"Maybe the reason we talk more about our symptoms isn't because [women are] weak or vulnerable. Maybe it's because we have more [concussion] symptoms and they last longer." -Katherine Snedaker "Your basketball IQ has no choice but to expand. We have to depend on our own choices. We learned plays in practice, and then we went out and did it on the court." -Christyn Williams "Sometimes, you’re not teaching somebody how to play. You’re teaching them how to think. Sports are as much about a mindset — a personality — as they are physical talent." -Carolina Morace "At this age, you're not getting better. You're getting worse. You only have so many 100-yard dashes left. You have to save them." -Julia Hawkins "...Although we in SOCOM [Special Operations Command] provide so much for injured soldiers, it's still very difficult to feel like you're not the only one. I felt like I didn't have anyone to talk to. And that set me back physically. I got in kind of a downward spiral, not feeling like I'd ever get back to the fighting strength I was before... [the adaptive sports program] was enough for me to get out. I understand their struggle. I'm not going to view myself through their struggle, but at least acknowledge that I had my own struggle to walk through and to be acknowledged. There's a goal in mind, and I know I'm not the only one. That's what helped me." -Dawn Page Happy Fourth of July!
"If I could wish anything, I would wish that my dad could see me win. It's been a really difficult road for me the past four or five years. It's life, though. You have to pick yourself up and you have to keep working hard at it, and then believe in what you're doing. What are the odds that my first win is a major? I'm pretty sure he had something to do with it." -Danielle Kang "People think I have this crazy robotic, hydraulic leg -- that I must walk faster and this must be better than my old human leg. I laugh about that. I stumble over my feet all the time! One of the things I learned [after the amputation] is that it's what's behind your rib cage and the 6 inches between your ears that matters. If you have your head and your heart in the right place and go into things laughing and smiling, it's going to be smooth sailing." -Kirstie Ennis Happy Canada Day to everyone! For today's 150th celebration, I will show some cool stats from some of Canada's sports icons. I am so happy for this lovely country because it has contributed so much to sports, especially hockey. It also has done a lot for other sports and has successful womens' teams in soccer, basketball, curling, hockey (of course!), and many more. Today's special celebration will include THE icon for hockey and for Canada and one of the best active soccer players in the world. O Canada, thank you for your contributions to the world of sports and beyond! Wayne Gretzky's Moving Average What better way to celebrate the Great White North than to show just how great the Great One is? Moving average is the average of an athlete's performances in a specified time period that includes the before and after the time period. This is perfect for Gretzky because he played so long that he gave us more years to work with and it also shows how consistently great his production was. Things to Notice- Gretzky had his best numbers at age 24, which was a Cup-winning year for him. His lowest point was at age 33 with 81 points (good for an average player, but he's not average in the least) but he was able to rebound by 46.3 points the next year. One reason for that could be because he suffered a back injury that limited him to 45 games during the 1992-93 season (age 32). That could definitely mess with the numbers for the average. Overall, he finished with 82 average points, which is not a bad way to finish. He set the bar so high that we probably may not see this kind of talent again. Christine Sinclair's Time Plot The active leader in international goals scored and second on the all-time list (165) is one of the many reasons for Canada's recent successes in soccer on the international stage. Sinclair's 17 seasons of playing internationally are shown below in a time plot, which shows how she did in each year (no averages here!). Things to Notice- Sinclair had her best year ever in 2012 when she scored 23 goals and Canada won their bronze medal at the London Games. 15 goals definitely sounds like a strong debut for Sinclair when she came up at age 16 and scored three goals in her first tournament (the most out of any players in the tournament). Sinclair's goals and leadership has helped Canada finish in their best standings ever at world tournaments, including their fourth place finish at the 2003 World Cup. Enjoy the rest of the day because it's a good one!
"With track racing and crit racing, there's action from the go. You start the race and it's immediately fast. You're scrambling to get clipped into your pedals. The crowds are slamming on the sides of the barriers. The energy is so high, and that's what I thrive on." -Erin Goodall |
AuthorHi, I'm Jenna and I'm a sports fan! I've been avidly watching sports since 2011 because I found that by watching sports, I would be able to communicate with my dad and brother better. Ever since I got into sports, I've been able to enjoy myself more when I go to sporting events with my family. Archives
December 2017
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