COCHING SPORTS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE:

Benefits Of Quality Athletic Gear - By: Todd Winslow

With the right shoes, you will be more comfortable and have more control over your body when running, jogging, jumping, sliding, or landing. Quality sports shoes should offer cushioned support in the front, sides, and heel so your foot absorbs the least amount of shock as possible. Adidas is famous for offering shoes that can give you this support and more. Whether you are shooting hoops, running bases, or trying to make a goal on the soccer or lacrosse fields, the right pair of shoes can give you an edge. Adidas shoes have been tested time and time again on professional and amateur playing fields by those who are serious about their game.

Adidas is an established company that manufacturers shoes and other clothing, as well as warm up gear, jogging gear, and gear that is designed for the specific sport that you are playing. This means that athletes can find Adidas soccer clothing or shoes, as well as Adidas classics, which will be the good old fashioned Adidas that you are looking for. When viewing sporting goods items, you’ll find lots of different things, such as NBA gear, Adidas superstar gear, and other kinds of Adidas shoes, such as Adidas soccer shoes, Adidas running shows, or even Adidas originals. You can also find the clothing and gear you want, like an Adidas jacket, or Didas by Stella McCartney. The company is know for their comfortable and quality products.

Adidas is also well known for their clothing line. Everything from warm up gear to Adidas soccer clothing is manufactured. Choosing the right workout clothing is almost as important as finding the right shoes. Workout clothing should be comfortable, allow you to sweat easily, and protect you from rain and other weather conditions. An Adidas jacket can be worn over t-shirts and other gear. Thus, saying that workout gear is not only appropriate for the gym. If you are a basketball fan or you know someone who is, buying jerseys and other items can make a great gift. Accessories include bags, visors, and hats.

Being sure you are clothed with proper shoes and proper clothing is one of the most important aspects to being active and successful in sports. Having uncomfortable shoes and clothing can only inhibit your abilities and distract you from your goals and successes as an athlete. Therefore, be certain you take proper care to ensure you are wearing the most appropriate clothing and shoes for you and your sport.

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Let Out The Athlete In You - By: Todd Winslow

Adidas is a name that has a thunderous ring in the sports industry. Primarily focusing on the manufacture of clothing and shoes that appeal to athletes, professional sports stars, and the hobbyists alike, this German company was able to soon dominate the market with its superior products. Even though financial scandals netted the company some less than flattering headlines in the 1980s and 1990s, the quality of Adidas shoes, clothing, warm up gear, and jogging apparel are too superior to other brands and the apparel giant was able to simply slough off the bad press by separating itself from those who caused the headlines.

In what many consider a stroke of genius, Adidas entered into a highly successful partnership with Stella McCartney – yes, she is the daughter of the Sir Paul McCartney – who has built a reputation not on her parentage but on her ability to design clothing and fashion accoutrements that are highly sought after. Designing jackets for the Adidas store, she even has fashioned one of them to read “suitable for sporty vegetarians” which adds contemporary style to athletic chic.

With Adidas, you will most likely be impressed by their wide selection of shoes. Adidas shoes, whether you are looking for the famous Adidas soccer shoes or the Adidas running shoes, are probably some of the most recognized footwear in the world. The Adidas 1 is the new flagship of the line; it incorporates the use of a microprocessor to impart the ultimate comfort and support to its wearer.

At this point in time, Adidas soccer sponsorships have made the brand visible and the Adidas classics, the NBA jackets, and the Adidas superstar collection have brought many new customers into the stores. Considered retro by some, the Adidas originals and even some of the well used Adidas jackets are flying off the shelves in the specialty stores and even eBay has begun to exhibit more and more collectible Adidas wear. Giving back to the community, the company sponsors the Ateneo de Manila University team as well as a number of American teams.

Quite possibly a revolutionary program that the company has unveiled is Mi Adidas. While the idea of customizing articles used during athletic endeavors is not new, the fact that an athlete can now adapt a shoe to fit her or his personal footwear needs is indeed new and in the past carried with it a hefty price tag. Yet by allowing this process to be offered to athletes worldwide via the Internet, the sheer amount of consumer demand has permitted the prices to remain lower than you would expect and it is this spectacular service that sets apart Adidas from the rest of the sportswear manufacturers and showcases its commitment to the serious athlete and the novice sports man or woman alike.


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Quest To Help Athletes Perform - By: Todd Winslow


From the beginning, Adolf Dassler wanted a line of sports shoes that would help athletes perform their best regardless of the sport in which they competed In 1949. When the company began, its founder took his name and formed Adidas and it got its first major boost in 1954 when Germany battled Hungary on the soccer field wearing the newest Adidas shoes with removable studs. Cited as being a competitive advantage, Adidas began a reputation of working to make the best better.

Moving into track and field events, Dick Fosbury launched the Adidas brand even higher when he won the high jump wearing Adidas footwear and the company’s name was officially associated with success. As Dassler envisioned, the right footwear for the right sport would give the competitor the edge they needed to secure a win in any event. For about the first 50 years the company focused on manufacturing, design and sales of competitive sports footwear, but in 1990 switched ot strategy to marketing and after buying Reebok, another sport shoe manufacturer and Taylor Made golf equipment, the company’s growth took off.

With a wide range of sport related products and a history of excellence in the sport shoe and equipment manufacturing, the growth of Adidas is assured to continue through the next century. With a diverse customer base, Adidas has another competitive edge, while not relying on a single segment for future sales growth. Taylor made has been a top name in the golf world for years and its continued reign near the top of the equipment list will keep it on the edge of the finest equipment in the sport.

Competitive athletes have an affection for the Adidas brand and its history of giving them an edge in competition. This same reputation follows the brand into the lives of consumers who are sports minded, yet not professionals. Amateurs as well as weekend warriors and finding the Adidas advantage in their escapades. Additionally, consumers with a bent toward fashion are finding that Adidas products not only perform well in competition, they also look good.

By aiming the product mix to the consumers of that particular brand entity is helping Adidas maintain its market share in the three main areas of shoe sales, professional sport, amateur sports and fashion. While golf equipment is handled by the Taylor Made division, Adidas and Reebok golf shoes are completing the equipment outfitting of the world’s golfers.

As the company goes back to their reputation of providing athletes of any level the competitive level regardless of the sport in which they compete, they are finding new customers and bringing back existing customers with high performance, high fashion products. With Adidas-Taylor Made golf products, including Maxfli golf balls, the fashion sense combined with quality high performance equipment reaches another segment of the competitive sports world.

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Things You Should Know About The Olympics - By: Matt Wagner


The Olympic Games first took place in 1896 in Athens, Greece. The Olympics took place to bring athletes together from all over the world in an effort to promote world peace. Today the Olympics still hold those standards. The goal is to educate youth through sports and teach friendship and sportsmanship. The Olympic Games include a variety of individual and team sports.

In 1920 the Olympic flag was presented. The flag contains five interconnected rings with a white background. The rings symbolize the five significant continents and are symbolize the friendship to be gained from these international competitions. The rings are blue, yellow, black, green, and red. These colors were chosen because at least one of them appears on the flag of every country in the world.

The Olympic Games are held every four years. The Olympic Games are held throughout the world. The location of the games changes each time. Two locations are chosen each time. One to host the Winter Olympics and one to host the Summer Olympics. The next Olympics will take place 2008. Beijing will be the host.

Participating in the Olympic Games is a very special honor. The participants spend hours each day training and preparing for the games. They often have to move far from home to be close to Olympic training facilities. Qualifying for a spot on the Olympic team varies for each sport. However dedication, skill, motivation, hard work, and a desire to win are a part of the right formula for anyone dreaming of participating in the Olympic Games.

The best team or individual in each event is awarded a goal medal. The second best is awarded a silver medal, and third place earns a bronze medal. In 1896 first place received silver medals because gold was considered beneath silver. At the Olympic Games in 1904 held in St. Louis gold replaced silver as the first place medal. The gold medals presented today are actually made from sterling silver. They are then covered with a thin coat of pure gold.

Regardless of the medals earned, the Olympic Games give athletes the opportunity to present their knowledge and skills. The Olympics are very popular because of the competition and because they bring people from all countries together for a short time to not only compete with each other, but to remind us of the quest for peace among all nations.

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Spiritual Energy and the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games - By: Dzagbe Cudjoe

The ability to focus spiritual energy for a clearly defined purpose is something that the peoples of the Asian and African continents understand well. I was not surprised to learn that the dates of the opening of the Olympic games had been decided on astrological principles. It would seem that they were very wise to have followed the omens.

Sport, sound, color, sex, movement, music, dance can, like most things in life, be a means of raising energy to spiritual levels. These energies carry a powerful universal message. The Chinese clearly wanted to demonstrate this fact to the world. How well they succeeded! An awareness of the duality of all things pervaded the occasion, silence-sound, light-dark, male-female.

The opening ceremonies of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games were ones of panoramic splendor. At a distance all the participants looked like identical siblings. Thanks to TV and large screens in the Bird's Nest close ups revealed the participants as individuals.

Throughout both ceremonies great attention was paid to detail. There was one performance where the young women had gold eyelashes when they looked down which were black when they looked up. There was a certain amount of adverse comment in the Press that the women had clearly been carefully screened for good looks. However, if anyone was appearing as an individual body shape and good looks were of no concern. There is no denying the fact though that the sight of beautiful people releases and heightens our energy of appreciation.

Earth, Air, Fire and Water were all symbolically acknowledged . The colors of the costumes had been chosen with meticulous care and added their own energy to the scenes.

At points when the energy levels were no longer completely controllable the cheerleaders came into their own dancing indefatigably for hours on end. One such point was the entrance of the atheletes. It is a time when the spectators interest and concentration can become very sporadic. The fact that the teams entered the Stadium according to the Chinese system may actually helped as most for most foreign spectators it was not possible to pre-judge the entrance order and that probably helped to hold their attention.

Very occasionally a host nation comes up with an element that should become a part of the ritual of all opening ceremonies. Personally I felt that having the athletes and officials walk through colored pigments was one such element. The picture created was an aesthetically and energetically powerful action of unification and an effective way of melding the many different energies. The variations on this idea are endless.

The energy of the ceremonies always flowed harmoniously punctuated by staccato elements so the interest of the spectators did not flag. Even gestures of politeness became aesthetically significant and through this took on greater meaning as when the young women lined up on either side of the red carpet turned with balletic grace as the VIP's went past.
When patterns were formed individuals were shown moving around and finding their places within an extremely intricate whole. One source of action flowed seamlessly into another.
Children and older people when featured were treated with respect.

Usually there is a definite hiatus between the Olympic and Paralympic Games which was not the case with the Beijing Games. The energy created by the former carried over to the latter. The Opening Ceremony manifested to the world the great leaps which disability issues have made in large areas of the world. It also brought home the wide spectrum of disabilities and how the athletes have triumphed often over enormous odds. It also proved that disabled athletes are far fitter than most able-bodied people.

None of us will easily forget what became a tiny figure in a wheelchair hauling himself up on a rope to ignite the Paralympic flame. It was not an easy ascent and showed so powerfully the struggle to overcome and reach a worthwhile goal.

Again as at the Olympic Opening Ceremony there were the beautiful firework displays which seemed to be carrying all our hopes and aspirations heavenwards. At both ceremonies there was breathtaking aerial work which was filled with symbolic meaning as in the descent of the sunbird.

At the Paralympic opening ceremony there was much choreography based on the all-encompassing figure of the circle. The emphasize throughout the opening of the Paralympics was not just focused on the contribution of disabled people as athletes but also on their contribution in many cultural spheres. There was the blind male singer (I deeply regret that I do not know his name) with a magnificent voice who was backed by a superb choir. The music was Chinese but was clearly chosen so that it would appeal to a world-wide audience. We had the spectacle of the Galaxy being born and the incredible dance by three hundred white clad deaf girls. Who can forget the little girl who lost a leg in the terrible earthquake in June dancing in her wheelchair and holding one red pointe shoe aloft. She was surrounded by dancers doing pointe work with shoes on their hands instead of their feet.

This feast of the senses continued to include a moving recital by a blind pianist and a cartoon dance with two thousand children symbolizing light, harmony and bravery. Another very large group of children gave an astonishing display of synchronized acrobatics.

Even when the spectators did not understand the lyrics the mood came across and people were moved. "Thanks to Wind and Rain" was sung in English as was "Flying to the Heavens with Love". Was this to show China's commitment to the environment?

The entire ceremony was devoted to showing the peaceful interaction and interdependence of all life.

The true human cost to the Chinese people of the Beijing Olympics 2008 is likely to remain unknown to the outside world. Clearly China did not entirely fulfill some of its' important commitments. We have, however, received a clear and positive message as to how China wishes to interact in peace and harmony with the world in the future. Some aspects of the ceremonies mirrored aspirations which have yet to become realities but nevertheless China deserves sincere thanks and gratitude for two magnificent and meaningful opening ceremonies.

The London Olympic 2012 symbol suggests to me that the basic concepts have not been understood. The shapes making up the symbol are disjointed and disharmonious. The Olympic rings which are the most important element have been reduced to insignificance.

London has a hard act to follow - not just because of limited finances but because a clarity of vision and true imagination are essential to a successful opening ceremony. London has all the elements necessary to produce a magnificent spectacle. Let us hope it does so. Cliches such as a London Bus, tea parties, street dancing and drumming are not going to do it!
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Coaching Sports to Build Confidence - By: Bruce Smith

How do you correct your athletes without them loosing confidence in themselves? This is the real trick of coaching - knowing how to preserve your athletes' self confidence when you need to correct them. Here is a list of ten suggestions for challenging your athletes while still maintaining their confidence.

1) Set high intentions and make it a "we" goal

The best words you can say to your athletes when they made a mistake is "I know your better than that." This one liner strengthen their belief that you have faith in their ability and that you know they are capable of performing at much higher level than what they are currently showing. Then turn the challenge into a "we" goal that lets the athlete know that together you will tackle the problem. Making it a "we" project shows your athletes that you are willing to ally with them to help them get better.

2) Understand mistakes are not deliberate

Most mistakes players make are not done on purpose. Athletes want to play well, not only for themselves, but also for their coaches and teammates. Realizing your players errors are not intentional can be challenging at times, but initially the best course of action is to support them and encourage them to correct it.

3) Allow players to play through mistakes

Although it is not always easy, a great way to demonstrate your confidence in an athlete is to allow them to keep playing through their mistakes. Give them a opportunity to correct themselves within the game situation rather than pulling them out and immediately offering your feedback. Allowing athletes to self correct and learn from mistakes provides them with an chance to learn resiliency.

4) Do not tolerate excuse making

In order for an athlete to take ownership for their success, they must also take responsibility for the shortcomings and own the corrective process. Taking responsibility for their success develops a player's esteem and confidence. Taking responsibility for their errors demonstrates a high level of maturity and, after correction, boosts a player's confidence. The successes they own develops a deep foundational confidence level in their ability that they will need when the inevitable series of short falls comes along.

5) Keep your feedback factual and focused on the solution

Many times coaches can get caught up in the emotions of the moment. At times like these, the feedback is emotionally charged and can lead to statements the coaches wish they never said. Instead of focusing on the problem, help athletes focus on the solution.

6) Target the critique on the behavior, not the player

When giving criticism, make sure the focus of it is the athlete's behavior and not the athlete themselves. Criticizing the behavior allows a person to keep their confidence intact because their behavior can be changed and corrected. However, if you criticize them as a person, they cannot help but take it personally.

7) Sandwich the constructive feedback with positive statements

What happens when a player's coach always find fault in what they are doing before mentioning anything good? The player become defensive right away and tunes the coach out. By surrounding the constructive feedback between positive reinforcements, the the player is more willing to listen and take corrective action.

8) Provide feedback in a one-on-one environment

Ever heard the phrase "Praise in public, criticize in private." When praising athletes in front of their peers, it does a lot to build their confidence. On the other hand, when you criticize athletes in public, you embarrass them in front of their peers that raises their defensive mechanism. An athlete's pride in their performance is what get them through the tough moments

9) Reinforce past successes and strengths

Athletes can build their own self-confidence by focusing on their strengths and past successes. One of the best things a coach can do is to remind them of how successful they are and provide concrete examples of this success. Refocus your athletes on their strengths.

10) Always provide hope

A coach must adopt a mind set of hope. The worst thing you would ever want them to do is to give up. If they ever sense you have given up on them, they will either give up on themselves or lose all respect for you and give up on you as a coach. A major factor in a player's confidence level comes from their belief that the coach has confidence in their athletic ability.


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Enjoying netball - By: Sunil Jajodia


Human beings have enjoyed participating in sport for thousands of years, and many games have developed over time. One of the more recent games is net ball, which was invented in the United States in 1895 by Clara Gregory Baer, as a lady’s version of basket ball, which had emerged a few years beforehand, but was played primarily by men. At this time in history, women’s sporting clothes were not particularly practical and would have made playing basket ball awkward, which was the primary reason for the amendments made to the game to produce net ball. Today, net ball is played by people all over the world, but is probably most associated with Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and the United Kingdom.

There is potentially more interest than ever in challenging and fun sports, as everyday people become worried about unhealthy lifestyles surrounding junk foods and sedentary occupations. People are becoming image conscious from a young age and are concerned about their weight. Unfortunately this can become an unhealthy obsession for some people who take dieting to extremes, so it is very important to teach people the right way to stay fit and healthy. If people want to live a healthy lifestyle and take part in regular exercise, this should be encouraged from a young age. Schools tend to offer a range of sports in physical education lessons, and in their gym supplies room almost always have netball equipment, as the game is considered both fun and fashionable. Outside of schools, gyms and clubs sometimes offer net ball lessons for those who are really keen on the game,
Communities are becoming more aware that there are not as many activities for young people as there should be. There is a fear that if needs are not met then there will be an increase in antisocial behaviour as teenagers hang round outside with nothing much to do and nowhere to go. Youth clubs could provide an answer to this problem, as they are often well attended when they are up and running. Generally, the clubs focus on the interests of young people, from music and art to sports. Quite a few have netball equipment as this is a popular game. Those who are starting up a youth club or maybe just a small fitness group should consider purchasing some netball equipment. The game is great fun for people of all ages and provides an exciting way of keeping in shape. The kind of netball equipment that is purchased will depend on the budget of the group, and also on their long term ambitions – those who plan to go professional will need good quality, pro standard kit.

No matter why an individual or a group decides to take up net ball, a key thing to remember is that leading a healthy and active lifestyle should be fun. For those just embarking on diets this may seem miles from the truth, but after some initial successes, it is clear to see how regular exercise can keep up your spirits.

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Women's Wrestling- Why Not? - By: Belinda Belle

Women's Wrestling? That's right. And why not? Contact sports like women's wrestling are not for everyone, but the ladies that do it, do it because the love it. Why do they love it? Well, being that I have been in the sport for over 25yrs, and having made a living from it, I think it is safe to say that I know a thing or two about it.

Yes, women's wrestling, (also known as female wrestling or girl's wrestling) like other contact sports, is physically demanding and mentally challenging. The women that indulge in it are smart, competitive, creative and physical gals that love engaging in the challenges that women's wrestling offers.

In all the years I've been wrestling, it still provides a challenge to stay at the top of my game both mentally and physically, but it's also just plain fun!

Fitness Benefits
Women's wrestling has some great fitness benefits outside of just being great fun. It keeps you in excellent shape! Great muscle tone and great cardio! Plus, in this stressful world, it is a wonderful stress reliever! So why not women's wrestling? Let's just touch on a few items on health.

Women's Wrestling Provides Stronger Bones
In Pro Women's Wrestling, we constantly take what we call "bumps," or falls to the canvas. The benefits of these bumps are stronger, denser bones, which we all know that women need, especially as they get older.

Women's Wrestling Body Awareness And Confidence.
The body awareness you acquire is tremendous and carries over into all walks of life and all other sports.

Women's wrestling is also a huge confidence builder! Not only with some of the moves, which I call fear moves, but also in knowing that you have trained up and can compete, the confidence built up in engaging in women's wrestling is a great character builder. Just learning some of the moves is a wonderful confidence builder, knowing that you can take care of yourself and that you have excellent body awareness.

Women's Wrestling Offers Self Defense
And may I also mention self-defense! Lots of women are timid by nature, and that is a beautiful thing, but that can leave them wide open and venerable. Women's wrestling helps them develop the skill and confidence to protect themselves!

Women's Wrestling Offers Stress Relief
And again, stress relief! Go pound around on the mat, take some bumps, take someone down or be taken down, wrestle with all your strength, not thinking about anything else, except how to over-power or out-maneuver your opponent, and when it's all said and done, you're relaxed, calm, balanced. You don't need pills, video games, or TV. Just what comes natural to all of us, like kids-- just wrestle! It's super fun and aren't we all just kids anyway?

Women's Wrestling Offers Fetishes
I know you might be thinking - Oh, women's wrestling is a fetish. Might I say, yes, you're right. But there are also car fetishes, book fetishes-- you name it there is a fetish for it.

I will say though that just because we are women who wrestle, there will always be a sexual overtone just by association. That is simply human nature. If a woman is in the business of selling real estate, a lawyer or just selling hot dogs, there will always be some kind of sexual overtone. We are sensual creatures, and thank God for that! We understand this and don't care what certain societies label us. We love the fight game, studying our craft and looking damn good doing it!

Women's Wrestling And Mixed Wrestling
What's more fun than to really get competitive against the physically stronger sex! Either if you're in for a fun semi-competitive match with your husband or boyfriend, or a real competitive match, you're sure to not only learn your strong suits but you can improve on your weaker ones.

So that is why Women's Wrestling! Give it a try Ladies-- you just might discover the beautiful inner Diva you've been looking for your whole life!

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