Meek serves as official blog for White House website

During yesterday's visit to the White House, Temeka Johnson got to serve as the official blogger for the Mercury's visit on the White House' official page:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/07/20/honoring-wnba-champion-phoenix-mercury

Here is what she had to say but click on the link above for the original story along more photos and video.

Ed. Note: Yesterday President Obama honored WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury at the White House. In his remarks, the President congratulated the team on winning their second WNBA title and thanked them for their extraordinary service. The team is committed to serving the Phoenix community -– from putting on basketball camps for children of veterans to collecting clothes for the homeless. Yesterday, the team continued that commitment at the White House by holding a clinic as part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to help young people live healthy and active lives. We caught up with Phoenix Mercury point guard Tameka Johnson following her visit. Here is what she had to say:

Today’s experience at the White House is hard to put into words, but if I could use one word, it would be inspiring! My Phoenix Mercury teammates and I were honored by President Obama and his administration for winning the 2009 WNBA Championship. It was a great experience and a moment a lot of us have been waiting for. You play to win championships, but to be honored by our President is a dream come true. This is not a dream that we normally have, but it feels like the icing on the cake. We are all inspired to do it again and get back here this time next year!

In just a few hours, my teammates and I learned so much. Seeing the Vermeil Room, the Blue Room, the Red Room, etc., and learning about the history and all that has gone on in the White House was amazing. Forgive me if I use “amazing” too many times in this blog! LOL – Seriously, this has been amazing.

To see how much this administration is involved in community service is beautiful to witness. Everyone knows that in my spare time I’m devoted to helping others through my Heaven Opens People’s Eyes (HOPE) Foundation, so being able to participate in a basketball clinic for children on the White House courts was an experience that’s hard to capture in this blog.

Playing with the kids and my teammates, it felt so natural. It’s important for us to address the challenge of childhood obesity by staying active. Whether it’s a jog through the park, shooting hoops, or spending a few hours outside playing with your friends rather than inside watching TV or playing video games, it all matters. Let’s Move! is a great initiative that our First Lady has started, and I’m glad to be a part of it. Staying active is part my new children’s book, Meek Moments! It’s a lifestyle, not a recess break! Let’s Move America! We can fight childhood obesity, one activity at a time!

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Syl jumps from 7th to 4th in MVP Power Rankings

By Frank Della Femina, WNBA.com:

I said last week that Chicago's playoff hopes rest on the shoulders of Sylvia Fowles. Consider the team's three-straight wins, Fowles' two-straight double-doubles and her double-figure scoring in every single game and try to convince me otherwise. The league-leading shot blocker does it all. Points? She'll score em. Rebounds? She'll grab em. Free throws? She'll make em. And right now the Sky will take anything and everything Fowles is willing to give, which if you haven't noticed by now is her all. It's been a career year for Fowles so far and it's only bound to get better. Cracking the postseason for the first time in franchise history will no doubt be the icing on the cake. A championship, of course, would be the cherry on top.

Read the entire rankings: http://bit.ly/cIBU6h

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Meek's White House visit represented more than just a special moment

BOB STARKEY: As a coach, it was an extremely proud moment for me to see Temeka at the White House, visiting with President Obama.  To many it looked like a very special moment but to me it was a process-related event.  It was yet another indicator of what an individual can accomplish regardless of circumstances.  Temeka spending and afternoon at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was accumulation of years of hard work -- both on the court and in the classroom.  It shows a tremendous vision on her part.  Visiting the White House was simply something that she had dreamed about only to wake up and go to work towards achieving that dream.  For Meek, it was also about overcoming barriers.  Many thought her too short to play high school basketball, must less elite college level basketball and then professional basketball.  And what those few special moments depicted yesterday was dedication, commitment, and overcoming adversity.  And for so many she had created a road map for them to follow and given them some that is very special to her -- HOPE!

Video of Meek at the White House: http://ht.ly/2dEfv

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Temeka Johnson, Living The Obama Dream

The following comes from writer Seth Pollack of the Desert Dirt in Arizona:

Winning a championship in sports comes with a lot of perks. You get your ring. You get a banner. You might even get a trip to Disneyland. But without question, the biggest bonus has to be a trip to the White House to meet the President.

There's only one professional basketball team from Arizona who's had that thrill and today they are making a return visit. But this time instead of a Texas oilman greeting them, the Phoenix Mercury will be meeting one of their heroes: President Barak Obama.

In the Mercury locker room near the door is a monthly calendar showing game and practice dates, perhaps a team meeting, the things you might expect a team calendar to contain.

On today's date it simply reads, "Obama".

Star-divide

Mercury point guard Temeka Johnson is one of my all-time favorite athletes. At 5-foot-3 she's one of the shortest players in the WNBA but competes with the ferocity of lion. She understands the game as well as anyone and is destined to coach someday if that's where her heart leads. Of the court, the Meek's Hope Foundation embodies her dedication to helping those around her and is driven by her passion and tenacity and not by a multi-million dollar contract. 

When I think of President Obama's message of hope, there's no athlete that embodies that spirit more than Johnson. I imagine when these two meet today there will be an immediate connection and recognition of similar values, iron will and common purpose.

"A lot of people ask this question about what it means to me," Johnson said about the visit. "I remember my grandfather, my great-grandmother, my Grandmother - they never even thought this day would ever come. For me to actually see him and meet him first hand is a huge honor for me, an unforgettable moment. And to go for the reason we're going, everybody doesn't get that opportunity either."

Congratulations to Temeka and the entire 2009 Phoenix Mercury team.

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Meek Visits The White House: Blog Entry #5

TEMEKA JOHNSON: One thing that President Obama said to us that stood out and made us feel good was  "As a father, I thank you for being great role models."  Now that gives us a little perspective as to what we do.  Time to get out of the dress clothes and get into our "work clothes."

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Meek Visits The White House: Blog Entry #4

TEMEKA JOHNSON: Had blast at the White House, the kids were cool and the event went well. We were on the White House court.  Truly blessed! Now it's time for us to host a special WNBA Fit Clinic and join forces with Let’s Move! – a national campaign led by First Lady Michelle Obama.  Excited about being a part of a program to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation so that kids born today reach adulthood at a healthy weight.

Filed under  //  Alumni   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Meek's White House Visit Blog: Entry #3

TEMEKA JOHNSON: Just finished viewing the Vermeilr Room for the ladies to rest and clean up. Very nice!

White House library right now, where the president does some of his interviews her i.e Larry king live!

Now in the Blue Room used for main reception room of the white house, President Hoover is the only president to be married in here.

The Red Room that we are in now where the foreign head of states are met another business room the first ladies really liked this room!

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Meek's White House Visit Blog: Entry #2

TEMEKA JOHNSON: All dressed and ready to head down in a few. Very excited about all of this!

On the bus headed to white house now. I must say that we all clean up very well. Maz and coe is here also gr8 to see them.

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Meek's White House Visit Blog: Entry #1

TEMEKA JOHNSON: Good Morning everyone, I have to say that today is a pretty special day for me and my teammates. we get to actually meet OUR President OBAMA. its honor to go to the white house, especially for the reason that we're going. Its a lot of ppls dream to win a championship as well as meet the president and I am thankful, and blessed and can say that I am a part of both. I will be blogging about our visit to the White House.  Stay tuned everyone...besides the Lady Tiger Blog,  you will be able to check it out on www.meekshope.org, White House.gov and LetsMove.gov. --  check me out. I will let you all know how it goes. great time, great moments. I'm truly blessed.

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Big Syl uses family adversity to inspire her to help in the battle against Epilespy

Chicago, July 19 20101—CURE (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy) and the WNBA team the Chicago Sky will be joining forces at The Allstate Arena, on July 23rd, 2010 to accelerate the search for a cure for epilepsy.  The event, sponsored by the Chicago Sky, will raise awareness and funds for CURE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the prevalence and severity of the disease, and money for scientific research aimed at finding a cure.

Sylvia Fowles, Chicago Sky Center, WNBA All-Star and Team USA Member will highlight the event.  She has joined CURE as a supporter, due to her nephew Morris’s epilepsy and her desire to raise awareness for the disease.

The general public remains largely unaware of how many lives are impacted by epilepsy; how severely many of those lives are impacted; and yet how little funding is dedicated to epilepsy research.  Epilepsy affects over 3 million Americans and 50 million people worldwide of all ages.  Over forty percent of these patients do not have control over their seizures, even with the best available treatments.  Many more have only achieved seizure control at the cost of living with debilitating side effects of medications.  Epilepsy is also a timely topic for this nation at war—for many soldiers suffering traumatic brain injury on the battlefield, epilepsy will be a long-term consequence.

For more information about CURE, epilepsy, research news, grants, and special events, please visit www.CUREepilepsy.org.

 *About CURE: CURE (www.CUREepilepsy.org) is a nonprofit organization founded by parents of children with epilepsy who were frustrated with their inability to protect their children from the devastation of seizures and the side effects of medications. CURE is dedicated to finding a cure for epilepsy by raising funds for research and by increasing awareness of the prevalence and devastation of this disease. For the third consecutive year, CURE is a proud recipient of Charity Navigator’s highest rating. Over 92 cents of every dollar goes directly to epilepsy research and awareness programs.

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey