Semester Reflection

Throughout the semester, I have learned more about Australian sports than I thought was possible.  At home, I am really interested in football, basketball, baseball and soccer, so I thought it would be nice to learn about all of the sports that are popular in Australia.  Coming over here, I thought I would probably learn a little about rugby, but did not expect to really pick-up much about anything else; I hadn’t even heard of Netball, Australian Rules football, or Lawn Bowling. 

Luckily, I was able to make it to all of the field trips except for the Waratah’s game, but I had already been to a game earlier in the season.  I found that out of all of the sports, rugby was my favorite to learn.  I had a much easier time picking up on League because it seemed more similar to American gridiron, which is my favorite sport at home, but I still really enjoyed watching Union, as well.  I think part of the intrigue was how physical the game is without a lot of protection for the players; I still find it hard to believe how rough the game is without and pads or helmets.  I guess I’m so used to the culture of gridiron in America that it almost makes me cringe to see the rugby players hit each other.

Our most recent field trip, the AFL game, was a ton of fun.  I loved the stadium and how crowded it was, with all of the people cheering for their team.  With only one team in Sydney, it’s obvious people are willing to support the Swans.  With AFL, I had a much more difficult time picking up the game than I did with rugby.  It seemed even more foreign to me than rugby because of the field set-up and rules of the game.  In order to pass the ball, by kicking it, seemed like one of the most difficult things to grasp; I’m so used to seeing sports, besides soccer, that involve balls that are thrown in some way.  Also, kicking the ball through the posts to score reminded me so much of an extra point or field goal in American gridiron.  Once I began to understand the game, I had a lot of fun watching it; it just seemed to take a little bit longer to be able to follow it for me.

When I saw Netball for the first time, I wasn’t sure what to think of the game.  I really enjoy basketball at home, so I didn’t really like that the girls couldn’t run with the ball and dribble.  I thought the game was easy to understand, I just wasn’t really sure I enjoyed watching it.  Without a backboard, it seems the whole game is about the accuracy of shooting.  One thing that I did enjoy about the game though was the girl’s uniforms.  They reminded me a little bit of a mix between cheerleader’s outfits and field hockey uniforms combined; I also really liked how colorful and bright they were.

One of our earlier field trips, Lawn Bowling, was a lot of fun for me.  Despite the fact that it was raining, actually being able to play the game was really enjoyable.  For a first-timer, I had a knack for it and picked up the skill of tossing the ball rather quickly.  Somehow, I was able to guess correctly where to place the ball when I released it so the aim would end up pretty accurate.  It kind of reminded me of miniature golf at home, where precision really matters and it’s easy to play on teams or individually; I like how casual it seems.  I can see why a lot of people take mornings or afternoons to play for fun or competitively; for such a fairly simple idea, the game is a lot of fun. 

A few of the other sport cultures that I was able to see were surfing and the Nippers.  I swam for fourteen years and I love how focused on water sports Australians are.  I saw a surf competition at Bondi Beach and it was one of the coolest things I’ve ever watched, especially because I went to a surf camp and understand how hard it is to actually get used to being on a board and riding a wave; I have a lot of respect for the surfers and what they are able to pull off in the water.  With the Nippers, I think it’s great that kids are taught to swim and learn how to be safe in the water at such an early age.  We don’t really have anything like that in the States except for swim lessons that can be taught by lifeguards; it isn’t really a huge priority to people because we aren’t as surrounded by water.  I think it makes perfect sense to educate them about the water when almost all of the cities in Australia are a few hours within a beach.

I think one of my favorite parts about being able to go to all of the field trips was the atmosphere of the people at all of the events.  Even though we may have different sports all across the world, we are still able to find common ground when it comes to competition and support for athletics.  There are “die-hard” fans in all countries and I noticed how much I love an atmosphere that supports athletes, even if those athletes are eight years-old; athletics are such an important part of people’s lives, not only for the competition, but the character that people build while either playing or watching.  I’m so glad I was able to take a class that allowed me to not only learn a lot about Australian sport culture, but also enjoy new things and competitive environments.

Sydney Swans AFL Game

Earlier today we went to the Swans v. Hawks game at the Sydney Cricket Ground to see my first, live AFL game.  We were running a little late, so we arrived after the start of the game, so I was shocked to see how many people had packed the stands when we arrived.  Compared to rugby this place looked like the whole city was there.  I guess when there is only one Sydney team the whole city does come out to support them.

After finally getting seated, I tried to catch up with what was going on in the game.  After watching so much rugby and finally understanding it, I had a little bit of a difficult time transitioning to AFL.  First of all, there are now 18 players on the field and I noticed that even though there are certain positions, the guys are running all over the place.  Also, it was different to see the guys kick the ball to pass to their teammates; I know that they can only go about 15 metres before they must bounce to ball to continue, but it seemed they always kicked the ball instead. One thing I was sure of was the athletic ability of the players; to run around constantly on that large of playing surface, for the almost 2-hour game, takes a lot of endurance.  Unfortunately, the Swans got destroyed and lost by 46.  I’m not exactly sure about AFL standards, but in my opinion, the Hawks crushed them.  Either way, I think I enjoyed being at the AFL game more than the rugby games; I like the atmosphere of the circular stadium and I liked the quickness of the game.

Rabbitohs v. Tigers

This past Sunday, we went to the Rabbitohs v. Tigers game at ANZ stadium.  When we arrived, I saw that the stadium was huge and even though there appeared to be a bunch of fans filing in for the game, the stadium barely seemed full.  One of the great parts about the fans was that they were all dressed up in their teams colors and had huge signs; the fans seemed like they lived for the matches and really supported their teams by acting crazy and cheering.  It was a fun environment to be around.

The Rabbitohs took the early lead in the game and it almost seemed as if they were going to crush the Tigers.  As hard as the Tigers were trying, the Rabbitohs kept getting more and more tries and field goals.  Going into half time, the score was 27-0.  When the teams came out after half time, it seemed that there was going to be a complete switch of teams.  The Tigers came out strong and made a comeback throughout the half and continued to run up the score.  I almost thought the Tigers would come back for the win, but the Rabbitohs managed to hold them off and the final score was 29 to 18.  The game was so much fun and I enjoyed watching the fans almost as much as the game.

Netball

After we went to watch junior rugby on Sunday, we went to Heffron Park to see netball.  The first week I was in Sydney, I saw netball on television and I was a little confused with what was going on.  After learning about it in lecture, I was excited to actually see it in person now that I knew the rules. 

One of the first things I noticed about the girls was the uniforms they had.  It almost looked like a combination between biking tops and a cheerleader’s skirt.  It was a different change compared to women that play basketball in the States.  All of the outfits were so colorful and bright.

Another thing I happened to notice was how tall the girls were that played.  I’m sure it made it much easier for the girls to score with the height.  I thought it was interesting that when they are holding the ball, the girls can only pivot on the foot they landed on.  It brings a level of difficulty to the game because it forces the teammates to move and check in order to have the ball passed to them.  When the girls caught the ball in the circle, the defenders had to stay three feet back.  It seems almost impossible to defend from that far back, so it seems the easy to score; if girls are good at shooting, they could easily win the game.  I enjoyed watching the kids in both sports on Sunday; it was fun watching them learn how to play.

Junior Rugby

This Sunday we went to Nagle Park to see junior rugby.  I was really surprised at how many little kids are playing such a violent sport, but I also couldn’t help but notice how cute they all looked running around.  I guess it’s a cultural difference, but every time I saw the little eight year-olds tackle and smash into each other, I was incredibly surprised.  There is such a difference in America, where parents are nervous about their children playing football in helmets and pads.  I noticed how athletic the kids seemed and how aggressive they were at such a young age.  I thought it was a stretch that they would be so willing to hit each other, but then I also saw how much teamwork was involved with the kids.  When a young kid ran like crazy across the field for a try, his teammate gave him a hug after.  Even though the kids are in such an aggressive sport, it’s easy to see that they are building teamwork skills and character; the refs were even really supportive and helpful with teaching the kids the game.

Another aspect of this junior rugby league that I noticed was how many parents were there, supporting their kids and cheering them on.  It reminded me of when I was younger and had soccer games every weekend; families would come out and support their kids at the park all day.  I thought that there would be mainly dads at the park, but I noticed it wasn’t very specific to dads or moms; it was a very good mix of each parent or in most cases, both were there.  All the parents seemed very positive and encouraging to all the kids.  It was definitely a learning atmosphere for all the kids.

Soccer on the Beach

Two weekends ago, before I left for New Zealand, a couple of my friends and I played a game of soccer on the beach.  It was fairly cloudy out and we were watching a game on tv; we decided we didn't want to stay inside all day, so we headed to Bondi to have a little fun.  There was a group of eight of us and only four of us had played soccer either when we were little or competitively.  We started by explaining the rules and setting up a few make-shift goals in the sand.  With four to a team, we had two play striker and two play fullback, with one designated to run back and play goalie.

The four that hadn't played had a difficult time with accuracy when it came to kicking the ball, so we were running all around the beach because we didn't establish sidelines.  We also decided that goals weren't counted if the ball was above chin-level so people who had previously played wouldn't launch one across the field and score easily.

It ended up being a very entertaining and competitive experience.  I realized that soccer is a fairly easy to teach, but that doesn't mean a person will pick it up quickly.  Also, no matter how good or bad a person is at a game, they can still be very competitive, even in a situation with friends.  My team ended up winning the game 10-8; we decided about halfway through that instead of having halves, we would just play to 10.  It was a great way to have a little outdoor, recreational fun during the weekend while playing a little futbol.

Mojo Surf Camp

This past weekend I went up north for surf camp.  I have learned to surf once before in Hawaii but it was about seven years ago, so I wasn’t sure how it would go when I tried it again.  We were up at Crescent Head, about six hours north of Sydney at a beautiful, secluded beach.  Before our first surf, the guys went over some of the rules about being safe in the water and with the board.  We weren’t supposed to have the board in front of us in the water, because if a wave came it could smack us in the face, knock out teeth, or completely knock us out.  We also learned more about rips and how they can actually help surfers, on boards, get out past the breakers.

Once we were in the water, the instructors had us start on smaller waves to get used to the balancing.  I learned very quickly that if your feet aren’t flat on the board and in the middle of the board, you will fall into the water.  The whole first session, I couldn’t seem to get the hang of it.  After we came back from lunch, someone told me if I tried to push up by holding the rails of the board I would make it wobble and make it more difficult for myself; I then tried pushing up in the middle of the board and stood up without a problem.  After that, the rest of the trip was a blast.  

Rugby League Game

After already having experienced a Rugby Union game, I was excited to watch a League game this past Sunday.  It was Redfern vs. Moore Park and most of the men on the teams were aboriginal.  It wasn't a professional rugby game, but it seemed to be either club or semi-professional.

The first thing I noticed about the teams was how big they appeared to be.  Compared to the Union game I was at last weekend, for the majority, these guys seemed much taller and much bigger.  I also think that I may like League a little better than Union because I think I understand it better.  I understand how many players are on the field, and how much tries are worth, but the part I like the most are the 6 downs.  It kind of reminds me of football back in the US, so for me it's a lot easier to follow; the change of possessions, when they kick it down the field is more logical to me.

The other things that I noticed about the atmosphere of the game were that the guys seemed a lot older and that there were a lot of families there.  It seemed like most of the men on both teams were dads and a lot of the kids had on jerseys with their dad's number on it.  I thought the kids were really cute and I loved that all of the men had people there supporting them and cheering them on, especially with how hard they were getting hit on the field!

Rugby Union Game

This past weekend I went with some friends to the Waratahs v. Chiefs Rugby Union game.  I have never been to a rugby game, and I've only seen it on tv a few times.  I have tried to understand the rules but I kept confusing League and Union and I didn't know the terms very well.  Luckily, one of my friends played Union in the States in high school so he was able to explain the scoring and some of the positions to me and I was somewhat able to follow the game. 

We ended up cheering for the Waratahs because a few of my friends were fans.  They won 23-16 so it was an exciting atmosphere in the stadium.  Near the end of the game, we thought the Chiefs were going to take the win because they were only down four with a few minutes left in the game.  They seemed to be coming back.  However, there was a penalty call and the Waratahs kicked a goal that brought the lead to seven.

One of the things that did surprise me was the crowd at the game.  Sydney Football Stadium is a huge arena and I thought that because it was a Friday night it would be crowded.  I don’t think the stadium was even half-full.  For as popular as rugby is, I wasn’t sure why there were so few people.  Even though it wasn’t very crowded, my group had a lot of fun cheering and enjoying the game.

Lawn Bowling

Today we went out to North Sydney to experience Lawn Bowling.  At first it was raining pretty heavily, so we didn't think we would get to participate but luckily it ended up clearing up a little bit.  I haven't seen lawn bowling before, but I heard it was a little similar to bocce ball.

We were split into teams and were competing against each other for points.  It took a while for us to get used to the weighted bowls and how much they would curve when we tried to aim for the jack.  Some people picked it up rather quickly on my team and others had a much more difficult time with the aiming.  I didn't realize how much the weight of the bowl could affect the game and make it that much more difficult to do it well.   I also found that by changing how hard I threw the bowl by even just a little bit, it could completely change the distance and how much it curved by a lot.

After all of the teams played a few rounds, the points were tallied and we were split into a winner's bracket and a loser's bracket for the championship.  My team was in the loser's bracket, but we were all still pretty competitive and had a lot of fun.  I was really surprised at how fun lawn bowling was; at first, I didn't think it would be interesting, but it takes a lot of skill and practice to be good at it.  Most people tried out different throwing techniques, how far out we would aim to curve the bowl, and whether we wanted to aim left or right just to see what would happen.  Everyone that was at the facility seemed to really get into their teams and started cheering when someone placed a bowl close to the jack.  Lawn bowling seems like it is the perfect, relaxing team sport that anyone can play and enjoy.

Sport Internship

Last week was my first week at International Goalkeepers Academy, where I will be interning for the semester.  I thought it was appropriate to blog about it due to its sporting nature.  Although I’m working with the marketing of the company, I am around all of the training and coaching that goes on.  The Academy trains goalkeepers ranging from junior level to premier training.  The facility has a specialized gym, with equipment specifically designed to better train keepers.

I believe the Academy has found a niche market to try and capture because they only focus on keepers in a sport where there are very few players in the position, but the keepers have one of the most important tasks on the team.  The Academy specialized a unique program that uses the most effective techniques, training, and facilities to tailor to the needs of the keepers and they have been extremely successful in doing so.  Many keepers that went through the Academy have progressed on to professional levels of play, and those that haven’t have come away with a unique set of skills that help them master their potential as a goalkeeper.  I’m looking forward to working here throughout the semester and I hope that my marketing skills, as well as my knowledge of goalkeeping will increase.

Maroubra Beach Trip

This weekend was our first trip out to Maroubra Beach to learn about the Nippers, as well as the Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club.  I was surprised at how many parents were helping out in order to teach these kids about beach and water safety; it’s amazing how many people are willing to donate time and money.  I’ve never seen a program run like this, and I think it’s a great idea; I teach swim lessons to children at home in the summer, but it’s not nearly as popular as the Nippers.  It seems to be a great community outlet at such a young age for kids to be social, learn, and stay physically active.

The Surf Living Saving Club also seems to be a great organization.  Being that the age range is young teenagers on up, there are a lot of people that participate and join the club for a variety of reasons.  I found it understandable that most of the younger kids join as a social outlet, because I would probably have joined for the same reason.  It was also interesting hearing how much a sense of community is felt after longer periods of time, and that’s why people continue to join, year after year.  The members may pay a small fee, but the atmosphere and sense of belonging that they get is worth the price.

Seeing both Nippers and Surf Living Saving Club enforced that being around the beach and participating in sport is not only for social interaction, but for a stable, supportive environment for both kids and adults.