Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Polk ships UltraFit sports headphone line

In case you missed it, Polk Audio, which made a name for itself in the speaker world, announced a new line of UltraFit sports headphones back in June. Now all four new models have started shipping to retailers and should be available by the end of this month, if not sooner.
The line includes a mix of in-ear, on-ear, and in-ear-canal models that come in a variety of colors and range in price from $49.95 to $99.95. The three in-ear models look fairly similar but simply get swankier (and presumably sound better) as you step up in price.
Polk is touting the 'phones sturdy design, good sound quality, and touches like "tangle-free contrast-colored cables for instant left/right recognition" and an iPhone-friendly integrated three-button remote control and microphone (should work with Android models, too). No models, however, offer wireless Bluetooth connectivity.
Soccer player Heather Mitts modeling Polk's new UltraFit 3000
headphones (click to enlarge). (Credit: Polk Audio )

Monday, August 1, 2011

Record crowd fills stadium for Beat game


KENNESAW — Despite the excitement of an overflow crowd to cheer the returning Women’s World Cup stars, the Atlanta Beat played to an anticlimactic scoreless draw with magicJack on Saturday at KSU Soccer Stadium.

An announced standing-room-only crowd of 9,345 — more than 1,000 beyond the stadium’s listed capacity — was in attendance, six days after the conclusion of the World Cup in Germany.

“It’s great to see all of the support,” said the Beat’s Carli Lloyd, one of Atlanta’s two U.S. national team players. “And we’re bringing it to the WPS, and that’s what’s important. We have to grow the game of soccer. All of these little girls are here that want to play and aspire to play professionally like we are, so it’s a fantastic environment.”

Though the absence of magicJack’s Hope Solo and midfielder Shannon Boxx was obvious, U.S. star and magicJack forward Abby Wambach did start for magicJack and played 74 minutes despite suffering an injury to her right Achilles’ that prevented her from playing Wednesday in a homecoming game at Western New York.

“It’s not easy,” Wambach said. “I think we’ve got kind of a long stretch ahead where we have to play Wednesday and Saturday games. The most important factor involved in that, especially if there is travel involved, is just to get recovered and get your legs under you.”

“Some of us who are coming back from Germany, you have to work your way into it especially if you played six games in three weeks.”

After Sunday, the U.S. women’s national team players felt a whirlwind of attention, including countless interviews and talk show appearances before returning to their respective Women’s Professional Soccer teams.

“It was a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be,” Lloyd said. “It was a very busy week. Now, I know the importance of hydration. I was unable to hydrate as well. I’m an excessively hydrating person, and especially with this heat, it was really hard and it zaps your energy. I just tried to go out there and give it my all.”

The Beat (1-10-4) controlled possession throughout Saturday’s game. On top of that, goalkeeper Alison Whitworth stopped 11 shots, including two 1-on-1 situations against Lisa de Vanna leading magicJack scorer Ella Masar.

“Whit played out of her mind,” said the Beat’s Heather Mitts, the team’s other U.S. player. “It’s the best I have seen her play all season long. She really saved us back there (Saturday).”

While the Beat play tight defense to hold magicJack (5-5-2) to hold them scoreless, Atlanta went scoreless for the fifth straight game and was mathematically eliminated from contention for one of WPS’ four playoff berths.

Regardless, it was clear that the night was more about the fanfare surrounding the game than it was about the product on the field.

“Playing in front of fans is always exciting,” Wambach said. “In Germany, I just kept saying, ‘This never gets old.’ People are excited about the game — excited about the sport. It’s honestly humbling and an honor.”

Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal - Record crowd fills stadium for Beat game

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Beat's Mitts, Lloyd share World Cup goal

By Meghan Rose

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


When the U.S. Women’s National Team won the 1999 FIFA World Cup, that same year defender Heather Mitts made her first national soccer appearance and midfielder Carli Lloyd collected the first of her two national high school player of the year awards in Pennsylvania.
Photo: David Todd

Much has changed for the Atlanta Beat’s Mitts and Lloyd in a dozen years. Since that World Cup title, they have become two of the sport’s premier players, staples for a U.S. team that captured Olympic gold in Athens and Beijing.

“The World Cup is like the Super Bowl for us,” Mitts said. “Playing in that type of atmosphere is so exciting.”

Combined, Mitts and Lloyd have made more than 200 appearances for the national team. They hope to use this experience to help the Americans end their World Cup dry spell. The international tournament runs June 26-July 17 at various German sites.

On Tuesday, the Beat teammates leave Atlanta to join the U.S. Women’s National Team for training in Austria. From there, the team will travel to Dresden, Germany, for a match against Korea DPR on June 28 to open FIFA World Cup play. The match will be broadcast on ESPN and begins at 11:45 a.m. ET.

Games will be held in nine different cities with the 16-team field divided into four groups for preliminary play. After facing Korea, the U.S. squad will meet Colombia and Sweden.

The U.S. Women’s National Team qualified for the FIFA World Cup when it captured the 16th and final berth after beating Italy in a two-game qualifying playoff. This spring, Mitts, Lloyd and their 20 U.S. teammates stayed busy preparing for Germany.

“The gap is close with the teams internationally,” Lloyd said. “You can’t take any team lightly.”

Lloyd and Mitts became national team teammates when Lloyd joined the squad six years ago, and the pair has developed a strong relationship on and off the field. In 2007, Mitts joined Lloyd in her training with current Beat coach James Galanis in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

“We get along great and we’re pretty easy going,” Lloyd said.

They signed with the Beat during the offseason; Lloyd in December, Mitts in January.

“It’s been exciting to come to the Beat and be familiar with James and one of your best friends,” Mitts said.

The past few months have been busy for the reunited Mitts and Lloyd, who have been constantly on the road, traveling between their soccer teams. During the week, they train with the national team; on weekends, they join the Beat for WPS games. Both attended a three-week training camp for the U.S. Women’s National Team in Palm Springs, Fla., early last month.

“It’s been a lot more challenging then any of us expected with the travel. ... We make it work,” Mitts said.

In seven games with the Beat this season, midfielder Lloyd has scored two goals while Mitts has started the four games in which she has played. For the U.S. squad, Lloyd has scored 27 career goals while Mitts, a defender, has scored twice.

Mitts and Lloyd, by having each other to share in the experience, have been able to deal with the long hours, travel and exhaustion.They rely on each other for support.

“It’s still the game of soccer whether you’re playing with the Beat or the national team,” Lloyd said. “It’s been great having Heather here with me.”

USA soccer star Heather Mitts trains with area preps

By Nick Dudukovich • ndudukovich@communitypress.com

SHARONVILLE – Soccer star and St. Ursula Academy alumna Heather Mitts returned to Cincinnati to workout with current Bulldog players at DI Sports Training and Therapy in Sharonville, June 10.

Mitts, who co-owns the facility with former Reds and Yankees slugger, Paul O’Neill, will be playing in the FIFA World Cup in Germany, June 23 through July 17.

St. Ursula's Claire Weigand (left) and Heather Mitts (center) worked out at DI Cincinnati, June 10. Photo Nick Dudukovich/Staff

Mitts worked out with the group for about an hour and half and said the training would teach the girls what it’s like to train at a high level.

“It was great…to be able to come to DI and to share a hard workout with the girls, so they can see what it takes, they really got a lot out of it, and obviously I enjoyed it as well,” she said.

St. Ursula student Claire Weigand relished the opportunity to share the field with one of her soccer role models.

“It was a good experience to see how she works and to be right next to her and to see what she does,” Weigand said. “It’s incredible she was here with us. You totally forget how famous she is and how good a soccer player she is.”

While in town, Mitts also conducted the CBTS Heather Mitts Soccer Camp at Sycamore High School.

The St. Ursula alumna missed the previous two World Cups because of injury.

Heather Mitts performs a drill at D1 Cincinnati in Sharonville, June 10. Photo Nick Dudukovich/Staff

Mitts, 33, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. She should serve as strong veteran presence on the United States’ squad this summer.

“I think I’m one of the more veteran experienced players. I think I’ll be able to help my teammates out, I’m not sure how much I’ll be playing, based on the injury, but I’ll be there supporting my team,” she said. “And if I do get an opportunity to play, going out there, helping them win.”

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Heather Mitts makes World Cup roster

Former St. Ursula soccer star finally gets her chance
7:38 PM, May. 9, 2011 - cincinnati.com

CINCINNATI -- Former St. Ursula soccer star Heather Mitts has waited more than eight years to play in a FIFA Women’s World Cup. She finally gets her chance this summer. The veteran defender was named to the U.S. World Cup team on Monday by head coach Pia Sundhage.

Mitts, who turns 33 next month, was in line for a selection in 2003, but broke her leg three months before the tournament. In 2007, four months before the tournament, she tore the ACL in her left knee, then battled back to play on the gold-medal winning U.S. team a year later in Beijing.

"I couldn't be happier, especially after all the hard work that has gone into reaching this goal," Mitts said in a text message. "(I'm) hoping to go out on top and looking forward to my first World Cup!"

This time, Mitts, a two-time gold medalist who plays for the Atlanta Beat of Women’s Professional Soccer, had to overcome a hamstring injury that has limited her to one match this season. But she returned for a three-week training camp that concluded last Friday.

Other veterans on the team include goalkeeper Hope Solo, forward Abby Wambach, a standout on the past two World Cup teams, and defender Christie Rampone, captain of the U.S. team in Beijing. At 35, Rampone is the oldest player on the roster and the last holdover from the last World Cup champion team in 1999.

The U.S. team will play Japan in a friendly Saturday night at Columbus Crew Stadium.

The Women’s World Cup is June 26-July 17 in Germany. The U.S. team plays its first match June 28 in Dresden.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Heather MItts Signs with the Atlanta Beat

The Atlanta Beat Sign Heather Mitts
KENNESAW, GA (January 14, 2010 ) – The Atlanta Beat of Women’s Professional Soccer today announced U.S. Women’s National Team defender Heather Mitts as the newest addition to the 2011 roster.

Mitts, who has 114 caps with the USWNT, is a two-time Olympian who earned gold medals in both 2004 and 2008.

“We are very excited to have Heather because she brings unmatched leadership and experience to the team,” said Beat head coach James Galanis. “Her speed and tenacious defending will make it hard for opposing teams to get in behind us on the right side.”

Mitts began her professional career with the Philadelphia Charge, of the Women’s United Soccer Association, from 2001-2003.

In the 2009 inaugural WPS Season, she joined the Boston Breakers via the USWNT allocation and started all 19 games. With the expansion of WPS in 2010, she returned to Philadelphia and started 15 of 17 matches for the Independence.

“Off the field, Heather is an outstanding professional and a great role model for the younger players,” said Galanis.

Mitts is native of Cincinnati, Ohio and is married to A.J. Feeley, a quarterback for the St. Louis Rams. She reports to preseason on March 1, 2010.

Note: All team transactions must be approved by WPS before becoming official

Season Seats for the Atlanta Beat start as low as $100. Group discounts and flexi-passes are available by calling 678-298-4780. Visit www.theatlantabeat.com for more information.