Back in March, we at Play City offered a special promotion called "Play for Good, Win for Keeps." Anyone who registered for Play City during the last two weeks of March was entered to win a shiny new Flip camcorder. Aaaaannnnd... we have a winner! Drumroll please... 

A huge congratulations to the winner of the drawing, Iris22!

"I joined Play City because I want to be actively involved in different causes and use my athletics to help support them," said Iris22. "My favorite sport to play is basketball because I feel that it gives my a chance for good exercise and helps me learn how to work as a part of a team."

Check out her blog and request her as a friend on YouthNoise.

Are you still not a Play City member and looking for yet another reason to join? Register by May 31 and you could be the proud new owner of a Flip cam!

 

 

 

This is a guest post from Lauren Brill (a.k.a. YouthNoise user LaurenArielle) about the incredible Groove With Me dance school in New York... Enjoy!

 

Sounds of laughter and joy reverberated throughout the halls and the classrooms of the Groove With Me dance school on East 123rd street in New York City. Groove With Me, Inc. is a non-profit organization that offers free dance classes ranging from Hip-Hop to Yoga as well as performance opportunities to girls in the local community, ages four to eighteen. After spending time at a women's prison, Abby Rosin found that a lack of confidence was a common theme for women who travel down the wrong path. Rosin decided to step up, share her passion and make a difference. Establishing Groove With Me thirteen years ago, Rosin and her fellow volunteer dance instructors teach discipline, teamwork and instill confidence in young women through the art of dance. In doing so, Groove With Me hopes to decrease teen pregnancy, violence, substance abuse and other negative behaviors.

Don’t be late, be ready to work and feel free to ask questions are some of the ground rules set for the students. The structure as well as the words of encouragement throughout the class looked to be beneficial to the students, as the class I observed appeared in sync and uninhibited when trying a new move. Most impressive was the genuine feeling of happiness that the energetic young girls conveyed. Whether it's because they have a passion for dance, enjoy making new friends or simply appreciate that there are people taking an interest in their lives, all the girls expressed that when they grooved they felt good.

The girls may only spend a few hours a week at the dance studio but the lessons they learn and the confidence they build spills over into all areas of their life. Parents have commented that their child's behavior at home, grades in school and approach to handling conflict have all improved thanks to a little music and a lot of movement coupled with teachers who are truly touching lives.

Click here for more information on Groove With Me Inc.

 

Cheerleaders are often portrayed in movies and TV as the stereotypical "dumb blonde" girls-- pretty, popular and vapid, only there to cheer on the male athletes. Competitive cheerleading, however, requires a lot of flexibility, endurance and skill of both male and female participants. Are cheerleaders athletes? Is it demeaning for women to cheer for men instead of playing the sport themselves? Do male cheerleaders face discrimination?

 

Photo courtesy of Sister72's Flickr photostream

In the '70s, Billie Jean King (a female tennis player) was the female activist advocating equality. She defeated a male tennis player, Bobby Riggs, and showed that women's athletic ability is equal to men's, if not better. That was almost forty years ago. Now, women compete in all sports but still get paid a lot less that their male counterparts. Is this proof enough that we need another female role model to lead the way so all women can get equal pay for playing?

Should high school athletes be eligible draft picks for professional sports teams?  Physically they are sometimes more than ready (for example, Lebron), but mentally and emotionally they rarely are. However, it is fair to ask someone to walk away from millions of dollars when in a years time they could get injured? There are different rules in different sports, but what should the general rule be?