Women Like Sports

Product Review: Neocell - Collagen Sport

2012-01-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

If you've been following my sport-related banter for the last few years you know I'm not a big fan of processed anything. I don't care if it's "natural", "organic", or even "healthy". For me, I like seeing all of the ingredients in what I ingest and I prefer to get all of my nutrients from what I eat and drink without using supplements.

I was contacted by someone at Neocell recently and they asked if I was interested in trying out their powder. I was reluctant but thought I'd give it a try. I'd been a little tired and had some decreased performance in the water lately and figured it may be worth it.

The sample I was sent was quite large and when I read the ingredients and the process I felt a little better. For about 4 days I gave it a try, mostly as a pre-surf drink. The flavor was good - not really sweet or processed and you could add it to water. I mixed it in my cocktail shaker as that seemed to work better than trying to stir it.

The thing that I like the most is that there is no gluten, sugar, or lactose. There is xylitol but it isn't overwhelming. Again, I'm really not a fan of sugars (or sugar alcohols) unless they come from fruits (or beer - haha). This powder also contains collagen, which is touted to have great health benefits.

Overall, I was satisfied with my Neocell experience. I've still got some left and will probably use it for pre-surf or pre-early morning workouts.

Book Review: Her Team

2012-01-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

"In a nutshell, it's about a woman who wins the chance to manage the Red Sox. It's a fun, vicarious read - women's sports fiction. A League of Their Own turned on its head...sort of.

HER TEAM is available ONLY in eBook format (The perfect read for a 21st century, technologically connected, woman!) and can be downloaded for $2.99 at Amazon and read on any kindle, PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android Phone, BlackBerry, or Windows Phone 7. Amazon makes the process very simple. It is also easy to give as a gift as long as you have the recipient's email address."

This was a piece of the email that I was sent last month from Jane Newcomer, author of Her Team. I told her that I'd love to check it out and I had an email from Amazon about my gift from Jane shortly thereafter. It took me a while but I finally downloaded it to my Android phone yesterday. I got through several chapters on the first sitting as it is a really easy read. In fact, I feel like it's light enough for the mature high school set. There are mentions of "love scenes" between the heroine and her man but nothing outwardly graphic (at least not in the first few chapters). Honestly, Judy Blume is far more descriptive in that category.

If you want a feel-good story that has an overall happy tone, this seems to be the read for you. I'll keep going back until I finish it, especially since it's just in my phone and super convenient. So yeah, what I really love is that this book is only digital - it forced me to give up the paper and read it on the DROID.

If you're interested, spend a mere $2.99 and download the book here or check out Jane's site here.

WISE: Women In Sports and Events

2011-12-04T16:02:00.000-08:00

Last week I was excited to be invited to the WISE Los Angeles Women Of Inspiration Awards Dinner. If you haven't heard of WISE the description from their site says:

"Women in Sports and Events (WISE) is the leading voice and resource for professional women in the business of sports and events. Founded in 2005, the Los Angeles chapter is one of more than 10 chapters across the nation. Our unique vision empowers WISE to celebrate and connect emerging and established women leaders, to promote one another in career growth and continue to change the face of our industry."

When I got to the event I was treated to several things. First, Carlton Hair was on hand to style attendees hair if they wished. This was pretty fabulous at the end of the day coming straight from the office. They also gave away a big bag of products to one lucky lady. Shi Shi Putter had a setup that you could work on your putting with and gave away a Sweet Spot Golf putter as well. Monte De Oro Winery provided wine for the evening and sent everyone home with a bottle of wine. In addition we were all given really great swag bag.

Indeed, there were a lot of very amazing women there and I was really honored to be invited as a guest. I loved how all of the honorees mentioned in the above graphic were so genuine. Actually, everyone at the event was quite genuine. This was an event where everyone was incredibly friendly, smart, and inspirational. I had some great conversations about golf, broadcasting, sports fashion...and a bunch of other fun topics!

Check out what others were saying about the event with the Twitter hashtag #WISEInspires.

Holiday Gift Idea For Golfers

2011-11-29T18:16:00.000-08:00

Full disclosure: The Photo Ball Marker people are incredibly nice and have sent me their products for no charge over the last year or so. In fact, when I lost my precious bloodhound they sent me an awesome PBM with his picture. They rock. They haven't asked me to write this post but I am because I think it's a great gift. Buy some!

Photo Ball Marker makes a great gift for the golfer in your life. All you have to do his follow this link, upload your pictures, then place your order. In fact, if you click one of my links here or click through the ad on my sidebar you can get $5 off of your order.

PBM has expanded recently as well - instead of only hat clips or magnets you can get necklaces, keychains, and brooches! I totally wear my PBM button and necklace rather frequently. I've got PBMs for my golf buds too and everyone digs them. How can they not, you're in control of the design. They're your pictures! I always get compliments on the course when I'm sporting my hat clip.

Check them out today and give them a follow on Twitter. Like I mentioned, they're really nice people. Really! Plus, you can get these for non-golfers also! Just order the keychain, necklace, or brooch!

YMX Review and Giveaway!

2011-11-27T11:43:00.000-08:00

Yes, YMX Yellowman sent me a jersey gratis to review and are sponsoring a giveaway but the opinions are my own! Deal with it!

YMX Yellowman contacted me to review a product that was touted as a "multi-sport" piece. Okay, I'm game. I do more than one sport. Although I didn't see my sports on their site I decided to test what they sent on what I do.

I was sent the Winter Flower red jersey with a hidden zipper and 3 back pockets. My first test was skateboarding. I went out on a chilly morning that I would usually wear a hoodie for and this was warm and worked really well. I got the medium and the arms were long enough! This is important for a 5'10" girl.

Today I decided to give it the surf test. Since they're rated at SPF 50, I assumed you could get it wet. Forgoing my usual rash guard I wore this instead. Perfect! It totally worked and had me cozy in the Santa Ana winds under my suit this morning. In addition, the design is pretty sick. After looking around their site I really fell in love with the Asian-themed art pieces they have.

So yes, multi-sport it is. This should work famously for you cyclers and runners (or surfers/skaters like me!)

Wanna win one?

Send me an email at sportswriterchick(at)gmail(dot)com and tell me what sports you want to use it for. The deadline is 11:00 pm on Friday, December 2nd. I'll pick a winner at random.

Good luck!

P.S. United States only please

Rip Curl G-Bomb Wetsuit FAIL

2011-11-17T04:57:00.000-08:00

What happens when you splurge and go ahead and pay for the $300+ wetsuit? In my case, you get incredibly disappointed.

At the end of last month I bought the Rip Curl G-Bomb 4/3 wetsuit. I liked the fit more than my other suits and was quite cozy. After less than 2 weeks of wear, the zippered stash pocket on the left leg's zipper broke.

First of all, this was an absurd spot to have the stash pocket in my opinion as it hit right on the left calf. It seemed to assume that the wearer wouldn't have any calf muscle and wouldn't be a lefty. Unfortunately for me, I do and I am.

Rip Curl has had my suit since last Wednesday, November 9. They claim a 48 hour turnaround. Yesterday was the 16th and I still have no suit. I contacted them on social media and they had someone get back to me that promised my suit would be back yesterday.

This is a major mess. It's bad enough that OEMs don't make wetsuits for women that actually surf but now I'm out $300 and the water just keeps getting colder.

Don't Let It Hold You Back

2011-11-12T19:17:00.001-08:00

I had a really interesting day yesterday, to say the least. It was one of those that really messed with my confidence. I got out this morning for dawn patrol and had such a hard time at first. Seriously.

It was a little bit of size and some current...but I had that last week. Last week I totally shred the place. I shred so much that people didn't even expect it. It was fantastic.

This morning, things weighed really heavily on me. It took me a little bit to get into the lineup. Actually, it took me longer than it should have. I shouldn't have let that happen.

Life throws you curveballs. Life sometimes chews on you a bit.

It's okay, it happens.

I did make it out into the lineup in the "scary" waves today. It felt great. I knew I could do it.

Kelly Slater's 11th world Title

2011-11-08T05:21:00.000-08:00

They finally got it right and Kelly, or Ke11y, is now an 11 time champion! I've had a surf contest recently myself but not nearly as high profile. If only I could surf as well as Kelly...

See you all soon, much more to come!

Gettin' Schooled

2011-09-02T16:12:00.001-07:00

I just had to point out a few times where I was recently in the lineup and a few younger surfers thought they would send me to school.

First, a very young teen that I was most definitely old enough to be his mother thought he would paddle into my wave. I was in position but he came over as fast as he could to try and cut me off. Of course, I stood up and rode that left like I meant it. It was a great ride.

Last week it happened again. I went to my local spot and went to a spot away from the crowd a bit. This time two young girls paddled up on either side of me in the lineup. I was stoked to see other girls out there. I nodded and said good morning but they ignored me and paddled into my wave. Nice. The funny thing was that it was a bit rough for one and she had to get out. The other tried to snake me on a left (and I'm goofy so watch out when you try this) and I took it without a problem. She only stayed in another 10 minutes also.

In the crowded summer months a little etiquette goes a long way. Nobody likes a snake and nobody likes a wave hog. I was especially offended because both of these incidents happened at the spot I go to every morning and I had never seen these kids before. I happily welcomed them and they thought different. Sad.

Just remember one thing you would-be snaking youngsters - one day you'll be the older surfer in the lineup.

Surf Contest Fun & Other Surfing Adventures

2011-08-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

Last month I had the pleasure of entering a really fun surfing contest. It was put on by a local clothing company and had a bunch of awesome prizes from awesome shops like Rider Shack and ZJ Boarding House. I didn't have what the judges were looking for but I had a blast nonetheless and met a few new cool surf buds so I definitely came out a winner.

Speaking of winning, I'm gonna go volunteer for Stoked this weekend. This is an organization that takes kids surfing, snowboarding, and skating. I'm gonna help with the surfing this time. I can't wait - I always leave events like this totally pumped!

Have a great week!

HIATUS!

2011-08-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

Where have I been? Well, not posting. However, I'll be back soon and tell you a bunch of fun stories:

* Surf contest fun

* Stupid injuries

* Product reviews

* Surfing with a loudmouthed lady, a good friend from high school, and my favorite crowd

* An incredibly amazing round of golf where I was on FIRE!

...and many more...I promise to be back soon....

In the meantime - GO OUTSIDE! It's summer, enjoy it!

My Favorite Surf Bikini

2011-06-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

Amazingly I found my ideal surf bikini on Amazon. Yes, without even trying it on. I'm even writing about how much I love this bikini and I was not sent one to review. Full price was paid so that should tell you just how much I like this bikini. In fact, after I bought one and realized how fantastic it was I bought another.

Triangle tops kill me. They dig into my neck and are really unpleasant after a 2 hour session. Bandeau tops don't work at all for me, there isn't near enough support. One piece suits are really difficult to deal with when you're trying to be Houdini in the parking lot (you know, not dropping your towel whilst changing).

A lovely pro surfer came out with a line that was supposed to be good for surfing. I checked them out and they're great if you're 12 years old or built like you are. Even a few ladies that I know who wear B cups said that the larges were still too small. This wasn't going to work for me.

Luckily, I found a top and bottom that work for me. Yes those links have the sizes I ordered although I probably could have done fine with a medium bottom. For reference, I'm 5'10" , about 145 lbs, and wear a size 4/5 pant and 9/10 top. My shoulders are pretty big from playing sports all these years and I'm not flat chested. No, I'm not trying to brag - just trying to give perspective for you other surf gals that are searching for a good suit.

Anyone else know of some good surf swimwear that doesn't dig into your neck or cause wardrobe malfunctions? Let me know where to find 'em!

The Worst Surf Camera Ever - UPDATE

2011-06-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Back in February I bought a Kodak PlaySport waterproof video camera. Do yourself a favor - don't buy it!

I've got to send it back for the THIRD TIME NOW!

When I first got it, I was super excited, got a housing to put it on my surf vest, and went out in the water. The minute it hit the water it died. We sent it back. We had to pay for postage. About a month later it came back.

I took it out a second time. Again, the minute it hit the water it was dead. This time it took on a bunch of water.

We had read the directions both times and put it in water mode. I was only surfing so it wasn't submerged very much at all.

We sent it back. A month later, they sent us another.

I finally took it out today. Guess what? IT DIED AGAIN!

This time I'm hoping to talk to someone and get something resolved. This thing is the biggest piece of crap ever. We're out $150 plus the cost to ship it back once (they paid for the second one).

Seriously? It's not like I was doing anything wild with it. The video above was allegedly taken with the same type of camera.

Anyone have a good surf camera reco?

**UPDATE**

I first tried to contact Kodak on Facebook but had no luck. Next I found @KodakCameras on Twitter. Luckily, Mary-Irene Marek was incredibly helpful and got someone to contact me in a matter of days. They had me ship my 3x refurbished camera do a different location and sent me a NEW camera just in time for the 4th of July holiday! Now that's service! It's a shame that it took so much effort but it was nice to get the personalized service from Mary-Irene and Ricky (the rep who gave me a call).

This is a great example of using social media for customer service. Twitter is a great medium for this and having dedicated staff that listens to consumer concerns is really the way to go! Brands should take notice and follow this example (I know many have and I say "good job" to that!)

Phone calls didn't work and neither did email messages. The only gripe I have is that the didn't send me the color I had originally and one of my purchased-separately storage cards was destroyed in the earlier attempts.

I plan to upload some of my cool vids soon. The picture is really quite nice. I've just got to get the mounting on my vest right and then I'll be sharing away.

Thanks Mary-Irene & Ricky, you two exemplify what customer service should be.

Write Something Already!

2011-06-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've been busy! I do apologize for being absent so long. I've got some book & product reviews coming up for you along with some general blah blah blah. In the meantime check out the surf dog video. I wish my big dude wasn't so afraid of the water. Could you imagine a 140-lb bloodhound surfing?

Oak Foils Custom Surfboards: Custom Mermaid Artwork by Keoni for Apryls Dyna-Gl...

2011-05-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

Oak Foils Custom Surfboards: Custom Mermaid Artwork by Keoni for Apryls Dyna-Gl...

Book Review: HIGH STRUNG: Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, and the Untold Story of Tennis’s Fiercest Rivalry

2011-05-08T13:38:00.000-07:00

My favorite part of HIGH STRUNG is the awesome 70s & 80s pics of the awesome hairdos! Seriously though, I was excited to get this book to review to read about this interesting piece of tennis history.

One was an ice-cold Swede with an aura of invincibility. A poster boy for the sport who was equal parts enigma and Adonis. He was tennis’s version of a matinee idol. He was a Houdini in a headband who could outlast opponents for thrilling comeback victories. He was obsessive, unflappable, and unbeatable on grass and clay. They called him “Ice Borg”.

The other was the poster boy for everything that was wrong with Western society. He was a left-handed lightning rod who sought confrontation with nearly every living being on the court while he was in the midst of battle. He yelled at umpires and linesmen loudly and with reckless abandon. He was an exact balance of talent and the temper, perfect biomechanics and boorishness. They called him “Superbrat”.

With all of their differences, their battles were pure tennis magic, and their rivalry the stuff of sports legend. Stephen Tignor’s “HIGH STRUNG: Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, and the Untold Story of Tennis's Fiercest Rivalry” (Harper, May 2011) is a marvelously articulated chronicle of the matches that defined the rivalry and the personalities that fueled it.

Both were exceedingly talented. John McEnroe represented the blinding heat of youth. Bjorn Borg was the epitome of cool control. McEnroe externalized everything. Borg’s competitive fires burned deep within him. McEnroe respected Borg and was driven by the desire to unseat him as the world’s #1. Borg was already a legend and sought to remain as the most dominant player in the sport. McEnroe found refuge in the rivalry. Borg found his final opponent.

You can get your copy here.

Book Review: GOLF LIST MANIA!

2011-05-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

I was quite excited to get this book to review since I'm a not only a fan of golf but a huge fan of quick, easily digestible reading. This most definitely fit both criteria. For example, who won't appreciate a list entitled, "Great Caddyshack Pick-up Lines"? Most of the quotes come from the Rodney Dangerfield character, of course. "You must have been something before electricity." Epic.

This spring, as golfers everywhere dust off their clubs and begin the long-overdue march to the 1st tee, celebrated golf writers Leonard Shapiro and Ed Sherman aim to fill our heads with all things “golf” and present GOLF LIST MANIA!: The Most Authoritative and Opinionated Rankings of the Best and Worst of the Game (Running Press, May 2011), a comprehensive record of epic moments and massive disappointments, of major heroes and Sunday breakdowns, and of sage advice.

GOLF LIST MANIA! is a celebration of golf. These are our favorite subjects as fans, players, and major championship junkies: Tiger, the Shark, Sarazen’s double eagle, Miller’s 63, Van de Velde’s collapse, Sergio’s light résumé, Lefty’s greatest hits and near misses, Jack’s second places and Feherty’s acerbic wit. Shapiro and Sherman effortlessly compare 2nd rank events and personalities over decades and generations and leave the reader entertained and raring to go for that next tee time.

Top-10 graduates of the Nationwide Tour? There’s a list for that. Top-10 Aussies of all-time? Yep. Top-10 golf movies? Please. Ten best Korean LPGA players? There’s a list for that too. If it’s happened in golf over the last century or so, GOLF LIST MANIA! has it covered.

And interspersed throughout GOLF LIST MANIA! are some of the great golf quotes from some of the most famous and infamous golfers, thinkers, and personalities who ever shanked a three-iron: Bob Hope, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Alistair Cooke, John Updike, Phyllis Diller, Gerald Ford, Will Rogers, Billy Graham, Heywood Hale Broun, Rick Reilly, Jack Lemmon, Hank Aaron; black-and-white photos of golfers who’ve shaped the golf world, past and present; as well as guest-lists from some of the great sources of golf-knowledge in the game: Dan Jenkins, John Feinstein, Lance Barrow, Peter Kessler, et al. GOLF LIST MANIA! is about as much fun as a golfer can have with his soft spikes off. For some, it might be more fun.

You can get your copy here.

Oak Foils Custom Surfboards: Preview of Apryl's OG Dyna-Glyde Scalloped Concave...

2011-05-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

Oak Foils Custom Surfboards: Preview of Apryl's OG Dyna-Glyde Scalloped Concave...

Check Out Rickie Fowler's PUMA Style at The Masters

2011-04-07T06:11:00.001-07:00

Kicking off the Masters today, 2010 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Rickie Fowler will bring color to the course in his best PUMA styles of the season as he seeks to add a coveted green jacket to his already fashionable collection.

Rickie tees-off on Thursday morning wearing a color he hopes to be wearing again Sunday afternoon – GREEN! Capturing his true signature style, from his Fitted Monoline Flatbrim cap to Cell Fusion shoes, Rickie will rock the PUMA green from top-to-toe.

You can check out the hi-res images here.

Product Review: B IS FOR BASEBALL: Alphabet Cards

2011-04-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

I was sent a very cool little product to review recently that is a really cute way to teach the alphabet to one of your really cute little ones. I plan on passing them on to one of my cute little nieces/nephews. Here are the details:

As we look ahead to the 2011 Major League Baseball season, artist Doug Keith reminds us that at its root the National Pastime is and forever will be a game for the young and young at heart.

This May, Keith and publisher Simply Read Books will introduce the first in a series that will keep our young sports fans in the game and into learning their ABCs. “B is for Baseball: Alphabet Cards”, by Doug Keith (Simply Read Books, May 2011) is an entertaining and edifying look at the alphabet through the humorous illustrations that capture the spirit and action of the play in the diamond.

The game is here in every one in these 26 cards. From A to Z, young learners will find that “P” could be a pitcher beginning his wind-up; “L” could be an outfielder who catches the ball and the wall at the same time; “A” could be batter practicing his mighty swing; and “Y” could be an ump calling “Yer out!”

“B IS FOR BASEBALL: Alphabet Cards” are about as much fun as you can have off the field and there is no better way for our young fans to get ready for the tee ball, little league and the 2011 season.

The cards come in their own box and are a joy for all ages. I would recommend these for the young sports fan in your life or any child that is learning their alphabet. You can get yours here.

Book Review: REMEMBERING FENWAY PARK: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of the Boston Red Sox

2011-04-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

I received one of the most beautiful books to give a review just in time for baseball season. Let me just get one thing strait - I am most definitely NOT a Boston Red Sox fan in any way, shape, or form. No way. That should tell you that this review is quite genuine.

I was told that:

This book is a stunning tribute for the 100th anniversary and covers all of the players, teams, characters, anecdotes, Pesky Poles and Green Monsters that loom large in Fenway lore. It is truly beautiful and will appeal to all fans of the game…not just Sox fans.

“A lovely work of sporting art”—Furman Bisher

“For Red Sox fans, this gem of a book about a jewel of a ballpark is enough—well, almost enough — to banish from all thoughts of Bucky Dent and other disappointments.”—George F. Will

Indeed it is an incredibly beautiful gem that any baseball fan would appreciate that is filled with great pictures and anecdotes. The retro pics are my favorite like the one on page 66 of Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio. There are so many chapters of the Red Sox history such as Babe Ruth's debut, Nuns' Day, and the animosity between the bleachers and the box seats.

You can get your copy of this beauty here.

Much More To Come

2011-03-19T22:46:00.000-07:00

I have so much going on these days but also have a few things stacked up that I need to share. I'll be getting caught up this week. Check back here for book reviews, surf session reports, philanthropic reports, and quite a bit more.

Have a great weekend!

A Special Deal From Our Sponsor - Photo Ball Marker

2011-03-07T16:58:00.000-08:00

Our favorite sponsor - Photo Ball Marker - has come up with a special deal for the readers.

To celebrate our breaking the 1000 mark in Twitter Followers we have set your promo code to give Free Shipping in addition to $5 off this week only.

That sets the price for our Three Photo Set for people going through your ads at $20 (Our Price through Our Web Site is $24.95 + $4.95 = $29.90). It will be good through Sunday, March 13, 2011 and then go back to the normal $5 off.

To get this deal you only have to scroll down a bit and click through the ad on the side bar for Photo Ball Marker and the promo code is pre-populated.

Book Review: Derek Jeter: From The Pages Of The New York Times

2011-03-03T15:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, let me just start this out by saying that I am the FARTHEST thing from a Derek Jeter fan. I'm even farther away from that from being a Yankees fan. This girl is a Los Angeles native that has been a Dodgers fan from the day she discovered baseball. Yes, that means I am accustomed to being in somewhat of an abusive relationship. At least my hometown has a team. I got that going for me.

At any rate, this is post is not about me, it's about the beautiful hardcover book I was sent to review. I was told:

Drawing on over 5,000 New York Times news articles and features, dozens of classic photos and the masterful design of publisher Harry N. Abrams, DEREK JETER: From the Pages of the New York Times is a fitting and attractive chronicle to one of the great players in major league history.

This book is really quite attractive and awesome for Jeter and Yankees fans. I would go so far as to call it a "must have" for that group. Even everyday baseball fans will also enjoy this narrative that chronicles his career from high school days through the 2010 season.

You can flip to nearly any page and get an interesting tidbit about this future Hall of Fame shortstop. For example, one interview piece quotes Jeter as claiming to want to play shortstop since his dad did in college. You know, because when you're young you always want to be like your dad.

This book is a great compilation of Jeter's accomplishments to date with an abundance of full-color pics and quick factoids to keep even the shortest attention spans interested.

You can get your copy here. Check it out!

Have You Tried Deal Pop?

2011-03-01T17:57:00.000-08:00

Hey Los Angeles readers - this one's for you so pay attention if you like local sports bars:

Have you tried Deal Pop? It's one of those deal sites where you can get major discounts on food, spa services, and the like. They contacted me today to help them highlight the latest deal for the L.A. area.

The deal is for a new sports bar called The Varsity and if you go to the Deal Pop link and you can get $20 worth of food and drink for $10. Also, if you enter the code VARSITY20 then you'll get the deal for only $8. Yes, I bought one and am looking forward to checking this place out, especially since they have a dog-friendly patio!

*This is a sponsored post