Tennis

Tennis

Game, set, match.

  • Tennis is generally a sport where you hit a ball over a net with a racquet, towards an opponent who aims to hit the ball back over the net.
  • Artwork from 500BC in Ancient Greece shows an early form of tennis that was played.
  • In France, during the 1400s, a type of tennis evolved and eventually included a tennis racquet and the term ‘tennis’ was used.
  • Tennis was first played as a competitive sport in the early 1870s.
  • Early tennis racquets were constructed from ash wood and modern tennis racquets are made from carbon graphite or fibreglass.

Tennis, Playing, Court, Game, Lady, singles, Flickr, Ten Random Facts, Druh Scoff

  • Tennis racquets must be less than 81.28 cm (32 inches) lengthwise and 31.75 cm (12.5 inches) but can be any shape or weight.
  • The general scoring system is 4 points (15, 30, 45, game) for a game, 6 games equals a set, and 2 sets equal a match.
  • An umpire watches the tennis game from a high chair so he/she can see the players, the ball and the court.
  • There are many tennis hitting techniques such as drives, lobs and smashes.
  • Tennis games can be played single or double, but double games require teamwork to win.
Bibliography:
Vicaro, A 2000, Tennis, oling Kindersly, Great Britian

Sky Diving

Sky Diving

Freefalling…

  • Sky diving is also known as parachuting.
  • Sky diving is the practice of parachuting down to earth from an aircraft.
  • Sky diving jumps are generally performed from aircraft, from 1,000 – 4,000 meters (3,000 – 13,000 feet) in altitude.
  • First time sky divers jump with an experienced trainer, and this is called a tandem jump.
  • Approximately 21 sky divers die every year in the United States of America, which is equal to 1 in every 150,000 jumps.
Sky Diving, Parachuting, Close Up, Two, People, No parachute, Women, Flickr, Alwaysmnky, Ten Random Facts
Sky Diving
Image courtesy of Alwaysmnky/Flickr
  • As a safety precaution, most sky divers must have two parachutes on him or her, one parachute being a reserve.
  • If you sky dive, you shouldn’t jump in bad weather like thunderstorms or big winds as there is a high risk of danger.
  • Vertical wind tunnels and virtual reality simulators help sky divers train for jumps.
  • On the 8th of February, 2006, in Thailand, a world record was set when 400 people jumped from an aircraft and free-fell whilst linked.
  • In 2011, on his 40,000th jump, Don Kellner set the world record for the most sky diving jumps by one person.
Bibliography:
Parachuting 16 February 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachuting>

Water Skiing

Water Skiing

Cutting through the waves…

  • Water skiing is a fun sport, and generally involves a person standing on one or two specially designed skis, and towed behind a boat via a rope.
  • The skier who does the water skiing, requires excellent upper and lower body strength, balance and endurance.
  • Water skiing was invented in 1922 by Ralph Samuelson in America, who used two boards and a clothes line attached to a boat.
  • To start off water skiing, the person typically crouches in the water, with their feet on the skis, holding a handle which is attached to a rope, which is attached to a boat.
  • Water skiing was included in the 1972 Olympic Games.
 Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Silloute, Sunset, Horizon, Background, Soothing, Ten Random Facts, Free Digital PhotosWater Skiing
Image courtesy of  Paul Martin Eldridge/ Free Digital Photos
  • Three people are required for water skiing – a water skier, a driver and a observer.
  • Experienced water skiers have the opportunity to participate in jumping shows and competitions, which typically involve the use of fibre glass ramps.
  • There are a few different types of water skiing which include barefoot, slalom – using one specially designed ski, and tournament skiing.
  • Water skiing is potentially dangerous, so to be safe the water should be at least 60 meters (200 feet) wide and be at least 1.5 – 2 meters (5- 6 feet) deep.
  • In Tasmania, Australia, a world record was set in 2012, for the most skiers, 145, behind a single boat.
Bibliography:
Water skiing 9 February 2013 , Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterskiing>

Fencing

Fencing

Concentrate now…

  • Fencing is a sport that includes striking your opponent with a bladed weapon.
  • Fencing was one of the few sports to be included in the first modern Olympic Games, and one of five sports that has been included in every Olympic Games since.
  • Spanish fencing was being practised in the 13th and 14th centuries, and it is from this that modern fencing is derived.
  • There are three main types of fencing weapons: the foil, sabreo or the épée.  The blades are flexible and blunt or flattened so they do not harm the opponent.
  • The fencing uniform includes a jacket, a plastron (an underarm protector), a glove, breeches and a mask.

Fencing, Lady, Girl, Striking, Duel, Sport Action, Flickr, Qrodo Photos, Ten Random Facts

Fencing
Image courtesy of Qrodo Photos/Flickr
  • The fencing uniform typically is made from cotton or nylon mixed with polyethylene, so that it is resistant to sword penetration.
  • In the United States and European countries, fencing is a popular sport in some schools and universities and students have the opportunity to compete in the World University Games.
  • In fencing competitions, weapons with electronic sensors are used to make scoring more accurate.
  • Fencing is regarded as a sport safer than golf, and people are at the most risk when a weapon breaks.
  • In fencing competitions, two people generally move back and fourth on a 1.4 by 13 meter(6 by 44 feet) strip, attempting to strike one another.
Bibliography:
Fencing 2 February 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fencing>

Shot Put

Shot Put

‘Elbow up, thumb down, palm out’ is how you put.

  • Shot put is an athletic event when you ‘put’ or ‘throw’ a heavy, spherical metal ball.
  • Shot put appeared in the Olympic Games for men in 1896, and for women in 1948.
  • The first recorded competitions of shot put were in the 1800’s, in Scotland.
  • Modern shot probably came about from the competitions that soldiers had in the Middle Ages, involving the throwing of cannon balls.
  • The shot (ball) can be made from many materials including  iron, cast iron, solid or stainless steel or brass.
Shot Put, Lady, action, Orange, Ball, Putting, Circle, 2010, Sangudo, Flickr, Ten Random Facts
Shot Put
Image courtesy of Sangudo/Flickr
  • The shot is thrown with a pushing action, with one hand.
  • A shot put athlete stands in a typical 2.1 meter (7 ft) diameter circle and throws the shot as far as they can within the throwing area or sector.
  • A shot can range from 1 to 7 kg (2.2 lbs to 16lbs) in weight.
  • Shot put records have been set by Randy Barnes, 23.12 meters (75.85 ft), for men and Aratalya Lisovshaya, 22.63 meters (74.25 ft).
  • In shot put, any shot that lands outside a sector, the throwing area, equals a foul.
Bibliography:
Shot Put 22 January 2013 , Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_put>

Touch Football

Touch Football

First training, now competition.

  • Touch football is also known as touch rugby and touch, and involves both boys and girls.
  • Touch football is like rugby, with a field, two teams and a ball,  except you don’t tackle, you tap.
  • Touch football is often played in schools since it teaches important sporting techniques and is safer than rugby.
  • Touch football requires a small amount of equipment – markers and a football (soccer ball in America).
  • Touch football began in Australia, in 1923, as a fun thing to do, and as a training game for rugby league.  It did not become an official sport until 1968.

Touch Football, rugby, passing, attacking, blue, red, Public Domain Photos, Ten Random Facts

Touch Football
Image courtesy of Photobucket
  • Over 40 countries around the world play touch football in major competitions.
  • Touch football is popular in the South Pacific, Europe and the United Kingdom.
  • Typically touch football games take 45 minutes – two 20 minute halves and a 5 minute half time break.
  • The Touch Football World Cup is held every four years.
  • In 2012 in Australia, there were approximately 400,000 registered players, 500,000 school children, and numerous others that played touch football, making it one of the most popular sports in the country.
Bibliography:
Touch Football (rugby league) 30 December 2012, Wikipedia,  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_football_(rugby_league)>
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