Saucony is selling these cool Medallions for $5, which will go to the One Fund Boston.

“In an effort to inspire runners to honor and support the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, Saucony has created the #BostonStrong Lace Medallion to be offered as a fundraiser for The One Fund Boston. The two-sided medallion features the viral hashtag and unity motto #BostonStrong on one side and a custom-designed, laced-up heart icon on the other. For every pair of medallions purchased, Saucony will donate 100% of sales to The One Fund Boston, established by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.”

The Medallions are offered for $5.00 and come in Silver/Green. Check out the Medallions here.

Bauer is looking for acquisitions, says Kevin Davis, the company’s CEO. The listed hockey equipment company wants to make buys to get into new sports, and has a full deal pipeline.

But outsiders think Bauer, with an approximately $400 million market cap, could instead be a target itself because it is small compared to listed sporting goods companies such as Nike (which sold Bauer to a Kohlberg & Co in 2008), Adidas and Under Armour. The company entered the lacrosse market in 2010 and expanded its presence in June 2012 with the acquisition of Cascade Helmets for $64 million. New Balance, the owner of lacrosse equipment maker Brine, has surely noticed and could likely pick up synergies by targeting Bauer.

Read the rest of this article at Forbes.com.

Pickleball was introduced in 1965 and it’s kept going strong as an Iron Man triathlon. According to the official website, over 100,000 people in the US are enjoying its “heart pounding action”. Globally, the game is played in community groups, retirement communities, YMCAs and health clubs.

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is played outdoors on a badminton sized court with paddles akin to ping pong. Fun loving families like the game because it’s a fit for kids of all ages. The game was designed so that all skill levels could easily participate. Whether you are a beginner or participate in a league, the object of the game remains the same – have fun!

The Pickleball paddles are constructed from wood or state-of-the-art aerospace materials. The ball resembles a wiffle ball, only it’s somewhat smaller. The Pickleball net is lower than it is in badminton.

Game Rules

The designers considered athletes of all ages when making the game rules. Rather than being serve-driven, in Pickleball the ball must bounce one time on each side before volleys can commence. This opens up the game for kids and seniors who may not demonstrate a powerful serve.

Beginning with the right hand service square, the first player serves the Pickleball diagonally. Serves are underhanded and the paddle must remain below waist level. The server must hit the ball into the air without bouncing it first.

After the ball has bounced once on each side, volleys are permitted.

However, spiking is not permitted. A 7-foot no volley zone is on either side of the net to enforce the no spiking rule. This means the player must keep his feet at least seven-feet behind the net before hitting or volleying the ball while it is in the air.

The double-bounce rule applies to the serve. The team that is receiving the Pickleball must allow the serve to bounce before hitting it and the serving team must let the return bounce before hitting it.

Faults are called when the ball is hit out of bounds, doesn’t clear the net and is volleyed before the bounce or from the no-volley zone.

What is Pickleball Competition?

From its humble beginning as a backyard family game, Pickleball has evolved to an international sport. There is even a USA Pickleball Association!

With events from singles to mixed doubles, young and junior, adults and seniors are competing in tournaments globally. According to the USA Pickleball Association there are: more than 400 places in 43 states and 4 Canadian provinces to play “America’s fastest growing sport”.

Our Conclusion

What is Pickleball? In a word – fun! Where else can you find a game that youngsters in their ’90s are becoming obsessed with?

PETERBOROUGH, N.H., April 2, 2013 — /PRNewswire/ — Eastern Mountain Sports, one of the nation’s largest outdoor retailers, will host a grand opening of its new store in Nashua, NH on April 12-14. Located next to Bob’s Discount Furniture at 281 Daniel Webster Highway, the 22,204 square foot space is more than twice the size of the company’s previous location across the street.

Read more here: HeraldOnline.com

For store owner Jason Heisser, his son’s football and basketball coach in his spare time, it was more an official stamp on a business he’s been in for nearly a decade.

The new sports store is part of the brand’s expansion that looks to add more than 40 locations around Texas. In the last year, Winmark opened more than 50 new stores and now has 300 stores in 48 states and Canada, according to a release.

The store is located at 1434 N. Central Expressway, Suite 109 in McKinney, TX. Their phone number is 469-424-1715.

Read the rest of the article at Star Local News.