CHECK OUT OUR PROMO VIDEO

Hey guys, this video is something that we came up with and it's basically a mock of a commercial promoting our blog.
I, Tim, directed and edited it, Jeremy and Kenny acted in it and filmed themselves. As a team we brainstormed the ideas for it getting our inspiration from older tacky commercials, we came up with this. Hope you guys like it and take a look at it and tell us what you think in the comments section.

Becoming a better athlete: Jeremy's guide to necessary mental skills #sportvariations #soccer #gridiron #mentalskills

Mental preparation and abilities are just as paramount to athletic success as physical capabilities. Mental strength and fortitude, in conjunction with mental preparation, is now seen as a significant aspect of elite sports, with most big sporting franchises acquiring 'sports psychologists' to assist players in mentally preparing and being ready for upcoming games.

However, not only do successful and elite athletes require great mental attributes. Any outstanding athlete, whether they be at an elite level or not, are committed to being the best that they can be within the scope of their limitations – other life commitments, finances, time, and their natural ability. They set high, realistic goals for themselves and train and play hard. They are successful because they are pursuing their goals and enjoying their sport. Their sport participation enriches their lives and they believe that what they get back is worth what they put into their sport.

A list of essential mental skills include:

1. Choose and maintain a positive attitude.
2. Maintain a high level of self-motivation.
3. Set high, realistic goals.
4. Deal effectively with people.
5. Use positive self-talk.
6. Use positive mental imagery.
7. Manage anxiety effectively.
8. Manage their emotions effectively.
9. Maintain concentration.

These skills are not only instinctive, but can be learned and acquired, and can be improved through instruction and practice. 

There are 3 phases for the aforementioned 9 skills. Although each of the nine skills is important, its primary importance will occur during one of three phases: long-term development, immediate preparation for performance, and during performance itself:

Long-Term Development

The first 4 mental skills listed above: attitude; motivation; goals and commitment; and people skills, constitute a broad base for attaining long-term goals, learning, and sustaining daily practice. They are needed on a day-by-day basis for long periods of time, often months and years. These are referred to as basic skills, and require the most emphasis in initial training, as they are the foundations for long-term development.

Immediate Preparation for Performance

Mental skills number 5 and 6 from the aforementioned list: self-talk and mental imagery, are used immediately before performance to prepare for performance. They maybe used just before competition begins, or immediately before a specific performance action, such as a golf shot or a free throw in basketball. 

During Performance 

Mental skills 7, 8 and 9 from the list: managing anxiety; managing emotions; and concentration, are all utilised during actual physical performance. These attributes are the most difficult to master, as they require not only practice and skill, but mental fortitude. 

The 3 phases of skill acquisition is deciphered in the following diagram: 

- Jeremy

Becoming a better athlete: Jeremy's guide to necessary physical skills #sportvariations #soccer #gridiron #physicalskills

Athletic ability is a combination of 2 fundamental elements: physical attributes and mental attributes.  Soccer, as stated in a previous blog, is referred to as the 'world game,' and is played in over 200 countries worldwide. Soccer is a multi-faceted sport, requiring a combination of various skills and talents.Gridiron, like soccer, is a sport played globally, despite its North American dominance. In order to improve your ability in both soccer and gridiron,  you must train and practice to improve in numerous different aspects pertinent to both games. However, this blog, and the one following this, will seek to outline ways of improving overall athletic and mental abilities that are relevant to both sports, allowing for an increase in performance and preparation. This blog will focus primarily on overlapping physical attributes particularly important to improve as an athlete, with the next blog focusing on mental preparation and fortitude. The 3 aspects of physical attributes that I will focus on in this blog are:

1. Speed / Acceleration
2. Muscular Endurance / Cardiovascular Fitness
3. Strength

Speed 
Speed is a crucial element of both sports that has a variety of purposes. Speed allows attackers to move beyond the defender with relative ease, which in soccer allowing dribbling and passing to be done at a faster rate, increasing the chance to score more goals. In gridiron, speed training will allow for an individual to have an acceleration and sprinting advantage over his opponent, allowing them to sprint around or beyond their opponent to increase chances of scoring a touchdown. Conversely, it also assists in defence. This is done by being able to chase after oncoming defenders who have gotten past you or other team members, or by being able to rush up the field to stop the offensive team from making metres, which is relevant in both soccer and gridiron.

Above: Speed is important in both soccer and gridiron.

Muscular Endurance / Cardiovascular Fitness

These physical attributes permit both offensive and defensive teams to play at a higher level for a sustained and prolonged period of time, in both soccer and gridiron Increasing endurance and fitness permits an offensive team to score at later stages of the game when opposition fatigue levels are high, while allowing the defence to sustain their sturdiness in blocking the opposition's attacking advances. 

Strength

Strength is an element that is relevant to both gridiron and soccer players, but is most heavily relied upon for success in gridiron players. Strength refers to the quality or state of being physically strong. In soccer, strength allows attacker to brush off defenders who are attempting to win the ball of the attacker, whilst allowing defenders to win the ball off attacking teams. 

Strength, however, is relevant particularly to gridiron players. Gridiron players are tested annually for their bench press abilities, which is directly associated with overall strength. The higher one's bench press maximum is, the greater chances they have of being picked in a side, and subsequently succeeding as an athlete. Strength is fundamental in gridiron as it is a game with heavy collisions and significant body contact. The greater strength players have, the more chance they have of being able to bust tackling opponents (as an attacker), or make an effective tackle (as a defender).

- Jeremy

Improving your Oztag with Tim #6 #sportvariations #Oztag #TagRugby #advancedskills #advancedplays

So you have your normal plays such as the XY, double X, block, cut out etc. But these are only some of many plays in the great game of Oztag. The plays that have already been explained are the core to most advanced plays.

Rugby in general is a very free flowing game, even though you have a game plan and a play that you would like to run, there are a lot of variables that come into play and if the situation does not line up with your desired play there needs to be some sort of adaptation from your attacking part. By using plays there are different options that will allow you to maneuver around or through the defense. However in higher levels of the game most if not all players will understand and know these core plays, this will result in those defensive players to read the play and shut it down because they know where your players are crossing and running to. This mean that you need to have more plays! Not necessarily, if these core plays are executed properly with the right momentum, it is more than enough to score a lot of points however there are some variations to these plays that can definitely catch the defenders off guard.

Put two plays together

What this means is that you can execute two plays in the one tackle count. For example, from dummy half you can pass it to the first receiver then he/she can run a block, person 2 who is sweeping around, can then run another play such as a cut out ball. So then player 2 will then become player 1 and run the second play.

BLOCK

CUT OUT BALL

 Merge the plays

Another variation of plays is that you can actually merge 2 plays together. So what you can do is run a double X but then fake player 3 and then run another play such as a block or drifter. Similarly to before, player 1 who runs the double X play will then become player 1 again in the next play with the next 2 people in the drifter play.

Double X

Drifter

By using these variations of plays, it keeps the defenders on their toes for not only 1 but 2 different plays giving the attacking team more of a change to go through or around the defense.

- Tim

How to improve in League of Legends and e-Sports in GENERAL !!! #esport #whatsport #mouse #keyboard #worlds #nerds

In the early posts of this blog, we aim to break the norm of sports and extend the notion of 'physical extension' to playing video games. As we have researched earlier, scientists and studies have actually proved that professional gamers have superior mind-muscle connections in comparison to traditional athletes!

Gaming has gradually become a platform for players to show their competitive edge and skills as well as their personalities. Thereby, a lot of the players would do extensive research to improve their skills to take their play to the next level. League of Legends is no exception to that. With a comprehensive ranking system, players are entitled to earn their rankings through playing 'ranked games' that are more competitive to casual play styles.

Individual skills are important and provide the basis for your contribution towards the team. In the game of league of legends, the embedded play style of an online battle arena embraces real-time strategy, planning, reacting and individual outplays. Individual mechanics such as hitting skill shots, knowing the limits of the champion as well as the itemisation play important roles in game play performance. The combination of keyboard control and mouse manipulation is the physical performance which can be practiced through constant playing time and real-time reflexes exercises!

Faker - known for one of the most mechanically sound player in League of Legends history

Teamwork is also vital in the video gaming and League of Legends demonstrates how important communication is to the team's success. Teamwork and group adhesion are also evident in traditional sport, where team plays will beat individual excellence. As a result, setting roles and lanes in League with a primary shot-caller in the team would improve the synergy overall and improve in capturing objectives!

Team Origen - xPeke the captain facing backwards, at the crowd.

-Kenny (43801641)

Soccer: From the field to the console #videogames #soccer #FIFA

Soccer, as with American Football, has produced one of the most successful video gaming franchises of all time with FIFA. FIFA is a annual series of football association (soccer) video games and simulations released by Electronic Arts under the 'EA Sports' label. The series released its first iteration in 1993, titled 'FIFA International Soccer.' From 1995 onwards, there has been an annual release titled 'FIFA XX,' with the 'XX' referring to the last two numbers of the year the game was released in. For example, the current FIFA is titled 'FIFA 16,' as it is released for the 2016 calendar year of soccer.

FIFA is notable and distinct from all other competitors by being the primary and first holder to rights and licenses for real life players, stadia and equipment. This allows the use of real leagues, clubs, and player names and likenesses within the games.

Above: The current iteration of FIFA, with Lionel Messi being the 'face' of the franchise since FIFA 13.

The annual release of FIFA is accompanied by additional instalments based on major tournaments (this complementary instalment is released separately). For example, in 2014, a 'FIFA World Cup 2014' game was released in conjunction with the running of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil that year. 

FIFA chooses a 'face' of the game to be presented on the front cover. This player is often one who is the most popular with the fans, whilst also containing exceptional and world class ability. Since FIFA 13, EA Sports have chosen Lionel Messi, 5 time world player of the year, to be the face of the franchise, appearing on the front cover of every edition following FIFA 13, while also being the primary focus of promotional campaigns and advertisements. Messi replaced Wayne Rooney, who adorned the cover of FIFA for 7 consecutive years prior to FIFA 13. 

The FIFA franchise has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling sports video game franchise in the world, and one of the best-selling video game franchises. Also FIFA 12 holds the record for the "fastest selling sports game ever" with over 3.2 million games sold and over $186 million generated at retail in its first week of release. The franchise's latest release is FIFA 16, released on September 22, 2015 in North America, and September 24, 2015 in Europe and Australia. The game is available on multiple platforms including Playstation 4, Xbox 1, PC and older generation consoles.

The following is a trailer of the FIFA 16, which promoted the game prior to its global release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwz98athxQ8 

- Jeremy

Improving your Oztag with Tim #5 #sportvariations #Oztag #TagRugby #advancedskills #diving

Diving

Jumping in Oztag is not allowed if it is used to evade a tag. However diving when going for a try or going for a tag is allowed. Diving is a skill that can be developed however it does take a while to dive safely for both yourself and other people around you. The way that I like to dive for a try is to first make sure that there is space to dive. It is easier when you have space right in front of you instead of a defender. So creating that sort of space by moving your body in between players is crucial. This can be done by stepping sideways to create that space.
Once there is room to dive there is a certain technique to it to dive safely. To make the most out of the dive it is easiest when you are at a running pace, this is because if you are from a standstill, the speed of the dive will be slower, also the distance that you can cover will also be less. Coming from a running speed there really isn't that much need to crouch and get ready to spring forward, this is because you already have a lot of speed and there is no need for that. Instead it is best to jump off just your front foot by leaning forward and when your body is about 40 degrees from the ground, you fully extend your front leg to spring you forward. This takes a lot of practice and confidence because if you pull out of a dive halfway through it can be dangerous in the landing.
Now it seems easy to just propel yourself however what stops most people from diving is the landing part. There is a safe way to land and there are some easy steps for you to practice. In any sort of acrobatic stunt there are always some easy steps that you can get confident at before attempting the full stunt. So before committing to the whole dive first, you can practice these simple steps.

First, from a standstill position, you crouch.
Then you lean forward on both your toes and essentially tip over.
But before you hit the ground, you straighten your legs and you should land on the floor whilst sliding forwards a little with both your arms tucked in. You should aim to land on both your stomach and your chest not on your sternum (between the chest and stomach) also with both your forearms touching the ground whilst they are tucking in tightly otherwise there is a risk of winding yourself (landing on your sternum hard and not being able to breathe well for a couple of seconds). Tensing the abs and chest helps to prevent winding yourself.

Once you have this down begin practicing from a slow jogging pace. So you begin by jogging at a slow pace, then you lean forward, then before you hit the ground you extend your legs and jump a little to land whilst making sure that your arms are tucked in tight. Once you have the hang of this practice with a ball in one arm whilst the other is out stretched forward. Then try to dive with both hands stretched out remembering to tense the abs and chest. Practice whilst gripping a ball in either one or both hands and putting the ball down. Then slowly begin to up the pace.

Once you have this technique (diving forward) you can practice diving around players. Even though the optimal position to dive is straight and through defenders, there will be times when diving around players is necessary. This is done in a similar fashion except the landing is slightly different. To land this type of dive, a player needs to roll away as they land and make sure that they do not land of their shoulder because this can cause injury to the shoulder.

Essentially to successfully complete a dive, you need to follow the momentum of your body. If you jump straight up then your next movement will be down straight into the ground...this hurts...a lot trust me. So you need the momentum of your body to be going parallel with the ground to get the most distance but more importantly landing safely. This action is very similar to an airplane laning, the plane doesn't land like a helicopter but it attempts to hit the ground whilst going forward as much as possible.

Futsal Soccer #sportvariations #futsal

Indoor soccer, commonly known as 'futsal,' is a variation of soccer (football), derived from the typical forms of association football. Futsal is adapted for play on a smaller, and generally indoor arena, and was originally formed by the United States and Canada, allowing them to enjoy the game of soccer in the winter months when snow would make outdoor play difficult. Futsal can be considered a version of 5-a-side soccer.

Futsal is a game played between two teams of five players each, one of whom is the goalkeeper. Unlimited substitutions are permitted. Unlike some other forms of indoor football, the game is played on a hard court surface delimited by lines; walls or boards are not used. Futsal is also played with a smaller ball with less bounce than a regular football due to the surface of the field. The surface, ball and rules create an emphasis on improvisation, creativity and technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces.

Above: A typical outdoor futsal arena. 

Futsal started in 1930 when Juan Carlos Ceriani Gravier, a teacher in Montevideo, Uruguay, created a version of indoor football for recreation in YMCAs. This new sport was originally developed for playing on basketball courts, and a rule book was published in September 1933. His goal was to create a team game that could be played indoor or outdoor but that was similar to football. Ceriani, writing the rule book, took as example the principles of football (the possibility to touch the ball with every part of the body except for the hands), but he took rules from other sports too: from basketball the number of team players (five) and the game duration (40 actual minutes); from water polo the rules about the goalkeeper; from handball for the field and net’s sizes. The result is a lively, evolved, dynamic, active and supportive sport.

- Jeremy

Badminton #normalsport #shadowcock #racketsport #racket #asian

Badminton is a recreational sport played by either opposing players or two opposing pairs. The gameplay takes place on opposite halves of a rectangular court divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racket so that it passes over the net and lands on the other side of the court.

A rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the floor, or it a fault has been called by either the umpire, or when a player is enable to return a rally. The shuttlecock is usually feathered, with a plastic bottom combined to cause an unique aerodynamic trajectory. The feathers create much higher 'drag', causing a shuttlecock to decelerate and drop at a faster rate than 'round' balls used in other racket sports.

To start a proper rally, opposing players have to serve to opposite rectangular sections marked on the court. In comparison to service in tennis, badminton serve must be hit below waist height and with the racket shaft pointing downwards. The shuttlecock is not allowed to bounce, and players must stand inside their service courts unlike tennis. During the service, let is called (as the ball hits the net), then the shuttlecock is to be served again.

Equipment used in badminton include the racquets, shuttlecocks, a properly drawn badminton court and lightweight joggers with no specific requirements. However the gears used differ as competitive tournaments impose certain standard of equipment used during game play. Overall, badminton is best for an indoor play, as weather may affect the natural trajectory of the shuttlecock.

World Champion Lin Dan dives for a shot!!

-Kenny (43801641)

Improving your Oztag with Tim #4 #sportvariations #Oztag #TagRugby #attitude #chemistry

Yesterday was my weekly Oztag nights that I play in the Homebush competition. It became that attitude still so important just like any other sport. We versed a team that, skill wise, was worse than our team however the score was very tight as we only won by one point. Our team chemistry was also a huge contributing factor that lead to making the game so much closer than it should've been.  These are just some tips that would help build more team chemistry and keep team spirits high.

Positive communication

Communication is absolute crucial in any team sport, so there is no difference when it comes to Oztag. However people receive criticism in different ways so it is important to cater for your teammates. Sometimes communication is simply not enough, then you need to be using positive communication. This is simply encouragement. When mistakes are made, there needs to be words of encouragement otherwise teammates can play a lot worse than their actual potential. Sport in general is largely mental so even though someone may be very capable physically, if their mental game is weak most likely when difficult situations arise, they will not perform well. 

Respect the referee

Also listening and respecting the referee's decisions are very important. There needs to be an understanding that the referee is also human and will make mistakes. In saying that the referee also has feelings and if they feel like being very strict there really is nothing that players can do but just continue and play the game. If you complain to the referee, they may become more strict on your team which is not good if you want the win. So respect the referee.

Have a game plan (be specific)

Having a game plan before every game is important. I know it seems obvious because generally the plan is to win and score. But this goal needs to be more specific such as how will we score, what are some areas of the game are we weak in. Specific goals would include, making sure we are talking in defense, shutting down their key players and listening to key playmakers. These goals are more like reminders for your teammates and also having these reminders before the game also help to get your teammates in the right mindset and ready to play.

When I played my game on Monday night, our team did not have a game plan and so we were very unorganized and it seemed as though people in our team just didn't feel like playing that night. This then leads to my next point.

Listen to your playmakers and always be ready

Listening to your captain or playmakers throughout the game is very important. They are generally the most experienced and have the best vision in the game meaning that generally when they direct the team in one direction it is for the best for the team. However like most sports very little goes perfectly to the game plan and every one makes mistakes. The ball may get dropped or someone may not be in position, there are so many things. Which means that when you play the game, it is important to be able to adapt to the many different situations that will arise during the game. Taking your own initiative is important and can be crucial for your teams success on the field.

By listening to your play makers and captain team chemistry can be build team chemistry because everyone on the field is listening to one person. It's a little like driving a car, there is one driver in a car, imagine if everyone in the car wanted to drive at the same time...the car wouldn't go anywhere or they would crash. There needs to be a leader to help direct the team.

In the end just enjoying the game is the most important aspect that will help in attitude and team chemistry. If you are enjoying and having fun all these tips that I have noted will come naturally.

Football (Soccer): The World Game #normalsport #football #soccer

'Football,' formally referred to as 'association football,' is a competitive sport played between two opposing teams of 11 players. The game is commonly referred to in Australia as 'soccer,' due to other sporting codes being referred to as 'football,' such as rugby league and rugby union. Soccer is played with a spherical ball, and is played globally by over 250 million people across 200 countries. 

The game is played on a rectangular field with a goal at each end. The object of the game is to score by getting the ball into the opposing goal. The goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms while it is in play and only in their penalty area. Outfield players mostly use their feet to strike or pass the ball, but may also use their head or torso to do so instead. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is level at the end of the game, either a draw is declared or the game goes into extra time and/or a penalty shootout depending on the format of the competition.

Above: A soccer ball crashing into the net of the opposing team, constituting a goal for the attacking side.

Field and Equipment:

The following rules are derived from the set of rules known as the 'Laws of the Game,' formulated in England in 1863 by the 'Football Association.' 

• The field is to be 100-110 metres in length, and 64-75 metres in width. 
• The boundary lines on the vertical edge of the field (carrying across the length) of the are called touchlines, and the boundary lines on the horizontal edge of the field (across the width) are called bylines. 
• Rectangular goals are placed in the middle of each bylines, meaning there is one rectangular goal on each side of the field. The goal is to be 7.32 metres in width (between the vertical posts), and 2.44 metres in height (from the ground to the horizontal post). Nets are generally placed behind the posts, but are not required by official laws.
• In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 metres from the goalposts and extending 16.5 metres into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by a penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs, goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks.

Above: Standard Pitch Measurements

• Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes), one of whom must be the goalkeeper. Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are a variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws.
• The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards. An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials.
• A game is officiated by a referee, who has "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed", and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees. In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise.

Above: The on-field referee is the primary official in all games. 

- Jeremy

Improving your Oztag with Tim #3 #sportvariations #Oztag #TagRugby

Plays

Plays in Oztag are important and these are just some of the basics. All plays in Oztag are used for a reason which is generally to create larger holes and gaps in the defense to make it easier for attacking players to run through without being tagged. In the diagrams shown defenders are the letters and the attacking players are numbers.

XY (pronounced by saying the letters X and Y)

This is a very basic move in all codes of Rugby. It is simply when the first receiver (number 1 in the diagram) will be holding the ball then run forward then cut across to run in between defenders B and C. They will then dummy or pass the ball to player 2 when the two lines cross. If player 1 still has the ball they will continue running in between the defenders B and C, player 3 will then follow their line running straight in between defenders C and D and player 1 can either hold onto the ball themself or pass it to player 3.

1 = player 1 red line symbolizes where the player needs to run. 2 = player 2 blue line is where player 2 needs to run. 3 = player 3, brown line is where the player 3 needs to follow. Diagram of XY

The reason as to why this play works is because player 1 will cross in front of defender B, this means that the defender needs to go for only one person or else either attacking player will be able to easily run through. So lets say for example defender B chooses to tag player 1 when they cross in front of them. It is the role of player 1 to see that defender B is going for them so they should pass it on to player 2 who is cutting behind them. When player B goes for player 1 he/she moves further away from defender A creating a larger gap in between the two defenders which makes it easier for player 2 to run straight through.

If say for example player B decides to fall for the dummy and go for player 2, player 1 should then run in the now larger hole in between defenders B and C. This causes defender C to look at player 1 and forces them to go for player 1. This then creates a large hole in between defenders C and D for player 3 to run straight through.

 XX or Double X

When performing a double X it is very similar to the XY however instead of player 3 continuing to run their line straight, they instead cut inside, behind, player 1 as shown in the diagram.

Double X

 The reasoning for a Double X is very similar to an XY. It simply makes the defenders have to choose which attacker to go for.

Drifter

A drifter is when both players 1 and 2 move up together first then begin to drift across the field, this is used to draw defenders B and C away from the middle are so that player 3 can run behind player 1 and receive the ball in between defenders A and B.

Drifter

 Cut out ball

A cut out ball is self explanatory. Player 1 will cut out player 2 and pass it straight to player 3

Cut out ball

 Block

A block is when player 1 will run straight then player 3 will cut at an angle and run between defenders B and C. Then player 2 will sweep around and run between players C and D. 

Block

 Plays generally take a while to get used to so don't stress too much if all this technical language is a little hard at the start. Things become a lot easier when versing actual people. These plays can be incorporated in training sessions or games if your team would like to up their skill level and attempt to play at a slightly higher level.

- Tim

The evolution of American Football into a video game #videogames #sport #Madden #NFL #gridiron #AmericanFootball

American Football has, like many other sports with a reasonable global following, manifested into a video game. The American Football video game franchise is title 'Madden,' followed by the year in which the game is desired to represent. For example, the current edition of 'Madden' is 'Madden NFL 16,' referring to the upcoming 2016 season. 'Madden' is the name given to the game, as it is the name of one of the most prominent NFL players of all time (remember - NFL is the largest American Football organisation / competition in the world). John Madden, the man in which the game was named after, is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, the highest individual accolade one can receive upon playing American Football. John Madden has also won the Super-Bowl as a coach following his playing career.

Above: John Madden as depicted when receiving his Hall of Fame induction. 

The Madden gaming franchise, taking into account all of its incarnations, has sold over 100 million copies world wide. To put that into perspective, that is around 5 times the population of Australia!!! The game is now seen as an extraordinarily realistic simulation of real life American Football, with coaches and players even stating that they have used the game as a way to improve their respective teams. The first version of Madden was released in 1988, and was coined 'John Madden Football,' with the developer of the game - Electronic Arts - releasing an annual edition since 1990. The name changed from 'Madden Football' to 'Madden NFL' in 1993 when the franchise acquired all the rights and licenses to the teams, players and other things associated with the NFL, allowing them to use the NFL name in the title. The current game has star wide-receiver of the New York Giants on the front cover. The front cover of the game is generally given to the most popular NFL player as decided by the fans, who vote for the player on the front cover.

Above: The Madden NFL 16 front cover featuring Odell-Beckham Jr.

There are a variety of ways of playing the Madden game currently available (Madden NFL 16). 

Single Player Kick-Off

This mode simply refers to when 1-8 people can play offline against either the computer, or against one another. The mode offers a one-off game where people can fine tune their skills, while competing against the computer or against their friends. Ways to play: 

- One person can verse the computer.

- One person can verse another person. 

- Two people can be on the same team versing the computer.

- Two people can be on the same team versing 1 or more people on the opposition team.

- Up to 4 people on each side versing each other.

Single Player Franchise Mode

This mode seeks to replicate the day to day administrative duties of a real life head coach, in addition to the simulation and playing of a season. This mode puts the player in control of a club, making him the coach, and giving him free reigns to control their favourite club to lead their club to championship glory.

Online Seasons

Online Seasons is simply a one vs one concept where one player can find a match with another person across the globe and play using any team they choose. This mode is increasing in popularity due to the improvements of internet speed worldwide, which have allowed for smoother and faster online gaming.

- Jeremy

Basketball Training! #bball #dribbling #drills #crossovers #anklebreakers #oooffftt

Basketball is an interactive sport that requires high physicality and intensity to play. The competitive nature of the sport brings out the edge out of every person to win the game. Therefore, in order to be able to win it all, you must have what it takes! LETS ROLL

Dribbling
Dribbling requires you to bounce the ball with either one of your hands whilst you move or stay stationary. It is one of the basic movement required to learn and master if the players are ready to take their game to the next level. First and foremost, being able to dribble with your head up is vital to the succeeding in a game of basketball. With your heads up, you are able to read your defenders as well as your teammates' movement, whilst showing your self-confidence to your defenders!

Thereby, dribbling drills are much required to improve your handling skills! Drills such as drilling zic-zac around the cones can be a starter to your training. The goals of the training is to learn and practice how to handle the ball with BOTH of your hands. Off-hand dribbling is important, as mastering such skill will allow you to beat your defenders through both left and right, thus keeping your defenders honest.

More advanced techniques such as cross-overs, behind-the-back moves that are demonstrated by elite NBA players require creativity as well as confident handling of the ball. Players such as Steph Curry, Jamal Crawford, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose are the masters of ankle-breakers! Make sure to check them out on YouTube as you can take a page or two out of their books.

-Kenny 43801641

Improving your Oztag with Tim #2 #sportvariations #Oztag #TagRugby

Improve your defense

Defending in Oztag is half the game. Many people would argue that in all sports, defense wins games, so it is very important to be good at defending. It took me a while to get used to defending in the game. Coming from a Rugby background I understood the dynamics of attacking but struggled in defense as there are less people and the art and skill of ripping someone's tag off is surprisingly difficult.

Best way to rip someone's tag off

USE BOTH HANDS! I don't mean use both hands to go for just the one tag, but use one hand to aim for one tag then use the other hand to go for the other tag. This is possibly the most effective way to be an absolute iron wall for your team. The reason as to why you should use both hands is because by using both hands you force yourself to get closer to your opponent making it more difficult for the attacker to run away from you. Also if the opponent attempts to avoid you by twisting or spinning, because you have both hands around their waist sometimes the tag can just land in your hand, meaning all you have to do is just close that grip like an eagle and pull. As you get better and play more Oztag, you will notice that you don't really have to look at the tags when you want to tag them but you can accurately put your hands on their tags and when this is combined with using both hands, it becomes very difficult to attack against you.

Defender using both hands to go for both tags. This creates more chance to tag the attacker

But what if they're out of reach?

I'm glad you asked. If they are out of reach, diving for a tag to get into range can also be very effective (however this should only be used when the attacker is just out of reach, diving towards an oncoming attacker is dangerous for both players). This skill does require a lot of practice and will take a lot of time to master or even get decent at it, so don't worry too much if it's too hard, there are not that many people that can do it well anyway. The basics of performing a diving tag is to first spot the target (the tag), the dive and making sure that your whole body is fully stretched including your arms and legs to reach your maximum range. Then you grab onto the attackers tag and rip it right off.

Great diving tag...much wow

I'm still no good at tagging :(

That's ok~ more experience playing the game will get you better, but in the mean time defending as a team is the most crucial way to be a good defender. To be a good team defender communication between your teammates is paramount. If there are more attacking players on one side than defending players, it is so important for you to communicate to your team to slide across to help each other out. Also communication when the attacking team is attempting to use a play is crucial as players will cross over each other and switch, this means that as defenders we need to see what is happening in front and adjust. Defenders need to talk to each other and mark up on the correct players when a play is occurring to nullify it.

Defending as a line is also a crucial part in being a good team defender. If the defensive team is in a straight line, it becomes very difficult for an attacking player to run through. This is because they need to run in between two people and worry about both of those players tagging them, however if the defense is not in a straight line, the attacker can run around and evade one player at a time which is much easier than evading two defenders at a time. 

Staying on your toes is also very important in defending because there are a lot of quick and agile players that will be able to step or juke you, so by staying on your toes and being in a position to change direction is important because there will be players that will be very good at changing their running direction very quickly. 

Simply put, to get better at defending is just play more Oztag!

- Tim

American Football / Gridiron #normalsport

American Football, known as Gridiron outside of the USA, is a sport played by two teams of 11 players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The sport is primarily played in the USA and Canada, and can be classified as a modification of Australian variations of football. Although there are many parallels that can be seen between American Football and Australian versions (rugby league, rugby union), Gridiron is in essence a slower paced game due to the constant stopping and starting at the conclusion of each down (effectively a tackle in rugby league).

The team in offence is the team with possession of the oval-shaped football. This team may either run or pass the ball, while the defensive team must seek to stop the advancement of the ball in order for them to take control of the ball themselves and become the offence. For the offensive team to keep the ball, they must advance the ball 10 yards or more in their 4 downs while they have possession. If they fail to do so, the ball is handed over to the other team by a punt or a handover (if the offensive team decides to run the ball on the 4^th down and fails to go beyond the 10 yard line). However, if the offensive team is successful in advancing the ball 10 yards or more over the course of 4 downs (or less), the offensive team will be rewarded with a new set of downs in which they will seek to advance the ball 10 yards or more yet again. Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team’s end-zone for a touchdown – which results in 6 points – or by kicking the ball between the opponent’s goalposts for a field goal – which results in 3 points if it is in general play, or 1 point when it is to convert a touchdown.

 Above: The End-zones are located on each end of the field, being about 10 yards in length and 70 yards wide. The goal posts are situated at the end of the End-zone, being 18 feet and 6 inches in width. 

American Football is the most popular sport in the United States, with a participation rate of nearly 1.1 million athletes in high school, in addition to 70,000 college athletes. From college, athletes are admitted into the ‘NFL Draft,’ where the nationally represented teams in the NFL (National Football League) are able to draft players for college to allow the collegiate athletes to perform in the highest possible level of American Football. The NFL has the highest average attendance of any sport league in the world, with its championship game – the Super Bowl – ranking amongst the most watched club sporting events in the world.

 Above: A sold-out crowd at the most recent championship game in the NFL - known as the 'Super Bowl' - played in 2015, hosting up to 90,000 spectators in the ground and almost 1 billion people watching on TV. 

- Jeremy

The upsurge of E-Sports #e-Sports #isitreallyasport #whatissport #competitive #prizepool

E-Sports as known as competitive gaming or 'pro-gaming' is a recognised term for multi-player video game competitions. The players who are involved in the competitive scene are now recognised as professionals, which are entitled to a salary and an appropriate working environment. The upsurge of the E-Sports scene was embarked by the early games of CS 1.6 and DOTA, where the majority of the classic online games provided for the most of the small tournaments held in the early 2000s.

The most common video games with electronic sports are real-time strategy, fighting, first-person shooting and multiplayer online battle arena. The consoles used in tournaments may include normal computers, ps3, ps4, Xbox 360 and early Nintendo units.

With the increase popularity of competitive gaming, there is an increase number of sponsored tournaments around to world that host international competition. Tournaments such as the International DOTA 2 Championship, the League of Legends World Championship, the Battle.net World Championship, the Evolution Championship Series, the Intel Extreme Masters, provide online live broadcasts of the gameplay and a generous prize pool for the qualified competitors.

It is estimated that 71 million people worldwide watched some sort of competitive gaming. The significant figure of viewers are contributed by the increasing availability of online streaming media services, such as YouTube and Twitch.tv.

BUT are e-Sports really sports?
The classification of video gaming has been pertinently controversial, as gaming lacks the physical extensions required to participate in the 'sport'. The traditional sense of 'sport' comprises of 'physical activities with outdoor playing elements', which contradicts the indoor gameplay of e-Sports - where players are literally sitting there and play games!

However, the terminology of e-Sports has broadened over the years due to its increased popularity. E-Sports have argued to be consist the elements of 'planning, timing and execution' and these basic concepts are also entrenched in the traditional sports. The lack of 'physical activities' of e-Sports is further debated, as professional gamers are required to have superior mind-muscle connection and reflexes to perform at the highest level of play.

-Kenny (43801641)

Improving your Oztag with Tim #1 #sportvariations #Oztag #TagRugby

Basically my background in sport is that I played rugby league in multiple positions (mostly in the forwards) from when I was 9 years old (I am currently 20 now) I stopped playing when i was 18 and then began to play Oztag when I was 19 and absolutely fell in love with it. I know I'm not a great player that can give you all these awesome tips but I play very regularly now and would like to share with you some tips that might help you get better at Oztag/Tag rugby. 

I play for the Korea National team (based in Sydney) that will be competing in the 2015 Oztag/Tag Rugby world cup that will be held in Australia, Sunshine coast on the 4th-6th of December. As a team we play in a local competition in Meadowbank to improve our game and also train on Sundays to refine certain team skills. From these games there are a lot of things that I have learnt and incorporated into my game that has improved it dramatically.

Improve attacking

Hip twisting

From what I have learnt and been taught about attacking in Oztag is that, hip twisting, when used correctly, has a major impact on the game. Essentially the aim of hip twisting is to avoid a defender without jumping, stepping or fending the player. As I am a relatively big bloke my agility is no where near close to those faster smaller players, therefore hip twisting for me is important to get past defenders. The timing of the hip twist is very important and good defenders will wait for you to twist your hips first then go for your tags, so waiting for the defenders to actually go for your tags first then twisting your hips is important. To use this evading maneuver properly you need to be running in between defenders then just as you are about to pass the defensive line, or a defender is about to tag you, you twist/rotate your hips quickly to move your tags away from the defenders grasps, after your successful hip twist you take off and put the ball down over the try line. Hip flexibility certainly helps so stretching before and after your game is very important as you don't want to hurt yourself.

Here we see an example of Hip twisting to avoid a defender

Playing with the ball in hand

When your attacking with the ball, hip twisting is only one of the various things that will make you a dangerous weapon the is difficult for the opposition to stop. When you are holding the ball, it helps to hold the ball in both your hands instead of tucking it under your arm. This is because if the ball is tucked under your arm there is a very little possibility that you will be able to pass the ball therefore the defenders will know that you are running and be able to just focus on you and not worry about any of your team mates that might be supporting you. If you are holding the ball in both hands, you are presented to the defending team as a larger threat as you may look like you might pass the ball instead of just running it yourself. From this position you have 3 options, you can either pass the ball to the player next to you, or throw a dummy pass to trick the defenders or you can just run past the defensive line. 

Holding the ball in two hands to pose a larger threat to defense

Also when you have the ball, it is beneficial for you to run in a relatively straight line towards the oppositions try line because that way you can make more meters for your team. Running sideways should only be used very rarely in certain circumstances however passing the ball to your teammate is much faster than you trying to cover the same distance on foot.

Playing without the ball in hand

When playing without the ball in hand is just as important as playing with the ball in hand. If you see your teammate running, it is very helpful for them if you run along side them and supporting them. When you are running with your teammate the defenders also need to worry about you because if the defender goes for your teammate, who has the ball, but he/she passes the ball to you, you are able to gain more meters or even score a try because you are given the opportunity to run past the defensive line. 

Standing deep is a term used that means when you are attacking, it helps to stand some meters behind the ball because that way you can run onto the ball when it is passed to you. By running onto the ball you get to start with a run up so when you have the ball in hand you are at a higher speed than if you were to try and run from a standstill. So it helps to stand deep and run onto the ball for more speed with the ball.

Plays

Plays is a term used with an attacking team maneuvers themselves by crossing behind or in front of each other in an attempt to confuse the defending team. Knowing how to do plays is important in Oztag in higher levels of the sport. Many great teams are able to perform and execute plays that can create overlaps (more attacking players on one side of the field than defenders) or space for their teammates to run the ball. However sometimes running the ball straight and simply passing along from teammate to teammate can be the most beneficial. 

Other

Even though the aim of the game is to not get tagged, there are instances were getting tagged may be the best option. In higher levels of the sport something called settling is very important. This is when an attacker will purposely get tagged by the defender (whilst still moving) to get a quick play the ball. This is enable his/her team to try and catch the defenders offside (when defenders are not 7 meters in front of the play the ball). By settling the ball, this puts the defenders on the back foot allowing the attacking team to get a penalty or simply run past the defensive line.

Example of settling the ball so that his team can get a quick play the ball to put the defenders on the back foot

 

Simply practice and more experience in the game will help you improve your offensive skills. These are just some things that I have learnt from playing the game and also playing with some very talented Oztag players over the past year. 

- Tim

 

Oztag/Tag Rugby #sportsvariations

UK

Tag Rugby/Oztag

Tag rugby, or Oztag is a non-contact team game in which each player wears a belt that has two velcro tags attached to it, or shorts with velcro patches. The mode of play is based on rugby football with many similarities to touch rugby, although tag rugby is often deemed as a closer simulation of the full contact codes of rugby than touch. Attacking players attempt to dodge, evade and pass a rugby ball while defenders attempt to prevent them scoring by "tagging" - pulling a velcro attached tag from the ball carrier, rather than a full contact tackle. The sport is great fun for both genders and all ages as there are many competitions in Australia that allow for teams to enter and compete for some social fun.

Dimensions of the field

The dimensions of the field are 50 meters wide and 70 meters long. It is about the same size as half of a normal soccer/rugby field. 

Rules

The rules of oztag are very similar to rugby such as the knock on, no forward pass and correct play the ball however there are some slight differences between the two.

Basic rules are there is a maximum of 8 players on the field per side.

Once a player has removed a tag, they drop it to the ground, marking the area where the play the ball should occur.

Only one marker

The attacker is not allowed to protect his/her tag from defenders such as a fend, however hip twisting is allowed, however jumping is not allowed to avoid a tag.

There is no dead ball line,

Defense must be back 7 meters. 

Kicks are not allowed to be over shoulder height.

The try line becomes the dead ball line once the ball is kicked. 

Defensive line is allowed to move forward once the dummy half has touched the ball.

An example of hip twisting to evade a defender attempting to tag

- Tim