Category Archives: Tech of Sports

From the shoes we wear on our feet to the high definition televisions in our living room, wearable devices, the sports universe is a breeding ground for technology. Writer and Photographer Rick Limpert will examine this each week on The Tech of Sports – With guests which include athletes, inventors and journalists that cover the intersection of sports and technology.

Felicia Romero, From Fit to Fat to Fit and International Women’s Day

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International Women’s Day is March 8th, so Rick is joined by fitness expert, Felicia Romero to talk about that, getting fit and advice for staying fit and healthy.

Felicia Romero is a celebrity health and fitness expert, and recently appeared on the second season of the Lifetime hit, “From Fit to Fat to Fit.” Earlier this year she also launched her online fitness and nutrition platform, and launched a program in collaboration with Drew Manning, the creator of From Fit to Fat to Fit. Felicia’s previous success includes several national and world titles as a fitness competitor and becoming a 7-time cover model.

She gives tips on how she climbed the ranks in Hollywood to become “Self-Made”.

After graduating from Arizona State University with a B.A in Poly Science and a Master in Exercise and Wellness, Felicia began to pursue a career as a fitness competitor. She went on to complete in the United States and internationally at the Pro level for 8 years before retiring. She would finish her career with 5 Pro wins, 3 top 4 finishes at the Figure International and a top 5 finish at the Figure Olympia. As a result of this success, Felicia launched her own competitive fitness show, The Felicia Romero Classic, which is an NPC national qualifier that takes place annually.

This was just the beginning for the health and fitness expert. In 2015, she opened her gym FR Fit Method, offering functional training classes to men and women. This was followed by a number of new business ventures, including launching FeliciaRomero.com, her online fitness and nutrition consulting, landing a role on season 2 of “From Fit to Fat to Fit,” on cable television network, Lifetime and securing several corporate wellness collaborations.

See more at www.feliciaromero.com

Career Highlights

 Felicia’s success as a fitness competitor made her a 7-time cover model for Flex Magazine, and allowed her to grace the covers of Muscle and Fitness, Oxygen, Ironman, Fitness RX, and Scottsdale Health.

 With years of experience providing health and wellness consulting, Felicia has become a highly-sought out speaker and regularly delivers presentations on health and wellness topics globally.

 In 2015, Felicia launched her gym FR Fit Method, in Gilbert, Ariz., which offers a variety of functional training classes for men and women.

 Felicia is seen as the go-to expert on all things health and wellness. As a result, she is a regular TV personality on television news programs in the Phoenix-Metropolitan area, including Good Morning Arizona, Your Life A to Z, Arizona Midday, Arizona Daily Mix, and The List, to name a few.

 Her fitness tips, wellness advice and healthy recipes have been seen in a variety of regional and national print, online and broadcast outlets including Cheddar TV, Her Magazine, Men’s Health, and The Daily Meal., to name a few.

 In 2016, Felicia was cast to be part of Lifetime’s hit weight loss reality show, From Fit to Fat to Fit, which premiered in January of 2018.

You can find more details about From Fit to Fat to Fit and check out episodes, here: http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/fit-to-fat-to-fit.

And enjoy her talk with Rick.

Felicia Romero

Dr. Erika Angle and Scott Tindal of Ixcela

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Getting into some good tech this week as Rick is joined by Dr. Erika Angle and Scott Tindal of Ixcela.

Like physical fitness, the fitness of your gut microbiome is critical to your overall health and wellness. Ixcela worked with ORACLE TEAM USA to improve internal health.

Ixcela was co-founded by Drs. Erika Ebbel Angle and Wayne Matson with a group of outstanding scientists (see the biographies of our amazing co-workers). All of us had developed technologies and methods for the study of a range of diseases for diagnosis, predictive diagnostic risk factors and specification of therapy (personalized medicine). Tindal is the Head Nutritionist at Ixcela. Dr. Angle Angle is a renowned biochemist, former Miss America competitor, founder of gut health start up, Ixcela, and also the wife of iRobot co-founder, Colin Angle.

After deep analysis of the complex biochemical profiles for over 1000 compounds in several thousand subjects, it became clear to us that the microbiome (the some 6-10,000 species in the gut – second largest organ in the body) was a critical part of the biochemical web distinguishing normal from disease subjects. Understanding these webs could also allow the prediction of therapeutic response. Additionally, the biochemistry of the microbiome had direct links to the function of other organs including the brain.

This led us beyond the ideas of diagnosis and therapy to the concept of promoting biochemical wellness (“internal health”) through measurement and control of the microbiome with specific, personalized intervention based on testing.

This year, Dr. Erika and Ixcela collaborated with TEAM ORACLE USA in preparation for this year’s America’s cup, the gold standard of competitive sailing. Erika and her team provided the defending champions individualized gut therapy that dramatically increased availability and performance on the water. It worked for these world-renowned athletes and now Erika is bringing the same internal fitness solutions to the rest of the world.

The Boston Business Journal selected Erika as one of the “40 Under 40″ business and civic leaders who are making a major impact in their respective fields in the Boston area. Selected by L’Oreal Paris as a Woman of Worth for her work, Erika has been featured on Lifetime TV and Nova Science Now on “The Secret Lives of Scientists and Engineers.” A biochemist with degrees from BU and MIT, Erika is extremely passionate and generally very inspiring.

This week, they join Rick.

Tindal headshot by Peter Hurley
By Sam Greenfeld
BY Sam Greenfeld

Chip Beck, Three-time Ryder Cup Member, Pitchfix Spokesperson

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Rick is joined by one of the nicest guys in golf, and most well respected, three-time Ryder Cup member and four-time winner on the PGA Tour, Chip Beck.

Beck was at the 2018 PGA Show for Pitchfix.

Pitchfix USA, a global market leader in switchblade divot tools, recently announced that is has retained former PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions player Chip Beck as Ambassador for its Fusion 2.5 divot tool, named “Best Divot Repair Tool” by Golf Digest in their Editors’ Choice Awards for two consecutive years. Beck will represent Pitchfix at the 2018 PGA Merchandise show, PGA Show Demo Day and future events.

The second player in PGA Tour history to shoot a 59 (1991 Las Vegas Invitational) and a three-time U.S. Ryder Cup Team member with a 6-2-1 record, Beck will demonstrate the Fusion 2.5 at Demo Day on Tuesday, January 22 at Orange County National Golf Center from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Beck will greet customers and media, share stories about his career and offer his thoughts about the Fusion 2.5, at the Pitchfix booth (#2015) at the PGA Merchandise Show on Wednesday, January 23. Following the show, Beck will make appearances at clinics and golf events nationwide. Beck is also a former All-American at Georgia.

Rick and Chip talk about Pitchfix, the state of golf, respecting the golf course and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Notes on Pitchfix: Since it’s inception in 2005 Pitchfix has gone from it’s Original model to a complete line of golf accessories golfers use on and around the green. We strive to constantly improve and extend our product line to equip golfers with tools that improve their game experience and at the same time improve the game experience of fellow golfers. Our latest product, the patented Pitchfix Twister 2.0, is the most easy to use divot repair tool ever. Divot repair has never been as easy and effective as with the Twister 2.0. With this new product we contribute to lowering the number of unattended divot marks and improve the course quality golf course owners offer their players and guests.

Have a listen to Rick and Chip!

Chip Beck and Pitchfix

Bubba Wallace, NASCAR Driver and Runner Up in 2018 Daytona 500

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Bubba Wallace is one of the fresh faces of NASCAR. He’s also fresh off a runner up finish at the 2018 Daytona 500.

Rick talks to Bubba, this week, on “Tech of Sports.”

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. (born October 8, 1993), is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Richard Petty Motorsports. Previously, Wallace was signed as a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing where Wallace competed in the Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 54 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports. He also raced in the Xfinity Series, driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang of Roush Fenway Racing, from 2015 to mid 2017.[ Wallace is noted for being one of the most successful African-American drivers in the history of NASCAR.

Wallace’s 2nd place DAYTONA 500 finish is the best-ever by an African-American driver in sport’s most prestigious event

Prior to Sunday’s DAYTONA 500, Wallace received support from several notable sports legends, including Hank Aaron and Lewis Hamilton

A Facebook Watch docu-series entitled “Behind the Wall: Bubba Wallace,” chronicled Wallace’s road to the DAYTONA 500 – from his earliest racing days to his debut as the new full-time driver of the No. 43 Click n’ Close Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Richard Petty Motorsports
Episodes seven and eight, which provide a behind-the-scenes look at Wallace’s second-place finish in the DAYTONA 500, premiere Thursday, February 22 on Facebook Watch

In 2012, Wallace became the first graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity development program to compete in a NASCAR national series race. Since then, he’s won six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races
Three of the program’s alumni – Kyle Larson, Daniel Suárez and now Bubba Wallace – are already racing in the Monster Energy Cup Series, NASCAR’s top division

In October 2013, Wallace won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway to become the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race since NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Wendell Scott in 1963.

Watch Bubba’s Facebook Watch show and keep an eye on him on the tracks of NASCAR.

Bubba Wallace

Shannon Briggs, Two-Time World Heavyweight Boxing Champ

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This week, on Tech of Sport,” Rick is joined by former Heavyweight Champ, Shannon Briggs.

Shannon Briggs, the two-time world heavyweight boxing champion, today announced his plans for 2018 including his return to the ring and the launch of a new business venture.

“I’m really happy to be getting back into training and I want to fight in 2018,” said Briggs. “This past year was a tough year for me. It’s been a long road, with many twists and turns, but I battled through it and feel good about the future. The Champ is back and ready to go!”

A boxing world veteran, Briggs, 46, has spent more than twenty years in the sport.  Born and raised in Brooklyn, he started training at age 17. He capped off a successful amateur career by capturing the United States Amateur Title in 1992. Later that year, Briggs made his professional debut and was undefeated in his first 25 fights. His record is 60–6–1 (1) and he holds the record for the most first-round knockouts of any heavyweight champions in history with 35. During his career, Shannon has locked gloves with legends such as George Foreman, Lenox Lewis, Sergei Liakhovich and Vitali Klitchko, among others. Briggs ultimate goal in boxing is to become a three-time world heavyweight champion following in the footsteps of the only two legends to achieve it, Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield.

Throughout the course of his career, Briggs endured bouts of depression, anxiety and severe pain resulting from the injuries sustained during fights. Though he found the pain difficult to manage at times, Briggs fought his way through, discovering an alternative wellness regiment that helped him to become stronger both mentally and physically.  As a result, he found a purpose: to help other athletes and people who suffer from mental and physical ailments manage the pain by offering an alternative treatment approach. This spiritual awakening led Briggs to pursue various business ventures outside of the ring.

“In addition to being excited about getting in the ring, I am also proud to launch my new business which will help athletes who suffer from the same type of pain issues that I do,” added Briggs.

Briggs newest business venture is Champ RX LLC.  ChampRX plans to launch an alternative health and wellness line of CBD products that are 100% THC free. ChampRX has already partnered with several professional sports teams and organizations to enable research on how CBD products can help with CTE and other brain disease and damage caused by traumatic head injuries. The product line will be available to consumers in early 2018.

Shannon Briggs

Kelsey Caputo of Kadan Swimwear

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Based in the Florida Keys, Kadan Swimwear is the new and unique swimwear line from 18-year old designer, Kelsey Caputo. ‘Kadan’ means ‘where the heart lies.”

Rick is joined by Kelsey, on this episode of “Tech of Sports.”

“Every woman should feel comfortable, look. The suit alone is a statement piece, add a bracelet and a wide-brimmed hat for extra flair,” Caputo said.  For Caputo, this venture has helped her remain close to what she loves- the water.

“I spend a lot of time on the water, fishing and boating. I could not be any more grateful for the place I get to call home. Beginning a bathing suit line has allowed me to make a small dream into reality with hopes to become a known brand in the near future.”

Kardan Swimwear is new a high-end suit line, and launched its first capsule collection with exhibit space at the January 2018 Surf Expo in Orlando. The suits are created by 18-uear old and emerging designer, Kelsey Caputo.

The high-performance pieces reflect a coastal living that is fresh, laid-back and stylish. Pieces range from $75 to $120, and are on sale at boutique stores dotting the Florida Keys and online at www.kadanswimwear.com.

The capsule collection offers five styles in calypso and baby blue. She envisioned beautiful women wearing her suits having fun and feeling confident when she conceived the idea and started designing.

“Every line tells a story,” explains Caputo, who graduated high school early to persue her designing interests. “Mine says elegant costal living for modern women.”

A tireless worker, Caputo admits having filled sketch books with hundreds of suit designs, albeit rudimentary, from every angle, and thinks about the colors often. “They’re basic, but its just to get the ideas down.”

Visit Kadan Swimwear by Kelsey’s website at https://kadanswimwear.com and follow her on Instagram/Facebook at @kadanswimwear