US98 Soccer & Mia Hamm

Oh, and Annika Sorenstam.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

January 29, 2010

Annika v. Mia ‘Soccer Skills Challenge’ Added to ‘ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound’

Golf and Soccer Hall of Famers to Play with Local Junior Soccer Clubs

Soccer Academie INTER98 and Emerald Coast United


(WATERSOUND, Fla.) – The ANNIKA Foundation and St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) announce that Annika Sorenstam and Mia Hamm will take part in a “Soccer Skills Challenge” as part of the ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound on Friday, February 19 at the Origins Golf Club.

The Soccer Skills Challenge will start at 1 p.m. following “Lunch with Annika and Mia” at The Village Commons at WaterSound from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Annika and Mia will also take part in a 20-minute soccer match featuring local club teams, Soccer Academie INTER98 and Emerald Coast United. The match will be eight-on-eight, with Annika and Mia switching teams every five minutes.

“The Soccer Skills Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to expand the scope and impact of the ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound by including the world’s most popular sport,” says Mia. “I look forward to challenging Annika both on the golf course and the soccer field.”

The clubs will raise funds for the Mia Hamm Foundation by auctioning and raffling 14 team spots to play with Annika and Mia. The Mia Hamm Foundation raises funds and awareness for bone marrow transplant patients and their families in honor of her brother Garrett, who passed away from complications of a bone marrow disease. An autograph session will follow the match, and a limited number of commemorative shirts signed by Annika and Mia will be available.

“We are honored to take part in this historic event and excited to have two of the greatest female sports icons of this generation take part in the Soccer Skills Challenge,” says D. Christian Franek, President of US98 Soccer Club, the parent organization of INTER98.

“Mia is a role model and inspiration for so many young soccer players locally and world-wide,” says Terri O’Neil of Emerald Coast Soccer Club. “Annika has the same impact on junior golfers, and both of their foundations are inspiring and changing thousands of lives.”

Mia was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1997, is a three-time Olympic medalist, two-time World Cup champion, and has scored more international goals (158) than anyone, male or female, in the history of soccer. Annika, a member of both the World Golf and LPGA Halls of Fame, is widely regarded as the greatest female golfer of all-time with 89 worldwide wins, including 72 LPGA wins and 10 Major Championships.

The Soccer Skills Challenge provides Mia an opportunity to square-off against Annika in her sport and on the pitch at US98 Soccer Fields East – Wind Garden Park at WaterSound. The two will play each other in a golf match at the Davis Love designed Origins Course at WaterSound starting at 9:30 a.m. along with local junior golfers. A golf clinic, hosted by Annika, will precede the golf match at 8:30 a.m.

Proceeds from the ANNIKA Experience at WaterSound will benefit local charities and the ANNIKA Foundation, the golf legend’s charitable arm that teaches children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition and offers aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams.

Accommodation packages will be available at WaterColor Inn and Resort and WaterSound Beach including admission to all ticketed events. For the full schedule of events and sponsorship opportunities contact Monark Events at 850.728.9476, 616.890.6497 or via email at info@monarkevents.com.


About The ANNIKA Foundation
The ANNIKA Foundation teaches children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition, and offers aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams. A primary focus for the ANNIKA Foundation is to identify the greatest needs and opportunities to make an impact by developing sports and physical fitness programs for kids. A key focus is to provide resources that increase participation and access where it is not currently available or affordable, and promote awareness for the importance of leading a healthy, active lifestyle. More information about the ANNIKA Foundation can be found at www.annikafoundation.org.

About Annika
Annika is the greatest female golfer of our generation and often regarded as the best player in LPGA history. Her prestigious list of accomplishments includes her 2003 induction into the World Golf and LPGA Halls of Fame, 10 major championships, 89 worldwide professional victories, eight LPGA Player of the Year Awards, and participation on eight Solheim Cup teams. In June 2008, Annika was named a USGA Ambassador. She also represented the International Golf Federation and took part in their successful bid to get golf into the 2016 Olympic Games Annika has worked hard on her off-the-course businesses, which include the ANNIKA Academy, the ANNIKA Foundation, the ANNIKA Collection with Cutter & Buck, ANNIKA Financial Group, numerous golf course design projects around the world, a signature fragrance and a namesake Syrah in partnership with Wente Vineyards.

About Origins Golf Club
The Origins Golf Club is a six-hole regulation course that through the use of alternate tee boxes and greens, also plays as a nine-hole executive course and a 10-hole par 3 layout. Its mission is to make golf more fun, accessible and attractive to families, beginners and experienced players. Designed by Love Golf Design, founded by PGA Tour player Davis Love III, the course is consistent with the Scottish origins of the game, in which six, nine and 12-hole courses were commonplace. More information about Origins can be found at www.originsgolfclub.com.

About WaterSound
At WaterSound, plans call for approximately 999 single-family home sites and 256 multi-family residences, interconnected by an extensive pedestrian trail system – ideal for walking and biking. Many homes will be within walking distance of the centrally located Village Commons, a gathering spot for residents to enjoy a light lunch, spend a day beside the community pool, engage in a workout at the fitness room, and check the day’s mail at the post office. A short stroll from Village Commons is the Davis Love III-designed Origins Golf Course, which is ideal for the quick round in the evening or the casual family golf outing.

WaterSound sits between the Intracoastal Waterway and Lake Powell, one of the world’s rare dune lakes fed by both rainwater and meandering tides – perfect for freshwater and saltwater fishing. The master plan is being designed by New York-based Hart/Howerton & Associates and Atlanta-based Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh.

About JOE
The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE), a publicly held company based in Jacksonville, is one of Florida's largest real estate development companies and Northwest Florida's largest private landowner. JOE is primarily engaged in real estate development and sales, with significant interests in timber.

More information about JOE can be found at its web site at www.joe.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Shane Sharp (Golf)
Buffalo Communications
704.519.8381
ssharp@billycaspergolf.com

April Mason Nichols (Real Estate)
Spring O’Brien
212.402.1637
apriln@spring-obrien.com

Elizabeth Benz (ANNIKA Foundation)
Brener Zwikel & Associates
212-708-3329 (o)
352-514-0550 (c)
elizabethb@bzapr.com

 

WaterSound is a PUD that is literally on the western coastal county line. It is very nice, and St. Joe wants to be selling more property in there than they have been. I'd like to help them develop it, and in the process develop an industry that will be viable and successful here. Here's the recent edition of the proposal: http://www.sowal.com/bb/sports-recreati ... alton.html

Ordered the Youth Small USWNT gold version with #9 and "HAMM" for my 1 year old girl to get an autograph. Mia is awesome and such a positive role model. I'm giddy!

 

Sounds nice, way to go Christian. Dont forget to invite Mia for a few beers and a discussion about US soccer.

 

Very cool Christian. Not hyperbole to say these 2 are the greatest of all time at their respective sports. U of Arizona alumni are proud to call Annika one of our own, both on and off the golf course.