News

CHICAGO — Pro Tips 4U, Inc. announced today the official launch of its website, ProTips4U.com, which features sport training tips from professional athletes, coaches and trainers. Pro Tips contributors include Olympic Gold Medalists, Pro Bowl players, All-Stars, Hall-of-Famers, World Champions, Paralympians and Heisman Trophy winners.

As part of its launch promotion, individuals visiting the website will be offered a chance to download a free Pro Tip by simply registering with the site.

Pro Tips 4U, based in Lincolnshire, Illinois, was founded by Mark Leonard, who is a nationally recognized expert in sports and consumer marketing. He has more than 20 years of experience working with some of the world’s top athletes and sports organizations. Working with elite athletes, Leonard soon realized that everyone wants to know their secrets of success.

“Pro Tips 4U was developed to bring sports training tips from professional athletes, coaches and trainers directly to both youths and adults who are looking to improve their game,” Leonard said. “I know I would have been thrilled as a young man growing up in Chicago to get tips on how to play baseball better from Ernie Banks, Billy Williams or Ron Santo or how to play football like Dick Butkus or Walter Payton. I wasn’t able to do that, but now my kids — and kids around the world — will get their chance!”

Pro Tips roster of contributors includes:

Andrei Arlovski, former UFC Heavyweight Champion

Tina Charles, No. 1 draft pick in 2009 WNBA draft and current WNBA Rookie-of-the-Year

Bryan Clay, current Olympic Gold Medalist in the Decathlon, known as the “world’s greatest athlete”

“Big” Ron Coleman, 8-time Mr. Olympia

Sylvia Fowles, WNBA All-Star

Michael George, Hollywood Fitness Trainer

Taj Gibson, NBA’s All Rookie team for the 2009-10 season

Cobi Jones, all-time Major League Soccer great

Lee Kemp, wrestling Hall-of-Famer

Cung Le, one of MMA’s best and most exciting fighters

Carlos “El Caballo” Lee, All-Star baseball player

Michelle Lovitz, celebrity fitness trainer

Floyd Mayweather Sr. and Jeff Mayweather, two of boxing’s top trainers from one of the great boxing families

Holly McPeak, one of the top Pro Beach volleyball players in history

Dominique Moceanu, Olympic Gold Medalist gymnast

Paul Moran, Paralympian (wheelchair tennis)

Hanley Ramirez, three-time All-Star of the Florida Marlins and the 2009 National League batting champion (and former Rookie-of-the-Year in 2006)

Jake Shields, one of the top pound-for-pound MMA fighters in the world

Rebecca Soni, Olympic Gold Medalist, and one of the world’s best swimmers

Dr. Jim Suttie, one of the nation’s top golf instructors

Abby Wambach, three-time winner of U.S. Soccer Athlete of Year award and Olympic Gold Medalist

Roy Williams, perennial Pro Bowl cornerback

Other contributors to the site include: Yunel Escobar and Carlos Santana (baseball); Jared Dudley, Paul George, Nathan Jawai, JaVale McGee, Renee Montgomery, Jon Scheyer and Dickey Simpkins (basketball);Jacob “Stitch” Duran, Ron Frazier and Richard Steele (boxing); Trent Suzuki (fitness); Jerry Azumah, Rashied Davis, Wendell Davis, Shaun Gayle, Steve Gregory, Caleb Hanie, James Lee, Emery Moorehead, Kory Sperry and TJ Ward (football); Nicole Jeray, John Elliott, Jr. and Mike Davis (golf); Jake Deane and Mike Gabel (lacrosse); Mark “The Hyena” Beecher, Quentin “Dragon” Chong, Jay Hieron, Elaina Maxwell, Rudi Ott,Jose Palacios, Mike Pyle and Shawn Tompkins (MMA); Susan Francia (rowing); Julie Burns (nutrition); Shannon Boxx (soccer); Willie Banks, Brianna Glenn, Johnny Gray, Jamie Nieto and Khadevis Robinson (track & field); Angie Akers, Emily Day, Jeff Nygaard and John Speraw (volleyball).

Leonard said the company has already signed more than 125 athletes and coaches to participate and is expanding quickly into international markets; Pro Tips will initially be available in English and Spanish. He said Pro Tips 4U will cover all sports. The company has a “very aggressive” filming schedule and is adding new athletes to the site every week, he added.

“One great thing about sports,” Leonard said, “is that it transcends all ages, races, genders and physical ability. Our hope is to have great teachers and role models for everyone, including physically challenged athletes.”

Technology has enabled Pro Tips to expand the reach of sports training. “One good thing about the Internet is the massive amount of information you can get there,” said Cung Le. “I can’t be in two places at one time, but now with Pro Tips 4U, I can spread my knowledge about martial arts worldwide. I only wish I had Pro Tips when I was younger. I can’t imagine how much better I would be today.”

More than 500 videos are currently available for download to computers (in HD) or mobile devices for a cost of $1.99 to $3.99 per video. Each session is filmed with multiple cameras in HD; videos are then edited and captioned for quicker and more effective learning and retention of information.

Pro Tips is donating a percentage of each video download to a non-profit organization targeting childhood obesity, youth health causes and/or youth athletic programs for disadvantaged children (the organizations will vary). Additionally, each Pro Tips contributor is donating a percentage of their video downloads to a charitable organization of their choice.

Each contributor’s page includes a photo gallery; bio; Pro Tips behind-the-scenes interviews; opportunity to email each contributor; links to the contributors’ websites and social media pages. An online store is available to purchase products and memorabilia from many of the Pro Tips athletes.

“Pro Tips is a revolution in sports training,” said soccer great Cobi Jones. “Now it doesn’t matter where you live or what kind of coaching you have available locally; you can get access to training secrets directly from top athletes in their sport. You want to learn a step-over move? It’s easy. Download the Pro Tip, put it on your iPod and learn the proper technique.”

Pro football player Roy Williams added, “I wasn’t fortunate enough growing up to have access to an outlet like Pro Tips. If I had, I know I would have been watching all the tips I could every day. I really would have benefited from the knowledge I could have gained from the people who play the game at a high level.”

Leonard is already planning the next step for Pro Tips. Future filming sessions will be broadcast live on its website. “This will allow viewers to interact with us while we are filming and suggest tips they want to see from our athletes,” he said.

For further information, please visit www.ProTips4U.com. Individuals can become a fan of Pro Tips 4U on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProTips4U; on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ProTips4U; and on YouTube athttp://www.youtube.com/ProTips4U.