Level Field Fund

Successful X Games for Level Field Fund Recipients

octagon — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:59:23 +0000

Last weekend at the Winter X Games 16, there were a total of 12 Level Field Fund recipients and two Level Field Fund ambassadors competing. Five of those 14 athletes took home X Games medals of their own. Devin Logan and Nick Goepper both earned silver medals in Skier Slopestyle. Nick Baumgartner and Jason Hale took home silver and bronze in Snowboard X respectively and Forest Bailey earned his first Winter X gold medal in Snowboard Street. Click here for a complete list of results from Winter X.

Grants Aid Athletes Who Reach for Heights

octagon — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:57:34 +0000

Seth Wescott knows what it's like to depend on someone else. He remembers how difficult it was to get started in a sport -- snowboarding -- that wasn't considered traditional, even on the mountain. So Wescott's trying to make sure no one else goes without the financial resources to compete in their chosen sport. The two-time Olympic gold medal snowboardcross winner from Carrabassett Valley is Maine's ambassador for the Level Field Fund, a nonprofit program that provides grants to athletes in need of financial assistance...

Northern Kentucky girl dreams big, Olympic big

octagon — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:41:49 +0000

Emily Brunemann started as a Northern Kentucky Clipper and still holds several records for that team. The time clock clicks by number by number reflecting in the 25-year-old’s silver goggles, as she makes sure that they are securely fastened around her head and face. She takes a deep breath, mouth wide open, and leaps into the bright blue pool water...

Level Field Fund Continues to Fund Talent & Fuel Dreams

octagon — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:24:34 +0000

Level Field Fund today announced the latest round of athlete funding to help support talented athletes in need of financial assistance with the release of 11 grants totaling more than $25,000. Athletes from skiing, snowboarding, swimming and judo with diverse backgrounds ranging from World Champion to Junior National Champion are among the grant recipients benefiting from the support of the Level Field Fund. Over the last 12 months, Level Field Fund has awarded 53 grants benefitting 40 athletes from five different sports totaling over $137,000 in direct funding support.

“We are funding talent and fueling dreams,” said Olympic gold medalist and founder of the Level Field Fund Ross Powers. “We started this initiative 10 years ago and continue to see and hear stories of athletes struggling to maximize their potential because they can’t afford it. We are committed to helping bridge the gap in funding so that athletes can compete on a level playing field.”

Level Field Fund, led by Olympic and World Championship gold medalists Powers, Daron Rahlves, Michael Phelps, Seth Wescott, and Lenny Krayzelburg and Founding Partner OrthoLite, is designed to provide qualified funding to uniquely talented athletes at critical stages of their development. With application deadlines every three months, athletes from all sports are welcomed and encouraged to apply.

“For me, competition experience has been the greatest way to learn and improve as an athlete,” said swimmer Alex Meyer, the first American from any sport to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics. “The Level Field Fund provides funding for promising athletes to have these necessary experiences which they might not have been able to afford otherwise.”

Meyer (Allston, MA), the 2010 FINA World Open Water 25k Champion, qualified for the London Olympics when he finished fourth in the 10k open water race at the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China. Meyer’s finish earned him his first nomination to the US National Team. The former All-American from Harvard University used his support from the Level Field Fund to help fund his season, which included a victory in the 10k at the 2011 USA Swimming Open Water National Championships.

“I am grateful to the Level Field Fund for allowing me such opportunities as they were all irreplaceable experiences on the road to achieving my dreams of going to the Olympics,” said swimmer Corrie Clark. “The Level Field Fund is a unique organization that provides athletes with the funds to participate in competitions that they normally would not be able to afford.”

Clark (State College, PA), a Pan-American Games silver medalist and short-course National Champion, enjoyed a successful season highlighted by a 4th place finish at the 2011 National Championships in the 100M breast stroke. Clark trains full time at Penn State University and support from the Level Field Fund allowed her to compete at the 2011 U.S. National Championships and in USA Swimming’s Grand Prix Series with hopes of qualifying for the 2012 London Olympic team.

“The Level Field Fund has given me opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t even be an option,” said snowboarder Alex Tuttle, who works for his father’s construction business in the offseason but doesn’t earn enough to cover the growing travel expenses on the World Cup circuit. “They are giving me the opportunity to keep pursuing my dreams of representing the U.S. at the Winter Olympics.”

Tuttle (Stratton, ME), a bronze medalist at the 2010 Junior World Snowboard Cross Championships, notched his first two top-15 results on the World Cup Circuit last winter with the help of his first Level Field Fund grant. The only non-U.S. Team rider to make the top-32 in his entire FIS World Cup career, Tuttle will rely on support from the Level Field Fund to travel to more World Cups in 2012 as he moves closer to his dream of qualifying for the Olympic team.

“The Level Field Fund has been a huge help in allowing me to go after my goal of being on the U.S. Ski Team,” said mogul skier Alison DiGravio, who previously had to forgo training trips and workouts because she needed to work to earn money to cover her competition costs. “It has given me the chance to focus more of my time and energy on training and less on the financial pressures of the sport.”

DiGravio (Farmington, ME), the fourth place finisher at the 2011 National Mogul Skiing Championships, scored two top-15 World Cup finishes, including 9th place in her World Cup debut. Her strong season earned her a nomination to the US Ski Team Development Group and her Level Field Fund grant affords her the opportunity to compete in the Nor-Am tour and World Cup competitions as she aims to move up to the US Ski Team.

In addition to financial assistance, the Level Field Fund also offers recipients access to additional benefits through supporting partners Under Armour and Speedo to further support athletes in their training and competition activities. Grant applications are available for download at www.levelfieldfund.org; requests submitted through November 15, 2011 will be evaluated for funding this winter.

About Level Field Fund: The Level Field Fund is a grant-giving program that is committed to funding talent and fueling dreams for uniquely talented athletes whose opportunity to pursue excellence in sport would otherwise be limited by their financial situation. The Level Field Fund was established in 2010 and is a program of the Ross Powers Foundation. For more information, please visit www.levelfieldfund.org or follow us on online at www.twitter.com/levelfieldfund and www.facebook.com/levelfieldfund.

About OrthoLite: OrthoLite, Founding Partner of the Level Field Fund, is the world’s leading supplier of open cell foam insoles found in more than 100 million shoes each year including, Asics, New Balance, Merrell, Nike, Vans, Puma and Timberland. OrthoLite combines polyurethane and recycled rubber to provide superior cushioning, comfort, breathability and durability. OrthoLite, headquartered in Amherst, MA, was originally founded in 1997 and is a product of O2 Partners LLC. For more information, visit ortholite.com.

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Media Information:
Drew Johnson, 207.775.1500, drew.johnson@octagon.com

A Woman Making Moves, One Stroke at a Time

octagon — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:40:04 +0000

For many of us, the 2012 Olympics in London have not begun to occupy our thoughts or conversations. But for the athletes who hope to claim a spot on the U.S.A Olympic team, the upcoming games have already consumed their lives-both time-wise and financially. For 24-year-old Emily Brunemann, University of Michigan graduate and 2012 Team U.S.A. open water swimming hopeful, the fight for the chance to compete has been a journey constructed by drive, determination and the will to push through the roadblocks.

After having placed first at the national competition her first year of college, Emily has since added many successes to her list of accomplishments as a talented swimmer. However, the 40+ hours per week she spends per week training for the USA swim team trials leaves little room for a part-time job, making it a struggle to cover the expense of the high levels of training and competition.

“I’ve spent the last 24 years living off of my parents,” said Emily, “so I’ve been applying for grants and scholarships to cover the costs.”

Fortunately, Emily, along with 33 other talented Olympic hopefuls, recently received grants from the Level Field Fund, a program that provides funding for exceptionally gifted athletes who wouldn’t have the opportunities to develop their talents or succeed without this financial support. Gold medalists such as Michael Phelps and Lenny Krayzelburg are among the generous world-class athletes who support the program. The Level Field Fund helps cover travel, training and event fees for the deserving athlete.

Emily hopes to take first place in the upcoming open water competition in Portugal on June 9th. Such a placing would guarantee her a spot on the Olympic team. Her Level Field Fund grant may be just the key to giving her this incredible opportunity.

Good luck to Emily and all of the Olympic 2012 hopefuls!

Jeret “Speedy” Peterson 1981-2011

octagon — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 14:06:08 +0000

Jeret “Speedy” Peterson was the face of American freestyle aerial skiing for over a decade. The 2010 Olympic Silver Medalist at the Vancouver games, where he performed the unprecedented quintuple-twisting, triple-flip the “Hurricane,” was also the world record holder for the highest two-jump score ever posted. Throughout his career he continued to surpass expectations from being one of the youngest athletes to ever qualify for the United States Ski Team to winning seven World Cup events and claiming the overall World Title in 2005. Peterson overcame a childhood filled with tragedy and abuse by focusing his energy on sport with the help of many others. As his own career developed Peterson passed on this same gift to aspiring athletes from around the world. At the age of 29 in a moment of darkness Peterson took his own life but it is the goal of the fellow champions of the Level Field Fund to help continue the work “Speedy” began by assisting the athletes of tomorrow in finding their path to greatness.

To make donations to Level Field Fund in his memory or for more information please contact us at info@levelfieldfund.org or mail to:

The Level Field Fund

P.O. Box 7532

Portland, ME

04112-7532

Park Record: Pro athletes given a helping hand

octagon — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:05:40 +0000

If there is a common false assumption surrounding Olympic athlete hopefuls, it's that the whole lifestyle is one big, free party. If there is a common false assumption surrounding Olympic athlete hopefuls, it's that the whole lifestyle is one big, free party. Snowboarder Jonathan Cheever, a Park City resident who hails from Saugus, Mass., knows that first hand. Cheever, the 2011 U.S. Snowboardercross National Champion and third-place finisher on the World Cup SBX circuit, supports his winter habit by working in plumbing and heating. He learned the trade through his father Mark, who owns a company in Saugus. Right now, as he recovers from off-season surgery to both ankles, Cheever surfs the Internet for jobs on Craigslist or KSL.com. But the racer says he gets about only one odd job every 10 days. "I take anything that comes along," he said. "Most recently I took a call to fix a water heater. Turns out the pilot light went out on it, so I just got it going again. It's just pretty slow right now." The 26-year-old Cheever isn't the only Olympic hopeful in need of help. Paralympic hopeful Nicole Roundy, who lost her right leg above the knee warding off cancer at age eight, said it's next to impossible to find a legitimate sponsorship for an adaptive athlete. "Especially for adaptive snowboarders," she said. "We don't even have an organization to pay for our international competition fees. We have to pay that. We have to pay the $400 for membership fees and the competition fees. We're just trying to hold it together and compete. We just want to be out there and have that opportunity." But Cheever, Roundy and Caden Michnal, a fellow snowboarder who trains in Park City, got a big break this year. The Level Field Fund, a program that supplies grant money to athletes whose chance at success would be limited by financial difficulty, gave them their shot to continue their dream. The Level Field Fund doled out more than $110,000 in 33 different grants to help athletes in skiing, snowboarding, swimming and judo. According to a press release, "Led by gold medalists, including Ross Powers, Daron Rahlves, Michael Phelps, Seth Wescott, and Lenny Krayzelburg, as well as the support of Founding Partner OrthoLite, Level Field Fund provides funding to uniquely talented-athletes at critical stages of their development. Level Field Fund helps alleviate increasing costs as athletes progress towards the elite levels of training and competing, including more specialized instruction, equipment, event entry fees and related travel." Cheever said he has been good friends with Powers for some time and the Olympic gold medalist gave his friend the good news on Christmas Eve 2010. "I was desperate at the time," he said. "I couldn't have competed at the first of the season. "I know Ross really well. It seemed like the natural way to go. I knew he would help me out; he knew that I was a strong competitor." Roundy, 25, who trains in Park City, said she found out about the Level Field Fund through adaptive program director Travis Thiele. She jumped at the opportunity to receive some sort of help and applied right away. The program's target goal is to focus on unique athletes. Roundy said she is atop that list. "I'm obviously not one-in-a-thousand," she said. "How many female snowboarders do you know that only have one leg?" She said once she learned she had been accepted by the Level Field Fund, she was elated. "They seem to give more of an opportunity, to give a chance to keep trying and hoping for the best," she said. "It was kind of a break. It was very relieving." Cheever is still working on getting back to 100 percent following his surgeries that took place in May. He said he is hoping to avoid any unnecessary off-season expenditures and trips outside of the country; his No. 1 priority at this point is about getting healthy enough to get back to racing on the hill. He is living in an apartment in Pinebrook at the moment, but said he may have to move home to Saugus for a while to get some work. Mark Cheever Plumbing and Heating is busy at the moment, he said. "Living with the parents right now could be a little stressful," he said. "Hopefully something else comes up."

Deseret News: Foundation working to give all competitors a fair chance

octagon — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:52:29 +0000

Every year, Nicole Roundy faces the very real possibility that she is nurturing an impossible dream. "Every season I get to October and think, 'I can't afford to snowboard this year,' " the 24-year-old Viewmont High graduate said. "I love it, and I want to do it. But I can't afford it." Not only is snowboarding an expensive sport, but the fact that Roundy is a cancer survivor who competes in adaptive snowboarding makes a pricey endeavor even more costly..."I can't even step on a snowboard for less than $5,000," said Roundy, who lost her right leg above the knee when she was 8 years old due to cancer. "It costs me $5,000 for my snowboarding prosthetic." Because adaptive snowboard cross is not part of the Paralympics yet, athletes can't get funding from official channels...And while snowboarding is at the top of the list for consideration, until then, athletes are essentially on their own when it comes to paying for travel, equipment and training costs. That system — or lack thereof — has existed for decades in both the Olympics and Paralympics. Those who could find sponsors or financial support could compete until either they made a U.S. team or their sport was added to the Games. Those who did not have the means, however, did not always find a way. "There were definitely people along the way, friends, great riders, who were just as good as me on certain days," said Ross Powers, whose namesake foundation helps raise money for athletes like Roundy in their quest for Olympic glory. "And they didn't have the support I did and they didn't make it." Success often means money. If an athlete hopes to even have a shot at an Olympic or Paralympic team, he or she must travel to national and international competitions. And then there is equipment and training costs. "In snowboarding, it's not always the people with the most talent that make it; it's the people who can financially afford it," Powers said. "I wanted to give everyone a fair chance."

ThePostGame.com: For Financially Strapped Olympians, Finish Line Looms Way Too Soon

octagon — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:07:28 +0000

...This year's version of Mark Gangloff is Emily Brunemann. She's a 24-year-old graduate of the University of Michigan, and she should be a bright hope for Team USA's Olympic future. She’s training for her qualifying meet for the 2012 Games in the 10-kilometer open-water marathon, which is only 11 weeks away. But for the better part of this year, she wondered if she should retire from the sport..."I don't have a way to support myself," Brunemann says...There is some good news: Organizations like the Level Field Fund, started by Olympic snowboarder Ross Powers (below) and supported by Phelps, has donated $112,000 to Olympic hopefuls, including Brunemann, who received $15,000. But that’s hardly a full-year salary for someone who needs to swim 45 miles a week just to keep up with the world's best. "My mom's a computer guru," Brunemann says. "She spends all kinds of time researching grants and is always sending me applications."...t what's the alternative? Years of regret? "I have a once in a lifetime opportunity to do this," says Brunemann. "My will and desire to achieve those goals keep me going." Brunemann plans to swim through 2012, and then reassess at that time. "I want to go back to school," she says. "I want to get a clinical psychology degree, and that's another five years. I know that there’s life after swimming and I want to have a family." But the last thing she wants, the meantime, is to do things at anything less than full effort. "I think it hurts people," she says, "when they know what they want but they just can't go after it because there’s not enough money."

Associated Press: Olympians back next wave of athletes with fund

octagon — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:36:07 +0000

Olympians back next wave of athletes with fund...Snowboarder Jonathan Cheever has to moonlight as a plumber, fixing leaky pipes and worn-out water heaters to keep his Olympic aspirations rolling. Even with the money he earns unclogging drains and the occasional odd job he picks up around Park City, Utah, one of the world's top snowboardcross racers still struggles to make ends meet with the small stipend he receives through the United States Olympic Committee. Enter the Level Field Fund, a program that supports burgeoning athletes who otherwise might slip through the cracks. Earlier this year, the organization doled out 33 grants worth more than $110,000. The fund was the brainchild of snowboarder Ross Powers, an Olympic champion whose motto is, "Make it about talent, not money."