...nature versus nurture issue of sport is very controversial. When we come to talk about great athletes we tend to ask ourselves a question that has been around every since sports have started- are great athletes born or made? From my experiences, and other professional athlete’s experiences, I can tell you that they are made. I believe that you can achieve anything life if you want it bad enough, and are willing to do everything you can to achieve it. For instance, NBA great Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers is an un-athletic, skinny person who overcame leg deformities as a child that prevented him from walking. He had to wear leg braces for several years until his leg problems were corrected enough for him to start walking again. Eventually, Miller went on to play in the NBA for 13 seasons, while setting the record for most 3-point shots made (Beyond the Glory: Reggie Miller 2004). Therefore, in my opinion, Miller was not a “born” athlete. I feel that he worked hard to develop his skill, and make it into the NBA. On the other hand, many people believe that genetics make up good athletes. They believe that people are born with the ability to become a great athlete. For instance, people believe that Reggie Miller was born with genes that would make him a good basketball player since he was born with potential to grow tall. Miller is now 6’6, and almost every great basketball player surpasses the height of 6’4. Therefore, being tall gives you an advantage in basketball, because...
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...products in more than 120 countries, employs more than 10,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany. PUMA has a very unique strategy because it uses a focused differentiation approach. PUMA is considered to be one of the world’s leading Sports Brands, but does not make products for all sports. Instead, it focuses on soccer and running mainly, but also golf, motorsport, and cricket. PUMA has come up with a new marketing strategy going forward. From PUMA’s official website it states, “PUMA will be the Fastest Sports Brand in the World.” This simplified mission will result in a single brand purpose and a single consumer message. PUMA will be: “Forever Faster”. This new tag line was launched for 2014 and it reflects the 65 years of history of making fast product designs for the fastest athletes in the world and reflects on what is to come by stating “Forever.” I believe this a very good simple strategy for PUMA. After some research I learned that in 2013 sales of footwear decreased significantly. PUMA is using Usain Bolt as a marketing plan to help fuel running shoes. PUMA also used various soccer super stars at the FIFA World Cup to help promote their...
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...cultures throughout history. Soccer and cuisine are the two that stand out to me. I grew up in Lubbock, Texas where generally there isn’t much soccer played and there are not many Mexicans in general. We had one Tex-Mex restaurant, and it wasn’t even good. It wasn’t until my college writing class took a field trip to a local Mexican food trailer, that I truly experienced the fusion between Mexico and the United States through food. On the other hand, I do not have a lot of experience with Mexican food, so this topic is kind of new to me. I play baseball, so I am immediately attracted to the soccer aspect of both cultures because of the competition and how a sport can bring two nations together. Its interesting how cultural fusion can blend two different countries together as one. Mexican cuisine and soccer fuse the cultures of the United States and Mexico in ways that have made both countries into what they are today because of the increase of cultural fusion. One way cultural fusion is expressed and elaborated on through cuisine is shown in Patricia Sharpe’s article “Let’s Have Mex-Tex.” She communicates the change over the years from Tex-Mex to “Mex-Tex.” This article focuses on how the “Mex-Tex” food is increasing in Texas and allows the reader to be informed of good restaurants with such origins. On the official Texas Monthly website she states that Mexican food from the heart of Mexico is the start of “the new culinary era.” Sharpe believes this phenomenon is the better...
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...Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. It may not seem like it because football is most popular in North America but soccer is the most popular sport in the world. My perspective is that if there were more soccer stadiums, more federations, and more soccer associations in the United States it might be more popular than football is in North America. Soccer is probably very popular because it is the first team sport a kid will probably play in their life because football and baseball are for kids a little older as they are more dangerous sports. Because soccer is as popular as it is all other brands are trying to get in on the sales of shin-guards, cleats, socks, and soccer balls. Adidas was originally the first major brand for soccer, now Nike is trying to get a piece of the sales, and also Underarmour is starting to make its way into soccer merchandise. Soccer is a very easily understood and exciting sport. A soccer game can change in a matter of 30 seconds. When in a football game it can take some time. Soccer is an easily likable sport and it is easily understood. Soccer is more exciting than any other sport as there are no boundaries on what you could do. The only boundary is fouling and that you can’t use your hands. Soccer is an attention-grabbing sport and it can be easily played. All you need are shoes and a soccer ball. Other sports you would need a hoop or a field and soccer is more easily played. There are hundreds of soccer stadiums in Europe and other...
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...the Byron Center Soccer Camp. I am Mr. Bogaart and these are your coaches.” Mr. Bogaart put his big hand out to show us our coaches. At least 6 High school girls stood in front of us as they waved. “These two days this week, the coaches and I will pick 3 girls two go to Nationals in Indianapolis.” All of a sudden, my jaw dropped. I walked into the soccer field. The green grass shined with dew. The smells of freshly cut grass drifted through the air. I took a big deep breath and opened my eyes. Finally, soccer. The best sport in the world. A nice lady with wavy brown hair smiled at me as she sat behind the tan desk. I looked behind me and saw a school. A big light brown school. Nickels Intermediate. It felt weird that in the summer...
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...Corruption Scores a Hat Trick Against FIFA FIFA has been at the center of a great deal of corruption during the last couple of years. There are endless topics to discuss on the matter of corruption and FIFA, but I wanted to focus on three of the biggest charges of corruption against FIFA, bribery, mistreatment of female athletes, and the use of slave labor to build stadiums to host their games. FIFA has been around for over a century and was a very respectable organization at one time, but that time is now over. This affects international business because there are currently 209 countries within FIFA. FIFA has a far reaching impact because soccer is the most popular sport in the world. To better understand why and how FIFA became so corrupt, I’d like to lead with some background on the history of FIFA and its biggest members. FIFA stands for The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (English translation: International Federation of Association Football), and is the governing body of association football, futsal and beach soccer. FIFA is responsible for the organization of football’s major international tournaments, notably the World Cup which commenced in 1930 and the Women’s World Cup which began in 1991. FIFA was founded in 1904 to oversee international competition among the national associations of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. FIFA is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and consists of 209 national...
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...The Dangers Of Heading A Soccer Ball “Heading the ball,” is a major part of the game of soccer, but recently there has been discussion of prohibiting “headers” from the game. In soccer, a “header” is when a player advances the ball using their forehead. The head takes the force of the ball. Recent evidence shows that it is possible that headers may cause player concussions or produce long-term brain damage. Many former and current professional soccer players as well as some National Soccer organizations have taken part in the fight against headers. Critics and researchers assert that heading the ball in soccer is more damaging to the brains of children and females. With these dangers, the laws and recommendations related to heading in soccer...
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...For this movie project I chose She’s The Man. This movie came out in theatres on March 17th, 2006. The movie’s main character, Viola Hastings, is played by Amanda Bines. She plays soccer at Cornwall, her school, and loves every second of it. She and her teammates are devastated when they are informed that their funding is being cut and there will no longer be a girls’ soccer team. To continue to play the sport she loves, Viola pretends to be her twin brother Sebastian, played by James Kirk, while he is skipping school in London. She does this so that she can try out for a spot on the boy’s soccer team at her rival school. She made the team and was part Illyria’s second string line up and her plan was working flawlessly, until she caught feelings for her roommate Duke, played by Channing Tatum. Duke is a striker on the soccer team as well. She has to hide her feelings to keep her true identity a secret and not blow her cover. Sadly, Duke is in love with “Sebastian’s” stunningly beautiful lab partner Olivia, played by Laura Ramsey. Olivia, however, is in love with “Sebastian”, Viola in disguise, which Duke is not very happy about. Duke agrees to help “Sebastian” with soccer outside of practice if “he” can help him get Olivia to like him. Working with Duke helps Viola make the first string. Olivia...
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...What I am Not... I am not the top of my class, I am not the star of the varsity soccer team and I am not the most popular student at Turpin High School. This does not mean that I am not an excellent candidate for National Honor Society. Without being all the things that I previously mentioned, I firmly believe that I possess great attributes that allow me to be a leader, a scholar, and a honorable student. I have perseverance. During Varsity soccer tryouts this past year my self confidence was tested. Unfortunately, I found it was a struggle to make the Varsity team. I thought about quitting because I did not like the uncertainty and the feelings of insecurity that arose because of the situation. Sometimes people feel it is easier to quit than to push forward but I “pushed on”. In the end, I did make the Varsity team. I did not take the easy way out when soccer became...
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...world what sport do you think has become the most popular over the years? If you guessed racket ball then you’re probably wrong. It’s Called” The Beautiful Game “, and yes its soccer. They call it the beautiful game because of how one is able to manipulate the ball and make it do whatever they want it to. My dad taught me this meaning one day when we he was training me around the age of 8, and told me that if I kept working hard and stayed committed I would soon understand what he meant. From his generation to mine, soccer has increasingly become a much harder sport and because of that its popularity has increased heavily over the years. Why? Because the level of intensity soccer is played in today’s game, the merchandise big brands are producing, and the one and only World Cup. If you were to attend a professional soccer game without ever playing I’m sure it would change your perspective on the sport for certain. It’s not as easy as it looks on TV, believe me. Modern day soccer is so intense it’s almost insane. If you don’t know what I’m talking about go out and look for some team you could randomly join and play a whole game. Bet most of you wouldn’t last. It’s not just some sport you can just join in now to pass time. It’s either give it your all or go and play another sport because soccer is that serious now. Everyone at the high level is fast, strong, smart, and determined to take the ball from you. It’s nonstop running for 90 minutes with only a 15 minute break...
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...U-15 team camp will continue to play a major role in my life. I expected team camp to be a magical time, therefore, I would build new friendships and learn valuable skills to help my soccer career excel. However, it was a challenge to change my teammate's minds with a gorgeous goal. The soccer field was covered in dew, due to the mid-August humidity. As I sat down to stretch, I realized everyone was staring at me. I believed the glares were because I was new to the team. However, I neglected to realize what they truly meant. No one believed I deserved to play for such an elite team, as I was only an eighth grader and they were all about to start their journey to high school. This made my stomach turn and I began to go haywire. I knew they my...
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...Guadalupe Ruiz. I have known Guadalupe for over 10 years and have nothing but positive things to say about her. I have been fortunate enough to coach Guadalupe during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 high school soccer seasons. In all of my dealings with Guadalupe, she has shown herself to be hard working, a leader, honest, dependable, and responsible with the utmost integrity. Guadalupe is one of the hardest working young ladies I have ever known. She pushes herself to the highest standards in her schoolwork, her volunteering, and on the soccer field. During our 2016-2017 season Guadalupe came to try-outs to ask if she could be on the team even though she was healing from and injury that required surgery. I let her know I could not let her play if the Doctor had not released her. However, I offered her the opportunity to assist me as I could use the help for my first season of coaching at the high school level. Guadalupe jumped at the opportunity to learn and assist with the management of the team. She was a natural in this position. She helped with running drills, keeping my stats, assisting with the medical needs of the team, and took new players under her arm to help them learn and improve their skills. She is a natural born leader who does so constructively and with great passion....
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...substitutions for the work you have to put in. An area I believe that I am literate in is soccer. In my 18 years alive, I have put in countless hours, shed tears of both anguish and joy, persevered through the toughest times, and have been recognized for my achievements. In the process to obtaining literacy, passion is the driving force that ignites a reason to become literate in an area. Without a purpose, there is no reason to obtain any goal, let alone to become proficient and literate. Hard work and dedication are the forces that...
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...The girl with black hair that swayed back and forth in the hot summer air. Where shade was no different from the hot sun, suffocation you while you try to gasp for air. The first time I met Grace was over the summer for soccer. Grace was nothing but friendly since coming to Valdosta. She listened to my roommates’ problems, pushed the soccer team and myself to finish the last set of sprints. She gives me rides to and from soccer practice. The first distinctive trait of Grace is her deep rich skin tone which is not something you would expect when you think of Asians. Her tan skin shows she is in the sun more than an average person. Her eyes are a dark brown almost black like the deepest part of a well. Grace’s lengthy black hair that is tied...
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...Adam Kemp Service Learning Essay #3 The service learning I have chosen for my final chapter of this semester was working the Soccer Games at the Area 11 Florida Special Olympics. The games were a great experience and probably my favorite service learning I did this year. My job that I was to referee the soccer games and I was also in charge of field #2. I did this event not because I needed service learning, but because I wanted to help the kids out. This event I personal went online and looked for and signed myself up. It was for the common good of the people and doing something for someone other than myself. The common good is defined in religion as the benefit of the community. It is the welfare of the whole community, as the proper object of a just law, and is distinguished from individual good, which looks only to the good of a single person. I did this by helping those who genetically are at a disadvantage. The kids we worked with are 16 years and older. I helped them experience something that I and others take for granted. The people I worked with all had the same mission, to help those who are restricted by their condition have a day that they’ll never forget. The participants came in with banners by their area at the opening Olympic ceremony. We as a group did this for the common good of the athletes. The justice part of this is that we as people have rights and the special athletes have the same rights, so why are they not given the chance to enjoy...
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