Wembley (1923 & 2007), London, England Sports Stadium

The original Wembley, built in 1923 famed for its iconic twin towers, and for being home to the English National team, hosting FA Cup Finals and The 1966 World Cup. Replaced in 2007 with a new stadium, sporting a similarly iconic 134 metre Wembley Arch. Wembley is the second largest capacity stadium in Europe at 90,000 and is also the most expensive ever built.

Rungnado May Day Stadium, Pyongyang, North Korea Sports Stadium

The flower shaped stadium has a capacity of 150,000, making it the largest non-auto racing stadium in the world. Whilst usually used for sporting events, the stadium may be most famous for hosting massive choreographed performances and shows celebrating Kim Il-sung and the North Korean nation where participants exceed 100,000 people

Yankee Stadium (1923), New York City, USA Sports Stadium

Located in the Bronx, constructed in 1923, the Yankee Stadium was home to the New York Yankees before it played its final game in 2008 and moved across the road to a new stadium. The stadium was known as “The House That Ruth Built”, after being home to the legendary baseball player Babe Ruth.

Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Sports Stadium

Named after the neighbourhood in Rio, the Maracana opened in 1950 for the World Cup of that year, hosting the final where the attendance was an incredible 199,854. Today the seated capacity is 82,238; the largest in South America, the capacity will grow further to 90,000 for the 2014 world cup where it will become only the second stadium to host two world cup finals.

Big 5 Sports Boccia

Believed to have Ancient Greek origins, Boccia is a tough test of nerve, tactics and skill. Played on a rectangular court by individuals, pairs and teams, the sport offers both tension and excitement, as athletes aim to land balls close to a target ball, across a series of demanding ends.
The basics

The object of the game is to propel a ball so that it lands as close as possible to the white target ball, known as the ‘jack’. Each player, pair or team gets six balls on each end. At the close of each end, the athlete, pair or team whose ball is closest to the jack scores one point, and receives an additional point for every ball that sits closer to the jack than the opposition’s closest ball. Individual and pairs matches consist of four ends, while team events are held over six ends.

Boccia is played by wheelchair athletes with cerebral palsy and related locomotor conditions, with players required to be in a seated position within a throwing box at one end of the playing court. The classification system ensures an even playing field for athletes to compete against others with similar disabilities.
Boccia, past and present

Boccia was introduced to the Paralympic programme at the New York and Stoke Mandeville 1984 Games. Today, there are seven medal events on the programme, all of which are open to athletes of either gender. The sport is currently played competitively in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Big 5 Sports - Wheelchair Tennis

Wheelchair Tennis was invented in 1976 by Brad Parks, who had been experimenting with tennis as a recreational therapy after he was injured in a freestyle skiing competition. Since these humble beginnings, Wheelchair Tennis has grown at an amazing rate: now fully integrated into all four Grand Slam Tennis events, and with more than 150 tournaments on the ITF’s own Wheelchair Tennis Tour, it is more popular than ever.
The basics
The sport follows similar rules to Tennis, with one key exception: the ball is allowed to bounce twice, and only the first bounce must be within the boundaries of the court. All matches are played over the best of three sets.

At London 2012, the Wheelchair Tennis competition will consist of six medal events: men’s and women’s Singles; men’s and women’s Doubles; and quad Singles and Doubles, which are for players with a disability in three or more limbs. All events are played according to a knockout format.

Take Care of the Golf Balls First

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the two pints of beer.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly, and the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed again that it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up the rest of the space. He asked once more if the jar was full, and his students responded with a unanimous “yes.”

The professor then produced two pint glasses of beer from under the table and poured the contents of both into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the grains of sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things – your family, children, health, friends and your favourite passions; things that, if everything else was lost and only they remained, would still make your life full.”

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else – the small stuff.

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.”

“Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children, take time to get medical checkups, take your partner out to dinner and play another 18 holes. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the leaky tap. Take care of the golf balls first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities, because the rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented.

The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem to be, that there’s always room for a couple of beers with a friend.”

Youth Golf Network 100 Holes of Golf Charity Golf Marathon

Youth Golf Network, Inc.  (YGN) is planning its first annual charity 100 Holes of Golf Marathon in support of their Pass the Torch Scholarship Program.

Previously, Anne Arundel Women’s Golf Organization, Youth Golf Network, Inc.  reorganized under a new name and is hosting a Golf-A-Thon in Anne Arundel County on September 16, 2011 at Bay Hills Golf Club in Arnold, MD. The event is designed to raise money for youth summer golf programs and scholarship programs.

“At Youth Group Network, Inc. we want to empower our youth through the game of golf,” said Jeannette Ortegon, president of YGN. “We also want to help disadvantaged youth through the sport.”

YGN currently is looking for golfers who are willing to save the date and commit to bringing a team to play 100 holes of golf in 12 hours. Participating golfers will get pledges from family and friends to support YGN’s youth programs. Non-golfers can pledge $1, $2 or $3 per hole. Visit, www.youthgolfnetwork.org for more information on participating or pledging.

In addition to youth programs, the organization raises money to support cancer research through golf events in the fall. The group is starting a scholarship fund that will allow a deserving high school graduate to attend college in 2012.

2011 Melwood Open Tees Off Next Week

The Melwood Prince George’s County Open presented by Under Armour returns to the University of Maryland Golf Course next week.

Festivities abound in this week-long (May 30 – June 5, 2011) community event featuring a high school tournament and junior clinic, multiple Pro-Am events, a Military Honorary Observer program, Community Leader Award presentation, and various social events.

Last year’s event, held at the newly renovated University of Maryland Golf Course, drew universal praise from Nationwide Tour officials, players and an estimated 20,000 spectators, while generating a significant amount of news and media coverage. One-hundred and fifty-six professional golfers will be competing for their share of the $600,000 purse this year.

This is a great event for golf fans of all ages.  And ticket prices are very reasonable.

Daily Tickets:  $10
Provides entrance for one individual to the tournament grounds and University of Maryland Clubhouse on any single day, Thursday, June 2 through Sunday, June 5, 2011

Weekly Tickets:  $25
Provides entrance for one individual to the tournament grounds and University of Maryland Clubhouse on any single day, Thursday, June 2 through Sunday, June 5, 2011

Special military/kids offer:  Anyone with a valid military ID (active-duty, retired, or reserve) will be admitted into the event for free.  Additionally, children ages 12 and under can also enter at no charge when accompanied by an adult.

For the full schedule of all the events visit the Melwood Prince George’s County Open website.

Tagged as: Melwood Open

2011 Melwood Open Tidbits

Here are a few tidbits about this week’s (May 30 – June 5, 2011) Melwood Prince George’s County Open presented by Under Armour at the University of Maryland Golf Course.

COACH GARY WILLIAMS RETURNS AS TOURNAMENT HOST
Gary Williams, who recently resigned as the U. of Maryland’s head basketball coach, returns as host of the Melwood Prince George’s County Open presented by Under Armour for the second year.  In addition to his support of the tournament and the Nationwide Tour, Coach Williams brings a host of celebrities who will play in Tuesday afternoon’s Gary Williams Celebrity Pro-Am.  This includes UM baseball coach Erik Bakich, UM football coach Randy Edsall, Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau, former Washington Wizards head coach Eddie Jordan, Under Armour CEO and UM grad Kevin Plank, former Baltimore Orioles’ star B.J. Surhoff and Nationwide Tour president and former UM All-American Bill Calfee, among others.

2010 CHAMPION GAINEY MADE LASTING IMPRESSION
Tommy Gainey’s win last year in the Melwood Prince George’s County Open catapulted him to the PGA TOUR this year where he has enjoyed great success over the first half of the season.  The Melwood win moved the South Carolinian from 18th on the money list to 2nd.  He added one more win a few weeks later (Chiquita Classic near Cincinnati) and finished the year fourth.  Currently 30th on the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup points list, Gainey is eligible for the season-ending TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.  The popular “Two Gloves” generated a lot of fans at the UM Golf Course last year.

IT’S A HOME GAME FOR BILLY HURLEY
2004 Naval Academy graduate Billy Hurley has received a sponsor exemption.  The 28-year-old was born in Leesburg, Va. (turns 29 on June 9th) and attended high school there. He currently resides in Annapolis where the Academy is located.  Hurley, who won seven college titles and was the sixth-ranked amateur in the world in 2004, spent last year serving on a Navy destroyer in the Persian Gulf.  He returned to competitive golf late last year, earning conditional status on the Nationwide Tour based on his finish in December’s PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament.

SAGE VALLEY JUNIOR WINNER NICHOLAS REACH GETS INVITE
One of the perks of winning the recent inaugural Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club in South Carolina was a spot in the Melwood Prince George’s County Open. Nicholas Reach of Moscow, Pa. was a runaway winner by eight shots.  The 18-year-old, who is headed to the U. of Georgia in the fall to play golf, shot a course record-tying 62 in the second round.  He was presented the “Sage Valley Gold” jacket by PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. The field included 54 young men from 18 countries and 20 states in the U.S.  Reach is familiar with the Nationwide Tour having played on sponsor exemptions in the 2008 and 2009 Northeast Pennsylvania Classic in the Scranton area where he grew up.

Pick a day or two and come out to see up close and personal 156 of the best golfers in the world.  Get all the details at the Melwood Prince George’s County Open website.