Volleyball

Happy Memorial Day everybody!

Sorry for the late post, but I was spending the day at the East Coast Championship for club volleyball in Pittsburgh. The tournament was three days long, and there was a great turnout with around 250 teams. I used to play in the tournament when I was in high school, but today I went to support my sister and her team, Westmoreland Elite. Volleyball is a great sport to play in an intramural league. In fact, it is one of my all-time favorite sports to play.

Traditional Volleyball

This is the original type of volleyball that is played either inside or outside on a grass or concrete surface. Usually, each team would have six players on the court at once, and the object of the game is to hit the ball over the net so that the other team is unable to return it. The main ways to score points are on the serve and the spike, but there are other ways to play the ball including passing blocking and setting. Volleyball is a non-contact sport, but it is far from low-key. You might find yourself running all over the court diving to make some sweet saves.

Sand Volleyball

This is the same as regular volleyball except that it is usually played with only 2 players on each side of the net. However, this can be changed if you aren't in a really serious league. Playing in the sand is a lot more challenging because it is more difficult to run and jump. When I played volleyball in high school, part of our summer conditioning was playing on a sand court because we got a better workout and it was a lot of fun.

There are two main types of volleyball that I have talked about in the post, but there are all different kinds of ways that you can have a good time without playing the real sport. If it's a hot day out like it was today, get a group of friends together and play in the water to cool off. If you're short handed you can always pepper with just a few friends. What is your favorite way to play volleyball? Let us know! If you are looking for a league to play in check out our website leaguehound.com for one near you! Here are just a few areas offering volleyball leagues:

Cleveland

Syracuse

Queens

Hockey

We are currently in the midst of the semi-finals for the NHL, and I thought that today would be a great time to talk about hockey. Hockey is a very popular sport in the north east, but you don't just have to play it on the ice. There are tons of different ways that you can get involved with the sport.

Ice Hockey

This is the traditional form of hockey played on, you guessed it, the ice. There are six players for each team on the ice at a time, and their aim is to be the team that scores more goals within three periods. A full set of pads is usually required when playing this type of hockey because it can get very physical. The game is a bit harder because you have to be able to skate well but it is a ton of fun!

Street Hockey

Based on ice hockey, this version of the game is played on foot without skates. A puck is rarely used in this form of the sport. Instead, a rubber ball is used. Street hockey is much easier to play, and it is just as much fun as ice hockey.

Field Hockey

Field hockey is a combination of hockey and soccer. It is played on a field that almost resembles a soccer field. There are eleven players on the field from each team at a time, and the purpose is the same as ice hockey. The positions are very similar to soccer but instead of kicking the ball, the players use a stick much like the ones used in ice hockey.

If you are interested in joining a league check out our website, www.leaguehound.com, and see if there are any leagues near you. Here are some of the cities with leagues that you might be interested in:

Albany

Buffalo

Long Island

Manhattan

Cleveland

How to Handle an Upset

First, I just want to say that I am SO sorry about posting this a day late! I had a lot on my plate with track and finals, but I am also glad that I waited because I was able to see the huge upset between the Lakers and the Thunder last night. For those of you who missed it, Oklahoma City won with a score of 119-90 in the first game of the series. Everyone already knew this was going to be a tense game because the last time the two teams played, Ron Artest (otherwise known as "Metta World Peace") knocked out James Hardin with a vicious elbow to the back of the head that left him with a concussion.

There are, however,  a lot of lessons that can be learned from this game. The most important lesson being how to deal with an upset. It's something that a lot of teams face no matter what sport you're playing, and everybody handles the situation differently. Here are some tips on how to deal with an upset with good sportsmanship:

Keep Playing Your Hardest

No matter what happens in the game that you are playing, you should keep playing your hardest. A lot of players tend to give up when things start to go south. They feel as though it is worthless to waste their energy on the rest of the game that they know they are going to lose. This can cause a bad dynamic within the team.You owe it to yourself and your teammates to continue on and hope for that win. 

Don't Abandon Your Team

This is in tandem with the previous tip, but it goes a step further. Some players don't just give up, they completely walk out on their team. World Peace did this at one point during last night's game and I just had to shake my head. When you sign up to be a part of a team, you are a part of that team no matter what and you should always be there for him. I understand that he has anger issues, but he should have just sat himself on the bench and still showed a little support for the team.

Congratulate Your Opponents
This one is a little tricky. We have all been pushed to the point where we do not want to shake hands after a bad loss. But this move really shows maturity and class. It may not be the best feeling in the world, but giving the other team the cold shoulder won't make you feel any better either.

Don't Sweat It

This is the most important piece of advice. I was once on a club volleyball team that had a season of 2-35. My dad would always tell me that "when you look back on these moments as an adult, you will hardly even remember how angry you were after this game." Even if it's an important game like the playoff game between the Lakers and the Thunder, there is nothing else you can do except to get over it and move on to the next game with a fresh start and a new attitude. 

How do you handle a bad loss? What is the biggest upset that you can remember in sports history? Let us know! And don't forget to visit our website www.leaguehound.com!

My Favorite Sports Movies

The weather is looking a little grim today, and all I feel like doing is curling up in my bed and watching movies. If you guys are feeling the same way, here is a list of some of my favorite sports movies.

The Replacements

My absolute favorite football movie! During a pro football strike, the owners of a football team hire substitute players. It is actually based off of the 1987 professional football player's strike.

The Karate Kid

A martial arts master agrees to teach a bullied boy karate and shows him that there is more to the martial art than fighting.

Miracle

This movie is based on the amazing story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. The Olympics took place during the Cold War and Russia was favored to win, but the U.S. weren't going to let them have the gold too easily.

Rocky

This movie is a true underdog story. Nothing gets you more pumped up to get out there and face your toughest opponent like watching Rocky's training montage.

The Sandlot

When Scott Smalls moves to Los Angeles he finds himself with a new group of friends learning all about the game of baseball. This movie will bring back tons of memories of childhood pick-up games!

Remember the Titans

This movie was on T.V. 3 different times in one day last week. The movie follows a high school football team during the time of desegregation in the seventies and their quest to overcome adversity. It is a movie about not letting your differences keep you from playing as a team.

Field of Dreams

A mysterious voice that whispers, 'If you build it, he will come,' inspires a man to reconnect with his deceased father through baseball. A really fun movie.


Hoosiers

Hoosiers is my favorite sports movie out there. It's a true story based on the Milan High School basketball team that went on to win the Indiana State Basketball Championship in 1954.


Watch one or two of these awesome movies this week. Have a movie marathon and watch them all! What's your favorite sports movie? Let us know! And don't forget to visit www.leaguehound.com