Girls between the ages of eight and 12 are at the point in the race where they begin to experience the first of life’s struggles. But there’s a worthy organization called Girls On The Run there to cheer them on and help them break through those tough times.

What is Girls on the Run? And what are they about? According to their site, the organization is on a quest  “to empower young girls to have a strong sense of identity, have a healthy body image, understand their importance in and impact on their community, and prepare them for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.”

In short, “we want the girls to respect themselves, appreciate their uniqueness, be leaders in their own way,” says Executive Director Jill Indovino.

The program is offered during that window of time after school where girls, when left unsupervised, are more likely to make poor and often dangerous decisions. According to the site, girls this age “are still receptive to what adults have to say, yet they are beginning to feel the pull of peer pressure. … It is the perfect time to address important personal and relationship issues to a girl – like learning how to manage her emotions, the dangers of gossiping, how and when to speak up for herself and more.”

The organization was founded by Molly Barker, a four-time Hawaii Ironman tri-athlete in 1996. Molly, a former school teacher and track coach, worked as a counselor addressing the needs of women with eating disorders, alcohol and substance addictions and depression.

Indovino says the girls who participate aren’t the only big winners in the program. “These girls show incredible intelligence, compassion and determination when in the right environment.  The other equally rewarding aspect is the number of women that are inspired by this program not only for the girls but for themselves.”

To date, tens of thousands of girls and women participate in the program which happens to be in more than 150 cities across North America. In 2009, Girls on the Run hosted 100 end-of-season 5k events across the United States and Canada.

Girls On the Run has an upcoming  one mile fun run and 5K scheduled for May 16, 2010 at Forest Park at The Muny. The fun run starts at 8:30 a.m. the 5k starts at 9 a.m. For race details click here.

Indovino and her team operate the St. Louis chapter (which relies enirely on the generosity and support of the local community) with a vision to expand Girls on the Run throughout greater St. Louis across all socioeconomic boundaries. The goal is to raise over $200,000 for scholarships in 2010 and serve 4,000 girls. To donate to the organization, click here.

Not a program in your area? Start one! Here’s more information.

Lisa is a contributor for Girls Guide. She is a freelance writer and you can find her writing regularly at St Louis Family and MotherOfBun. You can email her at lisadetmerbertrand [at] hotmail [dot]com, and follow her on Twitter.

That is, until I discovered boot camp.

I know the name “boot camp” in itself sounds pretty hard-core. When I first heard about this kind of fitness class, I was envisioning people wearing fatigues, crawling through mud under barbed wire and being barked at by a drill sergeant. A bit intimidating, to say the least.

Despite my dramatic (and inaccurate, as it turns out) assumptions, I decided at the end of last summer to check out a local boot camp to see what it was all about. I’m one of those people who needs to be held accountable in order to motivate myself to exercise, so I figured a class like this was just what I needed.

I did a little research (aka Googling) and found Sleek Boot Camp run by instructor Paige Dustmann. The camp meets in Forest Park every Wednesday and Saturday, which coincided nicely with my schedule. Paige let me attend my first class for free so I could try it out before committing to a whole session. After that class, I was hooked.

What I love about the boot camp classes is that they combine cardio and strength training and every workout is different. We start each class not knowing what Paige has in store for us, so working out is never boring or routine. I also love being outside – at least I can breathe the fresh air and take in the scenic landscapes in Forest Park while I’m getting my ass kicked.

And no, that’s not an exaggeration – I show up at each class knowing that the workout is not going to be easy. There’s a good chance it will involve push-ups, jump squats, and an ungodly amount of lunges. There will be pain, sweat, and occasional nausea. And let me tell you, Art Hill is beautiful, but it tends to lose its appeal when you’re forced to run up and down it repeatedly.

However, the benefits of these classes more than make up for the momentary torture. Paige and the other boot campers are all fun and encouraging. We joke around (when we’re not out of breath), and we’ve become friends, bonded in our quest for fitness.

The best thing is, the classes actually work. I’m in the best shape of my adult life. And while I may endure moments of pain and fatigue, I always feel really great at the end of each workout. I’m not just saying that, either. I used to roll my eyes when I heard people claim to feel energized and refreshed after a long run or a hard workout at the gym. When I do those things, I feel tired. I need a nap. But there’s something about these fun outdoor classes that actually does make me feel that way.

Emily Bingham joined Sleek Boot Camp a couple of years ago after “falling off the fitness bandwagon,” as she describes it.

“I was working long hours and the idea of making myself go to the gym late at night was not appealing,” she says. “With boot camp, I look forward to being outside and actually enjoy my workouts. It definitely pushes me more than I would ever push myself.  Since starting boot camp, I have accomplished more than I ever thought I could.”

Paige Dustmann, a certified fitness instructor through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, started Sleek Boot Camp as a result of her own quest to get in shape. While getting ready for her honeymoon in 2005, she found that she could no longer fit into any of the clothes she had bought for the trip. This was a turning point for her, and she decided she needed to make a lifestyle change. She began creating diverse workouts for herself and was able to drop 40 pounds. Soon, the people around her starting taking notice and began asking her to help them and lead group workouts.

“I fell in love with motivating others who have struggled with their weight,” says Dustmann. “Anyone can go to a gym, get a cardio workout and then hit the weight room. A boot camp has you use your own body weight and natural land markings to strengthen muscles and increase cardiovascular abilities. We aim to keep your heart rate in the ‘fat-burn zone.’ We do this by incorporating cardio (to get your heart rate up) and weight training (to lower it back down).”

Dustmann says the mottos for her boot camp are Living a Healthy Lifestyle and Whole Body Workout in an Hour. “Every Sleek Boot Camp class is different. Muscles get accustomed to regular workouts and a camper can stop seeing results. It is my job to find new cardio and strength moves to keep campers challenged. I do this through researching other fitness classes, fitness websites, magazines, videos and the AFAA,” she says.

If you’re thinking that boot camp classes may be a little too intense or high-level for your abilities, think again. Dustmann makes sure her workouts are not just for those who are physically fit. “Every exercise can be altered to address individual levels,” she says.

Sleek Boot Camp is great, but it’s not the only game in town if Dustmann’s class times don’t fit into your schedule. Boot camp workouts are becoming increasingly popular in St. Louis, and several have recently sprung up in the area. Other options include St. Louis Hard Body Boot Camps, Inspire Fitness, Adventure Boot Camp, and St. Louis Fitness Results.

It really all comes down to the fact that when you hate working out, it’s hard to force yourself to do it. I don’t think you’ll find many people who can say that they love running stairs or doing planks and army crawls. What makes fitness boot camps so effective is the outdoor, social atmosphere that allows pushing yourself to be fun. Or at least a little more tolerable.

“I would recommend boot camp to absolutely anyone,” says Bingham. “It’s great for people who want to get in shape and be healthy, as well as those looking to tone and lose weight. It will definitely push your limits, but in a good way.”

Carlie is the Food and Drink Editor for Girls Guide, and also blogs at carliecrash.com. By day she is an educational textbook editor, and she moonlights as a foodie and barfly.  You can email her at carlie [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and you can follow her on Twitter – @carbirwin.

Image Credit: http://www.msnbc.com/id/21032733 

And I’m not writing this as if all girls are ‘dumb’ and don’t know anything about sports. On the contrary, I know some dumb girls who know a ton about sports, and some borderline geniuses who can’t tell a Hostess Ding Dong from a hockey puck. But I know at least one girl who doesn’t make keeping up with sports a priority. Me.

Yes, I watch the games. I get tickets and go with my friends. I go on spurts where I can’t get enough (usually this happens every other year when the Olympics are on). I love to watch the top ten on Sports Center.

And I’ll say it again, I love the Cardinals.

However, I’m going to be honest. If I lived in Boston, I would probably love the Red Sox. If I called New York  home, I’d probably sport a classic Yankees cap. Heck, I bet if I lived in Chicago, I would love the Cubs (ah the humanity!).

I love all the things that are associated with baseball- summer, hot dogs, beer, boys, competition, America… I just don’t follow it. In fact, if you asked me to name as many Cardinals’ players as I could think of, I would probably name just four or five. And I’m sure at least one of them would have already been traded.

Further proof: I once bought a navy blue hat with a cool ‘D’ design on it (get it, my name is Danielle). When asked what this ‘D’ stood for, I said, rather matter-of-factly, “The Dodgers.”

“And where do the Dodgers play, Danielle?” they asked.

“Um duh, Brooklyn.”

For all of you gals out there scratching your heads, let me explain. The Brooklyn Dodgers do not exist. They haven’t existed in like a hundred years or something. They now play in LA. (I know, crazy, right?!)

What’s more, the ‘D’ on my hat wasn’t even the symbol for these so called LA Dodgers, it was for the Detroit Tigers. Epic fail.

If that story doesn’t prove my lack of baseball knowledge, I’m not sure what does.

Now, I know what you’re thinking:

“Great, wise Danielle, if you know so little about baseball, how on earth do you manage to survive the rabid Card’s fans prowling the mean streets (and bars and living rooms and backyards…) of Saint Louis every summer (and, potentially fall)?”

Well, lucky for you, I’m willing to share some expertise. I knew I couldn’t do this alone, so first, I contacted my sports-loving friend BJ Rains, who covers all things Cardinal’s for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.

Step one, knowing some players. According to BJ, the ‘obvious’ ones are Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina, but also keep an eye on Brendan Ryan, who is entering his first full year as the starting shortstop; Colby Rasmus, who is ready for a big year in centerfield; and Brad Penny, a pitcher in his first year with the Cardinals.

To help you sound smarter than you really are, here are some buzzwords to sprinkle in your daily speech. If you still don’t understand these words… don’t ask me. I won’t be able to help you.

Foul Pole: the yellow poles on each side that determine if the ball is fair or foul. Fair is good, foul is bad. Ironically, its called the foul pole but a ball is fair if it hits it.

Bullpen: the area where the pitchers warm up

In the Hole: term used to describe the third batter that’s up, behind the batter and on-deck hitter

Squeeze Play: when the runner steals home from third base as the batter bunts the ball to score him

Hit-and-Run: when the runner steals and the batter swings at the pitch and tries to hit it no matter how good or bad the pitch is

Once you’ve got those down, you can use these statements as conversation starters (My strategy? Let the other person do most of the talking):

Do you think Tony La Russa will retire after this season?

How much money are the Cardinals going to have to pay Pujols?

Colby Rasmus seems to be a lot more confident at the plate this year.

Did you know Brendan Ryan got kicked off his college team?

How can Adam Wainwright lose the Cy Young Award last year when he had more first place votes than anybody else?

If you’re really looking to get into the Cardinals’ spirit, definitely check out BJ’s coverage at the Globe-Democrat, and he also recommends ESPN and the Cardinal’s website for some great coverage of the team. Above all, BJ’s offers this bit of final advice, “Have fun! Baseball is a great game if you give it a try. Some say it’s boring but that’s because they don’t give it a real chance.”

And now, it’s my turn to dish out the advice. I may not know much about the actual game or the actual players, but I do know a lot about having fun during baseball season, and I’m kind enough to share some of those tips with you.

First, Grab a beer. Notice I did not say cocktail. Baseball = beer. And no, not Miller. We live in Saint Louis. Our stadium is named Busch Stadium. Enjoy your Miller (or Boulevard or Sam Adams or whatever) some other time. Go with a Budweiser product, please.

Do not wear pink. Our colors our red. Not pink. And there is no glitter on the Cardinal’s uniforms, so get rid of that too.

On that same note, go buy a Cardinal’s shirt (just to reiterate, not a pink one). You don’t have to spend tons on an authentic jersey. I’ve seen Card’s shirts at the mall, at Target, even Walmart, for around $10.

Take some initiative and get the group together to ‘watch’ the game at a bar. BJ suggests the bars around the stadium (think Al Hrabowsky’s, Shannon’s, J Buck’s), but says his favorite place to watch the game is at Sports Zone on Watson. Really, any sports bar will work- just make sure they have lots of TVs and bucket specials (on the aforementioned Budweiser products).

But what games are the good ones to watch? All of them, duh. But if you need some specific dates to put on your calendar, BJ says to plan for the Los Angeles Angels’ series May 21-23, and anytime we play the Cubs (in Saint Louis August 13-15). Bonus points f you plan on taking a trip to KC to watch the Cardinals destroy to Royals the last weekend in June (I’ll be there!).

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Even with all these hints, there is no way you’ll be able to come off like some kind of baseball guru. Don’t worry about it. Nobody likes a know-it-all anyway.

Don’t worry about sounding dumb. What makes an error an error? How do you say Schoendienst? Why are their pants so baggy? These are all questions I have asked while trying to get my tan on and enjoying a hot dog and brewski at Busch Stadium.

And above all else, hate on the Cubs. I don’t know why, just trust me on this.

Photo credit- zazzle.com

Danielle is the Television and movies Editor  for Girls Guide. You can check out her personal blog, Addicted to Television, where she talks about her television obsession. If you want to give her free movie passes she wouldn’t be shy in taking them, so you can email them to her at danielle [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and you can follow her on Twitter – @daniellesmyname.

Sports bras, no matter how cute they are or who they are made by, do not qualify as shirts. Just as, according to the Good Buy Girl, leggings are not pants (THANK YOU), sports bras leave a little to be desired in the shirt department.

Look, it’s weird to work out next to a half naked person. Am I insecure? Do I wish I could feasibly work out in a sports bra? Perhaps, but! What’s weird about working out NEXT to a person working out in her undergarment is that it draws attention to ME. People look at the half naked girl and then people look at the fully clothed girl. I have experienced this. It is true. And it’s a strange, strange phenomenon- and it is one of the many reasons why women should wear shirts when they are working out.

If you are too warm walking on a treadmill in a shirt perhaps you should consult your doctor, as it is NOT that warm at our gym. Also, you can totally show off your body while wearing a shirt. There used to be a girl who showed up to workout in full, mask-style make up, skin tight pants (actually, it may have been body paint), and tank tops sized for 5th graders who would climb the stair step machine so provocatively that I once moved from my treadmill to one on the other side of the gym so I could stop laughing. But hey! She had a SHIRT ON so it wasn’t all that bad.

I’ve considered asking the people working at my gym if they’ve ever considered enforcing their rule of having to have a shirt on in order to work out. However, I have not done so because, well, it’s really not that big of a deal. It’s just strange. I’m not offended by the shirtless girl(s) at the gym. I’m just weirded out by them. And as long as I don’t end up having to work out next to them and have unwanted attention drawn in my direction we’re fine.

I go to the gym to work out and shamelessly watch Bad Girls Club if it’s conveniently on the TV in front of my elliptical machine. Sometimes I get so into my work out zone that I spill water on my shirt and I don’t care because NO ONE is paying any attention to me and that’s great! It’s ideal! Unless I’m working out next to naked lady and in that case, well, I get a little more attention than I want to get at the gym. Also, it’s predominantly men who staff my gym, and I have little faith they would do anything to confront any girl who has chosen to walk around in just a bra. Sorry, fellas, but I’ve seen you starring. And I’m pretty sure your thought bubble has not been, “Dang. She’s in violation of our rules.”

Work out attire at the gym has long perplexed me as I’ve just always wanted to work out in soccer shorts and tee shirts or tank tops. I do have a couple pairs of work out pants and capris that I’ll wear when exercising outside and it’s too cold for shorts. How people can wear pants and then run on a treadmill blows my mind, as I already think my gym has the temperature set slightly too high. However, not high enough for me to not want to wear a shirt.

Maybe it’s just the way I was raised? Any team I’ve ever played on- soccer, basketball or softball- banned practicing in just sports bras as it was immodest. I set the same rule when I coached my high school teams as well. Or maybe it’s just that when someone shows up half clothed at our gym they stand out like a sore thumb? Kind of like the elephant in the room that everyone sees and no one wants to say anything about… Just stare. If everyone dressed that way, maybe I’d start dressing that way? If I show up at the gym tonight and everyone looks like a slightly updated version of a 1988 work out video, will I follow suit on Tuesday? Eh, I doubt it.

Image Credit: swimwearsportsbras.com – this is NOT the girl at the gym… but it is close.

Annie is the Sports and Fitness Editor for Girls Guide. She writes about all kinds of sports related topics and then really goes out and plays sports almost every evening. You can contact Annie by emailing her at annie [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and we are still trying to talk her into getting a Twitter account – no success yet.

If you know me, you know I’ve got a relatively moderate case of the ‘Can’t Sit Stills.’ And basketball has all of the qualities I find desirable in a sport: explosive, constant action and unpredictability. There is hype, hysteria and plenty of time to spent on the edge of your seat. Granted, if you’re watching a game where one team leads by 20 points for the entire game it can be about as dull as watching grass grow, but then again people do enjoy watching golf on tv…

There is something special about March Madness that is hard to find in any other play off arena of sports, however. First of all, these are college kids. The vast majority of the players in these tournaments (men and women) are 18 to 23 and they aren’t playing for money. Money in the future? Sure. But right now they are playing for pride, self, and team. And watching that is motivating and refreshing.

Second, when the first round of March Madness begins (March 18 and 19), there are 64 teams (16 teams in each bracket: Midwest, West, East, and South) working their tails off to win 6 games in a row to make it to game 7- the championship. Their previous season that got them a seed in the tournament no longer matters. They made it; no matter worn, injured, or delirious they may be, they won the chance continue playing. If you happened to see the end of regulation play in the Mississippi State and Kentucky game yesterday you would have thought Kentucky’s final two points had moved them ahead to win the entire tournament. Instead, they merely TIED the game. They went crazy! The bench cleared! There were piles of players on top of each other! And why? Because they won the chance to keep playing.

While the regular season matters for teams because it is what gets them to the tournament, now that teams are seeded and their regular season doesn’t matter. In the first round everyone starts with a clear slate. Number one, over all, is Kansas (insert Mizzou fan boos here). In the same Midwest bracket is University of Northern Iowa, who won their Missouri Valley conference title right here in St. Louis, in seed number 9. And rounding out the bracket is Lehigh University in the 16th seed. They are all equal. They all have to beat one team to move into the second round of the tournament. It doesn’t matter who the team is at this point. It’s the most important game of their collegiate career. Every game, from here on out, is a game 7.

But this brings me back to Cinderella stories. Most recently, we have George Mason University and their Cinderella story from 2006. For those not familiar with the term, it is literally the story of the princess Cinderella but on a basketball court. The little basketball engine that could. The hoops underdog making a miracle run and beating teams with histories that go back for decades. As people write their picks in their brackets (you lose a game and you’re out here, kids), Cinderellas mess it up for everyone. Except people like me, who always root for the underdogs- the teams that were given their chance by making it into the top 64 teams in the country. And as we go from the first round to the second, and then to the sweet sixteen and elite eight, I’m crossing my fingers for a stray 14 seed to wade their way to the front of the pack.

Speaking of unpredictable, last year’s winner, University of North Carolina, wasn’t even invited to the tournament this year. UConn, who made it to the final four last year, also wasn’t invited. Instead, they are playing in the runner up, of sorts, NIT Tournament. Also jokingly known as “Not Invited Tournament.” So, for my friends who complain about the same teams winning every year I say take a peek at the brackets this year. And for those who want to watch the last 30 seconds of games, that’s fine- but you’ll have missed the heart of the game. And for those who think there’s too much going on to appreciate the game- I won’t show you my playbook from my high school varsity team. I spent more time studying that than my calc books, and I still got an A in calc.

Image Credit: howstuffworks.com

Annie is the Sports and Fitness Editor for Girls Guide. She writes about all kinds of sports related topics and then really goes out and plays sports almost every evening. You can contact Annie by emailing her at annie [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and we are still trying to talk her into getting a Twitter account – no success yet.

I also have found that a lot of people don’t understand the importance of being physically active. Other than burning calories and helping maintain weight, physical activity generally puts me in a good mood. Physical activity doesn’t have to mean running or playing basketball though. Raking leaves, planting in a garden, and just running around the yard with your kids (or dogs) burns plenty of calories. Here’s a look at how to burn calories in without the traditional workout.

According to the 2008 numbers from the National Center of Health Statistics, the average American woman is just over 5’3″ and weighs 163 pounds. These statistics were taken for women ages 20 and older, so there are no highly active teenagers in there to throw off the averages. Using the average American woman’s weight, here’s what you can burn while doing the following activities for 40 minutes:

Leisure croquet: 145
Fishing: 149
Frisbee catch: 149
Carrying an infant: 182
Paddle boating: 195
Playing with kids: 195
Raking lawn: 195
Push mowing the lawn: 215
Washing your car: 221
Leisure canoeing: 221
Kayaking: 247
Cleaning gutters: 260
Gardening: 267
Hiking: 293
Rearranging furniture: 326
Backpacking: 345
Jogging: 345
Jump Roping: 495

Depending on who you talk to, it’s generally recommended for people to do 30 to 40 minutes of cardio activity daily to stay fit. As spring cleaning starts to approach (cleaning for 40 minutes burns around 150 calories!) and as we start going outside, there are plenty of ways to burn off calories without setting foot in a gym and while enjoying the fresh spring air.

Around St. Louis, you could paddle boat at Forest Park, hike at Castlewood State Park, or start working in your garden and get your cardio activity in while getting outside of your house. Maybe even steal your kid’s jump rope for a 20 minutes and toast off 250 calories and feel like a kid again. Hey, 250 calories is equivalent to 3.3 Samoas.

Keep in mind that the more you weigh, the more calories you burn during any kind of work out because your body is working harder against its own weight. These counts are all estimates and will more than likely differ for everyone. As always, it’s smart to consult with your doctor before you start a new work out routine. But, I bet you didn’t realize you were burning close to 200 calories while carrying your 8 month old around Target!

Image Credit: Prevention.com

Annie is the Sports and Fitness Editor for Girls Guide. She writes about all kinds of sports related topics and then really goes out and plays sports almost every evening. You can contact Annie by emailing her at annie [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and we are still trying to talk her into getting a Twitter account – no success yet.

Originally founded in 1975, the Sabres are St. Louis’ oldest and most successful women’s rugby club. The 2010 season starts this Saturday, March 6 at 1:30 p.m. when the Sabres take on Mizzou’s team. Home games are held at Forest Park, on the Central Playing Fields (the fields east of the Muny and north of the Jewel Box). If I wasn’t going to be at a bridal shower I would be going to this game. I’ve only seen rugby on TV and I’ve never seen women’s rugby. Ever. However, I am greatly intrigued. Rugby is a game that requires endurance, strength and speed, something that is hard to find packaged together in one athlete, let alone an entire team. I don’t know the terminology of the game, but I do know the game involves a little bit of everything. Throwing, kicking, running, tackling and lifting teammates into the air. Sound crazy? This is why I wish the bridal shower wasn’t the same day as the home opener for the Sabres.

However, if your interest has been captured by a sport in which many players choose to wear tight fitting headgear that covers their ears (rugby players are notorious for losing their ears in matches), have no fear. The Sabres have several home games in their upcoming spring schedule, including every Saturday in April. April 10 and 11 is St. Louis Ruggerfest, and while I can only dream up of what this may include at this point (tournament, clinic, world domination?), I’ll be checking their website for further details in the future.

This season the Sabres, who play as members of the Missouri Rugby Union and in the Western Territory, travel to Cincinnati, Nashville and Madison. Rugby is gaining popularity as an alternative sports for women. Roller Derby has taken off recently (can you say Arch Rival Roller Girls?!), and I could see rugby gaining popularity as well. Similar to how women’s lacrosse grew with exposure through the ’90s and early 2000s, I think women’s rugby could also catch on with increased exposure.

If you ever needed any evidence towards the argument that women can be just as competitive, if not more, than men, perhaps you should YouTube “women’s rugby.” See you in April, at Forest Park Central fields!

Image credit: St Louis Sabres Rugby Club

Annie is the Sports and Fitness Editor for Girls Guide. She writes about all kinds of sports related topics and then really goes out and plays sports almost every evening. You can contact Annie by emailing her at annie [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and we are still trying to talk her into getting a Twitter account – no success yet.

Here’s a little rundown of what we can expect to see for the 2010 Redbirds season:

Odds are, you’ve at least heard something about Mark McGwire coming back to the Cardinals as the new hitting coach. This is not a rumor, it is a fact. Mac is back and this time he’s in a teaching position. Thankfully McGwire made the announcement before spring training, which, in my opinion, helped get all gossip and finger waving out of the way before the players and coaches reported to spring training.

Speaking of spring training, the Cardinals will have a month of games in sunny Florida, before having to head back to the midwest for their away-game season opener. On April 5, the Cardinals will be in Cincinnati to take on the Reds to kick off the 2010 baseball season. Their home opener will be April 12, when the Astros are slated to arrive at Busch. The Chicago Cubs and the Cardinals don’t square off until Memorial Day weekend, and the first series of the summer will be in Chicago on May 28 (which could be relatively chill in Chi-town). The first I-70 rivalry match will be June 25-27 when the Cards head west to Kansas City. This year’s All Star break will be July 12-14, and the festivities will be held in Anaheim (no, we don’t get the All Star game every year!). The Cubbies finally make it to the ‘Lou for and August 13-15 series, and the Birds will round out their regular season at home against the Colorado Rockies the first weekend of October.

As far as faces go, most of them will be familiar. Matt Holliday, who the Cardinals acquired mid-2009 season, re-signed with a sizable contract a few months back. He will be joined in the outfield by fan favorites from last season like Ryan Ludwick and Colby Rasmus. Nick Stavinoha, Joe Mather and Shane Robinson, who all had bounced back and forth between the big show and AAA last season, are all on this year’s active roster.

Our infield, of course, still boasts Albert Pujols, Skip Schumacher, Brendan Ryan and Yadier Molina. Tyler Green and David Freese seem to be in the battle for a main stay position at third base, but, with the way manager Tony La Russa likes to juggle his players (and his recent statement that he’s not even thinking of retiring), there’s no telling when (or if) there will be a main stay in any position other than first base and catcher.

On the mound Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Kyle Lohse and Brad Penny make up four of the five starting rotation spots. And Ryan Franklin returns as our trustworthy closer, while several of our middle men remain on the roster.

There are lots of numbers that could be thrown out and talked about and predicted, but in a season as long as baseball’s and with as many ups and downs as teams go through in a season, I’m not sure they are all that important at this stage of the game. What’s more important to me is a team fusing together and getting mentally and physically prepared for the season.

Will the Cardinals be able to claim another National League Central Championship? And if so, will they perform better in the next round of play offs? Will having Matt Holliday for an entire season prove to be enough protection for Albert Pujols? Will beers continue to get smaller at Busch? We have an entire season to find out.

Image Credit: Sport.Desktopnexus.com

Annie is the Sports and Fitness Editor for Girls Guide. She writes about all kinds of sports related topics and then really goes out and plays sports almost every evening. You can contact Annie by emailing her at annie [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and we are still trying to talk her into getting a Twitter account – no success yet.

Last night, I had a realization while watching pairs figure skating. As I sat on my couch, folding laundry, I paid close attention to the U.S. pair of Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig. They were charismatic and fun. They had stories. Mark was a volunteer at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and vowed he would eventually skate in an Olympic competition. Amanda Evora, daughter of immigrants from the Philippines, started ice skating because her Dad found her sister’s old ice skates and they just happened fit. The pair were the runners up in the U.S. nationals last year, and they set a team best score for themselves last night in the short competition. They are currently in 10th place. I realized, watching them skate, that I was literally watching two peoples’ dreams come true…

As corny as this sounds (seriously, I understand), I’d never thought of this before. I’m a very competitive person. But I don’t think I ever had a dream to compete in sports higher than at the high school level. As Evora and Ladwig’s performance continued, I found myself thinking about two little kids who didn’t just pretend to be Olympic figure skates- they worked to become Olympic figure skaters. Up until the exact point when their performance started, they had continued to work and as soon as they glided onto the ice for their performance, everything came to fruition. I was in awe for them. I don’t know what it is like to work for your entire life for something so intangible, and then finally have it, but they most definitely do now.

Maybe it’s because the Olympics only show up on our TVs every two years (alternating between summer and winter, of course). Maybe dreams seem bigger for our Olympians because out of the 3 million plus people in this country, we have around 200 Olympians competing this year in Vancouver. It’s not like professional baseball, where, during the season, there seems to be a game on every day and each team has a 40 man roster. We don’t see bobsledding every day during every winter. Or speed skating. Or a biathlon (what a strange, yet amazing, event). The Olympics are the World Series of the winter games, but that only happen every four years.

Last night Hannah Kearny won gold in ladies free style skiing. It was hyped as redemption from 2006 Torino’s event, where she was ranked number one and failed to make it past the trials for the event. She beat out the favorite, Canada’s Jennifer Heil, who took silver, and fellow U.S. teammate, Shannon Bahrke, who took bronze. She spent her life working for the 20 odd seconds it took her to finish in first place. Watching Kearny and Bahrke stand on the podium with the U.S. National Anthem playing was nothing short of amazing. Bahrke was animated, visibly singing along, while Kearny had tears in her eyes.

Friday, Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, died after crashing on his last trial run, hours before the opening ceremony for the games. His death has brought criticism and controversy to the games. The torch route had to be moved to avoid protesters. On such an epic international stage, there always seems to be some kind of controversy to discuss, along side of the dreams of the Olympians themselves.

On an unrelated note, pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Wednesday. While I’m still stuck in Olympic mode for a short while, I can’t say I’m not itching for baseball and the spring that will inevitably come with it!

Image Credit: sfoi.org

Annie is the Sports and Fitness Editor for Girls Guide. She writes about all kinds of sports related topics and then really goes out and plays sports almost every evening. You can contact Annie by emailing her at annie [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and we are still trying to talk her into getting a Twitter account – no success yet.

Perhaps even more inspiring than the teams long history of Aintsness is New Orleans’ relatively short history of post-Katrina devastation. After Katrina hit there was talk that the team would not return there.  Then Quarterback Drew Brees showed up on the scene after San Diego dismissed him looking for a younger quarterback. Brees had something to prove, and someone to prove it for. The Saints came back to New Orleans and they brought with them hope for the city. They worked, on the field and off, for New Orleans. They made it about something bigger than football- they made it about an entire city. On SportsCenter this morning, Saints linebacker Scott Fujita was interviewed saying the Saints didn’t win the Super Bowl, that New Orleans won the Super Bowl. This is what sports should be about.

The Saints became America’s team this season. They gained attention by going unbeaten through the first half of the season; they were dynamic. Their players had personality. Reggie Bush, while also serving out in the community and being one of the most acrobatic players on the field (from any team in the NFL, not just the Saints), is also dating reality tv star Kim Kardashian. It seemed like no matter who you were, you couldn’t avoid hearing about the Saints. They worked hard, they got the job done and that’s what Americans like to identify themselves with. Bandwagon fans abound! They’re not a dynasty team like the Cowboys and Patriots of past decades. They also had a story of a city that needed some kind of victory. What’s not to love?

The Saints are a perfect example of why I love sports. The power of a team to encourage a downtrodden city, maybe even a struggling country, to celebrate is amazing. The Saints proved a teams ability to be bigger than themselves and unite people who normally may have nothing in common. I’m glad the under dog won last night. And I’m also glad The Who played a great half time show. And, can we talk commercials? Bud light house? Bud light auto-tune?! MILK-A-WHAAA?

Annie is the Sports and Fitness Editor for Girls Guide. She writes about all kinds of sports related topics and then really goes out and plays sports almost every evening. You can contact Annie by emailing her at annie [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and we are still trying to talk her into getting a Twitter account – no success yet.