Posts Tagged ‘sport’
Cricket – Australia's National Sport
The game of Cricket has a long history dating back to English royalty in the 1600′s as a source of activity, competition, and sport. In the 1800′s England introduced the game to their colony, Australia, where interest grew and became the national sport. The early Australian teams consisted of mostly Aboriginal players that toured around England, which began a rivalry between England and Australia.
Aussies enjoy sports of many types including golf, tennis, rugby, and several styles of football. However, no sport in the nation tops the attention given to Cricket and the Ashes series, a Test between England and the Australian National Cricket Team.
For more than two hundred years the Australian nation has enjoyed the game of cricket, as it has become popular with more than one half million men, women, and children.
The game is played on four levels, by the middle and working class, in the bush, and in every state.
Cricket is played on an oval-shaped field using a bat, ball and gloves. Two teams of eleven players each compete for an agreed amount of time and number of innings with equal turns at batting and fielding. A formal game of cricket may last for an afternoon, or go for several days. Runs are scored by a batsman in one of four ways, and the team with the most runs is the winner.
In Australia, the National Team is made up of men that make a living playing cricket. As a result of the popularity of the game, many players become legends and national heroes based on brilliant performances on the field. Footwork and stamina are key to being successful as a cricket player. While several players have all-time best rankings, Sir Donald Bradman is considered to be the greatest batsman of all time.
Should Children Specialize in One Sport?
Back when we were growing up it seemed there was only a small array of sports from which kids could choose to play. Nowadays we as parents together with our kids have a host of activities in which to participate. The question is should we allow our children to pick one sport to be really good at or should they learn the skills and rules of several activities while also exercising other muscles?
My son has been playing soccer for almost four years. He loves the sport and—me being his somewhat biased mother—he’s really good at it. He plays it for about eight months out of the year. During the other four months, however, he chooses other games to play such as basketball and flag football. We feel it’s important to ‘broaden his horizons’ if I may be so cliché and we’ve noticed that different kinds of training have enhanced his skills on the soccer field.
There appears to be some merit to this philosophy. In an article written by Tim Alan Kauppinen and featured on ConsumerHealthDigest.com there are potential risks involved with specializing in one sport at an early age. Kauppinen, aka “Coach K” has more than 20 years of experience as an athlete and coach and has worked with athletes of all ages and abilities. There are four dangers of specialization, according to Coach K.
Overuse injuries—working the body in the same way repeatedly year-round can lead to overuse injuries. Different sports utilize different parts of the body leading to better overall athletic performance. Pediatricians agree that children should participate in a variety of physical activities.
Burn out—playing one sport day in and day out for several years can lead to burn out at an early age. Taking part in other sports provides some relief from the same ol’ thing and at the same time can keep the main sport interesting, challenging and fun.
The college scholarship myth—in fact only a very small percentage of young athletes actually earn a scholarship. Contrary to popular belief, most college recruiters are looking for the best all-around athletes, says Coach K.
Choosing the Right Recreational Sport for yourself
How do you know which recreational sport is right for you? Though this is a simple question, it may not have a simple answer. Before answering this question, it makes sense to define what a recreational sport is. In layman terms, a recreational sport is any sport activity or event that one engages in during leisure time. In other words, it is a sport activity or event performed primarily for entertainment and fun. Though in some cases there may be monetary rewards associated with recreational sport, it is not usually the main goal. Other reasons associated with participating in a recreational sport includes: fitness, health, socialization, competition and sport support among others.
There are several options of recreational sports available for all age categories ranging from indoor to outdoor. Making the decision on which choice to pursue can be a real challenge and this varies significantly from one person to the other. For former professional athletes, the decision may be easier especially if they continue participating in their particular former professional sports, only at recreational level. The big task of choosing the right recreational sport is however on beginners. In order to make the right choice(s) if you are a beginner, it is important to consider the following general guidelines:
1.Choose a sport that you understand and passionate about: Recreational sport in a way becomes part of your lifestyle and therefore needs to be entertaining and enjoyable. Choosing something that you don’t like or have no knowledge about can be frustrating even if your friends adore it. It only makes sense to pursue something that you know the rules and regulations of the sport or game. However, this does not mean one cannot learn a new sport or game, but it easier to do so if you love the sport.
Should Children Specialize in One Sport?
Back when we were growing up it seemed there was only a small array of sports from which kids could choose to play. Nowadays we as parents together with our kids have a host of activities in which to participate. The question is should we allow our children to pick one sport to be really good at or should they learn the skills and rules of several activities while also exercising other muscles?
My son has been playing soccer for almost four years. He loves the sport and—me being his somewhat biased mother—he’s really good at it. He plays it for about eight months out of the year. During the other four months, however, he chooses other games to play such as basketball and flag football. We feel it’s important to ‘broaden his horizons’ if I may be so cliché and we’ve noticed that different kinds of training have enhanced his skills on the soccer field.
There appears to be some merit to this philosophy. In an article written by Tim Alan Kauppinen and featured on ConsumerHealthDigest.com there are potential risks involved with specializing in one sport at an early age. Kauppinen, aka “Coach K” has more than 20 years of experience as an athlete and coach and has worked with athletes of all ages and abilities. There are four dangers of specialization, according to Coach K.
Overuse injuries—working the body in the same way repeatedly year-round can lead to overuse injuries. Different sports utilize different parts of the body leading to better overall athletic performance. Pediatricians agree that children should participate in a variety of physical activities.
Burn out—playing one sport day in and day out for several years can lead to burn out at an early age. Taking part in other sports provides some relief from the same ol’ thing and at the same time can keep the main sport interesting, challenging and fun.
The college scholarship myth—in fact only a very small percentage of young athletes actually earn a scholarship. Contrary to popular belief, most college recruiters are looking for the best all-around athletes, says Coach K.
Choosing the Right Recreational Sport for yourself
How do you know which recreational sport is right for you? Though this is a simple question, it may not have a simple answer. Before answering this question, it makes sense to define what a recreational sport is. In layman terms, a recreational sport is any sport activity or event that one engages in during leisure time. In other words, it is a sport activity or event performed primarily for entertainment and fun. Though in some cases there may be monetary rewards associated with recreational sport, it is not usually the main goal. Other reasons associated with participating in a recreational sport includes: fitness, health, socialization, competition and sport support among others.
There are several options of recreational sports available for all age categories ranging from indoor to outdoor. Making the decision on which choice to pursue can be a real challenge and this varies significantly from one person to the other. For former professional athletes, the decision may be easier especially if they continue participating in their particular former professional sports, only at recreational level. The big task of choosing the right recreational sport is however on beginners. In order to make the right choice(s) if you are a beginner, it is important to consider the following general guidelines:
1.Choose a sport that you understand and passionate about: Recreational sport in a way becomes part of your lifestyle and therefore needs to be entertaining and enjoyable. Choosing something that you don’t like or have no knowledge about can be frustrating even if your friends adore it. It only makes sense to pursue something that you know the rules and regulations of the sport or game. However, this does not mean one cannot learn a new sport or game, but it easier to do so if you love the sport.
Tips on Using Crankbaits
Crankbaits can be one of the most productive baits you can fish. I discovered how productive crankbaits can be several years ago. Crankbaits are very versatile and can be used in many situations and under a variety of conditions.
Proper Equipment
The rig I like to use for crankbaiting is a 7 ft medium action rod, 12 lb. test green low-vis line, and a good quality baitcast reel.
My favorite crankbait rod is a 7 ft., medium action Team All Star rod. The blank is IM10 graphite. When you crankbaiting, you want to use a medium action rod. A heavier action will rip the bait out of the fish’s mouth. The 7 foot rod is great for two reasons. Number one, you get great casting distance with the 7 foot rod. Number two, you get a great hook set with the longer rod. I will talk about hook setting later. If you are fishing in a tight situation, such as around docks, trees, or boat docks, then a 6 foot rod is better. Casting around cover with a shorter rod is easier than with a long rod. But most of the time, you are not fishing in a tight situation with a crankbait, the longer rod is better. The longer the cast, the more water you cover.
The reel I use is an Abu Garcia® Ambassadeur® C3 Classic Round Baitcast with a 5.3:1 gear ratio. I don’t think it is necessary to have a high speed reel. A high gear ratio may cause you to retrieve the lure too fast. Most of the time, a medium speed retrieve will produce the most bass. That is not to say that there are times when burning the lure will produce fish. I believe those times are the exception, not the rule. Also keep in mind that there are times when a slow retrieve is in order, which is difficult to achieve with a high gear ratio reel. The 5.3:1 gear ratio will suit your needs a majority of the time. I have done some modifications to my reel. I have added ceramic bearing, which make a huge difference in casting distance. I have also replaced the worm gear (the part that moves your line back and forth on the spool) with a ball bearing worm gear and ceramic pawl. I also replaced the stock idler gear with a ball bearing idler gear. In addition, I replace the handle with a longer handle.