The Sports Archives Blog

The Sports Archives – Tour De France 2012 Event & Travel Guide

Posted on January 13, 2012 by thesportsarchives

The 2012 Tour De France promises to be one of the most exciting bicycle races in the history of sports. The legacy of the past races has all added up to contribute to the growing legend that is the Tour De France. Riders from nearly every country in the world will assemble in France to take part in the premiere bicycle racing event of the year. Who will come out on top of this year’s field? The only way to find out is to tune in to watch the Tour De France live in 2012. This year’s race will feature new cities and a new route for the stages of the race to take place in.

Geographic Divisions of Stages

The cyclists will experience to rugged terrain of rural France as they embark on their racing adventure. Each of these stages will provide different difficulties for a rider, and the different geographic areas will give some riders advantages over others. The cyclists will have to contend with 9 flat stages, 2 individual time trial stages, 4 medium-sized mountain stages, with one having a finish at a summit, 5 regular mountain stages, where 2 of them have summit finishes, a prologue and 2 rest days.

Mountain Phases

This year’s Tour De France will take the cyclists on quite the difficult excursion. The race now features 25 mountain phases, which are usually level two, level one, summit, or high-altitude Mountain passes. The geographic divisions for the mountain phases are as follows: 1 phase in the Vosgas, 4 phases in the Swiss Jura, 3 at the Jura, 11 phases in the Pyrenees and 6 in the Alps. Differing altitudes, heights, landscapes, and weather conditions will provide the ultimate challenge for even the world’s greatest cyclists.

New Stage Towns

There are 9 new stage towns in the 2012 Tour De France, and each one will offer the riders different challenges. The new stage towns include Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, Samatan, Abbeville, La Planche des Belles Filles, Annonay Davezieux, Vise, Peyragudes, Tomblaine, and Porrentruy. Tour De France competitors have never seen anything like they will experience in this year’s race. There’s not much training that a particular rider could participate in that would prepare them for the daunting task they will face in the next Tour De France race.

Dates

The 2012 Tour De France will begin at Liege on June 30th. The last stage will conclude on July 22nd at Paris’ Champs-Elysees. That means that for 23 days, the greatest cyclists in the world will try their best to prove themselves worthy of being crowned champion of the 2012 Tour De France. This will no doubt be the greatest test of most of these cyclists’ lives, and it is an experience that they will tell their children and grandchildren about.

Final Words

The Tour De France has always been one of the most highly anticipated sporting events around the world each year, and 2012 will not be any different. Catch all of the exciting action this summer live from France.

Frank is an avid cycler and passionate fan of the Tour de France. As the must-see event for any road bikes enthusiast, 2012 will certainly be a race to watch!

Seven-time Tour de France Winner Lance Armstrong in 2010.

Posted in Other | Tagged bicycle races, bicycle racing, bicycles, cycling, events, France, greatest cyclists, Lance Armstrong, Sports Archives, Tour De France, travel, travel guide, traveling | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – Your Quick And Easy Guide to the Rodeo

Posted on January 7, 2012 by thesportsarchives

It might not be as quick as a ride on Bodacious (you’ll hear about him shortly), but this guide is a swift one stop for those looking to learn a little about the romantic, yet brutal, sport of rodeo…

History

The term rodeo is Spanish, meaning to ’round up’. The term was used generally to refer to any sort of gathering up of cattle for whatever purpose. It has however evolved to become recognised the way we do now, an exhibition of cowboy skills demonstrated in the form of competition.

The first rodeo was held in 1888 and quickly caught on as a form of public entertainment. It wasn’t however until the late 1920s that the events began to become standardised in the wake of the formation of numerous organising bodies. This traditional type of rodeo continues today with contestants hailing from a ranching background and competing pretty much under the same conditions as the events were founded on. This is largely thanks to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the PRCA.

As part of the circuit though there are huge stadium based, televised rodeo events. And these were born from the 70s when younger and more ‘athletic’ cowboys took part for the prowess and strength the sport required, as well as the big prize money on offer, rather than the fact it was something they had done in a ‘traditional’ capacity. And it is these occasions that today are most commonly recognised as a rodeo.

Events

Rodeos consist of a variety of events split into timed and ‘rough stock’, the mainstays are:

Timed

Calf Roping. A calf is roped by a cowboy while on horseback. Once secure the cowboy dismounts and ties the calf’s legs.
Team Roping. Two cowboys take down an adult steer in a similar method to calf roping. Because of the size of the beast though the danger is much increased.
Steer-wrestling. Super dangerous. The cowboy will jump from his horse onto a steer, grabbing his horns as he does. From this position he then takes it down.
Barrel racing. Horsemanship and speed are tested as cowgirls and their rides fly around a clover shaped circuit marked by barrels. Agility and not knocking over the barrels is the key.

Rough Stock

Bronc riding. This is the classic rodeo stuff. Cowboys try to stay on a bucking bronco, it’s as simple as that. There are two variations of this bareback and saddle, which are fairly self-explanatory.
Bull riding. This is the show piece event and the most dangerous. Full grown, enraged and bucking bulls are not to be messed with. Yet that is actually the precise nature of the sport.

Eight seconds and Bodacious

In the Bull riding the event the cowboys must try to last eight seconds. This has become the moniker of the modern rodeo known as “the most dangerous eight seconds in sport.” Figures back this up with bull riding accounting for 50% of all serious rodeo injuries.

The most famous bull of all time was Bodacious. He was never beaten and was renowned for his ‘power’ move where he would flip riders forward and then slam his own head up. The result was cowboy face meeting bull skull. Unsurprisingly this resulted in some nasty injuries for his riders, most notably Tuff Hedeman who had to have extensive plastic surgery to rebuild his shattered face.

Ty Monroe Murray

Ty is the superstar of Rodeo, he was born in 1969 and he has been world champion 9 times! He’s also married to American pop artist Jewel.

That’s as good a start as any into gaining an understanding about all that is the sport and art of the rodeo. I’ll leave you with a good rodeo story, that shows sense does occasionally outweigh machismo is this sport. Tuff drew another ride on Bodacious in the same year that he’d had his face destroyed by the infamous bull. He took the ride but ‘turned him out’, i.e. leapt off as soon as the gate opened. He politely tipped his hat to the bull and left the arena, Bodacious was retired thereafter.

Simon Ambrose is a freelance copywriter based in Scotland. He is currently engaged in a research project on Mothers Day in the UK and is one of the brains behind the new site Gifts and Cards, a kind of trivia site on gift-giving.

Posted in Other | Tagged barrel racing, Bodacious, Bronc riding, bull, bull riding, Calf Roping, cowboy, horse riding, horses, prca, professional rodeo cowboys association, ranching, rodeo, rodeo cowboys association, rodeo history, sport, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Tuff Hedeman, Ty Monroe Murray | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – Making the Team: I Know I Can, I Know I Can…

Posted on January 2, 2012 by thesportsarchives

One year ago, my son Kevin was trying out for baseball. Now, at the time, he was in the “Rookie” division and was trying out for the “Minor” division. After going to two different tryouts, he waited patiently by the phone for a phone call from his new Minor division coach. He was 8 years old. He had already played one year of Rookie division baseball and thought he was ready for the Minors. He waited and waited. His friends were getting calls, but he wasn’t. Finally a call came. It was from his old Rookie division coach saying that he was going back to the Rookies.

He was devastated! What had happened? What did he do wrong? How could this be? Well the answer is, he lacked the skills, the motivation, and the desire that he needed to get drafted. He loved the game of baseball, but he took it for granted that his skills were better than they really were.

When you love a sport and you really want to make it onto the team, or you’re trying to get drafted to the next level, there are several things that you can do to ensure your success.

Practice Makes Perfect

If you’ve never heard that phrase before, learn it and memorize it, because it’s true. Practice, practice, practice. I can’t say it enough. There are a lot of kids that are born with athletic talent. It’s a gift that comes naturally, but not for everyone. So for those of us who aren’t Michael Jordan, we have to work at it to improve. The more you practice, the better you WILL be.

Try to get out and practice the sport you’re trying out for at least an hour a day. It doesn’t have to be a grueling workout, just something that is repetitious. If it’s baseball, then swing the bat 100 times a day. If it’s basketball, then go dribble for a half hour. Little things like that will help you to improve your skills a lot.

Be in Shape

It’s important that you get in shape for your sport. If you’re tying out for a soccer team, the coaches are going to be watching the kids that aren’t panting like tired dogs. They will be looking out for the kids that are still going strong while the others are wearing out. This goes back to what I said about, “practice makes perfect“. If you’re out practicing everyday, then that should really help you to get in shape.

It’s also important that you eat well. Try and stay away from drinking too much soda pop and eating too much junk food. Drink at least four glasses of milk a day and eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

Get Motivated

Usually when you’re trying out for a team, that means you’re not automatically going to make it. You are “trying out” so that the coaches can find the best talent available for their teams to be successful. Along with talent, though, comes motivation. If you are dragging your feet around the tryouts and don’t really look like you want to be there, then the coaches will pick up on that. No coach wants a player that is going to bring everybody else on the team down. Get excited, get motivated, and show it!

Warm Up

Before you head down to your tryouts, go get warmed up first. Eat a good meal that’s going to give you lots of energy, do some stretching, and throw the ball. If you go into your tryouts cold, it will show. Make sure that you give yourself at least an hour of warm-up time to get loose and ready.

What Ever Happened to Kevin?

Well, after finding out that he was being sent back to the Rookie division, Kevin turned to me and said, “That’s OK, next year I’m going to go straight to the Major division!”

Guess what, that’s exactly what he did. After baseball was over, he spent the whole winter playing baseball every chance he could get. He was hitting balls off of the tee at least every other day and was throwing the ball constantly.

When tryouts came around, I took him to the batting cage a couple of hours ahead of time and let him warm up. We threw the ball a little, he hit the ball a little, and got seriously motivated. As a result, not only did he shine at the try-outs, he ended up skipping over the Minor division (which isn’t very common), and went pretty high up in the Major division draft. To cap off the season, he went on to play on the All-star team. He was 10 years old.

Kevin’s story is a great example of working hard, being motivated, and having a strong desire to succeed. He wanted it and he got it, and then some. You can do it to, and don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t!

Good Luck!

Samet Bilir a freelance writer who writes about practical technology and online shopping. Read more about his work at azframes.com, a website for digital frames 2012, such as Deluxe NIX Frames.

Posted in Baseball, Basketball | Tagged Baseball, baseball for kids, dribble, grueling workout, kids activities, kids sport, Michael Jordan, rookies, soccer team, Sports Archives | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – Top 5 Largest Football & Soccer Stadiums Worldwide

Posted on December 29, 2011 by thesportsarchives

It’s a well-known fact that football and soccer are two of the most popular sports today. Every match day thousands of football and soccer fans troop to stadiums across the globe to witness their teams compete against rival clubs. Historically when stadiums are built they take into account factors such as, capacity (size of the stadia), cultural significance, location and most importantly the architectural design.

Here are top 5 biggest stadiums in the world in terms of seating capacity.

5. Beaver stadium

Beaver stadium is located in Pennsylvania State University and has an estimated capacity of about 107,282 seats making it the fifth largest stadium in the world by capacity.

This stadium is used as the home turf for major league soccer team Penn State Nittany Lions and it has undergone numerous expansion and renovation projects from as early as 1960, when it originally only had a seating capacity of just 46,300.

4. Michigan stadium

The Michigan Stadium is also known as the ‘big house’ and is the home of Michigan State University football team. The ‘big house’ presently has a seating capacity estimated at around 107,500 which has grown dramatically over the years as when it was first inaugurated in 1927 it had a capacity of around 72,000.

The stadium design and capacity expansion was largely influenced by Fielding Yost in mid 1920s who envisioned large future crowds of about 100,000 or more. It has maintained an incredible record of fans attendance and it has consistently been attracting over 100,000 fans yearly since 1975. The big house is the largest football stadium in the United States and is in the top five of the largest stadiums in the world.

3. Estadio Azteca

Azteca Stadium is the third largest stadium in the world, boasting a capacity of approximately 114,465 seats. The legendary Azteca Stadium located in Mexico City, is the designated home ground for Mexico premier league soccer team Club America.

Estadio Aztec is the preferred home turf for the Mexican national soccer team fixtures and this iconic stadium is not only famous for its capacity, but has also played host to two historic world cup finals, which Pele (Brazil versus Italy in 1970) and Maradona (Argentina versus West Germany in 1986) played in.

2. Salt Lake Stadium

Salt Lake Stadium is situated in Salt Lake City Kolkata India and is also known as ‘Yuva Bharati Krirangan’, with an impressive capacity of approximately 120,000 fans. Since its inception in 1984 the stadia plays as host to India’s National football team the ‘Banghra Boys’ matches and is a multi-purpose facility hosting several athletics and football events every year. The three-tiered terrace facility also plays host as the home ground to four division 1 football teams.

1. Rungrado May stadium

Located in Pyongyang North Korea, Rungrado also known as Kim-11 Sung Stadium is billed as the biggest stadium in the world. It boasts a massive seat capacity of about 150,000 moreover this multi purpose facility was built in 1989 with it being largely used for sports and national events such as Military parades during National celebration.

The iconic stadium resembles a blossomed flower in design; constituting 16 arches arranged within a circle and in 1995 the stadium broke attendance record in recent history when 190,000 fans crammed into the arena to watch a professional wrestling match.

Jonathan is working with online football shirt retailer Soccerbox who specialise in quality football merchandise, football shirts and football kits.

Posted in Soccer | Tagged Argentina National Soccer Team, Brazilian National Soccer Team, football, German National Soccer Team, India National Football Team, Italy Football, Maradona, Mexico National Soccer Team, Michigan State Spartans, Pele, Penn State Nittany Lions, Soccer, sports, stadium, stadiums | 5 Comments

The Sports Archives – Golf History – How Did It All Begin?

Posted on December 26, 2011 by thesportsarchives

The origins of golf are not very clear since there is no clear date as per which the origin of the game can be pinned down. Its origins and dates of being first played are highly debated even today but one fact that all agree to is that it was one of the popular family ball games that came up in medieval Europe. In fact, the variations found in golf as well as the developments made in the game to make it more of a professional and elite game came through in Scotland during the same period.

Later, the game spread from Scotland to the entire British Isles and from there to the rest of the European world. So, one might say that golf was a Scottish game because it spread from Scotland but it can never be claimed as a game which had its origins in that country since the history of its origin is very unclear. The United States of America entered the game as late as the nineteenth century although it is one of the most played games among the elite in the USA.

The first record of a golf-like game being played was made in the year 1297 in the Netherlands. This game was similar to golf in that it was played with one stick and one leather ball and the winner was one who could get the ball into a hole, marked at some distance, by the minimum number of strokes. Scholars are of the view that such a game existed in the Netherlands even during the seventeenth century and both of these dates predate that of golf being played in Scotland. Other scholars argue that in various centuries, in other countries of Europe, existence of a golf-like game could be proved and that all of these predate the dates of Scotland. So, Scotland falls in serious contention with all these other European countries.

In the year 2005 new evidence was discovered regarding the earliest dates of golf when documents were found which proved that even Chinese emperors played golf way before it came to Scotland. Golf was called chuiwan by the Chinese of that time and numerous paintings have been unearthed which depict the royal ladies and the emperor engaged in the game. In fact documents that have been found clearly show the elaborateness of the game like the presence of ten types of clubs for hitting the ball etc.

The eighteen hole game of golf, as we play it today, was developed in Scotland no matter wherever in the world the game had originated. The first written rules are from 1744 which can still be found today and they were developed for the Company of Gentlemen Golfers. In fact, they are the oldest recorded golf clubs of all time and the set of rules can now be found in the national library of Scotland. The first recorded winner of a golf game during the same time was a man named John Rattray.

Image Credit

Working Hostgator Coupons lists the daily updated hostgator coupon 2012 for web hosting that can get you discounts of more than 90% on selected plans with hostgator.com

Posted in Golf | Tagged British Isles, Chinese, chuiwan, Europe, golf history, John Rattray, Netherlands, Scotland, Sports Archives | 2 Comments

The Sports Archives – 10 Reasons the NBA is better than College Basketball

Posted on December 21, 2011 by thesportsarchives

10 Reasons the NBA is better than College Basketball

Among basketball lovers, there is a divide. Some like the NBA and some favor college hoops. So which one is better? The NBA is better and here are ten reasons why that is true.

1) A longer season

Playing 30 or 35 games is all well and good, but NBA teams get twice that to prove their place in the league. If you are a fan of a team, you don’t have to settle for two games per week. You get to watch your team go at it three or four times per week at minimum.

2) Getting an early start

Though the lockout shortened season is an obvious exception, it is worth noting that NBA teams get a decidedly early start on their college basketball brethren. The season starts earlier, so you don’t have to wait until the colder months to enjoy basketball. Likewise, early season NBA games are meaningful for playoff positioning, whereas early season college games don’t mean much.

3) Enter Kobe and the King

Think quick to the NBA and you’ll remember quite a few guys who saw no need for college basketball at all. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are two of those. Though college basketball and NBA rules require a player to be a year out of high school before entering the draft in this day and age, you will still find many examples of guys who never gave the college game a chance before jumping ship to the NBA. Many are using Europe as a springboard to an NBA career.

4) Talent is important

The NBA has significantly better talent than college hoops. You’ll see better shooters, higher leapers, and better ball handling. If you are looking for the best possible product, then the NBA is where it’s at.

5) The most explosive dunks

The NBA is known for a lot of things. One of those things is explosive dunking. Guys like Blake Griffin rattle the rim in the NBA. In college basketball, a truly impressive dunk is something that you don’t often see. If you like excitement, then the dunking in the NBA will almost certainly appeal to you.

6) Missing out on Wisconsin

Have you ever watched Wisconsin or most of the teams in the Big Ten? The basketball is brutal and it’s hard to watch. In the NBA, they will score more points in a half then you will see in a slow-paced Wisconsin game. We don’t mean to pick on the Badgers, but they have become the face of slow basketball over the last decade.

7) True playoffs

March Madness is fun and all, but the best teams rarely win. It is a craps shoot where anybody can get hot and take home a title. The NBA is better because it crowns a true champion. To win in the NBA, you have to get through four grueling rounds. It is rare to see an unlikely champion.

8) Better arenas

Let’s face the facts. The average college basketball arena is old, it’s small, and it doesn’t have a lot going on. NBA arenas are new and they’re great. You can have a really good time at the games because of the quality of venue.

9) Personality is the play

The NBA is a league where players are allowed to express themselves. Dennis Rodman is long gone, but his spirit lives on in the NBA. Guys can craft unique personas and it makes following the league a lot more fun.

10) We like certainty

It must not be fun following Kentucky when you know that your players are going to all be gone in a year. In the NBA, you know that the guys are under contract and that they’ll be there for more than just a cup of coffee. This makes the NBA a much better league for fans to follow.

Rich Spaulding is President of Gold Star Games and avid sports fan.

Posted in Basketball, College Basketball | Tagged Blake Griffin, College Basketball, Dennis Rodman, Kentucky Wildcats, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, March Madness, NBA, Wisconsin Badgers | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – 5 Extreme Sports to Try in Australia

Posted on November 23, 2011 by thesportsarchives

If you like an adrenaline rush, you’ll love Australia. Australia is a sports crazy country and there’s nothing they like more than extreme sports. They love them so much, in fact, that many of the world’s most daring champion sportsperson’s are Australian, in spite of the country’s relatively small population. These are just a few of the extremes you can go to when you visit Australia.

Sandboarding

Kangaroo Island in South Australia is one of Australia’s and the world’s most pristine nature reserves. Totally committed to maintaining their island and protecting its wildlife, the 4000 odd residents of Kangaroo Island still make it available to the thousands of guests they receive each year. There is a vast sand dune area on Kangaroo Island that doubles as an extreme sports mecca for board riding enthusiasts. Sandboarding feels like surfing or snowboarding, the only difference being that, as the name implies, you ride your board down steep sand dunes, carving turns, jumping “moguls” and pulling off “rad” moves just as you do on a surfboard or snowboard.

Hang Gliding

Have you ever wanted to soar like a bird? That’s exactly what hang gliding feels like. Hang gliding is a niche sport and one that very few people become expert at. Australia happens to be the home of some of the world’s best hang gliders and the place where many world hang gliding records have been broken. In Byron Bay, on the far north coast of New South Wales and at Stanwell Tops near Kangaroo Valley, just south of Sydney, you can have a taste of tandem hand gliding with an expert. If you like it, lessons are available and before you know it, you’ll be taking your first solo flight over some of the most stunning scenery in the world.

Abseiling and Rock Climbing

Believe it or not, Australia, one of the world’s least mountainous continents is home to some of the world’s best abseiling and rock climbing sites. In New South Wales you have the Blue Mountains. In Victoria, Mt. Arapiles is the mecca of rock climbers from around the world and in Queensland, the Glasshouse Mountains, too, are becoming world famous. Even if you’ve never tried abseiling or rock climbing before, you needn’t miss out on the experience. Lessons and guided climbs and abseils are available wherever climbers gather in Australia.

Bungy Jumping

For the adrenaline junky who wants to avoid a learning curve, there’s nothing like bungy jumping. All you have to do is work up the courage to jump and your bungy cord will (hopefully!) do all the rest for you. Arguably the most thrilling bungy jump in Australia is located near Cairns, on the tropical far north coast of Queensland. The AJ Hackett facility in Cairns includes some odd variations on the traditional swan dive. You can take off on a skateboard or BMX bike if you prefer or if you really want to have a frightening experience, try night bungy jumping.

Flying Trapeze

When you watch trapeze artists, you are torn between thinking they must be insane and wanting to try it yourself. When you’re visiting Sydney, you can actually take flying trapeze lessons and learn the basics in relative safety. When your lesson is finished, you have the opportunity to let go and let a professional trapeze artist catch you in mid-flight. The trapeze studio is located in Moore Park, practically in the heart of Sydney, so there’s really no excuse not to “give it a go.”

Of course, Australia is also home to some of the world’s most extreme surfing spots, ranging from the deep barrels on the Gold Coast to the monster waves off the Victorian coast. These are not for beginner’s, though. If you want to get your first taste of the thrill of surfing, there are great surfing schools in Byron Bay, where you can start off on gentle waves off sandy beaches and work your way up to the big stuff later.

Rob writes about popular things to do and see in Australia. If planning a vacation in Australia check out our range of Kangaroo Island accommodation and other great holiday accommodation across Australia.

Posted in Olympics, Other | Tagged activites, Australia, Biking, Extreme Sports, Hang Gliding, Rock Climbing, Sandboarding, Skateboarding, Snowboarding, Sports Archives, travel | 2 Comments

The Sports Archives – Funny Sports Pictures – Series 11

Posted on November 10, 2011 by thesportsarchives

More funny sports pictures from The Sports Archives!

"Ladies and Gentlemen...now playing first base...introducing... The Thing!"

"Yeah... How do you say No to your 4-year old daughter?!"

"OK...Let's See How Much You Like Being Stabbed!"

View all of our Funny Sports Pictures!

Posted: 11/10/2011

Posted in Baseball, Other | Tagged Bull Fighting, Funny Sports Photos, Funny Sports Pictures, Sports Archives | 3 Comments

The Sports Archives – Football 101 – How to Learn the Basics

Posted on November 7, 2011 by thesportsarchives

So, you’ve been to a few football games at your high school, and now you’d like to try playing. First, you’ll need a quick overview of the rules. After that, our 3 basic learning tips can help you pick up the skills and knowledge you need to play American football.

In a football game, each team has 11 players on the field at a time. Other players wait on the side of the field. The team members in play can be switched out with the waiting players often.

In play, one team attempts to score points by getting the football into the other team’s end zone. They can either do this by using a mix of passing plays and running plays, or by kicking the football through the Y-shaped goal posts. Different types of points are given depending on how the football reaches the end zone. The goal posts can be found at the back of the end zone.

The other team needs to stop their opponents from scoring points. They need to take back the ball so they can score points instead.

The team in control of the ball is called the offensive team, or the offense. The offensive leader is the quarterback. The team that doesn’t possess the ball is the defensive team, or the defense.

Now, those are just the very basics. Football can be a complicated game, so you’ll need to devote time to truly understanding it. Sticking to these tips will keep you on the right track:

1. Watch football games every week.

Watch professional and college football games every week. You can view them on TV or online. Keep attending your high school games, too.

Pay close attention to the players. It helps if you read up on which position you want to play. For example, if you’d like to be a wide receiver, pay attention to the wide receivers on the field. How do they move when they’re catching the ball? How do they make successful receptions? You can learn a lot just by watching.

2. Read football strategy books.

Forget high school jock stereotypes; football strategies can be complicated and it takes a clever player to adapt to changes on the field. Your local library should have plenty of football strategy books you can use to hone your knowledge. Try visiting your high school’s football coach before or after the bell rings and ask them which books they’d recommend to a new player.

3. Practice as often as you can—with quality safety equipment!

Watching football and reading about it can be helpful, but you’ll only develop your instincts by playing. If you’re not ready for high school tryouts yet, find a local, recreational league first. It may not be as cool as being the school quarterback, but learning to play in a more laid-back environment may help you get the basics down.

Remember, quality safety equipment is a must when playing football. If you join a recreational league or high school team, they may give you basic items, like a helmet, but you’ll often have to buy other items yourself, like cleats and gloves. If you’re a guy, you should buy a cup.

If your mom or dad complains about the strain on their credit card, run this statistic by them: the yearly number of young players treated for football injuries in U.S. emergency rooms has risen 27% over the last 18 years, with 346,772 injuries reported in 2007! Those statistics are from the National Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and cover players between the ages of 6 and 17. Even top-of-the-line equipment is cheaper than an ER trip!

These tips apply to many different types of sports, not just football.

Lindsay Long is a blogger at CreditDonkey, where she helps families this summer find the best travel credit cards at CreditDonkey. Remember, you may feel discouraged when you first start, but many of the pros started out as high school kids just trying to make the team. So, play hard, study hard, and train hard. When you become a star player, you might be giving these same tips to the freshmen! Follow-us on our newly created CreditDonkey Twitter account.

Green Bay Packers Hall-of-Famer Bart Starr was All-State and All-American in High School.

Posted in College Football, Football | Tagged Bart Starr, football, Green Bay Packers, high school, high school sports, sports, Sports Archives | 1 Comment

The Sports Archives – Funny Sports Pictures – Series 10

Posted on October 30, 2011 by thesportsarchives

More funny sports pictures from The Sports Archives!

"Baseball 101 - Put Pine Tar on Handle of Bat... not on Barrel!"

"And It Looks Like He's Pulled His Groin Again"

"Damn Build-It-Yourself Kit!"