Sarah Piampiano gets ready for the water. Photo: Roka Sports/Instagram
April was filled with a little bit of everything: Triathlons, powerlifting, mixed martial arts, and a very personal essay on passion in women’s sports.
Our top five stories from April, as measured by hits:
5. David Ortiz’s 15-Year-Old Daughter Surprised Her Dad By Singing The National Anthem At Fenway
David “Big Papi” Ortiz has 20 years worth of big league memories, but perhaps nothing as salient as what his daughter did for him on the diamond.
Prior to the Boston Red Sox home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, Alex Ortiz, 15, surprised her father by singing the national anthem at Fenway Park.
Big Papi, who will retire after this season, had no idea this was going to happen.
Sarah Piampiano, 35, met her perfect match one night in a New York City bar.
No, she didn’t fall head over heels for some charming suit-wearing man. Instead, her world expanded when she was introduced to triathlons.
At the time, the vice president of mergers and acquisitions for HSBC’s consumer brands group was working 18-hour days and traveling internationally. She was a smoker just because stepping outside allowed her a moment to herself.
After making a bar bet with a friend in 2009, telling him that she could beat him in his upcoming triathlon, she grabbed hold of the sport and never let go.
3. Orthodox Jewish Girl Naomi “Supergirl” Kutin Setting Powerlifting World Records
Naomi Kutin, 14, is your typical teen in that she goes to school, does her homework, and competes on her school’s track team. That’s a full load to carry, but nothing compared to what she hoists for fun.
The freshman at Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls in Teaneck, New Jersey was dubbed “Supergirl” by her parents. That’s because at 9, she started breaking world records in powerlifting. By 10, she was squatting 215 pounds, more than twice her body weight. Today, at 123 pounds, she squats 303 pounds, bench presses 120 pounds, and deadlifts 350 pounds.
According to the CDC, over 6 million children between the ages of 4 and 17 have received an ADHD diagnosis in their lifetime, which is up 16 percent since 2007, and up 41 percent in the last decade. About two-thirds of those with a diagnosis are prescribed medication, which often leads to addiction and anxiety.
What if to control excess childhood energy, we let kids express themselves through play and exercise instead?
That was the thinking of mother of five, Randi Sue Surratt, 34, when she moved from a small north Texas town to Dallas and found UFC Gym Flower Mound.
1. To That Guy in My Communication and Sport Class: Passion is for People, Not Just Male Athletes
Immediately, the guy two rows in front of me said something about the lack of slam dunks that occur in the WNBA. As the only female athlete in the class, I was taken aback. I thought, Brittney Griner can dunk. Here we go.
That’s when the male athlete that sits behind me began to explain the reason why women’s sports are not popular (to watch, to play, or even to cover in the media). His reasoning was simple, but archaic: “Girls are just less passionate than guys.”
