weather reaches South Florida in November. Looking for a great way to stay fit and have fun? Stop by the court at Hagen Park on pretty much any day of the week to find a few awesome people playing one of the fastest growing amateur and professional sports in the country.

For more information on the Somos guys check them out on Facebook by searching Latinos Salud or by visiting their website at somos  latinossalud.org.

The South Florida Category 5 Flag Football Team just returned from participating in the 10th annual National Gay Flag Football Championships, Gay Bowl X, hosted by the Phoenix Hellraisers in Phoenix, Arizona. This was their 5th year competing in the tournament, against teams from all over the country. This year, 26 teams from 21 cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Denver, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago competed in this tenth anniversary of the tournament. Cat 5 finished with a 3-3 record having played eventual 5th place finishers, the Phoenix Hellraisers and the 3rd place San Deigo Toros as well as second-year participants, San Antonio in opening round-robin play. They finished 19th over all, beating San Antonio, Phoenix’s 3rd team, the 7th ranked Michigan Panthers and losing to eventual consolation bracket champions, Salt Lake City.

The tenth anniversary of the Gay Bowl featured plenty of firsts, including the inaugural Spirit Cup given to the team that showed the most spirit during the tournament. The award “embodies what every Gay Bowl should be about: sportsmanship, camaraderie, building friendships, developing sister teams, participating in all Gay Bowl events and displaying pride in your team.” Cat 5 won the award and their quarterback, Gary Schrader, dressed in drag, accepted the award on the team’s behalf. The tournament also welcomed the induction of the first-class of the National Gay Flag Football League Hall of Fame. Cyd Zeigler, who cofounded the Gay Bowl and the New York Gay Football League and Jim Buzinski, cofounder of the Gay Bowl and Los Angeles Flag Football became the first inductees. The next Gay Bowl will be held in Houston, Texas, Oct. 7-9, 2011. For more information on the National Gay Flag Football League and the Gay Bowl, visit www.ngffl.com

Cat 5 practices 11 a.m. Saturday mornings at Mills Pond Park on the first field when you enter the part on the right. For more information please check contact David Donohue at Donohue76@hotmail.com. You may also email Cat5Football@yahoo.com to added to the team email and receive updates about practices and team events.

The Divisional Series are now over and the League Championship Series are set. After sweeping the Twins, the Yankees look ready to continue their dominance against the Rangers in the American League Championship who dispatched the Rays in five games. On the heels of the second no-hitter in baseball history, The Phillies will look back to Roy Holliday to be their catalyst against the San Fran Giants in the National League. I look forward to seeing a rematch of last year’s World Series between the Yanks and Phillies. Clearly these two teams have found the winning combinations in their respective leagues, but money won’t buy the Yanks a title this year. The Phillies will win on the shoulders of Doc Holliday and the bat of Ryan Howard.

The real story, or ‘drama’ you could say, surrounding this year’s playoffs has been the pending retirement of Atlanta’s manager Bobby Cox. Cox has been the skipper of the Braves since midway through the 1990 season, leading his teams to sixteen postseason appearances, a record for any big league manager and one World Series title in 1995. Cox also has the record for the most consecutive division titles won with a streak of fourteen between 1991 and 2005.

Dare I say, Bobby Cox was the best major league manager of the last 25 years? He may not have as many rings as Joe Torre, but Cox never had a bad team, let alone a bad year. What more proof do you need but the tapes from his last game. The Giants are on their way to the National League championship series. They should be jumping for joy and smothering each other on the mound, right? What they did was stand behind the mound and clap in respect to a man as he took his last curtain call to a crowd that had known him for two damned decent seasons of baseball. As he doffed his cap to the crowd and headed back down to the clubhouse, a cap he often threw down in disgust at umpires earning him the most managerial ejections in baseball history, all you could hear was the crowd cheering his name, hoping he would come back out of the dugout one last time. The season was just picking up for the Giants, while a legacy was coming to an end just 90-feet away. See you in five years at Cooperstown, Bobby.

I wish I could say I wrote this prior to the NFL games played during week one, but alas, I didn’t. Call me a cheater but there were way too many important games in week one for me to just throw these predictions out there. Allow me to apologize ahead of time to all the Dolphin and Bucs fans out there now.

Let’s start off in the NFC with the East division. The Super Bowl is being held in Dallas and the Cowboys are going to play like it. No doubt they take the division. I wish my Eagles could do it but not with Kolb at the helm. In the North it’ll be one last shot for Brett Farve. All he needs is for Adrian Peterson to hold on to the ball this year. The Saints take the South hands down, but it’s going to take more than a Gulf oil spill to excite this team back to the Super Bowl. If Alex Smith doesn’t completely suck this year, then the 49ers will take the West. Sorry Pete Carrol. The Packers and the Redskins, behind two great quarterbacks, take the two wild card slots for the playoffs. In the Wild Card round, the Redskins upset the Cowboys in Dallas. I’m taking the Packers over the 49ers in the second game. The Saints handle the Redskins easily to reach the NFC Championship game. In a battle of Division rivals, Brett Farve makes one last push and reaches his second consecutive NFC Championship game by defeating the Packers. Farve continues the miracle run by shaking off the monkey on his back and defeating the Saints to reach Super Bowl XLV.

The AFC will feature some very lopsided games this year due to the high scoring offenses. The Jets take the East again this year thanks to another stellar year from their defense. The Ravens take the North. Many are pegging the Bengals, but with the signing of Owens, they took catches away from Ochocinco. The South goes to the Colts for the millionth year in a row. The Texans will give them a run, though. Even without Tomlinson, the Chargers win the West. My wild card picks for the AFC are the Texans and the Patriots. The Texans fall to their division rivals, Colts and the Patriots upset the Ravens in the Wild Card round. In the second round, the Colts will easily dispatch the Chargers and the Jets somehow manage to beat the Patriots. The AFC Championship game will be won by the Jets on the road in Indianapolis to set up Farve to face one of his former teams in the Super Bowl.

My picks may be a little out there, but how “feel-good” would it be when Brett Farve throws a game winning touchdown as time expires to win Super Bowl LXV 23-20 over the Jets?

And this time, Farve does retire for good.

If you happened to have stop by the ball fields at Mill’s Pond recently, you may have noticed a slight change in things. I’m not talking about a different color grass or more parking; I’m talking about the players on the field. The boys of summer are gone, but the ladies are in full swing and only the ladies.
The Sports Foundation of South Florida kicked off their women’s softball league two weeks ago on Sunday August 22. The league, which is part of the Amateur Sports Alliance of North America, has fielded twenty two teams for this season. Many of the teams are sponsored by local business, much like the teams in the men’s league. Bill’s Filling Station, Georgie’s Alibi and New Moon are just a few of the establishments that have sponsored teams in both the men’s and women’s leagues this summer. League Commissioner Carol Moran, who’s New Moon Bar has sponsored seven of the teams, said the jump to an all-female league was just a matter of time. “As time moves on, things change. This was just the natural progression of things.” Now while this is a female-only league, the league will continue to work with their male counterparts. “Working together will always be important. We all need to succeed,” said Moran.
Games take place every Sunday at Mill’s Pond. There are four divisions of slow pitch play, but no player rating system and no gay/straight ratio rule. Just looking for something fun to do on Sundays or never
Courtesy, Sports Foundation of South Florida
played before, there’s a spot for you in the D- Recreational Division. Are you a balls-to-the- wall, win-at-all-costs player? You’ll fit perfectly into the upper division. There’s a division for everyone, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be on a team in one of the largest leagues in the country. Since SFSF Softball is associated with ASANA, it affords the ladies the same privileges as the boys. They’re able to compete locally, and in tournaments on a national and international level. That means that teams from right here in Fort Lauderdale will be competing at a softball World Series of their own. This year’s event will take place November 2-8i n Las Vegas, Nevada.
Anyone interested in playing or maybe becoming a sponsor can contact league officials through their website, www.sfsfsoftball.com. And be sure to stop by Mill’s Pond this Sunday and cheer these ladies on. First pitch is at 10 a.m.

By Mike Rosenfield

Wake up, get dressed and head out for work. Outside is the view of thousands of drivers, sitting in lines of automotive stagnation, on an over-congested, outdated roadway.  Exhaust and heat pollution ripple views along lines of cars sitting in front of red lights. When the light changes, three cars go through, and then it’s red again. Millions of people accept this reality every day of their lives. Wow, what fun!

There’s another way; ride your bike.  This way, very little time is wasted on red lights. Focus is redirected from frustration -to breathing, balance, and relaxation. Fitness and health are gained, stress from antiquated road systems and the antics of crazy drivers decrease. Cardio-workouts in a gym are no longer needed.  The extra time can be spent in the pursuit of other endeavors. In Japan, it’s typical to see men, dressed in suits, on bikes-on their way to work; there’s no negative stigma. Maybe this is one of the supporting reasons for the fact that the Japanese have the greatest longevity.

A bicycle lifestyle is one that incorporates biking into exercise programs, transportation and appreciation for the outdoors, nature and the sport.

How to start

On a nice day, when it’s beautiful outside, but responsibility is about to ruin appreciation for it, take a ride.  Perhaps, it’s a day that you need to go to Publix, but dread 20 minutes of toxic exhaust, stagnant traffic lights and a parking lot with available spaces half the distance back to your house again. Don’t do it: why would you choose to? Get the backpack (an amazing amount of groceries can fit in one) hop on the bike and go. Now you can appreciate a nice day, while passing up frustration and lines of stationary motorists. Upon arrival, a convenient parking space not more than 20 feet from the entrance welcomes bicyclists.

Little by little, choose biking over driving.  Increased fitness, endurance and a sense of accomplishment, will result. Soon, 20-mile bike rides become second nature; 50-mile rides come onto the horizon, and with that, the realization a car is not so desperately needed in Ft. Lauderdale.

Create a plan that fits your needs

Think of all the places you go to regularly.  Decide if those places are a realistic, obtainable, destination by bike. Some bicyclists cross whole states or nations; for them, there are literally very few places they couldn’t get to by bike. Gradually, the importance of the car becomes diminished; it’s a relief. Self-reliance prevails. To know that it’s possible to cross a nation under your own power is amazing; but also, going to Publix on a bicycle, can be a small miracle.

Just remember…

Safety is key; remember motorists often don’t see bicyclists. They are not looking. The motorist’s mind is focused on other cars; they can dent, scratch or destroy each other, but a collision with bicycle might not be felt.

Some well-known bicyclists and their websites

Ken Kifer

Ken created a website that offers tons and tons of advice and help for those interested in biking for pleasure, fitness or travel; many times a combinations of each.  He experimented and carefully measured the distances he biked from year to year (http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/commute/index.htm). Alas, he was killed by a drunk driver in 2003; let this be a reminder that safety is the number one priority. Stay alert and feel free to use the sidewalks.

Darren Alff

Darren, created “The Bicycle Touring Pro” website that also offers tons and tons of useful information. Daren traveled through the USA and Europe on his bike and shares his experiences, tips and pictures of his adventures (www.bicycletouringpro.com).

Alex Ramon

Alex created an informative site that provides, just about every topic of instruction, for bicycle repair and adjustment (www.bicycletutor.com).

The Bicycle Lifestyle Change Test

1. Do you want a healthier lifestyle?
2. Would you like to be a part of the pollution-solution?
3. Are you sick of the traffic and a defunct road system?
4. Do parking meters or parking tickets make you sick?
5. Do you hate to interrupt your activities to feed a meter (where money evaporates into a black hole)?
6. Do you hate wasting time, circling parking lots, in search of a space?
7. Do you get road rage?
8. Do you like the convenience of close parking?
9. Do you feel that our road system is strewn with serious problems?
10. Do you dislike the pretenses in which the police (who should protect and serve) at times operate, often following motorists about to satisfy numbers, thus not serving?
11. Would you like to have newfound money, otherwise spent on gas, to do with as you choose?
12. Are you tired of car repairs?
13. Have you ever had your car window smashed in?
14. Are you scared to park your expensive car in a lot filled with drivers of questionable skills?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, it may be time to get on your bicycle.

Look in any gym window and you’ll see men hard at work, pumping Iron, climbing the Stairmaster, or riding stationary bicycles. They’re sweating away -building those muscles and burning fat. Above them, the TV drones on; news of the latest local crimes, the weather report and the latest happenings in the stock market chatter on. The workout room has the same dreary look, day after day. The mind fights to find something of interest; it rebels against boredom. Strange things come of notice; a small crack in the wall, a lone piece of tape that once held a poster, or a drop of paint from where it was applied too thick.

Leave that room and the mind numbing boredom behind. Get a bike, and take your cardio workouts outside. There is a world to see; mind and body need to be stimulated. A universe of sights and sounds come alive that never seemed to be there out of car windows.

Types of Bikes
Mountain Bikes are built tough and have gripping wide tires. They’re great for riding Ft. Lauderdale and can easily handle patches of broken glass, curbs and lots punishment without harm. They can be taken off road onto trails, centered in nature and much better than the sight gym walls.

Road Bikes have lightweight frames and thin, fast tires. They are built for riding long distances with less friction. Long distance marathon bikers often choose these bikes to travel from city to city or across whole countries. But they are more fragile and should not be taken off road or bounced off curbs.

Hybrids are great choice for having the best of both worlds. They are a mixture off road and mountain bikes in one, and can handle more punishment yet create less friction with the ground, making for smoother, easier rides.

Folding bikes are excellent for travel; they are small and fold up to “tiny”. If you want to ride in another country, most airlines will accept them as a check on bag. If you want a lift across town, or ride in another location, they’re easily carried onto a bus or placed in the trunk of a car.

Accessories and things to carry
Head and Taillights will keep you alive at night; they required by law for night riding. They’ll also keep you alive; it’s hard to see bikers at night without them
Bells won’t make you feel like a man when you rig them, but are great in getting those in your path to give up a little space for passing.

Bike Pouch- These attach under the seat and are for carrying those things that would otherwise be annoying to carry in your pockets (if you even have them).

Bike tool- Excellent to have on hand.  It’s small and has all the tools needed to assemble or dissemble a bike. It makes adjusting your seat or changing a tire a snap (fits in the bike pouch).

Water- Needless to say, it’s hot!

Patch kit and pump-A flat tire will leave you stranded without these. Ten-dollar lightweight pumps are available at Wal-Mart; they’re also so great for pumping motorcycle tires too. Patch-kits are inexpensive and easily fit in an under seat pouch.

Biking in Ft. Lauderdale

The Beach
Fort Lauderdale has many bike miles along the beach. A sunset ride with an ocean view can’t be beat. The road has a bike lane and riding sidewalk is acceptable as well.  Take a swimming break. What other way, could you park your vehicle so close to your destination, and jump in for a swim?

Residential Areas
Residential areas offer safe riding conditions with low traffic and an assortment of beautiful scenery. A ride through a quiet neighborhood is an excellent way to shop for a new home, if you’re in the market. The Poinsettias are in bloom now; their brilliant red colors accent the surrounding verdant trees.

Bicycle Trails
The State of Florida has prepared a PDF booklet containing the locations and descriptions throughout Florida including Ft. Lauderdale of great places to bike.
The web address is: www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/PDF/biketrails_b_v6.pdf

Group Riding
Join a group and share the experience with others. The ride is much more pleasurable in the company of friends. There are many bicycle groups, some groups ride for pleasure, others for serious workouts and still more ride for causes. Two well-known groups that ride for cause are -Tuesdays Angels (www.tuesdaysangels.org/bike.htm) and Aids Life Cycle (www.aidslifecycle.org); follow the links for more information.

Bicycle Safety and Regulations
There’s nothing more exciting than a great ride, but to maintain the enjoyment of it is to follow a few guidelines. When traveling, ride with traffic on the correct side of the road and avoid heading into traffic, its dangerous. Traveling on the sidewalk is legal and perfectly acceptable. Be careful crossing the exit ways of parking lots with entrances to main roads. These people don’t look for bikers or runners. For a comprehensive guide to biking laws in the state of Florida go to:
www.floridabicycle.org/rules/bikelaw.html

Enjoy the ride!