F our years ago, Dean Nelson came to

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3 Future is bright for youth hockey at KC Ice Center F our years ago, Dean Nelson came to Kansas City from Rochester, Minn., to be the assistant manager of the Kansas City Ice Center. From one hockey hotbed to another, right? Not so much. But in four years, Nelson has changed the way hockey is viewed, especially by the youth in the area, nearly doubling the number of kids involved in the game in Johnson County. I think we ve exceeded our expectations, he said. I don t think I could have expected that we d be growing this fast and going this strong four years ago. A year or two ago, we were number two in the country in participants in the Try Hockey For Free program, behind only Rochester, Minn. We have several developmental programs for young kids that are growing our base. When I got here, I had no idea. I just knew I wanted to help the game of hockey in this part of Kansas City, as well as run a quality hockey organization to give the hockey players a place to call home. I don t think our goals are accomplished, but we re making progress. We re striving to achieve more goals. Things were not running smoothly when Nelson arrived. The Pepsi Ice Center had shut down in the months prior to his arrival, and there was general upheaval among hockey enthusiasts. Kids dropped out because we were too far away from their home, he said. At that time, I didn t really know the trickle-down effect or how long it would take to rebound. All I knew was there INSIDE THIS ISSUE: JULY 2015 Hockey Report page 3 KC Baseball Report page 14 Youth Soccer Report page 4 18th straight year was a lot of untapped energy and a large potential base of people to get involved. We had about 350 skaters involved in all levels of competition. I knew if I worked on growing interest with the young kids, the foundation would grow, and the numbers would grow. Also, our skill level would grow, which would bring more interest. Now, four years later, we ve done a ton, but there s still a large amount of growth possible. It all comes from a real passion I have for the game of hockey. I love teaching it and passing along that passion. That growth really comes from development at all levels, ranging from those just wanting to learn to skate to the few hockey enthusiasts who were already here. Camps and clinics are way up, with six camps and clinics and about 400 kids, instead of two camps with 120 kids when Nelson arrived. This summer marks the first time there have been more than four camps/clinics in one summer. The Five Skills Clinic and the New Player Camp are the additions to this summer s schedule. We had a Five Skills camp a couple of years ago, but it was an all-day camp, Nelson said. The New Player Camp has been added to the summer schedule Steve Fisch, Publisher W. 135th St., #18, OP, KS Phone/Fax: (913) sfisch@kcsportspaper.com Facebook: Kansas City Sports & Fitness Magazine Twitter: KCSportsMag Contributing Photographer/Cover Photo Scott Thomas Contributing Writers Alan Eskew (Editor), James Peuster, Marc Bowman, Dr. Lynn McIntosh, Danielle Debbrecht, Greg Pryor, David Smale, Scott Moreland Published Monthly Entire Contents Kansas City Sports & Fitness The views and opinions of the contributing writers contained in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editor and/or publisher. We decided to bring it back in the clinic format, which is just in the afternoon, with two hours on the ice and one hour off. We cover the basics, because all the kids need the basics, all the way up through high school and college. If you look at the good teams and the good players, they re still working on fundamentals. That s one unique thing to KCIC camps and clinics. There is no ambiguity. When people sign up for one of our events, they know what we re going to be working on, Nelson said. You hear people say, We re having a hockey camp, but you don t know what you re going to get. When you sign up for a camp or clinic at the KC Ice Center, you know exactly what you re going to get. If you sign up for power skating, that s what you re going to get. With that camp, you will be midway through the camp before you ever even see a net or a puck. It s all about skating. If you come back the next week for the Sniper Shooting Clinic, it s every kind of shot, so you really know what you re going to work on. We wrap up the clinic schedule with Five Skills, which is the only one that has more than one focus, and that helps every level of player with the fundamentals. We conclude the summer session with the New Player Clinic the second week of August. While registration is officially closed, there usually is room for one or two more skaters. Nelson said if you re interested in signing up your young hockey player for one of the clinics or camp, him at dnelson@kcicecenter.com or call the Kansas City Ice Center at He ll see if he can find a space. Nelson said the focus on fundamentals is critical, not just for youth learning the basics of the game. The game of hockey is a series of small bursts of action. It s stopping, starting and seeing how quickly you can get to one point, then turning around and going the other direction. David Smale Contributing Writer Knowing, and enhancing, the fundamentals is the key to success. Focusing on the various skills, through camps and clinics, will take the beginner and turn him into a competent hockey player, and take the competent player and turn him into a star. Nelson said he is firmly entrenched in Kansas City, that the lure of fertile fields of unpicked hockey blossoms does not intrigue him enough to head back north. I came as an assistant manager and coach of a team, he said. A couple of years later I became the co-hockey director of the Kansas City Stars. And now I m the hockey director of the Kansas City Youth Hockey Association, which is the governing body of youth hockey in all of Kansas City. One thing leads to another. The future is bright for me here. How long is anybody s guess, but my feet are solidly on the ground here, especially with the merger of the Kansas City Youth Hockey Association. I couldn t be happier here. I still wear my Twins hat whenever I go to a game at Kauffman Stadium. I m a Twins fan at heart, and a Vikings fan and a Wild fan. But I love the Royals as a team. As he said, there s still work to do. Call or visit KCIceCenter.com to for more information on the Learn to Skate and Learn to Play Hockey Programs available at KCIC and to get more information on tryouts and registration for the upcoming hockey season. Interact with our new website: KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS JULY

4 4 JULY 2015 KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS Interact with our new website: Heartland builds capable, strong referees I n every soccer match there are actually three teams taking the field. There are the two teams most people immediately recognize - those competing to score more goals than the other. There is also a third team made up of referees. Although often unnoticed until they don t perform well, the referee team is just as important to the match as either of the other teams. And, just like the athletes on the opposing teams, the referee team is highly-skilled and rigorously trained. Heartland Soccer Association employs 1,300 referees working leagues and tournaments. Recognizing the importance of having quality referees, they have created the Referee Development Academy. While that might seem like a large number of refs, Heartland could actually use twice that number. We need 2,500 to cover the games at the right level of refereeing, said Heartland Executive Director Shane Hackett. It s a big undertaking. We are creating a soccer community. We have well trained coaches and world class facilities. We have an incredible group which is the second-largest (per capita) group in the country. We want to have the best referees, too. We feel the one thing to do is to create a culture where referees feel supported, an ecosystem where they can thrive. The program began last year and has grown with a focus on mentoring. The goal is to improve the overall refereeing, said Kyle Atkins, Heartland s Referee Academy Director. We aim to create an atmosphere within the league that is conducive to our referees development. They noticed how successful it (mentoring) has been and developed RDAP as an extension. It covers all our refereeing effort. The program, which is free to all Heartland referees but aimed primarily at youth referees, has three main aspects: the mentor program, tournament clinics and monthly meetings. The mentors meet with referees at least once per season and go over some of the things they re doing well and some of the things they need to work on, Hackett said. Said Atkins, Our goal is to reach every single ref over the course of the season for at least one game. We want to see if Marc Bowman Contributing Writer they show an excitement for the game and give attention to those who want to improve. Mentors have a select number of referees in their flock. They mentor them and create that team atmosphere. Our mentors are very vital to our referee development and we d eventually like to see our referees become mentors themselves. Mentoring improves refereeing skills, but also helps build confident team members. We re getting them to build their confidence, Atkins said. Teambuilding is the kind of stuff we re aiming to achieve with clinics and mentoring. Our mentors look over five to ten refs specifically to create a team within. Mentors get to know refs outside of soccer to build friendship so that when they go out on the field together, they are out there for each other. If we re able to achieve that our referees are going to be more confident. Tournament clinics take place at every major Heartland tournament. The referees will work a few games and then get additional training. We put on a ref clinic that is invitation only, Atkins said. We find referees with promise from the mentor program, bring in refs and give them specialized training, more advanced ideas. They do on-field activities and get extra special attention. The monthly meetings are a way Heartland helps to reinforce consistency among referees and to bring up topics of interest. We cover trends we ve noticed in our mentor- CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

5 HEARTLAND REFEREE ACADEMY FROM PAGE 4 ing, Atkins said. We gather that information and cover those specifically. And then we have training on special topics, too. Coaches provide on-line feedback, which is used to improve the overall refereeing quality. It s supported by the member clubs, Atkins said. We have them help us by providing feedback after their games, positive and negative, and it s an avenue for parents to provide feedback. We want it to be an atmosphere where it s OK to make mistakes. It s an environment where it s OK if they fail. We re understanding of that. It s a lot like it is for players; they are allowed to make mistakes. That s the only way they re going to learn it. Referees, like players, will make errors, but they will also improve with experience. Players are granted a lot more leeway, Atkins said. Our refs are young. We re trying to have parents understand there are going to be moments where our referees are going to get it wrong. We ve had good responses from the clubs. They are fully behind what we re trying to accomplish. We re getting the clubs to buy into what we re selling. They are happy to see what we re doing. The majority of the feedback has been positive. The program specifically targets youth referees. Since the vast majority of referees are youth, many of whom are players or former players, turnover is high as those kids grow up or move on to college. Heartland has improved their retention rate to 60 percent. Every year we lose quite a few refs, mostly with our first-year refs, Atkins said. That s where we have the most turnover. If we can get them to come back after the first year we have a better chance to retain them. Our goal is getting them through the first season without hanging up the whistle. With our young guys it s getting them to feel it s a fun activity, to feel warmth, feel welcome. Every ref we retain equals more experience. With more mentoring and training, the quality of officials improves. That helps the game. With more knowledgeable officials, players can look to them with confidence, and they provide a safe environment. Atkins himself serves as a terrific example of youth referee training success. Kyle Atkins is a success story, Hackett said. He s a pro MLS referee. We have multiple people at the pro level, but he s the first at MLS. Atkins lengthy resume was upgraded in January to include professional referee when he was accepted into the ranks of MLS referees. He began his career as a youth referee, at age 13, and experienced his own crisis moment early. I was reffing small-sided games at Black Bob Park, he said. One weekend I was doing a horrible game and had coaches and parents yelling at me. As a young kid, my confidence was shaken. I didn t want to do it anymore. I packed up my bags and left. I walked home. My dad was waiting for me. I told him I don t want to do this, I hate it. He told me no, you honor your commitment. I fought him tooth and nail, but he said I had to finish today but if I wanted to quit after today, that s OK. He took me back out there and I haven t stopped since. Atkins believes his experience isn t atypical and that the longer a kid is willing to stay in the program, the more likely they are to have success and to get more out of the program. Ultimately, the best way to train referees is to get them out on the pitch. The Referee Development Program is designed to educate and give training, Hackett said. We feel that being on the field is the best way to learn and get experience. We get them out on the field, Atkins said. It s the only way they are going to learn. That s the best way for these referees to learn. We encourage these referees to have a good team. They are all in this together. Heartland referees also get a glimpse at the referring professional side. Every season we have multiple referee opportunities at Sporting Park, Hackett explained. Our refs meet with MLS refs for a chalk talk. They go into the locker rooms and see the preparation the MLS refs go through. There are a lot of good reasons to become involved in refereeing. I ask them do you like travelling? said Atkins, whose refereeing career has taken him all over the United States, well as many places abroad. Refereeing can take you all over the place. You meet a lot of great people and build friendships that last forever. You can make some money; it s better than working at McDonalds. You get to be outside and it s great being a part of the world s game, a game we all love dearly. It s extremely fulfilling as a referee. For more information about Heartland Soccer Association refereeing, visit HeartlandSoccer.net and select the Referee Info tab. Interact with our new website: KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS JULY

6 Looking back at Chiefs quarterbacks Who is No. 2? I recently watched the ESPN 30 for 30 about the 1983 NFL Draft: Elway To Marino and was instantly reminded of our blunder of drafting Todd Blackledge with the seventh pick, the second quarterback selected that year. Yes, we the Chiefs could have selected Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Richard Dent or even Reggie Roby (6th round). I sat there wondering if Kelly or Marino would have succeeded with the Chiefs during our miserable years in the mid to late 1980s. We are only left to dream and ponder of what could have been. And we are still puzzled why the Chiefs have not drafted a quarterback in the first round in recent years. Kansas City has had more than 30 starting quarterbacks in the Chiefs 50-plus years of existence. I recently challenged many fans to list at least 20 starting QBs and many got close, but could not come up with them all. Who could as there are some forgettable names in the past half century? It is easy to fail to recall Jacky Lee or Pete Beathard, who got spot starts in the 1960s. It s also hard to remember Frank Seurer, although he is a KU product, and Mark Vlasic. Some still forget Chase Daniel, a Missouri alumnus, has started two games the past two years in place of Alex Smith. With that being said, I have come up with my all-time awards for best/worst and unusual quarterbacks to have worn a Chiefs jersey. The Greatest: Len Dawson. This is a no-brainer. He leads in almost every major stat. He led us to the only two super bowl appearances. Dawson may not have been the best QB during his time, but he still holds the NFL record for seasons leading the league in completions percentage. Add the Super Bowl IV MVP and he is the clear cut choice. Number 2: Trent Green. Many arguments here, but he is second in most categories and deserves this recognition. He is the only QB to have a perfect QB rating and add a 99-yard TD pass to his numbers and you can see why I ranked him here. He had more 300 yard games, a higher QB rating and averaged more yards per attempt than any other KC QB. Number 1 Unsung Hero: Mike Livingston. Our only Super Bowl victory may not have happened without Livingston. After Dawson and Jacky Lee were injured, Livingston guided KC to six straight victories in the 1969 season. Most Underrated KC QB: Steve DeBerg. In the four years DeBerg started in KC, we made it to the post-season twice. In 1990, he tossed 23 touchdowns with only four interceptions. DeBerg was replaced by Dave Krieg. Most Overrated KC QB: Matt Cassel. Sure we had a 10-win season with him, but it just felt like we never had a chance when we were behind. Most Hard-Luck QB: Bill Kenney. Kenney spent most of his career on his back behind a porous offensive line, but he did rack up some nice stats during his short run. His best season was 1983, throwing for more than 4,000 yards and leading the NFL in completions. Best Trade of a Starting QB: Cotton Davidson. Before Dawson and before the Dallas Texans moved to Kansas City, becoming the Chiefs (I never understood why the Texans mascot wouldn t fly in KC?), Davidson, a Baylor great and a two-time AFC All-Star, was starting for the Texans. After Dawson became the starter, Davidson would be traded to the Oakland Raiders for the No. 1 selection in the 1963 draft. The Chiefs used that pick on Grambling defensive lineman Buck Buchanan, who developed into a pro Hall of Famer. Best Too Bad We Got Him Towards the End QB: Joe Montana. He led the Chiefs to the AFC championship game after the 1993 season, his first KC year, with playoff victories over Pittsburgh and Houston, and gave us hope for years to come. However, 1994 would be his last year and we quickly watched our hopes diminish. Worst QB Controversy: Rich Gannon vs. Elvis Grbac. Many are still trying to forget the 1997 season in which Gannon replaced the injured Grbac with five consecutive victories down the stretch to give us home-field advantage. The rest is history: Grbac stayed and Gannon went out to become an MVP and appeared in a Super Bowl with the Raiders. Photo by Scott Thomas QB We d Love To Forget: Blackledge. Maybe not truly his fault, but the 1983 draft still haunts us. You May Have Forgotten They Started For KC: Ron Jaworski and Warren Moon. Two greats who once took a few snaps at Arrowhead, but far beyond their glory days. Worst QB with Best Stat: James Peuster Contributing Writer Steve Bono. We all would love to forget his tenure in KC, but who can forget his 76-yard TD run untouched on Oct. 2, 1995 against the Arizona Cardinals. At the time, it was the longest run by a NFL quarterback. That was a classic. Worst Stat Of A Starting KC QB: Doug Hudson. In his only start in 1987 against Denver, Hudson was sacked in the end zone for a safety, he fumbled as well, but recovered. He threw one incomplete pass. He never appeared in another NFL game. That s my list and I m sticking to it, but feel free to contact me with your Chiefs quarterback rankings and memories, both good and bad. James JP Peuster can be reached at Listen to JPEG Sports 24/7 at or on Wednesdays 3 to 4 p.m. at 1510 AM on the radio dial. 6 JULY 2015 KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS Interact with our new website:

7 A few Minor questions remain as Chiefs open camp T he John Dorsey/Andy Reid regime leading the Kansas City Chiefs enters its third edition in As they get ready for the start of training camp later this month, there are questions that still need to be answered if the Chiefs are going to be successful. Fortunately, the questions are in only three areas. Unfortunately, they are: offense, defense and special teams. First, a quick reset. The Chiefs finished last season at 9-7, one game out of the playoffs. Losses to dismal Tennessee and Oakland teams were killers for making the playoffs. Coming off a remarkable 11-5 season in 2013 remarkable because of the 2-14 mark in 2012 most thought the Chiefs would take a major step back. It was a step back, but not as big as many feared. They were 25th in total offense, seventh in total defense. They were 29th in passing offense, second in passing defense. They were 10th in rushing offense, 28th in rushing defense, 16th in scoring offense and second in scoring defense. So there were plenty of things to make you happy, and plenty of things to make Dorsey and Reid toss and turn at night. The Chiefs took some steps toward improving the weaknesses, while hopefully not letting the strengths deteriorate. Let s take a look at those question areas. Offense The Deep End. The biggest knock on quarterback Alex Smith was his inability or maybe an unwillingness to throw deep. The Chiefs became the first NFL team since the 1964 New York Giants (12-game season ) to go an entire season without a wide receiver catching a touchdown pass. In 1964, the Chicago Bears had the NFL s best passing offense at just more than 200 yards per game, so it was a different era. But Smith didn t have a lot of choices. His top receiver was Dwayne Bowe, who led the receiving corps with 60 receptions and 754 yards. But Bowe s strength was his strength, not his ability to get open. The Chiefs added former Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin, who had 85 catches for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns as the top target for Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez. The Chiefs also selected wide receiver Chris Conley out of Georgia. Conley, 6-2, 213-pounds, was a top performer in the 40-yard dash (4.35), bench press, vertical jump and broad jump at the NFL Combine in February. He s been impressive in OTA s and minicamp so far. He s getting better every day, Reid said. (He s) big, strong, fast and smart. Those are good characteristics to have. Charles in Charge. The rushing offense was good last year, but changes in the offensive line make that an uncertainty for The biggest questions are: can Jamaal Charles stay healthy, and are the Chiefs doomed if he can t? Charles has the second best career yards per carry among all running backs, trailing only Hall of Fame fullback Marion Motley (4,720 yards on 828 carries). His numbers are better than Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders and every other running back you can name. But he ll be 29 at the end of this season. He has carried the ball nearly 1,250 times, and he s caught 262 passes in his seven-year career. He will wear out eventually. Knile Davis took a step forward last year. He s a big and fast runner, but he doesn t have the receiving skills needed in Reid s offense. If Charles goes down, he is irreplaceable in what he can do. Keep your fingers crossed. Photo by Scott Thomas Defense Houston, We Have a Problem. Outside linebacker Justin Houston had an amazing year in 2014, with a team-record 22 sacks. That s a halfsack behind the NFL record set by Michael Strahan (a cheap record because Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre fell down with Strahan approaching to give him the record). Houston s timing was perfect, because he didn t get the longterm contract he sought heading into last season. Now, the Chiefs must pay him a lot more than they would have before his breakout season. Houston wants a long-term deal in the range for two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans. Without it, Houston claims he does not want to be here. The Chiefs placed the non-exclusive franchise tag, worth $ million, on Houston, meaning that he can negotiate with other teams. But if he signs elsewhere, the Chiefs have the right to match any offer, or receive two first-round picks as compensation. So Houston probably is going to play for Kansas City this year (and next, as the Chiefs can tag him again after 2015). But will he be motivated to show what he s worth, or will he be a disgruntled employee and perform that way? Anticipate one side or another caving in or a compromise met before training camp opens or early into preseason games. Where s the Beef (Playing)? One reason the Chiefs struggled in stopping the run last year was the loss of defensive tackle Mike Devito and inside linebacker Derrick Johnson to Achilles tendon injuries in the season-opening loss to Tennessee. Both are expected to be back at full strength by the start of the season. They both had limited participation at minicamp in June and will be working back into shape during training camp. With Devito back, what will be the best DL combination? David Smale Contributing Writer Dontari Poe, who is in a contract year, anchors the middle, with Allen Bailey and Tamba Hali (officially listed as an outside linebacker) holding down the ends. The Chiefs didn t add a lot on the defensive line in the offseason, but the return of Devito should help. Peters Principle. The secondary performed well last year, but that didn t stop the Chiefs from using their first-round pick on cornerback Marcus Peters of Washington. Two rounds later, they selected another cornerback, Steven Nelson of Oregon State. Peters is a big (6-0, 195) fast corner with some off-field issues. If he gets focused and stays out of trouble, Peters will be a great addition. Special teams Many happy returns. The Chiefs have long been known as a team with good special teams. From Super Gnat Nolan Smith in the 1960s to Elmo Wright in the 1970s to J.T. Smith in the 1980s to Tamarick Vanover in the 1990s to Dante Hall in the 2000s to Dexter McCluster in this decade, there always seems to be somebody ready to return kicks and to do it with style. This year s choices will come from Davis, whose signature moment came on a 108-yard kickoff return against Denver late in 2013, and second-year players Frankie Hammond and De Anthony Thomas. Thomas returned the majority of punts last year, and elusiveness is his trademark. Kicking the habit. The Chiefs kicking game was solid, but not spectacular, in Punter Dustin Colquitt ranked 21st in punting average, but eighth in net punting average. He tied for fourth with 31 punts inside the 20 (34 led the league), and gave up an average of 6.6 yards per return. Colquitt is under contract for three more years and the salary cap hits go up each year, so the Chiefs are hoping he can maintain his level of performance. Placekicker Cairo Santos converted 83.3 percent of his field goals, which ranked in the middle third of the league. He hit all 38 extra point attempts. Length is an issue, as he hit one of his two attempts from beyond 50 yards. Inside 40 yards, however, he was 17 of 18. With training camp starting in July, the hope at 1 Arrowhead Drive is the answers far outweigh the questions. Only time will tell. Interact with our new website: KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS JULY

8 The Golf M.D. is the right fit By MARC BOWMAN, Contributing Writer R elax and let the club do the work. Many players have heard these sage words from instructors or respected elders, and they ring true especially if you have the right club. Mike Dickerson, a.k.a. The Golf M.D., is ready to help make sure you do have the right club. For 23 years, Dickerson has been fitting players of all shapes, sizes and abilities with the right clubs, becoming one of best in the business. The Golf M.D. has been rated a Top 100 club-fitter by Golf Digest magazine each of the past 12 years, and rated as one of the World s Top 100 club-fitter s since Dickerson makes good use of the Trackman launch monitor and putter fitting studio at his shop Strang Line Road shop in Lenexa and he invites players to bring their clubs to be matched to their swing. We have them bring their clubs in and check them for frequency, he said. We work on the shaft, weights and flex first. Club frequencies vary more than players might realize, and can have a significant effect on a club s performance if mismatched. For example, higher frequency clubs will play stiffer. Dickerson will use his equipment to measure each club s frequency and then have the player hit several shots while under the Trackman launch monitor watchful eye. The launch monitor will provide feedback on launch angle, spin, ball speed and club speed, then calculate the smash rate, which is the division of ball speed over club speed with 1.53 being the maximum possible and 1.33 considered a good ratio. Measurements of launch angle and spin will give Dickerson clues how to adjust the flex point on the club and in choosing the correct shafts. A lower flex point on the shaft will produce higher launches and better spins, he said. The spin and launch angle the attack angle can affect which shafts are best used. Improving the launch angle and spin can help with distance, but also provides truer shots resulting in more fairway play. To score, you have to stay in the fairway, Dickerson said. Once the right shaft is chosen and the correct flex point is determined, Dickerson will work on the shaft length. He holds this step until later because he wants to see where you commonly grip the club, but it is an important element. A quarter inch is a lot in a golf club, he said. With the shafts chosen, properly measured and adjusted, it is time to select club heads. The choice of club head design is more art than science. With sole design, if there s not much pick angle, then you want a flatter sole, Dickerson said. With somebody who picks the ball well you want it more rounded. He believes in getting the shaft right first. There s a lot of aesthetics (in choosing club heads), he said. I can do way more with a shaft than with a head. Dickerson looks to combine several important elements. Getting the frequencies right, and the angles, are important, he said. But the balance has to be right. If the club s too light, (the player) will jump at CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 8 JULY 2015 KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS Interact with our new website:

9 GOLF M.D. FROM PAGE 8 the ball. If it s too heavy, you ll be lunging. The Golf M.D. is adept at fitting clubs for players from the professional ranks to the greenest amateur. To get the most out of an experience with the Golf M.D., however, Dickerson recommends first having lessons to stabilize your swing. If your swing changes after you ve had your original fitting then the measurement results will change accordingly and your club fitting will no longer be accurate. Once you re ready for the club fitting, come into the Golf M.D., and bring your own clubs to get a baseline measurement. Bring your clubs, hit your clubs, Dickerson emphasized. We ll switch from there. You ll hit several shots with different clubs as he uses Trackman measurements. You can t go off of just one shot, Dickerson said. The big box stores will try to sell you your clubs based on one good shot, but you can t do that. You don t know if it was just a fluke. You want to see a pattern. The Golf M.D. s recommendation may determine your current clubs are still the best fit for your game, saving you an expensive upgrade that doesn t improve your game. Why spend the money if you re not gaining anything? he asked. If it is determined that new shafts or clubs would help your game, Dickerson will assist find clubs that have the same feel, helping with a smooth transition. We want everything to feel the same, Dickerson said. The manufacturers don t do that. You ll get clubs with a completely different feel and then there are different weight options. There are also differences with the shafts. The frequencies of graphite are different than steel. Whether it is finding new clubs or adjusting old ones, the Golf M.D. has myriad ways to improve your game. They can fix most any problem, but, as their motto advises: If we can t fix it, it can t be fixed! For more information or to arrange a fitting, contact Mike Dickerson at or visit their website at golf-md.com. Find past issues of KC Sports Magazine online at: kcsportspaper.com Next Month: Chiefs, Fantasy Football, Royals, Youth Soccer & Hockey + More!! Ad deadline: 7/28 Interact with our new website: KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS JULY

10 The golf short game... chip shot tips G olf chipping and putting are typically referred together as the golf short game. Many beginner golf players mistakenly believe that these shots are related to one another and should be executed in the same manner. However, golf chipping and putting are two completely different kinds of shots and must be addressed in entirely different ways. Smooth core motion is required for golf chipping When you putt the torso remains still and the eyes must stay fixed in a single location. When you are golf chipping, on the other hand, the body mechanics must be more fluid. A golf chip shot is merely a smaller version of a full golf swing. If a golf player remains rigid through the torso while golf chipping the body mechanics will be thrown off and a clean golf chipping shot will not be possible. Here is an exercise that will help teach your body the feel of the motion of a good golf chip shot. Place the grip of your golf club against your navel. Take hold of the golf club on the shaft. Go through the motions of a normal swing. Note how your body turns with the golf club; the navel seems to follow the club. Once you are familiar with this motion, grasp the club correctly and take a practice swing allowing your body to continue with the same motion as before. A shortened backswing is necessary when golf chipping If you want to improve your chip shot you must learn to shorten your backswing. If you take a full swing when chipping, your shots will consistently overshoot their target. A shortened backswing will let you strike the golf ball with less force while maintaining proper form and club head speed. You can easily shorten your backswing by not allowing your back elbow to bend. This straight armed approach will naturally shorten your backswing. When you shorten your backswing with this method you will begin to see consistency in your chip shot. Quiet your wrists when golf chipping There are so many things to remember when setting up to make a good golf shot. The chip shot is no exception. There are three main aspects of your swing to keep in mind when golf chipping: 1) allow the torso to rotate, 2) keep the arms straight, and 3) keep the wrists still, yet not rigid. It takes time to develop the right wrist control that is necessary. As with every other facet of golf, practice makes perfect. Believe it or not there are even wrist drills that you can add to your golf practice times. The most effective of these drills requires two golf clubs and a lot of patience. Take a golf club in each hand and hold them parallel to each other in front of you as if you re about to take a swing. Practice swinging the golf clubs while maintaining their parallel positions with each other. This difficult drill will build both strength and control in your wrists and will greatly enhance your chip shot skills. Source: Understanding-The-Uniqueness-Of-The-Golf-Short-Game/ / Author: James Smith 10 JULY 2015 KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS Interact with our new website:

11 I n today s world of ultra-competitive children s athletics, there is more and more pressure on parents and kids to begin specializing in one sport at a very young age. While it may seem like choosing one sport and sticking with it will give an athlete an advantage, we are finding out more and more specialization does not necessarily lead to better performance. In addition, it also puts these young athletes at much higher risk of injury. In fact, in our physical therapy clinic we are seeing athletic injuries in younger and younger age groups all the time. Think of it this way, a child and teenager s body is constantly changing and growing. We can all remember those awkward phases growing up when it just seemed like our bodies just didn t seem to work well. If you can t remember, just go watch school letting out from any local middle or high school. You will certainly see heads bobbing, feet scuffing and The dangers for one sport child athletes backs swaying as these adolescents make their way to any number of sports practices. As they grow into their bodies they need to experience a variety of movement to use all their muscles. If instead of variety, a child is exposed to the same movement over and over again their awkward movement patterns may worsen. Balance is the key to life. But for one sport athletes they use only certain muscle groups over and over again in the exact same way. This leads to tightness of some muscles and excess length of other. It leads to one set of over developed muscles that over power their weaker counterparts. This imbalance is leading to more and more injuries. Still not convinced then remember what it was like when you were growing up. Chances are you didn t go to physical therapy for aching joints or strained muscles as you were playing sports. Most likely you played different sports in different seasons, and a lot of times you probably just made up your own games. Playing different games was protective for you because you used different muscles in different ways. The idea of challenging your body in different ways is not a new one. Consider basketball history. James Naismith was approached to create a game that could be played in between football and baseball seasons. The thought was not let s play MORE football and baseball. The thought was we should be playing something else altogether. Several pro athletes are adding their voices to the chorus for delaying single sports specialization. JJ Watt of the Houston Texans tweeted Single-sport specialization amongst youth today is troubling. Let kids be kids. They ll Scott Moreland Contributing Writer become better all-around athletes & have more fun. When a pro-bowler, future hall of famer, athlete at the pinnacle of human performance speaks out, maybe we ought to listen. Let your kids play a myriad of sports. Specialization at a young age is not necessary. Scott Moreland, DPT is a physical therapist and movement specialist at CORE Strategies Physical Therapy, Sport Performance & Medical Fitness located in Overland Park. The CORE team specializes in rehabilitation and performance training for clients of all ages and activity levels. To learn more about CORE s sport specific programs visit Contact Scott at scott@coreptkc.com. Interact with our new website: KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS JULY

12 W hile quick may be a relative term, big is not. Dontari Poe, the Chiefs first-round pick in the 2012 NFL draft and the anchor of the team s interior defensive line, is every bit of the 6-3, 346 pounds he is listed at officially. Summertime is the ideal season to get your swim training in. Pools are more accessible and the weather sometimes seems to require that cooling off time. Although you might be hot from the summer heat, your muscles are most likely cold and need to be warmed up by stretching before jumping in the pool for your workout. Be sure to stretch your triceps, lats and shoulder muscles. Kicking relies on the muscles of the leg and buttocks, so these will need to be prepared as well. Most athletes know to do their stretching before their workout; however, it is equally important to do a warm-down stretch once the workout is over. This helps loosen up muscles and prepare them for recovery. Stretching is the single-most important strategy to preventing sports injuries. The most common swim injury is swimmer s shoulder. Swimmer s shoulder is an overuse injury to the rotator cuff caused by repetitive over-head motion. Excess training in any one swim stroke can cause a higher probability of a repetitive motion injury. Therefore, it is ideal to cross train with all of the different swim strokes. Summer swim training Shoulder injuries in swimming are commonly assumed to be only from over-use; however, injuries can very likely be from poor technique also. By utilizing a good stroke, the athlete can swim more efficiently, use less muscle power and preserve energy to excel in the stronger discipline areas. Working on your technique will also go a long way in preventing injury and maximizing efficiency. Practice your swim stroke often. Spend a couple of times a week concentrating on your stroke when you swim laps. Even a small flaw in your stroke can cost you time and energy no matter how many years you have been swimming. Try a master class or have one or two coaching lessons to verify your stroke is formed correctly. A few things to look out for on your stroke are: Not rotating your body enough as you swim this causes overexerting your shoulder Making sure your hand does not cross over Dr. Lynn McIntosh, DC Contributing Writer on the entry which causes you to strain your shoulder at an awkward angle Positioning of your elbow if you drop your elbow on the pull through motion, it puts more strain on the shoulder muscles and should instead be utilizing the back muscles. Finally, strength training is important to avoiding injury during swimming. When strength training for swimming, you must take into account the resistance a swimmer meets in the water and train accordingly. Swimming utilizes most muscles in your body, so you should participate in some overall weight training. Just remember to increase the weights gradually. Slow progress is the key to safe resistance training. Dr. Lynn McIntosh is a board-certified chiropractor licensed in Kansas and Missouri. In addition to being licensed to provide general chiropractic care, she is also a certified chiropractic sports physician, working with athletes from multiple disciplines on specific sports-related problems. She s also a certified acupuncturist. To learn more call or visit KansasCityChiropractic.com. 12 JULY 2015 KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS Interact with our new website:

13 S ince Major League Baseball (MLB) began using instant replay (instant used very loosely here), baseball fans have been asking if they like it. Theoretically, I feel there is nothing wrong with getting close calls right, so I have enjoyed watching the managers pick their arguments more efficiently. I do miss the funny and often showmanship antics of the Billy Martins or Earl Weavers, who intimidated umpires with their anger-filled spitting and dirt kicking. Yes, I vote for keeping MLB instant replays, although, if possible, could we please get to a verdict sooner than four minutes? It has taken that long on a few calls this season. In retrospect though, I am so glad that there was no instant replay during the 1985 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals. As Cardinals fans still remember during this 30th anniversary year of the 85 Series, a call at first base in the ninth inning of the sixth game that went in favor of the Royals when Jorge Orta was ruled safe by umpire Don Denkinger. That helped pave the way for the Royals to win that Is MLB instant replay good for the game? Photo by Scott Thomas game and the next night won the World Series, 4 games to 3, with Bret Saberhagen pitching a shutout in Game 7. By the way, if the Cards had won, they would have set a record for the worst team batting average (.185) for a winning team in World Series history! Get serious! On a personal note, if instant replay was available in 1980, I would have another single in my career hits column. On July 26, 1980, I was playing shortstop for the White Sox in a game vs. the Texas Rangers at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Gaylord Perry, a two-time Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer, was pitching for the Rangers. In the fifth, I hit a ball to the right side of the infield and Perry was covering first base to take the throw from the first baseman. As Perry and I reached the bag at about the same time, I looked down and watched Perry miss the bag with his foot by about six inches. First base umpire Dale Ford called me out and I went into a tirade! When White Sox manager Tony LaRussa arrived at first base to separate me from Ford, Ford announced to both of us, Men, if I have ever made a worse call in a MLB game, I do not remember it. LaRussa and I stopped arguing immediately since Ford admitted his mistake. How can you continue to argue with an umpire who acknowledges a mistake? Had instant replay been available that day though, I would have had another career hit! Whether you are a MLB umpire, a college student, a business owner, or a housewife, according to web sources, the average amount of remotely conscious decisions that you make Greg Pryor 85 World Series Champ Contributing Writer each day equals 35,000. Some decisions are good ones and some might be not so good. The bottom line is essentially everything that happens in your brain...every memory...every thought...every emotion...every innovation...every wow, that s great!...is a result of the release of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are not drugs; they are natural substances made by nerve cells in your brain that transmit messages from one nerve cell to another across the synapse that divides them. That s why they are called neurotransmitters. They are made the nutrients in your diet, but there is a very good chance even if you have a good diet, you re not getting the optimum amount of the raw materials that your brain can use to make neurotransmitters. Getting adequate amounts of the right amino acids, etc. from our diet or dietary supplements can help us make better decisions. One specific amino acid, L-phenylalanine (LPA), serves as a building block for the various proteins produced in the body. LPA can be converted to L-tyrosine (another amino acid) and subsequently to L-dopa, norepinephrine and epinephrine. LPA improves communication between nerve cells and is a known booster to memory function. Life Priority, Inc. offers many Designer Food formulas of Durk Pearson & Sandy Shaw. Two of the formulas, LIFT and MIND, were created to provide the body access to LPA, choline and other specific nutrients in adequate amounts that help the brain make valuable neurotransmitters. Mix a serving of LIFT and MIND together and drink each morning or right before lunch. You will like the feeling! Normally, life does not give us a shot at instant replay to correct our mistakes. Feed your brain and avoid making bad decisions - like the MLB umpire calling me out at first when I was really safe! If you have any questions about Life Priority products, please visit lifepriority.com, call Life Priority at or us at customerservice@lifepriority.com. Interact with our new website: KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS JULY

14 By ALAN ESKEW, Editor E ntering July, the Kansas City Royals have a firm choke hold on first place in the American League Central. Yet, they have done it with only minimum production from Yordano Ace Ventura and Danny Duffy, who opened the season as the club s No. 1 and No. 2 starters. Duffy,Ventura need to step it up for Royals Ventura won his first two starts, while Duffy was 2-0 with a 3.45 ERA in April. Then Duffy did a 180-degree reversal and went 0-3 with a ERA in May. Since Ventura won his first starts, he has won once since April 12. He pitched only six innings in two June starts before going on the disabled list. Duffy, likewise, spent time on the DL. Thankfully for the Royals, veterans Chris Young and Joe Blanton have been godsends to the rotation, while Ventura and Duffy were injured and ineffective. While the Royals may run away with the Central, they are going to need Ventura, especially, and Duffy to step it up if they are going to go deep in the playoffs and make it back to the World Series. We need him, Royals general manager Dayton Moore said of Ventura. We need him to pitch well obviously. I think he will. The Royals gave Ventura, a 24-year-old right-hander with a blazing fastball that touches three figures on radar guns, a five-year $24 million contract in early April. Moore does not believe the multiyear, multi-million dollar contract has anything to do with Ventura s poor first half of the season. I ve never bought into the theory they ve got their money now and they re just going off into the sunset, Moore said. These guys want to play well. They want to earn their contract, prove that they deserve (it). We believe in him. Obviously, we gave him a long-term contract. In giving him a long-term contract, we believe that he would perform over the lifetime of that contract. Our medical people felt there was no HELP WANTED reason not to give him a long-term contract. And we felt like it wouldn t rob his incentive to continue to move forward and perform. A 3-6 record with a 4.68 ERA and one victory in nearly three months is not what the Royals are expecting. I think he s probably putting a little too much pressure on himself, Moore said. He ll get through it. He s just got to learn to manage the expectations. It s difficult to manage failure. And it s as difficult to manage success. You have to be able to manage both ways, both areas. He s got to learn to deal with that and he will. In World Series Game 6, Ventura threw seven scoreless innings to beat the San Francisco Giants. We saw how Yordano responded last year in the playoffs, Moore said. He faced an elimination game and pitched brilliant for us in the playoffs. Commission advertising sales for KC Sports Magazine send resume to contactus@kcsportspaper.com He was on the attack. He didn t back down. It s all in there. That s what the Royals were optimistic they would see more of this year, but Ventura has been inconsistent. He has failed to put together solid back-to-back starts since April 12. He s just an outstanding young pitcher, Royals manager Ned Yost said. We ve got a lot of high hopes going forward. He s a special breed of player, tremendous stuff and composure, a tremendous competitor; all things hard to find in a young pitcher of his caliber. To me, it is almost like he is a complete package. He is going to be very, very successful in Major League Baseball. There s no telling what he can achieve. The Royals need Ventura to come off the disabled list in July and remain healthy for the rest of 14 JULY 2015 KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS Interact with our new website: Photo by Scott Thomas the year, including October. If the Royals advance to the World Series, they will need someone to match up against a Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals, Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a Michael Wacha of the St. Louis Cardinals or Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants. That man should be Ventura. At the end of the day, the talent it always wins, Moore said. As long as they are making good choices and their character is remaining strong and they love to compete and they love to play baseball, and they tough through things, the talent is going to win out. Duffy, too, has the talent to be a top-of-the-line starter on a championship club. Injuries and lack of command have held back Duffy, a 26-year-old left-hander with a mid-90s mile per hour fastball. In his first 10 starts, he had allowed 60 hits, walked 15 and hit two batters in 49 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting.310 off him with a.379 on-base percentage and an.832 OPS. Duffy is 0-4 since April 30 after losing at Houston to close out June. Duffy s stuff is too good for those types of numbers. The Royals will need Duffy to pitch better going forward. Reaching the World Series without Ventura and/or Duffy throwing well is not impossible. It will just make the road more difficult.

15 Fans across the world vote for Royals for All-Star Game By ALAN ESKEW, Editor I m sure American League All-Star managers were scratching their heads many years in the 1990s and 2000s and wondering what Kansas City Royals player to put on the team. There some baaaad Royals clubs in many of those years and quite frankly they did not deserve an All-Star selection. But Major League Baseball requires all clubs to have a representative. From , the Royals had a lone pick in 20 of those 22 years. Only in 2000 Jermaine Dye and Mike Sweeney and 2003 Mike MacDougal and Sweeney did the Royals have more than one. There were some unmerited Royals All-Stars in those years. Who could forget first baseman Ken Harvey in 2004 and left-hander Mark Redman in 2006? Well, they are pretty forgettable All-Stars. Aaron Crow, who was selected in his rookie season in 2011, could fall into that category. My how times have changed. There will be a boatload of Royals, including manager Ned Yost and his staff, bound for Cincinnati and the All-Star Game this July. But the surprise has been in the voting. The Royals, who were showcased last October in the World Series after sweeping Oakland, Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore in the American League playoffs. Royals unknown to most of the nation suddenly became America s darlings, i.e. Lorenzo Cain. They went from nonentities to overnight celebrities after spending nearly a month on national television. With just three days left in the balloting, the Royals had five players who would be starting from the fans voting: catcher Salvador Perez, a two-time All-Star, second baseman Omar Infante, shortstop Alcides Escobar and outfielders Cain and Alex Gordon. It appeared doubtful Infante could hold off Jose Atuve of the Houston Astros. While I like Infante, quite frankly he is not putting up All-Star numbers, while Atuve and Jason Kipnis of the Cleveland Indians are. Besides those five, the Royals have three players second in the balloting. First baseman Eric Hosmer dropped behind Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers. Third baseman Josh Donaldson of the Toronto Blue Jays surpassed Mike Moustakas, who is producing All-Star caliber numbers, but not as strong as Donaldson s. Designated hitter Kendrys Morales trailed Nelson Cruz of the Seattle Mariners in a race too tight to call. Beyond the starters and reserves, I would anticipate Yost would select Wade Davis and probably Greg Holland from his bullpen, which is the best in the majors. Kansas City may have been stuffing the ballot boxes, taking the Chicago directive: vote early and vote often. But it exceeds the readership area of Kansas City Sports and Fitness Magazine. These players, the way they played the game, the respect they have for the fans and the respect they have for the game, earned a lot of credibility, Royals general manager Dayton Moore said from their post-season play. So it s just not fans throughout Kansas City or the Midwest, but fans throughout the world. I m proud of what they have accomplished and how they ve represented the game and the Kansas City Royals. I think it s great. I really do. I think it s great for our players, great for our city, great for our fans. That s the system we have in place. At one time in June eight Royals and Mike Trout of the Angels led the voting. Of course, eight Royals will not be starting in the game at the Great American Ball Park, but it did stir up some intriguing discussions. There has always been a controversy not controversy but debate on who should start the All-Star Game, who is voted in, who is deserving. That s what makes our game fun it s debate, Moore said. We all have our favorites, our opinions. They are to be respected, certainly analyzed, but to be respected. The fans are why we do this. The fans in this case have the final say. And you respect the process. It s a democracy, right? Would it be great for the game, say if Infante would start over Atuve and Kipnis? If the fans say it is and that s the process in place, you just respect it, Moore said. I think it just speaks volumes to our great fans. Yost said if the Houston and Cleveland fans don t like Infante leading, then go vote for their man. I keep telling every radio interview I do, vote, vote, vote, Yost said. And not only Royals fans, but Indians fans, Houston fans, Angels fans - vote. That s what it s there for, get out and vote. But our fans have done a great job with it. It is a meaningful All-Star Game for whatever league wins will acquire World Series home-field advantage. That could be vastly important to the Royals, who are leading the AL Central, if they repeat as AL champs. Game Seven last year was at Kauffman Stadium because the AL won the All- Star game in July. We know how important it is, Yost said. It was important to us last year and it s going to be important to someone in that locker room this year. We re going to do all we can to put forth the best team and win the All-Star game. Interact with our new website: KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS JULY

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