The Balancing Act: Well, our next guest on “The Balancing Act” took the world of racing by storm when she was just ten years old.  She hit that gas pedal and has not stopped yet.  She’s been named the most successful woman in the history of American open wheel racing and has more than one hundred races under her belt.  She has also captured the world of modeling and has appeared in many television commercials as an advertising spokesperson and today she is taking a stand against Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, better known as COPD.  Please join me in welcoming Danica Patrick to “The Balancing Act” this morning.  Good morning to you, Danica.

Patrick: Good morning.

The Balancing Act: Well, ten years old that’s amazing.  My son is ten; I would never let him get behind the wheel.  What was it that motivated you to get into the racing world?

Patrick: You know, my dad used to race when he was younger.  Umm, and my sister was the one who actually wanted to race go-carts.  We used to go watch midget racing at a local track every weekend and I think that my sister just, I don’t know, she had the bug and she wanted to do it and I just didn’t want to get left out.  That’s common with sisters, right, or brothers?

The Balancing Act: No, absolutely.  It’s funny you say that ’cause we took our son go-cart racing recently, he did actually pretty well.   I was pretty impressed with him, but, speaking of being impressed, you have done some amazing things in your career and right now, you’ve taken on the role as a model and a spokesperson.  But, in addition to that, your newest role is with COPD.  Tell our viewers of “The Balancing Act,” what’s the personal connection there, Danica?

Patrick: Ahh, well, my grandma had COPD and she passed away and so, for me, this is a way that I could take a negative and turn it into a positive and honor her and try and get the awareness out about the disease and what it is.  It affects twenty-four million people and only half know it, so, yeah, it’s the fourth leading cause of death in this country.  It kills more people than breast cancer and diabetes combined, so, those statistics kind of grab people’s attention and makes them go, “what’s COPD?”  So, it’s more known as emphysema or chronic bronchitis, but it’s very serious and, you know, my grandma died from it and I didn’t really even know very much about the disease until I was really educated on it to help educate others.

The Balancing Act: Well, now you’ve teamed up with “Drive for COPD.”  What is this organization doing then to help make people aware?

Patrick: We do all kinds of really interesting things.  The campaign kicked off last year at Daytona in February with the “Drive for COPD 300,” which I raced in in Daytona.  There was a bunch of ambassadors last year to kick it off and they traveled across the country raising awareness and they were in RV’s driving across the country.  So, it was a big bang at the very beginning.  We do lots of awareness with interviews and education through that we’re working with Billy Ray Cyrus and Patti Love and the country music world.  So, they’ve done country music competitions, song writing competitions.  We’ve recently joined with Michael Kalish, an artist, and he works with license plates a lot, so he created this monument called “twenty-four m.”  Its pin, a pinwheel, is the symbol for COPD ’cause you have to breathe into it to get it to turn.  So, he made twenty-four pinwheels with twenty-four hundred license plates and it’s in the shape of the United States.  So, it’s pretty dramatic and, you know, we just do all kinds of things.  There’s going to be—there’s screener trucks—COPD screener trucks at a lot of NASCAR races and other outdoor events.  The list is kind of long, so we’re doing everything we can.

The Balancing Act: You know, it’s interesting, you say that the list is kind of long and you’re absolutely right.  It’s long for you and so many of the things that you’ve done and I wanted to ask you, because, to me when I look at you as this race car driver but this beautiful woman, it’s kind of like, how do you reconcile the two, how do you balance it all?

Patrick: I guess the balance is the fun part for me,  for me, I enjoy being female, being feminine, getting my hair and makeup done and doing photo shoots and, you know, trying to look pretty, so, you know I like doing that.  But then I have another side to me which is the aggressive, rough and tough, kind of, race car driver girl, where I don’t wear any makeup and I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing it or having nail polish on at the race track, although it’s kind of light this weekend, maybe I need to take it off, anyway…

The Balancing Act: Not even any lipstick in the race car, Danica, just a little bit of lip gloss.

Patrick: No, no, like chapstick, You know, I enjoy both of those sides to me and I think that without one it would be hard to just have the other, so it’s the balance that makes me feel complete and allows me to be able to enjoy both of them.

The Balancing Act: Well, where can viewers of “The Balancing Act” go for more information on this COPD drive that you’re doing—which I think is so amazing—where can we go to find out more?

Patrick: Driver4copd.com.  We take the five question screener, it helps you get educated on the disease and some of the signs and symptoms and we’ve screened over two million people now in two years.  It’s been under two years, so it’s been a very effective campaign and, more than anything, it’s about taking care of yourself.

The Balancing Act: Thank you so much, Danica, for coming on “The Balancing Act” and really shedding light on COPD for a lot of our audience members who may not know about it.  So thank you so much, and best of luck to you.

Patrick: Thank you.

The Balancing Act: And, as Danica said, if you’d like more information on COPD, be sure to visit the website.  It’s drive4, that’s the number 4, copd.com.

The Balancing Act is the only morning show in America produced by women specifically for women. Every morning, The Balancing Act on Lifetime hosts Danielle Knox and Kristy Villa tackle the issues that face today’s woman. Popular show segments include live weather updates with Mark Mancuso, surprise celebrity visitors, and news about the latest trends affecting your life, home, career and family. The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television airs daily on Lifetime at 7 a.m. ET/PT. For more information, visit The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television’s website at www.thebalancingact.com.

As with everything else in Theodore Stroukoff’s life, he takes his tennis game seriously. For those considering tennis as a hobby, Theodore Stroukoff has a few words of advice for a successful game.

First, says Theodore Stroukoff, it’s essential to start with good equipment. A quality tennis racket is essential to success in your tennis game. If you’re a beginner, Theodore Stroukoff recommends a racket with an oversize head that has a lightweight feel. As your game improves, you can move up to the next level, which is a racket the weighs around 9-11 ounces and has a mid-sized head. An expert level racket can kick your game into high gear. Once you’re ready to take on the big leagues, Theodore Stroukoff recommends looking for a racket with a weight surpassing 11.5 ounces and a head size between 85 and 98. These rackets put the weight on the handle instead of the head, improving the player’s control.

Now that you have your racket, take a look at the tennis balls you’re using for your game. Theodore Stroukoff recommends pressurized tennis balls, since they are lighter and fly through the air more easily. Non-pressurized tennis balls last longer, but they also do not bounce as high.

Before you head out to the courts, Theodore Stroukoff advises investing in a good pair of tennis shoes. First, look for a pair of shoes that provide lateral support. Because you’ll be spending a great deal of time moving back and forth, it’s essential that your shoes can support this sideways movement.

Good cushioning is essential. You have two choices when it comes to cushioning in tennis shoes, Theodore Stroukoff explains. The heavier of these choices is polyurethane, which provides more substantial cushioning. However, as Theodore Stroukoff points out, EVA is lighter and more stable. Since stability is important in your tennis game, this is the type Theodore Stroukoff recommends for tennis.

Once you have your equipment and clothing in place, it’s time to start your game. At first, you’ll focus on mastering the skill of keeping the ball in play as long as possible, Theodore Stroukoff says. But as you progress in the game, Theodore Stroukoff suggests that there are strategies you’ll learn to challenge your opponent by using certain types of strokes. This is a skill that isn’t learned overnight, acknowledges Theodore Stroukoff, but he has found that with practice, becoming a skilled tennis player is easily achievable.

The foil, says Catherine Case Szarwark, is a long and thin weapon with a tip on which a push button is located.  This button is connected to a wire that runs the length of the foil, to another wire that runs under the fencer’s body armor to a machine that detects when the button is depressed.  In order to score a point, explains Catherine Case Szarwark, the fencer must hit the opponent on the torso (not including the arms, legs or head).  If both fencers hit each other, the referee awards the point to the fencer who has initiated the attack first, unless the other fencer had repulsed that attack.  This is called the right of way, adds Szarwark.

The saber is modeled on the cavalry sword, and Catherine Case Szarwark describes it as a slashing weapon. Szarwark says that points are scored by hitting an opponent anywhere above the belt with the edge or the side of the blade.  If both opponents touch the other, adds Catherine Case Szarwark, the referee awards a point on the basis of which initiated the attack first, in a manner similar to that used in foil fencing.  Hits are recorded on electronic scoring devices.  The opponents are not permitted to cross their rear foot beyond their front foot while fencing.  Saber matches are usually much shorter than foil or epee fencing, and according to Catherine Case Szarwark are often decided by the results of initial thrusts.

The epee is a slightly heavier weapon than the foil, which it otherwise resembles, says Catherine Case Szarwark.  It too has a push button on the end and points are scored by hitting the opponent with the tip of the weapon.  However, points out Szarwark, the target of the epee is the entire body of the opponent.  Furthermore, adds Catherine Case Szarwark, hits within 40 milliseconds of each other (as determined by electronic scoring devices) produce points for both fencers.  None of the complicated right of way rules applicable to foil and saber apply to the epee.

According to Catherine Case Szarwark, all three weapons include a guard located above the handle or grip that protects the hand of the fencer.  Fencers wear protective clothing, and injuries, apart from bruises, are rare during competitions.

Catherine Case Szarwark, a three time NCAA all American in the epee, reports that fencing is quite popular throughout Europe. The sport is also gaining in popularity in the United States although currently only a few schools have fencing teams.  Usually, reports Catherine Case Szarwark, fencing is learned at fencing clubs or academies from private instructors with a passion for the sport. It is also possible to fence in overseas tournaments, which are held far more often than in the United States.  Some high schools and local fencing clubs also stage local fencing meets on a regional basis, adds Szarwark.

Additionally, according to Szarwark, many Colleges and Universities sponsor Fencing teams, and the NCAA stages a National Championship Tournament each year.  The winner is determined on the basis of total points accumulated by the women’s and the men’s teams in each weapon classification.Catherine Case Szarwark was on the Penn State University team that won the National Championship during her senior year.

About Catherine Case Szarwark

For Catherine Case Szarwark, accomplishments came early in life. While friends were hoping to adapt to middle school, Catherine Case Szarwark found her passion. Szarwark started fencing in the sixth grade when a mini-fencing class was offered for physical education. She discovered that she loved it and possessed a rare talent.  Catherine Case Szarwark’s parents were supportive and her path to success began.

Catherine Case Szarwark spent six years at the Nashville Fencing Academy where she developed into one of the finest fencers in the country.  While attending Harpeth Hall School in Nashville, Tennessee, Catherine Case Szarwark rose to the highest-ranking American epee fencer in the under-17 age category.  Her fencing for the American team took Catherine Case Szarwark to Italy and Germany, and Szarwark spent time at the United States Olympic training facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she trained alongside Olympic hopefuls from all over the United States.

Upon graduation from high school, Catherine Case Szarwark elected to attend Penn State University where she fenced under the legendary Coach Emmanuil Kaidanov.  There, Szarwark compiled a record of 149 wins against only 35 losses, for an 81.0% winning percentage.  This remains the sixth-best in the storied history of fencing at Penn State University.  Catherine Case Szarwark earned all America honors three times, and was the captain of the Women’s Epee team in 2006-2007 when Penn State University won the NCAA National Championship. In speaking of this team, Coach Kaidanov singled out Catherine Case Szarwark for her leadership and dedication.

Catherine Case Szarwark also earned All Academic Big Ten honors, and finished with a 3.4 grade point average at Penn State University.  Szarwark now lives in New York City and has taught fencing at the New York Athletic Club. She works at NYU School of Medicine and is involved in Junior League of New York.

There are many levels to gun education. You may need private shooting lessons or prefer a group class. You will need to learn about your state’s conceal carry laws. You might be more interested in gun ownership for self-defense. BSR Gun Shop employs certified instructors teaching all of these subjects and more.

BSR Gun Shop is an excellent example of a versatile classroom facility. Once your classroom training is completed, BSR Gun Shop maintains an indoor shooting range for your convenience. At BSR Gun Shop’s indoor range, trainees can apply their new knowledge on the spot. Indeed, once you’ve gotten your education, you can purchase your very own firearm from BSR Gun Shop’s wide selection. At BSR Gun Shop, knowledgeable firearms instructors also offer specialized seminars on reloading, gun safety, self-defense, gun cleaning and gun storage.

Once you’ve got your education and your gun, you will be ready to join the vibrant community of American gun enthusiasts. You may want to sign up for shooting competitions. BSR Gun Shop hosts local, regional, and national shooting competitions. Just check out their calendar when you sign up for classes.

Contact:

BSR Gun Shop
209 North Illinois Street (Highway 159)
Belleville, Illinois 62220
IL: (618) 234-9690
MO: (314) 368-4867
Fax: (618) 236-2551
www.bsrgunshop.com

An undefeated NFL team is constantly getting nationwide TV and radio coverage, not to mention mountains of published flyers, banners, T-shirts, tickets, and miscellaneous paraphernalia. The sports marketing publishers at know that high quality marketing should be available to any sports organization, not just the big boys.

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