This week in Community Sports News – More than $14.5 million is now available to community sports clubs to help Queensland families get fit and have fun thanks to two State Government programs. Incidents of alleged sexual assault and other serious off-field issues involving players have elicited a variety of responses from the AFL and its clubs in recent years. This weekend saw two World Cup games decided on penalty kick tiebreakers, a devastatingly unfair way for Chile and Greece to be eliminated. There is an intense global conversation, across most industries, relating to big data at this very moment. Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios has pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon history, beating world number one Rafael Nadal in four sets to reach the quarter-finals. The transition to parenthood is consistently associated with declines in physical activity. In particular, working parents are at risk for inactivity, but research exploring physical activity barriers and facilitators in this population has been scarce. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perceptions of physical activity among working parents. Parent peer pressure is pushing a mountain of lollies into Queensland’s junior sporting arena. Parents are now rostered to bring lollies for half and full-time and many feel it’s poor form, but don’t want to seem unco-operative. Australian elite and grassroots sport will be supported with $120 million in funding through the next year from July.
Queensland clubs urged to Get Playing and Get Going
01/ 07/ 2014: Michelle Buckworth – Queensland Government
More than $14.5 million is now available to community sports clubs to help Queensland families get fit and have fun thanks to two State Government programs.Get Going provides grants up to $10,000 for items and activities to assist clubs in attracting and retaining members. Get Playing provides grants up to $100,000 to sport and recreation organisations for facility development.
The programs are part of the Newman Government’s $48 million Get in the Game initiative, which has supported almost 1,000 sports clubs since its launch.“Get in the Game has been such a massive success in getting Queensland families playing sport that the Newman Government has tripled its funding to almost $48 million over three years,” said Minister for Recreation and Sport Steve Dickson.
How AFL clubs handle assault cases
01/ 07/ 2014: Jon Pierik – The Age Real Footy
Incidents of alleged sexual assault and other serious off-field issues involving players have elicited a variety of responses from the AFL and its clubs in recent years.
North Melbourne’s decision on Tuesday to allow senior player Majak Daw to be available for selection after being charged with three counts of rape is in stark contrast to how St Kilda handled a similar case last year involving Stephen Milne.
Last June, Milne was charged with four counts of rape relating to an alleged incident in 2004. The Saints immediately announced Milne would take a leave of absence, though he would remain a listed player.
A Simple Alternative To Soccer’s Atrocious Penalty Kick Shootout
30/ 06/ 2014: Jim Pagels – Forbes
This weekend saw two World Cup games decided on penalty kick tiebreakers, a devastatingly unfair way for Chile and Greece to be eliminated.
As the New York Times described soccer’s final tiebreaker: “The penalty shootout is an abomination. It reduces a team sport to a contrived tiebreaker that obliges physically tired and emotionally drained players to step up one by one, trudge half the length of the field and try to shoot down the opponent’s goalkeeper from 12 yards … Ludicrous. Grotesquely, compellingly ludicrous.”
Adding to that frustration, it’s been proven that if a shooter kicks a ball to a far corner, it’s physically impossible for a goalie standing at the center of the goal to have enough time to react and reach the shot.
Winning with Insight, Not Data
01/ 07/ 2014: Nathan Kinch – Sports Business Insider
There is an intense global conversation, across most industries, relating to big data at this very moment.
To many, the concept of big data is relatively misunderstood, but without delving into what it is and what it isn’t, let’s look at why big data matters and what it means for sport, particularly in the elite sector.
I have previously written about what data and analysis really means to elite sport, and the conclusion drawn was: Insight. More fully, the exploration of data and analysis with the end goal being a derived understanding of previously unknown factors or ‘insight.’
Wimbledon: Nick Kyrgios shocks Rafael Nadal in incredible upset to claim quarter-final place
02/ 07/ 2014 – ABC Grandstand Sport
Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios has pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon history, beating world number one Rafael Nadal in four sets to reach the quarter-finals.
The 19-year-old, the youngest man in the draw, turned a remarkable Wimbledon main draw debut into a spectacular one, defeating the Spaniard 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 in just under three hours on Centre Court on Tuesday.
The world number 144 will face Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic on Wednesday for a place in the semi-finals. “I was in a bit of a zone out there, it hasn’t sunk in yet,” Kyrgios said.
“I played some extraordinary tennis. I was struggling a little bit on return but I worked my way into it and I got that break in the fourth set. I served at a really good level all throughout the match so I was really happy.”
Physical activity barriers and facilitators among working mothers and fathers
27/ 06/ 2014 – BMC Public Health
The transition to parenthood is consistently associated with declines in physical activity. In particular, working parents are at risk for inactivity, but research exploring physical activity barriers and facilitators in this population has been scarce. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perceptions of physical activity among working parents.
Major themes for barriers included family responsibilities, guilt, lack of support, scheduling constraints, and work. Major themes for facilitators included being active with children or during children’s activities, being a role model for children, making time/prioritizing, benefits to health and family, and having support available. Several gender differences emerged within each theme, but overall both mothers and fathers reported their priorities had shifted to focus on family after becoming parents, and those who were fitting in physical activity had developed strategies that allowed them to balance their household and occupational
responsibilities.
Lollies invade children’s weekend sport, and parents feel powerless
28/ 06/ 2014: Jackie Sinnerton – The Courier Mail
Parent peer pressure is pushing a mountain of lollies into Queensland’s junior sporting arena. Parents are now rostered to bring lollies for half and full-time and many feel it’s poor form, but don’t want to seem unco-operative.
Five years ago orange wedges – the traditional game snack – were deemed too acidic for teeth. In 2009 Netball Queensland sanctioned a ban on the citrus fruit, sparking a knock-on effect in sporting teams throughout the state.
“I would prefer the kids didn’t get lollies but parents are rostered on to supply them,” Brisbane mum Melinda Craig said. “My son plays rugby and I am guilty of bringing snakes. Nobody speaks up but it would be better to stick to oranges.”Cassie Baldock from Birkdale has three kids under nine who play sport and she said it was time to bring back orange wedges.
Australian elite and grassroots sport will be supported with $120 million in funding through the next year from July 2014.
27/ 06/ 2014: John Wiseman – Government of Australia Crest
Australian elite and grassroots sport will be supported with $120 million in funding through the next year from July.The Minister for Sport Peter Dutton today announced the Australian Sports Commission would provide the funding to national sporting organisations (NSOs) and directly to eligible elite athletes.
Mr Dutton said Australian teams and athletes had produced some excellent outcomes recently on the world stage.
“The Kookaburras gold and Hockeyroos silver at the World Cup in the Netherlands and three gold and two silver medals at the World Track Cycling Championships in Columbia augur well for Australia as we head to the Commonwealth Games next month.
“This funding will provide the crucial support our athletes and sports will need as we look beyond the Commonwealth Games to the next Olympics in Rio. “More than $12 million – the largest amount of financial support ever – would be allocated to assisting around 650 athletes through the AIS Direct Athlete Support scheme.