Best Player

Profile
Name: Ruina GONG
Gender: Female
Date of Birth: 1979
Height: 1.70 m / 5’7″
Profession:
Hobbies:

Olympic event: Badminton
Olympic qualification:
NOC code: CHN
Place of birth: Anhua, China
Weight: 60 kg / 132 lbs

General Interests
Hobbies: Food, music, chatting (NOC 13/08/2004)
LangSpoken: Mandarin
Club: Hunan (NOC 13/08/2004)
Handedness: R
AddInformation:
Other Information
OLYMPIC DEBUT
Athens will be the Olympic debut after being the number one-ranked player in the world on 1 May, 2004 when rankings were used to determine the 2004 Olympic competitors. (NBC Olympics 06/07/04)

ALL IN A NAME
Her given name is made up of two Chinese characters. The first, ‘Rui’ means very wise and clever while the second, ‘na’, is a feminine character used for a girl’s name. An only child, her father is a lawyer and her mother is a clerk, and she left home at the age of 12 to attend a sports school. (NBC Olympics 06/07/04)

Highlights
The Competition Highlights section contains the following results:
Last Olympic Cycle; Top 8 results at Olympic Games and World Championships. Top 3 results at World Grand Prix competitions.
Historical; Medals at Olympic Games and World Championships.

Rnk Event Year Venue
World Championships
Winner Singles 2001 Seville, ESP
Runner-up Singles 2003 Birmingham, GBR
Semi Final Singles 1999 Copenhagen, DEN

World Grand Prix

Winner Singles 2004 Yonex All England Open
Winner Singles 2004 Swiss Open
Winner Singles 2003 Realkredit Denmark Open
Winner Singles 2002 China Open
Winner Singles 2002 Indonesia Open
Winner Singles 2001 Malaysia Open
Winner Singles 1999 Sweden Open
Winner Singles 1998 Brunei Open (she beat susi susanti)
Winner Singles 1997 Hongkong Open

Runner-up Singles 2004 Yonex Japan Open
Runner-up Singles 2003 Hong Kong Open
Runner-up Singles 2003 China Open
Runner-up Singles 2002 Realkredit Denmark Open
Runner-up Singles 2002 All England Open
Runner-up Singles 2002 Noonnoppi Korea Open
Runner-up Singles 2001 China Open
Runner-up Singles 2000 Swiss Open
Runner-up Singles 2000 Dutch Open

Semi Final Singles 2004 Proton Eon Malaysia Open
Semi Final Singles 2004 Noonnoppi Korea Open
Semi Final Singles 2003 Yonex All England Open
Semi Final Singles 2003 Yonex German Open
Semi Final Singles 2003 Proton Eon Malaysia Open
Semi Final Singles 2002 Singapore Open
Semi Final Singles 2001 All England Open

SMASH SHOT

BADMINTON SMASH

To everyone playing the game, the smash is the most aggressive and attacking stroke in badminton. It is often employed to finish a point or to increase the tempo of the game. Male players substantially more often use it than their female counterparts.

It is very important to understand the badminton smash shot biomechanics, as it will help players to execute the shot to perfection. It is also necessary for the coach to be well versed in badminton smash shot biomechanics as they can then identify the errors made by the players in executing the shot and rectify them.

Before discussing about the badminton smash shot biomechanics, you must understand that the smash is basically a rearcourt shot, but can be taken from anywhere in the court depending on the situation. In preparation, the player stands sideways to the net with his racket hand facing away from the net and the elbows and shoulders nearly parallel to the horizontal and the racket head held overhead. From this position, the racket hand is swung forwards towards the shuttle, the arm coming in high and close to the head and the racket thrust forwards.

Analyzing the badminton smash shot biomechanics has revealed that during this phase there is a powerful inward rotation of the arm, followed by inward rotation of the forearm and lastly a flexion of the hand. The impact with the shuttle occurs high and slightly in front of the body.

At the time of impact, the racket is gripped tightly and the entire body weight is thrown behind the shot to make it more powerful. The higher the shot is taken, the more steep it is and that much more difficult to return. That is why a jumping smash is much more effective.

In the final phase, the racket hand follows through in the trajectory of the shuttle.

The importance of being familiar with the badminton smash shot biomechanics in badminton is obvious. We often see beginners executing the smash shot with very jerky movements of the racket hand ending up with very poor shuttle velocities. Professional players, on the other hand, obtain exceptional shuttle velocities with their smash shots. The difference lies in fluent execution of the shot following the proper biomechanical principles. This comes with experience and proper guidance.

Now the importance of a coach with a sound knowledge of the badminton smash shot biomechanics becomes apparent. Such a person can identify the problem areas of his wards and guide them accordingly. This will ensure a better performance from the player who will have a stinging and effective smash shot in his armoury.

Technique for blocking

Volleyball Blocking

Volleyball techniques for blocking involve learning to see the court and making quick decisions at the net when preparing to block.

Having good court vision involves making good judgments while watching the setter, the ball, and hitters.

Good court vision. You often can predict where the setter is going to set the ball by watching the ball after it’s passed.

The better you are able to judge where the ball is being passed, the better you can predict what the setter is going to do with it.

Watching the setter and hitters is critical to getting in the best position to block.

Identify the front row players. All the blockers should know who the front row players are before the serve.

Also, identify the setter as front row or back row to know if the setter can legally attack the second ball.

The volleyball techniques shuffle and crossover step are used to move into optimal blocking position.

Shuffle step. The shuffle technique is probably easiest because the hips stay square to the net.

Crossover step. The crossover is harder because you turn your hips during the movement and you need to get squared back up to the net before you jump.

The crossover is better for when you have to travel far to get in position to block because you can get there faster than shuffling.

Jump straight up, and penetrate the net. Blockers need good balance and stability to develop a consistent block jump.

The better a blocker is at jumping up and not floating, the better they will be at staying out of the net and penetrating their block into the opponent’s space.

Wide fingers and thumbs up when blocking. Keep the fingers spread wide and tight and thumbs pointing up to prevent jamming your fingers.

Spreading your fingers wide will also allow you to take up more space.

Volleyball techniques for your blocking hands.Angle your hands to block the ball into your opponents court. The outside blocker should reach and penetrate a little more with the outside hand.

This will give that outside hand a little better angle for blocking the ball into the court and not out of bounds. If you’re confident you won’t block the ball back out of bounds, it’s always a good idea to surround the ball with your hands when blocking.

Butterfly Swimming Technique

Butterfly Swimming Technique

What is your mental picture of a butterfly swimmer? This is the result of a quick mental exercise, trying to describe different elements of butterfly swimming technique.

• Head – Varies slightly, but primarily in-line with spine
• Eyes – Looking at bottom of pool when not breathing, looking down and forward when breathing
• Shoulders and chest – Tip up and down/forward about a line drawn from one hip through the other. The chest lays forward and presses down as the hands enter
• Arms – Arms are a mirror of each other. Arm speed controls rhythm, with generally steady to decreasing/slowing rhythm through the course of a race unless well-conditioned
• Forearm and hand pull – Arms remain shoulder width apart, flex at elbows with line from fingertips through elbow moving towards pointing down an slightly inward, then sweep inwards to outwards they press on the water, with the fingertip through elbow line moving from pointing inwards and down to slightly outwards and down
• Forearm and hand recovery – Straight arms, relaxed hands, with a wide and low arm swing, thumb down, pinky up, back of the hand towards thumb lead
• Forearm and hand entry – Straight arms, extended, thumb to fingertip first, shoulder width apart
• Trunk – Must maintain the connection between the shoulders and the hips
• Hips – Maintain hips relatively high in the water, acting as moving-forward pivot point
• Legs – Generally two kicks per cycle, but one per cycle is also acceptable. Kick timing is based on arm timing, with kick balancing arm and trunk motion. There is generally a kick as the pull begins and a second kick just prior to hand exit. The kick action and the chest position must work together or swimmer will be moving body up and down instead of forward. If swimmer attempts to kick with too much effort they will tend to tire sooner than if they allow the kick to work with the arms and body
• Feet – Feet must remain in the same plane through the entire kick. They may be in slightly different planes, but that difference must not change. Feet are extended, relaxed ankle on the down-beat, flexed on the upbeat. Kick amplitude should not be exaggerated
• Breathing – Keeping body as low and flat/forward as possible, head tips up enough for face top clear water, inhale, head lays down prior to arm-recovery reaching a “T” from the shoulders out to the fingertips

Soccer Technique

SOCCER TECHNIQUE

Technique refers to a player’s ability to perform specific mechanical movements such as kicking, trapping or throwing the ball. The mark of an experienced player is smooth, efficient motion and the ability to elegantly transition between different techniques.

Soccer skill can be developed through repetition, observation or visualization. With regular training and practice of a specific movement or technique, the player builds confidence and the target motion becomes

natural to him.
Another type of “training” one should consider is watching quality games on the TV or videos in slow motion. The act of observing other players’ skills can help better your own technique.
Visualization is a radical new method used to instill and develop one’s ability. It focuses on picturing yourself in the third person, while applying a specific technique.

The following sections will break down the fundamental skills most often used in the game.

-kicking
-ball control (controlling the ball at speed)
-heading
-dribbling (drills, basic dribbling, intermediate moves and advanced)
-tackling
-goalkeeping

-practicing alone

Basketball Play and Tips

Basketball Passing Fundamentals and Techniques

1) Two-Handed Chest Pass

Overview

This is the most effective and efficient pass you can use. It can be used successfully from anywhere on the court. Use this pass whenever possible because it’s the fastest way to advance the ball to teammates.

Fundamentals

Place each hand on either side of the ball and spread the fingers evenly. Fully extend your arms as you push the ball out from your chest and snap your wrists outward so that the back of your hands are now facing each other. You’ll get a good rotation on the ball when you snap your wrists. This makes the ball easier to handle for the receiver. Be sure the pass is thrown crisply with the ball remaining parallel with the floor. You want the pass to arrive at your receiver above the waist and below the shoulders.

2) Two-Handed Bounce Pass

Overview

This type of pass is good on the fast break, to a teammate in the post, under a defender, to a teammate making a back-door cut, on out-of-bounds plays, etc. A lot of times, players will make a shot or high-pass fake before making the bounce pass. The bounce pass is the slowest pass available.

Fundamentals

Use the same grip and motion with this basketball pass as you did with the chest pass. The ball should hit the floor about two-thirds of the way to the receiver. To be more accurate, step toward that spot. You want to hit your teammate between the knees and waist. A backspin is good to use to give the receiver a longer lead. Push the thumbs throught the ball to achieve the backspin. A forward spin can be used to get the ball through a narrow opening and to produce a quicker pass. You’ll need to be more accurate when using a forward spin but if you can perfect it, it will add more to your game.

3) Two-Handed Overhead Pass

Overview

This is an effective basketball passing option for every player on the court. Players often use it to start a fast break, forwards will use it to hit post players or guards cutting off the post, guards use it to hit the post, centers and players receiving high passes use it to make a quick return pass or pass off. This type of pass is easy to control and helps you keep the ball away from your defender.

Fundamentals

Position your hands on the sides of the ball with your fingers pointed up. Your thumbs should be on the back of the ball and pointing in toward one another. Bring the ball up above your head (be sure your hands go straight up, not up and back over your head). Release the ball with a quick snap of your wrists and fingers like on a chest pass. It’s usually good to make a slight step forward with the foot of your strong arm side.

Visit our Basketball Passing Drills page

4) Push Pass

Overview

This pass is used most often to advance the ball down the floor in order to set up the offense or to get the ball through or past a close-guarding defender (usually to a cutter). The bounce pass version is good for passes to a cutter on fast breaks or reverses, many out-of-bounds plays, to a post player or to pass under a defender.

Fundamentals

Hold ball chest high. Spread your fingers on each side with thumbs directly behind, but a bit toward the top of the ball and pointing toward one another. Keep elbows close in. The force of the ball is provided with a quick snap of your wrist, fingers and elbows. You should move forward with your body crouched a bit. Step forward with your passing-hand-side foot and push off with your non-passing-hand-side foot. You can use a direct or bounce pass. Direct pass should reach receiver between the waist and shoulders and bounce pass should hit the floor about two thirds of the way to receiver and arrive between the knees and waist.

5) Off-the-Dribble Pass

One of the quickest basketball passing options because there’s really no set-up with it. As you’re dribbling, instead of bouncing the ball back to the floor for another dribble, move your hand behind the ball and push it towards a teammate as a pass. It’s hard for defenders to steal this one because they’re expecting a dribble instead of the pass.

6) Baseball Pass

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Effective for long passes to a cutter or to inbound the ball quickly after allowing a score. Place the ball high above the side of your head with the passing hand behind the ball while the other hand is in front of and slightly under the ball. Be sure the fingers of each hand are pointed upward and your thumbs are pointing inward over your head. Plant your rear foot and step toward the receiver with your front foot. Try to keep both hands on the ball as long as possible and throw the ball with a quick wrist snap and arm thrust. As you follow through, snap your wrist straight down so the ball doesn’t curve on you.

7) Behind-the-Back Pass

A basketball passing technique that can work wonders when done well or end up terrible if done wrong or carelessly. So make sure you practice this one to perfection and only use it when the situation warrants it. This pass can be used off the dribble, standing still or while moving toward the basket and is used often with two-on-one fast breaks. If you can deliver this pass correctly, it will be very difficult for your opponent to defend.

Cup the ball in your hand. Swing your arm behind your back with the elbow bent, fingers pointed down and your thumb pointed toward your back. Release the ball with a whip of your arm and a quick wrist and finger snap.

History of basketball

Basketball was invented in December 1891 by the Canadian clergyman, educator, and physician James Naismith. Naismith introduced the game when we was an instructor at the Young Men’s Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. At the request of his superior, Dr. Luther H. Gulick, he organized a vigorous recreation suitable for indoor winter play. The game involved elements of American football, soccer, and hockey, and the first ball used was a soccer ball. Teams had nine players, and the goals were wooden peach baskets affixed to the walls. By 1897-1898, teams of five became standard. The game rapidly spread nationwide and to Canada and other parts of the world, played by both women and men; it also became a popular informal outdoor game. U.S. servicemen in World War II (1939-1945) popularized the sport in many other countries.

A number of U.S. colleges adopted the game between about 1893 and 1895. In 1934 the first college games were staged in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, and college basketball began to attract heightened interest. By the 1950s basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball.

The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years before disbanding; its demise spawned a number of loosely organized leagues throughout the northeastern United States. One of the first and greatest pro teams was the Original Celtics, organized about 1915 in New York City. They played as many as 150 games a season and dominated basketball until 1936. The Harlem Globetrotters, founded in 1927, a notable exhibition team, specializes in amusing court antics and expert ball handling.

In 1949 two subsequent professional leagues, the National Basketball League (formed in 1937) and the Basketball Association of America (1946) merged to create the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Boston Celtics, led by their center Bill Russell, dominated the NBA from the late 1950s through the 1960s. By the 1960s, pro teams from coast to coast played before crowds of many millions annually. Wilt Chamberlain, a center for the Los Angeles Lakers, was another leading player during the era, and his battles with Russell were eagerly anticipated. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, also a center, came to prominence during the 1970s. Jabbar perfected his famed “sky hook” shot while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and dominated the opposition.

The NBA suffered a drop in popularity during the late 1970s, but was resuscitated, principally through the growing popularity of its most prominent players. Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, and Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers are credited with injecting excitement into the league in the 1980s through their superior skills and decade-long rivalry. During the late 1980s Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls rose to stardom and helped the Bulls dominate the NBA during the early 1990s. A new generation of basketball stars, including Shaquille O’Neal of the Orlando Magic and Larry Johnson of the Charlotte Hornets, have sustained the NBA’s growth in popularity.

In 1959 a Basketball Hall of Fame was founded in Springfield, Massachusetts. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees, and people who have contributed significantly to the development of the game.