Allison Creekmore

Tennis Spotlight: John Isner’s Transition Into A Professional Tennis Force

Tennis Player

 

John Isner’s career in tennis has been an incredibly varied and celebratory one. Coming of the heels of one of his best years yet, it feels like a better moment than ever to reflect on the promising career Isner has been grateful to have.

It wasn’t necessarily easy for Isner, though. Since he was married in December of 2017, he has had repeated struggles with focusing on winning matches. For him, it seemed that the more intensely he tried to win, the less confident he felt.

This lead to him starting off 2018 at 1-6, including some unfortunate losses both at the Indian Wells Masters and the Australian Open. This left Isner not feeling so confident about what was to come, second-guessing himself in the process.

However, his luck was about to change drastically with the Miami Open. After realizing that Isner was perfectly sufficient off the court but suddenly had issues during a game, David Macpherson (Isner’s coach) realized that Isner was suffering from tension. After encouraging him to loosen up and relax more, Isner won the Miami Open, getting him his first Masters 1000 title and launching his career. This streak would continue when Isner also won in Atlanta and as a result was able to get to the US Open quarterfinals.

Now in the fall, Isner was seemingly rejuvenated by the birth of his daughter. He felt very positive after this experience, as it allowed him to feel humbled by the nuance in life and it reminded him of how there are many more important things in life than only focusing on tennis. For him, he said, this helps clear his head, allowing him to have a hard set of priorities to follow. In a way, this makes his tennis playing stronger, as he is able to stay more focused for longer periods of time.

This change in direction seems to have been a breakthrough for the 34-year-old tennis player, as he is now being known as one of the biggest up-and-coming competitors in tennis today. The real question for this determined and young burst of energy is whether or not he can keep up his streak. Thankfully, Isner (and his fans) seem to think so, showing how one can start the year at a low point and end the year as a promising young professional in the field.

from Allison Creekmore’s Career Overview http://bit.ly/2ZrQPvm
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Allison Creekmore

3 Ways Women Can Help Themselves Succeed in a Male-Dominated Industry

Woman In Tech

 

Despite a growing push towards initiatives that help women rise up in fields that are primarily dominated by men, there’s still a long way to go. STEM fields, in particular, tend to have woefully low levels of gender equality, and the problem is that it’s a self-perpetuating problem. Supporting more education for girls in primary schools and universities can significantly improve gender equity, but representation is also important. Without more women in the fields that matter, girls will have more trouble believing that there are opportunities available to them and will have fewer role models they can strive to emulate. The tech startup industry is one of the most lucrative and rapidly growing fields around, but only 17% of startups have a female founder. The gap for funding is even wider, with female founders receiving only 2% of venture capital dollars. It’s a worrying problem but one that can benefit from women lifting one another up in the field. Here are a few ways you can help lift yourself and other women up in a male-dominated field.

  1. Mentoring

Positive role models can be a great motivator for younger girls, but they can also have a major impact on professionals trying to break into the industry. If you have experience in the industry, share your experiences. Whether that means creating YouTube videos, seeking out mentees with which you can build a personal relationship, or engaging directly in conferences, your journey can help other women navigate their own unique challenges. If you’re still trying to catch your big break, seeking out women with more experience can help you along your own path.

  1. Getting Involved in Investment

All the skills and training in the world won’t matter much if you can’t get the funding you need to make your dreams a reality. And while it’s important to close the gender gap at every level of a business’ operations, women in positions of power have the greatest opportunity to enact sweeping change. Women tend to invest less than men; but when they do, they have a tendency to outperform men. Learning the ins and outs of investment and engaging directly means that you’ll have more capital you can leverage to close the gender gap and serve as an inspirational force to other women.

  1. Showing Confidence

People tend to respond differently towards traits of aggression and confidence when they’re exhibited by men rather than women, but a lack of self-confidence can have a major effect on a woman’s ability to break into a male-dominated field. In terms of the investment industry alone, a study found that 60% of men are confident in managing their money as opposed to 35% of women. These attitudes won’t change without a proactive response, and that’s why it’s so necessary for women to engage fully, to ask questions, and to push back against accepted norms of how women should behave in business environments.

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Allison Creekmore

Higher Concussion Rate in Female vs Male Sports

Concussions

 

Will Smith’s movie “Concussion” made the public more aware of the dangers of concussions, which could lead to the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. People commonly associate traumatic brain injuries with boxing or football. However, scientists from Northwestern University made headlines when they equated concussions with girl’s soccer.

A study in 2017 uncovered that girls who played soccer were at a higher risk of suffering from a concussion compared to boys playing any sport. Girls were also three times more likely to incur the injury compared to their male soccer counterparts.

Frequency of Play

During a typical football season, boys may play up to 10 games. The same athletes commonly participate in other sports during the rest of the school year. On the other hand, young female soccer players often participate in anywhere from 15 to 20 games. When the season finishes, there are opportunities to play more than 80 games all year long on community teams. In addition to playing actual games, the girls also practice more often. Their continual exposure to being on the field greatly raises the risk of injury.

Heightened Aggression

As youth sport evolve, players are expected to be faster, stronger and more competitive. Girls soccer too is becoming more aggressive. Players make physical contact with teammates and opponents more often. The girls are often surprisingly more aggressive. Despite suffering an injury, female players remain on the field. On the other hand, when male players suffer an injury, they are typically ushered off the field, evaluated and treated much sooner.

Anatomical Differences

Some theorize that the anatomical differences in girls and boys also increase the risks of concussive injury in female players. Compared to boys, girls do not have the same stout neck-muscle development that stabilizes and supports the neck and head. Thus, when girls perform headers with the ball, hit another player or the ground, they are at a greater risk of suffering more serious injuries.

Research published in an article of the “Journal of the American Osteopathic Association” explained that girls playing high school soccer who suffered injuries also required twice the length of time to heal.

More Education

Parents, coaches and referees must become more aware of the dangers involved with girl’s soccer. Along with heightened awareness, girls must learn better body mechanics to use during play to reduce the risk of concussion and other injuries.

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Allison Creekmore

What NFL Football Players Do After They Are Cut

Football Player

 

Making the cut for an NFL team is a very difficult task. Football is one of the most physical and mentally challenging sports there is. Not many can handle the grind of a regular season, and there are plenty of others who do not possess the stamina and skill to make an NFL roster. Each NFL team is allowed to have 53 players on the roster. One may think due to the large roster that it may be easy to get a spot, but that is far from the case. There are many players who have weaknesses exploited in practice sessions, combine recordings and training camps. So what do NFL players do if they told they do not make the team? 

For starters, football players come to a big fork in the road, and they have to choose whether or not it is worth continuing to pursue an NFL career or if they should soldier on in hopes that one team will find a spot for them. For NFL players that are released, they are placed on waivers for 24 hours. Teams in a specific inverted order of rankings get a crack at the player if they are interested and hold private workout sessions to gauge their ability and health. If players do not make the NFL roster, there is still a chance for them to make a practice squad and gradually work their way up.

If players make practice squads, they are eligible to stay there for two years, bearing in mind that in the NFL, one year is equivalent to approximately two to three weeks. If signed to an active roster, they are eligible for three paychecks. Anyone who has not been in the NFL for a full year will be eligible to make a practice squad.

Free agents with two years experience in the NFL are also given free memberships to gyms located in certain states across the country including Arizona and California. These gyms are run by EXOS, funded for by the NFL Players’ Association, and give retired players and cut players to stay in tip-top shape.

The road to becoming a regular on an NFL roster can be very difficult, but there are other avenues available for players who have important life decisions to make.

from Allison Creekmore’s Career Overview http://bit.ly/2Izvhb3
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Allison Creekmore

Artificial Intelligence, Making Sports Coverage More Efficient

Artificial Intelligence

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a trend that has been accelerating at a rapid pace for the past 10 years. What was once considered a futuristic pipe dream is now accessible from phones (the iPhone’s Siri) and will continue to be transformed so it can keep changing the way in which we see the world.

At the front of the AI competition is the US tech company IBM with their Watson project. Watson is a piece of artificial intelligence currently leading the wave of innovation, having grown to fame in 2011 through winning a game of Jeopardy against the world’s most renowned champions.

However, the use of Watson extends far beyond simply winning Jeopardy; instead, it’s become synonymous with innovation in health care and even sports. IBM’s European consultant Jeremy Waite recently sat down with SportsPro for an interview about how AI can change the world of sports, and it was quite enlightening.

In the interview, Waite said that one of the most important ways that IBM’s AI is changing the sports industry is being able to analyze data quicker than ever before. One of the staples of modern-day culture is the reluctance by many to give away their personal details to marketers, whether it be online or off. This makes it more difficult for marketers to make sure that the content gets to the people who want to see it, giving way to AI for analyzing the data.

This is most easily seen in highlight reels at tournaments such as Wimbledon—after analyzing the footage from any of the 18 different courts, the AI can figure out the highlights of any given match by focusing on facial expressions, ball speed, and the intensity of each volley.

Through this information, it can create a highlight film and distribute it all within a range of 15 minutes since the math ended. This high-speed way of documenting sports is then transmitted to the people who are eagerly watching, creating a stronger network of people engaging the games than ever. On top of this, many people now have more advanced ways to receive the information, whether it be through television, computer, or even receiving highlights texted directly to your phone.

The ways in which AI have affected sports are all positive, with the end result being a simplification of processes that used to be not as efficient or accessible. AI is paving the way for a different way to experience and document sports and we can’t wait to see the innovation continue!

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Allison Creekmore

How Women are Working to Change the Culture of Tech Companies in Silicon Valley

Women In Tech

 

Amy Henderson is a woman working to change the “bro culture” that is so prevalent in Silicon Valley’s Tech Companies. Henderson started hosting meetings with other women in the tech industry in order to address one huge issue–getting their male partners to take paternity leave and embrace a better work/life balance.

Exposing Silicon Valley’s Secret

Through a series of her workshops and lectures, Amy Henderson works with both men and women to expose the disparity between them on the subject of families and raising children. Henderson shares that while motherhood is a limiting factor in women’s careers, when men embrace fatherhood by choosing to take their paternity leave, this begins to dismantle old “bro culture” beliefs that single men and single women are more successful.

Just a year ago, the #MeToo movement arrived in a big way in workplaces around the world. In Silicon Valley, this movement encouraged women to speak up about various toxic behaviors in their workplace. Moreover, this movement kick-started a slightly subtler disruption of the “bro culture” that had become the status quo.

Working Through Micro Moments

In order to enact this type of change throughout Silicon Valley, sociologist Marianne Cooper shares that it’s necessary to work through “micro moments”. Instead of trying to shift the entire culture in one fell swoop, Cooper notes that through little changes, women and men can transform the industry and challenge the norms for professionalism.

In Silicon Valley and the tech industry as a whole, this “bro culture” has promoted men-only company cultures. These environments encourage bad behavior through pervasive sexual discourse in the workplace and excessive drinking off or on the job. Cooper points out that it’s time to redefine the lines between professional and personal behavior.

While Silicon Valley is famous for its innovation, the vehicle for these new ideas often comes by way of toxic traditions like drug-fueled networking events. While many women and men may not enjoy these kinds of work environments, few people feel comfortable enough speaking out against them.

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Allison Creekmore

The Problems with USA Gymnastics

Gymnastics

 

Gymnastics in the United States has had a rough few years. In an industry that has created a culture of ignoring the sexual abuse of their athletes, it’s high time for a change. However, are its leaders equipped to create such a change?

A Turning Point for Gymnastics

Last winter, there appeared to be a turning point in the industry and a reckoning of sorts for gymnasts all over the United States. During Lawrence G. Nassar’s trial, over 100 girls spoke out against the years of sexual abuse that they had endured at the hands of the national team doctor. Once sentenced to a life in prison, gymnasts were relieved that there would finally be a change in the industry.

However, only seven months later, the governing body for gymnastics in America, U.S.A. Gymnastics, let them down again. Through their appointment of executive chief, U.S.A. Gymnastics exhibited indifference towards dismantling the environment that had allowed Nassar’s crimes to go unpunished for so long. This ultimately led to the United States Olympic Committee to strip U.S.A. Gymnastics of any and all governing powers.

The Trouble with U.S.A. Gymnastics

While Nassar’s sentencing should have been the catalyst for major change in American gymnastics, it was hardly enough. Instead of bringing in completely new and unbiased leadership, U.S.A. Gymnastics appointed Mary Lee Tracy to the position of interim chief executive. Tracy had a long history of supporting Nassar, harassing athletes about their weight, and pushing athletes to the extreme.

In an industry that was facing such a tumultuous time, a pick like Tracy only signaled indifference at best and corruption at worst. Following the complaints of gymnasts, Tracy was forced to resign shortly after being appointed.

Weeks later, U.S.A. Gymnastics hired on former congresswoman Mary Bono to take on the task of interim chief executive. Lasting only five days, Bono was another poor pick by the federation. Bono was pressured to resign after several athletes pointed out that her lobbying work delayed reports exposing Nassar’s assaults from being publicly revealed.

Gymnasts hoping to see revolutionary change throughout the sport remain confused. The choices of Bono and Tracy show incredible dysfunction and apathy in a culture that has become increasingly toxic for athletes. These gymnasts recognize the need for drastic change, but when will gymnastics’ governing bodies?

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Allison Creekmore

Female Retention in Tech Companies

In Silicon Valley, it seems as though there is a growing problem with the retention of women in tech companies. Even tech industry leaders such as Google, Apple, and Amazon have below 50% female representation in their workforce. Even though there have been millions of dollars spent to encourage diversity in these organizations, companies are still not getting the results they desire. Employers may need to actually ask the women in their organizations why they are leaving and what they would need in order to stay.

Most management decisions in Silicon Valley are being based on assumptions and not real input from female employees. These assumptions that are made have little to no impact on female employees and how long they stay in the tech industry. Usually, when someone has a problem in the workplace, they want their concerns to be heard and this is especially true for women in the workplace.

Is important for tech companies to realize that women, just like their male counterparts, have ambition, drive, and potential in the workplace. Leaders of organizations need to recognize this potential and give females public recognition for their contributions to the company. Employers should spend more one-on-one time with their female employees in order to give them more feedback on the work they are contributing to the business. This will give them a better feeling of contribution to the organization which will likely raise retention rates of females.

Unintentional sexism may be a reason why many male leaders in the tech industry are not taking their female employees seriously. Studies have shown that ambition levels in males remain the same over a two-year period of time in the tech industry while females motivation levels drop over the same period of time. This is most likely due to women not feeling like they are appreciated in the tech workspace. This could be directly correlated to low retention rates of women in most tech companies.

If a woman feels unappreciated in the workplace, the amount of work she is willing to put in is severely diminished. The overall culture of Silicon Valley needs to change if companies expect women to stay in their organizations. In a country mostly dominated by men, it is important to make sure that your female employees get the same recognition that their male counterparts would receive.

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Allison Creekmore

Women’s Cricket is Driving the Expansion of the Sport

Women’s cricket is finally coming into its own. That’s not only great for the women who play the sport today. It bodes well for the future of the sport around the world. Tristan Lavalette has provided insightful analysis of the momentum the women’s edition of the sport in Forbes recently.

For a long time, cricket has been popular in the Commonwealth. It’s one of the quintessentially British sports, like rugby. While cricket has expanded to countries like Australia and Pakistan, it never quite caught on in the US or the Commonwealth. Test cricket, which goes on for days, is an acquired taste to say the least.

In 2018, for the first time ever, the Women’s T20 tournament was played separately from the men’s event. In previous years, it’s been treated like the junior varsity, a warm-up for the men’s tournament. This year, it was played as a totally standalone event. And the great news is, it was an amazing tournament.

At this standalone women’s tournament, England and India played a nail-biter for the championship, with England as the eventual winner. Over 180 million people around the world are estimated to have watched the tournament. This is great news for the sport overall.

Men’s cricket has been a tough sell in markets like the US, Canada and China. However, women’s cricket has the potential to engage a totally new audience of American girls and women. The type of game play seen at the 2018 T20 is great for the sport. This was cricket at its most competitive and exciting.

The International Cricket Council was somewhat surprised by the success of this event. The hashtag they created for the tournament on Twitter became very popular. It’s said to have set a record for hashtags related to women’s sport. Lord’s Stadium, the most famous venue in cricket, was full and pulsating with energy. The T20 is cricket’s equivalent of the World Cup.

This Women’s T20 cricket final was some of the best PR this sport has had in years. Not only was the match-up exciting, the players were engaging. Their team spirit and good sportsmanship resonated with the fans, both in the stadium and watching at home. These are women who parents would be proud to see their daughters emulate. This sport is truly in great position to expand right now.

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Allison Creekmore

Blast Motion to Debut Swing Sensor Tech in Youth Baseball

The company Blast Motion has recently made a ground-breaking announcement that it will be bringing its unique bat sensor technology to a much younger market very soon.

As of right now, Blast Motion is the only bat sensor producer for the MLB, helping the league track the movement of bats as they are being swung. This is important for statistics as it allows people to analyze the angle at which balls are hit, their distance, and the velocity that drives them.

In the past, this technology has only been available to professional players, but it will now be implemented in younger baseball markets in the coming months for the first time.

This is an important feat for Blast Motion and for youth baseball, as the children and teens practicing and participating in games will now be able to have access to accurate statistics surrounding their performance. For many, this can allow them to actually understand where they hit the ball, how fast they do it, and how both of those factors affects their success as a batter. Though it may not seem relevant, understanding the science behind sports is an integral part to finding success, but many younger sports leagues don’t recognize this or provide the participants materials to understand what’s going on

Through understanding the physics surrounding the games that they’re playing, children will be able to improve both their knowledge of baseball and of science, two important professions that they might not necessarily link together on their own.

Possibly the most exciting part about this new development is the possibilities that will now open up with being able to teach children how to play baseball. Because we can now analyze their motions more precisely, it will be easier to show children what the exact type of swing they should be doing and how efficient their batting skills are.

What’s especially interesting about this development is that Blast Motion is not limiting this progress to just baseball. In fact, they will also be rolling out this exciting new technology for other youth sports, such as golf. In fact, earlier this year they teamed up with the company TaylorMade to make a putter that was able to analyze the same things as the smart bats, something that will also change the way youth golf is played and taught.

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