s in Kazakhstan22 - 30 MAY: Sam Oldham, E | Forum

                                      Pokey Chatman has seen how good the Indiana Fever can be from the opposing sideline. Sidney Crosby Jersey . Now shell get a chance to lead them.The Fever hired Chatman as their new coach Friday, bringing in a WNBA veteran in hopes of continuing their annual visits to the postseason.I can remember when I first went to Chicago, quite frankly, I was trying to build a team to beat Indiana. What they had built was incredible and to see it from the inside out now is great, Chatman said. They have people who have been here for 14 years in this organization. It speaks volumes to whats going on here.Chatman will take over a team that has a rich history in the WNBA, winning a title in 2012 and reaching the playoffs for the past 12 years. Indiana was 17-17 this past year, losing in the first round. Coach Stephanie White left the Fever after the season to take over at Vanderbilt.My goal was to identify and hire someone who has extensive head coaching experience in the pro womens game and we are fortunate to bring Pokey to Indiana, said Kelly Krauskopf, the teams president and general manager. Her years of coaching elite level players, both in the WNBA and in Europe, bring us great experience and leadership. Her up-tempo philosophy on offense combined with her affinity for toughness on the defensive end fits our organization. I have watched her teams and admired how her players continuously improve from year to year.The 47-year-old Chatman was not retained by the Chicago Sky after this past season when she guided the team to an 18-16 record and an appearance in the WNBA playoff semifinals. She won 106 games in Chicago and led the team to its first-ever playoff appearance in 2013 and a trip to the WNBA Finals in 2014. Chicago made the playoffs in each of her last four seasons.I understand professional sports, Chatman said. I have a lot of pride in what we were able to accomplish in Chicago in six years. I think the competitor in me is sad I didnt win a championship.Now she has a new job nearly three weeks later.Im elated and excited about it, Chatman said of the chance to lead Indiana. I didnt really think about the time frame and how quickly it was until I read it somewhere. Im excited about it.The Fever will have a different look not only on the sidelines, but also on the court as longtime star Tamika Catchings retired. Indiana still has a strong nucleus with Briann Janaury, Erlana Larkins, Tiffany Mitchell and Marissa Coleman.I dont have to reinvent the wheel here on either side of the basketball, Chatman said. There are areas we want to enhance, but if it aint broke were not going to try and fix it.Before taking over Chicago in 2011, Chatman spent 16 years at LSU, her alma mater. The Louisiana native was an assistant from 1992-2004 before becoming the head coach. She was 106-19 as the head of that program, including a 15-5 mark when she was the interim leader in 2004 when longtime coach Sue Gunter left the team because of a lung disease.Chatman will just be the coach in Indiana. She also was the general manager in Chicago. Having one job now is something that Chatman was happy about.I am looking forward to just being the coach, she said. I also am looking forward to learning from Kelly. I did have that role before. Its nice to have eyes and ears and a conversation with someone who had so much success from a learning standpoint. I welcome the opportunity to learn and just focus on the basketball half.---Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinberg Jake Guentzel Jersey . Here are his mid-season NBA awards.  MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Bryan Trottier Jersey . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. http://www.penguinsauthenticofficial.com/mario-lemieux-jersey/ . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side.For a man who is used to preparing for a new season pounding the tarmac, spending the last few weeks in water hasnt been easy. Swimming has been a major part of Mark Englishs return to fitness since a foot injury (thanks to running over a pothole) forced his withdrawal from the World Indoor Championships in March.The 23-year-old Sky Academy Sports Scholar and 800m runner opens up about his season preparation and love affair with athletics.... .Im optimistic about the summer. The challenge since the injury has been finding ways to keep fit so when I return to training properly I can focus on finding my rhythm again.Im hungrier than ever to put on my spikes and leave the swimming goggles behind. I have a 600m race planned for Birmingham on June 6 but Ill need to see how the injury progresses.I really hope I can race in Amsterdam at the European Championships, but it isnt the priority. The Olympics come first, and I wont do anything that would put my race preparations for Rio in jeopardy.Fighting back to fitness got me thinking about what makes my sport so great. So I wrote a few words..... Sebastian Coe beats fierce rival Steve Ovett in the 1500m final at the 1980 Moscow Olympics 1. RIVALRIESThe IAAF and meet directors are really trying to promote head-to-heads this year and it is needed if they want to return to the Seb Coe vs Steve Ovett and Linford Christie vs Carl Lewis days.Essentially, its about creating the right story around it and allowing people to naturally choose sides.Take the Coe-Ovett rivalry. This was pitted as a good boy vs bad boy rivalry. The public were intrigued because they were a Coe or an Ovett fan. Similarly, you were a Linford Christie or Carl Lewis fan.And its no surprise to watch these showdowns and see packed-out stadiums. Last year, we saw huge interest in Usain Bolt vs Justin Gatlin in Beijing. Everyone loves a good ol showdown.2. DRAMAAnything can and does happen. Even the overwhelming favourites have a capacity to bottle and its an irresistible sight to watch. Take John Treacys victory over Ovett - otherwise known as that arrogance personified video on YouTube.The mud lark Treacy out-leans a celebrating Ovett who clearly thought he had the race sewn up. Youd be hard pressed to pick a better video to teach someone that it aint over till its over.3. THE PAIN IS RELATABLEI have to put my hands up and admit that before I was 10, I wouldnt run more than a mile. I wondered what the point was.Grabbing a football and using jumpers as goalposts seemed more fun than running around in circles. But then I had to run cross-country and experienced a whole new world of pain.Then came the fun run 5k and 10k races at local Turkey Trots. After grinding my way through those races, I could only imagine what marathoners had to put their bodies through on a daily basis.From then on, I went from switching the channel when a marathon came on, to empathising with the pain, focus and the slog. And those who have run any of these races will know what IIm on about. Paul Martin Jersey. Irelands David Gillick overcame the fashion conscious Bastian Swillims to be 2007 European indoor champion 4. NATIONAL GLORYTheres a huge surge of national pride anytime someone does well on the big stage. I know I felt incredibly proud watching David Gillick (400m) and hurdler Derval ORourke winning their indoor titles over the years. The arenas can be viewed as proving grounds, where nations seek to get one up on each other.I remember very well when Gillick beat the German athlete Bastian Swillims (donning a very eccentric one-piece suit) to win the European indoors in 2006.5. SIZES FOR EVERYONE Athletics is a sport that caters for all sizes.Its fascinating to walk around the dining hall at a Diamond League meeting and note the difference between the lean marathoners and the muscled shot-putters. No other sport has such a vast array of sizes.6. SUMMER MEETSA few of my mates came along to the Morton Games two years ago. This is an athletics meeting held in July in Santry, Dublin. They werent regulars at athletics meets but they thoroughly enjoyed it.From the exciting commentary trackside to great weather and track records - its a great place to chill in the summer. You dont even need to fully understand athletics to enjoy watching it.Im sure if I went to watch an NFL game, I wouldnt have a Scooby Doo what was going on, but Id still have a great time munching on some popcorn - its a well-sold package.Athletics could do even more to package itself along these lines, but meets like the Morton Games lead the way when it comes to entertainment and carnival-type atmospheres. Usain Bolt storms to victory for Jamaica at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia 7. RELAYSThe best sporting event I have ever been to without doubt has been the Penn Relays. Its the oldest and largest track meet in the United States. Its a mixture of high school, college, university and elite events, attracting 15,000 competitors over five days.The atmosphere is fascinating. The crowd usually tops 10,000 on the final day, many of them Jamaican. And when the USA vs the World relays begin, theres huge passion. Everyone loves getting behind a team.Invariably, there will be at least one race where the leader is hunted down over the last few strides. Its a refreshing reminder of whats beautiful about relays in general - displays of pure desire, guts and pride.WHATS COMING UP FOR OUR SCHOLARS19 - 27 MAY: Savannah Marshall, World Championships in Kazakhstan22 - 30 MAY: Sam Oldham, Europan Gymnastics Championships in Switzerland Also See: About the Scholarship Meet the athletes Blogs Videos Galleries ' ' '