What Will You Remember From 2013

Introduction

     As all of you know, there have been some tragic , unforgettable moments and some happy moments that we cherish till this day in 2013. Every year is different, and in these 365 days that have gone by, many events have occurred. Nelson Mandela's death, the Boston bombing, Typhoon Haiyan were some major tragic events that left me in a state of shock. I wrote this blog to talk about the these events and what to look forward to in 2014. 

      The event that keeps on coming into my mind is Typhoon Haiyan, also known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines. This particular typhoon was a category 5 super typhoon. The sad part is that the Haiyan killed atleast 6,155 people in the Philippines alone. According to Wikipedia, "Haiyan is also the strongest storm recorded at landfall, and unofficially the strongest typhoon ever recorded in terms of wind speed". Haiyan formed on November 3, 2013 and it dissipated on November 11, 2013. So you can probably imagine how long the Philippines lived in fear during Typhoon Haiyan, event though many people did not survive.

      2013, for me, has been a year like none other. The transition from elementary school to middle school has made me more responsible and mature, and my family has noticed that. I have started taking more care of my little sister who is only 6 years old. The tragic moments during this year have really changed me to become a better person, and even I don't know how. The change that is occurring to me is a positive change that I am starting to like.

      I look forward to 2014, because I believe I can start all over again. I believe that every new year is a fresh start, and I can do better and better each year, be it sports, academics, or anything else. It is a once a year opportunity, and I don't want to ruin just like that. 

Top Ten 2013 Headlines

• Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 people
• Boston Marathon Bombing kills 3, injures over 264 people
• Nelson Mandela dies at the age of 95
• The death of Lou Reed
• The death of Corey Monteith
• The death of Paul Walker
• Hurricane Sandy destroys the U.S. east coast
• Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI
• Murder of Odin Lloyd
• United States ammunition shortage

Comment and Question

• My comment is that just like 2013, 2014 will also bring many happy and tragic moments

• How do you feel about 2014? What do you look forward to? What expectations do you have?

The Soccerball

Introduction

More than 3.5 million people across the world love soccer, including me. In fact, with this many fans around the world, soccer has managed to become the most popular sport worldwide. When I first think of the word soccer, thee first image that comes to my mind is a black and white soccer ball. But over time, soccer balls all over the world have changed. In this marvelous and interesting article, you will find many new and fascinating facts that will blow your mind!

 

 

 

 

The First Soccer Ball Ever

The earliest soccer balls weren't as perfectly round and spherical as the modern day soccer ball. No, soccer balls back then were very irregularly shaped, which made them unpredictable when kicked. Soccer balls at that time were actually just regular animal skulls and animal bladders. Village people would gather up in

large groups to see the soccer game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Problems With The Soccer Ball

Over time, the soccerball had changes to it that made it better. The newer soccer balls were made of tanned leather, and were better shaped than the original version of the soccer ball. But with these improvements came problems. According to Wonderopolis" Along with the new styles of balls came new problems. Balls relying on tightly tied laces to seal air inside leaked badly. Players would have to stop to re-inflate the ball multiple times during a game. Leather balls were good for kicking, but due to their tendency to absorb water, could become very heavy. This posed a serious threat of injury if a player hit the ball with his head."

Where Did The Black And White Design Come From?

Well, according to Wonderopolis "The ball that changed the look of soccer forever? The “Telstar.” The 1970 World Cup in Mexico was the first televised World Cup ever. The Telstar took its name from a combination of the words “television” and “star.” But there was one little problem. A white ball viewed on a black-and-white TV wasn’t easy to see. Game officials needed to come up with a way to make the ball easily viewable to those watching at home. Their simple solution? Paint black pentagons on the white ball.

 

 

Top Ten Current Soccer Players

Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona)

 

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Real Madrid)

 Xavi Hernandez (Spain & Barcelona)

Andres Iniesta (Spain & Barcelona)

 Robin van Persie (Netherlands & Manchester United)

Gareth Bale (Wales & Real Madrid)

Wayne Rooney (England & Manchester United)

 Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast & Manchester City)

Radamel Falcao (Colombia & Monaco)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden & Paris Saint-Germain)

Thought, Question and Fun Fact

• Thought: I thought that it was really interesting that the soccer ball had to go through so many changes before reaching the modern day soccer ball. It really wants to make me research more about this topic.
• Question: I wonder who actually created the game of soccer? Why? I will definitely research this.
• Fun Fact: Did you know that till this day, the Telstar remains the most common design for a soccer ball?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Who Invented Basketball?

Introduction

Are you a basketball fan? Have you ever wondered who created basketball? Where did they get the idea? Well, let me just start off by saying that a  Canadian man named Dr. James Naismith had invented the game. He worked at the YMCA Training School in Spring Field, Massachusetts. Dr. James worked as a physical education instructor, who had been challenged to create a game that could be played indoors in the cold Massachusetts as an "athletic distraction" to a disruptive group of students. In response, he invented basketball.

Where Did He Get The Idea?

 Dr. James got the idea of basketball from one of his childhood games. He used to play a game called "duck on a rock." In this game, you lob a small rock at a "duck" in an attempt to knock the duck down. Dr. James thought of this game when creating basketball and originated the game of basketball from this idea.  According to Wonderopolis, an online educational website, "With a two-week deadline, Dr. Naismith decided to invent a game of skill, finesse and accuracy, rather than one that relied on pure strength."

Basketball Changes Over Time

The basketball Dr. James invented is not the modern basketball we know today. Why? Well, that's because more pieces to basketball were added along as it started to get popular. Here are some changes: Dr. James used peach baskets as the hoop, however, we use rings with nets as the hoop. Dr. James also said that you could only advance by passing the ball, but now in basketball we can dribble and take really long shots. Dr. James's version included using a soccer ball as the basketball, yet,  in modern times, we use a real basketball.

General Facts About Dr. James

• Dr. James was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame
• He was also inducted in the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame
• He was born in 1861 in Ramsay Township
• He was a fantastic athlete and won numerous Wicksteed medals
• He earned a BA in physical education 
• He played Canadian football,soccer, rugby,and lacrosse
• He went to McGill University and earned a diploma at Presbyterian College in Montreal
• According to Wikipedia, an online educational website, "From 1891 on, Naismith taught physical education and became the first McGill director of athletics, but then left Montreal to become a physical education teacher at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts."
• Dr. James created a new game called "Basket Ball" and the first game was played on December 21, 1891
• Sadly, Dr. James died on November 19, 1937

Top Ten NBA Basketball Players

1. LeBron James from the Miami Heat

2. Dwight Howard from Orlando Magic

3. Dwayne Wade from Miami Heat

4. Chris Paul from N.O. Hornets

5. Dirk Nowitzki from Dallas Mavericks

6. Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City Thunder

7. Kobe Bryant from L.A. Lakers

8. Derrick Rose from Chicago Bulls

9. Deron Williams from N.J. Nets

10. Blake Griffin from L.A. Clippers

 

Thought, Question, and Challenge

Thought: I thought that basketball must've been a sport on which you had to have good accuracy and stability if you wanted to be good at the game when it was first invented.

Question: If Dr. James hadn't been given the assignment of making up a game, what impact do you think that might have had on basketball?

Challenge: I encourage you to find 1 more person who either created another sport or played a major role in sports and write a small article about it. Please respond back to me and subscribe to my blog.