Like many others I have always viewed horse racing with ambivalence. Previous and current generations of my extended family have had strong equestrian links but, on the matter of horse racing, opinions of family members have been split down the middle for decades. Attitudes were so powerful and entrenched that it was strictly forbidden, at family gatherings, to mention to Aunty … [Read more...]
The most important statistic in sport
What is the most important statistic in sport? Clearly, it’s the FU-TU ratio. Forget goals scored, assists, tackles, missed tackles, meters gained, passes completed, rebounds, efficiency rating and any one of a hundred other stats. None of them hold a candle to the FU-TU ratio. Every coach on the planet needs to seriously consider the FU-TU rating of every player on … [Read more...]
Extreme sports are for normal people!
BASE jumping, wingsuit flying, big wave surfing, extreme skiing and solo rope-free climbing, when we think of someone who takes part in these extreme activities, we think of a risk-taker. The type of person you might describe as a “deviant hedonist” or a “sensation-seeker”, who is looking for an “adrenaline rush”. And they are most likely to be young and male. The problem … [Read more...]
Running is not bad for your spine – latest research!
Victorian research published in Scientific Reports is the first human study to show that any kind of physical activity is good for the discs in the spine. Lead researcher Associate Professor Daniel Belavy from the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University, said the study "Running exercise strengthens the intervertebral disc" is an important change in … [Read more...]
How professional sport handicaps youth sport culture
The recent spate of incidents and reports of doping, match-fixing and wall-to-wall TV coverage of betting, alcohol and junk food advertisements has stimulated considerable debate about the impact of commercialized sport on Australian youth. Researchers have clearly mapped how the rise of Australian commercialized sport has coincided with growth in obesity and physical … [Read more...]