Teaching Children the Game of Golf

By: James Kronefield

So, you think your little guy might be the next Tiger Woods? If you think your child has a propensity for golf, or if you have a love for the game that you want to share, how can you best teach your youngster the game? How can you tell that they are ready to learn? What age is best to start a child on learning golf if you want to develop a quality player?

Golf, a detailed and complex sport, can be tough to teach to kids. For this reason, get them started early and ensure that you build a firm foundation in their gameplay so that they learn to be confident in the sport and in their own abilities. This type of learned confidence can help them embrace the complexities of the game as a whole and will turn them into golfers that are ready to learn.

Once a child is walking well independently and able to hold a child-sized golf club, he or she is probably ready for the first introduction to the sport. This can happen when the child is as young as two or three years old. Preschool children will not be ready to play golf as a game, but they can be given small putters and practice swinging the club correctly.

Children at this age learn almost everything through imitation. The best way to teach them proper swinging and putting techniques is to demonstrate, and then have them imitate the motions. But use caution that you do not make this tedious for the child. These imitation sessions should be short and fun. Try having the child hit a small balloon. Not only will this be fun, but the child will also have success in hitting the balloon, which will keep the frustration at bay. To make it even more fun, try filling the balloons with water for added resistance! This is a great summer time activity for you and for your child!

Once the child has entered school and has a good handle on the swinging and putting techniques learned through observation, it is time to start teaching the game of golf. School aged children are accustomed to verbal instruction and can listen to explanations about the game better than their preschool counterparts. You need to keep in mind, however, that they are still children! They will thrive on encouragement, and all teaching sessions should be kept upbeat!

Start by taking your child to the driving range. Show your son or daughter how to hit the ball correctly, aiming for distance. The driving range is a good place to start since there is not a specific target they must reach, so the child is less likely to get frustrated. After the child demonstrates aptitude on the driving range, you can head to the course. By this point you should be able to tell whether or not your child is going to share your love for the game of golf.

Parents need to remember that no matter how hard they try, not all children have the same likes and dislikes that their parents have. If you have introduced your child to the game of golf, and he or she does not enjoy it, try not to push them. By pushing, you might find that you drive your child away from the game. All you can do is give them the experience at an early age, and they must come to a conclusion about the game on their own.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/recreation_and_sports/article_2884.shtml

Live Cricket Score: live up to the spirit

By: Ella Wilson

Well that time of the year is here again when all cricket fans will have to stay alert. Yes cricket matches are back and they are here to once again mesmerize cricket fans with great matches. With some great matches coming up, cricket fans can expect some great actions in the field and outside the field. Once any series starts off, die hard cricket fans get hooked to the matches. But at times it gets difficult to just keep on watching matches and ignoring your work. Things are not feasible all the time and we need to get going. With good matches coming up it becomes a little difficult for the cricket fanatics to stay without being updated about the match. In this case the best possible solution for them is through this live cricket score and these cricket fans can always keep a pace with the matches with these live cricket score.

Now there is various number of sources through which you can always get the live cricket score. And you can choose a source that suits you the best. The internet has made things easily accessible and available for us these days. You seek any kind of information, including live cricket score and it is all there for you on the web. One can find any sort of detailed information on the net and this just does not take much time but the touch of a button. All you will need to do is log on to an online site that is completely dedicated to cricket and then you can find all the information that you have been looking for related to the cricket match. Live cricket score, match schedules, player profiles, match statistics, team statistics and player statistics, you name it and you can get all the information on the site.

Live cricket score helps the die hard cricket fans stay updated with their favorite match even if they can not watch the match. In fact the live cricket score lets them enjoy each and every moment of the match as through the live cricket score system they even get informed about the status of the match. One can easily come to know about the team that chose to bat first, the runs that have been scored by each of the teams, the number of wickets that have fallen, the bowler who has taken the wickets and also the score in which wickets fell, in fact you can get each and every detailed information about the match through live cricket score.

One can even get the live cricket score from the medium of television. News channels keep on constantly flashing the cricket scores and also the details of the match. So if you can not afford to spend a lot of time watching the match you can always turn on any news channel and get updated about the live cricket score and other details related to the match. The other medium from where you can receive live cricket score is through mobile phones. Mobile networks have also started updating their users about the live cricket score and all the actions that has been taking place in the field. So all you will need to do now is to choose a medium from where you can get the live cricket score and remain connected with the match.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/recreation_and_sports/article_2892.shtml

Cricket - English game

By: Marcia Henin

Cricket is the passion of all Brits. Playing cricket has been a well-known tradition in all English homes from the beginning of 18th century. English cricket was a part of leisure as well as English tea; playing it was considered a status of symbol, an exhibition of good taste. The announcements of cricket tournaments were often published in English newspapers: the pictures of the time depicted the players dressed in white shirts, white breeches and cylinders, elegantly leaning towards the cricket ball.

The Cricket game has been the favored game in most English high schools – the most “rich and famous” schools hold a long history of cricket games. Eaton, Rugby and other selective schools were famous not only because of the education they provided, but also remembered for their sport games and sport groups. Cricket was a symbol of high standard, of belonging to a certain social group. The sight of boys and girls playing cricket on green lawns gave a British citizen feeling of certainty and trust in the strength of British Empire, known worldwide for its physical education.

The rules in cricket are not too difficult and can be easily learned: two teams, of eleven players each, play on grass field, in a center of which is cricket pitch. In some ways it is analogous to the American Baseball: a bowler, whose role in the game is to bowl cricket balls, is analogous to a pitcher in baseball. However, there are different categories of bowlers, relying either on speed or on the rotation of the ball. There are also different codes of behavior, which many players learn from their childhood.

Cricket has maintained its role as the symbol of British tradition – the passion for Cricket, developed in school years, doesn’t fade as the time goes by. These days, Cricket news is popular in certain countries just as much as soccer.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/recreation_and_sports/article_3051.shtml

RV Lifestyles: Staying Safe On Remote Campsites

By: Bill Revill

Considering several shocking occurrences in the Australian outback over recent years, it’s hardly surprising that many people are easily put off the idea of camping in remote areas because of what they see in the media. With crime seemingly on the increase, the comparative safety of bricks and mortar becomes ever more comforting.

Right or wrong, this perception of potential danger out in the lonely places can be difficult to shake loose, particularly for anyone with limited outdoor experience. Realistically, then, is there anything we can do to make isolated campsites more user friendly — at least from a security standpoint?

The answer is a resounding ‘Yes’, but before tackling the question in detail, perhaps we should make some attempt to regain our lost perspective.

Quite simply, crime and cities go together like fleas and dogs. That’s not to say there’s no threat at all in country areas, but the level of crime out there is way, way down on big-city rates. After all, as any seasoned crim knows, pickings in the bush are paltry compared with the unlimited prospects of the big smoke. Result is, we’re a lot safer, by and large, the further we travel beyond suburbia.

Understandably, though, many travellers still prefer to stay within their comfort zone by limiting their stopovers to tourist parks, campgrounds, or other ‘safe’ areas where like-minded company abounds. Despite the apparent wisdom of this approach, is that really all you want from your travels? Don’t you thereby place limits on your outdoor experiences, not to mention your overall enjoyment?

Some campers apparently believe so. In order to bolster family confidence, their strategy is to start out in tourist parks or commercial campgrounds, eventually move on to national and state parks, then some time later, find a private Shangri-La somewhere further out.

Perhaps more importantly — and regardless of where you camp — your choice of outdoor lifestyle predetermines, to some degree, your inherent level of security. Sleeping in a tent, for example, rarely develops a sense of protection to equal that of a caravan; and even caravans, it might be argued, don’t offer the all-round safety of a motorhome. Obviously then, decisions regarding your outdoor accommodation may indirectly impact long-term enjoyment.

That being the case, a small to medium caravan, motorhome or campervan would seem a reasonable compromise amongst the camping trifecta of security, site accessibility, and outdoor lifestyle.

Indeed, the ‘hard-wall’ RV options have the additional advantage that external ‘interference’ would be instantly detected by the occupants, making intrusion during the night, for instance, highly improbable. Of course, extra safety is easily installed in the form of security screens on doors and windows, and additional internal padbolts.

Incidentally, evidence suggests a trend whereby travellers happily inscribe their names on an external wall of their RV. As welcoming as this might be, it could be unwise, given the possibility of ‘undesirables’ calling your name from outside, prompting you or the kids to open the door to somebody presumed to be a friend.

The same might be said for our natural inclination to help strangers along a backcountry roadside. Unfortunately, the old ‘help-each-other-out’ principle requires more careful consideration these days.

But getting back to the real issue: For travellers who eventually hope to move beyond the crowds and the costs of commercial parks and campgrounds, it comes down to how best to utilise out-of-the-way campsites where gut feel dictates that extra caution is warranted. And in most of those situations the number one rule is ‘Privacy = Security’. Generally speaking, anyway.

First, select a site far enough from nearby activity and passing traffic — or well hidden by trees and bush — so as not to invite unnecessary attention. Maybe it goes without saying, but anything within about five kilometers of a town or ten kilometers of a pub is best avoided.

Remember, too, that it’s a good idea to choose your overnight stopping place while there’s still an hour or so of daylight. Locate a spot well back from the highway, preferably along a sidetrack so your camp is not obvious to passing motorists.

Choosing a spot before dark also allows time to sus out the surrounding area (houses? farms? fences? alternative exit?), and to take a good look around. Obvious signs of partying, reckless driving, or excessive pollution should prompt the decision to move on.

Yet another benefit of setting up in daylight is that cooking and other chores can be got out of the way early, meaning less need for lighting and stumbling about the site after sunset. Even so, it doesn’t hurt to keep one eye (and one ear) on passing traffic. Slowing or returning vehicles should get your antennae twitching.

Invariably, in these sorts of impromptu overnight camps, RV travellers choose to remain in ‘departure mode’. No awning, no camp chairs, no gear stored beneath the RV, no stabiliser jacks — and generally facing toward the ‘exit’. Next day, if feeling more relaxed about the site, a longer stopover might be considered.

Once camp is set up and the sun goes down, the most obvious announcements of your presence are a campfire and various types of camp lighting. Keep in mind that if you can see passing headlights, it’s likely that your camplight and fire are visible to them. However, if your fire is small, set low in a trench away from the ‘highway side’ of your camp (screened by van or vehicle), all should be fine. For reassurance, walk out to the road and look back toward camp.

Similarly, try to minimise camp lighting, and keep RV curtains and blinds completely drawn. And although an effective flashlight is essential for bush travel, light beams flashing through trees is an instant giveaway.

Most commonly, though, traffic all but ceases come nightfall and you’ll have the area to yourself. In the unlikely event that someone does pull in, remain calm. Be friendly — helpful if necessary — but it’s best not to encourage them with invites to ‘share a beer by the fire’. More than likely, it will be just another Pilgrim seeking the security of fellow travellers.

Before retiring for the night, it’s wise to walk around your outfit to check the fire is out, the car locked, and no gear has been left lying about.

Assuming everything pans out and you settle in for a few days, chances are it will become necessary to drive to the nearest town for supplies. If so, leave the campsite looking like the occupants aren’t far away: camp chairs set up, coffee mugs on the table, some laundry hanging on a line. Of course the caravan should be locked, with curtains drawn, and anything of value secure inside or taken with you. It’s not a bad idea to leave a radio playing inside the van, either.

Not surprisingly, it’s during the night when nervous campers experience their greatest concerns. Fortunately, the best deterrents against would-be troublemakers are also the simplest: light and sound. As security professionals tell us, when intruders feel compromised, their knee-jerk reaction is to get out of there — fast. Off down the road to find an easier target!

One way to achieve this is to rig up some form of lighting that can be switched on from your bed, and a 12-volt floodlight or two does the job. By the way, outside lighting is more useful (and your own movements less obvious) if internal lights remain switched off while you are peering out into the darkness.

In addition to outside lighting, you might consider some sort of noise making device. Compact personal alarms available from electronic shops (Dick Smith, Tandy) are inexpensive and effective. Mind you, it is embarrassing when you finally storm out of the RV, lights blazing, sirens wailing, to be confronted by a cheeky possum! Chances are that’s all it will ever be.

On the other hand, if you prefer to take campsite security even more seriously, here are a few more possibilities to consider:

Dogs: The best all-round security service a traveller can get, but they come at a cost in both money and upkeep. And many tourist parks — plus all national parks — don’t allow them.

Alarm indicator lights: Those tiny, flashing red lights, usually fitted inside a car to indicate there’s an alarm active (even if there isn’t) can be fitted anywhere 12-volt power is available. Make them just visible without being too obvious.

Strobe lights: The greatest value in a flashing blue strobe light is the universal recognition — among good guys and bad — that an intrusion has occurred. From that viewpoint these can be more effective than basic security lighting.

Timers: A light, randomly activated during the night by a 24 hour x 15 minute timer, may suggest that a restless camper resides within. Anyone watching your camp would become frustrated enough to seek easier spoils.

Alarms and sirens: Several types are available, variously activated by trip wires, infrared sensors or internal switches. They take a bit of setting up, are prone to accidental initiation, and are, generally speaking, gross over-kill. All the same, if that’s what it takes to put family fears to rest, visit those electronic stores again.

Communications: In outback areas, mobile phone networks are rarely within range, so for emergency communication consider a satellite phone or HF radio. For most campers, though, the $2000-plus price tags are difficult to justify. AM/SSB and UHF sets, although less expensive, rely on a trucker or farmer being within three or four kilometers. Nevertheless, from the outside, hearing the occupants put out a ‘distress call’ would be reason enough to move on.

Firearms: From a legal viewpoint — and keeping individual firearm training and competence in mind — this is definitely an issue for cautious, personal evaluation. Without doubt, any weapon in the hands of the inexperienced, or someone overtaken by panic, soon becomes more danger than protection. And should the weapon fall into the hands of the intruder, an extremely awkward scenario could be the outcome! Your call.

As mentioned earlier, human dangers in isolated areas are so rare as to be almost non-existent. But that said, it doesn’t hurt to be realistic. A healthy dose of controlled paranoia, backed up by thoughtful preparation, not only improves your level of safety, it also helps the family feel more at ease while enjoying real bush solitude.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/recreation_and_sports/article_3004.shtml

The UEFA Champion League

By: Marcia Henin

The UEFA Champions League (European CUP, UCL, or CL) is a football competition of seasonal clubs. Champions League is organized by UEFA (Union of European Football Associations), the controlling force of European football. Football club, which wins the Champions League, receives the trophy European Champion Club’s Cup, which is considered the most prestigious club trophy.

The tournament first started in 1955, when the teams played two matches, and the winning team started the next round of competition. Later, in 1997, the tournament was renamed to UEFA Champions League. The championship in its current format is open to the league champions of all UEFA member associations. Real Madrid FC and AC Milan have won the competition three times.

In 1958, the Munich air disaster took lives of 23 of 44 passengers on board, players of the Manchester United football team, flying home from the European Cup match against Yugoslavia. After the tragedy the team finished the season, and reached the final of FA Cup.

The Champions League tournament begins in mid-July, and the Champions League final match takes place the following May. An association rank in the UEFA coefficients table defines the number of positions each group receives in the competition, and also the stage at which the association enters the competition. Each association sends maximum four clubs each season to play in Champions League.

The competition receives public and media attention: millions of viewers watch Champions League videos live on-line, read news articles and watch the matches on TV. Champions League has always been the center of public attention, being the most prestigious sport competition in Europe.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/recreation_and_sports/article_3055.shtml