GO Mammoth Netball: Q&A with Rose Martin Posted on 24th May 20135th September 2016 by gomammoth Many of us ladies (and men) played netball at primary school, some at secondary school and some even picked it up again at College and University, however even University may be a few years ago now and getting back into netball may seem a little daunting. This need not be the case. GO Mammoth offers social netball leagues for all abilities, even if you have never played netball before you are welcome. These leagues are either “recreational” or “intermediate” so are suited to your skill and confidence level. Even with leagues nearby and the knowledge that they are open to all abilities, many of us still have doubts and worries holding us back from signing up. Whether fitness/skill level/location etc related, we have had a chat with the netball manager Rose Martin to try and help clear up these initial concerns when considering getting back into netball. All you have to worry about now is what to wear 🙂 All you need to know about Mammoth Netball: Question 1: Where can I play netball in London? All around! We have leagues in North, South, East and West London. Whether it’s close to where you live, your work or on the commute, we’ve worked hard to find venues that are suitable for all Londoners. Close to tube stations, easy to get to and of course, close to a sponsor pub or bar. We can’t forget about the hard work off the court! The best thing to do is take a look at the list of venues and the map on the netball page on our website and decide which location/venue/league/day/time is perfect for you and simply sign up to some mammoth netball FUN. Question 2: None of my friends are interested in netball but I still want to play, is this possible? Are they crazy – HA?! Yes, it’s completely possible. We have the option to either sign up with a team of mates or colleagues, or sign up on your own as an individual. Maybe you have a couple or a few friends interested but not a whole team; if that’s the case we can still make sure you all play together (just add their names in the “friends” box on your registration, or give us a call/drop us an e-mail at hello@gomammoth.co.uk). Essentially, playing sport is not only a fantastic way to get/keep fit but also an awesome way to socialise and meet new people. It is a fun evening and breather from the very often stressful day to day life of city living! Question 3: What level league is best suited to me? We currently have 2 standards of leagues, recreational and intermediate, that cater to all standards. The recreational leagues are perfect for anyone who may have played at school but are a bit rusty, anyone who has never played before but are keen to learn or players that aren’t massively bothered about winning or loosing but more interested about having fun. The intermediate leagues suit players that have a solid grasp of the game and its rules; they appreciate a faster paced game and prefer a slightly more competitive atmosphere but still want to have fun playing. They are also for players/teams that are winning their recreational leagues comfortably and want to move up a level. Either way, I guarantee you we have a perfect league for each and every team and individual so what are you waiting for, get searching! Question 4: I know many people say they are unfit, but I actually haven’t done any decent exercise in a few years, will I struggle? You wouldn’t believe how people give me a call or pop an email mentioning that they haven’t played in years, are a bit un-fit and “just want to get back into it”. This is EXACTLY what we cater for and you are not alone, you run around as much as you want. We aren’t a club of professional players wanting to take part in the next Netball World Championships; we are a group of guys and girls who love playing sport and socialising at the same time at any level. If your main aim is to get fit, great, playing sport you don’t even realise its happening you are having too much fun and who wants to be by themselves on a running machine… Questions 5: I can’t even remember the rules of netball, can I still play? No problem at all! We have a great bunch of welcoming, lovely and professional umpires down at every league who are there to help and offer any advice necessary throughout your whole season. You inherently learn more and more each time you play and everyone knows practise makes perfect. You won’t know what its like unless you jump in and get involved! You can also check out the GO Mammoth netball rules on our website here. Questions 6: Do you do any warm-up training sessions at the beginning of the leagues? We hold a monthly netball clinic for both teams and individuals on a Saturday morning. Currently this is in South West London but we are looking to expand the clinic to other parts of the capital due to its mass popularity! The clinic provides the opportunity to improve your netball skills and techniques regardless of whether you currently play in one of our leagues or not, you could be completely new to GO Mammoth. By offering a two hour session of friendly qualified coaching and support, we give a service that compliments our fun and social leagues. The clinic caters to all levels of experience in a relaxed atmosphere and gives you the chance, no matter what standard, to improve your netball whilst having a great time! I always try to advise any slightly nervous new individuals or teams to try and attend this clinic just to see what we are all about before signing up to one of the leagues. It’s a good way to try before you buy! Question 7: How do the leagues work? We offer 8-12 week leagues 4 times a year. We hold winter, spring, summer and autumn seasons so we play all year round with, on average, a two-three week break between each season. All the leagues have staggered start times but do begin and end around the same couple of months, dependant on length. Each league has a location, venue and fixture time. You will always play at this venue on that specific night between the times shown, you will start no earlier or finish no later than the specified times but your 40 minute game times will change each week. They differ in each league but let’s say, at your venue, you play between 7pm and 9pm, one night you could have a 7pm game, another night it might be 7:40pm or 8:20pm. You get sent ALL the league/fixture details and information about a week or so before your first fixture so that you can pre-plan your whole 8-12 week season! Question 8: If I join as an individual when do I find out/meet the girls in my team? As mentioned above, you get sent all the necessary information about a week or so before the league start date, this will include how to see your team and the members with all their contact details. This means if you want to contact, maybe even meet up with your team-members before you start playing you can do so, otherwise we advise most members come a little early on the first night to say hello and introduce yourselves. It sounds daunting but the great thing is, everyone is in the same position and you wouldn’t believe how quickly players bond as a team and often stay together for future seasons. Question 9: How do you work out what players go in what team (ie based on positions etc) and how many? I create teams based on players preferred positions. For example I will try my best with who has signed up to make sure that the team have an even/equal amount of defenders, centre court players and shooters. I add, on average, around 8-10 players to each individual team (I advise this amount to any fully fledged team entering too, but of course they can have as many people as they like on their team), this leaves a little le-way each week for some ladies/gents to possibly be ill/have prior commitments or have a last minute situation. From experience within the leagues it is much better for teams to have perhaps one or two extras one week than be short and maybe have to forfeit a game with not enough players which is annoying for both teams involved as they don’t get to play a great game of netball. Life gets in the way sometimes so we compensate for this as we don’t want anyone missing out on what they paid for. We also have a great ‘availability’ system that lets all players update their game status each week, this helps all teams work out if they have enough to play or need ringers/fill-ins etc which we can help with. Even in worse situations with forfeits we try our upmost to organise friendly games for oppositions. If we can help it, you will never miss a game of netball. Question 10: Do I need to bring anything with me? Just your beautiful/handsome selves in your finest pair of trainers and sports gear (maybe a water bottle too for after you’ve worked up a sweat). We provide all equipment, from bibs to balls to a free ‘annual’ GO Mammoth t-shirt, we got you sorted! Remember netballers, GO Mammoth or GO home! If you are interested in playing an a Mammoth netball league – CLICK HERE. We hope the above begins to help with those initial queries/doubts when considering getting back into netball, however feel free to give us a call on 0207 381 6034 if you want to find out more. Alternatively, comment below with your questions and we will be happy to answer them…
American Football London | Super Bowl Guest Blog Posted on 5th February 2013 by A small insight into the world of an American living in London, and the trouble faced when the realisation kicked in that he would be watching the Super Bowl in London.Was it as good for him as being back home….. The 2013 Super Bowl between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers offered one of the most intriguing matchups in recent memory. Dubbed the “Harbaugh Bowl,” it featured two brothers, John and Jim coaching against each other, putting familial allegiances aside in an attempt to win the Lombardi Trophy. Additionally, this would be the last time fans would witness the Ravens’ linebacker Ray Lewis, one of the game’s all time greats, set to play the last game of his unbelievable career. The 49ers were led by the young Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback who can make incredible plays happen with both his feet and his arm. This however, would be the first time that I was not in America to watch the big game as I am studying in London. Normally, there would be a gathering at a home complete with a big television, enormous amounts of Super Bowl staples such as chicken wings, and of course Budweiser. I was stumped as to how I would watch the game, would a bar show the same American commercials that I am used to? Would there even be places that stayed open for a game that started at 11:30 p.m.? My friends and I gathered on Saturday trying to figure out where we would watch the game, finally settling on Walkabout, normally an Australian bar that was converted for the game. As we walked up to the bar, a ‘cheerleader’ in an American flag outfit greeted us. Inside, it felt as though we found a little slice of home. Huge flat screens adorned the walls and the crowd was eager for the game to start. There were not many British accents to be heard as many Americans were all seeking to try and find some facsimile of the Super Bowl experience that we were used to back in the states. It seemed to be more of a celebration of American culture rather than American football itself. Red, white, and blue balloons filled the room and mini American flags were passed throughout the crowd. Cold Budweiser and Coors Light were the beers of choice instead of the warm and flat ale that is served over here. My friends and I ordered 24 chicken wings to start off the night thinking that would be a decent amount. However, we were shocked when the bucket of wings came over. The wings were not fried, but also they were not separated as they are back in the states, a simple reminder that we were “not in Kansas anymore,” to quote the Wizard of Oz. The crowd was filled with anticipation for the game to begin despite the late hour of the game and seemingly did not lose this intensity for the entire game as only a handful of people might have left before the game concluded. From the exciting on field action to Beyonce’s legendary halftime performance, all eyes were glued to the televisions when they weren’t on their beer or food. Even during the power outage, the bar was still energetic, as everyone was anxious for the game to resume. Once the game was finished and the Ravens emerged victorious, I looked down at my watch to only realize it was a ghastly 4 a.m. and I had to be up at LSE at 9 for 6 hours of class. Despite the late hour, I had a fantastic time watching my first Super Bowl in London and would be sure to watch at Walkabout again if I am here in the future. That was my Super Bowl experience in London and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Where did you guys watch the big game and how did you find it?
Dodgeball London: Clapham Match Report Posted on 10th January 2013 by Customised Basketball Bibs Since GO Mammoth is set to kick off five basketball leagues in April, we thought we would find some suppliers of basketball jerseys for you guys. Yes, we still provide nice bibs with numbers for you and your teammates. However, we can not customise your team bibs for you. These suppliers give you the option to pick out your team colors and team name, players’ names, and logo! Do not forget to add the numbers to the back so our refs can do their job. If you would like to go ahead and get team jerseys to use in the next couple of seasons then check out the links below. Team-colours has the most options of the three. They allow you to add the names and numbers for only £10. Most of their jerseys are only £20 per person. This comes with the ability to choose from more than 20 colour options. http://www.team-colours.co.uk/basketball/ Sportserve offers a wide variety of reversible jerseys as well as traditional ones. They offer matching tops and shorts as well, with names and numbers, for around £40. Their specialty is uniforms so they have lots of great deals for them. However, if you just wanted a set of numbered bibs then you can get them as well for £20. http://www.sportserve.co.uk/cat.php?cat=6 Bob Woolmer Sales also offers lots of sports equipment and clothing. The site is a little harder to navigate than the other two and has a smaller selection. Nevertheless, they have basketball vests that can be personalised as well. Browse through the catalog until you get to page 28-29 and you can pick out a vest and look at the personalisation options on page 41. http://www.woolmersales.co.uk/2011_catalogue/ Remember, the team that looks good plays good! Best of luck in your london basketball current season and the coming seasons!
Swim yourself into shape Posted on 11th December 2012 by We have all heard on the grape vine that swimming is one of the best ways to keep fit, but in the last few months this has also been endorsed by former gymnast and BBC presenter Gabby Logan who is now the face of Speedo. A lot of us use the gym, and play sport during the week, however I find swimming is the perfect midweek exercise in between playing netball and my fitness classes. Swimming allows you to exercise your whole body and do a full aerobic workout without any harsh impact on your body. The main problem many ladies have is getting into the swimming costume in the first place. All you have to do is overcome that initial stage to reap the benefits, and then I am sure you won’t ever want to take it off. Swimming increases muscle strength and muscle tone, one of the main reasons, I, and many other women persist to workout. Using multiple muscles all over your body while pushing yourself through the resistance of the water will tighten up those flabby bits in no time. As we get older, our skin is not as tight as it used to be, however our muscles tighten and flexibility can often be an issue. Swimming also helps to increase flexibility of your muscles and moves a variety of different joints in all angles helping them remain loose. All of these benefits are fantastic, but I know when comparing different exercises, one of the main factors a lot of people consider is the amount of calories burnt. Weight Loss Resources states that 30 minutes of moderate swimming will burn between “150-370 calories”. The best thing is that there are swimming pools absolutely everywhere in London. Just look no further than your local leisure centre. Most of the time, you can just pay per swim, so you don’t even have to worry about gym memberships and affording a lengthy contract, you can just swim when you fancy it. Whatever sport or activity that motivates you to get off the sofa the most often, will lose you the most weight and make you feel your best. I would advise trying out different forms of exercise during the week. You then get a very varied workout, using many different muscle groups. Why not hit the weights Monday morning to counteract your 2 day hangover from the weekend, play a game of netball on Tuesday night, and go for a relaxing (forget about work) mid-day swim on Wednesday and before you know it you are half way through the week and it’s almost Friday and the weekend all over again.
Netball: Finding your position… Posted on 30th November 20125th September 2016 by gomammoth So, I thought I would put together a brief description of what we believe are the “typical” characteristics of players in each netball position. I have been playing Netball on and off for years, but I am nowhere near a professional so I wouldn’t take it too seriously and feel as though you should change positions should you not fit the criteria. This is only a quick and simple guide to help those of you that are new to Netball and have joined our Social Netball leagues and may be unsure of what position to play or try out. At a professional level Netball players are usually above-average height, with a high level of fitness and low body fat levels. Some positions allow for shorter players, usually areas on the court where the ball is played closely to the ground. However, in many recreational leagues, height and fitness are not as important as enthusiasm, team spirit and morale (followed by a cheeky G&T after the game). Goalkeeper – Goalkeepers are often taller and slightly more physical players, who are prepared to aggressively protect their goal post! They have to stay alert so they can collect rebounds off the post and intercept passes, therefore having fast reactions is often vital. It is important for the Goal Keeper to be aware of what is happening out in front of them. This will allow them to read the attacking team’s movements and anticipate any interceptions, creating turnovers. Goal Defence – The goal defence works closely with the goal keeper, they must support each other. GD must have good skills of anticipation so they can block passes and get the ball out to their own attacking players. Someone who can read the game well and can read opposition passes and intercept the ball will be an optimal goal defence. The GD has more available space on court to play the ball than the GK, so should have decent stamana. As well as defending, they also need the skills of an attacker. The GD must initiate the attack by successfully getting the ball out of the defensive third, and assist the team in moving the ball down the court. Wing Defence – As well as getting the ball forward they have to mark their opposing wing attack. The wing defence must be focused on the attacking opponents game play and good at controlling the ball. They should be ready at all times to pick up any tips or interceptions created by the circle defenders as well as playing a supporting backup role for the attackers down court. Centre – The centre is the engine of the team and they have to be quick thinking and creative with their play. Centres manipulate how the game is played, regarding spacing, speed and structure. Centres are normally the swiftest and fastest players on the court, meaning they are quite often among the smallest players on the team with a lower centre of gravity. They usually receive the most passes than any other players on court and often receive low quick passes which makes it challenging for the taller defending players to get low and catch or intercept the ball. Wing Attack – The wing attack is a side kick to the centre as such. They must have a solid passing game and ball collecting skills. The WA is often the first person to receive the ball after the centre pass so needs to be quick off their feet from a stand still position. Speed is highly important for a wing attack as the initial centre pass is crucial, so they need to beat the WD off the mark so the ball is not turned over. WA need the ability to open up space on the court. They need to be able to catch and pass the ball on quickly down the court. Very agile and quick players will best suit wing attack. Goal Shooter – The goal shooter must have precise and direct shooting skills from a variety of positions in the circle. Once the ball is inside the circle, the GS must work hard to secure a goal. They must also be able to react quickly, dealing with quick passes into the circle and rebounds if one of the shooters are to miss. Goal shooters seem to have the steadiest hands on the court and are often among the taller players. Goal shooters are often calm individuals that do not succumb to pressure as at many points in the game, all eyes are on you. Goal Attack – The goal attack must have both incredibly good shooting abilities and attacking court play. The goal attacks main duty is to work with the WA and C to bring the ball closer to the post and if possible to the GS. Their passing must be quick and direct to give the shooter the best opportunity to score before the defenders have caught up. They must also be able to read the two circle defenders and plan the best route into the circle. As well as this, they must have extremely quick reactions to ensure they have a second shot on goal if there are any rebounds. The GA is often a taller, slightly more agile player with high stamina, yet technically skilled. So get involved in a GO Mammoth social netball league and give it a go, give all the positions a go, and see what suits you best. Knowing is better than wondering… If anyone has anything to add to any of the positions, feel free to comment below…the more we can help out new Netball players the better 🙂
What is the true Olympic Legacy? Posted on 13th September 2012 by As always, there has been a lot of discussion and controversy surrounding the legacy that the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic games will leave. The Legacy is generally split into two key areas; Social and Economic. Without wanting to get all stock broker on you guys, we’ve decided to take a look at the social benefits and more importantly how the legacy will affect individuals attention to their health and fitness. Britain is known to be one of the least active countries in the world, and is ranked eighth among the lasiest. According to a study done by The Lancet medical journal, “three out of every ten adults who are over fifteen years of age do not exercise enough. Furthermore, 63% of the population is considered sedentary”. The Olympics & Paralympics has clearly had a dramatic effect on our generation, as recent figures have shown that hundreds of sporting clubs, leisure centres and London Basketball Leagues have seen an increase in interest following the success of the British Olympics and Paralympics teams. You’ve only got to look at the pictures of the reported 1 million Londoners that lined the streets to salute the athletes as evidence of our growing interest. Britain also seems to be trying to cultivate a passion for competitive sports in schools in order to encourage future generations. We’ve all heard Boris talking about inspiring a generation right? Well it hasn’t all been just hot air, leading up to the Olympics, the Department for Education provided £65 million to the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years to allow PE teachers to organise programs that will help prepare students for a higher level of competition. Children will chose a sport, and be encouraged to have high aspirations for that sport and take the appropriate steps to succeed in the future. Encouraging children to become active at an earlier age could help prevent a variety of diseases in their later years. This is where the Legacy’s two main points do cross over – socially, the impacts are clear, healthier people, higher participation in sports is obviously good, but economically there will also be less strain put on the NHS as a healthier generation encounter less health related issues, that’s the plan anyway. This is without us going into the benefits of increased tourism, additional sponsorships and advertisers investing in the UK etc. The Olympic Legacy isn’t all about having an instant impact. The key to the games was to inspire a generation, not for a year, or 2, but for a life time. The games could change Britain forever. Will it? Well that depends on how far the government are willing to see this through. Will this be focused on and implemented further down the line, or was it just a pre-olympic plan that will slowly get phased out through lack of attention? There are many factors of the Olympic Legacy, that, involved in a consistent and effective strategy could benefit London and the UK for years to come, generation after generation. However, if a clear and strategic plan is not formed, will this just slip away and will we lose all economic and social benefits? I feel it is fantastic how the UK have embraced the Olympics and their level of involvement. If the Olympic Legacy inspires those who would not normally consider it to make a small change to their lives and get a bit more active, I feel it is a step in the right direction. What do you feel is the true Olympic Legacy?
Random Football Facts Posted on 12th September 2012 by Whilst you’re playing in your London Football league, you may find a few of these facts about those playing professional football quite interesting… Dario Conca (No, we hadn’t heard of him either) earns more than Messi & Ronaldo! He plies his trade in China with Guangzhou, and earns €10.6 million. This is higher than the €10.5 million Lionel Messi receives and the €10 million that Cristiano Ronaldo earns. However, top of the high earners list is Samuel Eto’o who earns a staggering €20 million at Russian club Anzhi. An English Manager has never won the Premier League. The first winner of Europe’s Football Player of the Year was England’s Sir Stanley Matthews. His nicknames were “The Wizard of the Dribble” and “The Magician.” He played in England’s top division until he was fifty years old! Ryan Giggs is the only player to score in every Premier League season. (he hasn’t scored this year ……… yet) The first televised football match featured Arsenal vs. Arsenal Reserves. The Championship is the 5th most Lucrative league in Europe. Behind the Premier League, Spanish, German & Italian. In 1954 Turkey knocked out Spain during a World Cup qualifier by drawing straws. Blindfolded Italian Luigi Franco Gemma picked the straws to decide the winner. The Albanian national team stopped in England while on their way to Iceland. They arrived at Heathrow and thought “duty free” shopping meant that everything was literally free. They were asked to leave England immediately. Ireland was the only team in Euro 2012 that didn’t have any players from their country’s leagues. England was the only team whose entire squad was filled with players entirely from its own local leagues. In 1994, Oleg Salenko of Russia scored 5 goals versus Cameroon to set the World Cup record for highest number of goals scored by a single player in a game. The first goal in the history of the Premier League was scored by Brian Deane for Sheffield United. With the exception of 1896 and 1932, men’s football has competed in every summer Olympics. Women’s football was added in 1996. Five a side football first participated in the Paralympics in 1986. Recently, Brazil won a gold metal in the 2012 Summer Paralympics. There has only ever been one golden premier league trophy awarded. Does anyone know why? 30% of the teams in the Premier League are London Based – Are you playing in a 5 a side London league? If not, join a team and you can try something like this…
London Netball: Sport headphones review Posted on 11th September 2012 by As you’re training for your next London Netball game, you may want to consider the different types of headphones available to make your workouts that bit more enjoyable. According to the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, music is said to increase your endurance by as much as 15% so why not get the most out of your workout? I have summed up a few alternatives below: Since generic headphones, such as the Apple earphones that come with your iPod, can easily break and do not always deliver music at a high quality, NBA and Olympic champion LeBron James and Dr. Dre have teamed up to create a sports headphone that does just the opposite. “Powerbeats” are specifically designed to deliver studio-quality sound to athletes and contain sweat resistant materials to ensure the sound is never interrupted. The ear buds are durable and made with high quality material so you wont be stuck with broken headphones mid-workout. The remote control card allows you to change your music in the middle of an exercise without having to stop and find your music player. Normally in-ear headphones are dangerous to run on roads and publics places with but with Powerbeats, your safety is not an issue. These headphones allow just enough ambient noise in so that you’ll know when to watch out for that car passing you. Powerbeats are priced at £119.99 and come in three different colors. If you have issues keeping your headphones in during your workout, wireless headphones may be the best option. FX-Sport has created a headphone with a built in MP3 player. The music can be simply uploaded by plugging your headphones into your computer, just as you would your iPod. The headphones are sweat resistant and waterproof so if you’re training for your social netball league by swimming, these headphones are a great choice. The songs can be changed through the speech activated features so your workout can be hands free. The VR1 headphones feature a “Programmable Personal Trainer”. This virtual trainer can report the speed and duration of your workout. Motivational phrases that are spoken by your virtual trainer will help push you through those low points in your training. The VRI MP3 player by FX-Sport is priced at £134.00. If the above sound perfect but seem a bit pricy, and you are still after a better quality sound the below headphones may be more appealing. Sennheiser PMX 680i has collaborated with Adidas to create a headphone that is available at a lower price. The PMX 680i is designed for all types of strenuous activity, but mainly distance running. Running long distances will help build your endurance, allowing you to perform at your best while you play netball in London. These headphones have a neckband that locks into place so whether you’re running for thirty minutes or two hours, the headphones never move their place and the ear buds never fall out. They are water resistant so even if it starts to rain while you’re running you wont have to worry about tucking your headphones away. The cables are made from Kevlar by DuPont and maintain a perfect combination between durability and flexibility. Even at temperatures below zero, the cables are still flexible! Sennheiser PMX 680i headphones are available at a price of £44.99. Headphones are available at a variety of different styles, prices and colors so you can look and feel your best while training. Have you used any of these headphones while training?
Free Kick Football Plays Posted on 1st August 2012 by Free Kick Football Moves You’ve probably had countless free kicks in your Football League match but more often than not have wasted them. They are a great opportunity to score and scoring one with a well pulled off move is very satisfying. With help from the guys at www.bettercoaching.com we have suggested a variety of different free kick plays which you may like to try out. Although these pictures are demonstrated for an 11 aside game, they can be slightly altered and adapted to 5 or 6 aside. Free Kick 1 This first play is fairly simple and most teams should be able to pull it off. Player 1 should get the ball and line it up on the ground tricking the opposition into thinking he will kick the ball. Players 2 and 3 hover over the ball as seen in the picture with player 2 just on top of the ball. A 4th player will stand wider of the play (Player 4) and should look like he/she will not get involved. Pretend to have a rest, take deep breathes and even ‘tie your shoes’. When you’re ready, Player 1 starts to run up acting like he/she will take a shot after Player 2 lays it off to him. The defence will get ready to block this shot. But instead of Player 2 laying it off to Player 1, they pass across field (through the legs of Player 3) to Player 4 who will hopefully have a free and open shot on goal. Free Kick 2 This next free kick is slightly more advanced than the previous one but when successfully pulled off it is quite entertaining. There is a slight modification towards the end of this set move but not too much different. Once again there will obviously be a few less players on the field in your 5 or 6 aside match but the same concept can still be applied. Player 1 will pass to a teammate (Player 2) who will make a run forward from the wall. As the pass is being made, Player 3 will scoop around and head towards the corner of the penalty area. Player 2 will then perform a first touch pass into the space where Player 3 will run. Player 2 will then run towards the goal and in front of the goal (but outside the penalty area) waiting for Player 3 to square a pass to him/her who will have the whole goal to aim for hoping that the goalkeeper will still be on the side of the goals focusing on Player 3. Free Kick 3 Quick free kicks are highly successful if worked well. When awarded a free kick in your own half quickly place the ball on the ground and pass to a teammate (Player 2) who would be making a run down the sideline. And just like the previous free kick, a runner will run through the middle of the pitch and will receive a square ball from the sideline runner who will then shoot and hopefully score. An accurate pass from Player 1 is vital to pierce the opposition and an equally accurate pass from Player 2 to Player 3 will help set up the final shot. Free Kick 4 This play works best when done quickly. Great to use when awarded a free kick near the sideline. As seen in the picture, have a player on the ball taking the free kick then have a player on corner of the penalty area. When the ball is played to that player, a teammate will make a run from the bottom right of screen splitting the defenders and has the opportunity to have a one on one with the goalkeeper. We hope this gives your team an idea for a worked free kick and can hopefully pull it off. Let us know if any team can pull off one of the four moves and if anyone else can think of better ones please do let us know. Be warned, if your teammates aren’t sure what’s going on, it can backfire and lead to an opposition counter attack so communication is the key. Good luck. Why not put these into practise in our London 5 aside Football Leagues?
What to do over the Olympics… Posted on 25th July 2012 by With the Olympics fast approaching many people want to get involved in the Games (without paying hundreds of pounds to watch an event). So we have come up with a list of cheap and free activities to do in London to help you feel a part of the Olympics. Torch Relay:The Olympic Flame is finally here and is making its way around the UK – gather up everyone you know and Line the Streets to show your support. It’s one of the most iconic symbols of the Olympics. Going and watching the Torch Relay is a must to all locals as they probably won’t ever get the chance to ever witness this event again in their hometown. Peninsula Festival: Head down to Peninsula Festival London event to watch the Olympics on the big screens and enjoy live music, sports and more during the Games. The Greenwich Peninsula will be hosting a mix of free and ticketed events, with the huge Area 12 site open to the public every day of the festival. If you’re worried about missing an event don’t be, because at the Peninsula Festival London event there’s free access to big screens which will be showing live BBC coverage of London 2012. During breaks in play you can hop on a funfair ride or enjoy the performances from street entertainers and a marching band. Victoria Park:Victoria Park is situated in the East of London not too far from the Olympic Park. During the Olympics this place will be buzzing with excitement and hopefully if it’s a nice day why not bring a couple of footballs and have a mini tournament in the park with your mates as you have lunch, have some beers and watch the Olympics on the big screens. Park Live:Park Live is an area featuring giant screens and picnic lawns for up to 10,000 fans at a time. Situated in the lawned area between the Riverbank Arena and Copper Box on one side of the River Lea, and the Velodrome and Basketball Arena on the other, these giant screens seem to ‘float’ on the river. It is open for the public to visit before and after sporting events on the Olympic Park, the venue will be set within the newly created Parklands, which provides new green space for people and wildlife. The best way to enjoy this facility would be to grab a snack or some lunch, relax on the grass and enjoy the best of the live sporting action happening inside London 2012 venues. Olympic Events:If you have missed out on tickets to an event, there’s still a chance of attending one for free! There are various events which take place on public roads (which will be blocked off) which members of the public are more than welcome to watch. Events include the marathons which are on the 5th and 12th of August, the Road Cycling on the 28th, 29th of July and 1st of August, the Race Walk on the 4th and 11th of August and the cycling element of the Triathlon on the 4th and 7th of August. The British Museum:For those interested in Olympic history the British Museum are displaying the Olympic medals that were handed out at the 1908 and 1948 games which were held in London, as well as the 1960 and 1984 Paralympics. The Olympic Site:For those prepared to fork out £9 you can take a tour around the Olympic site. Daily Olympic Walks start at Bromley-by-Bow underground station and finishe at Westfield shopping centre. The route taken is mainly off the road, much of it along a path in the former industrial Lower Lea Valley. Your guide will then lead you to a footpath which goes alongside the Olympic park perimeter fence. From here there are views of the Olympic stadium and other 2012 constructions such as the Aquatics Centre and The Orbit. You will hear the latest on the athletes and the venues, but crucial to London’s successful 2005 bid for the games was the legacy, so you will also learn about the plans for the future of the site and the venues after 2012. This has been a massive project, reclaiming 2.5 sq. kilometres of contaminated land and transforming it into a place where people will want to visit and live. It goes for 2 hours and is 1.5 -2 miles long. Hyde Park:The Olympic festival at Hyde Park is your opportunity to take part in the once in a lifetime celebration and experience the great atmosphere that’s accompanying the London 2012 Olympic Games. Huge outdoor screens showing action from inside the Olympic stadium and other sites will be displayed in Hyde Park so you can join the public in cheering on your country. The Olympic festival at Hyde Park also includes a number of live performances and on-site special events. The entertainment includes music concerts, cultural performances and exhibitions that showcase the best of London and UK talent. And best of all its free. Tickets may be bought to guarantee entry and some special events require fee paying tickets, which include the 2 Celebration concerts on the 27th of July and 12th of August featuring Duran and Duran on the 27th. During the Olympics there will be the Women’s and Men’s Olympic 10km swim in the Serpentine River which runs through Hyde Park. Sitting in the grandstand requires a ticket, but the majority will opt to have a free view from the south side of the river. The events are on the 9th and 10th of August respectively at 12pm, and will last for 2 hours as the athletes swim 6 laps of the chilly water of the Serpentine River. 25 of the best long distance swimmers will compete in this event. A free event to attend, so why not grab a couple of beers and come down on and watch this event. Olympic Park:What’s a better way to soak up the Olympic atmosphere than a visit to the Olympic Park. Hop on the jubilee line and get there in a few minutes from London Bridge. The Olympic Park is definitely a must for everyone to visit at least once. The innovative Coca‑Cola Beat Box, will enable people to ‘play’ the Pavilion through interacting with sounds embedded within the architecture of the building. Visitors will be able to create their own beat for London 2012 by remixing the sounds of Olympic sports, captured by Grammy award-winning music producer Mark Ronson as he travelled the globe to create “Anywhere In The World”, Coca‑Cola’s song for London 2012. Other activities around the Olympic site include the BP. Fuelling the Future (interactive experience), the Acer Journey (interactive experience), and the Samsung Mobile Live PIN (interactive experience). And what’s a trip to the Olympic site without visiting the London 2012 Megastore – everyone loves a megastore. The Orbit is an opportunity for many people to see the Olympic Park from a different view. Standing 115 metres high, the Orbit is the tallest art structure in Britain – offering stunning views over the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Park and the whole of London. Tickets can be purchased for £15. The whole of the Park will be designed to make sure that visitors always feel part of the Games, whether they are watching the sport competitions, walking along the river bank or sitting in front of one of the big screens watching events.