SRSC Staff Ride in the 2009 Northwest Tandem Rally

Spokane to host in 2011

Who says the staff of the Spokane Regional Sports Commission doesn't know how to have a good time?  Marla Emde (Director of Event Services) and Juli Jones (Event Services Manager) traveled to Vancouver, BC on July 3-5 for the 2009 Northwest Tandem Rally at the University of Victoria to enjoy two days of riding and scouting for 2011.

"Spokane will be hosting the Northwest Tandem Rally in 2011, so it just made sense that as the host staff, we go up and experience the event first hand, "says Juli Jones, now avid Tandem rider.

The Northwest Tandem Rally is a non-competitive multi-person-per-bike cycling rally.  Vancouver is expecting over 400 teams to travel and enjoy two days of rides, with three ride options each day, varying in distance and difficulty.  The last time the Northwest Tandem Rally was in Washington State was the 2007 rally in Yakima.  

Thank you Marla and Juli for representing the SRSC and Spokane!  We're looking forward to 2011.

2009 Best Ball Classic

Online registration is now available

Do you find yourself thinking about golf a lot lately? 
So do we...

The 5th Annual Best Ball Classic Golf Tournament is fast approaching.  Find your partner and get signed up today.  Registrations are on a first come, first server basis and the Best Ball Classic has filled up the last two years in a row. 

Online registration is now available!  CLICK HERE for more information and to register online.

Please note...to best accommodate sizing for our tee prizes this year, we are instituting an August 15th deadline to guarantee your size will be available at the tournament.  If you register after August 15th and your size is not available when you check in, we will order your size and ship to you as soon as possible, but to avoid this delay, make sure you register TODAY!

Presented by
Coeur d'Alene Casino

Tee Prize Sponsor
Nike Golf

Beverage Sponsor
MillerCoors

Hole-in-One Sponsor
Pawn 1

2009 Hole Sponsors
Avista
Banner Bank
Best Western Peppertree
Brett Sports: Spokane Indians & Spokane Chiefs
Haskins Steel Co. Inc.
L & M Trucking
Lilac Bloomsday Association
Maxey Law Offices
Mullin, Cronin, Casey and Blair
Rockwood Clinic
Spokane Hoopfest
Spokane Riverhawks

National Veterans Wheelchair Games

Rollin' on the River in Spokane

Get ready for 500+ wheelchair veterans from the "Greatest Generation" to the latest generation, competing in as many as 17 events over six days.  Each year, this event is proudly presented by two partners: Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Department of Veterans Affairs and this year the Games will be held right here in Spokane, July 13-18. From quad rugby to archery, power soccer to track and field, the Games are an exciting combination of competition, camaraderie, and courage.

The week starts with the Games Kick-off in the Spokane Convention Center Breezeway at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, July 13th.  Monday night is the Opening Ceremonies at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena beginning at 6:00 p.m. The Welcome Reception, held in the Spokane Convention Center will follow. Events will be held during the week at various venues around Spokane. 

CLICK HERE for more information and a complete schedule of events.

Motorheads Rejoice!

Spokane County Raceway brings NHRA back to the Inland Northwest

Last month, world-class auto racing returned to Spokane County as the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series took place June 12-14 at Spokane County Raceway Park.  More than 10,000 spectators were in attendance for the return of NHRA racing.  It had been 37 years since the NHRA had run an event in Spokane, but improvements at Spokane Country Raceway have made the venue once again a viable track for racing of this caliber.  

"This has been a huge success," said Brett Lyons, NHRA field marketing manager. "They have turned things around here, gotten the community, the racers and (Spokane) County leaders excited about racing and winning here at Spokane County Raceway. This event is great for the city and the local economy and for NHRA drag racing as a whole to help build excitement for our sport.  With so much that's been done already to the overall facility and more to come the sky is the limit to what the facility can do, be it drag racing, road racing or at the circle track."

For more information on what's going on at Spokane County Raceway, visit spokanecountyraceway.com.

Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame 

Bi-annual induction will take place this October

The Spokane Regional Sports Commission recognizes and honors the accomplishments of our regions greatest athletes, coaches, and contributors at the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame and Scroll of Honor located in the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.  Since 1963, the Hall of Fame has inducted 127 individuals and placed 38 names on the Scroll of Honor.

One of the Inland Northwest's earliest athletic prodigies was Guido Bardelli, also known as Young Firpo, one of the world's greatest light-heavyweight boxers.  His career spanned from 1924 - 1937, an era considered by many boxing historians to be the greatest era in the history of the sport.  The Bardelli's moved to northern Idaho where Guido was introduced to the world of boxing in 1924 at the age of 17 as "Young Firpo."  Young Firpo's reputation grew and he became well known in the Pacific Northwest and along the West Coast because of a rugged viciousness that many sports writers of the era compared to the greatest fighters they had ever seen. Guido Bardelli was inducted into the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame in 1974 and last year joined the World Boxing Hall of Fame located in Los Angeles, California.

This year, the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame will induct 4 more world-class athletes from our region.  The 2009 Hall of Fame inductees and additions to the Scroll of Honor will be announced in September.  The induction ceremony and luncheon will be held on Tuesday, October 13th at the Spokane Arena.  To reserve your seats now, please call 509.742.9379 or download the ticket order form at www.spokanesports.org.

Summer Time = Triathlon Time 

Emde Sports is at it again...

Becoming a summertime tradition is its own right, the upcoming Valley Girl Triathlon is in its 6th year at Liberty Lake.  The immensely popular women's only sprint distance triathlon will be Sunday, July 19th starting at 7:45 a.m.  The event includes a 1/3 mile swim, 10.5 mile bike ride, and 3 mile run.  Valley Girl sold out in less than 2 hours after registration opened last fall.  

The Valley Girl Tri is preceded on Saturday, July 18th by Valley Kids, a distance appropriate triathlon for youth, ages 7 - 15.  Online registration is still available for this event.

The West Plains WunderWoman Triathlon is also coming up Sunday, August 16th at Medical Lake. Another women's sprint distance tri from Emde Sports, WunderWoman is joining forces this year with the National Osteoporosis Foundation helping to raise osteoporosis awareness across the country.

For more information on Valley Kids, Valley Girl or West Plains WunderWoman, visit emdesports.com.

SRSC's Fomer Eags Honored by EWU

Board and Staff members honored for their athletic accomplishments / community service

Doug Kelley (SRSC Board Chair '07 - '09, EWU Class of '83) earned the coveted 2009 EWU Distinguished Alumni Awards. This is the highest accolade conferred by the EWU Alumni Association.  Kelley received the award for service to the community. He has served on EWU volunteer boards, as president of the EWU Alumni Association, judged last year's homecoming tailgate competition and headed a team for Eagle Athletic Association Fund Drive. The regional account executive at Avista has also volunteered his time for Junior League, Spokane Regional Sports Commission, Spokane County Planning Commission, Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, Girl Scouts of the Inland Northwest and Lilac Bloomsday Association.
 
Two other SRSC family members will be honored at the 9th induction of the Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame. Based on team voting conducted last year, the 1989 Volleyball squad will be the team inducted this fall. That squad, led by Hall of Fame coach Pamela Parks (SRSC Board member 2000-present) and Hall of Fame player Juli Argotow-Jones (SRSC staff 2006-present, pictured) will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the first Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament titles that the highly-successful program won, including their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.

 Congratulations Doug, Pam and Juli!  The SRSC is proud of your accomplishments and to have you as part of our organization.

Passfest 2009

No pads. No contact. Pure passing game.

Passfest is an elite 7-on-7 offensive football passing tournament.  Passfest 2009 will be held July 24 - 26 at Hart Field in Spokane.  20 divisions including men, women, boys, girls, and coed will bring teams from throughout the Northwest together to compete for "champion" status.  Four games are guaranteed for each team and all proceeds support local kids charities.

Visit passfest.org for more information and to register you team.

SRSC In the News

The Sports Commission and our events made a few headlines last month.  Check out the links below to see what the local media has to say about what the SRSC is doing.

Sports Commission elevates region as top-flight event site
If you had to associate the Spokane Regional Sports Commission with a modern-day athlete, the most appropriate comparison would probably be Bobby Jones.
Not the legendary golfer from Georgia who won the Grand Slam in 1930, but the defensive-minded forward who played pro basketball from 1974 to 1986 with the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers. A selfless workhorse, Jones contributed to winning teams throughout his career...(read more)

Bike race zips through Cheney Saturday
If basketball isn't your bag, stay clear of Spokane's Hoopfest this weekend and check out the Washington State Masters Criterium Championships in Cheney.
The criterium - a bicycle circuit race held on a small, closed course - is sponsored by the Spokane Regional Sports Commission and will feature 200 cyclists in a fast-paced chase through town on Saturday...(read more)

Cheney to host Washington State Masters' cycling championships
Cheney's streets will be alive and buzzing with cyclists and spectators as the city hosts the 2009 Washington State Masters Criterium Championships on Saturday, June 27.
It's the first time Cheney has hosted the event, which could potentially draw over 200 of the state's top cyclists for competition in six Master's Level races, part of nine races scheduled overall...(read more)

Partners' Corner

Spokane Hoopfest's Record Setting Year
Some facts about the world's largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament:
- 200,000 players, spectators, and volunteers hit downtown over Hoopfest weekend.
- 6,701 teams competed on 428 courts spread throughout 40 downtown blocks and supervised by 3,000 Hoopfest volunteers.
- Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made an appearance at the 20th Anniversary event.  Also, ex-Gonzaga star Dan Dickau and former NBA great A.C. Green were on hand signing autographs over the weekend.
- More players and more vendors than ever including a showing of the motion picture "Coach Carter" on a 9-foot-by-12-foot Jumbotron television. The Jumbotron also aired action at Center Court throughout the weekend.
- More national exposure.  CLICK HERE to read an article in the New York Times about our own Spokane Hoopfest.

Rockwood Clinic July Update
The Rockwood Clinic Sports Medicine Team is your #1 access point for all your individual and team medical and performance needs. Our Physicians, Athletic Trainers, Physical Therapists, and Sports Performance professionals serve as the top provider of sports medicine services for the Inland Northwest. Whether you are a coach, parent, or athlete at any level, we are your best resource for the prevention, management, and care of athletic injuries for all levels of competition.

What's a labral tear?
Over the past few months in the sports world, you may have noticed the term "torn labrum" occurring in reference to hip and shoulder injuries. Specifically, A-Rod had surgery for a torn labrum in his hip, and the Orlando Magic's Jameer Nelson returned to the NBA finals following surgery to repair a torn labrum to his shoulder.
 
The labrum is a rim of soft tissue that makes both the shoulder and hip socket more like a cup. The labrum turns the flat surface of the shoulder and hip joint bones into a deeper socket that molds to fit the head of the humerus (shoulder) and femur (hip) bones. The labrum also helps to provide some shock absorption or cushion to the joint. In sport, high velocity movements can stress the shoulder and hip joints when throwing, jumping (then landing), and cutting.
 
A tear in the labrum can result either from a one-time injury or from wear and tear due to pinching of the labrum or other joint conditions. In some cases, labral tears are not significant enough to cause symptoms. Occasionally they can cause symptoms such as pain, and/or locking or "catching" in the joint. With the advent of medical technology - the MRI and arthroscopic surgery - orthopedic surgeons have a better view of the hip and shoulder anatomy and have developed treatment methods including rehabilitation programs and surgical procedures to allow athletes to return to their sports.  
 
If you, your child, or an athlete you are coaching is experiencing pain and the feeling of "catching or locking" in either their hip or shoulder, it may be time to seek a professional evaluation to rule out a torn labrum. Early intervention can lead to a better outcome with less time away from your favorite activities. Remember, big injuries often have their start with little ones!

Sign up for our free sports medicine e-newsletter at http://www.rockwoodclinic.com/services/sports_medicine.

Lilac Bloomsday Association 
The Lilac Bloomsday Run is organized by the Lilac Bloomsday Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation whose mission is to promote national and international sports competition and fitness education for the civic betterment, social improvement, and physical well-being of the general public.

The Lilac Bloomsday Run is one of America's classic road races. In its 33-year history over a million runners, joggers and walkers have crossed the finish line. Its Olympic caliber field has included many of the sport's biggest names, like Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Anne Audain, Jon Sinclair, Colleen De Reuck and Henry Rono. But just as important is the participation of thousands of citizen runners, who navigate a course that weaves back and forth across the Spokane River gorge. The infamous "Doomsday Hill" is known around the globe. Nearly 30 on-course entertainers create a festive atmosphere along the 7-1/2 miles. And the chance to earn a coveted Bloomsday finisher's T-shirt-the color and design of which are kept secret until the finish-keeps participants of all abilities moving toward the dramatic finish line above the falls in downtown Spokane.
 
Next year's Lilac Bloomsday Run, the 34th, will be on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010.  For more information visit www.bloomsdayrun.org.