In October, baseball fans cheer for America's top teams battling to win the World Series. But it's not just the winning team that gets a prize. Major League Baseball presents many other honors at the games. One is the Roberto Clemente Award, named after the first Hispanic player elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The trophy is given each year to a player with outstanding sportsmanship, skill, and community service.
Super Sluggers
Each of the 30 teams nominates one player for the award every year. Fans vote online for their top choice. The winner of the fan vote gets one vote. Judges, including Vera Clemente, who married the baseball legend in 1964, then vote, too. "I help Mom understand how long the players have been in the major leagues but I leave her alone when it comes to voting," Clemente's son Roberto Jr. told TFK. "Her heart tells her and she's been on point every single year."
This year's nominees include Chicago White Sox infielder Paul Konerko, Jimmy Rollins, who plays shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies, and pitcher Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners. Konerko, who played his final game on September 28 after 18 years in the major leagues, helped create the Bring Me Home campaign. The program helps children in foster care. In foster care, children are placed in safe, temporary homes during a time when their parents are unable to care for them. Rollins started J-Roll's Aces and J-Roll's Readers. Both programs help students who live in poor areas of Philadelphia. Hernandez teamed up this year with Seattle rapper Macklemore to start the #ChangetheGame anti-bullying campaign. The program asks kids to sign a pledge that encourages them to be kind.
A Home-Run Hero
Roberto Clemente was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, in 1934. He played as an outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 to 1972. He was the National League batting champ four times. His 3,000 hits included 240 home runs. On December 31, 1972, Clemente died in a plane crash. He was on his way to Nicaragua, to deliver supplies to earthquake victims.
Roberto Jr. has many memories of his father. "If kids were playing in a playground, he would stop his car and start playing ball with them," he recalls. "He was privileged to play a game that he loved but he used that as a vehicle to help other people." Roberto Jr. and his family are honored that Major League Baseball gives an award in his father's name to an outstanding player. Says Roberto Jr., "The legacy is stronger today than it was 40 years ago." This year's winner will be announced before one of the World Series games.
Baseball player Mariano Rivera retired at age 43 last year after nearly two decades as a pitcher for the Yankees. He grew up the son of a fisherman near the beach in Puerto Caimitio, in Panama. After being recruited for the Yankees, he went on to become baseball's greatest closer -- a relief pitcher who specializes in finishing games. Now retired from professional baseball, Rivera is focused on his charity work through the Mariano Rivera Foundation and his new memoir, The Closer. The young reader's version of the book tells about his childhood and career. He spoke with TFK's Kelli Plasket.
What do you think kids can learn from your story?
It is full of advice and "notes from Mo" on learning how to play the game, how to respect the game. That's what I want. It's important that they really understand the game of baseball. Kids are some of my biggest supporters. I wanted to do something special for them.
The book opens with your talking about Mariano Rivera Day at Yankee Stadium on September 22, 2013. Looking back on it, what do you remember most?
Everything! It's hard to pinpoint one specific moment, but one of the moments was having the band Metallica there and playing when I was walking out of the bullpen. That was special, and I thank God for them and everybody that was there.
You wore number 42 on your jersey. That's the number Jackie Robinson wore. What do you admire most about Robinson?
First of all, I admire what he went through, knowing that he was the first person of color, to play Major League Baseball and to break that barrier for us to be able to play safely. And helping others after his career was over, forming and creating the Jackie Robinson Foundation with his wife and family. The man was something special, and that's why I carry the number 42 with dignity and pride.
Kids tend to look at their favorite sports players as heroes. Do you try to live as a role model?
Yes. Because believe it or not, you are a role model if you are playing baseball and playing sports, and kids want to be like you. It will have a big impact if you do the right thing or the wrong thing, because both will have consequences. You always try to do the right thing so youngsters can do it right.
Being a relief pitcher, or closer, is a high-pressure position in the sport. What does it take?
It takes a lot. But I don't want kids to be putting stuff like that in their mind. I want them to be able to learn the game and enjoy the game and to be able to work on the mental game.
You grew up in Panama. Do you have someone from your childhood who influenced you?
I didn't have someone who inspired me to play sports. Basically, I did sports on my own. I did it because I loved it and not because I wanted to be like someone else. The most important thing was that my playing time I never cut short. I always did what I wanted to do and playing the game of baseball was part of that.
Your former teammate Derek Jeter is retiring. What sort of advice would you give Jeter or any other player about enjoying his last season?
Just to enjoy it and do whatever it takes to stay healthy. That was my prayer for my team and Derek Jeter. The last season is something special. You give and you receive so much and people are there for you, people shouting your name. It's something you can never forget.
What's your advice for young athletes about learning the game and becoming great?
My advice to them is stay in school. You have to finish your school because injuries can happen to anybody at any time. So if you don't study but you're planning to have a future in baseball, you don't know what can happen tomorrow. There are no promises to anyone. Yes, you can go and chase your dream, but you cannot forget about school. Then, if you have the ability to be a professional and have the talent to do that, give 100%. Don't sell yourself short and give 90% and think that because you're good, you don't have to give 100%. If you give 100%, I think you will be successful.
What do you miss most about playing the sport?
I miss my teammates. They were like my brothers. And obviously pitching -- I will always miss that. It's in my blood. That's what I know how to do.
The version of your memoir for adult readers has been out for a few months. What reaction have you received from fans?
A lot of people have been stopping me wherever I go and thanking me for what we did in the book. I am happy and satisfied with the results, and I thank God for that, and Wayne Coffey, who helped me to write the book, and the whole Little, Brown publishing team. Hopefully, this one for the youngsters does the same. I want to bring hope to them.
Soccer has joined other sports in the growing legal debate over head injuries. On August 27, a group of American parents and players filed a class-action lawsuit against six national and international soccer organizations. The group claims the organizations have not handled concussions safely at all levels of play.
The suit was filed in federal court in San Francisco, California. It was filed against U. S. Soccer, the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), U. S. Youth Soccer, U. S. Club Soccer, the California Youth Soccer Association, and FIFA, soccer's international governing body. The parents say the organizations have done little to detect and treat head injuries even though they know how dangerous they can be.
According to FIFA, soccer is the world's most popular sport. Of more than 265 million players worldwide, about 8 million are kids in the U. S., according to the lawsuit. The parents and players filing the suit hope to change the rules of the sport to better protect both children and professional players from injury.
"There is an epidemic of concussion injuries in soccer at all levels around the world, including in the United States, from youth to professionals, from elite players to children playing for the first time, women and men, girls and boys," the suit says.
High-Risk Sport
FIFA is not the first professional sports league to be sued for mishandling concussions. The National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are all currently involved in head injury lawsuits.
Following football and hockey, the suit argues that soccer players are among the athletes most likely to suffer a concussion. Soccer is unique in that the sport involves "headers" where players forcefully hit the ball with their head. According to the lawsuit, nearly 46,000 high school soccer players suffered concussions in 2010 alone, more than in baseball, basketball, softball, and wrestling combined.
New Rules
The suit asks the leagues to change the way soccer is played. Currently, professional soccer leagues only allow three substitutions per game. Under the proposed new rules, professional leagues would add temporary substitutions. During that break, an injured player could be examined for concussion symptoms. Parents also believe the rules should be changed in youth leagues so that children under 17 would only be allowed to head the ball a certain number of times per week.
Steve Berman is the lawyer representing the soccer parents and players in the lawsuit. "We believe it is imperative we force these organizations to put a stop to hazardous practices that put players at unnecessary risk," Berman said.
On Sunday, South Korea won the Little League World Series. In the giddy moments after the big win, outfielder Don Wan Sin realized how he wanted to celebrate.
"I want to go to the Blue House -- the White House of Korea -- and meet the President," Sin said.
Sin, who scored twice and hit one homer, might just get his wish to meet South Korea's president, Park Geun-hye. He and his teammates are now famous back in their homeland.
South Korea beat the team from Chicago, Illinois, 8-4 in the final game. The game was played in bright sunshine before a crowd of 28,671 at Lamade Stadium, in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. South Korean fans, brightly dressed in satin robes of yellow and electric blue, danced and waved ornate fans in the last innings. This is the country's third title after back-to-back championships in 1984 and 1985. International teams have won four of the last five titles.
The win meant a lot to the people of South Korea, who had to watch it or get updates in the middle of the night.
"We know the time difference and that a lot of people were cheering for us," said the team's manager, Jong Wook Park. "We appreciate the people back in Korea. I told the kids that in a speech."
Big At-Bat
Chicago's team name is Jackie Robinson West All Stars. Although they lost the World Series Championship game, they are still the Great Lakes Region champions. They came back to beat favored Las Vegas Mountain Ridge 7-5 in the U. S. title game on Saturday. But they couldn't come back against the powerful South Koreans, who played well early in the game.
Leadoff hitter Hae Chan Choi drilled the very first pitch over the wall in right, but a few feet foul. Sin followed by smacking a line drive to center that slipped out of the glove of DJ Butler for a two-base error. South Korea's pitcher Jae Yeong Hwang set down the first six Chicago hitters, four on strikeouts.
Butler broke up Hwang's no-hitter with a shot to shortstop. Hwang ended up exiting the game early after he told his coaches he felt sick. He traded places with first baseman Choi. Chicago's Ed Howard then scored a single, which lead to the first "U-S-A!" chant of the day.
Under Pressure
Hwang, who was removed because he wasn't feeling well, gave up one hit in two-plus innings while striking out four players. He also drove in his team's first two runs as they built an 8-1 lead before Chicago made it a close game.
"I'm very joyful. It's a wonderful feeling," Hwang said.
Choi, who had a homer and scored twice, pitched the last four innings for South Korea. But even he got a little nervous at the end, after Chicago collected four of its six hits. "I knew I could allow some runs," he said. "After I got the second out, I thought I could do it. But after I gave up the three runs I was (worried)."
After the final out, South Korea's bench emptied and the players dumped cups of water on their teammates near the mound. The players took a victory lap, waving and laughing.
"(We) felt like we had a chance even when we were down 8-1," Chicago's team manager, Darold Butler, said. "(South Korea) had a pretty good game. They were the better team today."
Mo'Ne Davis, 13, will take the mound today in the Little League World Series. In doing so, she will become the first American girl to play in the series since 2004.
Girls playing Little League is not new. But in the 40 years since girls were first allowed to play in Little League, just 16 have made it to the World Series, Little League spokesman Brian McClintock said. Mo'Ne is one of them.
Meet Mo'Ne
Mo'Ne plays for the Taney Dragons from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is the only girl on the team. The dragons recently made history by being the first team from urban Philadelphia to make it into the Little League World Series. 
At Sunday's regional championships, Mo'Ne threw a six-strikeout, complete-game shutout. Her team beat Delaware 8-0. Sunday was Davis' second win over Delaware-Newark National Little League. Mo'Ne says there isn't much of a difference playing against boys. "We're playing the same game," she said.
The Taney manager, Alex Rice, calls Mo'Ne his big-game pitcher and says she throws about 70 miles per hour. "She's one of the core team leaders," he said. "She's unflappable."
Girls in the Game
Mo'Ne was not the only female Little League player in the spotlight this year. Kayla Roncin, 12, plays first base for her team in Toms River, New Jersey. If Toms River had won on August 8, the two girls would have faced each other at the regional championships.
Last week Mo'Ne said that it would be fun to finally play against another girl. "I just want to play them to see where we are in competition level," Mo'Ne said.
Peter Avallone, the Toms River manager, said Kayla plays great defense and gets timely hits. She has 12 career home runs and has been batting.500 over four games, said her father, Ray Roncin, a team coach. He said she loves competition. "She refuses to ever give up on anything," Roncin said.
Game Day Stares
Sometimes, opposing players are curious to see a girl on the other team. But curiosity can quickly turn to concern. Dave Dauerty, a parent of a Delaware player, says Mo'Ne's pitching shut down much of Delaware's hitting. "The other boys just couldn't get ahold of the ball against her," he said.
Avallone and others said he hopes the success of the two girls inspires more girls to play Little League.
The 2014 Little League Baseball World Series Championship Game is scheduled for Sunday, August 24. The series will be celebrating the Little League's 75th Anniversary.
It was a dramatic ending to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil on Sunday night as Germany defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time play. More than one billion people from around the world tuned in for the final game of the international soccer tournament. This is Germany's fourth World Cup title, and its first since 1990.
Germany and Argentina were favorites in the tournament. In the final game, both teams showed strong defense. German substitute Mario Goetze, 22, scored the only goal of the game, pushing past the defense to volley the ball past Argentina goalie Sergio Romero. 
"At the end of the match, having a party with the team, the whole country... it is, for us, a dream come true," Goetze told the Associated Press.
A Country Celebrates
Germany has been rebuilding its team since 2000, and its strategy paid off with the World Cup win. As the German fans in the stadium cheered Sunday night, the gold World Cup trophy was handed to Germany captain Philipp Lahm.
In Germany, fans celebrated the night of the World Cup victory by gathering in front of the German's capital's famous Brandenburg Gate. They embraced each other, and cheered their country's title as the new world champions. 
"They made it exciting," Leon Tober of Fuerstenwalde, east of Berlin, told The Associated Press. "It was a long wait, especially after twice coming third (in previous World Cups). It's great for the young generation."
On the list of all-time champions, Germany is now ranked second with Italy, just behind Brazil, which has five World Cup wins.
Showdown in Brazil
The World Cup is one of the world's most popular sporting events. The first World Cup soccer tournament was held in 1930. Since that time, the World Cup has taken place every four years, with a few exceptions due to international conflict.
This year, the tournament took place over a four-week period in cities all around Brazil. Brazil had faced delays and other issues as it prepared for the tournament; however, for the most part, the tournament went smoothly. The 64 matches were held in 12 cities.
The tournament started off with 32 countries, compiled into eight groups of four teams. The countries competed against one another until 16 teams were eliminated, leaving the other half of the teams to begin competing within the knockout stage. After making their way to the knockout stage, Germany defeated Algeria, France, and then finally Brazil with a score of 7-1, which advanced their team into the finals against Argentina.
There were many dramatic moments over the last month of play. The home country of Brazil had to play without one of its star striker Neymar after he was injured, and then suffered a big loss to Germany. Uruguay striker Luis Suarez bit another player, leading to his suspension. The U. S. lost to Belgium during the round-of-16 match.
While Argentine star and team captain Lionel Messi didn't bring home the trophy for his country, he has been called the best player in the world. Messi won the best player trophy for the tournament. 
The final between Argentina and Germany also broke records on Facebook and Twitter. It became the most talked about sporting event ever on Facebook, and generated the most amount of tweets per minute of any sporting event on Twitter.
Prior to the final match on Sunday night was a rousing closing ceremony featuring performances by Shakira and Wyclef Jean. Fans can look forward to the next World Cup in 2018 in Russia.
Tomorrow is the day that soccer fans around the globe have been anxiously awaiting for the last four years. The 2014 FIFA World Cup kicks off tomorrow afternoon when the host nation plays against Croatia in Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city. Brazil has been preparing for the World Cup since 2007, and tomorrow the South American country -- and television viewers around the world -- will finally get to see the players in action. 
The opening ceremony, at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, will set the stage for the first match of the tournament. It will feature a performance of the official World Cup song "We Are One (Ole Ola)" by Jennifer Lopez and the rapper Pitbull.
Throughout the month-long tournament, 64 matches will be played across 12 cities in Brazil. The tournament will end with the final game on July 13 when the FIFA World Cup trophy will be presented to the captain of the winning team.
World Cup Woes 
In the years that Brazil has prepared to host the World Cup the country has been plagued by construction delays. Much of the work to build 12 stadiums across the country was not completed until late last year. The projects were also costly, with a price tag estimated around $4 billion.
Now that the World Cup is finally here, and stadiums are ready, a new problem arises for the 32 teams: sweltering temperatures. Despite the fact that this is Brazil's cool season, temperatures will rise close to 80 degrees this week, and humidity is near 70 percent.
However, some players say that they are excited by challenges. "When you talk about playing in the heat, the travel, it doesn't bother us," United States midfielder Michael Bradley told the Associated Press. "And not only does it not bother us, it excites us to see that now the other teams are so worried about it."
A Social Media Frenzy 
Millions of people around the world will be following the matches on television and through social media. A Twitter executive says that the 2014 World Cup will be the most tweeted-about event ever. While the 2012 London Olympics generated 150 million tweets, "The World Cup will take all that to a whole different level," Brazil's twitter director Guilherme Ribenboim told Reuters.
Facebook and Twitter have come up with strategies to make their sites the main platforms for World Cup conversation. All 32 soccer teams have Twitter accounts, as do many of the players. In order to organize the millions of World Cup posts that fans are expected to generate, Twitter will utilize the hashtag #worldcup. Meanwhile, Facebook has created a page called Trending World Cup. The company is also launching a page called FacebookRef where fans can see posts from the company's official tournament commentator.
U. S. A.! U. S. A.! 
Fans of the United States soccer team will have to wait until Monday, June 16, for the action to start. That's when the U. S. men's national team is slated to go up against Ghana. Ghana has eliminated the U. S. at the last two World Cups. The U. S. will also play Portugal and Germany in one of the more difficult first-round groups. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann has acknowledged the challenging path that lies ahead. 
"First we've got to make it through the group. So let's stay with our feet on the ground and say let's get that group first done, and then the sky is the limit. But a half a year before and even today before the World Cup starts, to say that we should win the World Cup is just not realistic," Klinsmann told the Associated Press.
Many fans were surprised to see that Klinsmann did not include veteran soccer player Landon Donovan on the roster. However, younger players like 19-year-old Julian Green will put forth their best efforts to make their nation proud.
Millions of soccer fans around the globe will be glued to their televisions starting June 12, when the 2014 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Brazil. With 32 countries in competition, the World Cup is one of the world's most popular sporting events. The monthlong tournament is held every four years. It is estimated that at least 1 billion people watched the 2010 World Cup final, which was held in South Africa.
The 64 matches of the 2014 World Cup will be played in 12 Brazilian cities. The host country will play Croatia in the kickoff game at Itaquerao stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city. After the final match -- at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro -- on July 13, the FIFA World Cup trophy will be presented to the captain of the winning team.
A Rematch for the U. S. 
The U. S. men's national team will play its opening game on June 16 against Ghana, which eliminated the U. S. at the last two World Cups. The 23-member U. S. team is young -- only five have previously played in a World Cup. But coach Jrgen Klinsmann says he is doing what he can to help the players go into the game with the necessary training and confidence.
"I'm sure they're going to be very well prepared and they will be ready for the task," Klinsmann told the Associated Press. "There's always a first time in life in whatever you do. It's for some the first World Cup, though it's the first of hopefully many World Cups to come for them. I'm not worried about the inexperience."
Brazil's Construction Woes
Brazil has been preparing to host the World Cup since 2007. But frequent delays in stadium construction and infrastructure work have taken a toll on the South American country's readiness. Brazil built or renovated 12 stadiums to host the tournament, but fell behind schedule. Much of the work was still not finished by the end of last year. The price tag is now estimated at around $4 billion for stadium work. That is nearly four times the amount estimated in 2007 and makes it the priciest World Cup ever.
A brand-new stadium in Brasilia will cost the public $900 million -- making it the world's second-most expensive soccer venue ever, behind England's Wembley Stadium. The rising costs led to protests and demonstrations last year. Critics complain the money should have been spent on addressing Brazil's transportation, housing, and education issues.
Across Brazil, where soccer is called ftbol, residents have painted walls with graffiti inspired by the sport. Some of the graffiti welcomes the World Cup and some of it complains about the cost. Organizers are assigning 157,000 soldiers and police to keep order during the tournament.
Despite the controversy, many Brazilians are excited their country will host the tournament. More than 50,000 tickets have already been sold for the opening match in Sao Paulo. On June 2, thousands of fans showed up to watch a training session at Serra Dourada Stadium in Goiania, Brazil. The crowd chanted "Brazil, Brazil, Brazil" and cheered loudly as players entered the field.
Christiano de Castro brought his two-year-old son to the practice. "He loves the national team," he told the Associated Press. "This is huge for me and for him." Next month, Brazil's fans fully expect to see captain Thiago Silva accept the World Cup trophy on behalf of the host country.
Ethan King, 15, is the founder of Charity Ball, an organization that raises money to hand-deliver soccer balls to kids in developing countries. A donation of $25 on charityball.org pays for one soccer ball. The idea came from a trip Ethan took with his dad -- who repairs water wells in poor African villages -- to Mozambique at age 10.
To date, Ethan and Charity Ball have delivered more than 4,000 soccer balls. They also collaborated with Serbian soccer star Neven Subotic to put together a soccer tournament for kids in Mozambique. The tournament is featured in a new short documentary called Pass the Ball (watch it below). TFK spoke to Ethan, who is from Grand Haven, Michigan, about his organization.
You brought your soccer ball on that trip to Mozambique when you were 10. How did the kids there react to seeing it?
When we got there, my dad, through his organization, had already identified nonfunctioning wells in specific villages. So every time we made a stop, I would pull out my soccer ball from home. It was so crazy because instantly, 50-100 kids would just show up out of nowhere wanting to play with my soccer ball. It's probably the first time they ever touched a real soccer ball. They had been using trash bags wrapped up in twine. So it was very emotional for them. There was lots of energy and excitement and faces full of joy.
You ended up giving the ball to some of the kids. What happened after you returned home?
It took about a month to figure out that I wanted to organize a project. At the time, my idea was a yearlong project dedicated to getting kids soccer balls. My dad's organization travels to Africa at least two or three times a year. So my plan was to try to get some soccer balls together for him to bring to Mozambique every time he went. But it turned into something bigger.
Did you find it challenging to convince companies and people to donate money?
It's kind of funny because the first phone call I made was to a soccer shop in Tennessee. I told the manager that I'd [shopped there] before and about what I was doing -- that I'm getting kids soccer balls around the world. I asked if he would like to help out, and he said, "No. That's a cool idea, but we are not really interested in doing that right now." So I hung up the phone and [realized] it was going to be harder than what I thought, just getting some kids some soccer balls. That was a learning experience for me right away.
The charity hand-delivers the balls. Why?
We said from the beginning that we don't want to ship the balls because we've had a lot of trouble in the past with customs, especially in developing countries. We want to make sure the ball actually ends up in the kid's hands. On the website, we have a whole gallery of soccer balls that have been hand-delivered. Donors like to know where their money is going. It's one of my favorite parts of Charity Ball, getting the pictures back and seeing the smiles on the kid's faces.
How does having access to a soccer ball affect the kids you serve?
Soccer is the universal language, in my opinion. Pretty much everyone in the world knows what soccer is. Especially in Africa, these kids really connect with soccer. They don't need pads, all they need is a ball to make something happen.
How did the PLAY [well] Cup tournament come about?
It was awesome. Professional soccer player Neven Subotic, [who plays for a club] out of Germany, emailed me and we started brainstorming ideas. We came up with the idea of doing a soccer tournament for kids in Mozambique called the PLAY [well] Cup. Instantly, we had 16 teams signed up and ready to play, which was about 350 kids participating in the tournament. Adidas [donated] soccer balls, and every kid in the tournament got their own ball and uniform.
For the final, it seemed like everybody from the village came out to watch the game,. There were so many people there. It was such a cool experience, once in a lifetime for them, but also for me.
Maybe you'll never play in a World Cup tournament, but you never know. TFK asked Hugo Grajeda, director of Pro Youth Soccer Academy in Chester, New York, for tips to help kids improve their soccer skills.
Start with basic drills: "Go outdoors, grab a ball, and keep it close to your feet," Grajeda says. "That will help improve your ability to run with the ball close. Juggling and dribbling will help improve your timing and ball control skills. If you have a backyard, work on shooting."
Sign up for a soccer camp: "It's a good way of building skills without having the pressure of games. Choose a camp that emphasizes building skills and go to one of those. There are plenty of camps that begin right after school ends."
Don't forget to stretch: Before each game or practice, start with a proper ten-minute warm up. Then do a series of stretches to loosen up your muscles. Grajeda recommends calf and hamstring stretches. Don't forget to take a drink of water before you even step on the field. "Water is important, especially during this heat," Grajeda says.
Watch the World Cup: Grajeda will be telling his athletes to watch as many games as they can, and he plans to tune in, too. Study how the best players move the ball and try to bring some of their moves into your own game. "Pick up something that you like and practice it," Grajeda says.
Keep practicing: Practice may not seem like the most fun part of playing soccer, but it's the best way to develop good technique. "It depends on the age of the kid, but I think the formal ratio is three practices to one game," Grajeda says. Look for ways to make practice fun by adding some competition to simple drills, and don't be discouraged if it takes time to master new skills. "If someone were struggling to improve, I would tell them to keep practicing, keep trying. Practice makes perfection."
A World Cup sticker frenzy has swept through Brazil like never before. One reason is that this year, the country will host the soccer showcase, which begins on June 12. It is the first time Brazil has hosted the tournament since 1959.
Everybody is talking stickers, from kids to adults, students to doctors. Even Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is collecting. She says she is helping her 3-year-old grandson complete his set.
Fernando da Silva is a 32-year-old collector looking to complete his second album. "With the World Cup coming to Brazil there was no way I was going to pass up on this one," he said at a trading point in front of the Pacaembu Stadium in Sao Paulo. "The World Cup is here and this album will be historic. This brings back all memories from when I used to swap stickers with my friends at school."
Sticky Spots
Fans have set up trading posts outside stadiums, plazas, and bookstores. Sticker seekers can also find trading spots at supermarkets, cafes, and malls.
An Italy-based company called Panini has been in charge of the official World Cup sticker albums since 1970. According to the company, Brazil led all nations in sales during the 2010 World Cup, and this time numbers are already topping what they were four years ago. The stickers are sold in more than 100 countries, with South America being the top market.
According to FIFA, the organization that runs the World Cup, fans would need to purchase a total of 4,505 stickers before they had all of the ones needed to complete an album. That means ending up with a lot of doubles. (A complete 80-page album holds 649 stickers.) Each five-sticker pack costs 1 real in Brazil, or about 45 cents.
Internet groups and apps exist for fans looking for the hard-to-find stickers. "This time it has been really easy to find the stickers because everybody has an album," said 28-year-old pediatrician Inez Carvalho Oliveira. Panini has even created a virtual album -- FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil said more than 1 million users had already signed up for it.
Album Excitement
The stickers for this year's album include some players who won't actually be at the World Cup. Brazilian player Robinho was included in the album but he was not picked for the World Cup team. The same thing happened with Ronaldinho in 2010. That does not seem to bother most collectors of the stickers, or the company that produces them.
Weill said the album is a way to "promote the FIFA World Cup and fuel fans' excitement ahead of the event all over the world."
Jan Mascarenhas, 55, says the albums bring people together. "We are swapping stickers but we are also swapping experiences," he said. His missing player, sticker No. 628, Shin Kwang-Hoon, didn't even make South Korea's World Cup squad. "I don't know anything about the guy," Mascarenhas said. "But I need him badly."
This past Sunday, 250,000 spectators celebrated the unofficial start to summer with car racing's biggest event -- the Indianapolis 500. The 500-mile race, known as the Indy 500, is held every year in Indianapolis, Indiana, during Memorial Day weekend. It features a maximum of 33 cars on a 2.5-mile speedway. This year, Ryan Hunter-Reay made history as the first American to take home the winning trophy since 2006. "I'm a proud American boy, that's for sure," he said after the race. For his efforts, Hunter-Reay took home a $2.49 million prize.
Win for the U. S. A.
The Indy 500, called the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," was held on May 25 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hunter-Reay won with a 220.927 mph final lap against Brazil's Helio Castroneves. By just 0.060 seconds, Hunter-Reay stopped Castroneves from taking his fourth Indy 500 championship title. It was the second-closest finish in Indy 500 history. The closest was in 1992, when American racer Al Unser Jr. beat Canadian Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds.
Hunter-Reay finished on top, but began the race in a low position. He started 19th out of 33 cars, and made his final move with an inside pass to seize the lead. With less than half a car length on his opponent, Hunter-Reay crossed the finish line to take the win. "It was a great fight," said Castroneves. "I was having a great time."
Traditions on the Track
Since 1911, the world's top race-car drivers have started their engines at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Unlike the American racing series NASCAR, the Indy 500 is an international race. It features drivers from all over the world in a high-speed, no-contact competition. The goal is to be the first driver to make it 200 times around the 2.5-mile oval track.
Traditions rule at the race. The winner is presented with the Borg-Warner trophy, which stands about 5 feet, 5 inches tall, and weighs approximately 110 pounds. The trophy was first presented in 1936. It is decorated with silver models of the face of each Indy 500 winner since the race began, and has been designed with enough space to add the winners through 2034.
Before accepting the Borg-Warner trophy, the champion is presented with a decorative wreath and a bottle of milk. This funny tradition began with Indy 500 winner Louis Meyer, who drank buttermilk on warm days. After his championship 1936 race, Meyer drank some at the finishing area of the track, known as Victory Lane. A newspaper photographer captured the moment on film, and it became tradition for the race's champion to drink milk in Victory Lane. Hunter-Reay was no exception. He celebrated by taking a swig of milk and pouring it over his head as well, making his win legen-dairy in more ways than one.
Baseball player R. A. Dickey pitches for the Toronto Blue Jays. He is well known for his knuckleball pitch. Dickey also loves to read and write, and has already authored a memoir. His latest book, Knuckleball Ned, is for children. It is the story of a character named Ned, who has trouble fitting in until he discovers that he has special abilities. Here, Dickey talks with TFK about books, his family, and -- of course -- baseball!
Why did you want to write a children's book?
R. A. DICKEY:
I felt I had a good idea for a book. And it was a way for me to use what I do for a living as a platform to give a positive message to kids.
How did you come up with the idea for Knuckleball Ned? Did you feel like you had to make it about the knuckleball in some way?
R. A. DICKEY:
I am always thinking about how I can I use what's around me to deliver a story or a message. I am around baseball, so it was a natural fit for me to use baseballs as actual characters. The overall message of this book is that we can celebrate the things that make us unique and special. Sometimes, people are afraid of what others may think about them, and I wanted to make a book that encourages people to be true to themselves.
TFK: 
Who is your target audience for this book?
R. A. DICKEY:
It's great for kids starting school and for a young grade-school audience. But the characters are relatable for older kids too. Being afraid of starting school is something every kid can relate to. I think it's natural that kids who are interested in baseball would be interested in this book. But it's not just about baseball. The message is bigger than that -- it's about how to be brave in tough situations.
Did you test out your book ideas on your own kids?
R. A. DICKEY:
You bet! Who better to ask? It was really fun to have them as the test group. They gave me a lot of feedback. I remember my kids giggling a lot at one part, and I thought, I should keep this! It was fun for me to do it to see their expressions and hear their ideas.
What was the process like, writing and publishing this book?
R. A. DICKEY:
I love writing. It's a great outlet. It's a fantastic distraction for me as a professional baseball player. I had a lot of cooperation and help from a guy who is a mentor to me in Nashville, Tennessee. His name is Michael Karounos and his name is on the book as a coauthor. I always feel like it's important to relay to kids that there is a lot to be learned in collaboration and cooperation. I didn't work as closely with the illustrator (Tim Bowers) as I thought I would, but I am so happy with how the illustrations came out. I loved seeing how Ned came to life!
Are there any similarities between book publishing and baseball?
R. A. DICKEY:
Both have the pressure of deadlines and of putting yourself out there. Every day when I take the field as major-league pitcher, I am held accountable to the 40,000 people in the stands and the millions watching on television. When you write and publish, you are also putting yourself out there. It takes courage.
TFK: 
What do you like to do when you are not playing baseball or writing books?
R. A. DICKEY:
I like to spend time with my kids. My kids are ages 3, 8, 10, and 12 -- I have two sons and two daughters. They travel with me quite a bit. We love to go to the beach and just be together. Baseball is a tough lifestyle. We play 162 games a year, and half of those are played away from home, so I am away from my family close to half a year. The other half of the year, I try to be very involved with what is going on at home.
TFK: 
What kinds of books do you like to read?
R. A. DICKEY:
I like all genres. I love historical fiction because you can learn something about our world and get lost in the imagination of the writer. I like autobiographies because I love to learn about the lives of other people and how they have overcome things and dealt with issues. And I have always enjoyed poetry, ever since high school.
TFK: 
Do you have plans to write more books?
R. A. DICKEY:
I have another book I am writing about Knuckleball Ned, which is planned to come out next year. Other than that, I don't have any plans, but I when I retire from baseball, I definitely plan to do some writing. I am thinking about journalism or maybe a book of short stories.
TFK: 
I feel we must ask you at least one baseball question. What advice do you have for kids who are trying to learn a knuckleball pitch?
R. A. DICKEY:
Well, there is no substitute for hard work. I know when some people think about the knuckleball, they think there is some magic trick to it. But it's basically getting the right grip -- and practicing. I threw thousands and thousands of balls against a brick wall before I ever felt that I got it right. 
This spring, kids in the U. S. will head outside to get active. Have you considered joining a sports team? TFK spoke to Nick Caringi, who oversees education for Little League International, the largest youth sports organization in the world. This season, Little League is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Caringi -- who grew up playing Little League in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where the organization is headquartered -- offered some tips for kids about playing on a sports team.
Have a positive attitude when you join a team: "Make sure that you have fun first," Caringi says. "Go in with the [attitude] to have some fun, and know that you're not going to be a major league player from the minute you start. That shouldn't be your goal. Your goal is to go out, have fun, and make friends because this is an experience that will carry with you throughout life."
Make the most out of practice: Stay active! "We put an extra emphasis on activity, on running, on station work, and on fun -- fun being the first priority. Parents want their kids to come home from practice tired and a little sweaty."
Always warm-up: Do a pre-practice run to get your blood flowing, and then stretch to focus on the muscles you'll be using, like your throwing arm in baseball. "As you grow, you need the ability to be stretched out a little better because the game itself is changing. When you get to the minor leagues, base running is introduced." At Little Leagues' summer baseball camp, the coaches have players do a base-running relay drill to both get in shape, and to learn how to make correct angles when running bases.
Work hard to prevent injuries: "Most sports injuries occur because a) you are not prepared to play [by being] properly stretched and warmed up, and b) because the techniques aren't taught correctly. In the major league [division], we found that [avoiding] overuse of the [pitching] arm and teaching the proper mechanics go hand-in-hand in helping to prevent injuries."
Focus on your attitude: "Understand that you can only control two things as a player: your attitude and your effort -- how much effort you put toward trying to be a better player and teammate. Everything else will improve based on those two."
Attend summer sports camps or other clinics: "It's important that you allow yourself as a player to experience different types of coaches and learn as much as you can. Become a sponge. Look for local camps and clinics. There are also tons of instructional components online."
Don't stop moving in the off-season: "Go play other sports. It's interesting and fun to go experience other sports, not only for the benefit of relationships and fitness, but to cross train different muscle groups as you get older. That makes you a better athlete."
The University of Connecticut made basketball history this week. It became the only school to win both women's and men's NCAA basketball tournaments in the same year.
On Tuesday night in Nashville, Tennessee, the Connecticut Huskies faced the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the NCAA women's tournament championship game. It was the first final matchup of two undefeated women's teams. UConn beat Notre Dame 79-58, earning their ninth national championship. Head Coach Geno Auriemma broke a tie with head coach Pat Summitt for most national titles on record.
"We beat a great, great team," Auriemma said. "Notre Dame is a great team. I can't say enough about their players and coaching staff, and it took everything we have. I knew if we played great we'd have a chance to win."
On Monday night, the Huskies' men's team beat Kentucky. It was their fourth time winning the title. "I couldn't be prouder of what the men did last night," Auriemma said.
A Promise to Fans
In the final men's game, Connecticut head coach Kevin Ollie led the team to beat the Kentucky Wildcats 60-54. Ollie fulfilled the promise he made to fans at the end of the regular season that the Huskies would be back for the championship game in April. More than 79,000 people showed up for the game at AT&T stadium on Monday night.
"You're looking at the hungry Huskies," UConn senior guard Shabazz Napier told the crowd. Senior forward Niels Giffey added, "It's not about going to the next level, it's not about going to the pros, but playing for your university, playing for your teammates," he said.
Leading the Team
While the athletes move on after four years, the coach remains the same. UConn women's Coach Auriemma has won nine titles in 20 seasons, including the last two. He has never lost in a national championship game. It was the fifth unbeaten season for Auriemma and UConn, and the first time the Huskies went 40-0. Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw congratulated the coach when they shook hands after the game. The two talked about UConn's talent. "I thought we were playing the Miami Heat for a while," McGraw said to Auriemma. "I thought... LeBron was the only thing they were missing."
UConn out-rebounded Notre Dame 54-31 and held them to a season-low in points. Breanna Stewart, led the team with 21 points. Senior Stefanie Dolson scored 17 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. Dolson had promised President Barack Obama that the Huskies would be back, and UConn delivered.
Sochi, Russia is back in action. The Winter Paralympic Games kicked off on March 7. The nine-day event gives disabled athletes the chance to compete for gold. Sochi is hosting 547 athletes from 45 countries for this year's games. Team U. S. A. has 80 members in attendance. Among those players is 15-year-old Brody Roybal, the youngest American Paralympian in Sochi. The Chicago native is playing for the American sledge hockey team (also known as "sled hockey" in the U. S.). On March 13, the U. S. team beat Canada in a semifinal match to advance to the finals. They'll play Russia in the gold medal match on March 15. 
Before Brody left for Sochi, TFK spoke to the athlete about his training schedule, his hopes for Sochi, and what Team USA means to him.
How does it feel to be going to Sochi?
BRODY ROYBAL:
It feels amazing. It's such an honor to be able to go to Sochi and represent my country. 
What inspired you to be an athlete?
When I was younger, I was looking for any disabled sport to play. I tried many different sports, like wheelchair softball and wheelchair basketball, but hockey was the only one that stuck with me.
Where did you have the opportunity to try and play sledge hockey?
When I was looking for a sport to play, I found the RIC (Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) Blackhawks, which is a [sledge hockey] team down in Chicago. They were an adult team at the time, but I started practicing with them. Then, they told me I should go play for the Chicago Hornets, which is the youth team here in Chicago. 
What's your daily routine?
Every morning I wake up at 5 AM and skate from 6 AM to 7 AM. Then, I put in a full day of school. During lunch period I go and work out with my trainer, and then when I get home I have a cross-country skiing device I use to practice skating off the ice. And throughout the week I skate with the local teams -- the Hornets and the Blackhawks. 
You must get tired from such a busy schedule. What keeps you inspired and motivated?
That end goal: the gold medal. 
What was the qualifying process like for you leading up to Sochi?
Before I made it onto the national team, I played on a junior team. In 2013 I tried out for the Olympic team. There are four games you play: two for anyone who wants to try out and two when you're watched closely by coaches. They scout out players to make the final team from those two games. 
Describe the moment you found out you were going to the Paralympics.
We were supposed to get an email from the general manager but I got a text message from some phone number I didn't recognize, saying congrats on making the team. I freaked out and went and scrolled through all my emails. Then I found the message with the final roster, and I was just in awe.
How does it feel to be the youngest player on the roster?
It's such a great opportunity at such a young age to represent my country at such a high level and be able to compete.
What does it mean for you personally to be a party of Team USA?
Up until three years ago, I didn't really ever consider that this was what I wanted to do. Now, this means the world to me.
The 2014 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race came to an end on March 11 with a very special finish. The winner, Dallas Seavey, ran a fast pace to come behind from third place to win his second Iditarod, a race more than 975 miles long. He finished the event in eight days, 13 hours, 4 minutes, and 19 seconds, easily breaking the previous record set in 2011.
The race ended early Tuesday after a sudden storm blew the front-runner out of the competition and kept another musher minutes away from her first win. By the end of the race, Seavey thought he was racing against his father and last year's winner, Mitch Seavey for third place. But, the close-by musher was actually Aliy Zirkle.
The victory was so strange that Seavey said he didn't even realize he won the race until about 90 seconds after he crossed the finish line. "Man, this is a lot of people coming out to see third place come in," he thought when he arrived. "I just found out that I won. I think you guys knew before I did," he told a packed convention hall.
Dog Days of Racing
The Iditarod takes competitors on a grueling journey. It runs between Anchorage, Alaska, and Nome. Each musher leads a team of 12 to 16 dogs. Teams face frigid temperatures, fierce winds, and other harsh conditions.
The trail follows a historic path. In 1925, dogsled teams took a similar route to deliver medicine to sick children in Nome. The Iditarod has been held each year since 1973 to honor those four-legged heroes.
The trail this year was marked by poor conditions. By Alaska's standards, the state had a warm winter that lead to lack of snow for the trails. When the race began on March 2, there were 69 teams. As of March 11, seventeen mushers had dropped out and one had withdrawn. A number of mushers were injured at the beginning of the race as their sleds ran on gravel. The dogs wore booties, a type of sock that is made to protect their feet from small cuts and sores. As always, veterinarians were stationed at many of the checkpoints. They make sure the dogs are healthy enough to continue.
Every Second Counts
The last checkpoint of the race is the "safety." It is 22 miles from the finish line. On Monday, just as Seavey and Zirkle were getting close to the safety, the area was hit with extremely high winds and a ground blizzard. Due to the bad conditions, Zirkle decided to take a rest in Safety -- a checkpoint no one ever uses for a break. "I had to stop in Safety for a couple of dogs and myself," said Zirkle, who had frostbite on her hands. She talked to people in Safety about how bad the conditions were and took a nap.
Zirkle rested there for two hours and 38 minutes. When she woke up she saw Seavey breeze through the checkpoint. He stayed only three minutes. Zirkle decided to follow him and left 19 minutes after Seavey. She lost the race by two minutes and 22 seconds.
Seavey, who did not know that Zirkle was on his tail, said he wasn't in a big hurry. He even stopped to take a photo during sunset before the bad weather. "I was telling my dogs, 'We've done our work here, you guys have done a good job, let's go home,'" Seavey said. 
Before the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg, 20, had never attempted a 1620 Japan air mute grab, which involves spinning four and a half rotations while grabbing the toe end of your board with your front hand and pulling it just behind your back. He first tried it on his final run during the Olympic debut of men's slopestyle, on February 8. His risk paid off -- he became the first official gold-medal winner at the Sochi Games and the first-ever gold medalist in the debut men's event.
Kotsenburg -- who grew up near Park City, Utah, where mountain events at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games were held -- began snowboarding at age five. He took lessons with his older brother, and they both tried joining a team, but eventually found they preferred more freedom on the slopes. "I did anything my older brother wanted to do," Kotsenburg told TFK during a phone interview a few days after winning his gold medal. "We made some friends through the local [snowboard] shop and starting riding with them." Read on for more.
How did it feel to stand on the podium to receive your gold medal?
That was a feeling I've never experienced before. Just being up there and having the medal around my neck and watching the flag go up -- the anthem was playing and people were going nuts in the crowd with American flags. There was just so much support. I know everyone says it, but I can't even put it into words. It's just unbelievable.
This was a debut event. Why do you think it's important that slopestyle be a part of the Olympic Games?
It's very different from a lot of the sports in the Olympics, like figure skating and bobsledding. We have our own world. We have snowboard magazines and snowboard movies, we have contests, and people ride snowboards just for fun. It's what kids are doing now, and it's really fun and you can really just express yourself through snowboarding. I think that is the coolest part of it. There's no blueprint to snowboarding.
What's your advice for kids interested in trying out snowboarding?
For kids who are just getting into it, I'd say just grab a couple friends and go let loose and go have fun and ride at your own level. That's one thing I always tell kids. You can sometimes get so anxious to try learning new tricks or going down runs you shouldn't be going down. You will get there one day. You just have to keep it slow and have fun with it.
What gave you the confidence to try the 1620 Japan air mute grab first on the Olympic stage?
That's a question everyone's been asking, and I just keep saying, "Why not?" It's something that I thought of that day. I knew if I landed it, I could definitely do really well. I talked to my brother and the U. S. team coach. They were both just like, "Yeah, go, send it, have fun. You are at the finals of the Olympics. You have nothing to lose."
Do you remember the first trick that you mastered as a kid?
The first trick was an indie grab, which is your back hand in between your bindings on your toe-side edge. I was just randomly grabbing it. I didn't know what it really was. [My brother and I] started getting into snowboard movies, so that's where we learned all of our tricks. Then, the Olympics came to Salt Lake City in 2002, and we had no idea that snowboarding was really that big. We watched it and just got even more stoked on snowboarding. I was like, "Whoa, these guys are doing unreal tricks. All I can do is an indie grab."
Once you started competing, did you ever have a moment where you wanted to give it up?
I never wanted to give up snowboard. It is my whole life. I don't go 10 minutes without thinking of snowboarding or a trick. There have definitely been times when I wanted to stop competing and just go snowboard for fun. I just wasn't really into contests that much. It got so boring. People were doing the same stuff every contest, and I had done the same run for two years in a row. Then I started making up grabs and doing different crazy tweaks with tricks and that's what really got me back into competing. That's the beauty of snowboarding.
How much does the support of your family help?
I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my brother starting to snowboard, and my mom and dad supported me every step of the way. They would get me out of school early to go snowboard. There was a point where we were traveling so much that I had to be homeschooled. I am so lucky to have them.
This can be a dangerous sport, and the Sochi course made headlines for being extra challenging. How do you get past any fear before a run?
Every sport is pretty dangerous. In snowboarding, you take necessary risks. That's why I tell kids, "Don't do anything out of your comfort zone." You want to make sure if you are doing a new trick, you feel confident in it and you want to do it, and you are not doing it to win when you don't feel comfortable. You have to visualize the trick and know what you are really doing, so I'd say start small and build big.
Your teammate Jamie Anderson won the debut women's event in slopestyle. What did you think of her run?
I was so stoked when Jamie came down her run. She landed her second run, and I just jumped up. I always get stoked watching her, but this was just another level. I couldn't have been any happier for her. 
Will we see you in four years at another Olympics?
I would like to come back. We'll see. That's a long ways away. I just like enjoying the moment and definitely will be aiming to come back because I had a great time at this one.
For the past week, weather in Sochi has been warm -- warmer, in fact, than it has been in much of the United States. On Monday, Olympic spectators watched heavy fog roll over the mountains. The weather caused delays in some events, while the rest of the Games shined on.
As of Tuesday, Day 11 of the Games, the U. S. and the Netherlands were tied for number of medals. Each country had 20 medals total, including six gold medals. For now, the Netherlands holds the first-place spot because the country has six silver medals over the U. S.'s four. But with five days left until the closing ceremonies, it remains anyone's Olympics to win.
A Lifelong Dream
On Monday, Meryl Davis and Charlie White became the first Americans to win an ice dance gold medal. The pair has been skating together for 17 years. After the win, White told reporters, "That in itself justified 17 years of hard work."
David and White were up against Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, of Canada. The Canadian ice skaters, who train in Detroit with the same coach as Davis and White, took gold in the 2010 Olympics and were considered the Americans' biggest competitors. Virtue and Moir took home Silver. White says facing the competitive pair helped. "We wanted to fight for the best performance we could give and we did that," White said. "You dream of this for so long, work so hard, and they worked hard, too."
Over the weekend, Team U. S. A. also snagged a medal in the two-man bobsled for the first time in 62 years. Steven Holcomb and Steven Langton won bronze, even though Holcomb had a leg injury.
Winning Streak
On the slopes, American skier Bode Miller's hard work paid off as well. The 36-year-old tied for the bronze medal in the men's Super G. This was Miller's sixth career Olympic medal, the most won by any U. S. Alpine skier. Miller had an emotional interview following the win. "If it's not the most important race of my life, it's right there with it," Miller told USA Today. "I had a lot to show."
In women's hockey, the U. S. and Canada won their respective semifinals and will face off for the gold medal on Thursday. On the men's side, the biggest win for the U. S. came on February 15. The game wasn't for a medal, but hockey fans were on the edge of their seats anyway. The U. S. faced off against Russia in a nail-biting shoot off. T. J. Oshie of Team U. S. A scored four times during the eight-round shootout but was humble about the victory. "The real American heroes are wearing camo," he told reporters. "That's not me." The rival teams could meet again in Sochi during the goldor bronze-medal match.
It was a weekend of fresh faces and events at the Sochi Winter Olympics, which officially kicked off Friday evening. The opening ceremony at Fisht Olympic Stadium, in Sochi, Russia, featured the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, along with enormous set pieces, fireworks, dances, music, and more. The performances took audiences through parts of Russia's history and culture.
The ceremony also included the parade of nations, in which athletes from each country enter the stadium with their flag. In keeping with tradition, athletes from Greece -- which hosted the first-ever Olympics -- entered first and the host country, Russia, entered last. "I declare the 22nd Winter Olympic Games open," said Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of the ceremony.
An estimated 31.7 million Americans watched the opening ceremony on Friday, according to the television ratings company Nielsen. Millions more in the U. S. and around the world are expected to tune in over the next two weeks of the global sporting competition, which features several brand-new events this year.
Style on the Slopes
Over the weekend, snowboard slopestyle athletes made Olympic history by winning the first-ever Olympic medals in the debuting sport. In slopestyle, boarders slide down a course featuring pipes and jumps while executing complicated tricks. American athletes topped the new event, with 20-year-old Sage Kotsenberg earning the men's gold on Saturday and Jamie Anderson, 23, taking home the women's gold on Sunday.
Kotsenburg secured the top spot after unleashing a trick he had never tried before. Called a "Back 1620 Japan Air," it involved performing four and a half rotations while grabbing his board and flexing it behind his back. "Never, ever tried it in my life," he told reporters, adding that he decided to do it three minutes before the run.
Kotsenberg was joined on the medal podium by silver medalist Staale Sandbech, 20, of Norway and bronze medalist Mark McMorris, 20, of Canada.
Anderson faced the challenge of landing jumps on a tough course that caused many of her competitors to wipe out. "I was freaking out," she said. But Anderson came through under pressure. Behind her, Enni Rukajarvi, 23, of Finland took silver, while Britain's Jenny Jones, 33, won bronze -- the country's first medal of the Games.
Competing as a Team
On home ice at Sochi's Iceberg Skating Palace, Russia swept a new "mixed team" event in figure skating. The event pitted 10 qualifying nations against each other, with each team consisting of a male and female solo figure skater, a pairs team, and an ice dancing team.
Representing a country where figure skating once dominated the Winter Olympics, pressure was on the Russian team to win the debut event. With the help of 15-year-old Julia Lipnitskaia, the team won Russia its first gold medal of the Games. Lipnitskaia wowed the audience -- which included President Putin -- with her performance. "My trainers told me people would cry," Lipnitskaia said. "They told me they would be clapping to the music. But I didn't think the spectators would be so loud. But it helped me to perform really well."
Team Canada earned silver in the event, while the American team took home bronze -- boosted by a record-high score from ice dancers Charlie White and Meryl Davis on the free dance. Figure skating athletes will return later in the Games for the individual competitions.
The Games Ahead
Spoiler Alert! Sochi, Russia, is nine hours ahead of U. S. Eastern Standard Time, so NBC -- the official U. S. broadcaster of the Olympics -- is airing many of the events on a time delay. Stop reading if you don't want to know what happened Monday, February 10, before it's shown on TV.
Monday featured gold-medal races for the super-combined, an event that measures all-around skill in Alpine skiing. Germany's Maria Hoefl-Riesch, 29, won gold for the second Winter Games in a row. The silver medal went to Nicole Hosp, 30, of Austria. American skiier Julia Mancuso, 29, took bronze -- her fourth career Olympic medal in Alpine skiing. No other U. S. female skier has won more than two Olympic medals.
There will be more big contests in the week ahead, including the debut women's ski jumping event. Will Team U. S. A. continue to heat up the Winter Games? Stay tuned to find out.
The Seattle Seahawks soared into MetLife Stadium like birds of prey Sunday night and claimed their first Super Bowl title by defeating the Denver Broncos. Football fans had gotten used to exciting Super Bowls in recent years, with the previous seven championships having been tight games. But this year was a blowout, with a final score of 43-8.
Fumble Beginnings
Things went downhill for five-time MVP quarterback Peyton Manning and the Broncos from the start of the game. On the opening play, Manning stepped up toward the line of scrimmage just as center Manny Ramirez snapped the ball. It sailed past Manning's head and into the end zone, resulting in a safety for Seattle. The Seahawks then kicked a field goal on their next possession, to give them a quick 5-0 lead.
Seattle charged towards victory with a powerful defense that did not allow Manning to get going. "The only way we could say we were the best defense was to take down the best offense," Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner said. The Seahawks went on to dominate with a 69-yard interception return touchdown by linebacker Malcolm Smith to make the game 22-0 by halftime. It was Denver's biggest loss of the season and the third-largest halftime lead in Super Bowl history.
Seattle's Percy Harvin opened the second half of the game with an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, giving the Seahawks a 29-0 lead. It wasn't until the third quarter that Manning connected with Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas for a 5-yard touchdown pass.
Showtime
Though at times the game was slow, musical performances helped keep up the energy in the stadium. Soprano Renee Fleming opened the event with the National Anthem. In honor of New York and New Jersey hosting the Super Bowl together, the marching bands from Syracuse University in New York and Rutgers University in New Jersey performed together before the game. Bruno Mars delivered a spirited performance during the halftime show, alongside the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
MetLife Stadium, located in East Rutherford, NJ, was packed with thousands of fans to watch both the game and the variety of musical performances. This year marked the first time an outdoor Super Bowl was held in a cold-weather city -- though temperatures were mild and didn't threaten the game. Next year's championship game is scheduled to take place in Arizona, so the only cold threat will be the competition.