Martial arts

HIDDEN RIVER STRATEGIC CAPITAL INVESTS IN THE LITTLE GYM THROUGH THE ACQUISITION OF SEVEN EXISTING GYMS

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Thursday, August 17, 2023

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RADNOR, Pa., Aug. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hidden River Strategic Capital ("Hidden River" or the "Fund") is proud to announce a partnership with Taurus Capital Partners and the creation of Somersault Holdings, LLC ("Somersault" or the "Company").

Key Points:

RADNOR, Pa., Aug. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hidden River Strategic Capital ("Hidden River" or the "Fund") is proud to announce a partnership with Taurus Capital Partners and the creation of Somersault Holdings, LLC ("Somersault" or the "Company").
Headquartered in Raleigh, NC, Somersault has acquired and aggregated seven franchises within The Little Gym franchise system under one management group.
With seven locations, Somersault is the largest operator in The Little Gym franchise system and the first franchise owner group to be backed by institutional capital.
The Founding Partners of Hidden River have experience and success investing in both franchised concepts and fitness centers, amongst other industry verticals.

The Little Gym Partners with Private Equity-Backed Operators in Franchise Deal to Acquire Seven Existing Gyms

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Thursday, August 17, 2023

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DALLAS, Aug. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Little Gym International, part of youth enrichment platform Unleashed Brands, has closed a franchise deal this week with a private equity-backed group to purchase seven existing gyms throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, with the goal of further expansion through acquiring and building new gyms over the next several years.

Key Points:

Alongside existing management, Gordon will play an active role in the business, with a focus on strategic growth and expansion.
The Little Gym locations included in the acquisition are Cary, Greensboro, North Raleigh, Fayetteville and Wilmington in North Carolina, as well as Mt.
"We wish them well in their future endeavors and thank them for the impact they made on The Little Gym."
"It's exciting to see the investment world taking notice of the great economic and community impact an investment into The Little Gym franchise system provides."

ABC Evo Unveils Cutting-Edge CRM and Business Intelligence Solutions to Enhance Its Club Management Software

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Wednesday, August 16, 2023

SÃO PAULO, Aug. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ABC Evo, the leading provided club management solutions in LATAM, proudly announced the launch of integrated CRM and Business Intelligence solutions at IHRSA Brazil. With the introduction of groundbreaking tools Evo CRM and Evo Insights, gym and fitness operators can now optimize their operations, increase efficiency, and save time and money with solutions that automate customer acquisition and deliver powerful real-time, actionable insights to better understand and manage their business.

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SÃO PAULO, Aug. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ABC Evo, the leading provided club management solutions in LATAM, proudly announced the launch of integrated CRM and Business Intelligence solutions at IHRSA Brazil.
Part of ABC Fitness, the world's biggest technology company for the fitness industry, ABV Evo is an integrated club management solution dedicated to Latin America.
The new Evo CRM is a native customer relationship management system that redefines how gym and fitness operators interact with their clientele.
In addition to the game-changing CRM, ABC Evo introduces Evo Insights, the proven Business Intelligence (BI) solution, already available in North America, to Evo customers.

Emmy-Winning Team Will Sneak Peek in August Its Pilot Episode of 'GOD'S GANG,' a Groundbreaking Animated Series for Kids

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Wednesday, August 9, 2023

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TEL AVIV, Israel and SINGAPORE, Aug. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- We are excited to announce the upcoming completion of GOD'S GANG pilot episode - "Love is in the Air Hole." GOD'S GANG is an animated series that will captivate kids aged 6-12 and families worldwide with its action-packed comedy adventures. This highly original multicultural and multinational series brings together four extraordinary martial arts heroes from different faiths, showcasing the power of peace, kindness, and unity.

Key Points:

GOD'S GANG is an animated series that will captivate kids aged 6-12 and families worldwide with its action-packed comedy adventures.
This highly original multicultural and multinational series brings together four extraordinary martial arts heroes from different faiths, showcasing the power of peace, kindness, and unity.
GOD'S GANG is the first animated series of its kind, delivering a thematic message of coexistence, fellowship, and empowerment.
With the trailer already gaining momentum across social media, anticipation for the 12.5-minute Pilot episode continues to grow.

The Little Gym Franchisees Continue to Re-Invest in 45+ Year Old Brand

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Thursday, July 27, 2023

Learning, Pediatrics, Martial arts, Commitment, Curriculum, Pediatrics (journal), The Little Gym, American Academy, Tile, Toy

DALLAS, July 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Several long-time franchisees with The Little Gym International, part of youth enrichment platform Unleashed Brands, are continuing to re-invest in the brand by signing new agreements that will expand their footprint and add more gyms to their local markets. The Little Gym is the world's premier enrichment and physical development center for children ages four months through age 12 and is part of Unleashed Brands, which also includes Urban Air Adventure Park, Snapology, Class 101, Premier Martial Arts and XP League.

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Danielle Sporcic and Lori Testa, two New Jersey franchisees who are teaming up to grow their footprint within the state.
Carolyn Huggins, who joined The Little Gym in 2022 with her first gym in Prairie Village, KS recently signed a new agreement to open a second gym in Overland Park, KS.
"We love growing with our franchisees and it's exciting to see several of our long-time, successful franchisees continue to re-invest in our brand and in the vision we have set out for the future," said Nancy Bigley, Brand President of The Little Gym International.
The Little Gym teaches kids social and physical skills appropriate to each stage of childhood by creating opportunities to experience achievement and build self-confidence.

Unleashed Brands Names Justin Waltz as New Senior VP of Franchise Operations for Premier Martial Arts

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Wednesday, July 26, 2023

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DALLAS, July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Youth enrichment platform Unleashed Brands is continuing to build the leadership team for portfolio brand Premier Martial Arts (PMA), a franchise that specializes in teaching karate, krav maga and kickboxing for children and adults. Justin Waltz has been named the company's new Senior Vice President of Franchise Operations. Other brands within the Unleashed Brands platform include Urban Air Adventure Park, The Little Gym, Snapology, Class 101, and XP League.

Key Points:

Justin Waltz has been named the company's new Senior Vice President of Franchise Operations.
Other brands within the Unleashed Brands platform include Urban Air Adventure Park , The Little Gym , Snapology , Class 101 , and XP League .
Waltz brings a wealth of expertise and a deep understanding of the franchise industry to Premier Martial Arts.
In his role of Senior VP of Franchise Operations, Waltz will assume a magnitude of franchisee-focused responsibilities with Premier Martial Arts.

CRACKER JACK® SPOTLIGHTS YOUNG WOMEN WHO ARE CHANGING THE FACE OF THE GAME WITH FIRST-EVER ATHLETE ON CRACKER JILL® PACKAGING

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Thursday, July 20, 2023

PLANO, Texas, July 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its mission to increase the visibility of girls and women in sports to inspire the next generation, Cracker Jack® is recognizing nine young women today with the I Am Cracker Jill® Award. These recipients are changing the face of the game one goal, one run or one point at a time and will receive $5,000 from Cracker Jack to support their sports endeavors. The grand prize winner, Lindsey Zurbrugg, was also selected to represent aspiring female athletes across the country by being the first athlete to join the Cracker Jill roster and appear on special-edition Cracker Jill packaging.

Key Points:

These recipients are changing the face of the game one goal, one run or one point at a time and will receive $5,000 from Cracker Jack to support their sports endeavors.
Being the first athlete featured on the packaging of such an iconic snack brand will be a tremendous help in accomplishing that."
It is our hope that these Cracker Jill athletes encourage and empower more girls and young women across the nation to keep playing."
For more information on Cracker Jack and the I Am Cracker Jill Award finalists, visit www.CrackerJill.com and follow the brand on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook .

CLASS 101 MAKES COLLEGE MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR STUDENTS NATIONWIDE, HELPING THOUSANDS EARN SCHOLARSHIPS TO OFFSET COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION

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Wednesday, July 19, 2023

LEXINGTON, Ky., July 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Class 101, the nation's largest college planning service and part of the world's first Youth Enrichment franchise platform company Unleashed Brands, today announced the winners of its 101 Scholarship Program, along with giving away $101,000 in free Class 101 planning services for high schoolers nationwide. Class 101 and its franchisees are collectively awarding more than $25,000 in scholarships to deserving recipients across the country.

Key Points:

Class 101 and its franchisees are collectively awarding more than $25,000 in scholarships to deserving recipients across the country.
For years, Class 101 has sponsored its 101 Scholarship Program, serving students nationwide the opportunity to receive funding to help offset the growing cost of college education.
Students in grades 9-12, submitted a short video or essay on their achievements and highlighted what they've done in their communities.
In its more than 25 years of business, Class 101 has helped 9,960 high school students earn $1,117,613,877 in merit scholarships, with some students earning over $1,000,000 in total scholarships.

iQIYI Unveils Exciting Anime Line-up for Summer, Providing Youngsters with Diverse Content Across Genres

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Friday, July 14, 2023

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The slate of content features original premium amines across genres—including Chinese fantasy, science fiction, martial arts, adventure and comedy—and promises to captivate diverse user interests.

Key Points:

The slate of content features original premium amines across genres—including Chinese fantasy, science fiction, martial arts, adventure and comedy—and promises to captivate diverse user interests.
The Grand Lord, an action anime adapted from the popular novel The Great Ruler, will be iQIYI's first anime year-long broadcast featuring 52 episodes.
The anime achieves advanced visual storytelling leveraging cutting-edge tools previously used in blockbusters and animated movies, including 3D visual effects techniques.
With iQIYI's high-quality anime content, the platform has witnessed a surge in the number of devoted ACG (Anime, Comics, and Games) users.

Australian researchers confirm world’s first case of dementia linked to repetitive brain trauma in a female athlete

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Monday, July 3, 2023

Researchers at the Australian Sports Brain Bank have today reported the world’s first diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a female athlete.

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Researchers at the Australian Sports Brain Bank have today reported the world’s first diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a female athlete.
Heather’s family donated her brain to the Australian Sports Brain Bank hoping to better understand why she died.

What is chronic traumatic encephalopathy?

It is increasingly associated with athletes who play contact sports, such as football, boxing and martial arts.
Athletes with long careers in contact sport are at particular risk, especially if they play from an early age.
Read more:
Repeated head injury may cause degenerative brain disease for people who play sport – juniors and amateurs included

A sporting life

She played representative football in the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory before being drafted into the inaugural season of the AFLW in 2017.
Anderson played a single season with the Adelaide Crows, during which she won a premiership and suffered a career-ending shoulder injury.

Was this diagnosis expected?

The Australian Sports Brain Bank team believe Anderson is a “sentinel case” we can learn from.
Although Australian women have historically been excluded from the sports most associated with repeated head injuries, this is changing.

Are women more prone to CTE than men?

There is emerging evidence that women are at significantly higher risk of mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) and may suffer more severe symptoms.
Concussion alone does not cause CTE, but an athlete’s number of concussions is a reliable indicator of their cumulative exposure to brain trauma, which is the biggest predictor of CTE.
Given their growth in participation and the enhanced risks they face in sport, it is concerning that women and girls are underrepresented in concussion research.

A disease that does not discriminate

This world-first report of CTE in a female athlete is proof the disease does not discriminate and lends urgency to calls for greater representation of women in brain injury studies.
Efforts to reduce concussion in women’s sport must first address resource inequalities between men’s and women’s sport.
This includes giving women access to quality training and coaching support, as well as greater attention from sport science and medical research.