VOLLEYBALL FOR BEGINNERS

If you are just starting out in volleyball, it is important to focus on the fundamentals to develop your volleyball skills. Focus should be directed at ball control in passing, your footwork during serving and receiving and your approach when hitting the ball during an offensive play.

Good passing is absolutely essential when playing volleyball. Players must be able to consistently pass the ball to a specified target no matter what position they are playing. Practice passing with a partner at different lengths or even as a team.

It is also important for a player to be able to set and spike the ball with control. Work with a partner and get them to pass the ball to you while you practice passing back, spiking the ball and receiving different passes as if you were in the game.

Blocking is an essential part of a player’s defensive game. Timing, footwork and your hand placement are key to effectively blocking the ball. Get another player to hold the ball on the opposite side of the net. They can stand on a chair and are able to move the ball to different spots before you jump. The blocker gets into position and jumps up and blocks the ball.

ATTACKING IN NETBALL

Attacking is crucial in netball. To attack you need to have high levels of coordination, be aware of the situation around you and have skills in developing good tactics on the court. Great players have the ability to create an attack out of nothing except having the ball and are able to do this from any position on the court.

An effective attack locates and exploits the weaknesses in defence and is able to turn a defensive situation into an attacking situation. The attacker must be able to dictate the play and the opposition has no choice but to react. This will mean that they are too busy to focus on scoring.

The most lethal attack is one that is able to throw the defence off balance. Typical attacks include:

  • A long pass into an open zone
  • A multi player attack which pins down the opposition in defensive groups
  • The sudden attack from defence which upends the field positions

An attack needs to be planned, so that other players on the team are able to support it. Mixing up your passes can help your team to control the pace of the game and out smart the opposition. Try not to always look for the long pass or throwing from the wing, try cutting inside and creating a short bounce pass.

REVIEW: BROOKS ADDICTION WALKER B WALKING SHOE

The Brooks Addiction Walker feels just like a running shoe, featuring a durable, energy returning midsole, a more supple full grain leather upper, strong support and slip-resistant outsole. This shoe will provide you with excellent support by supporting low arches and keeping pronation under control.

You will become addicted to the comfort you get from the Brooks Addiction walker’s. The Brooks Addiction Walker may be full of technical features to keep you comfortable, but it also looks stylish and is casual enough to wear out frequently.

Wearing Brooks Addiction Walking shoes will definitely keep your feet happy. The HydroFlow technology enhances the midsole cushioning and shock absorption with the added placement of gooey fluid units in the heel and forefoot.

If you’re a Sportsmart Smart Card member you will save $20 on the Brooks Addiction Walker B walking shoes. Sign up online or in store today to receive information on new products, special members pricing and much more.

View the Brooks Addiction walking shoes online or come into one of our stores to try them on for yourself.

HOW TO MOTIVATE PLAYERS

All players in all levels of sport need to be motivated by their coaches. As a coach it is your responsibility to motivate your players during the game and during practice. If you coach youth sports, you not only have to motivate your team but ensure that they are having fun and not focusing entirely on winning.

Assess your team and figure out the type of personality each player has. This will determine your approach. Different people respond to different techniques. Try to set goals as soon as possible. If you coach a much younger team i.e. under 10’s try to focus on having fun and good sportsmanship. If you coach older teams i.e. under 16’s, focus on getting to finals as a team. You have to remember in order for your team to succeed, everyone needs to be focusing on a common goal.

When a coach finds that their team is lacking or not performing at their best, clearly motivation is needed. It is extremely important for a coach to take the time to talk to their players and keep communication open. Take some time during each training session to sit down with your team and talk as a team about what you all think the team needs to improve on or focus on. This doesn’t need to cut into your actual training schedule, you can have this conversation with your players while they train or have a break.

Lastly, it is important to recognise your team’s achievements. Your players will become more confident and will want to continue trying hard when their efforts are recognised by someone in a higher position i.e. their coach.

HOW TO USE A PUNCHING BAG PROPERLY

A punching bag can be a tool for boxers looking to train or for anyone looking for a workout. Proper use of both types (the heavy bag and the speed bag) is essential in order to maximise the punching bag’s usefulness.

To begin, make sure both of your hands and wrists are wrapped securely to lessen the impact they will get when they hit the bag. Securing your hands and wrists will also help prevent injuries such as sprains and jammed knuckles. Make sure that the gloves are laced up securely and straps are fastened.

Before actually hitting the bag, learn to move around with it. To move most efficiently, stay on your toes while moving left and right around the bag. The speed bag is more about rhythm and timing on short punches than actual fitness. However, there is a benefit to upper body endurance. For the speed bag, stay slightly bent at the knees.

When working the bag, don’t stand right in front of it and simply throw a punch from the shoulder at it. Technique is very important and it all begins with your posture. A right-handed boxer will stand with their left foot forward with weight slightly on the back foot. This will allow the left hand to be the jab hand, while the stronger hand will throw harder punches such as an uppercut or hook.

Use the speed bag for jab practice. Extend through the bag and alternate your lead foot to try to jab with the other hand. An ideal punch will result in the arm fully extended through the punch when it lands on its target. Use the heavy bag to practice ‘power punches’.

Sportsmart has a variety of punching bags to suit your boxing and fitness needs. You can view our punching bags and boxing equipment online or visit one of our stores to get expert advice from our fitness staff on selecting equipment for your workout needs.

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT LAY UP IN BASKETBALL

Mastering your layups will help you improve your game. Every player should master this skill before they attempt other skills such as a jump shot or technical moves. Many youths have trouble with layups and opportunities are often missed. A layup can be the difference between winning and losing. This article will describe a layup from a right handed perspective, if you are left handed simply reverse the left and right to do a left handed layup.

Stand about a meter or so to the right of the free line. This should make a 45 degree angle to the basket. Have a basketball ready and dribble towards the basket on the 45 degree angle. When you are getting close to the ring, secure the ball with both hands while still in motion to the basket. You should be picking up the ball just when your right foot is hitting the floor. Keep the ball on the right side of your body as you convert from dribbling to shooting the layup.

As you step with your left foot, you will want to plant it to jump towards the basket. When jumping off your left foot, your right knee should thrust upwards, this will allow you to explode up to the basket. Keep the ball in both hands on the right side of your body and extend your arms towards the basket.

Remember to focus your eyes on the target during the layup, avoid looking down at the ball. An ideal target is the upright line on the square of the backboard. As you reach the height of your jump, release the left hand and propel your right wrist foward to release the ball to the target. Let the momentum carry you past the basket. If you stop in front of the basket, you did not explode enough to the basket.

GAME, SET AND MATCH – WIMBLEDON 2011

The winner of Sportsmart and Wilson’s tennis sponsorship program, Scott Lyons, provides regular blog articles on his favourite topic – tennis …

Another year has passed, and two new Wimbledon Singles Champions have been crowned- Petra Kvitova and Novak Djokovic!

Few would have tipped Kvitova to take out the women’s singles prior to the tournament, however; she was seeded eighth and made the semi-finals last year, so was no real outsider. Kvitova has an all-round tennis game- a big serve, big ground shots, the ability to come to the net, and crushing returns! She is also left-handed which made her a difficult competitor for many opponents.

In the women’s final she played a near faultless match to convincingly defeat tournament favourite Maria Sharapova. At just 21, we can expect Kvitova to really continue to rise in the tennis world and may be an unstoppable force in times ahead. However, given she was “lesser known” and came through to win Wimbledon, pressure will undoubtedly continue to grow on world number one Caroline Wozniacki, who is yet to win a grand slam tournament.

On the men’s side of the draw we witnessed some fantastic matches which lead to the final between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Many believed Federer was nearing his career best form throughout the tournament, before surprisingly falling to Tsonga, who played unbelievable tennis through all of his matches. He quite easily could have taken out Djokovic in the semi-finals. Andy Murray again failed to deliver his best when it mattered, and all of Britain was let down again!

In the final there was some very high quality tennis played, but probably not as explosive as what would have been expected. The ability to rally from both players was amazing, but both could have benefitted from flattening more shots out rather than conservatively spinning them back in play. Nadal has been battling an ankle injury throughout the tournament and I think it made a slight difference. He was unable to put much weight on his ankle when hitting his backhand, which not only lead to more unforced errors, but also lead him to slicing the ball back in play when we are so used to seeing him crush the same ball for a winner. Take nothing away from Djokovic though, as facing Nadal who is trying to out-rally you is arguably just as hard as facing Nadal who is trying to hit winners against you. All in all though, Djokovic’s ability to turn defence into attack was the difference, and he is now a Wimbledon Champion and the new world number one!

On another note, the future of Australian tennis is looking strong, with Bernard Tomic making the Quarter Finals, which is an unbelievable effort. What is more, is that he could have beaten the eventual winner Djokovic, as stated by Djokovic himself. At eighteen he still has lots of improvement to come as well. For the first time ever we also had Australians winning the Wimbledon boys and girls singles titles. If all our young talented players can make the transition to the professional level, then Australian tennis is looking good once again!

EXERCISING WITH A MINI TRAMPOLINE

A trampoline can be incorporated into your exercise routine and can actually be beneficial to your health. You wouldn’t think that jumping up and down would actually be considered exercise, but it is. Exercising on a mini trampoline is known as rebounding. You only need to rebound for a short period of time for your body to reap the benefits.

Exercising on a trampoline is considered a low impact exercise which puts less stress on your joints and body than jogging, running and walking.  A mini trampoline is portable and convenient, you can set it up in your house, garage or even office. Exercising on a mini trampoline will increase your blood flow and improve the circulation of fluids in your body. The vertical movement of working out on a mini trampoline will enhance the function of lymph fluid being pumped throughout your body.

There are many health benefits of using a mini trampoline. Rebounding on a mini trampoline will assist in weight loss. It increases your metabolism and allows your body to burn more calories. It also helps prevent cardiovascular disease by lowering your blood pressure and reducing stress. Rebounding will also strengthen and tone muscles and provide you with energy to fight fatigue.

Before you begin exercising on the mini trampoline, try to do a short warm-up. This is especially important if you are a beginner. You can wear athletic training shoes or rebound barefoot. If you choose to not wear shoes, be careful not to injure your feet when you bounce. Start your rebounding routine doing about 10 minutes per day and then gradually increase your time on the mini trampoline as you become more comfortable.

Sportsmart stocks a variety of trampolines in different sizes to suit your fitness needs. View our trampolines online or visit our stores to try them out and get expert advice from our fitness staff on choosing a trampoline to suit you.

PRODUCT REVIEW: NEW BALANCE MX856 CROSS TRAINING SHOES

The New Balance MX856 cross training shoes provide you with excellent motion control which is paired up with a durable leather upper. Therefore these cross training shoes are a must for those who are overpronators (have a flat feet and little to no arch).

Whether your working out at the gym or outdoors these shoes will keep your feet feeling comfortable. If you struggle to find a shoe wide enough for walking, look no further the New Balance MX856 cross trainers are extremely comfortable and great for walking long distances.

The MX856 is made with N-ergy which is designed to provide shock absorption and also a Rollbar TPU posting system to minimise rear-foot movement. These combined will allow you to achieve the ultimate in motion control. You can take your training to the next level with New Balance MX856 cross training shoes.

Sportsmart currently stocks New Balance MX856 cross training shoes as well as other cross training shoes for all of your sporting needs. View our cross training shoes online or come in to our stores to get expert advice from our footwear staff on choosing cross training shoes to suit you. Become a Smart Card member today and receive $10 off the New Balance MX856 cross training shoes.

 

MANAGING THE VOLUNTEERS OF YOUR LOCAL CLUB

After your local sports club has recruited volunteers to help out at your club, (hopefully by following the tips from our article – how to recruit volunteers for your local sports club) it is important to understand how to manage your volunteers and ensure that they are on the right track about the goals of your club as a whole.

Your club can develop a policy especially for volunteers, to help everyone stay on track. This policy will also help to define the roles of volunteers, the way they will be managed and how the club operates. It might also be efficient to nominate a volunteer coordinator. This person can manage the volunteers within the club and be the first point of contact if volunteers need help or guidance in their roles.

It is very important that the club supports its volunteers. Volunteers who feel valued and are properly managed are more likely to remain with the club. Proper training should be provided to new volunteers as well as if there are any changes in procedures to ensure that all volunteers have the correct knowledge and information.

Rewarding volunteers for working hard will let them know that they are valued members of the club. Recognising the work they put into improving the club, will help them to feel important. Lastly, make sure that the club pays for expenses that are necessary and does not leave expenses to be paid by volunteers, remember they are volunteering their time and service, do not take advantage of this.