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A Rio Olympics 2016: Individual Women's Rhythmic Gymnastics

A Sports Blog

Russia reigned again in the rhythmic gymnastics competition at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but that does not mean that the other athletes failed to impress us with their skills. From all over the world, athletes have dazzled all of us with their mastery of the hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon.

  Kudryavtseva looked primed for another victory at the Rio Olympics, but in the last moments of her clubs routine she dropped the apparatus. Mamun was nearly perfect in her own routines, allowing her to win the Olympic gold. With their precise and complex routines, the two women of Russia's rhythmic gymnastics team showed us that they are worthy of their titles. Meanwhile the U.S. group didn't advance to the final, they recovered from a shaky ribbons routine to cleanly execute their hoops and clubs routine.

  Rhythmic gymnasts, are allowed to use music with lyrics for one of their routines. While classical music was still a popular choice, other gymnasts opted to perform to songs by Queen, the Rolling Stones, Fergie and even Madonna.

In-Depth Details:

Court Dimensions

12m x 12m

The standard performance area for both men and women is 12m x 12m. The border is 100cm minimum and where there is a delimitation strip between the performance area and the border, the strip is 5cm wide and included as part of the performance area (Murray, 2019).

Equipment

Leotards

They extend from the shoulders to the mid-thigh region and are generally made out of a breathable, sweat-wicking polyester fabric. Most leotards are sleeveless, although many female gymnasts prefer to have sleeves included to keep their arms insulated throughout the course of a long competition. 

Beam Shoes

Mirror the design of a traditional slipper. Experienced gymnasts tend to view gymnastics shoes as a must-have, since the shoes prevent them from slipping and protect their feet against pounding caused by abrupt contact with each landing surface. Moreover, the insoles are well-cushioned to maximize comfort and make the feet less vulnerable to pain and bruising that can occur over long periods of time.

Hoop

Common movements with the hoop include swings, rolls, tosses and catches, spins, passes through and over the hoop, rotations of the hoop on the floor and rotations of the hoop around the hand and other parts of the body. Most impressive here are the high throws and complex techniques for catching the hoop in a different fashion each time.

Ball

Waves, circles, throws and catches, movement with the ball balanced on the hand, bouncing and rolling the ball on the floor and along parts of the body are all key movements.

Clubs

Swings, large circles, small circles, mills, throws and catches and rhythmical tapping are common tricks.

Ribbon

Ribbon routines are comprised of snakes, spirals, swings, circles, throws and catches and figure-eight movements. The ribbon must remain constantly in motion.

(Gymnastics Equipment List, n.d.) and (USA Gymnastics | Rhythmic Gymnastics Events & Equipment Descriptions, n.d.)

Basic Skills

Statics

Statics are all the “held” or “still” positions in gymnastics and should be the starting point for any gymnastics program. Statics can be sub-divided into three categories:

• Supports: where the shoulders are above the apparatus

• Hangs: where the shoulders are below the apparatus

• Balances: with a small base of support. Once basic statics have been learnt they can be extended and varied to help develop skills, physical attributes and correct posture

Spring

The spring involves students projecting themselves into the air. It can involve springing from both legs,

one leg or even from two hands and two feet. Landing techniques must also be proficient before students

perform any springing activities. Springing activities can be sub-divided into two categories:

• unassisted (e.g. off the floor or bench)

• assisted (e.g. off a springboard or beatboard).

Landings

Body control on landing is an important skill because it enables students to control the movement of their

body. It is used in all jumping activities and in a range of games and sports. Remember for landings:

• initial contact with the mat is on the balls of the feet, followed by bending of the ankles, knees, and hip

• feet should be about shoulder-width apart

• the heels should not spring back up but should remain on the floor

Rotations

A rotation is any turn or spin around an internal axis. These include:

• turns left or right

• rolls, forward and backward

• cartwheels.

Locomotions

Locomotor activities occur frequently in gymnastics and some are unique to gymnastics, e.g. moving along an apparatus. Others, such as running, skipping, jumping, and landing, are generic to many games and sports. Locomotions can be broken down into three subcategories:

• on the feet

• supported

• hanging.

• Practise different ways of travelling, such as different directions or speeds and changes in body positions, e.g. high, low, medium.

• Investigate ways of changing body position.

• Design travel sequences that combine changes of shape and level.

It is important to reinforce the elements of movement, such as spatial awareness and dynamics (hard and soft) when teaching the skills in gymnastics. This enables students to understand levels, force, time and rhythm, while working within set boundaries and in set formations.

Gymnastics also provides students with an opportunity to work in pairs and groups. Including activities such as task cards and problem-solving activities in the gymnastics unit allows students to develop such skills as interacting, communicating, decision-making, moving and problem-solving

(Gymnastics – it’s not that scary, n.d.)

Technical and Tactical Skills of Margarita Mamun

Margarita Mamun of Team Russia mastered her signature skill, the illusion she made with the hoop, which was both unique and creative. Her highly elevated leaps were a good addition to the routine. The intricate handling of the apparatus and using various parts of her body to keep it moving, evidently showed us how experienced she was. I loved how the ball flowed very freely and seemed like it was an extension of her body because she works with it so well. During the clubs event she did a lot of spins and intricate handling and mastery. Lastly, her ribbon performance was very clean and her positions were always stable.  The Black Swan theme she had going on was brilliant. Overall, I think her main skill is the split leap, I always thought it was very elegant and perfectly executed. 

Technical and Tactical Skills of Marina Durunda

Marina Durunda of Team Azerbaijan’s hoop movements were nimble, small but quick, which made her performance entertaining because the flow was quick and every second there was a new surprise. The same goes for the ball performance, she showcased a strong balance shape as she dribbled the ball. She also inserted a surprise element when she threw the ball very high up and caught it with her hands in an unexpected way which was both smart and risky. During the clubs event, she did multiple full turns on one foot and executed it perfectly. The element of surprise was used again during the ribbon event, as she threw the ribbon using her foot and caught it just in time. Overall, I think her main priority in all her routines is to keep it fun and energetic, it shows in the music she chose and her facial expressions.

Technical and Tactical Skills of Yana Kudryavsteva

Yana Kudryavsteva of Team Russia made rhythmic gymnastics look so easy as she moved across the floor so lightly. She made illusions as the hoop moved across her body and she was moving in and out of it. She caught the hoop after a big throw in the most unusual manner, it was very high risk. Every element she does shows mastery. Her back seemed like there was no spine supporting it because she was very flexible and it bended so seamlessly. Her transitions in the clubs event moved from one position to another which allowed flow and continuity in her routines. Lastly, the ribbon event, I don’t exactly have much to say, other than it was ethereal and the way she always catches the ribbon even in the most complex times is mindblowing. Overall, I think her specialty is catching the apparatuses in the most unexpected way possible, her flexibility with her back that travels up to her head, and the smooth transitions.

Technical and Tactical Skills of Katsiaryna Halkina

Katsiaryna Halkina of Team Belarus started off her routine with various combination rotations that connect one part of her routine to another. When she spun as the hoop went down from her head to her legs it was very graceful and unique. Moving on, the ball event was probably my favorite among all the other performances, it was very engaging and I enjoyed how she spins, how her legs move with so much flexibility, and how the ball moved from one place to another. The clubs event didn't have much of the element of surprise, I think she played it safe this time, but it was still a decent performance. Lastly, the ribbon performance was really well done, she had a nice control with the front walkover and the color of the ribbon gave a beautiful illusion. Overall, I think Halkina’s priority is to always have a powerful start to give the audience and judges a good first impression.

Technical and Tactical Skills of Kséniya Moustafaeva

Kséniya Moustafaeva from Team France opened her performance with a nice leap with just the right amount of elevation. She also showed her emotions throughout the routine which is inline with the music she chose. Followed by the ball event which she chose dynamic music and abstract choreography to match it with. The clubs event was very refreshing to watch because it was very energetic, too bad she wasn’t able to catch it after the throw. Lastly, the ribbon dance was very beautiful to watch, I was speechless the whole time, although she chose to lean on more simpler steps, she did those very perfectly. Overall, I think that Moustafaeva is a dynamic gymnast who carefully chooses her music to match her style and the personality she wants to show to the audience.

Technical and Tactical Skills of Melitina Staniouta

Melitina Staniouta of Team Belarus showed us a very difficult step as she did the turning leaps while the hoop passed through in between her legs. Her hoop performance was more on to quicker movements to match it with the music. During her ball routine, she beautifully executed her pivots and the catchfoot while holding the ball was brilliant. Moving on to the clubs event where she chose a piano piece and spun around as she went higher and higher which added depth to her performance. Lastly, her ribbon dance had a theme of like a carnival which was very bubbly. Overall, I think her specialty is her signature turn where she slowly elevates her body from the ground to a standle standing position.

Technical and Tactical Skills of Carolina Rodríguez

Carolina Rodríguez from Team Spain already presented a unique aura from the very beginning of her routine. She had a very definite style in her hoop performance. She handled the hoop impressively well even during those series of turns. The kicks she did during the ball event as she executed a semi handstand was a nice touch to that slow tempo of the music. Her control over the ball was very impressive; you could hardly even notice how the ball moved from one place to another. Both clubs and her moves were perfectly synchronized and satisfying to watch. Lastly, her ribbon performance was flawless, whenever she threw the ribbon high up, she was always able to catch it effortlessly. Overall, I think the key point of her performances is accuracy because her step seemed to be perfectly timed and she was always at the right spot.

Technical and Tactical Skills of Son Yeon-jae

Son Yeon-jae from Team South Korea had a lovely and fresh look. The way she handled the hoop looked very complicated and complex as she moved from one place to another. She had amazing balance and when she threw the hoop very high up and caught it using her legs and did a small spin it was amazing. Her moves were always very clean and every step was very precise all throughout the ball event. The clubs were handled very well even with the fast tempo of the music. When she threw them they were perfectly aligned even up in the air. Her ribbon dance was probably my favorite among all the other performances. The solid classic color of red looked very neat together with her leaps. I loved it when she pivoted and made perfect and accurate circles with the ribbon. Overall, I think her main focus is to keep her performances clean, its very evident how she pays attention to detail and the lines are so perfectly measured.

Technical and Tactical Skills of Ganna Rizatdinova

Ganna Rizatdinova of Team Ukraine had a very explosive start as she pivoted around while holding the hoop matching it well with the music. I think her performance was the one that used the most hand movements with the hoop. During the ball event she had seamless transitions and a powerful ending that matched perfectly with the music. During the clubs event she did a lot of spins and pivots that were done very well. I applaud her for not getting distracted even though the claps of the audience weren’t even on beat with the music she was performing to. Lastly, during the ribbon event she had a precise start and even though she seemed like she was doing a semi handstand she managed to keep the ribbon moving and flowing. Overall, I think her performances were decent, she didn’t make a lot of mistakes but the level of difficulty for her performances was just the right amount to keep her safe.

Technical and Tactical Skills of Neviana Vladinova

Neviana Vladinova of Team Bulgaria started off her performance really well using her foot to spin the hoop around as she did a spin. The classical music blended perfectly with the type of dance she wanted to portray to all of us and I think that is a very important factor to consider in choosing the music. During the ball event I was very astonished when she caught the ball even without looking at it. The experience and amount of time practicing is very evident here. During the clubs event she caught both of them perfectly as well and landed in her hands just in time for her to move on to the next step. Lastly, for the ribbon dance, I loved how she chose an energetic song to end the events. Overall, Vladinova seemed to be the one who always had precise throws with the apparatuses and it was landed effortlessly at the palm of her hands. 

Rules

Rhythmic gymnastics combines ballet, dance and acrobatics with expressive movement and the manipulation of apparatuses. This sport is ideal for developing flexibility, strength, as well as body coordination. It stems from various dance styles and exercise regimes that share the common idea of expressive movement as a tool for exercise.

Individual programme 

During the individual programme, an athlete will manipulate only one of these five apparatuses at a time - rope, hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon. One apparatus is rotated out of contention every two years, with the gymnast required to compete on the remaining four events. Until 2013, gymnasts could also perform with rope. However, this apparatus has been phased out, leaving just four to choose from. Whichever equipment the gymnast uses, the principle remains the same: they must keep the apparatus moving at all times, creating a flowing routine to music.

Music and Choreography 

All routines must be performed with music, with only short pauses of music allowed. The choreography must centre around a theme that is developed from beginning to end using a variety of body movements and the handling of apparatuses.

Leaps and jumps

● All leaps and jumps must be of a good height, have a clear shape and good amplitude.

● All leaps with the back arched must have the head in contact with the leg.

Balances

● All balances must be performed on the toes or the knee. These must be held clearly and have a good, fixed shape.

Pivots 

● All pivot combinations must be performed entirely on the toes without heel support.

Scoring

As with artistic gymnastics, performances in rhythmic gymnastics are given a maximum score of 20, comprising difficulty (D) and execution (E) scores.

· D score is based on each element of the performance including leaps, jumps, and use of apparatus. These D scores are averaged to give a score out of 10.

· E score is based on how well the routine was executed either by the individual or the group. The final number is an average of the middle three scores awarded by the judges.

· The D and E scores are combined at this stage, giving a mark out of 20. Then, any deductions are taken away. The list of instant deductions is incredibly long and complex in rhythmic gymnastics. Competitors can be penalized for anything from breaking the apparatus to landing heavily on their feet.

(Rhythmic gymnastics apparatuses and rules, n.d.) and (Rhythmic and artistic gymnastics explained | Olympic Channel, n.d.)

How to Officiate the Game

Meet Referee 

a. Serves as liaison between coaches and judges. Must attend the coaches meeting (or designate a proxy).

b. Reviews rule changes

c. Reviews equipment issues

d. Professional protocol reminders

e. Assigns the Chief and Panel Judges to their respective events

f. Corrects and signs the official score sheets after any change of score.

g. Acts as the final authority in all technical matters involving judges, timers, line judges, individual events, and AA tabulators, as well as equipment.

Chief Judge

a. Prepares the judges for the correct evaluation of the exercises at the judges’ meeting prior to the competition.

b. Checks that the apparatus and mats correspond to the USA Gymnastics regulations and that all materials necessary are available and functioning properly. This could include: light or time signals and stopwatches

c. Instructs judging assistants to assure their knowledge of the proper reporting procedures for the following violations: exceeding the time allowed and stepping out of the floor exercise area

d. Uses a green flag or hand signal to acknowledge the presentation of the gymnast.

e. Must evaluate the exercises accurately without bias and must frst write (or enter into the electronic scoring system) her/his own score before reviewing scores from other judges.

Panel Judges

a. Must record the Value Parts, Bonus, Special Requirements and Start Value, as well as record deductions for execution/amplitude, artistry, and compositional errors.

b.   Attempt to signal any such violation by raising a hand.

c. When changing a score, the judge must cross out the first score, initial the change, and write in new score. Do not erase.

Judging Assistants

a. Do not evaluate or score the exercise.

b. Signal and record specific faults and penalties to assist the Chief Judge.

Types of Judging Assistants:

Line judges for Floor Exercise- Signal by raising a hand or flag when gymnast steps (or touches some part of body) beyond the boundary line and inform the Chief Judge in writing of such violation.

Vault Fall Timer- The Chief Judge must monitor the Vault Fall time. The watch: Starts when the evaluation of the first vault is completed. Stops when gymnast leaves the landing area. After 40 seconds have passed, announces “20 seconds remaining”. After 50 seconds have passed, announces “10 seconds remaining.” At 60 seconds, announces “time”.

Uneven Bars Timer- is responsible for the correct timing of falls. The watch: Starts when a gymnast lands on the mat after a fall. Stops when gymnast leaves the floor to re-mount.

Balance Beam Routine Timer- is responsible for the correct timing of the exercise. The watch: Starts when the gymnast leaves the floor. Stops when a gymnast lands on the mat after a fall. Re-starts with frst movement to continue the routine. Stops when the gymnast arrives on the mat on the dismount.

Balance Beam Fall Timer- is responsible for the correct timing of falls. The watch: Starts when a gymnast lands on the mat after a fall. Stops when gymnast leaves the floor to re-mount.

Floor Exercise Timer- is responsible for the correct timing of the exercise. The watch: Starts with the first movement of the gymnast. Stops with the final movement of the gymnast.

(CLARIFICATIONS OF UNUSUAL JUDGING SITUATIONS, 2016)

Bibliography

CLARIFICATIONS OF UNUSUAL JUDGING SITUATIONS. (2016, October). Usagym.org. https://usagym.org/PDFs/Women/Rules/J.O.%20Code%20of%20Points/13repl_general.pdf

Gymnastics – it’s not that scary. (n.d.). Retrieved from Health.nsw.gov.au: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/heal/schools/Documents/Itsnotscary.pdf

Gymnastics Equipment List. (n.d.). Retrieved from Rookieroad.com: https://www.rookieroad.com/gymnastics/equipment-list/

Murray, K. (2019, July 12). Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. Retrieved from

Photo Credits

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Rhythmic_gymnastics_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics%2C_Marina_Durunda_30.jpg/1200px-Rhythmic_gymnastics_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics%2C_Marina_Durunda_30.jpg

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=http%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2FSDA-HPERA%2Fdocuments%2FGymnastics_Safety_Manual_NAD_June_2016.pdf&psig=AOvVaw1Pu530pUqx0D_ipnxt6V8r&ust=1618531166026000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKjevcr4_u8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fsports%2Fucla%2Fstory%2F2021-02-10%2Fucla-gymnastics-defeats-utah-dance-mode&psig=AOvVaw3St5nNQzlnTS9dynQHFnJ-&ust=1618531794374000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCMi4rPv6_u8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAK

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Video Reference

PyeongChang Olympics 2018: Full Women's Figure Skating Short Program

Rio Olympics 2016: Full Team Event Artistic Swimming

A Sports Blog

Russia sealed their gold medal in the final of the Artistic Swimming Team Routine at the Rio 2016 Olympics, where China clinched the silver medal and Japan garnered the bronze. The execution with which Russia performed their performance was “perfection” and received an incredible score of 196.1439.

Although each of the eight finalists impressed in their last display, it was ultimately Russia who ended a cut above the rest, with their execution, flips, and artistic impression trumping all others in the field. Ukraine came within inches of taking their spot on the podium, but Japan did enough in the session's closing performance to snag themselves third.

Russia pulled their routine off without so much as a quiver in form, which is to be expected of a nation that has dominated this field for almost two decades. Japan were understandably proud of their bronze achievement, that they got emotional and cried happy tears. All of the Japanese team welled up after it was announced they'd done enough to take bronze, while the Russians looked positively nonchalant with their gold feat.

In-Depth Details:

Court Dimensions

Maria Lenk Aquatics Center

The pool should measure at least 3m deep, 20m wide and 25m long. (Tokyo 2020, 2020)

Equipment

Nose Clip

In synchronized swimming, the athletes have to perform a lot of underwater movements. There are chances of water entering into the nose of the players. In order to avoid that, the athletes use a small clip of hard plastic or wire. It also has a thin rubber coating.

Goggles

Goggles provide safety to the eyes. Due to underwater movement, water may enter in the eyes. It is important to note that the goggles are not allowed for routine competitions. Athletes can use goggles only for trainings. This is only used for figure test. Like goggles, athletes also cannot use the bathing caps during routine competitions. During figure test, only a white or black bathing cap is worn by athletes.

Underwater Speaker

The most important equipment for synchronized swimming is the underwater speakers. Swimmers cannot perform under water if the music is not audible. Music plays an important role in synchronized swimming because it is a rhythmic sport. We know that impedance of water is 3600 times more than that of air. There is also a 62 dB (decibel) offset between the sound that travels in air and that in water. To overcome this problem, the underwater speakers used in synchronized swimming depend on Piezoelectric Technology.

Swimsuit

One of the most important aspects of the swimsuit is that it must be comfortable for the athletes and it must be non-transparent. During the figure test, a black swimsuit is recommended for the athletes and during routine competition, a routine suit for each athlete that suits the music is recommended.

(Tutorials Point, n.d.)

Basic Skills

The basic skills you will need in artistic swimming is sculling, the “eggbeater", and lifts. You can learn to combine these various positions into a routine. Lifts allow the swimmers to create a structure of sorts with their bodies and lift themselves from the water in the same formation they created underwater. 

Sculling

Sculls are hand movements used to propel the body. Some commonly used sculls are support, standard, torpedo, split-arm, barrel and paddle scull. The support scull is most often used and is made up of two repeated movements. You need to hold your upper arms against your body and your forearms at 90-degree angles. Then, you move your forearms back and forth to create enough water pressure to hold your legs above the water. 

Eggbeater

This move is much like how a manual eggbeater works, with one leg rotating in a clockwise manner and rotating the other leg in an anti-clockwise manner. Artistic swimmers use this kick because it leaves their hands free to perform strokes. Due to the opposite motion of the kick, it is a stable and efficient way for swimmers to attain the necessary height to perform moves above the water. 

Positions

Crane Position - Hold your body in a vertical position with one leg held vertically above the water surface, while the other leg is held parallel under the surface in a 90-degree angle or "L" shape.

Ballet Leg Double Position - From lying flat on the water surface, draw your knees towards your chest with shins parallel to the water surface. Straighten your legs above the water surface to assume a Surface Ballet Leg Double position.

Side Fishtail Position - This is a position similar to the crane. One leg remains vertical, while the other is extended to the side parallel to the water, creating a side "Y" position.

Knight Position -The body is held vertically with your head in line with the hips and pointed to the bottom of the pool. One leg is lowered to  create a vertical line perpendicular to the surface.

Flamingo Position - Similar to the ballet leg position where the bottom leg is pulled into the chest so that the shin of the bottom leg is touching the knee of the vertical leg.

Split Position - With the body vertical, one leg is stretched forward along the surface and the other leg is extended back along the surface.

Lifts

Lifts are formations that are formed underwater and as swimmers propel themselves towards the surface, they stay in formation and add more elements like acrobatics. 

The Flyer - Flyers are agile and flexible and are usually the smallest member of the team. It is preferable that they have a gymnastics background as they need to perform complicated moves while on the top of the formation.

The Base - Base swimmers tends to be small in size, but should have good leg strength and a solid core as they make up the structure of the formation.

The Pushers - Pushers are the bigger and stronger swimmers because they need the strength to propel the formation to the water surface.

Types of Lifts

The Platform Lift - The base lays out in a back layout position underwater, where they lie on their back to form a platform of interlinked bodies. The Flyer sets in a squatting position and stands once the lift reaches the surface. The remaining teammates use the eggbeater kicks to hold the platform and the flyer out of the water.

The Stack Lift - Considered to be an updated version of the Platform, the Stack Lift begins with the base squatting while underwater, supported by the pushers. The flyer then stands on the shoulders of the base. The pushers and base gradually stretch out their limbs, elevating the flyer. A rotating descent is usually added to this lift.

(Sport Singapore, n.d.)

Technical and Tactical Skills of Egypt

Egypt showed us minimal flips and were usually done at a lower height. I noticed that before the flyer would flip, her head is not completely submerged in the water, which kind of ruins the element of surprise. They ensured having a secure base at the bottom of the pool for the flyer to have a sturdy place to push on because they often take a longer time to build their formation. I also noticed a few synchronization errors at the near end of the performance because normally these performances could be very tiring.

Execution: 23.50; Artistic Impression: 31.4667; Difficulty: 23.6; Penalty: 0; Technical Routine: 76.9838; Free Routine: 78.5667; Total: 155.5505

Technical and Tactical Skills of Australia

One thing that caught my attention about Australia is their theme. They had a theme of Flora and Fauna which was really cute and well thought of. They showcased a really artistic start matching their lifts and flips to the music. Their performance focused on the legs; quick movements and successions were shown in most parts of the performance. They showed us various positions and were very synchronized.

Execution: 22.60; Artistic Impression: 30.1333; Difficulty: 22.70; Penalty: 0; Technical Routine: 74.0667; Free Routine: 75.4333; Total: 149.50

Technical and Tactical Skills of Italy

Italy chose the perfect music for their theme, the four seasons. They truly took their theme seriously as we can evidently tell from the transitions, the music, and the movements the changes of the seasons. They did more flips than the previous performers. They also chose strong and bigger swimmers for the base and the pushers. They were also very particular with the angles of their legs and their flip showed higher risk. 

Execution: 27.50; Artistic Impression: 37.0667; Difficulty: 27.70; Penalty: 0; Technical Routine: 91.1142; Free Routine: 92.2667; Total: 183.3809

Technical and Tactical Skills of Brazil

Brazil showed us their balance as they lifted a swimmer up. The movements were very quick and matched very well with their music. Their theme was the Carnivale which made their performance extra fun and energetic. Their facial expressions was the best part of their performance as they got to engage their appeal with the audience.

Execution: 26.10; Artistic Impression: 34.80; Difficulty: 26.30; Penalty: 0; Technical Routine: 84.7985; Free Routine: 87.20; Total: 171.9985

Technical and Tactical Skills of the Russian Federation

The Russians had a theme of Angels. They showed us that there is never a limit to perfection. The precision of the length of the legs were extraordinary. Not to mention their good start with an explosive high flip. The power and energy in their performance was unmatched. They were very flexible and showcased acrobatic moves. Their choreography was original & unique and they executed all their movements with a high degree of difficulty. The element of surprise was their level of expertise.

Execution: 29.70; Artistic Impression: 39.7333; Difficulty: 29.70; Penalty: 0; Technical Routine: 97.0106; Free Routine: 99.1333; Total: 196.1439

Technical and Tactical Skills of Ukraine

Ukraine's theme was illusionism which was already very evident from their costumes. They started off their performance with a very high flip. They made a lot splash throughout the performance which made it visually appealing. From the split camera we can observed that they are very synchronized even underwater where the judges couldn’t see them. They portrayed their theme very well.

Execution: 28.20; Artistic Impression: 38.2667; Difficulty: 28.70; Penalty: 0; Technical Routine: 93.4413; Free Routine: 95.1667; Total: 188.6080

Technical and Tactical Skills of People’s Republic of China

China showed extreme creativity from their performance to their costumes. The headdress was very unique and portrayed their theme very well which was Finding Dragons. The way they interpret the music was great, they showed several powerful flips and movements. Their performance was very dynamic, as well as their facial expressions were amazing.

Execution: 29.10; Artistic Impression: 39.0667; Difficulty: 29.20; Penalty: 0; Technical Routine: 95.6174; Free Routine: 97.3667; Total: 192.9841

Technical and Tactical Skills of Japan

Japan also showed us a great start, with a powerful flip. They were very particular with the lines and their formations. The angle of their legs were always in uniform. Their theme: Dawn Start of a New Glory Towards the Sun was very creative. Their overall performance was very entertaining.

Execution: 28.50; Artistic Impression: 38.1333; Difficulty: 28.80; Penalty: 0; Technical Routine: 93.7723; Free Routine: 95.4333; Total: 189.2056

Rules of the Game

No Touching The Bottom

One of the things which makes the lifts all the more impressive is that artistic swimmers are not allowed to touch the bottom of the pool at any point during their routines.

No Bling

Presentation is a unique and important part of artistic swimming but there are certain restrictions on what swimmers can wear. For example, artistic swimmers are not permitted jewelery, theatrical make-up, or inappropriate costumes.

No Goggles

Another restriction during artistic swimming routines is goggles. However, swimmers in figures competitions are permitted to wear them.

Team Means Team

Teams normally contain eight swimmers, but the minimum number for a team is four. Teams lose marks for every swimmer they have under the full complement because it is easier to synchronize the fewer people there are in a routine.

Stick To The Schedule

Routines can be anything from two and a half minutes to five minutes long, depending on whether they are performed alone or as part of a team. However, swimmers are penalized if they take 15 seconds fewer or longer than the specified time.

Technical Routine & Free Routine

This involves performing predetermined elements that must be executed in a specific order. The free routine has no requirements so the swimmers can be ‘free’ in how creative they get with the movements and their choreography.

The routines are performed in front of sets of judges, who use strict guidelines to score the performances.

As well as technical and free routines, there are competitions called ‘figures’ for junior swimmers where they perform set movements to the judges. There is no music and this is simply a case of how well the individual performs various synchro moves.

(Swim England Artistic Swimming, n.d.)

How to Officiate the Sport

Timekeeper

The role of a timekeeper is to check and record the overall times of the routines and of the deck movements. If the time limit for the deck work is exceeded or there is a deviation from the permitted routine time allowance, the timekeeper advises the referee.

Clerk of the course

The role of a clerk of the course is to organize the competitors so that they are ready for their events at the required time. During figure competitions, they ensure that the swimmers are in the correct order to perform their figures.

Scorer

The role of a synchro scorer is to record marks from the judges and make the necessary computations for each routine. There are two levels of synchro scorer – national scorer and chief recorder.

National scorers write down and manipulate all the scores that come in for figures and routines at competitions. They can officiate at any level of domestic competition including the National Age Group Championships and ASA National Championships.

Chief recorders are in charge of scoring at synchronized swimming events. They are trained to manage related computer results systems at national and regional competitions.

Judge

Synchro judges are essential for running synchronized swimming competitions as they provide scores based on the performance of each routine. They are also responsible for marking grade level assessments. To reduce the level of subjectivity in scoring, all synchro judges must be expertly-trained. They require a full understanding of FINA and the ASA’s rules and regulations for synchronized swimming competitions.

To maintain their qualification or progress, all judges must officiate at a certain number of grade assessments and competitions.

There are three levels of Judge:

Level 1: Candidates must be 16 years old to take the level 1 judge course. They will be qualified to judge at level 1 and 2 competitions. The course includes:

Use of marking scales

Develop understanding of basic movements and positions

Able to identify Figures in current age groups (12U and 13/14/15)

Ethics

Develop knowledge and understanding of Free Routines

Knowledge of Grade 1 and 2 criteria and assessment criteria

Level 2: Candidates must have been a level 1 judge for at least a year. They will be qualified to judge at regional competitions at the National Age Group Championships. The course includes:

In-depth knowledge of Junior Figures (15-18 years)

Develop knowledge of rules and penalties

Develop knowledge of NVT, difficulty values and application to figures. Application of deductions to figures

Exposure to variety of level of figures and scores

Knowledge and awareness of Grade 3/4/5 criteria

Further analysis of Free Routines – range of level of routines, recognition of difficulty

Level 3: Candidates must have been a level 2 judge for at least a year. They will be qualified to judge at the National Championships. The course includes:

Further knowledge about rules, penalties and organisation

In-depth knowledge about judging Figures and component parts

Further develop knowledge and aptitude regarding judging Free Routines

Awareness of Grade 6 criteria

In-depth knowledge of technical elements across solos, duets and team

Referee

The role of a synchro referee is to oversee the control of a synchronized swimming competition. The referee makes sure all aspects of the event are run smoothly and follow FINA rules.

All candidates on a referee training course must be a qualified synchro judge, a current ASA member and over 18. The training consists of a five-hour training course and examination. Following completion of the training, a mentor will be appointed to successful candidates to provide support at their first event. After ratification of the results by the ASA Synchronized Swimming Management Group, the qualification will then be added to the Database of Registered Officials.

The qualification as a referee will be valid for four years, subject to attending any refresher/ updating sessions required due to the introduction of new FINA rules over this period. A referee must re-qualify every four years by attending either a judge training course which includes all the new FINA updates or another referee training course.

(Edinburgh, n.d.)

Bibliography

Edinburgh. (n.d.). Retrieved from Officials in synchro: http://edinburghsynchro.co.uk/officials-in-synchro/

Sport Singapore. (2020). Retrieved from Basic skills and positions in Synchronised Swimming: https://www.myactivesg.com/Sports/Aquatics/How-To-Play/Synchronised-Swimming/Basic-skills-and-positions-in-Synchronised-Swimming#:~:text=The%20basic%20skills%20you%20will,to%20combine%20into%20a%20routine.

Swim England Artistic Swimming. (n.d.). Retrieved from Swimming.org: https://www.swimming.org/artistic-swimming/introduction-to-artistic-swimming/

Tokyo 2020. (2020, February 15). Retrieved from Artistic Swimming: https://tokyo2020.org/en/sports/artistic-swimming/#:~:text=In%20a%20pool%20at%20least,routines%20are%20performed%20to%20music.

Tutorials Point. (n.d.). Retrieved from Synchronized Swimming - Equipment: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/synchronized_swimming/synchronized_swimming_equipment.htm

Photo Credits

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/olympics/2016/07/28/104282891_RIO_DE_JANEIRO_BRAZIL_-_FEBRUARY_24__General_view_of_Maria_Lenk_Aquatics_Centre_during_the_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqgsaO8O78rhmZrDxTlQBjdGtT0gK_6EfZT336f62EI5U.jpg?imwidth=450

https://images.cdn-outlet.com/images/article/isport/image/Synch%20Swim_SupportSc1%23855408(1).jpg

http://egyptianstreets.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/591966420.jpg

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Video Reference

Rio Olympics 2016: Puerto Rico vs Germany Women's Tennis Singles Final

A Sports Blog 

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Monica Puig made history for winning Puerto Rico's first-ever gold medal at the Olympic Games. At the women's singles tennis tournament, defeating Angelique Kerber in three sets 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. Throughout the first set, the two were evenly matched. Kerber seemed like the game got into her nerves and used that anger to fuel her energy and garnered a few points.

Although Puig kept on missing her serves in the earlier parts of the game, she got back and overpowered Kerber in the third game. The German responded with much of the same on her own serve as the match got off to a fantastic start. Puig had the advantage in the rallies, placing her shots with accuracy and keeping Kerber moving. I was always at the edge of my seat as both of them remained evenly matched, barely giving any space to the other during the first set.

When Puig appeared to be surging, Puig used her energy and techniques to power her way to a quick 30-0 advantage. She took plenty of risks, then earned two break points as Kerber fired a forehand well over the back line, and a lucky shot that clipped the net gave Puig the first set. Kerber seemed to always find more break chances in the next game. Puig took full advantage, grabbing yet another break to move closer to the title.

In-Depth Details:

Court Dimensions

The match was held at the Olympic Tennis Centre, which is located at the Barra Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The court measures 23.77 meters in length and 8.23 meters in width for singles; and 23.77 meters x 10.97 meters for doubles.

Areas of the Tennis Court:

Length of Service Box: 6.4 meters

Width of Service Box: 4.1 meters

Area of Each Service Box: 26.3 sq meters

Backcourt (No Man's Land): 5.5 meters x 8.2 meters (45.2 sq m)

Doubles Alley: 11.9 meters x 1.4 meters (16.3 sq meters)

Net: 0.9meters high in the center, 1.1 meters high at the net posts

Center Line: 4″ / 0.1 m long

(Jonathan, 2019)

Equipment

Rackets- They can be made of many alloys or wood. There are no restrictions on the size or materials used in making a racket. It has an oval head and a gradually widening throat that connects the narrow handle with the head of the racket. The head of the racket is tightly woven with strings which are made of various materials like nylon, gut or synthetic gut. The handles are covered with leather or nylon for a better grip.

Tennis Ball- As per ITF rules, yellow-colored spherical balls, with a diameter between 2.5 and 2.625 inches. They weigh between 2 and 21/16 oz. Pressurized rubber is used to make semi spherical half shells. They are then joined with compressed air between them. The spherical balls are covered with bright yellow colored felt.

Net- A rectangular net is used to separate the two sides of a Tennis court. The net should cover the space between the two net posts. The net is woven in such a way that it does not allow the Tennis ball to pass through. It is usually tied in about 3 feet above the ground at the center.

Wrist bands- are worn around wrists to prevent sweat from wetting the players’ palm or the racket. A wet grip might not be strong.

Headband- are used to absorb sweat. They also tie player’s hair away from their face. Any tight cap made of absorbent material can also be used instead of a head band.

Tennis shoes- Just running shoes don’t provide enough lateral support to players. Tennis shoes are designed to give players better stability and prevent them from sliding while moving sideways. Shoes shouldn’t damage the court when players move briskly across the court.

Dress- Women are advised to wear just any comfortable dress, many Tennis champions try to make a style statement with their carefully designed clothes. Many players prefer wearing a tank top or a T-shirt on a short skirt.

(Tutorials Point, n.d.)

Basic Skills

Footwork

Tennis players actually rack up miles of walking and running throughout the course of a match. Endurance is key, but so is your footwork because there are tons of quick movements that you need to make in a short period of time and over a short distance. With that in mind, it’s important to know the basic idea behind certain footwork techniques that’ll help you be as economical as possible with your movements (3 Tennis Skills All Beginners Need to Master, 2020).

Strokes

1. Serve- This is one of the most important skills to develop for every player. First, because it is the only shot in which you have absolute control over. Second, because having a good serve will give you an edge compared to your opponents, regardless of which level you are playing at.  It begins every single shot in a tennis match. It is also important that the player does not step on the line while serving. If that happens, it is considered a “foot fault” and the serve will be counted as a miss.

2. Return- These are very difficult at the advanced levels since serves are extremely fast. A return is a shot where one player waits to see where the other player’s serve lands and then attempts to hit the ball back to the other side. The most important aspect of a return is just getting the ball back to the other side, no matter how.

3. Forehand- For the vast majority of players, this is their strongest weapon. A player hits a forehand when he allows the ball to bounce once on his court before hitting it, and hits it with his dominant side. The reason why forehands are called forehands is because normally, the front (fore) of your hand holding the racquet will be facing your opponent.

4. Backhand- It is the equivalent of the forehand but executed on the player’s non-dominant side. The reason why backhands are called that is that the back of the player’s dominant hand is facing the opponent. Backhands can either be one-handed or two-handed. One-handed backhands, generally get more power and more spin. Two-handed backhands, give the player more control.

5. Slice- A slice is essentially a variation of the backhand shot. Instead of hitting the ball on the top, your racquet swings through the bottom of the ball. That adds underspin to the shot, so after the ball bounces on the other side, it stays low and close to the ground. Players usually use slices in order to change the pace of the game and add some variation.

6. Forehand Volley- With this stroke, you use only one arm to hit a ball by your dominant side, without letting the ball touch the ground. It requires firm hands and fast reflexes. 

7. Backhand Volley- This looks a lot like a backhand slice, but without letting the ball touch the ground. Once again, a volley usually occurs when you are standing close to the net. A backhand volley always happens on your non-dominant side. Backhand volleys are an important part of your net game since they will allow you to shorten the points and take time away from your opponent.

8. Overhead- The last basic shot you should become comfortable with is the overhead (also called smash in some countries). You must be standing close to the net and hit the ball without bouncing. You need to hit the ball over your head. Overheads are usually used to finish a point, as it is considered a fairly easy shot in which you can hit it very hard. It is important to master this shot so you make sure you win those points.

(Hadlich, Sell, & Rapp, 2019)

Technical and Tactical Skills of Monica Puig

Although during the earlier part of the game, Puig kept missing her serves, she redeemed herself with her quick movements and strong returns. Puig seemed to always have the upper hand in the rallies, placing her shots with accuracy, which led Kerber to keep moving and eventually worn her out. She made her way through the game with her good footwork, wherein she almost did the splits just to be able to hit the ball, high energy, and quick reactions. 

Technical and Tactical Skills of Angelique Kerber

Kerber took the chance whenever she served. She used this to have complete control over the ball and let Puig move left to right with her returns during the rallies. She moves very quickly and her footwork is exceptional. However, as I read through the comments, one viewer stated that Kerber was not in her best condition since she was receiving treatment for an injury and felt nervous during the game.

Rules of the Game

General Rules of Tennis

1. A ball must land within bounds for play to continue; if a player hits the ball outside of bounds, this results in the loss of the point for them.

2. Players/teams cannot touch the net or posts or cross onto the opponent’s side.

3. Players/teams cannot carry the ball or catch it with the racquet.

4. Players cannot hit the ball twice.

5. Players must wait until the ball passes the net before they can return it.

6. A player that does not return a live ball before it bounces twice loses the point.

7. If the ball hits or touches the players, that counts as a penalty.

8. If the racquet leaves the hand or verbal abuse occurs, a penalty is given.

9. Any ball that bounces on the lines of boundary are considered good.

10. A serve must bounce first before the receiving player can return it.

Scoring System

1. Points – Smallest unit of measurement. Points increment from Love(0)-15-30-40-game.

2. Games – Games consist of 4 points each, and is won when a player reaches 4 points with at least a 2-point advantage.

3. Sets – A set consists of 6 games and is won by the player/team who reaches 6 games first with least a 2-point lead.

4. Advantage Set – If a game score of 6-6 is reached and advantage set rules are used, a player/team can only win a set with a 2-game lead.

5. Matches – A match is usually played as best of 3 or best of 5 sets.

6. Deuce – Occurs if a score of 40-40 is reached. In order to win the game, a player/team must win 2 consecutive points in order to take the game. If a player wins one point, they have advantage, but if they lose the next point, the score returns to deuce.

7. Tie-break game – If a game score of 6-6 is reached and tie-break set rules are used, players must play a tie-break game in order to decide who wins the set. In a tie-break game, a player/team must reach 7 points with a two-point advantage to win. For the serving format of a tie-break game, player 1 serves for the first point, player 2 serves for the next two points, player 1 serves for the next two points after that, etc.

What Do the Lines Mean?

1. Baseline – The lines on either end of the court that determines the boundaries of play going lengthwise. They are also where a player serves behind.

2. Center Mark – This determines the two halves of the tennis court. It mainly helps with service to determine where a player should stand prior to serving.

3. Center Line – The center line divides the two service boxes into a distinct left service box and right service box on either side of the court. Landing a serve on the line is considered good.

4. Net – The net stands 3 feet and 6 inches high where the posts lie while the middle of the net is 3 feet tall, with the posts 3 feet outside of the court on either side. Hitting a ball into the net is considered an out while any ball that hits the net cord and falls onto the other side is considered good except for a serve, which allows for a re-do, or let.

5. Service Line – The service line separates the forecourt from the back court, and it also marks the length of the service box.

6. Singles Sideline – The singles sideline is the innermost line running lengthwise and determines the boundary of play for singles matches as well as the width of the service box.

7. Doubles Sideline – The doubles sideline is the outermost line running lengthwise and is only used in doubles matches.

Who Serves First?

A flip of the coin or spin of the racket, known as the toss, determines which player or team serves first. If called correctly, the player or team that did so chooses who serves first. The player/team who did not call it correctly decides which side of the court they want to play on first.

Rally

The rally consists of the exchange of shots after the serve is made until a player/team makes a mistake and loses the point. Any shot that is hit within bounds is considered good and allows the rally to continue. If you want to learn how to play tennis, you will need to know how to rally consistently.

Serving and Choosing Sides

1. Foot Fault – When a player steps into the court or crosses the center mark before they have made contact with the ball. This results in the loss of the serve.

2. Proper Serve – A player serves on the right side of the court at the beginning of each game, with the goal of serving the ball into the diagonal service box. If the serve lands in the correct service box, play can continue. The server switches to serve on the left side for the next point, and vice versa until the game is over.

3. First Service – The server is allowed two chances to land their ball into the service box. The first attempt is known as the first service. Failing the first service leads to the second service.

4. Second Service – The second attempt. Failing the second service results in the loss of the point.

5. Let – This is a re-do given to a player who serves although the ball hits the net cord before falling into the correct service box. You are allowed an infinite amount of lets, although it does not happen often.

6. Order of Service – The player who wins the toss serves first (team that wins chooses which player serves). If playing singles matches, players alternate between serving and receiving every game.

7. Switching Sides – Players/teams switch sides for every odd-numbered game (so, games 3, 5, 7 etc.)

Scoring System

0 Points — Love

1 Point   — 15

2 Points — 30

3 Points — 40

4 Points — Game (2 point lead required)

1. All — Used to describe even scores, except for 40-40. A score of 0-0 would be love-all, 15-15 would be 15-all, and 30-30 would be 30-all.

2. Deuce — Used to describe a score of 40-40. If a deuce is reached, a player must win 2 consecutive points in order to win the game. If a player wins one point and then loses the next point, the score returns to deuce.

3. Advantage — The player who wins the first point after a deuce is reached is said to have “advantage”.

4. Advantage In — If the server is the player who has advantage, the server may announce the score as “advantage in”.

5. Advantage Out — If the receiver is the player who has advantage, the server may announce the score as “advantage out”.

If you’re wondering why the tennis scoring system is formatted like this, one theory states that the tennis scoring system derives from the face of a clock. The goal would be to reach 60, so every point would advance the player by 15 except for the last point.

(Tennis Rules, n.d.)

How to Officiate the Sport

Line Umpires- They are the ones who get to call the shots at all levels of tournaments, from grassroots all the way through to the Australian Open. It might appear simple, but the best Line Umpires need to be able to concentrate for long periods of time, be team players, and require excellent eyesight. As well as calling the lines, they act as an extra pair of eyes and ears for the Chair Umpire. Becoming a Line Umpire is the quickest pathway to getting on court at tennis tournaments around the world.

Chair Umpire- This is the most important person on court during a match. The Chair Umpire is responsible for everything from calling the score to enforcing the rules and managing the players. A successful Chair Umpire needs great communication skills, the ability to stay calm under pressure, and 20:20 vision. The best Chair Umpires work full-time in the role, travelling the world with the tennis tour

Community Official- This is a great way to get involved in tennis at the grassroots level. They are responsible for monitoring a number of courts at a tournament or competition. They assist and educate players, parents and coaches; and assist in the smooth running of an event.

Community Officials- They start as Court Monitors which help to identify on court queries but can quickly graduate to Court Supervisors to help enforce the Rules of Tennis and Code of Behaviour, as well as resolving on court queries.

Referee- They are the expert in all things rules and regulations. Referees supervise all aspects of a tournament, from taking charge of the draws and schedules, to enforcing the rules and making sure everything runs smoothly and in the spirit of fairness. Being a Referee requires exceptional knowledge of the rules of tennis, the ability to multi-task in a pressured environment, and to listen and communicate well with everyone involved with the tournament (Types of Tennis Official, n.d.).

Ball persons- Although they don’t have an officiating capacity, they are essential for the smooth running of operations. There are usually six ball persons on a court. There are two at the back of each side of the court and two more at the net, covering each side of it.  Their job is to ensure that the server always has a choice of tennis balls to choose from before they start to serve (O’Mahony, 2013).  

Bibliography:

3 Tennis Skills All Beginners Need to Master. (2020, January 27). Retrieved from Adidas Tennis Camps: https://tenniscamper.com/3-tennis-skills-all-beginners-need-to-master%EF%BB%BF/

Hadlich, G., Sell, K., & Rapp, A. (2019). The 8 Basic Tennis Shots & Skills (Explained). Retrieved from MyTennisHQ: https://mytennishq.com/the-8-basic-tennis-shots-skills-explained/

Jonathan. (2019, February 13). Tennis Court Dimensions – How Big Is A Tennis Court. Retrieved from Perfect Tennis: https://www.perfect-tennis.com/tennis-court-dimensions/

O’Mahony, A. (2013, August 26). Officials at a tennis match. Retrieved from Bounce Tennis: https://bouncetennis.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/officials-at-a-tennis-match/

Tennis Rules. (n.d.). Retrieved from Pro Tennis Tips: http://protennistips.net/tennis-rules/

Tutorials Point. (n.d.). Retrieved from Tennis - Equipment: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/tennis/tennis_equipment.htm

Types of Tennis Official. (n.d.). Retrieved from Tennis: https://www.tennis.com.au/learn/ballkids-officials-coaches-and-volunteers/officiating/types-of-tennis-official

 Photo Credits:

https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/i/newscms/2016_32/1663591/160811-monica-puig-rio-2016_9219ab98bba9a18278238eb78f0c6c74.jpg

https://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/617/923/hi-res-5f117bc36b25662b8a529a2aa8cbbae5_crop_north.jpg?1471072739&w=3072&h=2048

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https://s3.amazonaws.com/homestratosphere/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/16221520/PARTS-OF-THE-COURT-min.jpg

https://pin.it/3n6tBvd

https://pin.it/22cfVyI

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Video Reference:

Rio Olympics 2016: China vs China Men's Singles Table Tennis Final

Sea Games 2019:  Philippines vs Thailand Badminton Men's Singles Quarterfinals

Olympic Games Rio 2016: USA vs Serbia Basketball Men's Gold Medal Match

SEA Games 2019: Philippines VS Vietnam Volleyball Women's Opener

A Sports Blog

December 3, 2019, the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City was filled with excitement and supporters cheering for their favorite teams. The competition began with the introduction of the officials and the players together with their positions. Before entering the court, the team members show their support by giving the players high fives, this can also be interpreted as saying “good luck”. The court measures 18 meters long and 9 meters wide, net height at 2.24 meters for women.

As soon as the game started, the Philippine team got the first score for the match. We can notice that after winning a point, the players huddle and congratulate each other to keep the momentum and keep the players’ spirits up as volleyball is just as much as a physical game as it is a mental one. Vietnam held off a comeback by the Philippines in five sets, 21-25, 25-23, 25-19, 20-25, 15-8. With every score comes a hand signal by the referee to clearly indicate wo gained the point. Alyssa Valdez being an absolute team player, played all throughout the five sets without rest. Meanwhile in Team Vietnam, Thi Thanh Thuy Tran, never failed to give us a strong serve and spike.

Vietnam continued to keep their scores close and almost equal with the Philippines. Keeping up with their steady plays to keep the Philippines at bay to take a 2-1 set edge. Not to be outdone, the national team would fight back in front of their screaming hometown fans to force a deciding set. Alyssa Valdez carried the scoring load for the Philippines in the fifth set, but it just wasn’t enough as Vietnam just came more prepared to snatch this event’s win.

In-Depth Details:

Court Dimension

The indoor volleyball court measures 18 meters long and 9 meters wide, net height at 2.24 meters for women. It is surrounded by a free zone. The free zone refers to the playable area outside of the boundary lines – both sidelines and end lines – of the court. For FIVB official competitions, the free zone must be a minimum of 5 meters and a maximum of 6 meters from the side of the court and the end lines (Sports Feel Good Stories, n.d.).

Equipment

Volley Ball- For indoor volleyball, it should have a circumference between 65 and 67 cm when fully inflated to an inner pressure between 4.3 and 4.6 lbs. Once inflated, the ball must weigh between 260 and 280 g. During FIVB competitions and world events, three balls are used and must meet the same standards as the other balls before being approved for play (Haas, 2018).

The Net- The standard measurement is 2.24 meters. The net extends to each of the sidelines on the court and should be the same height at both sidelines. The net itself is 1 meter wide (Haas, 2018).

The Antenna- Placed at either end of the net, it measures 10 mm in diameter and extends 1.8 meters above the net. These antennae are considered part of the net and are used to delineate the vertical crossing space (Haas, 2018).

The Poles- Volleyball poles should be set at 36 feet apart, 3 feet further out from the sidelines (Wood, 2008).

Team Uniform- The uniform should be lightweight to allow maximum flexibility and breath-ability. It should be made of a material that absorbs sweat and keeps skin dry. Spandex shorts are a good option, since they are flexible, and absorb odor (Crowe, 2019).

Volleyball Shoes- Arch and ankle support is key when choosing a volleyball shoe. The ideal shoes for players are lightweight, allowing you to be faster on your feet, as well as bearing good shock absorption on your toes (Crowe, 2019).

Knee Pads- Knee pads should be sturdy enough to protect your knees from falls, slides and dives, but flexible enough to allow you to bend comfortably. Your volleyball knee pads must be made of fabric that breathes and manages moisture (Crowe, 2019).

Additional:

Tape on their Fingers- offers more strength when playing. Hitting the ball can be intense on the fingers and without the tape, players are more exposed to injuries.

Basic Skills

Blocking- Used to stop the ball from crossing the net as a result of an opponent's attack.  A block is effective if it immediately places the ball back into the opponent's court. The fundamental action of blocking is to stand facing the net with feet shoulder width apart, arms nearly extended above the head, ready to jump above the net to deflect the ball back into the opponent's court (Flo, n.d.).

Digging- The first contact made after an attacker from the other team sends the ball over to the defensive team is said to be a “dig”. Digs can be made with the forearms, open or closed hands or any other part of the body (Volleyball Terms and Definitions, n.d.).

Forearm Pass- This is used when you want to receive the ball from your opponents, as in service, or as a technique to accurately control the ball in a way that eliminates lifting or carrying the ball (Flo, n.d.).  

Passing- The first contact after a serve is considered a “pass”. The player who passes the ball is called the “passer”. Usually a pass is made with a player’s forearms but can also be made overhead with two open hands (Volleyball Terms and Definitions, n.d.).

Serving- The first contact that starts every rally is called a “serve”. Usually a server uses one, open hand to swing overhead and send the ball over the net from behind the end line. Less experienced players may serve underhand with one closed fist (Volleyball Terms and Definitions, n.d.).

Setting- Used to receive a teammate's pass in order that the play may continue by passing the ball overhead to an attacker.  the fundamental action of setting is to contact the ball with the finger pads momentarily at the forehead and following through with arms fully extended to the hitting target (Flo, n.d.).  

Spiking- is when a player jumps up and hits the ball with a one-armed overhead swinging motion, contacting the ball squarely with their slightly open hand. The intent of a hit is pure power – jumping helps generate more power and momentum (Irena, n.d.).

Technical and Tactical Skills

Although most of the time the players just focused on attack and power, these are some of the Technical and Tactical Skills I have observed from the game:

Agility- The players were very quick to move whenever the ball was approaching their side. They’d dive, dig, or do whatever they could to save the ball from hitting the floor.

Faking a Hit- This is a tactic used by both teams to trick the opposite team that this particular player will be the one to hit the ball, thus, they will be focusing on blocking her hit. But instead, another person spikes the ball and the other team is thrown off guard.

Communication- plays an important role for attacking and defending. Communicating allows your team to be informed as to who will be taking the shot and whose ball it is. Therefore, it makes the game much easier.

Roll Shot- rolling their open hand over or underneath it. This gives more control in placement, and also in timing. This again is similar in technique to a hit, but instead of powering through the swing and contacting the ball as hard as possible, the hitter focuses more on placing the ball strategically, and swinging a bit more slowly.

Volleyball Hitting Angle- The angle or cross court hit is when the volleyball hitter hits the ball across the court. The cross court attack is often very difficult to defend when the ball is placed in the deep corner. It's difficult to dig because of the trajectory the ball travels. This is a tactic that Jia Morado occasionally used.

Tip- a player uses one open hand to send the ball over the net it is called a “tip”. The player uses the pads of their fingers to contact the ball and control the direction it is sent. Tips are usually sent short in the court but can also be sent deep. A tip is in contrast to swinging the arm to hit the ball over the net.

Float Serve- A type of serve in which the ball does not spin is considered a “float serve”. This serve often changes direction and floats in unexpected trajectories, which make it very hard to dig.

Rules of the Game

a. There should be 6 players on each team.

b. Maximum of three hits per side

c. A player may not hit the ball twice in succession (block- not considered a hit)

d. Ball may be played off the net during a volley and on a serve

e. A ball hitting a boundary line is "in"

f. A ball is "out" if it hits an antennae, the floor, completely outside the court, any of the net or cables outside the antennae, the referee stand or pole, or the ceiling above a non-playable area

g. It is legal to contact the ball with any part of a players body.

h. It is illegal to catch, hold, or throw the ball.

i. If two or more players contact the ball at the same time, it is considered one play and either player involved may make the next contact (provided the next contact isn't the teams 4th hit)

j. A player can not block or attack a serve from on or inside the 10 foot line

k. After the serve, front line players may switch positions at the net

l. At higher competition, the officiating crew may be made up of two refs, line judges, scorer, and an assistant scorer

m. When serving, stepping on or across the service line as you make contact with the serve

n. Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully

o. Contacting the ball illegally (lifting, carrying, throwing, etc.

p. Touching the net with any part of the body while the ball is in play. Exception: If the ball is driven into the net with such force that it causes the net to contact an opposing player, no foul will be called, and the ball shall continue to be in play.

q. When attacking a ball coming from the opponent’s court, contacting the ball when reaching over the net is a violation if the ball hasn't yet broken the vertical plane of the net.

r. Crossing the court centerline with any part of your body. Exception: if it's the hand or foot, the entire hand or entire foot must cross for it to be a violation.

s. Serving out of order.

t. Back row player blocking (deflecting a ball coming from their opponent), when at the moment of contact the back row player is near the net and has part of his/her body above the top of the net (an illegal block).

u. Back row player attacking a ball inside the front zone (the area inside the 10 foot line), when at the moment of contact the ball is completely above the net (an illegal attack).

Courtesy of Strength and Power for Volleyball (Basic Volleyball Rules, n.d.)

Positions

Outside Hitter- is the player that plays on the left side of the court in the front and back-row. The player’s main job is to attack and pass. If this player will play back-row as well, they will also need to be a strong serve receive passer, server and defender.

Middle Blocker- is the player that plays in the middle of the court in the front. The player’s main job is to attack and block. Typically, this player hits well and can move along the net as well as get their hands over onto the opponent’s side of the net while they are blocking.

Setter- the player in charge of the second ball. This player’s main job is set a “hit-able” ball for their teammates and allow the hitters to do the work to score.

Libero- the player who wears a different color jersey and only plays in the back-row, usually this player is the shortest among her team but is quick and agile. This player’s main job is to serve receive pass, play defense and step in as the backup setter.

Opposite/Right Side- the player that plays on the right side of the court in the front-row and back-row. This player’s main job is to attack and block and is less involved in play at lower levels because of the difficulty of back setting to them.

Defensive Specialist (DS)- the player that subs in for another player just to play back-row. This player’s main job is to play defense and pass on serve receive. They are typically subbed in before their teammate serves to serve in their place or after their teammate serves to start on serve receive.

Serving Specialist- the player subbed in only to serve for their teammate.

Wing-Defender- the right-back and left-back players

Wing-Blockers- the right-front and left-front players

Off-Blockers- the player or players that don’t block on a particular play. They should move to 10×10 (10 ft off the net and 10 ft into the court) to defend against the tip. If all 3 players choose not to block, they should split the court evenly between the side lines.

Courtesy of Gold Medal Squared (Volleyball Terms and Definitions, n.d.)

Officiating Officials

Referees- is the individual at the center of the court. A referee’s duties include signaling when a rally begins and ends. The referee is responsible for officially recognizing team requests, substitutions, time-outs and communicating with the coaches at the appropriate times. There are often multiple referees in a match.

Scorekeeper- creates official records of volleyball games. Before play begins, the scorekeeper records team and player information. Once the game begins, scorekeepers not only track points, but also player substitutions, sanctions and time-outs. The scorekeeper keeps an eye on the individual serving the ball to track the rotation and notify referees of potential lapses. At the close of the game, the scorekeeper records the final score of the game.

Assistant scorekeeper- is responsible for updating the scoreboard and keeping an eye on the libero. This individual records changes in the libero rotation, notifying referees when problems occur in the rotation.

Line Judges- there are usually two line judges, one at either end of the court, usually in opposite corners. They work with the referees, signaling to assist in making judgment calls. These officials often use flags to signal when a ball is in or out, hits the antennae of the net, or when the server commits a foot fault, or steps outside the line as they serve.

Courtesy of April Bamburg (2010)

Bibliography:

Bamburg, A. (2010, June 13). Officials & Their Duties in Volleyball. Retrieved from Sports Rec: https://www.sportsrec.com/officials-duties-volleyball-6624015.html

Basic Volleyball Rules. (n.d.). Retrieved from Strength and Power for Volleyball: https://www.strength-and-power-for-volleyball.com/basic-volleyball-rules.html

Crowe, B. (2019). Basic Equipment Used in Volleyball. Retrieved from AZ Central: https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/purpose-soccer-shoes-5428.html

Flo, M. (n.d.). Retrieved from Mr. Flo Volleyball Training: https://sites.google.com/a/frco.k12.va.us/fcvball/skills

Haas, R. (2018, December 5). Sports Rec. Retrieved from https://www.sportsrec.com/217691-how-big-is-a-volleyball-court-in-feet.html

Irena. (n.d.). 7 Basic Volleyball Skills for Beginners. Retrieved from Pro Rec Athlete: https://prorecathlete.com/7-basic-volleyball-skills/

Sports Feel Good Stories. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sportsfeelgoodstories.com/volleyball-court-dimensions-size-diagram/

Volleyball Terms and Definitions. (n.d.). Retrieved from Gold Medal Squared: https://www.goldmedalsquared.com/coaching-resources/volleyball-terms#:~:text=of%20the%20third.-,Serve,underhand%20with%20one%20closed%20fist.

Wood, R. (2008).Volleyball Equipment and Facilities. Retrieved from Topend Sports Website: https://www.topendsports.com/sport/volleyball/equipment.htm

Photo Credits

https://images.app.goo.gl/EFW7zF3y37ugABzX7

https://www.sportsfeelgoodstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/volleyball-court-dimensions.jpg

https://images.app.goo.gl/ivoV6kCgQG9pUidd6

https://images.app.goo.gl/eVxViJC41MqUompHA

https://pin.it/6rU1ibc

https://images.app.goo.gl/Yx5SpnF81jAZrgyJ7

https://images.app.goo.gl/WxbWeEjDPHodAnzD9

Video Reference

Uber for Swimmers

A Sports Blog

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay, the Americans dominated the Olympic-sized swimming pool measured approximately 50 meters in length, 25 meters in width, and 6 feet in depth, which features ten lanes measuring 2.5 m wide (Hoefs, 2020). The close competition of the teams had the audience sitting at the edges of their seats thrilled to find out who would garner the gold medal for this event. This competition particularly was very important for the American swimmer, Michael Phelps, as he will be making history of being the most successful athlete, winning eight gold medals and setting a new record for most golds won in a single edition of the Olympics (EuroSport, 2020).

But before we applaud Phelps for his victory, let us dig in first in the video and analyze how the Americans managed to win that gold. As the swimmers placed themselves on the diving block waiting attentively for the go signal marked by the officiating officials. This is a very stressful moment for every swimmer during a competition, because if you accidentally mishear the go signal and dive in first, you will be disqualified, and all your hard work and countless hours of practice would go to waste. Extra pressure is given to the first swimmers at that moment as one mistake will result to the disqualification of all the members of the team before they even got to swim a lap. Once it was go time, Phelps was leading during the underwater swim, immediately, Amaury Leveaux of France was the first to make a strong breakout swim giving the team an advantage. We can also see that as each swimmer approaches the wall, they attack, flip turn, and push off in a blink of an eye. While each swimmer flip turns, the Inspector of Turn lean in a little bit in order to ensure swimmers comply with the relevant rules after the start, for each turn, and at the finish. Alain Bernard was taking the lead for the last 100 meters of the event. However, the biggest plot twist occurred for team France as Jason Lezak chased him down at the very near end of the event and managed to touch the wall first garnering another gold for the Americans.

But how did he do it? As we can notice in the video, for the past three swimmers, the Americans were always behind and other teams were taking the lead. Once Lezak started his swim, he was very close to Leveaux but he didn’t manage to catch up to him until they approached the final five meters of the pool, which is the most crucial part of every competition. Well, the secret behind it is the ‘Uber for Swimmers’ tactic in which you use the speed of the swimmer beside you against him. This is best done at high speeds, cozy up to the lane line and hitch a ride, saving that energy and nitro for the last burst into the wall (Poirier-Leroy, 2017). Jason Lezak did this perfectly and showed us the most insane swim of his life.

This tactic helped Phelps break the past record of Mark Spitz in 1972. He reigned and made history, bringing home 8 medals. Another tactic that was used was the breathing patterns in which I noticed that they usually took three strokes before turning their heads to catch a breath. The importance of having breathing patterns is for the swimmers to create a rhythm when they swim on competitions, this gives them one less thing to worry about during the event. Breathing too many times during a short-distance swim like that will truly give you a disadvantage as this creates too much drag. During these events, the details are very important, you should do whatever can to save even the slightest millisecond, that is why some swimmers will shave their body, wear headcaps, and their suits as hair also creates a little bit of drag.

Summary:

Court Dimensions- 50 meters in length, 25 meters in width, and 6 feet in depth, which features ten lanes measuring 2.5 m wide

Equipment- Headcap, Goggles, and Swimsuit

Basic Skills- Breathing, kicking, strokes, and arm movement

Technical and Tactical Skills- Breathing patterns, Flip turn, Push Off, Diving, and Uber for Swimmers

Rules

• Swim in Freestyle ONLY!

• Wait for the previous swimmer to touch the wall before you dive in.

• Go when the starter signals (in this case, the beep)

• You must leave the water before the next swimmer finishes their leg of the race.

Officiate

• The Inspector of Turns carefully checked the turns of each swimmer in their assigned lane as they approached the wall.

• The Timekeepers start his watch at the starting signal, and shall stop it as soon as the swimmer in his lane has touched the wall.

• The Starter marked the go signal for the competition to start.

Bibliography:

EuroSport. (2020, July 23). Retrieved from https://www.eurosport.com/olympics/most-olympic-gold-medals-who-joins-michael-phelps-on-all-time-list-from-summer-games_sto7715345/story.shtml

Hoefs, J. (2020, November 24). LiveStrong.com. Retrieved from https://www.livestrong.com/article/350103-measurements-for-an-olympic-size-swimming-pool/

Poirier-Leroy, O. (2017, February 4). Swim Swam. Retrieved from https://swimswam.com/7-race-strategies-confuse-deflate-defeat-competition/

Reference Video:

https://youtu.be/IIm32eEVW98

Photo Credit:

A HEAVY LOAD

Should schools use electronic textbooks to save paper?

Did you know that paper mills guzzle about 153 billion gallons of water every year to produce books and newspapers? Furthermore, in printing each page of the hardcovers of our books, ink emissions amount to 1%, releasing toxins such as toluene and xylene into the water and air around us. Asthma attacks have also increased due to the presence of such volatile compounds in the atmosphere (Huang, 2014). These inconveniences to the environment and even to mankind have led people to search for possible substitutes to the publishing of textbooks.

One reasonable substitute to textbooks are e-books. Electronic books are the digital version of a traditional print book that can be read by using a personal computer, by using an eBook reader or any gadget you have (Rouse, 2005). They are much more accessible. As long as you have an internet connection or a Kindle, you can access the e-book as soon as you purchase or download it. They have numerous benefits not only to the environment but to humans as well.

The affordable option. E-books are about 60% cheaper than purchasing textbooks (McNeil, 2019). Woodhouse states that, as an English Literature major, his textbooks has an average cost of $600-$900 per semester. If he had purchased, digital books instead of paperbacks, he could have saved approximately $1000. Not to mention, a variety of books are available for free online! Countless websites provide free e-books for students and basically everyone to use whenever you need it.

The eco-friendly option. We are so often surrounded by an endless supply of printed books, magazines, and newspapers that it is easy to become desensitized about their negative impact on our environment. In 2008 alone, the publishing industry was responsible for the harvest of nearly 125 million trees. On top of that, our landfills comprise about 26% paper, while the publishing industry composes approximately 11% of freshwater consumed in industrial nations (Carpenter, 2016).

Despite the positive impacts of e-books, these types of decisions rely on the preference of the reader. For some people, the feel of a book is a very important factor (Gokey, 2020). For avid readers, holding a book in hand, the smell and texture of paper, nice binding and flipping through pages is a beautiful feeling which lacks in a digital device. These days, a lot of students resort to digital note-taking because it is more convenient, you never run out of new pages, you can just use the search option to look for important information, and it is more eco-friendly than traditional note-taking, the same goes with electronic textbooks (Jourdan, 2016).

As a student, I really hope that schools will convert to using electronic textbooks. They lessen the carbon footprint produced by printed textbooks, plus they are less bulky. A lot of students carry numerous books on their backpacks to school which results to back pain, however, when you use an iPad or whatever device that you can use to access electronic books, no matter how many books you download in your gadget, the weight will remain the same and you won’t have to suffer carrying such a heavy weight behind your back. How about you, which do you think is better? Share your views with me in the comments section below.

References:

Carpenter, M. (2016, September 17). The Eco Guide. Retrieved from https://theecoguide.org/books-vs-ebooks-protect-environment-simple-decision

Gokey, M. (2020, March 25). Business Insider. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/ebooks-vs-books

Huang, A. F. (2014, November 7). NTU Libraries Singapore. Retrieved from https://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/hp331-2014-02/?page_id=29

Jourdan, G. (2016, August 25). GoodNotes. Retrieved from https://medium.goodnotes.com/5-reasons-for-taking-digital-handwritten-notes-48e6d1afc25e

McNeil, A. (2019, July 9). Investopedia. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0912/print-textbooks-vs.-e-textbooks.aspx

Rouse, M. (2005, September). TeachTarget. Retrieved from https://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/eBook

Woodhouse, K. (2018, February 27). The Scribe. Retrieved from https://scribe.uccs.edu/e-textbooks-are-safer-for-the-environment-and-save-students-money/

Photo Credit:

CHANGING PERSPECTIVES

Types of Speeches.

NELSON MANDELA: Freedom and Justice

Nelson Mandela who was a South African President has endured countless humiliations during his time to fight for freedom and to put an end to the apartheid system. His speech entitled Freedom and Justice highlighted the fact that the award that he was receiving was not for his own achievements instead, it was the achievement for the South African community as a whole since it marked a stepping stone for their country and race. We can insinuate that his speech was an Informative Speech since it was jam-packed with topics, ideas, and even facts. Some speech experts say that if you want to emphasize something, say it slowly and Nelson Mandela has mastered the art of that. Although one disadvantage of Reading from a Manuscript in delivering a speech is getting less interaction with the audience, since you are required to multi-task in reading the manuscript and interacting with the audience at the same time, it is hard to balance that; it is evident that through speaking slowly, Mandela has established a connection between himself and the audience. Nelson Mandela’s speech also tried to enlighten the audience with the fact that the line between the rich and the poor still exists, whether it is within the country or worldwide. However, we can say that we are making some progress in racism, we should still strive to abolish it completely. We can also say that the audience has received the speech correctly since at every point Mandela emphasized, the audience reacted either with nod or a loud applause.

EMMA WATSON: Gender Equality

Being a huge Disney fan, I was flabbergasted when I found out that Emma Watson would be playing the role of Belle in the live-action adaptation, the only reason at that time was that I found Emma Watson very attractive after watching all those Harry Potter movies. However, as I got a little bit older, I was informed that Emma Watson is a feminist activist and that made me stan her even more. The speech was concise and very straight to the point, it made me want to listen more and more. The speech revolved around a few of Watson’s experiences on gender inequality. The speech made me want to stand for my rights as a woman and put an end to gender inequality, especially, men’s superiority. I’m sure that I was not the only one who was moved by the speech, also the people in the comments section, and all the audience. This indicates that the speech that was delivered was a Persuasive Speech. Wherein Emma Watson tried to convince the audience especially the women to identify as feminists and be a huge group fighting for what is right. We can see from her eyes and the tone in her voice that the speech was a Memorized Speech. When you memorize a speech it is easier to convey all the emotions that you wanted to impart to your audience because you wouldn’t need to keep on looking at your manuscript. When I saw the video I felt like it genuinely came from her heart, with a little bit of a shivering voice and teary eyes we can say that she really was serious and affected by the thought of gender inequality.

DARREN TAY: Outsmart; Outlast

ANG MAKULAY NA KASAYSAYAN

Pangkat Kultural sa Pilipinas: Ifugao

AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR

TV News Anchor: Miss Gretchen Fullido

A lot of us are familiar with Gretchen Fullido who graces us with the latest celebrity news in the segment Star Patrol on TV Patrol. We often see her reporting about the current updates of the celebrities’ lives as the entertainment news reporter. After watching a couple of videos of her online, I observed that the way she reports is reflective on the news story she is covering. When she was reporting about “Did Daniel Padilla actually give Kathryn Bernardo a ring?” she showed us a wide smile, with a little bit of mystery, and proper posture making us intrigued about the news story.

When I asked my friends and family about Gretchen Fullido, they didn’t have anything much to say but she was pretty and presentable because they don’t really watch that much TV anyway. So, I just started researching online, there I found out that Gretchen Fullido filed a case of sexual harassment against a former producer at TV Patrol, because of this many famous personalities applaud and supported her for her brave act and standing up for her rights. Bianca Gonzales states “Hanga ako sa tapang ni Ms. Gretchen Fullido. Sana'y lumabas ang katotohanan sa kaso at mabigyan ng hustisya.” Iza Calzado also said that “I commend Gretchen for being brave to come forward and speak up.” Recently, I saw an article about her collection of tropical plants and shared to us that gardening helps her mental health and well-being. This tells us that Gretchen takes both physical (because she is a triathlete) and mental health seriously.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

The King's Speech Movie Analysis

The Synopsis.

The Duke of York has a speech impediment, he has a stammer and trouble speaking to anyone but himself. Growing up, he was bullied by a lot of people even by his very own brother and his father kept on pressuring him. His wife, Elizabeth, felt the need to seek professional help in order for her husband to find it easier to communicate to the public. She then hires Lionel Logue; an Australian actor and speech therapist to help Prince Albert. On the first day, Prince Albert gave up on the treatment because he lost hope. A few days later, Bertie listened to his recording during his session with Lionel and was astonished by the results and wanted to work harder to overcome his stammer. He then returned to his daily treatment, following Lionel’s unconventional way of teaching, then they developed an extraordinary friendship. As the movie escalated, The Duke of York was forced to take the throne as King George VI due to the resignation of his older brother, King Edward VIII. Afterward, he needed to deliver a speech to announce that Britain is declaring war with Germany and so, he asks Lionel to help him speak with confidence.

The Analysis.

The King's Speech circled around the story of the Duke of York striving to overcome his speech impediment. A stammering King announcing that his country is at war with Germany isn’t the most ideal way to deliver a speech. Hence, it would make the people more fearful than they already were they would also doubt your credibility and your power. There were many reasons why the King stammered, one reason, according to my research, is because of King George V’s verbal abuse to his son. But I believe it is more than that. There are many factors why someone stutters so we will be analyzing the movie today.

When we see someone stammering we immediately stereotype them as nervous, shy, or insecure. That is how the people listening to King George VI perceived him. They thought that he was conflicted with his decisions, he was unsure and the like, this may have led to miscommunication among his people because of too many long pauses and the stutter itself. It seemed like Bertie had trouble transmitting his thoughts into words, Lionel Logue also seemed to notice that the King feels a little uncomfortable with talking in various environments especially when there are people watching him or if the room is too crowded and unfamiliar. That is why he can speak normally with Logue in his living room, which is why as we recall in the movie, Logue made the room Bertie was recording in comfier and also made sure that only both of them were in the room just like in their daily sessions. During the final part of the movie when King George VI delivered his speech, based on his pauses we know that he was trying hard to fight the stammer. The people knew how difficult it was for their King, though they were at war, the people still managed to cheer him on.

I know how difficult communicating in front of a lot of people could be and it may be very nerve-wracking at times, but in the end, it gives you a feeling of satisfaction knowing that you could overcome such an obstacle. Communicating is something we come across with on a daily basis, and all of us, yes, even those who are known for public speaking also have their own backstories. We may remember from the movie that even Winston Churchill, the announcer, told Bertie that he also used to stammer. We may think that his stammer held back his potential in becoming a great king, but no. Overcoming this only made him remarkable.

The Advocacy.

RESTRICTED OPPORTUNITIES

The Art of Communication.

Jimmy Nelson is an English photographer who is known for his famous portraits of tribal and indigenous people, and had a geologist as a father, which gave him the priveledge to travel around the world, because of this, he got to experience a challenge a lot of people face to this day.

In his TedTalk, he shared to us how intricate and complicated languages can be. Especially if they are from different regions of the world, he pointed out that certain complications and troubles may occur when we do not understand what each of us are trying to say. But no matter how different languags can be or how diverse our cultures are, we can still understand each other and feel the emotions the person is trying to convey just by looking at their eyes, their facial expressions and their gestures. So no matter how different the words that come out of our mouths may be, we will still do the humane thing and try our best to understand them.

OUR MISSION

Throughout the years, there have been many of the models of communication developed on what the theorists believed in and what they wanted to emphasize. These models explain to us and help us better understand how communication works by seeing it graphically. One thing all the models of communication have in common is that individuals are simultaneously engaging in the sending and receiving of messages. In my model of communication, it all begins with thinking. Thinking before you speak is a really good habit to develop, to avoid causing trouble in your life, whether in your relationships, career or elsewhere. I learned from the Kdrama series, It’s Okay to not be Okay, that before you do anything impulsive you must count to three first. Though we cannot avoid being able to say some negative words, thinking before we speak helps us be more tactful and understand how to offset negativity with something positive. Thinking of what we are going to say and how we are going to say it to the receiver includes our gestures, eye contact, tone voice, speed, and so many more factors. Then we transmit and put our thoughts into action. Now, the receiver will gather the information she has collected. Note that during this part of the cycle, you should not think twice about saying “pardon?” when you did not understand a part of what the sender said. It may be due to noise, as noise can be found everywhere and may serve as a hindrance to being able to accomplish the next step. Noise in my model does not only mean chatter, it also means distraction.

Understanding means that you must have a deeper comprehension of the words the sender said. I also just wanted to emphasize here that understanding what the sender was trying to say is more important than just listening to them. Then according to Murphy, Hilderbrandt, Thomas, communication is considered effective when it achieves the desired response or reaction from the receiver. This leads us to the last part of the cycle, if we got the response we were anticipating to get from the person we are talking to then it is considered effective and if we didn’t, the source could always clarify what he was trying to say.

FIGHTING BATTLES

Stay connected! Observe distance, so you won't be infected.