Unlock the tennis courts
Isn’t Google Earth amazing? This is a satellite view of our neighborhood.
This post is a gripe about the tennis courts being locked. You can see them towards the top left in the open paddock.
When we moved here and for more than a year afterward the courts were always open and anyone could play when there was no competition or practice happening.
The Corriedale Park courts are the home of the Uniting Church Tennis Club, but I assume it’s a council-owned facility. (more…)
Mount Gambier Tennis Tournament
I don’t follow tennis normally, but I’m a great fan of the Mount Gambier Women’s International tournament.
It’s a Pro Tour event with $US25,000 prize money that attracts players from around the world hoping to reach grand slams.
It’s the only international sporting event held regularly in Mount Gambier.
One of the participants this year is former world number eight Alicia Molik, who is coming back after missing most of the past year through injury since the Beijing Olympics. (more…)
Hockey and soccer goalkeeping
I mentioned on my other site how I played in a charity soccer match on Wednesday night.
It was my first competitive team game of any kind for several years and I pulled up understandably sore.
However, I enjoyed the game very much and didn’t disgrace myself as a goalkeeper, if i do say so myself.
My son, who is a talented soccer player, was a harsh critic, but overall even he thought I did okay.
This post is to describe in some detail the differences, as I saw them, between goalkeeping in soccer and hockey. (more…)
Hockeyroos in the pink
As a newspaper person I should be able to explain why hockey receives so little media coverage in this country, but I can’t.
Maybe that’s because I used to play the game and enjoy watching it; my perspective is biased.
Australia is very good at hockey, men and women. Junior and club competitions are strong. Many large towns now have synthetic pitches.
But for some reason, netball dominates the limited media attention that’s given to women’s sport. (more…)
C’mon Aussie C’mon
Australian minds turn to cricket on Christmas Day. The Boxing Day Test is a highlight on the national sporting calendar, along with the Melbourne Cup and the AFL/NRL grand finals.
Browsing YouTube tonight I came across the original video of C’mon Aussie C’mon from the 1970s.
Cricket in that era went from an amateur sport to professional. The split damaged Australian cricket in the short term, but the game was better for it in the long run.
Fitzroy against the odds
What a treasure, and thanks to YouTube.
Fitzroy left the AFL in 1996 so quality video is hard to come by.
I came across this clip tonight, which I think is from a game in 1991. Whatever the year, I remember coach Robert Shaw taking the team across to supporters at three-quarter-time for a rev-up and getting the win. (more…)
Alice Springs cricket premiers 1988
I can’t claim much glory in my cricket career. The best effort is contributing to the Federals Club at Alice Springs winning the C grade premiership in 1987-88. (more…)
