Socrates: So Winx, when did you first realize that you could run? Winx: I knew I could run as far back as I can remember. I was born in the Hunter Valley. That’s right. A Newcastle girl by birth. A loyal Knights supporter, through and through. My racing colours might look like I am a Newtown girl (or Mewtown girl… given the silly M on the front of the silks) but my heart … [Read more...]
Small town Rugby League star gives birth to brilliant strategy!
Like many big bloke athletes, a mate of mine (who, incidentally, was the hard man power forward for my high school basketball team), considered himself a tactical mastermind. Not too many years ago, Big David was still playing in the back row for the Warialda Wombats regional Rugby League footy team. As a student of the game and a serious thinker to boot, David used to look for … [Read more...]
Match the famous with their sporting secrets – sports-quizz answers revealed!
Who said that they would give up their career to be awarded just one cap playing rugby for their country? Richard Harris, of course. While many might think that “Dumbledore” would have been more interested in Quiddich, it seems that the Irish master of both stage and screen’s first love was for rugby and he would have given his last dollar to have played for the shamrock … [Read more...]
“The Magic Pudding” – a guide to what kids love and how risky play helps create young athetes
When controversial Australian painter and novelist Norman Lindsay was told by friends that he should write a children’s book he quickly took a liking to the idea. When his friends told him that the book should be about fairies, goblins and mythical creatures he laughed at the idea and said that kids aren’t into fantasy stuff… they just love fighting, sticking … [Read more...]
Where did the word canter come from?
After much thought and deliberation, have you been able to logic out the origins of the word canter? No? Well try this on for size. The earliest dictionaries suggest that canter is most likely an abbreviation of "travelling at Canterbury pace." The suggestion is that mounted faithful folk, on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Thomas Becket at the Canterbury Cathedral in England, … [Read more...]