Shaken from his sleep, Maíra Liguoris father had barely opened his eyes as she shouted for him to get out of bed. It was Christmas morning in Atibaia, Brazil, and an 8-year-old Liguori had beaten Santa Claus to the drop-off.Stuffed between a wall and a sofa in the living room was a bicycle was in a big cardboard box.The sun was only just started shining through the curtains, but she wanted to ride it. Her father, Matheus, rose from his slumber and assembled the bike for Liguori, planting the seeds for what would become a lifelong passion.That bicycle was my first love, Liguori says. People would joke that I was head, shoulders, knees and pedals.Liguori, now the director for Think Olga, a Brazilian NGO aimed at challenging gender stereotypes and empowering women through information, rode her bicycle everywhere as a girl.As she grew older, the sense of fun and freedom that riding symbolized in her life was buried under the pressures of being a teenager. Being drenched in sweat after an afternoon of bicycling with the boys was no longer normal.She moved away to study at the Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paulo, where she earned a bachelors degree in journalism in 2002. The city of 11 million people was less conducive to cycling, and by then Liguori was struggling with body image issues and insomnia. The advertisements in the streets and the trainers in her gym told her getting fit would help her feel beautiful and strong and that it would make her doubts about her body disappear.Through endless yoga and spin classes, swimming and running, the uneasiness in the pit of Liguoris stomach remained. The treadmills and yoga mats became instruments of an oppressive environment. But Liguori wasnt working out to find a boyfriend or fit into a bikini. She just longed for the peace she felt as a little girl racing down streets on her yellow bike.Sport is too big to only be about fitness and beauty, Liguori says. I exercise because I love my body, not because I hate it -- not because it is a problem that needs fixing.At the age of 27, Liguori and her husband, Ricardo Kenski, moved away to Barcelona, Spain, where she worked in marketing research while finishing a masters degrees in business communications and anthropology.One day, she was on her way to the university but didnt have money for the subway, so she decided to rent a public bike on the street. As soon as she pedaled off and felt the wind hit her face, the memories came flooding back. She rushed home that night and told her husband: I will never stop riding again.At Think Olga, we always say we work with a burning passion inside of us, says Juliana de Faria, founder and one of Liguoris closest friends. Maíra embodies that passion perfectly.***In August, Liguori received confirmation that she would become the fifth Brazilian woman to participate in the U.S. Department of State and espnW Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP). With the aim of growing the impact of her work with Olga Esporte Club, Liguori was partnered with Julie Eddleman, global client partner at Google.Eddleman previously mentored three Brazilian women in the program and has a long resume of accomplishments as a former marketing director and mentor at Proctor & Gamble. Its been her mission to help Liguori condense her ideas and create a long-term strategy that will make Olga Esporte Club, which is the sports branch of Think Olga, financially and programmatically sustainable.You hear these legends about Brazilians having this incredible passion and this zest for life, and its been absolutely true with all of my mentees, Eddleman says. Im here to offer a little inspiration, a lot of connection and a way for them to take those steps toward a long-term, strategic vision.Thanks to her mentor, Liguori has met with leaders at both P&G and Google, as well as innovative thinkers such as David Knox, chief marketing officer of the digital innovation firm Rockfish, and Kash Shaikh, chief executive officer of Besomebody, a mobile app that connects people with similar passions, which earned Shaikh a spot on the popular ABC television show Shark Tank.Liguori calls the GSMP one of the deepest experiences of her life and knows it will lead her forward in spreading the idea of sport for empowerment and social change across Brazil.Before I was living my life trying to make things happen, Liguori says. Now I am changing my life to come to the U.S., meet new women, engage in something I never wouldve dreamed of before, in order to make my dreams with Olga Esporte Clube come to life.Her husband, one of her biggest supporters, is a witness to the impact the program has made in Liguoris life. The two have been together for three World Cups and one Olympics, he says. Fourteen years, if youre counting.A producer for HBO Latin America, Kenski realizes the importance of his wifes work as he deals with questions from others during her time in the U.S.Sometimes even the women at work try to provoke me with questions about feminism, Kenski says. Its bizarre. Men will say to me, How are you changing (their 15-month old son) Toms diapers? Its not a radical thing to change diapers, man.Ultimately for Liguori it comes down to that basic element: awareness. Whether it happens when a woman clicks on a link to one of Think Olgas articles, or when a man challenges the stereotypes that women should look and act a certain way at work, or when a little girl rides her bicycle freely down an empty neighborhood street -- when the light bulb goes off, there is no way to stop the movement.Editors note: Brian Canever is the digital content manager for the Center for Sport, Peace, & Society at the University of Tennessee, and works closely with the GSMP participants.Womens Maple Leafs Jerseys . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Kasperi Kapanen Jersey . Now, correct me if Im wrong but I saw one official distinctly pointing at the net indicating a good goal but after an inconclusive review they overturned the goal. Shouldnt the ruling on the ice (good goal) stand after an inconclusive review? Why was this overturned? James Veaudry Pembroke, ON -- Hey Kerry, Youll get a lot of these, but why was the Montreal goal against Nashville Saturday night overturned? Eller puts the puck on net and the on ice ruling from the ref behind the net is a Montreal goal. http://www.cheapmapleleafsjerseyschina.com/ . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. King Clancy Jersey . John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead. Dominic Moore Jersey . Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 15 race in an area packed with fans cheering the passing runners. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured, including at least 16 who lost limbs.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Prince Fielder wiped away tears, pointed to his two sons sitting next to him and talked about being in big league clubhouses since he was their age.Still wearing a neck brace 12 days after a second cervical fusion, the burly 32-year-old Fielder wept Wednesday as he said health issues were forcing him to end his 12-season career.To not be able to play, its going to be tough, said Fielder, once one of the most durable players in the majors.His sons -- one who turns 12 next week and the other 10 -- sat with him at the podium, mostly with their heads down and also shedding tears. They have been regulars at the ballpark with their dad, much like he often was with his father, Cecil, a slugger who played 13 seasons for five teams.The kids actually love baseball more than Prince. It was a sad moment, teammate Elvis Andrus said. You rarely see him like that.All of Fielders teammates, along with Rangers coaches and staff, filled the interview room to support him.When the Rangers acquired him in November 2013 for second baseman Ian Kinsler, the first baseman had played at least 157 games every year since 2006, and appeared in 809 of 810 possible games the five seasons But Fielder was limited to 289 games in Texas because of two neck surgeries in just more than two years.Even though I know I struggled personally this year, this was actually the most fun Ive ever had and the best Ive ever felt mentally about baseball, Fielder said. Thats the only thing that really hurts about not being able to play is that my brain was really good, with my body, just, you know, it just gave out.Fielder will finish his career with 319 career homers, the same number that his father had playing one more season but 141 fewer games. The only other father-son duo with more than 300 homers each is Bobby and Barry Bonds.After being limited to 42 games in his Rangers debut in 2014, Fielder talked about how much he missed baseball and returned last season with a revived passion for the game.Primarily a designated hitter in 2015, Fielder hit .305 with 23 homers and 98 RBI in 158 games, though midway through the season again started feeling symptoms related to neck issues. He then struggled throughout this year, hitting a career-low .dddddddddddd.212 with eight homers and 44 RBI in 89 games until finally getting an exam three weeks ago while the team was in Los Angeles.Scott Boras, Fielders agent, said they figured it was just a precautionary exam and that maybe he would spend some time on the disabled list, but nothing like this.An MRI showed a herniation between Fielders C4 and C5 disks, just above where he first had surgery in May 2014. Doctors were already recommending that he quit playing before the second surgery July 29.To just suddenly have the lights turned out like that ... were pretty steadied and pretty prepared, but to get that phone call, I was really taken back, Boras said.Fielder was only two years into a $214 million, nine-year contract when he got to Texas. That guaranteed deal goes through 2020, for $24 million each season.While no longer playing, Fielder didnt formally retire, meaning the Rangers would have him on the 60-day disabled list during the regular season but would have to add him to their 40-man roster each offseason until the end of the contract.The Tigers owe Texas $6 million a year as part of their 2013 deal. The Rangers are responsible for the remaining $18 million, though about half of their liability could be covered by disability insurance.Over 1,611 major league games with the Brewers (2005-11), Tigers (2012-13) and Rangers (2014-16), Fielder was a six-time All-Star who hit .283 with 1,028 RBI.When the game is taken away from you like that, I dont think that its easy to handle, 37-year-old Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre said. Its easier when you yourself say, `You know what, I had enough. Im going to go home and be with my family. But when you go home because you cant do it anymore, thats different.Fielder said that when he gets the brace off -- This is killing me, this is terrible, he said -- he will be back with the AL West leaders.Theyve got work to do, Ive got some cheerleading to do, Fielder said. And hopefully win the World Series and pop the ch it was just a precautionary exam and that mattp://www.cheapjerseysauthenticmlb.com/]Wholesale Baseball Jerseys[/url] ' ' '