The following are articles taken from our bimonthly newsletter, The Buzz. If you would like to subscribe to the electronic or hard copy version, please e-mail us.

NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY

Body Electric will be celebrating NGWSD all month long. Check out the flyer to see some of what's going on. (if the flyer doesn't open, you need the free acrobat reader)

** We will be holding a prize drawing the last week in February. Make sure you pick up a raffle ticket at one of the events or from one of our committee members (Stephanie Durfor, Janine Laubacher, Jen Pershouse, Judy Guillermo-Newton, Lisa Braithwaite)!

E-mail bodyelectric@bodyelectric-sb.org or call 805.569.7144 to find out how you can get a ticket!

** At Soho on February 5, we will be holding a benefit concert for Body Electric. Tickets will be $10 at the door. Performers include Tret Fure, Jessica Peters, Antara and Delilah, and Craig Stuart and Kasey Lloyd. The show starts at 7:30.

Join Body Electric in celebrating the accomplishments of women and girls in sports throughout the month of February!

VOLUNTEER!

Body Electric is an all-volunteer organization. We rely on volunteers for absolutely everything we do. Please consider donating your time!

<> National Girls and Women in Sports Day planning and organizing
<> Women’s Sports Book Project
<> Publicity and Public Relations
<> Fundraising
<> Mailings (people with bulk mail experience wanted!)
<> Adventure Club instructors
<> Public speaking/outreach
<> Writing for The Buzz
<> Other upcoming projects!

Volunteer training in March -- call or e-mail us to sign up!

TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD FITNESS AND HEALTH IN 2002!

Well-known football coach Vince Lombardi is quoted as saying "Our bodies are capable of almost anything; it's our mind we need to convince." Many leadership models emphasize that our beliefs become our thoughts, our thoughts become our words, our words become our actions, and our actions become our habits. It's time to program our minds to tell our bodies we can accomplish our physical goals.

1. What do you want to achieve? Be specific.
2. How will you accomplish these objectives? Do you need to do research or ask for assistance?
3. Where will the work/task take place?
4. When will the objectives be accomplished? Decide on a start date and an end date.
5. Why is the objective important to accomplish now? Why are these objectives important to you? What will be the result if this is not accomplished right now?

Take the time to write your answers down. Keep a journal of your progress. Enlist the support of a family member or friend. Make an agreement with them to hold you accountable. Take action today toward your goal. Make a phone call; tell your plans to a mentor/role model; research your options right now!

According to the ancient Chinese proverb, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

So what are you waiting for? Take that step.

By Nicole Clancy, MES, CFT
Nicole Clancy is a Medical Exercise Specialist and Certified Fitness Trainer

SANDI, ANNEKE AND ALLIE: A MOTHER-DAUGHTER JOURNAL

Part one in a series, the following is an excerpt of the journal of Sandi, Anneke and Allie, a mother and two preteen daughters who are helping each other to start and maintain an exercise routine.

With our journal series we bring you the challenges and accomplishments of an average woman: someone who, like all of us, balances a life full of work, play, friends, family and occasional struggle.

We hope you find inspiration in their daily endeavors, and perhaps decide to try something new and challenging yourself!

We have all been inspired by fitness journalings of women who have contributed to The Buzz over the years. But we haven’t read what it’s like from the perspective of a woman who is a wife, mother, and working full time outside the home. These three roles compete with the desire to maintain consistency with fitness.

I am 37-year-old Sandi Shelton-Braithwaite, wife of Scott, and mother of Anneke and Allie. A year and a half ago, I was living in California as a self-employed dance studio owner, home-schooling our two girls, and part of a local running group. My lifestyle was very active and my schedule was somewhat flexible. It was easy to maintain my level of fitness.

We have since moved to the Boston area where I now work an 8-to-5 administrative job. Physical activity is no longer a luxury; I have to schedule it in. With my dance studio and running group a thing of the past, I have had to be creative in looking for ways to stay fit.

I have always wanted to model a healthy lifestyle for my girls, knowing that my values are a huge influence on them. Anneke (11) and Allie (9) are now at the age where I can include them in my activities as well as including myself in their fitness interests. We try to keep it fun, creative, and consistent.

Anneke's favorite things are dancing, basketball, and swimming, and recently she has taken an interest in jogging. Allie enjoys ballet, swimming, tumbling, climbing trees, and jogging.

Living just north of Boston creates some challenges in the winter. It takes a lot more effort to bundle up and head outside or to the gym. We look for things to do like sledding. Now that is a workout!
We look forward to sharing our fitness journal with you. I hope we can inspire you with our experiences.

December 8, 2001 -- This week we’ve had incredibly beautiful weather. I just couldn’t stay inside the office building on my lunch hour. I found a great semi-wooded neighborhood nearby and walked a half hour (two miles) every day. It really energized me. I didn’t experience that afternoon slump.

On Monday evening, Anneke and Allie and I went to the gym and did a mile and a half walk/run followed by an ab and arm workout at home. We each have goals of increasing our arm strength and the number of crunches we can knock out.

I went on my own to the gym during the week and had a couple of good weight workouts. My knees were bothering me from running on Wednesday night, so on Thursday I tried the bike machine. It killed my glutes!

December 9, 2001 -- Today I got a three-mile walk in at lunch and did my Pilates workout in the evening. I was ready to sleep by 10:00, which is unusual for me; I am rarely in bed before 11:00.

December 10, 2001 -- I was hoping to get in a couple of workouts this weekend, but the most I did was dance at my company’s Christmas party. We were so busy I just felt too exhausted to do anything else.

December 14, 2001 -- I worked out so much last week, and this week I hardly made an effort. I noticed that the afternoon slump crept up on me a couple of times. I did have an unexpected workout last night: my car broke down two and a half miles from where I was to meet Allie at her ballet class. I walked the distance at a very brisk pace and was thankful that I have the ability to do so.

December 15, 2001 -- Anneke and Allie and I had a good time at the gym today. First we danced and stretched for about an hour. Anneke practiced a dance she’s doing in her school’s spring talent show. Allie and I worked on some ballet stretches, and Allie used the hand weights to work her biceps. Then I did laps while the girls played pool games. I joined them in a game of Marco Polo before we left.

December 16, 2001 -- Sometimes you don’t know what kind of workout you’ve had until the next day when you’re sore. My calves and glutes are talking to me today! The only workout we are doing today is walking while we're Christmas shopping. I take that back; I will probably squeeze in a Pilates workout I have on video before bedtime.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE ACTIVE WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE

Last summer, my friend got married and she had a bridal weekend/party. Among the typical bridal ceremonial things, we also found time for a quick game of three-on-three. During our intense game, the surrounding courts filled with other players, mostly men. Although this changed the vibe a bit for our group, we kept playing normally.

We sat down for a water break and one of the men approached us with a nice greeting, "Hey ladies, how are you doing?"His curiosity prompted him to inquire why six "ladies" were playing basketball. I didn’t mind his approaching us and asking questions; unfortunately, it is still uncommon in 2002 to find six women playing three-on-three at the local high school basketball courts. In any case, we told him we were just old friends who wanted to get some exercise over the weekend. He laughed and said his farewells: "That’s great -- at least you’re trying."

I will never forget this response because it made me feel like a child. I was thinking that I wanted to say, "Excuse me, nobody is trying here. We're actually doing it. Furthermore, nobody asked for an evaluation of our physical accomplishments. In fact, one of us ladies is an ex-professional basketball player who set a record for the most rebounds in one season and could probably kill you in a one-on-one game."

His comment motivated me to think of ways men can appropriately support women playing sports or being active. I do believe this man thought he was being supportive and positive, but unfortunately was unaware of how awkward his comment sounded.

With that in mind, how can men positively support women? Although it's important for women to support women as well, I think it is worth considering how men can take on this important role. Many women have spoken about their fathers, brothers, man teachers/coaches, husbands or boyfriends having an influence on their physical endeavors.

This is an important issue to discuss, especially because men have historically dominated the sports arena and many people continue to perceive that sports are not something that women can do or excel in. When a man says something like "at least you’re trying," it implies that we're doing something that we aren't likely to succeed in.

Here are a few ideas on how men can support women/girls playing sports or being physically active:

** Ask her about her sport or activity: Ask her how she likes her activity, how she's improving, whether her team won or lost. It's important to acknowledge that you are interested in this aspect of her life. Questioning her is likely to send the message that you support her decision to be active.

** Go to her events: If she's playing a sport, go and cheer her on! Furthermore, invite your guy friends, too. It always feels good to have a cheering section who yells, "All right, way to go, shoot it, shoot it, that’s my wife, yes!"

** Children: Offer to take care of the kids while she goes to soccer practice-karate-yoga — and don’t whine about it, either! Make that a top priority, just as it's important for you to participate in your own hobby/interest. Take your daughter into the backyard/park and teach her how to throw/hit/catch. Ask yourself: "If 'she' were a 'he' would I have already started introducing her to sports?" If not, be sure to take those same steps with her.

** Buy your daughter, niece, granddaughter or little sister sporting gifts — instead of buying her a doll, buy her a baseball bat, soccer ball, or tennis racket. Buy her sneakers instead of sandals. By giving them sporting gifts, you're telling them that they have the ability and potential to succeed. It's also important that boys witness girls' and women's participation. Stop your son from saying things like, "girls can’t play hockey."

** Donate money: There are many programs that work hard to guarantee that girls and women have the same opportunities as boys and men to succeed in sports and physical activities. Donating money sends the direct message that you want action to be taken to ensure women are supported in all possible ways.

** Community involvement: Donate your time to organizations. When men dedicate their personal time to community programs with the goal of supporting female athletics, it sends an especially powerful and exciting message. It indicates that as a society we are closing that gap.

** Ask how you can support: Just ask her the simple question, "How can I best support you and your sports/physical activities?" She may not have thought about it before, but this way you are sending the message that you are interested in learning how you can support her and it is a topic open for discussion.

I hope these ideas will encourage men to consciously make an effort to support women's sporting lives. In order to have fulfilling relationships with family members, partners, co-workers and friends, it is important to openly acknowledge this part of women's lives.

As a board member of Body Electric, my job is to educate the community about these topics. Going back to the man at the basketball court, I would have liked to turn that situation into a great learning experience for us both.

I would have stopped and said, "What do you mean when you say, 'at least we’re trying?' When I hear you say that, it sounds like you don't think we are actually playing. Do you mean to be sending that message?"

Hopefully that situation would have led to a calm and interesting dialog. After all, it starts with education.

By Whitney Scott,
Body Electric Board Member, Adventure Club Chair