The Sports Archives – Klim’s Korner: Why Next Season Could Be Michael Vick’s Best!

Posted on February 16, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Michael VickHe is one of the most controversial football players in history. He is one of the top duel threat quarterbacks in the NFL. Michael Vick has a new lease on life in Philadelphia. New coach, new contract, and a new offensive system. But personally I think that Michael Vick could have one of his best seasons ever. I see it as a very simple math equation: Michael Vick + Chip Kelly’s Zone Read option offense + LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown =  one of Vick’s best seasons ever.

Now I know that is a bold prediction, but consider the facts. Chip Kelly’s offense has been one of the most efficient and highest scoring in college football.  In 4 seasons at Oregon, the Ducks averaged 44.6 points per game. The key to all this will be the use of  a mobile quarterback like Vick, who takes the snap from the shotgun, “reads’ the defensive end, and if the end goes at the quarterback, Vick hands it off to the halfback (McCoy or Brown).  If the defensive end bites on the hand-off , Vick keeps it and runs.

This tactic will scare defenses so much that they will start playing the run more by moving up a safety and blitzing less. That will allow Vick to be able to throw the ball down field to the fastest receiver in football, DeSean Jackson or his other speedy receiver, Jeremy Maclin. Also Kelly could use Jackson like he used De’anthony Thomas, by playing him for quick screens, hand-offs, and end-arounds.

Yes, Washington and San Francisco ran similar offenses last year but what makes Philadelphia’ offense a different animal is that it is hurry-up no-huddle offense which means they will wear-out the defense even faster. This offense will keep Vick healthier because of Kelly’s run-heavy play calling. In 2012, the Ducks ran the ball 685 times for 4098 yards and 48 touchdowns and only passed the ball 373 times for 2888 yards, 35 touchdowns and only 9 interceptions and with a completion percentage of 67%. So even though Kelly’s offense is run-heavy they are extremely effective when throwing the ball.

In all, the marriage of Michael Vick and Chip Kelly’s offense will be beneficial to Vick. Also Kelly never had weapons like Jackson, Maclin, and McCoy at Oregon. So Eagles fans and NFL fans should be excited for next season.

Author: Jared Klim

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Related Blogs:
Klim’s Korner: A-Rod In Trouble Again?
Klim’s Korner: Justin Verlander, Justin Upton, Josh Hamilton

Posted in College Football, Football | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Sports Archives – Great Sporting Days Out In The UK!

Posted on February 15, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Britain is a sport loving nation. Football, motor racing, tennis, rugby and horse racing are just a handful of the sports watched by millions around the country each and every day. We live and breathe sport, and we can’t get enough of it.

Britain plays host to some of the biggest sporting events in the world and here we look at five of the best.

Six Nations at Twickenham

The ‘Six Nations Championship’ is one of the biggest Rugby events of the year. Six European sides – England, Italy, France, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales – do battle during February and March.

Twickenham Stadium, located in the London borough of Twickenham, is the location where England’s home Six Nations games are played. With a capacity of 82,000, it is also the largest Rugby stadium in the world.

Attending a Six Nations match is a must for any fan of Rugby. The fans come out in droves to support their team and the atmosphere is electric. Songs are sung and plenty of pints get swilled. The atmosphere is perhaps matched by Wales’s Millennium Stadium but Twickenham’s history as the unofficial “headquarters” of rugby.

Cheltenham Festival

Horse racing is an exciting sport and Cheltenham is regarded as epicentre of jump racing, certainly in the British Isles, if not the world.

The Festival, a four-day event dedicated is one of the biggest horse racing meets of the year. Held annually at in March, the festival usually runs at the same time as St Patrick Day with tens of thousands of horse riding fans attending to enjoy the festivities.

Cheltenham Festival is famous for its atmosphere and knowledgeable punters. Hundreds of millions of pounds are bet on the races during the festival and the crowd follows each race with enthusiasm. The noise generated by the crowd is so impressive that it has been given its own name — ‘the Cheltenham Roar’.

The Gold Cup is the blue ribbon event of the meeting and past winners read as a who’s who of racing royalty namely: Arkle, Mill House, Desert Orchid and Kauto Star.

Queen’s Club

Tennis is one of the most popular sports in Britain. Few sports are able to create as much tension as a close game of tennis coming down to the last set.

The Queen’s Club Championships, held at the Queen’s Club court in West Kensington, London, is one of the biggest grass court tournaments on the circuit and is often used as a warm up for Wimbledon. With £640,000 worth of prize money up for grabs, it can certainly act as a useful pay-day for the winning players.

The atmosphere during the Queen’s Club is as rarefied as you’d expect of a top end old English tennis club. However, when the sun is out, the old buildings and well-groomed courts can make the place look amazing. It’s certainly worth a visit for any keen tennis fan.

Henley Royal Regatta

The Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held on the River Thames near the town of Henley-On-Thames. The 5-day event is staged annually over the first weekend of July and sees some of the best rowers in the world compete on the unique head-to-head river course.

The atmosphere at the Henley Royal Regatta is one of fun and excitement. Tens of thousands of rowing fans attend to watch the races and to soak up the classically English atmosphere. The ‘Grand Challenge Cup’ is a one mile race for men’s eights and arguably the most prestigious of the event – the world’s most famous rowing clubs have competed in the race in the past.

Goodwood Festival of Speed

Britain is the spiritual home of motor racing. Many rally and Formula 1 teams call Britain their home which has built a tradition of racing in the nation.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed, held annually on the grounds of Goodwood House in West Sussex, is a celebration of motor racing. Held in late June/early July, the Goodwood Festival of Speed is scheduled to fit around most major racing events giving professional racing drivers the chance to attend and greet their fans.

Over 150,000 fans attend the three-day festival to take in the festival’s atmosphere and watch the attractions. A number of races are held over the weekend, too, as well as meet and greets with famous racing drivers. A visit to the Goodwood Festival of Speed is a must for all fans of motor racing.

With so much on offer in the UK, there’s not much excuse not to get out there and take in one or two of the brilliant events listed above.

Featured images:

This article was produced by Keith Prowse a leading provider of sports and Corporate hospitality

Related Blogs:
Twickenham’s Highest Visiting Points Scorers!
The Greatest Racehorses of All Time!

Posted in Horse Racing, Motorsports, Other, Rugby, Tennis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sports Archives – Heli Skiing – The New Extreme Sport!

Posted on February 14, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Heli Skiing If you haven’t already done this then you are in for one hell of an experience… Heli-skiing is when you ski downhill, off-piste, in a natural environment. This is the perfect answer if you’re bored of the regular slopes, want some virgin snow, some thrills and some serious space to yourself. In an era where even the best slopes in the most expensive ski resorts are always crowded you might do well to consider heli-skiing.

Heli-skiing is a great option for skiers who want specific skiing conditions. The terrain at ski resorts can often be heavily manipulated, so the chance of skiing long descents on steep slopes, covered in much-coveted powder snow and bordered by natural woods can be irresistible. Very occasionally operations have runs that can reach 10,000 feet in vertical relief, but the usual run is more likely to last about 2,000 feet.

A Growing Extreme Sport

This highly charged adrenalin-pumping challenge is rapidly becoming the world’s most popular extreme sport. Although practiced almost worldwide – from the States to the Indian Himalayas, from Nepal to Chile, from Russia to Switzerland – it is B.C Canada which has the most popular area for this sport. Apparently they have the vast majority of the global share.

Get a Good Guide

When you go heli-skiing the most important piece of kit you can get yourself is a good guide. They will know the areas able to be covered by the helicopter charter that provide the right kind of snow and slope. Your guide’s in-depth knowledge of the mountains, mountaineering and skiing, will ensure you can relax and have a great time in these challenging off-piste conditions, without having to worry about the trail. They often also have an assistant guide.

Getting Up

A heli-skiing helicopter charter can fly to the otherwise inaccessible places around the mountains that are suitable for skiing, such as steep chutes and high Alpine glaciers. However, for obvious reasons, the skiing access in many mountain ranges has to be regulated. It would be a shame if the slopes were abused by too many people getting a random helicopter charter to drop them wherever they please.

In America and Canada they tend to use their helicopter charter a bit like a ski lift in that the pilot will happily pick up and drop skiers onto the best sections of snow for up to a dozen runs a day. This is known as the ‘Canada Model’. The European version (we’re hardier over here!) is to use the helicopter charter like a taxi. One pick up from the valley base, one drop off at the mountain top, and then the skiers both ski and perhaps even mountaineer a bit in order to get back to base.

Once your helicopter arrives it will load passengers, guide, skis and poles onto the helicopter and then the helicopter charter will take them to the designated Landing Zone. Once there, the guide will of course assess the safety of skiing depending on the snow and potential avalanche conditions. Whether you ski together as a group, or individually, or within the guide’s tracks depends on how safe the guide has deemed that day’s snow to be.

If you are interested in the idea of heli-skiing then you can travel in style to the top heli-skiing locations in the world via private jet or helicopter charter. The locations are currently thought to be the Canadian Rockies, the Swiss Alps, the Dolomites, the San Juan mountain range in Colorado, Chugach Range in Alaska, Sun Valley in Idaho, the Pantheons in Canada, and the Diamond Peaks in Utah.

Have fun but be safe and make sure you use a licensed helicopter charter services for your heli-ski experience.

Featured images:

Written By: Ian Oh.

Ian particularly likes to write about technology, computers, recruitment and general topics including some niche topics like Helicopter Charter. More of his work can be found on www.gigawire.co.uk

Related Blogs:
Jump, Run, Ski: Six Sports To Try Before You Die!
What Makes Extreme Sports So Popular?

Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Sports Archives – ESPN For Ultimate Sports Lovers!

Posted on February 13, 2013 by thesportsarchives

ESPN Logo

First we should start out defining exactly what the letters stand for then we can follow a true sports lover in his quest for divulging how this network has evolved into a pastime. Entertainment and Sports Programming Network provides sports programming and entertainment for individuals who enjoy the thrill of victory, and, alas, the agony of defeat. People can watch events for much less money than going to the actual game and in the comfort of their own homes, or friends’ homes. Now let’s turn to the interview with our sports enthusiast.

What started out as an idea to broadcast local Connecticut sports, turned from using new technology of satellite communication in 1979 and became a ground-breaking sports network rivaling ABC’s Wide World of Sports. The first program aired on September 7, 1979 at 7:00 P.M. EST with only 30,000 viewers.  The first ‘Sports Center’ words spoken by the host, Lee Leonard, were, “If you love sports…if you really love sports, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to sports heaven.”

USFL Official FootballESPN partnered with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to show college basketball games, while growing to show all college sports in addition to their championship games. Then in 1982 ESPN entered the world of professional sports starting with the National Basketball Association (NBA).  Even the United States Football League (USFL) enjoyed some of its short-term success due to games on ESPN in 1983 and 1984. Yet another ground breaking change began in 1985 when ESPN started the 28/58 sports score roundup at 28 and 58 minutes past each hour.  This was a condensed run-down of scores for various sporting events.

One of the biggest nights in football, the National Football League (NFL) debuted on Sunday night in 1987 and started an explosion of sport shows. ESPN in turn broadcast the NFL draft, pre-game shows, team news conferences, and highlight shows.  Now ESPN televises the baseball All Star game and related events, the Heisman Award for the best college player, NASCAR and Formula I racing, golf, horse racing, bowling, go-kart racing. You name the sport and it’s probably been on ESPN.

Then 1990 brought Major League Baseball (MLB) with a $400 million contract to air Sunday night baseball.  The NFL contract changed in 2006 bringing Monday Night Football from ABC to ESPN.  Jon Miller and Joe Morgan became the longtime voices for the games on ESPN.

Other professional sports such as hockey and soccer have made their mark on ESPN over the years.  In fact there was so much sports to broadcast, new ESPN channels have come into being, e.g. ESPNRadio (1992), ESPN2 (1993), ESPNews(1996), ESPN Classic (1997) and ESPNU (2005) which focus solely on college sports.

Nowadays ESPN will probably feature any sports event.  Even “extreme” sports events have become popular because of ESPN.  Have you ever watched a snowboarding event?  Those guys are some kind of athletes!

BCS Coaches TrophyThe most watched program to date on ESPN was the 2011 BCS National Championship game which aired on January 10, 2011 with an estimated audience of 27.3 million viewers.  And now ESPN broadcasts sports 24 hours a day, seven days a week in 16 languages in 200 countries. Not bad for a shabby little sports network in Bristol, Connecticut struggling for financing in 1979.

Short of using his name and the sources of facts he established after our conversation, these are his thoughts. But the one thing you are not privy to are the lights in his eyes as he recollects his personal stories in between the history. You see, he lived this history. Like so many others, ESPN provides a diversion in a scrambled world, while at the same time the values projected on the fields and in the lives of the players bring to mind the reality of human nature and its failings. But for now, let’s just enjoy the game!

Garrett Payne is a sports enthusiast and avid blogger.  He enjoys writing about anything related to sports including his favorite players & the rules of the different sports.

Photo Credits: Wikipedia
Video Credits: ESPN

Related Blogs:
Top Sporting Moments of 2012!
Top 4 Greatest Moments in Sports History!

Posted in Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, College Basketball, College Football, Football, Golf, Hockey, Horse Racing, Motorsports, Olympics, Other, Soccer, Tennis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Sports Archives – Do Male Or Female Golfers Make More Money?

Posted on February 12, 2013 by thesportsarchives

The divide between male and female athletics can be almost insurmountable in some sports. For example, it is doubtful that a woman will ever play even a minute in the National Basketball League even with the growth of female youth basketball leagues in recent years. The same could be said for Football, of course, as well as baseball. Golf, on the other hand, seems like a sport where the gender gap would be less of an issue. Golf is a sport where technical skill outweighs physical ability as the most significant factor in determining success.

Women in the PGA

Annika SorenstamBecause of this it would seem that a female golfer could have a good chance competing with male golfers. It has happened before. Back in 2003 the most dominating female golfer, Annika Sorenstam, was invited to play in the Bank of America Colonial tournament in Fort Worth, Texas.  Sorenstam played amid the controversy of being the first female to play on the PGA tour in fifty years. After the first round she led the field in driving accuracy and was ahead of twenty-seven other golfers in driving distance. Despite this, Sorenstam’s putting faltered and she missed the cut.

Even so the LPGA tour might be the most successful female sports league. It has the most storied history (founded in 1968) and manages to attract consistent advertising. Even with the relative amount of success the league has seen it still trails its male counterpart by a large margin.

The Money Factor

The most obvious indicator of this is the prize money awarded in each league. In 2012 the total prize money won by the top-ten male golfers far exceeds the top ten female money-winners.

Women’s Top 10 total = $13,951,352
Men’s Top 10 total = $49,613,996

The men made $36 million or almost four times the amount made by the most successful female golfers. The huge difference might be surprising to some, especially those that follow the LPGA tour, but the gap is undoubtedly bigger if the amount of money earned through endorsements was included.

The money-list discrepancy is not a recent development of course. Sorenstam, who retired in 2008 ending her long and highly successful career, set the LPGA tour record for career earnings with a little over $22 million. To understand how impressive that total is on the LPGA tour, consider that the next highest career total is more than $8 million less than that. Sorenstam also earned around $4 million per year through endorsements with Callaway, Cutter & Buck, Mercedes and a few others.

Tiger WoodsThe highest earning male golfer, Tiger Woods, in comparison has earned over $100 million in tournament earnings and many people think he could still be playing for years to come. If that isn’t enough Tiger has earned hundreds of millions of dollars in endorsements. In 2000, Woods signed a five-year $105 million endorsement deal with Nike. At the time that deal was unheard of but it was only the beginning of the many mega-endorsement deals that Woods has signed throughout his career.

Phil Oscarson is an avid golfer, and golf analyst. If you’re looking for a great place to golf, deals on golf courses, etc. try Golf Tee Times as a great source to find what you’re looking for.

Photo Credits:  Wikipedia

Related Blogs:
10 of the Most Frustrating Things in Golf!
Where are the Best Golfers in the World From?

Posted in Golf | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Sports Archives – Jump, Run, Ski: Six Sports To Try Before You Die!

Posted on February 11, 2013 by thesportsarchives

There are some things in life that you just have to try. You don’t have to like them. You don’t have to do them again. But you do have to give them a go, if only so you can bring them up at a dinner party and make everyone believe that you’re an action hero.

Skydiving 12 way

Skydiving

Jumping out of a plane from thousands of feet in the air? What’s so scary about that? Well, lots of things would be if the sport of skydiving didn’t have a few safety precautions. Skydiving – also known as parachuting – is a pretty safe practice thanks to measures such as double parachutes and buddy jumps (where an instructor is tied onto the jumper; a must for beginners.) Boring stuff aside, the best thing about skydiving is the little camera inside your helmet. The film that it records will be a memory to last a lifetime.

Skiing

Skiing began in Scandinavia in the year 5000 BC. They only used one pole which, if you’ve ever skied yourself, you would know is a little tricky, Luckily, today two poles, and two skis is the way of the sport, which makes balancing a lot easier. Skiing is good exercise, and also an excuse to ride a chairlift while wearing a fluorescent parka. Most ski resorts run beginners classes, so there’s no excuse to not try this great activity.

Surfing

It’s time to hit the waves, dude. Surfing is a solid workout for your core (all that balancing on the waves has to work somewhere) but also a great way to enjoy the beach. But it’s not easy. You’ll feel a little silly at first, clinging to your board after another dump as you watch the pros glide over massive waves with no trouble, but persistence is key.

Bungee JumpingBungy Jumping

The jury’s still out as to whether this is a sport or just a dumb decision, but, regardless, bungy jumping is something that you have to try before you kick the bucket. Destination is key, for this sport. All good bungies occur in a picturesque location; think mountainous Queenstown in New Zealand, or tropical Cairns in Australia.

Wakeboarding

Take water skiing, snowboarding and surfing. Mix them all together and put them in the ocean. What do you get? Wakeboarding. In this sport, you ride a wakeboard (a little bigger than a boogie board) across the waves, while being towed by a motorboat. As you’d expect, water skiing experience helps, although the technique used in more similar to snowboarding. It’s tricky to get the hang of, but once you do, you’ll be traveling at speeds of 50km/h.

White Water Rafting

If you love a quiet canoe trip along the river, this is not the sport for you. The high action sport of white water rafting is dangerous, but loads of fun if you can master the act of balancing your little vessel over those rapids. There are six skill levels for courses, though, so beginners needn’t fear that they’d be out of their depth.

Frances Ward is a media student who loves learning about (but not necessarily engaging in) crazy extreme sports. Surfing is next on her list, and she’s looking at http://surffcs.com to get herself started.

Photo Credits:  Wikipedia

Related Blogs:
Are Extreme Sports Really Dangerous?
A Brief Guide to the World’s Most Dangerous Sports!

Posted in Other | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Sports Archives – History Of The Game Of Tennis In The United States

Posted on February 11, 2013 by thesportsarchives

us tennis history women 1880sIn some respects a sport can be compared to a curve ball;  as the ball is thrown, the batter views it in a certain path and then as the ball curves, the path of it is altered. The sport of tennis has been something of a curve ball, as it began with various names, rules and regulations, but it began to change paths along the way. Better methods were discovered, rules that made the game fairer were established, and the competition became entertainment as it marched through the various countries.

Of course there is a great historic debate as to where the sport originated from before it banged its racket on the door of the United States. Some attribute the origin of tennis to the French in the twelfth century where they played a version of tennis with the palm of their hand as the racket. Other historians argue that actual tennis began in the sixteenth century when the use of rackets began. However, regardless of what any person considers to be the legitimate origin, there is no doubt that when tennis arrived in America, an invigorating sport was introduced to the world.

The tennis ball was first hit onto the United States court on May 21 in 1881 when the National Lawn Tennis Association was created. It is believed that a woman by the name of Mary Ewing Outerbridge was the first to set up a court at the Staten Island Cricket Club in 1874. Ironically, this is the same location that later gave birth to the National Lawn Tennis Association. Eager to organize an all-American championship the association held a U.S Open Championship tournament. Eventually the National Lawn Tennis Association would change their name in 1975 to the United States Tennis Association.

From this point forward the game began its metamorphosis as women became involved in the sport.  By 1887 the Philadelphia Cricket Club held a Women’s National singles Championship which marked a new turning point for tennis in America. As tennis became a sport that both men and women could participate in, its popularity began to grow even more. Eventually in 1975 the court was altered from grass to clay, which led to the 1978 change to a hard court surface.

National Women's Tennis Tournament at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Photo: circa 1910-20.

National Women’s Tennis Tournament at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Photo: circa 1910-20.

Through all of the phases that tennis has gone through, beginning with the palm of the hand as the racket, it has gradually turned into an American icon. The rackets, the prestigious athletes and the much-anticipated tournaments will forever be a product of its history.

Featured images:
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  • Philadelphia Cricket Club:  Wikipedia

For information on Chandler tennis lessons, head over to BashaTennis.com where students of all ages and skill levels are taught tennis fundamentals and strategy.

Related Blogs:
Tennis Great René “Le Crocodile” Lacoste
What Happened to Tennis Racquets of the Past?

Posted in Tennis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Sports Archives – Klim’s Korner: A-Rod In Trouble Again?

Posted on February 9, 2013 by thesportsarchives

A-Rod is in trouble again!

Alex RodriguezFor what you may ask… performance-enhancing drugs (PED’s)?  The answer is yes.  A-Roid has once again been linked to HGH and that is not surprising. He is older and he is losing his skills and has one of the biggest egos in baseball.   A place called Biogenesis was A-Rod’s supplier, a small medical clinic located extremely close to the University of Miami campus, was just a front for selling testosterone, HGH and other steroids. Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon, and Yasmani Grandal were among the players given 50 game suspensions last year for PED use and were also listed on the Biogenesis PED records. Former MVP, Ryan Braun was on the list, even after the whole episode where he denied using PED’s last year in the off-season.

It makes you really wonder what is going to happen to Major League Baseball. In my opinion the game will be fine. Yes, guys use steroids and PED’s but they are almost always caught. Even if not all players are tested, it’s pretty easy to identify who is using PED’s. Just look at their numbers and you are bound to see spikes in their stats. I have two very good examples.

Melky Cabrera in 2010.

Melky CabreraMelky played 147 games he averaged .795 hits per game with a minuscule 4 home runs 42 RBI’s and a batting avg. of .255.  In 2012 he only played 113 games he had 1.4 hits per game and had 11 homeruns 60 RBI’s and a .346 batting average.  That was a major jump.

Alex Rodriguez in 2001.

Alex Rodriguez who has been in the news a lot recently because of his PED use. When A-Rod left Seattle in 2000, he had hit 41 homeruns with a career high of 42. When he got to Texas in 2001, where he supposedly took PED’s, his homeruns spiked to 52 in 2001, and 57 in 2002. So it was obvious when they were busted to look back and see the connection.

So in the future baseball players should start to realize that they will be caught. And if there is suspicion that they took steroids they almost certainly will be denied entry to Cooperstown by the majority of baseball writers, as we saw earlier this year with Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

Author:  Jared Klim

Video Credit:     ABCNews
Photo Credits:   Wikipedia

Related Blogs:
Did Lance Armstrong Deserve to be Stripped of his Titles?
Dwayne Johnson’s New Rock Solid Body Stirs Speculation!

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Sports Archives – How To Get Football (Soccer) Trials

Posted on February 8, 2013 by thesportsarchives

As one of our best-loved footballers, David Beckham rose to the heights of football stardom from a football field in Chingford. Showing early talent, he worked on his game and won the Bobby Charlton national Soccer Skills competition. By 17, he had left home and was signed up with Manchester United. The rest, as they say, is history, and Beckham is now worth an estimated £190 million.

Like Beckham, there are today many youngsters who show considerable promise as the professional footballers of tomorrow, playing in sports clubs and playing fields across the country. Being recognised for your talent is the first step to a career in football, and football trials are one way of being spotted. Read on for all you need to know about football trials, and how they work.

football

What are Football Trials?

Playing with a club or team is a great way to hone your football skills, but if you’re good, then you need to be noticed by the people who matter. Taking part in a football trial means that you will be watched, encouraged and assessed by top qualified players, scouts and former pro players. If you are selected as having the skills and talent necessary to go further with football, then they will use their contacts to organise a trial with a semi-professional or professional football club. Players taking part in football trials are normally aged between 11 – 25, as the whole idea is to spot and develop young talent. If you have what it takes, then a football trial is the first step to a possible career as a professional footballer.

How do Football Trials Work?

Football trials are held all over the UK, so there will be a trial in your area somewhere. When you sign up for a professional football trial, you will need to register when you arrive at the trial. A typical trial will involve warm up’s, before being split into teams and coached. Then you will play an assessment match, and be given the chance to showcase your talents. After that, you’ll be given feedback, and if you have impressed the watching professionals, will be put forward for a trial with a nearby club. You will also receive on-going support should you be signed, and allotted a trusted agent to handle your contract.

football

Football Camps

A good football trials organisation may also organise intensive coaching and trial camps, where young players receive top quality coaching from high qualified coaches and pro-players, at the same time as being assessed for talent by scouts. You will be able to train like a professional and develop your skills, in the knowledge that if you impress, you may also be signed up.

Finally, it’s worth remembering that football is supremely competitive, so there is no guarantee that you will go forward for a trial with a professional club. So always beware of any football trial organisation who guarantees to put you forward. A reputable football trials group will make no such claims, and stress that it really is down to individual talent.

Featured images:

Rob Rudd enjoys writing on a wide range of topics from sports and fitness through to business and finance.

Related Blogs:
Highest Soccer Players Salaries
5 Best Football (Soccer) Players of 2012!

Posted in Soccer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Sports Archives – Guide to the Grand Slams!

Posted on February 7, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Guide to the Grand Slams

The Grand Slam events of the ATP Tour are the most thrilling and important tournaments of the season and have been won by the greatest players to ever pick up a racquet.

But how much do we know about the four cornerstones of the tennis season?

Here’s all the information you need on the Grand Slams that will make you an expert in no time.

Australian OpenAustralian Open

The youngest of the four Slams and the first of the calendar year.

Quick history

  • Began in 1905 and was known as the Australasian Championship. Staged at Warehouseman’s cricket ground in Melbourne.
  • Became the Australian Open in 1969
  • 1972, the competition moved to Kooyang Lawn Tennis Club, again in Melbourne
  • Melbourne Park was built to stage the tournament in 1988 and attendances increased, with 2012 being a record-breaking year (685,000 spectators)

Records

Most titles – (Men’s) Andre Agassi, Roger Federer – 4 titles

(Women’s) Serena Williams – 5 titles

Youngest winner – (Men’s) Ken Rosewall – 18 years, 2 months

(Women’s) Martina Hingis – 16 years, 4 months

Oldest winner – (Men’s) Ken Rosewall – 37 years, 2 months

(Women’s) Thelma Coyle Long – 35 years, 8 months

The French OpenFrench Open

A distinctive competition as it is played on a clay court. A favourite amongst fans as this serves to test players to their limits.

Quick History

  • First held in 1891 and named the French Championship
  • The first ‘real’ French Open was held in 1925, as it had previously been restricted to men and French nationalists only.
  • In the same year, the tournament was held at Stade de Roland Garros, hence the popular nickname of ‘Roland Garros’ it now goes by.

Records

Most titles – (Men’s) Rafael Nadal – 7 titles

(Women’s) Chris Evert – 7 titles

Youngest winner – (Men’s) Michael Chang – 17 years, 2 months

(Women’s) Monica Seles – 16 years, 6 months

Oldest winner – (Men’s) Andrés Gimeno– 34 years, 10 months

(Women’s) Chris Evert – 31 years, 6 months

WimbledonWimbledon

The oldest and most prestigious of the four majors, it is the only Grand Slam still to be played on grass, tennis’ original surface.

Quick history

  • Began in 1877 and held at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. (Its home to this day)
  • Following the French domination in the 1920’s, Britain’s Fred Perry won three consecutive singles championships in the 30’s. The last British men’s player to do so.
  • Since then the competition has been dominated by overseas players and has also seen some major developments, including the addition of a roof on centre court, ensuring that the championships can no longer be disrupted by the pesky British weather.

Records

Most titles – (Men’s) Roger Federer, Pete Sampras – 7 titles

(Women’s) Martina Navratilova – 9 titles

Youngest winner – (Men’s) Boris Becker – 17 years, 7 months

(Women’s) Martina Hingis – 16years, 9 months

Oldest Winner – (Men’s) Arthur Ashe – 31 years, 11 months

(Womens’s) Martina Navratilova 33 years, 8 months

US OpenUS Open

The last Grand Slam in the tennis season and the youngest, as it only became a major in 1987.

Quick History

  • It was first held in 1881, but was known as the U.S. National Championship, played on grass and held in Newport, Rhode Island.
  • The US Open moved to its current home of Flushing Meadows, New York in 1978, which subsequently meant that it would now be played on a hard court, rather than clay.
  • The US Open is the only Grand Slam to be played every single year since its inception, and was also the first to offer equal prize money to both the men’s and women’s champions.

Records

Most titles – (Men’s) Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer – 5 titles

(Women’s) Chris Evert – 6 titles

Youngest winner – (Men’s) Pete Sampras – 19 years, 1 month

(Women’s) Tracy Austin – 16 years, 8 months

Oldest winner – (Men’s) Ken Rosewall – 35 years, 10 months

(Women’s) Margaret Court – 31 years, 1 month

So there you have it, your guide to the Grand Slam events.

This article was written by Sam Rigby on behalf of Wimbledon Debenture Holders, the home of Wimbledon Championship tickets for 2013 and beyond.

Photo Credits: Wikipedia

Related Blogs:
Great moments at the Australian Open!
The Australian Open 2013: Can Djokovic Three-peat?

Posted in Tennis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment