Seattle Storm player recounts COVID-19 journey through France and Australia

Seattle Storm player recounts COVID-19 journey through France and Australia

SEATTLE -- Seattle Storm Guard and former Washington Husky, Sami Whitcomb, is back with her family in Perth, Australia after getting stranded in France for a month due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Like most women playing professional basketball,  Sami splits her time between playing in the United States and overseas.

Singing, dancing and cooking: How Seattle athletes are entertaining their fans amid a pandemic

Singing, dancing and cooking: How Seattle athletes are entertaining their fans amid a pandemic

SEATTLE -- Sports are a form of entertainment, which makes the athletes themselves, well, entertainers.So, in a time when there are no sports to play, in a time when everyone seems just a little stir crazy – that entertainment has continued in many forms.There's the singing, the dancing, the cooking and, of course, the gaming.From Russell Wilson and Walter Jones showing us their family moves to Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe belting out Avril Lavigne tunes, to DK Metcalf helping us whip up some dinner, our hometown superstars are giving us ways to cope:

Seattle Storm re-signs Sue Bird

Seattle Storm re-signs Sue Bird

SEATTLE – The Seattle Storm has re-signed three-time WNBA Champion Sue Bird.“The thing about Sue Bird is that she elevates everything she touches to a championship level,” said Storm CEO and General Manager Alisha Valavanis. “Whether it is leading the Storm, USA Basketball or her fearless pursuit of equality – Sue expects greatness from herself and others.

Storm’s Alysha Clark surprises 8th graders with chance to make mentorship program dream come true

Storm’s Alysha Clark surprises 8th graders with chance to make mentorship program dream come true

SEATTLE – If you had to make one free throw in front of your idol, could you do it?That's exactly what happened to two 8th grade girls Monday night at their AAU practice when the Seattle Storm's Alysha Clark was on hand for a big reveal.The team of girls watched as the Storm forward searched the crowd for two specific players, Allie and Olivia.The pair submitted their own plans earlier this fall to the initiative Grow the Game put on by Nike, the WNBA and NBA to encourage girls to stay in the game.Their plans were part of a nationwide contest and little did they know was that this surprise visit meant so much more.“You haven't won yet, but I heard that if you make two free throws, then you're going to be put into this pool as semifinalists and be able to be the winners of it,” Clark told the girls. “Can you make two free throws?"The answer was yes, and then the truth came out."You guys are actually not semi-finalists, you guys won," Clark said, surprising the girls.Allie and Olivia came up with the idea of a “Heroes in Training” squad where middle school and high school girls mentor younger athletes in their community."I read over your application and what you guys want to implement is absolutely amazing,” Clark told the two. “I’m inspired by you because when I was in 8th grade I wasn't even thinking the way you are thinking, and to want to be mentors and help younger girls and grow the game of basketball I think is so awesome, and I’m inspired by you."The Grow the Game program challenged young athletes after a recent study found that by the age of 14, girls are dropping out of sports twice as often as boys.In addition to announcing Allie and Olivia as winners, Alysha passed out swag and words of wisdom.“See, I want to help teach them something, and I helped them with game situations now they can knock free throws down under pressure,” Clark said.As winners of the Grow the Game contest, both Allie and Olivia will get to head down to the Nike World headquarters in Beaverton to work with Nike, the WNBA and NBA to turn their idea into an actual game plan.