The first goalie to wear a mask was Jacques Plante, a highly respected player with the Montreal Canadiens, and one of the legends of hockey.  He was an odd fellow, prone to asthma attacks, and to getting more injuries than many other hockey players.  He preferred reading books and painting over going to parties with his teammates.  During his career, he had gotten more than two hundred facial stitches.  In that era, a few hundred stitches were not highly unusual for a hockey player, but generally they were not just on the face.  He also had had two broken cheekbones, four broken noses, and a fractured skull.  Before Plante, several goalies had tried to use masks, but they were wire (similar to ones used by baseball catchers) and impaired vision to some extent.

As the 1958 hockey season was coming to an end, Plante was injured when a puck hit his forehead.  A member of the audience that worked in fiberglass wrote Plante a letter, and explained how he could make a mask molded to fit Plante’s face, and strong enough to protect it.  Plante agreed to sit as a model for the mask, and to wear it during the next hockey season.  He brought it out during the preseason games, and was laughed at and criticized by the hockey community.  His coach in Montreal was sure that the mask reduced his vision and asked him not to wear it.   About two months later, Plante was in a game when someone hit a backhanded from the side of the net.  There were too many players around the goal for Plante to see the puck, and the puck sliced into the side of his nose, which bled profusely.  It took seven stitches to close the wound.

Plante would not go into the next game unless he was allowed to wear his mask.  Since the Canadiens were traveling, the rules at the time required the host team to provide a backup if the goalie became unable to play.  Teams in the 1950s did not travel with backup goalies, and the goalie that the home team found was overweight, nearly forty years old, and had not played recently.  The coach of the Canadiens decided to let Plante play, for he would be a much better choice for goalie even wearing his mask.  The Canadiens won that game, three to one.

Further, Plante contributed to the Canadiens winning the next eleven games in a row, all while wearing his mask.  To make sure that the mask did not impair vision, his coach still required that Plante have an eye exam while wearing his specially designed mask.  Two other goalies joined Plante that year, and slowly the practice spread.  The last bare faced goalies were seen on the professional hockey circuit appeared in the early 1970s.

A Moment in Hockey History – The Face Mask is a post from: Awarecampaign.org | The Importance all Sports | Sports Blogs

After learning the basics of sky diving; prepared and eager, if I went sky diving I think I would start in Italy. Because sky diving is such a popular sport, there are dropzones all over the world. I’d like to find one in Italy where I could jump out of an aircraft into a beautiful picturesque location. I’ve always wanted to go to Italy so this would be the perfect opportunity to see visit the area and practice my skills, if I went sky diving.

From what I’ve learned, if I went sky diving, I’d definitely start with the tandem jump. Because this method is said to be easy and quite safe, I’d try this first. I know I’d be harnessed to a master sky diver and makes me feel much better. If I went sky diving, I’d skip the accelerated freefall, that’s too advanced for me. I’d stick with the large parachute and take a tandem sky dive.

If I went sky diving, I’d like a friend to go with me. An experience like this might only come once in my lifetime. I’d like to share it with someone special. If I went sky diving, perhaps my husband or my sister could jump with me. Freefalling from 15000 feet with a friendly face a short distance away, would be comforting. Realizing someone special would forever share this memory with me, would make the adventure awesome, if I went sky diving.

If I went sky diving, I’d get on the Internet and search every possible website for sky diving information. I’d look for material related to sky diving locations, equipment, techniques, requirements, anything the Internet would provide. If I went sky diving, I’d definitely want to be well informed regarding what to expect once I arrived at the dropzone. I’d need to know what was provided at the dropzone in the way of food and lodging. There is so much important information I would require if I went sky diving. I’d get my hands on sky diving books and magazines. I would log on to a sky diving message board and probably ask questions. If I went sky diving, it would certainly be a big deal.

If I Went Sky Diving is a post from: Awarecampaign.org | The Importance all Sports | Sports Blogs

Hockey was the only sport holding out since it was what you called the whitest sport ever since they had no black players, team owners, or sportswriters. O’Ree was crossing lines many blacks of his time had a heck of a time playing and being taken seriously in sports. Blacks have not made their place in the hockey world again for nearly 30 years.

It wasn’t until 1998 that Willie O’Ree was formally acknowledged for his groundbreaking historical position as the first black in the NHL and was appointed director for youth development for the NHL/USA Hockey diversity task force where he goes all over the country establishing programs with different teams. This was a milestone that was long overdue to happen because the face of sports would show some sign that the walls of racism and segregation have started to crumble down. When someone who lived in a time where the color of your skin limited you to advance in something, but it was one man who stepped out of the confinements of racism and segregation to be one of the best players in the NHL. Today’s NHL has recruited people of other ethnic backgrounds to the pro teams that currently make up the team list.

It’s showing that it’s not just whites who made the NHL it’s the fact that more opportunities in the league now more than ever with how they’re recruiting players, team managers, and other areas of the league. When you remove racism and segregation the world of opportunity looks brighter for those who are of a different ethnic background to feel like they can succeed in another area of the sports world.

Hockey will definitely improve with time to allow other ethnic groups to be recruited to play hockey. Until then it will be a majority black and white issue in the league and that’s up to the world to demand to see the full equality that should be in the league and around not just players, team owners/management, but also stretching itself to the audience the sport is trying to draw in to diversify the sport to be a sport anyone can play and enjoy watching. Willie O’Ree spends much of his time in San Diego since he left the league when his knee was so bad that later on he had to undergo a full knee replacement, but his time is spent traveling the country lecturing and working his position as director of youth development for the NHL’s diversity task force. With O’Ree’s current position this should set the league in the right direction in terms of diversifying the sport of hockey.

Diversity has opened the door for people of all ethnicities to enjoy and it’s a shared interest across the board for all ages. Some make it a family event to incorporate a single sport and in a region where hockey is popular it’s the choice sport for some people.

African-Americans in the NHL is a post from: Awarecampaign.org | The Importance all Sports | Sports Blogs

There is no experience necessary to experience the excitement of indoor skydiving. The concept of flying and free-falling indoors is made possible by a vertical wind tunnel which provides the freedom of human flight. The training for this experience is not as lengthy as actual skydiving but isn’t any less valuable. Instructors provide students with body technique, landing skills, and equipment management training. Typically, training classes last about 25 minutes and then you are given 3 minutes of flight time. The powerful wind in the tunnel will shoot you up about 12 feet, which doesn’t compare to the thousands of feet of an actual skydive. However, you will forget you are indoors once you start free-falling in the tunnel, as the wind speed used (120 mph) is the same as that as real skydiving. Safety remains a primary concern as instructors ensure that students are fully capable of free-falling before turning on the high-powered wind fans inside the tunnel.

Just like skydiving, indoor skydiving requires a consent form from your doctor and is prohibited for people with certain health conditions. Unfortunately, just because it is indoors does not mean that anyone can participate. You will be asked to sign a consent form and release waiver which releases reliability for the indoor skydiving facility in the event of an emergency during your free-fall adventure. While such an unfortunate event is unlikely, it is important to understand the risks and dangers associated with indoor skydiving.

Another downfall to indoor skydiving is the location. Experiencing actual skydiving is more readily available, with locations all over the United States. However, Flyaway Indoor Skydiving is only available at two locations nationwide; Las Vegas, Nevada and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. While you may not seek out a trip to these places specifically for the indoor skydiving, it is well worth your time if you are already at either of these two locations. It is highly recommended that you call these locations in advance and make reservations if you wish to participate in indoor skydiving, as spaces fill up quickly. You can take advantage of group discounts if you plan to experience the thrill with friends and family, or perhaps you know someone who would love to try indoor skydiving and you could purchase a gift package for them. Prices for a single flight start at $27 and go up depending on your needs.

Indoor Skydiving; Experience the Thrill without Leaving the Ground! is a post from: Awarecampaign.org | The Importance all Sports | Sports Blogs

Rule changes

In 1974 when Monday night football became all the rage, one thing was certain – more fans than ever were watching football. After the initial craze started by Monday night games began to show lackluster ratings, the head office began to ask what was wrong. The games seemed slow to fans and sometimes unintelligible. Too many games were built on defense, running games and complicated plays on the field that netted a steady flow of small yardage, but no big plays. In order to combat the slow-moving side of football, The NFL rushing ushered in innovative rule changes which favored passing, limited timeouts and time between plays and sped up the game. This use of structure to influence speed kept fans watching TV and filling the seats.

Exhibition games

The NFL is one of the few sports franchises that has no Canadian or international teams. The reason for that is the Canadian Football League is already a productive entity of its own and requires no American counterpart in their country. However, the NFL is also one of the first franchises branching out into the global economy by playing exhibition games and other cities in the world. From 1986 foreword, exhibition games called the “American Bowls” have been played in London, Berlin, Tokyo and Barcelona. These games help gain an international reputation for football, while satellite television can broadcast American games all over the world. This endears football to an entirely new population of people.

International seasonal games

While the exhibition games have wrought the ability to enjoy American football around the world, one of the points people complain about is the games aren’t very hard fought. Professional football players are rarely willing to go the extra mile or put a lot of effort into an exhibition game. Who wants to lose a lucrative career simply because you pull a hamstring of pop your knee out of place for a game that doesn’t even count for the regular-season? In order to show football as it really is meant to be played, the NFL has sanctioned the first game for regular season play to occur internationally at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2007. The game has already sold out, and appears to be a bright prospect for future regular-season NFL games abroad.

The National Football League should be commended for its innovative ideas that help make the fan and their expectations the center of the game.

Fan Centered Football is a post from: Awarecampaign.org | The Importance all Sports | Sports Blogs

Its origin is credited to Bill Winkenbach, an Oakland Raiders partner who discussed his idea for the game with reporters in New York. They created the rules, and fantasy football was born. Years later, the internet is abuzz with thousands of sites dedicating themselves to the latest stats and news regarding players, allowing fans to get an edge at beating their friends. Fantasy football consists of individually governed leagues consisting of around 10 to 12 players. Drafts are chosen from the NFL roster and from week to week, you face off one on one versus other players to see who’s dream team performs the best that week. Points are tabulated, and a winner of the league is crowned based on their win-loss record versus the other players. Many sites offer the opportunity to set up a league free of charge with extra stats and updates sometimes being offered for an extra charge.

You don’t need to perform your fantasy football league online, either; you can simply download a rule book for the game and do it pen-and-paper style with your friends. The online connectivity offers an option to compete with the best of the best throughout the nation, with some sites even having cash prize championships on who can draft the best league. Fantasy football offers some much needed interactivity when it comes to watching a football game; when you’ve got your pride on the line, you’re definitely going to get more into games. Plus, you don’t need to draft a team; you can pick and choose from players across the league, making games that would normally seem uninteresting a matter of fantasy league life and death. All in all, it’s highly recommended if you’re a football fan that’s looking to add a little excitement to watching the sport.

Fantasy Football Provides Fans With Interactivity is a post from: Awarecampaign.org | The Importance all Sports | Sports Blogs

Let’s take a short look at some of the players that made Mexico the strong soccer power that it is today.

-Famous Mexican Soccer Players – Antonio Carbajal

Nicknamed “El Cinco Copas”, or “Five Cups”, Antonio Carbajal was the first player to ever participate in 5 World Cups with his national team and has only been equaled in 1998, by German legend Lothar Matthaus. Carbajal played for Mexico in all the 5 World Cups that took place between 1950 and 1966.

-Famous Mexican Soccer Players – Hugo Sanchez

Hugo Sanchez was one of the first Mexico soccer players to play in Europe at the highest level. He was an iconic player for Real Madrid between 1985 and 1992; 7 years in which he scored no less than 253 goals in 283 matches, a goal/match ratio that can hardly be rivaled.

He also played for the Mexico national team on 60 occasions, scoring 29 goals and being an important player in the 1986 World Cup held by Mexico, in which his team managed to equal the quarter-final performance obtained initially in 1970. Hugo Sanchez is currently the manager and coach of the Mexican national squad.

-Famous Mexican Soccer Players – Jared Borgetti

Borgetti was of Italian and Mexican descent and as a striker, he combined the flair and power of Italian soccer with the passion and inventively of Mexican soccer. Although he is still an active soccer player at age 34, he spent most of his time playing in the Mexican league, with 7 years for Santos Laguna, a period of time in which he managed to score close to 200 goals in 300 matches.

But Borgetti’s goalscoring run doesn’t stop here, as he has also managed to come on top of the Mexican national side’s all time score sheet, with 43 goals in 87 matches. Currently, Borgetti is playing for Cruz Azul and although he decided to retire from the Mexican national side for the upcoming World Cup, he stated that he would love to play for his country one last time, during the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament.

-Famous Mexican Soccer Players – Claudio Suarez

Unlike many other Mexican soccer players that get to celebrate New Years with a completely new club on their payroll, Claudio Suarez has only gone through 4 teams throughout his entire career: UNAM Pumas (1989-1996), Chivas de Guadalajara (1996-1999), UANL Tigres (1999-2005) and Chivas USA (2006). He made a strong impression for all of these clubs and many consider him one of the best Mexican defenders to have played for his country.

Although an extraordinary defender is currently contesting this title away from Claudio Suarez, namely Rafael Marquez of Barcelona, there’s one title that will hardly be touched by anyone for a long time: Claudio Suarez currently holds the record for international caps with the Mexican national team, with an amazing 178 appearances.

-Famous Mexican Soccer Players – Rafael Marquez

Rafael Marquez is probably the best-known Mexican soccer player of today, being one of the most important members of Spanish side FC Barcelona. Marquez’ ability to play as a central or right defender as well as a defensive midfielder earned him the aura of a “handyman”, being able to play wherever his coach would need him the most.

However, Marquez has recently steadied down as a central defender, playing on this position for the Mexican national side as well as for FC Barcelona in the last years. Age 28, Rafael Marquez is the captain of the Mexican national squad and is already being considered one of the best players in the country’s history, next to legendary names such as Hugo Sanchez or Claudio Suarez.

Famous Mexican Soccer Players is a post from: Awarecampaign.org | The Importance all Sports | Sports Blogs

The first goalie to wear a mask was Jacques Plante, a highly respected player with the Montreal Canadiens, and one of the legends of hockey.  He was an odd fellow, prone to asthma attacks, and to getting more injuries than many other hockey players.  He preferred reading books and painting over going to parties with his teammates.  During his career, he had gotten more than two hundred facial stitches.  In that era, a few hundred stitches were not highly unusual for a hockey player, but generally they were not just on the face.  He also had had two broken cheekbones, four broken noses, and a fractured skull.  Before Plante, several goalies had tried to use masks, but they were wire (similar to ones used by baseball catchers) and impaired vision to some extent.

As the 1958 hockey season was coming to an end, Plante was injured when a puck hit his forehead.  A member of the audience that worked in fiberglass wrote Plante a letter, and explained how he could make a mask molded to fit Plante’s face, and strong enough to protect it.  Plante agreed to sit as a model for the mask, and to wear it during the next hockey season.  He brought it out during the preseason games, and was laughed at and criticized by the hockey community.  His coach in Montreal was sure that the mask reduced his vision and asked him not to wear it.   About two months later, Plante was in a game when someone hit a backhanded from the side of the net.  There were too many players around the goal for Plante to see the puck, and the puck sliced into the side of his nose, which bled profusely.  It took seven stitches to close the wound.

Plante would not go into the next game unless he was allowed to wear his mask.  Since the Canadiens were traveling, the rules at the time required the host team to provide a backup if the goalie became unable to play.  Teams in the 1950s did not travel with backup goalies, and the goalie that the home team found was overweight, nearly forty years old, and had not played recently.  The coach of the Canadiens decided to let Plante play, for he would be a much better choice for goalie even wearing his mask.  The Canadiens won that game, three to one.

Further, Plante contributed to the Canadiens winning the next eleven games in a row, all while wearing his mask.  To make sure that the mask did not impair vision, his coach still required that Plante have an eye exam while wearing his specially designed mask.  Two other goalies joined Plante that year, and slowly the practice spread.  The last bare faced goalies were seen on the professional hockey circuit appeared in the early 1970s.

A Moment in Hockey History – The Face Mask is a post from: Awarecampaign.org | The Importance all Sports | Sports Blogs

Soccer is a sport that is very respected by fans because they have made it their business to know all about the people involved with the game. The fans understand the time and commitment that some soccer players put into a game that they love doing every day of the week. There are certain soccer players that still must prove their abilities in a foreign land even after they have become champions in their homeland. These players will be under constant scrutiny by the public as they wait for the player to prove their abilities and live up to the hype generated by the news.

These self-made soccer avatars have been exposed by the news media as the best in their craft and have been criticized for being highly paid for their professional services. Some professional soccer players have used their brain instead of their athletic talents and excelled in the news because they have a very talented mate who is just as interesting in the public eye. When this type of scrutiny is diverted for just a short time, it gives the soccer playing champ a chance to rest and look forward to playing the next game of soccer.

It is rather strange that the press would canonize a foreign soccer player for not being able to play in Los Angeles when he was injured in a soccer game. Although the player was where he was supposed to be, and doing what he was hired to do, some critics feel that he was taking advantage of the situation somehow and was not keeping up his end of the bargain.

Perhaps the injury occurred on a soccer field in England, or one in the United States. Soccer players know the risk when they enter the field, and yet, many of them still do and have the courage to continue playing long past when they should leave the field for medical reasons. Permanent injuries can occur when any soccer player puts the game above self, but the ridicule provided by the press and teammates might give a foreign player that plays for America no other choice.

A player with this much power and charisma on and off the soccer field deserves to be watched but not monitored. Some events of life deserve to be solemnly attended to with dignity and with a guarantee of privacy. There are certain times when time limits should be lifted and attention to family matters be given the widest considerations. Otherwise, the watching might turn to monitoring so soccer teams can try and figure out if devotion to self finally overrides the grinding urge to return ever again to the playing field where a foreigner is often criticized.

A Soccer Players Devotion To The Game Over Self is a post from: Awarecampaign.org | The Importance all Sports | Sports Blogs

One of the coolest things about skateboarding is that is requires so little to get started.  With other sports, you have to gear up with all kinds of equipment but with skating all you need is a skateboard.  Of course, you should also have safety gear like a helmet and pads.  This sport can be extremely dangerous so good safety equipment is a must as well.

One last important thing to have when you decide to get into this sport has to be the shoes.  You will definitely want to pick some with good foot protection and ankle support.  You will also want to make sure they fit properly as well because a shoe that does not fit right can cause its own set of problems.  Shoes that do not fit properly can cause issues like blisters and foot sores that will make skating very uncomfortable and painful.

When you are trying on a new pair of skate shoes they should be comfortable because you will want to be wearing them for long periods of time.  They should also be able to take a lot of abuse during a skater’s use.  One more thing is that they need to have good treads that grip well to the board.

Another part of the skate shoe that you should look at is the show laces.  It’s important to have heavy duty type show laces due to the amount of abuse they can take during the various skating tricks.  Regular shoe laces do not stand a chance to the amount of use that they get and it would be a horrible thing to be in the middle of a good skate session and you have to quit for the day because of a pair of broken shoe laces.

The tread is something that is needed to keep the feet on the board.  You don’t want to be slipping around while trying to perform the raddest trick ever.

It is true that sometimes these types of skate shoes can become quite expensive and cost a lot of money, but they can be just important as the board itself.  Get yourself a good pair and they will last you through the entire season this year.

Choosing The Right Shoes For Skateboarding is a post from: Awarecampaign.org | The Importance all Sports | Sports Blogs