The Golden State Warriors recently held their Active Alliance Season Kick-off event at Oracle Arena for students of Hayward and San Lorenzo High Schools. Students were treated to a panel of Warriors personnel featuring David Kelly, General Counsel and Vice President; Basketball Legal Affairs, Adonal Foyle; Golden State Warriors Alumni and Community Ambassador and Kirk Lacob Assistant General Manager, Golden State Warriors. The panelists shared personal stories of working with the Warriors that helped shape them for their current roles. The panel gave students an inside perspective into the world of professional sports with personal stories aimed to inspire students to make healthy life choices on and off the court. After the panel, the students attended the Warriors Open Practice Event that included select fans and partners who were invited to watch the Warriors practice. The event was an exciting way for the students to get an inside look at their favorite players, what they do to warm up and how they practice.

Omar Garrett of Hayward High School, who was chosen by Warriors small forward Draymond Green to join the team on the court to shoot around, reflected on his experience at the event:

When I went to the Warriors basketball clinic last year I got to meet some of the players. It was a fun experience because I love the Warriors and they are my favorite team. However, I had a chance to go to the open practice for the 2014/2015 season and I got to meet all the players. I had a fun time meeting the people I look up to and want to be like in the future. It was an amazing feeling to be able to practice with the Warriors in front of their home fans. I was beyond excited when Draymond picked me to come onto the court to practice making the half court shots with the team. The noise level from the crowd was a lot different than my usual crowd level of when I am playing my basketball games in front of my home crowd at Hayward High. When I made the half court shot, the crowd went crazy and I felt like I was one of the Warriors players. One thing that stuck with me beyond the Warriors open practice is when Warriors alum, Adonal Foyle said, “athletes die twice, when they end their career and when they die and leave this Earth.” That has me thinking about what I want to do after my basketball career. I look forward to going to another camp, clinic or even game soon.

Ashanti Curry, a Hayward High student, shares her experience of getting onto the court with the entire Warriors team and letting Stephen Curry know they are probably related:

When I went to the Warriors open practice, I was very excited. I had been looking forward to going for the past two weeks and finally it was time. I was expecting this to be kind of like last year; how it was set up like a basketball training camp with games and stuff but instead, this time it was an open practice. It was pretty fun to sit and watch the players contest with each other but not really go all out. It was also better in comparison to last time because we were able to see the entire team. I like how finally, they were picking people from the crowd to come on the court and I was picked. I can’t even begin to describe the feeling. I guess it was kind of like a dream; I was on the basketball court with people I usually watch play from my tv at home… now I was shooting around with them. I was kind of nervous when they put the ball in my hand but once I let the first shot fly, it felt like a natural practice for me. When all those shots started going in, it felt even better. I was showcasing my skills in front of pros and their fans out in the audience. What made this experience even better was that I got to talk to Stephen Curry. I asked him if he would believe that we were actually related and then I showed him my ID. His reaction was “Uh oh! We got a Curry over here!” That’s when I really felt the need to ‘ballout’. The entire experience was fun and I want to get to meet and talk with the Warriors team every year.

Chantal Remillard, a Hayward High student, who was the lucky winner of court-side tickets to a Warriors game for asking the most amount of questions as well as the most creative questions:

Being very involved with sports and the sports editor of my school, given the opportunity to attend the Warrior’s clinic, I took it without question. It was a great opportunity to hear the speakers like David and Kurt, it was very inspirational that you don’t have to be a professional athlete to still have an exciting job in the sports industry. When I asked the questions I didn’t know of what my exact prize was going to be. I had no idea that my seats were at the announcer’s table and that it included he VIP lounge with free food and drinks. It was a great experience and I’m glad I got to go. I want to thank the Warriors and everyone involved in getting me my tickets it was a fun game that my friend and I both enjoyed.

For more information about the event, please visit the Events Page.

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The Mitch Richmond Courts feature four new NBA plexiglass hoop systems and a 14,000 square foot all-weather acrylic playing surface. The refurbishment project also includes installing new spectator seating, a drinking fountain, and signage.

In collaboration with The California Endowment, Richmond Community Foundation and Good Tidings Foundation this marks the first of what is hopefully many court refurbishments as a part of the Active Alliance partnership. After the unveiling, 50 local youth from the Richmond area participated in a basketball clinic with the Warriors basketball camp staff.

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New elements of the program include student Ambassadors and more consistent messaging in programming around the 3 HealthCorps pillars of physical activity, nutrition and mental resilience.  Coordinators spent time asking questions, brainstorming, sharing ideas and discussing ways to build the Active Alliance into their existing programs to reinforce what they are already teaching.  A brief overview of the new evaluation plan also gave coordinators an idea of how the program will be measured in the second year.  The Northern California coordinators ended their day by meeting the Sacramento Kings staff and touring their Arena.

The training was designed to help new and returning coordinators learn more about the Active Alliance and how the program is being shaped as a whole.  The goal of the training was to collaborate and ensure that the coordinators understood the program, felt prepared and better equipped to work with students, the NBA teams and their schools to create a stronger and more impactful program.

“The training was fun and informative. I’m excited to be able to work with the NBA teams, and use the Ambassador program as another tool to motivate my students to make healthy choices.” – Vanessa Vazquez (Valley)

“I thought the training was great! I really feel like I have a better understanding of the program and feel confident about bringing it to my school.” – Evelyn Rwema (LB Poly)

“It was exciting to meet all the coordinators and we are really looking forward to our second year of the Active Alliance.” – Lindsey Weis, Kings Partnership Manager

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The event was held on American Legion High School’s new grass field, which was funded this year by a Green Schools Foundation grant. Activities included Boxing and Yoga and student-run booths highlighted sustainability, the benefits of drinking fruit and vegetable juices, and leadership committees. There were also community partner booths, including representatives from Planned Parenthood, Fitness Rangers, The American Heart Association,  Red Cross, and Sacramento Fire Department. Students enjoyed participating in fitness activities and learning about the many resources available to them.

Students were especially taken with the fitness dunk tank. Students did squats, push-ups, or jumping jacks to win a chance to dunk the teacher of their choice. American Legion High School Principal Mr. Echols and second year HealthCorps coordinator Tyler Mar were two of the unlucky chosen ones!

Later in the afternoon, students were joined by Sacramento Kings Dancers and Kings’ mascot Slamson the lion.

American Legion received donations from the Department of Motor Vehicles, Blue Diamond, Mary’s Gone Crackers, Embassy Suites, and the Sacramento Food Co-op.

American Legion’s HealthCorps coordinator Tyler Mar organized and orchestrated the health fair. This is his last year in the HealthCorps program. For more information on becoming a HealthCorps coordinator, please visit: http://healthcorps.org/get-involved/jobs/

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On Thursday April 10th, Active Alliance joined forces with the Sacramento Kings and the American Legion Breakfast Program to help educate kids about the importance of healthy breakfast habits. HealthCorps coordinator Tyler Mar has helped coordinate the  student-run breakfast program at American Legion High School in Sacramento, CA, which gives students the opportunity to cook healthy food, influence program decisions, and earn class credit.

American Legion students were joined by Sacramento Kings mascot, Slamson the Lion, and Kings’ point guard Ray McCallum.  Slamson helped wheel the breakfast cart around campus, serve breakfast and encourage after-breakfast school cleanup.  Later, McCallum joined the students to tour the school. He spoke with students about the importance of eating a healthy breakfast, especially as a professional athlete. Much to students delight, McCallum then led students in a game of basketball. All in all, a great and healthy start to the day for American Legion High School!

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The 2014 honorees included: Ms. Goldie Hawn, Academy Award Winning Actress, Author & Founder, The Hawn Foundation, Ms. Gloria Steinem, Feminist Writer and Activist, and The California Endowment.  Guests included Chef Rocco DiSpirito, Candice Kumai, George Duran, Angel Ramos and Jorge Pineda, as well as notables including Harold Hamm, Tibor Hollo, Kathlyn Mead from the California Endowment, Mark Moreno from MD Anderson, Eric and Meghan Sherman from Veria Living, Michele Paige from Emblem Health, Dennis Balint from the California Walnut Board, Dave and Renee Wentz from USANA, Paul Scialla Founder and CEO Delos Living, Miss New York City Kira Kazantsev and so many more.  Press coverage on the red carpet included Access Hollywood, Fox 5 local news, Veria Living, US Weekly, Waiting Room magazine, 201 magazine.

The cocktail hour showcased companies including Hills of Africa, Yoga across America, Somadome, California Walnuts, 4.4, Delos Living, and Sahaja Meditation.  Yummy, healthy treats were provided by Chef Candice Kumai, Chef George Duran and Jorge Pineda and guests schmoozed while photos were taken with Dr. and Lisa Oz in the VIP area.

The dinner hour offered smashing dance and song by Stepp Stewart and the “Savory Dancers,” with a bring-down-the house musical arrangement by C + C Music Factory.  Special musical guest Judy Torres, gleaming and gorgeous, broke out the moves and rocked the house.  Coordinator Amy Barras brought a quiet moment to the night, as she emotionally introduced The Heart of the Matter.  The awards were given out to the honorees and to two recipients of the Crystal Apple Awards.  There was also furious texting as this year’s Gala introduced the text for pledgeprogram, allowing attendees to immediately pledge donations in real time.  One “anonymous donor” pledged $50,000, enough to cover the placement of a coordinator at a high school for two years.

The big surprise of the night – HealthCorps and The Hawn Foundation announced a new partnership to bring first class mental resiliency, nutrition and fitness education to America’s youth.  This partnership of HealthCorps and The Hawn’s Foundation MindUP program will further the reach and influence for a healthier generation, giving teens across America access to greater health and wellness education, improving mental, physical and emotional health overall.

“Partnering with Goldie’s MindUP™ program is a watershed moment for HealthCorps in our quest to inspire America’s youth to embrace a healthier future,” said Dr. Oz, co-founder. “We hope others will join us to bring the best-of-the-best in mental, nutritional and physical fitness curricula to students across the country and empower them to change their lives and the lives of those around them.”

“The key ingredients for a happy and healthy life are found in the balance of both mental and physical wellbeing,” said Ms. Hawn. “And that is exactly what this collaboration with Dr. Oz’s HealthCorps organization hopes to provide teenagers. When children learn about their brain, such as the physical impact of deep breathing on stress and the positive effects of mindful awareness training, positive psychology, nutrition and exercise – they are better able to self-regulate effectively and thrive.”

After the awards ceremonies guests danced and partied the night away, leaving with a gift bag filled with select gift items from companies including Power Crunch, Hills of Africa, California Walnuts, Poofy Organics, The Good Bean, Good Life magazine, Better Body Foods, Vemma, USANA, Fruit Bliss, and Jahnavi Sankhla, author of Yoga of Eating Great and Losing Weight.

By Amy Hendel, Nutritionist and Lifestyle Blogger

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Students and parents alike piled into the Roosevelt High School gymnasium last Saturday afternoon in Boyle Heights. Why? The school’s first ever Highway to Health Festival featuring the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Active Alliance, HealthCorps and health-related community organizations came together to put on the festival, which took place on March 22nd. The goal was to educate students and their families about health, wellness, and nutrition.

Los Angeles Lakers’ players Pau Gasol, Nick Young and Xavier Henry participated in the event, through the Active Alliance partnership. Lakers Girls taught a dance clinic and signed autographs for students. Adrian Garcia Marquez, the Lakers’ Spanish play-by-play announcer, emceed the event. Students were buzzing about the Lakers arrival and became overjoyed when the players names in attendance were revealed, an hour before their arrival.

Gasol, Young, and Henry spoke to Marquez about healthy eating and staying fit in the NBA. Gasol stressed the importance of eating a healthy breakfast, telling Marquez that he eats an omelet and juice every morning. We can all take a lesson from that play book!

Later on during the festival, Gasol judged the Teen Battle Chef competition between students from Roosevelt and Mendez High Schools. The cooking competition featured healthy, tasty recipes, with food provided by the California Walnut Board and Toufayan Bakeries.

Much to the delight of the students, Young and Henry led a basketball clinic outside, which quickly turned into a game of knockout. Other outdoor activities included yoga classes provided by Yoga Across America, a walnut cracking competition, and meditation with Sahaja Meditation. Attendees also had a chance to enter a drawing for fun prizes provided by the Los Angeles Lakers, 4POINT4, and Melissa’s Produce.

HealthCorps Coordinators Saul Jimenez-Suarez and Felipe Valencia helped plan and execute this special Highway to Health festival. Jimenez-Suarez and Valencia teach at two high schools in the Boyle Heights Community, in the east Los Angeles area, leading classes in fitness, nutrition and mental resilience. They also hold after-school programs and help to coordinate school and community health and wellness events.

Active Alliance would like to give a special thank you to our partners and funders for Roosevelt High School and Mendez High School, The California Endowment.

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