Saturday, October 6, 2012

How to extend the life and durability of badminton shuttlecocks


How to extend the life and durability of badminton shuttlecocks

In order to extend the life of badminton shuttlecocks on a daily basis, the most important thing is keep them away from extreme heat which can cause the feathers to become brittle. You should always make sure that the shuttlecocks are stored at or below room temperature. A bad habit people don’t seem to realize is leaving the shuttlecocks in the car after opening them, inside the car it can get very dry which causes the shuttles to break much quicker than they should.

Along with the storage of badminton shuttles, there are also a few tips to help them last much longer during games and could save you a lot of money in the long run.

The most common and fastest way which players prepare their shuttlecocks before a tournament is steaming. There are multiple ways to create the steam needed for humidifying the shuttlecock. The easiest method is to boil water and hold the shuttlecock directly above so it can absorb the steam without completely wetting it.

A simple tip is remember moisture is always shuttlecock’s best friend~




Australian Netball Diamonds

Australia's national team are called the 'Australian Diamonds', the team consists of fourteen played including; Natalie von Bertouch Catherine CoxErin BellCaitlin BassettMadison BrowneRebecca BulleyBianca ChatfieldMo'onia GerrardChanel GomesKimberlee GreenRenae HallinanChelsea PitmanSusan PratleyCaitlin Thwaites





Special awards in 2011 have been granted to:
Lorraine Lea Linen Umpire of the Year – Sharon KellyAll Australia Umpire Awards - Diana Toppi and Tara WarnerAustralian Sports Commission Coach of the Year – Roselee Jencke, Queensland FirebirdsTanya Denver Media Award - Warren Partland, Adelaide AdvertiserAustralian Netball League Player of the Year – Karyn Bailey, NSW WaratahsAustralian 21/U Team Player of the Year - April LettonSpirit of Netball Award - Norma PlummerNetball Australia Service Awards - Linda Pearce and Amanda LulhamNew Idea's Australia's Favourite Diamond – Catherine CoxWinners of the 2011 ANZ Championship: Queensland FirebirdsAustralian ANZ Championship Player of the Year - Laura Geitz, Queensland FirebirdsHolden Australian International Player of the Year - Kimberlee Green

http://www.australiannetballdiamonds.com.au/History/0,275,1532,00.html

Playing basketball makes you a better man


Playing Basketball Make U Be A Better Man

Playing basketball enhance metabolism, which is good for people's physical heath. And if people are in a bad mood, they can play basketball, which can help them relive the negative feelings.
There are some other benefits from playing basketball
1) rise height
2) lose weight
3) cultivate Solidify cooperation
4) enhance cardio-pulmonary function
5) improve physical agility
6) reduce pressure
7) learn how to get along with people and
8) know more friends
9) improve self-image
10) build up strong confidence


See ! it's not difficult to imagine how much benefits and supurise you would get if you starting playing basketball! And i promise to you it won't let you down! Just try to go to the court! It's over there !!!

My favourite basketball team and players


My Favorite Basketball Team and Basketball Player

My Favorite Team
Miami Heat is my favorite basketball team because my favorite basketball player, LeBron James, is playing for Miami.
The Miami Heat are a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association(NBA). They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami. The team owner is Micky Arison, the general manager is Pat Riley and the head coach is Erik Spoelstra. The mascot of the team is Burnie, an anthropomorphic fireball.

The Heat were formed in 1988 as an expansion franchise. Alongwith the Orlando Magic, the Heat are one of the two NBA franchises that represent the state of Florida. Since entering the league, Miami has fielded squad that have made the playoffs 16 out of 24 seasons, capturing nine divisong titles, three Eastern Conference Championships, and two NBA Championships, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals and the Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1 in the 2012 NBA Finals.According to Forbes Magazine, in 2010 the value of the franchise was about $425 million.

The Heat did not perform well in the following seasons after they won the 2006 NBA Championships. However, the Heat rebuilt in 2010-2011 season. Entering the 2010-2011 season with nearly $48 million in salary cap space, the Heat caused a major power shift during the blockbuster 2010 NBA Free Agency, adding Chris Bosh and LeBron James with local superstar Dwyane Wade, whom they had re-signed to a six-year, $107.59 million contract. During his infamous Decision, broadcast on ESPN, James announced he would take his "talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat", which triggered a volatile fusillade of anger, primarily from Cleveland where he used to play for. And Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert released an over-the-top letter that reeked of bitternesss, as he claimed that Cleveland would win a championship before James would. But one year later, James helped Miami won the team's second and his first NBA Championships in 2012 !



My Favorite Basketball Player 
Lebron Raymone James is an American Professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association(NBA). A 6 ft 8 in(2.03m) small forward, he has been an NBA Champion, the NBA Finals MVP, a three-time NBA MVP, and the NBA Rookie of the Year. He is an eight-time NBA ALL-Star and has earned eight ALL-NBA honors and four ALL-Defensive honors. He is also the Cleveland Cavaliers' all-time leading scorer.

JAMES NBA Career
Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2010) Rookie season James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the number one overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. In his first professional game he recorded 25 points, setting an NBA record for most points scored by a prep-to-pro player in his debut outing.He also added 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals on 60 percent shooting. Originally, he was scheduled to compete in the 2004 Slam Dunk Contest but was forced to withdraw because of an ankle injury.In a late season match-up with the New Jersey Nets, he scored a season-high 41 points, becoming the youngest player in league history at 19 years old to score at least 40 points in a game.James was eventually named the 2003-04 NBA Rookie of the Year, finishing with averages of 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game.He also became the first Cavalier to receive the honor and joined Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in their rookie season. Despite James' award-worthy play and an 18-game improvement over the previous season, Cleveland failed to make the the playoffs.
2010 free agency James became an unrestricted free agent at 12:01 am EST on July 1, 2010. During his free agency he was courted by several teams including the Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Knicks, New Jersey Nets, and Cavaliers.On July 8, he announced on a live ESPN special titled The Decision that he would sign with the Heat.



2011-12 season The Heat entered the playoffs.In the Finals, the Heat were matched up with the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder, led by young stars Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. Despite holding a 13-point first half lead in Game 1, Miami lost the first game of the series. In Game 2, the Heat again built a double-digit lead, this time holding on and winning to tie the series at 1-1. Back in Miami, the Heat took Game 3 to go up 2-1. Game 4 proved to be a memorable one for James. With five minutes left in the game, he started experiencing leg cramps and was carried off the floor. He returned soon after and hit a three-pointer with 2:51 left to give Miami a three point lead they did not relinquish. In Game 5, James registered his only triple-double of the season with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists as Miami defeated Oklahoma City for their second ever championship and James' first championship. James was unanimously voted the NBA Finals MVP with averages of 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game.His postseason totals were 30.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game.

Greatest Basketball Game - NBA


Greatest Basketball Game——NBA!

History of Basketball


The History and Some Rules of Basketball

Playing basketball makes me feel like a hero!haha~


Playing basketball makes me feel like a hero!haha~

Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world! And it has influenced my life in numerous ways! I used to be very shy and introverted when I was younger. However, ever since I started playing basketball, my personality has changed completely to a much brighter teenager.
Playing basketball not only requires a strong and flexible physical body, but there are also a large amount of thinking involved. In the sense that you have to constantly work as a team, passing the ball, assisting your team mates to get each points and you need to keep running to throw off your defender and move to the right place to distract your components and cover your mates to obtain a chance to get points...Oh,come on! I just love it!
To tell you a secret about myself, I was a fat boy in high school! But because of playing basketball, I lost 15 kilogram in 3 months(is it impressing to you?haha!). And I realized I jumped much higher and was much more energetic. I felt a lot more happier by just talking to other people, which no doubt will help to increase my confidence and communication skills for the future.
In a word,basketball is my favorite sport and I am crazy about it! 
I hope my experience has given you some incentives and motivation to at least give this sport a try :)

Review On Different Badminton Shuttlecocks By Aeroplane


Review On Different Badminton Shuttlecocks By Aeroplane
I have been playing badminton for over 5 years now, during all these year of training and tournaments, I have tried at least 15 different brands/grades of shuttlecocks. From all the trial and error, my favorite brand of shuttles to use would definitely have to be Aeroplane, whether it is for competition, training or recreational purposes.
So I thought it would be useful to do a basic review of the different grades of Aeroplane shuttles I’ve tried in the past.
I will start with the cheapest from their range first. All the ones that will be reviewed are made from high quality goose feathers, as I have never used the plastic ones.

Aeroplane Practice Grade (G2130) – Blue Label

The practice grade shuttle just like the name says is most suitable for recreational and casual purposes. This shuttle in my opinion is the slowest out of all the Aeroplane shuttles I’ve used, so it is perfect for badminton beginners.
However, it is not recommended for experienced players as it may decrease the speed and power during a smash. For this reason, G2130 are never used in formal tournaments.
  • Feather: Goose
  • Flight: B-
  • Durability: B
  • Consistency: B
  • Price: $16-$18 per 12pcs

Aeroplane Tournament Grade (G1130) – Green Label

The green label shuttle is my favorite shuttles of all time. The tournament grade shuttle has been described as suitable for all levels of players, and I would definitely agree with them. Comparing to the blue label shuttles from the same brand, this one is slightly faster but still maintaining a good balance between speed and control.
Another reason why I love this shuttle is because of its versatility, I think it is not only suitable for different levels of players, but also suitable for all purposes including recreational, training and tournaments. I also found it to be the most controllable shuttle out of all, which is weird because most people would automatically think that the slower a shuttle is, the easier it is to control.
This type of shuttlecock is also one of the only few shuttles approved by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for international tournaments.
  • Feather: Goose
  • Flight: B+
  • Durability: B+
  • Consistency: A
  • Price: $19-$22 per 12pcs


Aeroplane Excellent Grade (EG1130) – Black Label

The black label shuttles are known to be made from with top grade materials, it is perfect for highly skilled players.
I think this shuttle is definitely the fastest and most durable out of the entire Aeroplane range. For this particular reason, the black label shuttle along with the green labels is also widely used for tournaments. 
I personally prefer the green label over the black ones, mainly because I find the black ones too fast and it is much more likely to hit it outside of the court.
  • Feather: Goose (Select Premium Feather)
  • Flight: A+
  • Durability: A+
  • Consistency: A
  • Price: $23-$26 per 12pcs


With my own experience, I definitely don’t think that the best is always the most expensive one.
I think it is important for you to find the shuttlecock that is most suited for you, and a good tip is to switch up shuttlecocks for different purposes. This is very beneficial in the long term, because it forces you to control how much power to use on different shuttles.

Basic Rules of Soccer


The first step in learning how to play professional soccer is learning basic soccer rules.








The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) defines the basic soccer rules. Not all leagues play by FIFA soccer rules, but FIFA soccer rules provide a standard for leagues to use as they set up their basic soccer rules. These are also the rules that most professional leagues follow, with the exception of indoor leagues.

Basic Soccer Rules: No Hands
While FIFA soccer rules might be more complex than the rules used on your child's soccer team, there are some basic soccer rules that apply to just about anyone who is playing the game. The first is the "no hands" rule. Even those who have no understanding whatsoever of soccer rules regulations know that you cannot use your hands in this game, unless you are the goalie. The FIFA soccer rules actually state that you cannot use any part of your body from the tips of your fingers to your shoulder to handle the ball. Of course, if the ball is kicked toward you and bounces off of your arm or hand, this is not considered using your hands under basic soccer rules.

Basic Soccer Rules: Throw-ins, Goal Kicks, and Corner Kicks
If the soccer ball crosses the sideline, the opposing team will use a throw-in to bring it back into play. Basic soccer rules require players to have both feet on the ground and to throw the ball over their head when performing a throw-in. However, many children's leagues do not follow FIFA soccer rules quite as strictly as an adult or professional league might. In many youth leagues, players are given a couple of tries to get the throw-in correct. Similarly, goal kicks and corner kicks put the ball back into play if it leaves the field on the end line.

FIFA Soccer Rules: Yellow and Red Cards
Anyone who has ever watched soccer has seen red and yellow cards being thrown by the referees. FIFA soccer rules provide the guidelines for when yellow or red cards can be given to a player. Infractions that draw a yellow card under FIFA soccer rules include the following:
• Unsporting behaviour
• Dissent by words or actions
• Persistent breaking of FIFA soccer rules
• Delaying the game's start
• Entering the field without permission
• Not staying away from the kicker during free kicks, throw-ins, or corner kicks
• Leaving the field without permission

If a player receives two yellow cards, FIFA soccer rules state that it equals a red card, and the player is ejected.

FIFA soccer rules also outline the circumstances when a red card, which means an ejection under all soccer rules regulations, can be given to a player. These include:
• Spitting at someone
• Violent conduct
• Offensive, threatening, insulting language or gestures
• Deliberately touching the ball with a hand to stop a goal (unless the player is the goalie in the penalty box)
• Deliberately fouling to stop a goal
• A serious foul (such as an over the top tackle or lunging at an opponent - FIFA soccer rules outline several situations that could fall into this category)

Basic Soccer Rules: Offsides
Offsides is perhaps one of the most misunderstood of the basic soccer rules. In children's leagues, off sides may not be called, as children are still learning the other basic soccer rules. According to FIFA soccer rules, an offside position is called if the player is "nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent." With that definition, it is no wonder that this is the least understood of all basic soccer rules.

In general, a player is considered offsides if he is an attacking player and is ahead of the ball, involved
in the play, and there is no defender between his position and the goalkeeper. The rule is designed to keep players from camping near the goal waiting for the ball.

Watch me transform with badminton !!



Watch Me Transform With The Magics Of Badminton!!!

As the nature of human beings we are always complaining about how much things we have to do every single day. Being a full time university student myself, I understand how hard it is to squeeze out that five to ten hours a week committing to the sport that we love. But at the same time, I wish everyone would realize how much a sport can improve your quality of life and you as a person in general.

I grew up with my grandma in China as both of my parents were working full time. All I remember is that my grandma made the most delicious food in the entire world so I was eating at least 5 meals a day. So at the age of 7, I was already considered to be overweight. And of course, at the time I didn’t realize the consequences of being fat =[

This did not change until I was in high school (I think around year 10), I was 165cm and 76kg at the time. Soon I started to realize that all my friends were beginning to have relationship except for me, my mum had always taught me that inside is what really matters. But I hate to admit, no guy is going to care about your personality the first time they meet you!

I liked a boy continuously for four years since year 7, but he never wanted to be anything more than friends. Because I grew up in China and only came to Australia for high school, I was already very quiet at school because I was scared people would laugh at my bad English.

This only got worse as days passed by, I would hear people talk about me but I was unable to understand what they were saying completely, and as soon as I walk pass they would stop. But I knew it was something bad. All of this added together made me hate going to school every day.
So I realized that if I want things to change then I have to change first!

The reason why I chose badminton was because my mum was also playing on a weekly base, so it was the most convenient sport to begin with. I started off with not knowing how to hold the racket properly to playing tournaments for my club.

I lost over 15kg since when I first started, not only it transformed my body shape completely; I’ve made so many new friends through this sport. I never felt like I was just doing it to loose weight, instead I loved everything about this sport.

Well, a picture is worth a thousand words…




I can’t say enough good things about this sport. I really hope my experience has encouraged you to at least give this sport a try!

Badminton Tips For Beginners



Badminton Tips For Beginners

1.  Try to make your opponent move around the court as much as possible, aim to hit to positions where it is most difficult for him/her to reach.

2.   Try to shoot to the opponent’s backhand as most players have a relatively stronger forehand.

3.  When the shuttle is in your control, try to aim at the back corners of the court.

4.  Hit every shot at its highest position; never wait for the shuttle to come close to you.

5.  Always run back to the centre of the court after approaching each shot.

6.  In singles, try to serve high and far.

7.   In doubles, aim to serve short and close to the net.

8.  Try to avoid smashing consecutively, it is wasting too much of your energy. If the opponent is a good at defending, try to drop and clear more rather than smashing.

9.  When playing doubles, expect to participate in rotation throughout each rally.

10.  In doubles, the person standing at the front should always have their racket up high ready to block or smash.

11.  Smashing towards the centre (also known as the ‘T’ area) is the safest and most effective attack in doubles.

12.  Keep your service flexible. Before any serve; carefully look at where your opponent is standing.

13.  When serving, consider your opponent’s physical characteristics. Long high serves for shorter players as they may be able to push short serves easier.

14.  Watch your opponent play in matches prior to yours so you have a clear understanding of their weaknesses and strengths.

15.  Always communicate positively with your partner, everyone makes mistakes.