Sports

CFP, NCAA Will Reimburse Athletes’ Families for Travel

Published

10 years ago

January 7, 2015

NCAA President Mark Emmert gestures while speaking at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014. The NCAA Board of Directors overwhelmingly approved a package of historic reforms Thursday that will give the nation's five biggest conferences the ability to unilaterally change some of the basic rules governing college sports. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

NCAA President Mark Emmert gestures while speaking at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Sports Writer

The College Football Playoff will help pay for the parents and guardians of Ohio State and Oregon football players to travel to the national championship game in North Texas on Monday.

The NCAA granted a waiver Tuesday that allows the College Football Playoff to provide a reimbursement of up to $1,250 per parent or guardian that will cover hotel accommodations, travel and meals.

“This will really help because parents really want to go out and see their kids play,” said Ohio State safety Von Bell, who is from Rossville, Georgia. “They make a lot of sacrifices and there’s a lot of money spent. Traveling from the South, because they come up here for every game, is a lot. The gas and everything. It’s really a blessing to hear that.”

Ohio State played last week at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans in the first College Football Playoff semifinals. Oregon played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

The NCAA also announced it will provide a similar reimbursement to the families of athletes who compete in the men’s and women’s basketball Final Fours as part of a pilot program.

The NCAA will pay up to $3,000 total in travel, hotel and meal expenses for family members of student-athletes who compete in the Final Four. The NCAA will pay up to $4,000 for each of the student-athletes who compete in championship games.

The men’s Final Four will be held in Indianapolis this year. The women’s Final Four will be held in Tampa, Florida.

At a time when the leaders of college athletics are trying to steer more of the millions in growing revenues generated by big-time sports toward the athletes themselves, this is another example of the NCAA acknowledging that more can be done.

“We applaud the College Football Playoff and the NCAA for recognizing the importance of the families of student-athletes and will continue to support legislation that benefits student-athlete welfare and opportunities for parents to be a part of these special moments with their children,” Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said in a statement.

The issue gained attention this year when the implementation of the College Football Playoff caused parents of athletes who make it to the national championship to consider two big postseason trips. Ohio State coach Urban Meyer was among the first and most notable coaches to talk about the issue and call for travel reimbursements for family members.

“That kind of made my day,” Meyer said about hearing the NCAA’s decision.

“I think it’s a good first step,” Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said. “The average room cost is about $300. Three nights stay, $900. If you take an $800 flight, which is maybe New York to Dallas, times the number of players. So that’s maybe $250,000 per school, so $500,000 for the two schools. I think they can find that money out of the College Football Playoff funds. I think that’s a good start.”

ESPN is paying $470 million per season over 12 years for the television rights to the college football playoff. That money is distributed among the conferences and does not go through the NCAA.

The CFP capped its reimbursement at $500 less than the NCAA allows. Executive director Bill Hancock said the College Football Playoff came up with its figure, with the help of Oregon, before the NCAA made its final decision.

“Now that we know the NCAA limit, I’m sure the management committee and board of managers will look at that issue as we all continue to work through the details,” Hancock said in a statement.

CBS has a 14-year deal that pays about $11 billion total to the NCAA for the rights to the men’s basketball tournament.

Mark Lewis, NCAA executive vice president of championships and alliances, said he’s been looking at ways help parents and guardians of college athletes cover travel costs to the basketball championship since he joined the organization in 2012.

Lewis said a discussion with Smith prompted a review of the NCAA bylaws to try to find a way to help pay for family members to travel to playoff games.

“Does it help that people were saying, ‘Hey quit taking so long. We want to do it?’ Yeah, sure,” Lewis said. “No question that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.”

What they found in the rules was as long as the bill was being footed by the organizing body of the event and not schools, a waiver could be granted allowing for family members’ travel expenses to be reimbursed.

Lewis said Smith and Mullens have said they will explore NCAA legislation that could expand on the pilot program and allow the schools to be involved.

“In the future, maybe we’ll be able to manage this before time and we’ll just pick a team hotel, they will hopefully have a travel agency they work with, so you work to get your flights through the travel agency, you stay at this hotel, everything’s covered, so there’s no money exchanged,” Smith said.

Under NCAA guidelines, schools were permitted to use a student assistance fund for a one-time payment of $800 to help fund families’ postseason travel. But that didn’t come close to covering all of the costs.

“For a glacially slow organization, we moved pretty quick and Gene (Smith) was a big part it,” Lewis said.

___

AP Sports Writer Rusty Miller in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.

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Sacramento Kings and Black-Owned Digital License Plate Firm Enter History-Making Partnership

Reviver founder and Chief Strategy Officer Neville Boston attended the Sacramento Kings’ season opener at Golden 1 Center, witnessing players debut the company’s patch. Reviver proudly supports the Sacramento Kings’ community and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media (CBM).

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Reviver founder and Chief Strategy Officer Neville Boston attended the Sacramento Kings' season opener at Golden 1 Center, witnessing players debut the company's patch. Reviver proudly supports the Sacramento Kings' community and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media (CBM).

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

Reviver, the world’s first digital license plate and connected vehicle platform, has entered into a history-making jersey patch partnership with the Sacramento Kings, team officials announced right before the team’s season opener on Oct. 24.

The collaboration establishes Reviver as the first Black-founded technology jersey patch partner in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The Reviver logo now appears on the left front strap of Kings’ uniforms.

Reviver founder and Chief Strategy Officer Neville Boston was in attendance to see the company’s patch worn by the Kings, during a game with the Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento.

“It was an absolutely amazing night. More than I ever expected,” Boston told California Black Media (CBM). “The Sacramento Kings have been incredible. On a national, and maybe a worldwide level, this partnership raises the profile of Reviver with the assistance of (Kings chairman and CEO) Vivek Ranadivé and the Kings.”

According to the Kings’ brass, Reviver, supported by the Black Star Fund, a Black-led venture capital firm based in Sacramento, is now an official “innovation partner” of the Kings and Golden 1 Center; a presenting partner of “Capitalize Technology,” a King’s corporate social investment initiative; and the exclusive digital license plate of the Sacramento Kings.

Headquartered in Granite Bay, a suburb of Sacramento, Reviver was born from a vision to modernize and streamline the vehicle registration renewal process. On Jan. 1, 2023, the state of California joined Georgia, Colorado, Michigan, and Arizona as states that have approved digital license plates for use statewide, after Reviver completed a four-year pilot program that evaluated a replacement for metal plates.

About 10,000 California drivers bought digital plates during the pilot program. Vehicles registered with the state are eligible to adopt the new high-tech tags. Reviver existence was made possible when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 984 in September 2022.

Under that law, California vehicle owners can update their titles, registrations, and other records remotely. In addition, the digital license “RPlate” includes a flashing message if a vehicle is reported stolen or if there is an Amber Alert.

Ranadivé is spreading the news that Reviver has international potential.

“This jersey patch partnership with Reviver continues the Kings long tradition of using our global platform to promote innovation and technology,” Ranadivé stated. “It’s particularly exciting to showcase a homegrown company that was part of our Kings Capitalize program. This is just the beginning of our work together, and we look forward to helping Reviver in its mission to modernize the driving experience.”

The commercial use of patches in professional basketball all began in 2009 when the Women’s Basketball Association (WNBA) Phoenix Mercury removed its name to replace it with sponsor, LifeLock, an identity-theft protection company. The landmark deal netted a contract worth about $1 million annually.

Kindra Montgomery-Block, vice president of diversity, equity, and social impact for the Sacramento Kings, was the integral facilitator who assisted Boston and his team in connecting with the sports franchise that is boasting 40 years in the Capital City.

“This partnership between the Kings and Reviver, backed by the Black Star Fund, will invest in the Sacramento community to promote technology and innovation in the region,” Montgomery-Block stated. “Reviver will support the Sacramento Kings community and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.”

Editor’s Note: Neville Boston is a California Black Media board member.

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Martial Artist Victor Moore: An American Karate and Kickboxing Pioneer

Throughout his career, Moore defeated many national champions, including Joe Lewis, Mike Stone, and Bill “Superfoot” Wallace. Moore placed in every tournament he competed in from 1965 until his retirement in 1975, defeating renowned national champions such as Mike Foster, Chuck Norris, Fred Wren, Glenn Keeney, James Hawkes, and Jim Kelly. Moore emphasizes that winning or losing does not diminish a champion’s credibility — they are all champions in his eyes.

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3 weeks ago

November 3, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo Courtesy of BlackPast.Org

By Tamara Shiloh

Victor Moore, born on Aug. 23, 1943, holds a 10th-degree Black Belt in Karate and is a four-time world karate champion.

As one of the chief instructors under Robert Trias in the Shuri-ryu Karate system, Moore was also among the first ten members of the Trias International Society. Over his 50-year martial arts career, he trained in various styles, including Chito-ryu with William J. Dometrich, Judo, Kempo, and Bondo karate.

Moore began his martial arts journey at the age of 7 in Cincinnati, lifting weights and reading Charles Atlas books to guide his training. By age 9, he had learned the basics of jujitsu and judo, and at 12, he began training in Kempo karate under Ronald Williams, who awarded him his first black belt after five years of instruction.

In 1961, Moore expanded his training by joining a judo school led by Ray Hughes and later trained in Gyu Ryu-karate under Harvey Eubanks. He studied Kempo with Bill Dometrich and continued exploring different karate styles. Instructors at the time, required students to start as white belts in each new style, even if they held black belts elsewhere, which shaped Moore’s adaptability.

Chung Ling, an exchange student from China, introduced Moore and others to Chuan Fa, enhancing Moore’s understanding of martial arts. He also took up judo at a school in Cincinnati, where he earned his brown belt, and trained in karate with Jim Wax, who had studied under the Shimabuku brothers. Moore’s toughness was further honed by his boxing experience at the 9th Street YMCA, where he became a sparring partner for Tiger Joe Harris.

At Central State University, Professor Barry Yasuto trained Moore in Shotokan karate, but Moore was denied entry to the Japanese Karate Association, possibly due to his race. After returning to Cincinnati, Moore opened his first karate school and began competing in national tournaments. He traveled across the U.S., eventually meeting Robert Trias, who became his mentor and helped him rise to the second-degree black belt level. Under Trias, Moore continued training in Kempo and Goju-Ryu styles.

Moore also trained under Dr. Maung Gyi, learning Bondo karate, stick fighting, and kickboxing. In 1973, Moore and Joe Lewis introduced kickboxing to America on the Merv Griffin TV show. Moore competed in the first kickboxing tournament in the U.S., facing Jim Harrison in a historic fight.

Moore continues to teach martial arts, working with instructors and students nationwide. His daughters, Vickie and Vonnie, and his son, Vanceston, also train under his guidance.

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Cal State East Bay Athletic Department Holds Hall of Fame Gala

The university honored exceptional athletes, teams, and coaches at their annual celebration before 200 guests. The Class of 2024 included the 1999-2000 Pioneer Softball Team that won the Cal Pac Championship in 2000 and went on to win the first two games of the NAIA Region II Playoffs and combined 32-3 in CalPac over the two seasons.

Published

3 weeks ago

November 3, 2024

Oakland Post

Honoree Lorenzo Hall of CSUEB's Men's Basketball Team 1986-1990 surrounded by his family at the CSUEB 2024 Pioneer Hall of Fame Gala at the Pioneer Gymnasium in Hayward, California. Photo Courtesy of Dr. LaQuitta Simms.

By Carla Thomas

California State University East Bay Athletics (CSUEB) hosted their 2024 Pioneer Hall of Fame Gala at the Pioneer Gymnasium in Hayward on Saturday, Oct. 19.

The university honored exceptional athletes, teams, and coaches at their annual celebration before 200 guests.

The Class of 2024 included the 1999-2000 Pioneer Softball Team that won the Cal Pac Championship in 2000 and went on to win the first two games of the NAIA Region II Playoffs and combined 32-3 in CalPac over the two seasons.

The 1999 CalPac Player of the Year was Pioneer Hall-of-Famer Danielle Stines and also on the 1999 team was Pioneer Hall-of-Famer Angel Alcorcha.

In 2000, the Pioneers swept the premier CalPac Awards, and Rachel Abrams was named Player of the Year, Christy Smith was named Pitcher of the Year, and Karen Lee Yoder (Matteson) was named Coach of the Year. Their team record for batting average in 1999 still stands after 25 years with an amazing combined .347.

Lorenzo Hall of CSUEB’s Men’s Basketball Team 1986-1990 was recognized for his achievements as a two-time All-NCAC selection, ranking in the top-10 in program history for assists, steals, free throw percentage and scoring.

At the time of his graduation, Hall held NCAC records for assists and steals. He also served as an assistant coach for the Pioneers after his playing career and created the nonprofit First Step Basketball to guide the next generation of young athletes.

Inductee and Women’s Gymnastics Coach Dorie Krepton of 1971-1985 led the team through winning 145 of 171 meets, 84% of their competition.

Through her 14 years of leading the Pioneers, Krepton coached the program to five Golden Gate Conference Championships, and the team qualified and participated in six NCAA Gymnastics National Championships. She also coached 10 All-American Athletes, including Pioneer Hall of Famers Holly Moore Leonard and Janet Kramer.

The seven-time Coach of the Year honoree served as Kinesiology and Physical Education professor emeritus at Cal State East Bay, which offered a degree option in exercise nutrition in the Kinesiology Department.

Bob Olsen of the CSUEB Men’s Track and Field Team, 1976-1979, was a member of 1977 NCAA Division II National Championship team and the two-time Far Western Conference Champion in pole vault, 1978 and 1979. Olsen was a four-time All-Conference selection and in 1976, Olsen became the first freshman pole vaulter in Division II to clear 16 feet.

Olsen was in the top 10 in the pole vault at the NCAA Division II Championships four times in his career.

Honoree Kulwant Singh served as the men’s and women’s assistant soccer coach from 1983-1990. The women’s team won six straight conference championships from 1984 to 1989. Singh served on the coaching staff alongside Pioneer Hall of Famer Colin Lindores.

In 1985, Singh coached the women’s team to an undefeated regular season (18-0) and lost to UC Santa Barbara on a golden goal in the NCAA playoffs. Singh was assistant coach for the 1988 NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Championship team and helped the 1989 men’s soccer team reach the NCAA Division II Championship semifinals.

Singh also played on the pitch as a Pioneer before coaching in Hayward and currently serves as commissioner for the Central Valley Conference.

The inductees also participated in several days of alumni activity, beginning with Pioneer Alumni Day on Thursday, Oct. 17.

With the addition of the new members, the Pioneers Hall of Fame now features 119 individuals and four teams.

During sports seasons, the Pioneer Gymnasium is open to the public, and guests can view the school’s Hall of Fame Wall.