Sport Speak: Football A-Z

Blitz – When defensive secondary players rush through the offensive line into the backfield to try to “sack” the quarterback.

Blocking – Offensive players use their bodies and arms as a means to impede defenders from making tackles, moving them away from the path of the ball carrier.

Bomb – A very long forward pass.

Buttonhook – Pass pattern in which the receiver runs straight ahead several yards, then quickly turns around to catch the pass.

Dead Ball – Declared by an official at the end of each down after a player has been tackled and the ball is no longer in play.

Down – The offensive sequence of plays starting from the line of scrimmage that begins with the center’s snap and ends when the ball is dead; One of a series of plays in which the offensive team must advance at least 10 yards or lose possession.

Drive – Describes a series of downs in the offensive team’s advance toward the goal.

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PT Playbook: Archery 101

/ˈɑrtʃəri/ Pronunciation Key – Pronunciation[ahr-chuh-ree]

The art, sport, or skill of shooting with a bow and arrow.

Bored of all the same kinds of exercise? Want a new and interesting hobby that’s fun and inexpensive? The perfect remedy to satisfy your boredom is archery. Even if you’ve never held a bow before, let alone shot an arrow, it doesn’t take long to figure out the basics of archery and start having fun.

Rules of the Game: Anyone who has ever seen a Robin Hood movie has at one time or another dreamed of being an archer. Archery is a truly great sport that is growing in popularity.  It’s relatively easy to participate but to be successful an athlete must develop both mental and physical skills.

Over the years archers have used the bow and arrow for hunting, self defense, warfare, competition and recreation. The sport is first listed in Homer’s “The Iliad and the Odyssey.” It has been traced to all parts of the world in many different time periods and may well be the longest use of a weapon in the history of man.

Equipment: To get started, you first need a bow and arrow.  The two kinds of bows are the Olympic, or Recurve Bow and the Compound Bow. Mastery of the Olympic bow results in better muscle tone and overall archery habits; once that is accomplished most archers switch to Compound Bows.  The Compound Bow has evolved into a much faster shooting, more accurate bow.

Before learning how to shoot any bow it is important to decide which hand will hold the bow and which will pull the bowstring. As there are right-handed and left-handed people, so there are right-handed and left-handed bows.

What decides if you are a right-handed or left-handed archer?

The initial answer is your eye dominance. The stronger eye is usually the aiming eye. A quick way to test your eye dominance is to point your index finger at a distant object with both eyes open, then close one eye and see if your finger appears to move away from what you are pointing at. If your finger does appear to move, then the eye that you closed is your dominant eye. Try again with your other eye and your finger should not appear to move.

A person who is right eye dominant should hold the bow in their left hand and pull the bowstring with their right hand. The opposite applies for a person who is left eye dominant.

Skills: To shoot an arrow, an archer first assumes the correct stance. The body should be perpendicular to the target and the shooting line, with the feet placed shoulder-width apart. As an archer progresses from beginner to a more advanced level an ‘open stance’ is developed. Each archer will have a particular preference but mostly this term indicates that the leg furthest from the shooting line will be a half to a whole foot-length in front of the other.

Normally when beginners shoot a bow, they do just that. Shoot. They don’t aim. But by not aiming, they don’t get any stronger.

Archers need to practice aiming. The better aim, the more control they have over the shot. By practicing aiming archers also build strength which allows them to aim longer. Aiming longer allows them to execute your shot routine better. Without a shot routine they have no recollection of the shot, so they can not ‘play it back’ and analyze it.

There are two main forms of aiming in archery:

Instinctive shooting is the coordination between the eyes and the bow arm. This was the most common method of shooting for many years. It requires large amounts of concentration and practice.

Shooting with a sight is the other most common method for shooting a bow. It is also the most modern method. This method uses pins on the side of a bow to be adjusted for different distances. Since this is much easier to use when learning how to shoot a bow it has become very popular.

Scoring: Okay – you have your equipment and you’re ready to toss a few arrows into targets. The target has ten concentric circles and the score of each arrow depends on where it lands on the target. The highest score, a ten, is achieved by shooting an arrow into the center, or bullseye. Scores go down from nine for the next circle out to one for the outermost circle. Missing the target results in a score of zero for that arrow.

Archers develop techniques to fully control their body movement, their endurance and their mental steadiness, when preparing to meet the challenge of match days.

Competition: Olympic Archery came into its own during the 1996 Olympics when the US Olympic Team took the gold while millions of viewers watched the drama on TV.

Competitive archery is an international sport. Many shooting styles and classes of equipment are used. In the United States 3D Archery is the largest segment of competitive archery.

Shooting Tips

Here are some tips to use when shooting:

●Always focus on form, not on score.

●Remember that the only arrow you can change is the one on your string.  Forget the bad shots and focus on the present shot.

●Always remember to follow through.

●Try not to pluck the string – you’re not playing the harp.

●Focus on what you are doing and what you are trying to achieve, not on what others around you are doing.

●Try to get outside help from either a coach or another archer.

●And most importantly, have fun and do your best!

Tennis anyone?

If you find yourself all fired up to play tennis watching the U.S. Open, remember that watching elite athletes can be really deceptive.  It may appear as if they hit,  jump and lunge with ease, but tennis is one tough game.

So while Serena Williams, Jelena Jankovic and Maria Sharapova are showing us how it’s done during this week’s  tournament,  here’s  a primer for those who want to learn the basics of the game.

Scoring

• Each women’s tennis match is made up of two to three sets (guys play five sets). To win a set, you must win at least six games.
• The games are scored starting at “love” (or zero). From love, the first point is 15, then 30, then 40, which wins the game.

Scoring the Game

• Before serving the score is announced, with server’s score first. So if you’re serving and you have zero and your opponent has 30, say “love-30.”
• The server gets two tries. The serve must go over the net, land in the opposite service box, and bounce once before the opponent returns it.
• If it doesn’t land in the service box,  a second serve is taken. If the second serve also misses, the point is lost.
• If the serve grazes the net but still lands in the service box, the serve doesn’t count, and the server gets a do- over. This is called a “let.”
• If the serve goes in and the opponent returns it, players continue hitting back and forth until someone hits the ball into the net, hits it out of bounds, or misses a shot. The other person gets the point.
• Whoever is serving continues serving until the score reaches 40.
• If the score is tied at 40 (”40-all”), that is “deuce,” which is  another word for tie. To break the tie, someone must win two points in a row.  If  a server at deuce wins the next point, then it’s  ” ad-in” which means “server’s advantage.” If the opponent wins, it goes back to deuce, and someone again must win by two points in a row. Yes, this could go on forever.
• Once the game is over, the serve switches to the opposing player. After even numbered games  players switch sides of the court.

Scoring a Set

• Before the first serve in each new game,  the score in sets is announced with the server’s score first.
• To complete a set, someone must win six games; the first person to win six games wins the set.
• However, as with “deuce,” players must win a set by at least two games. So, if the score is 6-5, the person with 5 must win by two games. If the score ties at 6-6, a tiebreaker is played.

Scoring the Match

• The match is determined by the best two out of three sets. So whoever wins two sets, wins the match. If each player wins a set,  a third set is played to determine the winner.

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Lingo

Want to know the difference between a drop shot and a foot fault?  You can learn all you need to know to speak tennis here.

And if you’re ready to jump onto the court and play, here are a few tips to help your game.

What to wear

The right kind of shoes are important.  Though running shoes offer a cushioned sole, they don’t offer enough support for the side-to-side movement demanded in tennis.

You may not want to immediately  splurge on a new pair of tennies, but check the regulations at the court where you’ll be playing, since many don’t allow dark-soled shoes that could scuff the court.  If you own a pair of cross trainers, wear those instead of running shoes, as they offer better support.

Warming-up

• Warm up before playing.  Jog for five to ten minutes to get your blood flowing. Your body should feel warm.  Do a few grapevines the length of the court to wake up your coordination.
• Walking lunges are a great way to prepare your legs for tennis. This simultaneously lengthens and activates muscles in your legs, priming them for the court.
• Twisting is the major action of the torso when hitting the ball. A standing twist stretch is easy to do against the fence of the court. Follow with some basic twisting from side to side to lubricate the joints in the back. You can try this with your racquet tucked under your arms, behind your back.
• Warming up your shoulders is also essential. Move your arms as if you’re doing the backstroke, circling your arms overhead slowly at first and building up speed for 20 repetitions. Follow this by clapping your hands in front and in back of your body.

How do you get to centre court?

It’s sometimes hard to hear but there is no substitute for practice.  The more you practice, the easier it is to play well when it counts. Remember to get to the court early so you can prepare your body before you start to play and don’t get discouraged.

Etiquette

Remember that tennis has a reputation for being a very polite sport.  While it’s less stuffy than it used to be, there are many niceties you need to know so be sure to learn the proper etiquette before you start batting the balls over the night.  Here are a couple must-know rules:

• If you arrive while other people are playing, wait until the point is over before passing behind to get to your court.
• If your ball rolls into the adjacent court, don’t run after it. Wait for your neighbor to return the ball when it’s convenient. If a ball rolls onto your court, toss it back to the player it belongs to.
• If you have any doubt about whether a ball is out, make the call in favor of your opponent.
• At the end of the game, shake hands with your opponents.

Game on!

Surf’s Up – The Basics

Summer is in full swing so what better time to head to the beach and try surfing? If you’ve never tried it, surfing can be a bit intimidating. But fear not, we have all the tips you need to get  started.

The Basics

Learning to surf is not as scary or hard core as you may think.  It does, however, require patience so don’t be disappointed if you’re not riding  your board upright by the end of the first session.  In fact, until you become competent, you might just walk your board out, turn it round to face shore, climb on, paddle like mad when a wave approaches and enjoy the ride lying down.

We’ve all seen pro surfers riding massive breaks and barrels but you don’t need really big waves to enjoy surfing. If you have a longboard (exactly as it sounds – a longer, more buoyant board) you can surf in waves as small as a foot high.  Most surf schools use longboards for beginners, often with a foam surface to help avoid injury.

If you’re just starting out, it’s usually easier to learn to surf a beach break – meaning the waves break as they approach the beach – as opposed to a reef break (like in Hawaii) where the waves break where they hit the reef. A beach break is generally less intimidating and you don’t have to paddle your board out as far.

Catching a Wave

The truth is you’re never going to learn to surf by reading a tutorial.  You just have to get out there and try it.  But the feeling you get when you catch your first wave will be one you will remember forever.

Basically, here’s what you’re going to try to do:  As a wave approaches, turn the nose of your board toward the beach, lay down and begin paddling.

As you feel the wave lift you and your board, paddle as hard as you can and lean your weight forward. The natural tendency is to lean back to keep the nose from going under water, but that will only slow your momentum and make it more difficult to catch the wave.

Lean forward but raise your chest so that your weight is just above the center of the board. You’re going to want to begin standing just as you feel the pull of the wave.

Presumably, you’ll first practice standing on your board on dry land. Lie on  your surfboard on the sand  (remove your fins to avoid damage) and do a basic push-up quickly. Once your arms are at full extension, pull both knees toward your stomach and hop to your feet. Do this repeatedly to program your subconscious to be ready for what you will do in the water. Whether you stand with your right foot or left foot forward will establish your membership into a long standing rivalry between regular foot and goofy foot surfers.

So once on the water, you’re going to paddle for a wave, and just as you feel the momentum of the surfboard flow faster than your paddling speed, you are ready to hop up on your surfboard.

1.  With your hands firmly grasping each rail, push up quickly.

2.  Simultaneously, extend your arms completely and pull your knees quickly up to your chest. Be sure to keep your weight centered with just a little slant forward.

3.  Place your feet firmly on your board, one foot near the tail and one foot

4.  Don’t stand up completely erect. Keep a low center of gravity by crouching down and focusing your weight on the midpoint of the surfboard. Balancing on a surfboard is no different than balancing on a skateboard or even a bicycle. Just keep your arms out and your eyes looking forward (remember: your surfboard will always follow your eyes and head, so focus on forward motion.

Master standing up and riding the wave in and then you can practice wave-riding and all the fun stuff that goes along with the next level of surfing.

Surf Etiquette

Once you do learn to actually ride a wave, surf etiquette is essential. The first and most basic rule of surfing is that the surfer who gets to his/her feet first and is closest to the whitewater  has priority and theoretically owns the wave.

So, if you don’t want to be an outcast or a target for aggression, never drop in on another surfer.  Taking off in front of that surfer is a serious breach of surfing’s most coveted rule.

Camps & Clinics

If you’re looking for a camp, class or clinic to help get you started, check out our database.

Lingo

Oh, and before you head out,  make sure you know how to talk the talk.

Air
getting airborne

Bail
to abandon a board; jump off

Barrel
space inside a breaking wave between the lip and face; a surfer may be completely hidden from view during a barrel ride. See tube.

Bashing
body surfing

Beach Break
waves breaking over a sand bottom

Break
when a wave passes from deep to shallow water the crest or top part of the wave tumbles or “breaks” down the face of the wave

Bodyboard
boogie board

Booger
a bodyboarder

Bump
a swell created by the wind

Carve
technique where surfer slices up a wave using her board like a large knife

Curl
term used to describe the concave face of the wave just before breaking

Da Kine Wave
killer wave, Hawaiian-style

Drop
the initial part of a ride when a surfer slides down the face of the wave.

Dropping in
catching a wave that is already occupied

Falls
the pitching lip of the wave

Fluff
spray off the lip

Gnarly
awesome and intimidating

Grom or Grommet
young surfer

Ground Swell
wave formed over vast distances, well formed and powerful

Hang Ten
longboard maneuver where the surfer hangs ten toes of both feet over the front the board

Hodad
beginner or non-surfer

Leash
a line attaching the board to the rider

Lip
part of a wave that pitches out from the top as the wave begins to break

Log or Stick
slang for surf board

Longboard
usually over 9′ in length; easier to paddle and get into waves but difficult to maneuver

Noodle
exhausted, overall condition or specific as in noodle armed

Paipoboard
Hawaiian wooden bodyboard

Pearl
wipeout where the nose or front of the surfboard goes under the water (from pearl diving)

Pit
the hollowest portion of a breaking wave

Pitch
the act of the lip throwing out in front of the wave

Point Break
wave formed in reaction to a land form

Rail
side edge of a board

Reef Break
wave formed over an underwater reef or rock

Scabbed
getting damaged by a reef or rock

Set
series of waves

Shaper
person who planes and sands a blank to the desired shape

Shortboard
ranging in length from 5′ to 7′;used for high-performance contest-style surfing.

Shred
advanced, high-energy surfing with ability to execute rapid repeated turns

Snake
paddling around behind someone who is in position and stealing their wave.

Stuffed
getting driven under the water by a wave coming down on you

Tail
rear 12 inches of a surfboard

Thrashed
when a wave lays a beating on you

Tube
the cone shaped hole created inside a wave

Vertical
turn straight up the wave

Waffling
rapidly working the board back and forth

Wahine
girl surfer

Wax
used on deck of boards for traction

Wipe Out
a particularly spectacular fall

Tennis Lingo

ACE
serve that is neither touched nor returned by the receiving player.

ADVANTAGE
 (”In” or “Out”) – the first point won by a side, following deuce. When the serving side wins this point it is called advantage-in. If the non-serving side wins the point, it becomes “break point” and the advantage is out.

ALLEY
The lane between the singles and doubles sidelines; out-of-bounds in singles play.

ATP
Association of Tennis Professionals, the men’s professional circuit

BACKHAND
player turns so that the shoulder of the racket-bearing arm faces the net before bringing the racket forward and across the body to meet the ball.

BACKSPIN
undercutting the ball with the racket so that it bounces back toward the net and away from an opponent.

BAGEL
winning a set 6-0. A double bagel is winning 6-0, 6-0.

BALL BOY
a person, male or female, tasked with retrieving tennis balls from the court that have gone out of play

BASELINE
boundary on either end of the court representing the outer limits of the length of the court.

BASELINE PLAY
hitting long ground strokes from the baseline

BREAK POINT
when a non-serving player has the scoring advantage and is one point away from winning the game.

BREAKING SERVE
when the non-serving side wins the game.

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Water Polo – Fun Facts

• Women’s water polo made its Olympic debut in the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
• Water polo players swim up to one and a half miles during the course of a water polo game.
• The water polo ball is the size and weight of a #5 soccer ball and is thrown at speeds of up to sixty miles per hour.
• The USA Water Polo Women’s National team has won a medal in each Olympic water polo competition to date, silver in 2000, bronze in 2004.
• Women’s water polo became a NCAA championship sport in 2001 with the University of California Los Angeles winning the first title.

Field Hockey 101

Background: Originally considered far too dangerous for female participation, field hockey became popular in the mid 1800’s with women whose previous introduction to sport included the “socially acceptable” outdoor activities of croquette and lawn tennis.

The Basics

Two halves, 35 minutes each in collegiate and international play, 30 minutes in high school play

11 players per side, including the goalkeeper

The pitch is 100 yards long and 60 yards wide divided by a center line and a 25-yard line on each side of the field. A striking circle is marked 16 yards out from each goal post. All international matches are played on artificial turf.

Goal cages are 7 feet high, 12 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Boards on the back and side of the cages are 18 inches high.

Using sticks that are flat on one side and curved on the other, teams hit and dribble a solid plastic ball down the field and try to shoot it past a goalkeeper into a goal cage. Shots may only be taken from within the striking circle; a semicircle extending 16 yards from the goal.

The ball must be passed or dribbled with the flat side of the stick.

A goal is scored when an attacker strikes the ball into the goal from within the striking circle.

Field Hockey Lingo

Artificial Turf
synthetic surface on which all international matches are played.

Attack
the team possessing the ball as it advances toward the opposing goal.

Blade
flat part of the hockey stick used for hitting the ball. The blade face is always on the left side of the hockey stick.

Bully
neutral re-start to play following a stop in the action, much like a face-off in ice hockey.

Clearing
when the defense stops an offensive attack by passing or dribbling the ball away from its goal; usually done by the goalie.

Covering
defensive maneuver in which a player positions herself between an opposing player and the ball in an effort to intercept a pass or to tackle an opponent moving with the ball.

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Ice Hockey Lingo

Assist
the last player to handle the puck prior to the scoring of the goal is credited with the assist.

Boarding
penalty given to a player for flagrantly knocking another player into the boards.

Boards
wooden and glass walls that surround the rink.

Body Check
using the hip or shoulder to impede the progress of a player or knock into a player.

Breakaway
one-on-one scoring opportunity between the puck carrier and the opposing goaltender.

Butterfly Save
goalie drops to her knees and points her toes out, creating a “V” shape with the goal pads to prevent the goal.

Changing on the Fly
substitution of players without stopping the play.

Charging
infraction in which a player deliberately checks another player after taking more than two strides.

Check
used to gain the puck from an opponent; sometimes indicates a player that is being covered closely in one on one defensive

Coast to Coast
player skates from their end to the opponents end without passing or losing the puck.

Crease
semicircle in front of the goal known as the goaltender’s privileged area. No players are allowed inside the goalie’s crease.

Crossover
skating technique is which one skate is placed in front of the skate on the opposite leg.

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Volleyball 101

 The Basics:

• Volleyball is played by two teams of six players on a court divided by a net.
• The object of the game is to send the ball over the net so that the opposing team cannot return the ball or prevent it from hitting the ground in their court.
• Each team has three hits to attempt to return the ball.
• The ball is put in play by a serve that is hit by the server over the net to the opponent.
• When the receiving team wins a volley, it gains the right to serve, and the players rotate one position clockwise.
• When the serving team wins a volley, it wins a point and the right to continue serving.
• The ball must clear the net on a serve.
• A game is played to 21 points or some other agreed upon number. The team that wins the best two out of three games wins the match.
• Common positions include hitter, setter, libero (defender)

Equipment: Volleyball, sneakers (indoors), knee pads (optional)

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