Unit 6 - Sports Skills

Unit 6- Sports Skills

A01 :


In this AO, i have been asked to describe the laws of my 3 chosen sports, Football, Gymnastics (vault) and Olympic Weightlifting.


The Laws of Football

Law 1-Field of Play



Football can be played on a natural or artificial (e.g. Astroturf) surface. However, the shape of the field must be rectangular, with the dimensions of 100-130 yards long by 50-100 yards wide. Notably, the guidelines for international matches are stricter (110-120 yards x 74-85 yards).


Law 2-The Ball

                                                      
   Must be naturrally spherical with a circumfrence of 27-28 inches                           

Law 3-Number of players




One of the eleven is classified as the goalkeeper and permitted to handle the ball in his team’s penalty area. The eleven players are supplemented by the option to bring on a maximum of three substitutes from a pre-decided list of three to seven players (the number of substitutes permitted is slightly higher for international friendly matches).



In order to bring on a substitute, the referee must first be informed and then there has to be a break in the play (for example, a free-kick or a throw-in). The substitute then comes on as a replacement for one of the 11 current players.


Law 4-Equipment




Basic equipment is the team jersey, shorts, shinguards with socks and studded boots or trainers depending on the surface. The goalkeeper is also permitted gloves and a different coloured jersey for identification purposes.



Law 5-Referee


The referee adjudicates the match in collaboration with two linesmen (properly referred to as ‘referee’s assistants’) and a fourth official, situated on the touchline, if necessary. The referee’s tasks include acting as a timekeeper (although with advice on the amount of ‘injury time’ to be added on to the 45 minutes each half to compensate for injuries and other stoppages), awarding free kicks and penalties and generally dealing with anything requiring a ruling. Can also choose to allow play to proceed in case of a foul, providing there is an ‘advantage’ to be gained by the team against which the foul has been committed.


Law 6-Assistant referees



Follow play from their respective touch lines and help to decide on throw-ins, corner kicks and goalkicks along with offside decisions (although naturally the referee has the final say). Can also draw the referee’s attention and advise on or alert him/her to any on-field activity, which can influence all manner of decisions. To signify their decision or grab the referee’s attention, they wave a brightly coloured small flag, which they keep at all times.


Law 7-Duration of the match



The match officially lasts 90 minutes, split into two 45-minute halves with a half-time interval of no longer than 15 minutes.

In the knock-out stages of competitions, extra-time is used if there is no winner after 90 minutes. This extra period is 30 minutes, split into two 15 minute halves. If extra-time does not find a winner, then a penalty shoot-out takes place, where five players from each team are selected and alternate shots on goal from the penalty spot against the opposition goalkeeper. In that instance, the team with the most successful penalties is declared the winner. If they are still tied then they will move on to sudden-death penalties, where each team will take one penalty until one of the two sides has scored move than the other after the side amount of spot kicks.


Law 8-Start and restart of play


A coin toss takes place just before the game starts, the winner of which will get the choice of choosing which end to attack or whether to kick-off. Should they choose to kick-off then the other captain will be allowed elect which end to attack in the first half. Should the winner decide to choose which end to attack then the loser can choose whether to kick-off in the first or second half.

The kick-off is also used after a goal has been scored, the task befalling the team who has conceded, and for both halves of extra-time.
At the kick-off, players from each side must all be in their half of the field. The actual kick-off takes place on the centre spot in the centre circle. The player who kicks off cannot touch it again until another player has made contact.


Law 9-Scoring


A team can only score if the whole ball crosses the goal line between the goalposts. The winner is the team who scores more goals, except in a competition where the ‘away goals’ rule applies. The ‘away goals’ rule means that, if a team scores a goal away from their home stadium, the goal counts extra (therefore, a 1-1 scoreline would mean the away team wins).


 Law 10-Offside


To be in an offside position is to be closer to the opponent’s goal than the last opposition outfield player (therefore excluding the goalkeeper) and the ball. However, to commit an offside offence is to have the ball played forward towards you while in that position. As such, you can be in an offside position and not commit an offside offence.

The rule is further complicated by the fact the referee or his assistant must adjudge you to be ‘active’ in the play before giving an offside decision against you. This can be obvious, for example if you touch the ball in an offside position, but it can be extremely nebulous. The official rule states ‘active’ as meaning “interfering with play… or an opponent… or gaining an advantage by being in that position”. However, as you will find as you watch more and more games, what one referee or linesman considers to be active can be very different to another individual’s interpretation, and the offside rule is generally a major debating point.

There are other factors to consider which can exempt you from the offside rule. You cannot be offside in your own-half of the pitch, for example, and you cannot be penalised for being in an offside position when a goal kick, throw-in, indirect free kick or corner kick is taken.


Law 11-Fouls and Misconduct


A foul can take place anywhere on the pitch, and a free kick is awarded where that foul takes place (excepting fouls in the penalty area, which result in a penalty kick). The referee can choose simply to award the foul, speak to the player about his conduct or take matters further.


Law 12-Punishment for offences


If the single infraction is deemed serious enough or the culprit persistently offends during a match, the referee can choose to take extra action against a particular individual:
  • Yellow Card - A ‘caution’ given to a player. If two of these cards are shown to the same player, it means a…
  • Red Card - Showing a red card to a player means he/she is expelled from the match. A straight red card (no previous ‘caution’) can be shown for extreme offences such as serious foul play, violent conduct, spitting, deliberate hand-ball to prevent a goal, a professional foul (denying a goalscoring opportunity) and insulting language and/or gestures.

Law 13-Free kicks


Whenever a free kick is taken, the opposition must be at least 10 yards away from the ball until it is delivered. If this rule is not adhered to, the kick is retaken. There are two types of free kick awarded, depending on the nature of the offence:
  • Direct free kick - Allows the team to take a direct shot at the opponent’s goal. Awarded as a result of fouls with evidence intent to harm or reckless/excessive force (e.g. a sliding tackle which takes the player first, shirt-pulling and a deliberate hand-ball).
  • Indirect free kick - A direct strike on goal is not permitted, meaning any shot must come from the second player to touch the ball after the kick is taken. If a direct strike is successfully made on goal, a goal kick to the opposition is given. An indirect free kick is awarded for any foul which is dangerous or impedes an opponent.
An indirect free kick can be awarded in the case of a passback offence, a fairly uncommon foul in the game. This is given if one team’s player passes the ball to the keeper, who immediately picks it up rather than taking a touch with his feet. The free kick is subsequently taken wherever the goalkeeper picked the ball up.


Law 14-Penalty kick


A penalty kick is awarded for offences taking place in the penalty and goal area. A nominated member of the team awarded the penalty is allowed a strike at goal from the penalty spot (12 yards from the goaline), with only the goalkeeper to beat. The goalkeeper must remain on his line until the ball has been kicked, and all other players must be outside the goal area behind the penalty spot. After he has taken the kick, he cannot strike the ball again without another player touching the ball.


Law 15-Throw-in


A throw-in is awarded when the whole ball crosses the touch line (conceded by the team who last touched the ball). It is delivered off the field of play with both hands and from behind and over the deliverer’s head. Otherwise it is deemed to be a ‘foul throw’ and a throw-in is given to the opposition. It cannot go direct to the goalkeeper’s hands (if on the same team) and you cannot score directly from a throw-in.


Law 16-Goal kick


A goalkick is awarded once the whole ball crosses the goal line if it last touched an opposition player. The ball can be kicked from anywhere inside the 6 yard box but it must cross the 18 yard line before a player can touch it.


Law 17-Corner kick


A corner kick is awarded once the whole ball crosses the goal line of the opposition, after last touching one of their players.It is taken from the corner of whichever side the ball exited the field, in the prescribed quarter-circle space. Opponents must be 10 yards from the corner arc and the kicker cannot touch the ball a second time without contact from someone else beforehand (or the opponent receives an indirect free kick).








Rules of Olympic Weightlifting

1.Bodyweight Classes 

Mens

Up to 56.00 Kg
56.01 Kg to 62.00 Kg

62.01 Kg to 69.00 Kg

69.01 Kg to 77.00 Kg
77.01 Kg to 85.00 Kg

85.01 Kg to 94.00 Kg
94.01 Kg to 105.00 Kg

105.01 Kg and over         


Womens

Up to 48.00 Kg

48.01 Kg to 53.00 Kg

53.01 Kg to 58.00Kg

58.01 Kg to 63.00 Kg

63.01 Kg to 69.00 Kg

69.01 Kg to 75.00 Kg

75.01 Kg and over







2.The Two Movements


1)The Snatch
The referees give the signal to lower the barbell as soon as the lifter becomes motionless in all parts of the body.

2)The Clean & Jerk

The First Part, The Clean:

The bar is placed horizontally in front of the lifter's legs. It is gripped, palms downward and pulled in a single movement from the platform to the shoulders, while either splitting or bending the legs. During this continuous movement, the bar may slide along the thighs and the lap. The bar must not touch the chest before the final position. It then rests on the clavicles or on the chest above the nipples or on the arms fully bent. The feet return to the same line, legs straight before performing the jerk. The lifter may make this recovery in his/her own time and have his/her feet on the same line, parallel to the plane of the trunk and the bar-bell.

The Second Part, The Jerk:

The athlete bends the legs and extends them as well as the arms to bring the barbell to the full stretch of the arms vertically extended. He/she returns the feet to the same line, arms and legs fully extended and waits for the referees' signal to replace the barbell on the platform. The referees give the signal to lower the barbell as soon as the lifter becomes motionless in all parts of the body.



Incorrect movements and positions for all lifts

  • Pulling from the hang.
  • Touching the platform with any part of the body other than the feet.
  • Uneven or incomplete extension of the arms at the finish of the lift.
  • Pause during extension of the arms.
  • Finishing with a press-out.
  • Bending and extending the arms during recovery.
  • Leaving the platform during the execution of the lift, i.e. touching the area outside the platform with any part of the body.
  • Replacing the barbell on the platform before the referees' signal.
  • Dropping the barbell after the referees' signal (in front or behind).
  • Failing to finish with the feet and the barbell in line and parallel to the plane of the trunk.Failing to replace the entire barbell on the platform, i.e. the complete barbell must first touch the platform.


    






Adjudication of Lifts


1) Operation of the Electronic Referee System


After the visible and audible "Down" signal and before the "Decision lights" operate, the referees have three seconds to reverse their decision, e.g. if after a completed "Good lift" the athlete drops the barbell, the referees have to press the red button and the red "Decision lights" light-up indicating "No lift".



2)The Manual Referee System

This system should also be used in any competition where an electronic referee system is in use but momentarily fails for any reason.



4.Competition Procedure

1)Entries- A technical conference is held 1 day before the event where the final nomination of competitors is done 

2)Drawing of lots-  These lots decide the order of lifting in the competition 



3)Weigh in- The athletes are weighed in to determine what weight category they are in



4)Presentation- The competitors and officials are presented in order of lots drawn

5) Course of the competition- Every thing is set up for the lifts and competitors announce what weight they are going to lift

6) Order of calling-  The athletes are judged on their performance



5.Apparatus 


Barbell
Only barbells meeting IWF specifications and approval may be used in Weightlifting competitions. The barbell consists of the following parts:
  1. The bars
  2. The discs
  3. The collars
    4.
The Bar
Different bars must be used for male and female competitors.
The bars must meet the following specifications:


Men’s bar
  1. the weight: 20Kg
  2. the length of the bar: 2200mm with a tolerance of plus or minus 1mm
  3. the diameter of the bar: 28mm with a tolerance of plus or minus 0.03 mm on the smooth part of the bar.
  4. the diameter of the sleeve: 50 mm plus or minus 0.2 mm
  5. the distance between the inside collars: 1310 mm plus or minus 0.5 mm
  6. the width of the inside collar including the collar of the sleeve : 30 mm plus or minus 1 mm
  7. in order to facilitate the grip and the position of the hands of the lifter, the bar must be knurled according to the diagram below.
bar.gif (1999 bytes)

Women’s Bar
  1. the weight: 15Kg
  2. the length of the bar: 2100mm with a tolerance of plus or minus 1mm
  3. the diameter of the bar: 20mm with a tolerance of plus or minus 0.03 mm on the smooth part of the bar.
  4. the diameter of the sleeve: 50 mm plus or minus 0.2 mm
  5. the distance between the inside collars: 1310 mm plus or minus 0.5 mm
  6. the width of the inside collar including the collar of the sleeve : 10 mm plus or minus 1 mm
    7.
  7. in order to facilitate the grip and the position of the hands of the lifter, the bar must be knurled.

The Discs
The discs must meet the following specifications:
  1. have following weights and colours:


25Kg
red
2.5Kg
black

20Kg
blue
1.25Kg
chrome

15Kg
yellow
0.50Kg
chrome

10Kg
green
0.25Kg
chrome

5Kg
white
  1. the diameter of the largest disc: 450 mm plus or minus 1 mm
  2. the 450 mm discs must be covered with rubber of plastic and coated with permanent colours or painted at least on the surface of the rim.
  3. the discs lighter than 10Kg may be made purely of metal
    4.
  4. all the discs must have a clear indication of their weight

The Collars

In order to fasten the discs to the bar, each bar must be equipped with two collars weighing 2.5Kg each.

The Barbell - In General
The tolerance on the nominal weight of each component weighing more than 5Kg must be + 0.1% and - 0.05%. On each component weighing 5Kg or less, the tolerance is +10 g and - 0 g per part.
The bar must be loaded with the largest discs inside and the smaller ones in descending order towards the outside. They must be placed in such a way that the referees can read the numbers indicating the weight of each disc. They must be locked on the bar by means of the collars.

Competition Platform
  1. All lifts must be executed on the competition platform
  2. The platform must be square, measuring four (4) metres on each side. When the floor surrounding the platform has similar or the same colouring, the top edge of the platform must have a different coloured line of at least 5cm width.
  3. The platform may be made of wood, plastic or any solid material and may be covered with a non-slip material.
    4.
  4. The height of the platform must be between 50 and 150 mm.

Electronic referee light system
The electronic referee light system consists of the following components:
  1. One control box for each of the three (3) referees. These control boxes are equipped with two (2) push buttons, one white and one red and one signaling device.
  2. One apparatus giving a visual and audible "Down" signal, to be placed on a stand in front of the competition platform.
  3. Two (2) or more "decision lights" displays equipped with three (3) white lights and three (3) red lights, horizontally placed, showing the referees' decisions to the competitors and the audience.
    4.
  4. One or more control panels, equipped with three (3) white lights and three (3) red lights that light up instantly when the referees press the appropriate button. These control panels, to be placed on the jury table, are also equipped with a signalling device that can be used to call any or all the referees to the jury table.

Information found at http://www.qwa.org/articles/rules.asp










    
    Gymnastics - Vaults


    The vault is one of two events in the artistic gymnastics that men and women perform and there are set rules and guidelines for these events.....

    1)The Vaulting Table:
    All gymnasts vault over a piece of apparatus called the table, a slightly-inclined, metal piece of equipment with a padded and springy cover.
    For men it is set at a height of 4 feet 5 inches (135 cm), while for women it is at a height of 4 feet 3 inches (125 cm).
    In 2001, the apparatus was changed, from a long cylindrical structure (similar to the pommel horse) to the current table. Therefore, it's sometimes still referred to as the vaulting horse. The relatively new vaulting table is designed to be safer for gymnasts because of its large push-off area (its length is almost 4 feet and its width about 3 feet).

    2)Types of Vaults:
    Vaults are divided into five different groups, called families. The most common families performed are the front handspring style, the 1/4 turn in pre-flight tsukahara), and the round-off entry (often called Yurchenko Style).
    Vault styles are broken into various groups. The group a vault style fits into is determined by the action performed during the vaulting movement.


    Vault groups (Men)

    There are five vault categories for men:
    • Direct vaults
    • Vaults with 1/1 turn in the first flight phase
    • Handspring and Yamashita style vaults
    • Vaults with 1/4 turn in the 1st flight phase (Tsukahara)
    • Round off entry vaults (Yurchenko)

    Vault groups (Women)

    There are five vault categories for women:
    • Handspring, Yamashita, round-off with or without longitudinal-axis (LA) turn in 1st and/or 2nd flight phase
    • Handspring forward with/without 360° turn in 1st flight phase, salto forward with/without LA turn in 2nd flight phase
    • Tsukahara style vaults
    • Yurchenko style vaults
    • Round-off with ½ LA turn in 1st flight phase, salto forward with or without LA turn in 2nd flight phase


    Competitors can perform any vault they choose, and usually select the most difficult vault they can perform successfully.



    3)The Phases of a Vault:
    Gymnasts perform five distinct phases to every vault:

    1.                 The Run 

    The gymnast begins at the end of a runway approximately 82 feet or less from the table. (She* may choose the exact distance of the run). She then runs towards the table, building up speed as she goes. When the gymnast is about 3-6 feet from the springboard, she performs a hurdle (a low jump from one foot to two feet) or round-off onto the springboard. 
    What to Watch: Though this part of the vault is not officially judged, the gymnast should be running as fast as possible in order to build momentum for her vault.



    2.                 The Pre-Flight 

    This is the time between when a gymnast hits the springboard and when she makes contact with the table. 
    What to Watch: Tight form is very important at this stage, because a gymnast doesn't want to lose the power built up from her run. The gymnast’s legs should be together and straight, with toes pointed. Her arms should be stretched by her ears.



    3.                 Contact with the Table 

    The gymnast touches the table, and then pushes off with her hands as forcefully as possible to propel her body into the air. 
    What to Watch: As with the pre-flight, it's very important for the gymnast to maintain a tight body position to create as powerful a vault as possible. Think of a pencil versus a wet noodle. The pencil can bounce off the ground on its end, whereas a wet noodle certainly can't!



    4.                 The Post-Flight 

    This is the most exciting part of the vault. The gymnast has pushed off the table and is now in the air, usually performing flips and twists before she lands. 
    What to Watch: Both height and distance are judged, as well as form such as pointed toes and tight-together legs.



    5.                 The Landing 

    The gymnast makes contact with the ground at the completion of the vault. 
    What to Watch: The ultimate goal of every gymnast is to stick the landing -- to land without moving her feet. It's also important that the gymnast land between specific boundaries in line with the table. These are marked on the mat.


           




       AO2
       In this AO, I have been asked to explain the different skills and strategies and techniques used in my three sports.

         Skills Strategies and Techniques in Gymnastics (Neck Spring)


         A successful neck spring will involve 3 main techniques:

    •       The Beat
    •       The Push     
    •       Tension in legs

         Without any of these 3 steps, the neck spring will become impossible.

          The Beat
         The beat is a movement performed with the legs which along with the push enables the gymnast to propel themselves off of the box. To perform the beat, the athlete must have tension in their legs! When the gymnast does a roll on the box, when he/she reaches around half way through the roll, they will 'beat' out their legs which in turn with the 'push' propels them off the box.

         The Push     
         The push is a movement involving the arms,which including the beat helps the athletes to propel themselves off the box. When the gymnast reaches the halfway point in their roll on the box, after beating their legs they must push themselves off the box which in turn provides the finish to the neck spring.


      
         Skills Strategies and Techniques in Olympic Weightlifting


         Overhead Squat
         If we have performed all of these skills and techniques, then we will have performed a successful over head squat...


    1.    Weight on heels
    2.     Knees over toes
    3.     Crease of hip below knee
    4.     Lumbar curve maintained throughout
    5.     Arms locked, Active shoulders
    6.     Bar over frontal plane
         The perfect over head squat should look like this...

    Chris C.--Over Head Squat Max Reps w/95lbs from Crossfit Legacy on Vimeo.

         As we can see in the video, the athlete manages to maintain all of these techniques throughout his Over Head Squat.

      
         Snatch


         Here are some tips and techniques one how to perform the snatch...

      
    1.       Place your feet at a shoulder width stance with the barbell resting right above the connection between the toes and the rest of the foot.
    2.       With a palms facing down grip, bend at the knees and keeping the back flat grab the bar using a wider than shoulder width grip. Bring the hips down and make sure that your body drops as if you were going to sit on a chair.
    3.       Start pushing the floor as if it were a moving platform with your feet and simultaneously start lifting the barbell keeping it close to your legs.
    4.       As the bar reaches the middle of your thighs, push the floor with your legs and lift your body to a complete extension in an explosive motion.
    5.       Lift your shoulders back in a shrugging movement as you bring the bar up while lifting your elbows out to the side and keeping them above the bar for as long as possible.
    6.        In a very quick but powerful motion, you have to get your body under the barbell when it has reached a high enough point where it can be controlled and drop while locking your arms and holding the barbell overhead as you assume a squat position.
    7.       Finalize the movement by rising up out of the squat position to finish the lift. At the end of the lift both feet should be on line and the arms fully extended holding the barbell overhead.
    1. http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/olympicweightlifting/ht/snatch.htm

         If all of these techniques are performed correctly, the outcome should look like this...

      135 KG. Snatch from Christopher Spurlock on Vimeo.
        
        As we can see here, the athlete has used all of these techniques to perform the perfect snatch.

       
        Skills and Techniques used in football


        There are many Skills and techniques in football so i am going to give you the most important
        and fundamental one's.

        Kicking the Ball


        Ground kicks
            
      In order to produce a quality kick you'll need balance and composure. The placement of your supporting foot is just as important as your other, kicking foot. To control the height of your shot or pass, be aware of where your supporting foot is, in relation to the ball. By placing your supporting foot in line with the ball, you will achieve power while keeping your kick low. By placing it slightly behind, you will produce a rising or lofted ball. Your upper body also plays a role when kicking the ball. When you lean back, the ball will rise and if you lean forward your kick remain low and hard.
      In order to get the maximum power from a strike, the knee of your kicking leg has to be above or in line with the ball at the exact moment you make contact. Follow-through in a sweeping motion in direction of your target. If you have trouble understanding this concept, try landing on your kicking foot after you strike the ball.


       Volleys

      When striking the ball in the air, proper balance is essential. Therefore, you need to adapt to the path of the ball by making quick adjustments in your footing. You are ready to swing only after you have positioned yourself at a proper distance from the ball. You should not attempt a volley, if you feel that you are reaching out too far or when the ball is too close to your body for a good swing.
      Some situations may require jumping and volleying at the same time. Stay composed and concentrate on timing your leap.
         Ball Controll


        Receiving

      Receiving is useful When running into space. Try to make contact with the middle or top part of the ball. Tap it lightly in the direction that you want to go. Good footballers can settle the ball into open space, even when under pressure. This often provides an extra step over the defender.

      Trapping
      Trapping is typically used when the ball is going too fast to redirect with your first touch. The most important part here is staying loose and on your toes. You can't adjust to the ball when you're stiff or flat-footed. Try keeping your hips open, facing the direction from where the ball is coming. Put you foot in the path of the ball and cushion it. To cushion the ball, gently withdraw your foot just before the time of contact.



      Heading the ball


        
      Standard header
      To head the ball with a good amount of power you'll need to arch back and swing your head forward. Keep your shoulders leveled and perpendicular to your aim. Contact should be made with the center of the forehead.
      Diving header

      In this technique, you must propell your entire body in the path of the ball. Your arms have to be stretched forward for protection on landing.
      Glancing header

      When executing a glancing header, you must turn your head in direction of your aim. This motion redirects the oncoming ball.
      Flick header

      On flick headers, you are actually making contact with the back of your head. As you arch backward, you direct the ball backwards. This technique is often used by midfielders who have their back towards the opponent's goal.
           
          
           Dribbling 


           Dribbling can be done with the inside, outside, instep, and sole of the foot. You should be able to run with the ball or change direction, while keeping it under your control. When you want to pick up speed, do not kick the ball farther away. Instead, move your feet quicker thus pushing the ball more frequently. When dribbling into space, don't just fix your eyes on the ball. Learn to simultaneously dribble and scan the field around you.


           
            Tackling 


          
         Containing (jockeying)


          When containing an attacker you must lower your center of gravity by bending your knees and leaning forward. Backpedal if the attacker moves sideways. Never face a dribbler straight on, because he will put the ball between your legs or he may run by you. You won't have the time to make a complete 180-degree turn. Instead, approach the ball carrier at a 45-degree angle forcing him towards the sideline. Be prepared to move laterally with your opponent, do not just lunge at him.
         
          Block tackle

      The block tackle is the most basic way of depleting an opponent of the ball. It is designed to give you possession while keeping you on your feet. Plant your supporting foot firmly so that you don't lose balance. Then, just as your opponent contacts the ball, you must put your free foot perpendicularly to the direction in which he is moving. If executed properly, this will cause your enemy to stumble or cough up the ball.
         
          Poke tackle

      With poke tackling, you basically stab the ball away from your opponent. You must use the foot which is closer to the ball. This method does not guarantee that you will gain possession of the ball.
         Slide tackle

      Although spectacular, slide tackling should not be used unless in desperation or when you're away from your own goal. It can also be very effective against opponents dribbling down the sideline or shielding the ball.


          


            
            


             AO3


         In AO3 i was asked to demonstrate improvements in my physical ability in 3 sports which were:



      •     Gymnastics (vault)
      •     Olympic Weightlifting
      •     Football (not shown on this blog as I have handed in a signed witness statement from my coach) 
          My improvement in gymnastics (vault)

         When i was told that i had to demonstrate my improvement in a gymnastic vault (my chosen one being a neck spring), i was worried as i had no experience in gymnastics what so ever! But over a period of around 6 weeks, i had gone from looking like a complete amateur to something more respectable. Ill start by showing you a video of what a perfect neck spring should look like...



           As we can see the gymnast performs a good 'beat push' and her legs have tension throughout. This is what I was trying to aim for.
           
           Week 1 first attempt

           




      Untitled from Joel Murray on Vimeo.

      On my first attempt, i was taking the neck spring step by step to improve my technique. As we can see here on my first attempt my technique was all over the place. My legs had no tension at all and there was no 'beat push.

      Week 2



      Untitled from Joel Murray on Vimeo.

      Here, you can see that after practising the technique a bit more, i have learnt how to 'beat' with my legs which is an important part of the neck spring. But still i am unable to 'push' with my arms and although the tension in my legs has improved, it is still not as it should be.

      Final Attempt Week 6





      Untitled from Joel Murray on Vimeo.

      As we can see in my final attempt, I still haven't managed to complete the vault in one smooth motion but my 'beat-push' can be seen and my legs are showing a lot more tension than in previous weeks.





      My improvement in Olympic Weightlifting (overhead squat & snatch)

      The overhead squat


      Performance points for a successful overhead squat
      • Weight on heels
      • Knees over toes
      • Crease of hip below knee
      • Lumbar curve maintained throughout
      • Arms locked, Active shoulders
      • Bar over frontal plane
      Appropriate warm up for the Over Head Squat....

      Burgener Warm Up

      • Power Shrugs x 3
      • Power Shurg+elbows high and outside x 3 (keeping bar close to body)
      • Power Shrug+elbows high and outside+muscle snatch x 3
      • Muscle Snatch+land x 3
      • Overhead squat x 3
      • Pressing snatch balance x 3
      • Heaving snatch balance x 3
      • Snatch balance x 3
      My Over Head Squat


      Untitled from Joel Murray on Vimeo.


      The Burgener Warm Up


      Untitled from Sam Hawkes on Vimeo.


      AO4


      In AO4 I was asked to demonstrate my ability to officiate each of the 3 events.

      Officiating in Gymnastics (Vault)
      I was asked to judge my classmates vaults so i have produced a scorecard to show my results.




      Officiating Score Card



      Name
      Type of vault
      Difficulty Value
      Composition
      Connection Value
      Total Score
      Sam Hawkes
      1)Neck Spring
      2)Tuck
      3)Straddle
             7 /10
      4/10
      5/10
      7/10
      9/10
      8/10
              8/10
              9/10
              8/10
      22/30
      22/30
      21/30
      Tom Collinson
      1)Neck Spring
      2)Tuck
      3)Straddle
              7/10
              4/10
              5/10
              6/10
              8/10
              7/10
              7/10
              8/10
              6/10
      20/30
      20/30
           18/30
      Joe Holland
      1)Neck Spring
      2)Tuck
      3)Straddle
             7/10
             4/10
             5/10
              8/10
              7/10
              8/10
              9/10
              8/10
              9/10
      24/30
      19/30
           22/30
      Josh Williams
      1)Neck Spring
      2)Hand Spring
      3)Straddle

             7/10
             6/10
             5/10
             10/10
              9/10
              9/10
              10/10
              8/10
              9/10
      27/30
      23/30
           23/30
      Dylan Harris
      1)Neck Spring
      2)Tuck
      3)Straddle
             7/10
             4/10
             5/10
              2/10
              4/10
              2/10
              2/10
              4/10
              3/10
      11/30
      12/30
           10/30
      Martha Leaker
      1)Neck Spring
      2)Tuck
      3)Straddle
             7/10
             4/10
             5/10
              5/10
              6/10
              4/10
              4/10
              3/10
              4/10
      16/30
      13/30
           13/30
      Eleanor Simmons
      1)Neck Spring
      2)Tuck
      3)Straddle
             7/10
             4/10
             5/10
              6/10
              5/10
              5/10
              5/10
              5/10
              6/10
      18/30
      14/30
           16/30



      As you can see, i have judged my classmates vaults out of 10 on difficulty, composition and connection value. So the person with the highest over all score would be Josh Williams and the person with the lowest overall score would be Dylan Harris.

      Officiating in Football

      In this part of my assignment, I was asked to referee a football match. Below is a video of me refereeing a Year 7 10 minute 5-aside football match.


      Untitled from Joel Murray on Vimeo.






      AO5

      In AO5, I have been asked to evaluate my own performance and progress in developing skills in my 3 sports, Gymnastics (vault), Olympic Weightlifting and Football.

      Gymnastics (Neck Spring) Evaluation

      Learning the neck spring was a big challenge for me. I have never been comfortable with any sort of gymnastics and when shown what I was going to have to achieve at the end of my 6 weeks, I thought it was impossible. But after a lot of practice and hard work, I managed to perform a reasonable neck spring at the end of the 6 weeks, which looked a lot better to my first attempt.

      First Attempt  


      Untitled from Joel Murray on Vimeo.

      As you can see here in my first attempt, my technique is all over the place. My legs show no 'beat' which is what would give me momentum to propel myself off the box, and i do not 'push' with my arms, instead moving them to the side. Also, my legs show no tension which is essential to me being able to perform the beat. The hardest thing for me at this stage was to learn the push with my arms. I couldn't get my arms to move straight up instead moving them to the side causing me to go straight back down on myself.

      Final Attempt 




      Untitled from Joel Murray on Vimeo.

      As you can see in this video, my vault looks a lot better compared to my first. Finally my legs are showing tension which is helping me perform a better beat. I had finally realised that i wasn't able to perform the push with my arms as i had placed my hand on the wrong part of the box. When adjusting them, i was able to perform a decent beat push and finally gained enough confidence to perform the Neck Spring without any support.

      Olympic Weightlifting Evaluation 


      Over Head Squat




      This is my first attempt of an Over Head Squat. Honestly, for a first attempt I don't think it was that bad. I managed to :
      • Keep my weight on my heels
      • Keep my knees over my toes
      • Keep the crease of my hip below knee
      • Maintain my lumbar curve mostly throughout
      • Keep my arms locked with active shoulders
      • Keep the bar over frontal plane

      Snatch


      Untitled from Sam Hawkes on Vimeo.

      Here is a video of me performing the Burgener warm up. I have earlier explained the Burgener warm up in AO3 and it contains all of the movements which are performed in the snatch.
      I think that i had performed all of the movements fairly well except for one major one. My left arm seems to be dominating my right arm which results in the bar slanting tom the right from my view. Obviously, with a steel bar, this may be more recognisable and would be something that I would have to work on to improve to have any chance on maintaining  control over the bar when weight is applied.


      Football Evaluation

      For most of the time I have been playing football competitively, I have been a goalkeeper. I used to play in Centre Midfield but found that after playing in goals for a few games in goals, it suited me better. Now I have been playing in goals for about 5 years and have learnt many skills and techniques that help me perform a lot better.

      My biggest improvement I think has been my kicking ability. When I first started out in goals when I was 11, my kicking was pretty poor, I could hardly get any distance on my kicks and the ball would only come a few metres off the ground. I think that this is a big problem for most young goalkeepers as they find it hard to develop enough strength to kick a ball over the halfway line especially on a full sized pitch. Now my kicking ability has improved dramatically. On a good day, I can reach the other goal area by kicking out of my hands and from goal kicks, I can easily put an accurate pass out to anyone on the half way line.

      I think a big attribute to my goalkeeping which has stayed with me since I started goalkeeping has been my bravery. I would, and still do come out in a one on one situation and dive at the attackers feet to grab the ball, no matter how dangerous the situation may be. I have very rarely come out with an injury from from such a situation with the worse only being a knock to the head and a scared leg.

      Another attribute which I have always had since I started goalkeeping has been my anticipation and reaction time. Both of these are vital to a good goalkeeper as anticipation and reactions are used every single game by the goalkeeper. I am usually able to predict where an attacker is going to put his shot or his pass and then have enough time to react to the situation and perform the right action.

      A major area I still need to work on is my overall fitness. After performing a string of saves and having to get back up off the floor time and time again, I get easily tired and this sometimes effects my performance.



      AO6

      In this AO, I have been asked to produce a plan to show how I will continue to progress in my three sports.

      Plan of progression for football


      In football, the main thing I need to do to progress is to work on my fitness levels. I am very much happy with every other factor of my goalkeeping, Ways I could improve my fitness are to continue with my training three times a week and to stick to it! I have gone on many workouts but seem to be to lazy to carry them on. In order to improve my fitness levels, I must overcome my lazyness and stick to a fitness programme.

      Plan of progression for Gymnastics (neck spring)

      Towards the end of my 6 weeks of learning the neck spring, I had managed to learn to beat push and to keep tension in my legs. But the downside to this was that I couldn't do it in one smooth motion. I would have to cat spring onto the box and then do my beat push off of it. If I am to progress with my neck spring, I will have to gain the confidence to do it all in one motion and not be scared of jumping off the trumpet and going straight into my forward roll.

      Plan of progression for Olympic Weightlifting


      I have learnt and can perform the Over Head Squat and Snatch reasonably well with the PVC bar. In order to progress to the next level, I will have to learn how to do both of these with a 20kg bar. When I have learnt and can do this comfortably, I will be able to add weight to the bar and perform both these movements.

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