Windy City Wanderers Battle for the Finish

The Chicago Fire's coed soccer league is known as the Windy City Wanderers. The twenty-five individual teams throughout the league are nearing the end where they will soon be competing to make one of the top four spots for the 2013 tournaments. The brutal games of slide tackles and rainbows will begin Sunday, May 12th. Each team will take part in multiple matches that day that will determine what four teams will move on the the next round. The league only plays on Sundays so this three day tournament will see it's winner on Sunday May 26th.

It's always fun to watch a good game of coed soccer. Many of the teams have played for a couple years together so they are all ready to fight for the W. It can be expected to see some unnecessary roughness, which will included guys not going easy on the ladies. Lucky enough, the women of the Windy City Wanderers are ready to take on anything.

The tournaments will be played at the YMCA located at 2700 s. Western Avenue starting at 11am. Fans are always welcomed!

Lets go teams!

Jason Collins Makes History

This week, Wizards center, Jason Collins became the first pro athlete to openly declare himself a gay man. Collins sat down with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, for a two-part interview that aired on Good Morning America just twelve hours after the big announcement.

Collins described his struggle to come out as “knowing that the sky is blue but you keep telling yourself it’s red.”

He compared the battle of accepting his sexuality to a 12-step program, saying he went through “anger and denial” before reaching a point of self acceptance.

Although it may have been a very difficult decision for him to make, Collins says the support he’s gotten has been “incredible.”

The 7-foot baller even poked a little fun at himself during the interview, saying “I’m good at playing it straight.”

As for his teammates, Collins said he “expects support from them” and that’s exactly what he’s gotten.

In a telephone interview Wizard’s center Emeka Okafor said “If you are good person and a good teammate – you have those boxes crossed off – I’m cool. All the other stuff is just whatever.

Collins said he didn't know of any other gay NBA players, but maybe his brave decision will inspire one who's privately battling with their identity just like he was. 

GLASA Helps Individuals With Physical and Visual Impairments to Shine

Sport is a universal language that has a way of bringing people together from all walks of life.

For individuals who are able-bodied, finding the sport of their choice and participating in it, isn't hard to do. But for the children and adults that aren't able-bodied, it can certainly be a challenge. 

And it is because of that very reason, that GLASA was born. 

GLASA, also known as the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association, is a sports program that eliminates that challenge and provides children and adults with physical and visual impairments, the opportunity to play a sport of their choice stress free. 

The organization's mission believes that "no individual's quality of life should be limited by a physical or visual impairment"(GLASA). 

Some of the sports it offers are power chair soccer, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair track and field, swimming, wheelchair football and even judo for the blind and visually impaired. 

Hector Rodriquez, a father of two sons that participate in GLASA's power chair soccer, says he is so grateful that problems like GLASA exist. He says it gives his sons confidence and allows them to do what they do best: play sports. 

"This is amazing. It gives them the opportunity to challenge themselves, to excel, to prove that they can do the same thing that able bodied people can do." 

And though it may seem like GLASA just provides an outlet for these individuals to play sports, it does a lot more than that. It allows these individuals to play and help bring out the confidence that they've had all along and shows the rest of the world that they too, are no different from the rest.

Nobody can beat the Heat!

There isn't one team in the current NBA playoffs that has a chance of winning this year. The Miami Heat will defend their title, and I have no doubt. I will tell you why. Not only is Lebron James by himself; absolutely unstoppable. But, the Miami Heat hands down have a top three defense in the league. As the old saying goes "Defense wins championships,"So not only do they dominate on defense, they have the most dominant all-around player in the league. The Heat also have an unbelievable team chemistry going. I think Ray Allen and Chris "Birdman" Anderson really brought a spark to this team this season. Plus, there really isn't a team that can play decent defense against the Heat in the Playoffs. Thunder, Clippers, Nuggets, Warriors; are all teams that play great offense but have no defense. Which, that leaves the Spurs. The only team that even matches up well.  However, way too old to compete with a run and gun team like the Heat. All I can say... get ready for a repeat folks.

Rave Run Lights Up Chicago

Hundreds of people gathered in the heart of Grant Park on Saturday for the Rave Run. The 5k race is exactly what it sounds like: half race, half rave.

Electricity was in the air and people were glowing with excitement both before and after the race (literally, they were all wearing glow sticks).

The 3.1 mile race was anything but your typical 5k. For starters, it was a night race. Participants made their run in the dark, decked out in rave inspired gear. While running in the dark may have caused a few sprained ankles, for many the ambiance was worth it.

And most races have a post-race party, but this one also had a pre-race party. Everyone got revved up to run by gathering in front of a giant DJ booth in the middle of the park and jammed out to electric music.

The race began shortly after and participants ran to the sounds of blasting techno music throughout the park, and many of them danced their way to the finish line. Unlike most races the event wasn't timed, so everyone was there purely for fun.

Giant ten-foot-tall blow-up glow sticks were positioned along the running path surrounding Grant Park. Even the underpass was decked out in bright lights for the rave-runners.

Afterwards, everyone returned to the DJ booth for the after party and danced the night away. 

Between the perfect temperatures for an outdoor dance party and the magnificent view of the lit-up skyline, Grant Park gave every nightclub in Chicago a run for its money.

Staci Boyer: Mother, Fitness Expert & Inspiration

Don't let the toys on Staci Boyer's lawn fool you. This is no ordinary home. Walk down stairs into her studio and you will see what I'm talking about.

Trophies, awards, inspirational posters and pictures decorate her office.

If you haven't already hear of Boyer, then you must not be as knowledgeable about fitness as you thought.

Boyer is not just a trainer and fitness model, she is a brand.

Boyer just published entitled Moviv8n', manages an online website for clients, trains top-ranked winner of fitness competitions and is THE fitness trainer for the Miss Illinois pageant circuit.

If that doesn't seem like enough she is married with two kids.

Boyer's clients are all over the board: men, women, young, old.

While Boyer does train the infamous Team FAB, a group of top-ranking fitness competitors, the majority of her clients are just interested in general weight loss.

Monalisa Brindley lost over fifty pounds with Boyer. She sought out help to lose some weight and tone up. In her forties, Brindley never expected to be wearing a bikini at the pool, let alone in front of millions, but next month she will be competing in her first competition. She gained a new love for herself and the self-confidence to show off all of her hard work.

Boyer's success stories prove that her methods work.

Her motto speaks volumes of her personal ethic and clientele.

"Your destiny is not by chance- it is by your choice."

Don't expect to not work with Boyer's programs. It may be a little rough in the beginning, but you will gain confidence, a healthy life-style and values that are applicable throughout other aspects of your life.

No pain, no gain!

End of the yellow brick road for the Lakers and Howard?

The drama, the expectations and the circus began when Dwight Howard officially became a Los Angeles Laker on August 10, 2013.

Everything the Lakers, players and their fans wanted and more so expected went up in flames when Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon against the Golden State Warriors, and everything that took place after that was a mere formality.

The fans and the Lakers couldn’t actually expect to beat the San Antonio Spurs with half of their team in street clothes and the other half playing with injuries.

            "It's like a nightmare, a bad dream” is how Howard described the season in the press conference after the game and now it's over. No more injuries, no more coaching issues and no more arguing over whether or not Bryant shooting too much.

            The real question is if Howard will re-sign with the Lakers in the off-season. The Lakers can offer him a lucrative offer of $118 million over five years. If another team wants to sign Howard they can only offer four years for $88 million. The difference there is $30 million and that’s a lot of money to pass up.

Can Howard leave the Lakers after only a season with the team? The damage his image will take is enormous. The Lakers are one of the best sports franchises of all time, so if he chooses to leave he has to accept he’s going to a lesser situation.

The pros for Howard re-signing: $30 more million, franchise player once Bryant retires and the allure of playing for the Lakers and living in Los Angeles is second to none.

The logical reason for Howard leaving the Lakers is because the pressure of having to win championships in LA could be too much for him to handle it. Bryant gets a bad reputation but all Bryant wants to do is win championships. Plus, Howard always talks about how badly he wants to win championships and this is the team to do it with.

            Howard tweeted five times late last night expressing his frustrations and the last tweet got LA buzzing.

            What does it exactly mean? Is he thanking the fans for the support or is he saying good-bye to LA?

            We’ll find out one way or another over the summer but until then Bryant, Howard and the rest of the Lakers can enjoy fishin’ together.