For the first time since the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, baseball will be played at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Six teams qualified for the tournament, and they are broken into two groups. Group A features host Japan, the Dominican Republic and Mexico, while Group B features the United States, Israel and defending Olympic champion South Korea. We are proud to announce that three Teammates are part of the United States roster: Todd Frazier (Teammate since 2016) started all four games at third base for Team USA at the WBSC Baseball Americas Qualifier, batting .400 and tying for a team-best with two home runs to go along with five RBIs. Frazier saved his best for the title-clinching game with a 4-for-4 night that included a double, a home run, and a stolen base as part of the 4-2 victory that secured the Olympic berth for the U.S. Edwin Jackson (Teammate since 2011) went 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two appearances at the WBSC Baseball Americas Qualifier, including a 2.0-inning stint to earn the victory in the title game – a 4-2 win over Venezuela. He also worked two-thirds of an inning in relief to help Team USA to an 8-6 win over the Dominican Republic that clinched a spot in the AOQ Super Round. Scott Kazmir (Teammate since 2006) will also get to wear the red, white and blue in Japan. The three-time MLB All-Star returned to the Majors last spring (pitching seven innings for the Giants) after being out for five seasons. This former AL strikeout leader will be an important part of Team USA’s pitching staff. Congratulations … we’re proud to call you Teammates!

As the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks were in full pursuit of the NBA championship title, Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Children’s Wisconsin engaged in a jubilant virtual competition of their own. It was a “Patient Pump-Up” that began with Dr. Wayne Franklin, MD in the Zone at Phoenix Children’s and Dr. David Margolis, MD at Children’s Wisconsin getting their hair sprayed with Suns/Bucks colors by patients. The doctors then challenged each other to a medical supply shooting contest, which Dr. Franklin won with his final toss just before the buzzer sounded! Patients embraced the friendly contest as they played a “Who Knows Their Team Better?” trivia game led by former Olympic athletes Lyndsey Fry and Alex Rigsby Cavallini. The excitement continued when the young fans were surprised with appearances by GO the Suns Gorilla and Mr. ORNG, a popular community figure. Patients showed everyone their best slam dunks, and to inspire their favorite teams, familiar cheers erupted at both hospitals. Six-year-old, Henry Paustian, had a blast throughout the “Patient Pump-Up” in The Child Life Zone. His favorite parts were spraying Dr. Franklin’s hair purple and holding up his orange & purple Suns sign while cheering with other fans. His mother, Stephanie Calkins, expressed, “It was really great to be a part of this as the Suns have always had a huge influence on our family. The energy really boosted Henry’s spirits, and it was cool to see how excited he was during a time that is typically hard for him medically. It helped him know that going to the hospital doesn’t only mean pokes & procedures and that there can be fun, too.” She added, “Even though we didn’t want the Bucks to win, it was still nice being able to have that Zoom time with other kids from another state. Once Henry grasped the location difference from Phoenix to Milwaukee, he thought that part was also cool!” She smiled as she reflected on Henry’s advice to all who attended: “We should say ‘Let’s Go Suns’ every day!”

On July 17, while in Salt Lake for the Garth Brooks Stadium Concert at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium, The Teammates For Kids Foundation hosted a football sports camp at Northwest Recreation Center. Players from the University of Utah Football Team (helping as the camp coaching staff) ran the young athletes through drills and scrimmages to help sharpen their gridiron skills under the watchful eye of former NFL players Mark Asper and Daniel Coats. Mark Asper was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 2012 NFL Draft out of the University of Oregon. The former NFL offensive lineman as on the Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Giants rosters. Daniel Coats played his college football as a tight end with Brigham Young University. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2007. Coats finished his NFL career with the Denver Broncos. The boys and girls attended the sports camp at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids. The young footballers represented the Aftermath Youth Football League, Big Brothers Big Sisters Utah, Neighborhood House Salt Lake and Tickets for Kids Charities Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Salt Lake, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Mia Garcia, age 9; Isaac Korthas, age 13; and Hunter Critchlow, age 14. Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.