January 8, 2019

ON THE BLOG: JANUARY 8TH

Sports is unique in its ability to transcend borders, cultures, race and religion to bring people together.  Sports is also an important vehicle to illustrate many life lessons for both fans and athletes; teamwork, sportsmanship, grit, sacrifice and the pursuit of excellence.  Below are our Top 5 feel good sports stories from 2018 that highlight some of those life lessons:

Steph Curry

Nine-year-old Riley Morrison was excited to purchase NBA superstar Steph Curry’s latest signature shoe, the Curry 5.  However, when she went to Under Armor’s website, she didn’t see the sneakers in the girl’s section.  Riley wrote Curry a letter, expressing her disappointment and to her surprise, she received a response form the NBA All-Star.  Curry sent her a pair of Curry 5’s, promised her she’d be among the first kids to receive the Curry 6’s and invited her to celebrate International Women’s Day with him.

Den Haag

Two Dutch soccer clubs, Feyenoord and Den Haag, were set to play a match on September 11th.  When the traveling Den Haag fans learned they’d be sharing an area of the stadium with sick Feyenoord children battling cancer, they wanted to do something special.  In the 12th minute of play, Den Haag fans chanted as they showered the children and their families below with stuffed animals and toys.

Serena Williams

Don’t call it a comeback.  This year, Serena Williams returned to the court – for the first time, as both a professional athlete and mother. She’s been open with her fans about her struggles, from undergoing an emergency C-section to the struggle and blessing of being a working mom.  Her social media campaign, #ThisMama, has been an amazing way for moms and dads to share their precious – and hilariously gross – experiences as a working parent.

Manchester United

Manchester United superfan, Moses Kamara, was beyond thrilled to attend his first live game. He had traveled all the way from his home in Sierra Leone to see his favorite team take on Old Trafford.  However, due to an unforeseen evacuation practice drill, the match was abandoned.  Moses was shattered and a picture of him outside the stadium went viral.  Once the Manchester United Supporters Trust saw the post, they extended his stay and offered him tickets to the FA Cup final.

LeBron James

In what he called one of the greatest moments in his life, LeBron James opened the I Promise School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The school will support 240 third and fourth-graders who were a year or two behind in reading.  Not only will the I Promise School offer educational support to these students, the school also offers educational, career and emotional support to their parents.  For one of the best NBA players of all time, this school is a living, breathing example of an athlete who has used his platform to give back to his community.