sports Archives – Kveller

Sara Blau, 17, grew up on Long Island playing softball, basketball, tennis, and soccer. She’s convinced that being part of a team shaped her both on and off the field. As she says, “Playing on a… team is extremely rewarding and fun. I get to feel like a part of a greater whole.” Sara also recognizes that team sports are a privilege not everyone can afford. Cleats, shin guards, bats and balls, even sneakers can be prohibitively expensive. So Sara created Game Changers New York, a non-profit whose mission is to… >> Read More

sports

Leave Serena Williams’ ‘Maternal Instinct’ Out Of The Conversation

Emily Burack

The 2018 U.S. Open's women's finals should have been an amazing match. Instead, it was a historic disgrace. For those who don't watch tennis, or maybe live under a rock, a quick summary: Serena… Williams played 20-year-old Naomi Osaka in the finals. Williams, 36, was largely the favorite to win — Osaka had never even made it to the finals of a Grand Slam — which would also mark a triumphant comeback one year after nearly dying in childbirth. Osaka, after making history when she made the final —… >> Read More

high holidays

I’m Biking 100 Miles on Rosh Hashanah. Here’s Why.

Michelle Dickstein

Over the past four years, I’ve been actively exploring my relationship with Judaism, Jewish culture, and my personal spirituality. What I’ve realized is that while I feel connected to Jewish… traditions, values, and the concept of a higher power, I don’t feel spiritual connection in synagogue. Reading prayers in Hebrew during services just doesn’t do it for me. I enjoy the Jewish High Holidays for the opportunity to connect with “framily” — my close friends who feel like family, whom my husband and I first… >> Read More

sports

This Jewish Trailblazer Helped Change Women’s Tennis Forever

Emily Burack

Olympic gold medalist Julie Heldman is ready to speak her truth. The 72-year-old recently published a memoir about her experience as one of the pioneers in women's tennis. Heldman was part of that… iconic group of women — the "Original Nine" — who signed a contract for $1 to protest the pay inequality between male and female tennis players. "Tennis was not a joy for me," Heldman tells Kveller. "Aspects of it were. Crunching a winner, that felt good. Being out in the outdoors, running around, that felt… >> Read More

sports

When the Little League Coach’s Advice Works in the Big World

Sharon G. Forman

My 12-year-old son plays baseball for four — yes, four — different teams. Since he took up the game at age 6, he has worn jerseys emblazoned with the names of any number of red and blue… feathered friends, as well as one breed of dog famous for its pronounced underbite. When his travel team recently advanced to the finals of a tournament, my normally less-than-stoic child did not complain once about playing three games in the course of one day. All of this seriousness of purpose regarding a youth sport surprises… >> Read More

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