Women's Sports Foundation Awards $100,000 to Aspiring Athletes

Source: Women's Sports Foundation

Grants provide financial fuel for future champions EAST MEADOW, N.Y. (April 5, 2011) - The Women's Sports Foundation today announced that its Travel & Training Fund awarded $100,000 in grants to 19 individuals and five teams, representing 21 sports. In partnership with Gatorade®, the 2010 recipients each received financial support ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 to help cover coaching, specialized training, equipment, attire or travel expenses. Many of the athletes have aspirations to compete at upcoming world competitions, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Travel & Training Fund has a long legacy of helping to develop world class athletes. Since 1984, the fund has awarded more than 1,200 grants to more than 950 women athletes and 250 women's teams in a diverse array of sports. Past recipients have captured national, world championship and Olympic medals, including figure skaters Michelle Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi, gymnast Kerri Strug, diver Mary Ellen Clark, soccer star Michelle Akers, wheelchair table tennis player Jennifer Johnson and the U.S. Rowing Association.

"As the first charitable organization to offer grants to female athletes with elite potential in both Olympic and non-Olympic sports, we are pleased to have the opportunity to support these athletes, as they move one step closer to achieving their dreams," said Kathryn Olson, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation. "These women have put in long hours of training and the Women's Sports Foundation is committed to ensuring athletes competing in all sports have the opportunity to take their years of hard work and dedication to the next level. We look forward to following the Travel & Training Fund recipients along the road to success."

Past recipient Michelle Kwan (Figure Skating), current and past Women's Sports Foundation Presidents Laila Ali (Boxing) and Jessica Mendoza (Softball), and current Foundation trustee Angela Ruggiero (Ice Hockey), also serve as athlete ambassadors for the program.

"I'm fortunate to have been a recipient of the Travel & Training Fund and understand what a huge impact that financial support makes in helping women achieve their dreams," said Kwan. "This is just one example of the many ways that the Women's Sports Foundation continues to have a profound impact on female athletics."

As national sponsor of the Women's Sports Foundation, Gatorade® is the first corporate partner to designate an annual gift to support the program, refreshing the program after a six-year hiatus.

"We're thrilled to have the opportunity to refuel this program and provide support to women athletes through our partnership with the Women's Sports Foundation Travel & Training Fund," said Sarah Robb O'Hagan, President of Gatorade North America and PepsiCo Global Chief Marketing Officer for Sports Nutrition. "The Gatorade Company is committed to ensuring women have the resources they need to reach peak levels of achievement and to fueling their future accomplishments." In addition to the monetary grant administered by the Women's Sports Foundation, athletes will have the option to receive specialized consultation in conjunction with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI). Established in 1985, GSSI employs a team of MS and PhD scientists and researchers who are trained in exercise physiology and sports nutrition. GSSI conducts and publishes research, as well as educates sports health professionals and athletes on sports nutrition and exercise science. The information provided to athletes helps them understand how they can fuel themselves to not only perform better, but also feel better when training or competing.

The following list details the recipients of the 2010 Travel & Training Grantees. Additionally, with the advent of two new Olympic sports confirmed at the upcoming Summer Games, women's boxing (London 2012) and rugby (Rio de Janeiro 2016), the grant committee is proud to note grantees in these sports, as well:

CALIFORNIAEmily Vinson, Chula Vista, Sprint KayakDagny Knutson, Fullerton, Swimming Amy Haapanen, Manteca, Track and Field - Hammer ThrowUS National Water Polo Team, Orinda, Water PoloKatie Davis, Sacramento, Judo COLORADORachael Flatt, Colorado Springs, Figure SkatingTricia Downing, Denver, Triathlon/Duathlon/HandcyclingRebecca Sorensen, Fort Collins, Skeleton FLORIDAIshika Lay, Neptune Beach, BoxingTeam Tunnicliffe, Plantation, Match Racing - SailingJennifer French, St. Petersburg, Paralympic Sailing GEORGIAElana Meyers, Douglasville, Bobsled ILLINOISNancy Swider-Peltz, Jr., Wheaton, Speedskating MASSACHUSETTSAmy McGuire, Jamaica Plain, Cycling MINNESOTATeam Pottinger, Eden Prairie, Curling NEW JERSEYIbtihaj Muhammad, Maplewood, Fencing NEW YORKPhaidra Knight, Bronx, RugbyAlexis Page, New York, Rhythmic GymnasticsMaria Michta, New York, Track and Field- Race Walking OHIOChristina Gao, Cincinnati, Figure Skating TEXASChristina Loukas, The Woodlands, Diving UTAHAlissa Johnson, Park City, Ski Jumping WASHINGTONSeattle Lady's Wheelchair Basketball Team, Seattle, Wheelchair BasketballPocock High Performance Team, Seattle, Rowing Athletes interested in applying for the 2011 grant cycle may review the application, criteria and guidelines for the Travel & Training Fund at www.WomensSportsFoundation.org/TravelandTraining. The official deadline for the first, 2011 grant cycle is May 6, 2011. A second grant cycle will follow in fall 2011. About Women's Sports FoundationThe Women's Sports Foundation, founded in 1974, is the leader in promoting sports, health and education for girls and women. With Billie Jean King as its founder and ongoing visionary, the Women's Sports Foundation continues to have a profound impact on female athletics, from its vigorous advocacy of Title IX legislation to providing grants and scholarships, grassroots programs for underserved girls, and groundbreaking research. An agent for change, the foundation has relationships with more than 1,000 of the world's elite female athletes and is recognized globally for its leadership, vision, strength, expertise and influence. For more information, visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org. About GatoradeThe Gatorade Company, a division of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), provides sports performance innovations designed to meet the needs of athletes at all competitive levels and across a broad range of sports. Gatorade Thirst Quencher® is backed by more than 40 years of research and is scientifically formulated and athletically proven to quench thirst, replace fluids and electrolytes, and provide carbohydrate energy to enhance athletic performance. The company's product portfolio is built around the G Series™, a 1-2-3 approach to athlete nutrition and hydration before (Gatorade Prime 01™), during (Gatorade® Perform 02 and G2® Perform 02), and after (Gatorade Recover 03™) training or competition. For more information, please visit www.gatorade.com. About PepsiCoPepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. Our main businesses -- Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola -- also make hundreds of other enjoyable and wholesome foods and beverages that are respected household names throughout the world. With net revenues of approximately $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment, including by conserving energy and water usage, and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support, and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.