Shout Out to George!

Hey!
Those of us here at the Corporate Games would like to send a very special shout out to George for being our follower! Thanks George!!!

Do You Have What It Takes For Ultimate?

Our spotlight for the week is Ultimate. Initially called Ultimate Frisbee, but as it turns out, "Frisbee" is a trademarked name of the WHAM O Toy Company. So, now the sport just goes by the name Ultimate. Ultimate found its start on college campuses in the 1960's. It combines the best features of football, soccer, and basketball.

One interesting nugget of info is that Ultimate is what you call "self-officiated". Ultimate is unique in that it is refereed by the players themselves, even at World Championship level, according to a code of conduct known as "the Spirit of the Game". This places the responsibility for fair play on the players themselves. In that respect, playing Ultimate is a completely different experience to playing other sports. And believe it or not, Ultimate's system of self-refereeing works. - http://www.whatisultimate.com/

It's called, "Spirit Of The Game" in the Ultimate community.

Ultimate's self-officiated nature demands a strong spirit of sportsmanship and respect. The following description is from the official ultimate rules established by the Ultimate Players Association:

Ultimate has traditionally relied upon a spirit of sportsmanship which places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of the bond of mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed upon rules of the game, or the basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate adverse conduct from the Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting of opposing players, dangerous aggression, intentional fouling, or other 'win-at-all-costs' behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all players.

The game, explained as simply as possible:

Ultimate is played between two teams of seven players on a large rectangular pitch. A line drawn across the pitch at either end creates two "endzones" (like in American Football). These are the goal-scoring areas. A goal is scored when a team completes a pass to a player standing (or more likely running) in the endzone they are attacking.
Players cannot run with the disc. When you get the disc you must come to a stop and try to throw it to another player (a bit like netball). By passing from player to player, the offence attempts to work the disc up the pitch towards the endzone they are attacking. If the disc hits the ground or is intercepted or knocked down by the other team, then the opposition takes possession (a change of possession is called a "turnover", like American Football). Possession also changes if a receiver is outside the playing area when he or she catches it.
The defending team attempts to stop the team with the disc from making progress upfield by marking them (as in soccer or basketball). The theory is that the offence won't want to pass to a player who is being marked closely, as it's likely to result in an interception. So it boils down to the offence players trying to get free of their markers to receive a pass, while the defence makes every effort to stay with them in the hope of forcing a turnover.

Close still counts in Horeshoes.....

This week we're all about Horseshoes. This is a game dating all the way back to the Roman Soldiers. During their idle hours, the soldiers occupied themselves with games that consisted of tossing metal rings over stakes pounded into the ground. Whether these first metal rings were actually horseshoes is a matter of some debate.

This year our Horseshoes Tournament will be held on Thursday August 13th at Sugarhouse Park. Here's the lowdown on the size of the playing field and point scoring. The stakes will be placed 40 feet apart. Ringers are worth three points and a "learner" (a shoe touching the stake) or a shoe that comes to rest with any part six inches or closer to the stake counts as one point. The game will be played to 40 points. So, start warming up your arms now!

* a special thanks to SportsKnowHow.com

Run For Your Life!

"I love running cross country....On a track, I feel like a hamster." - Robin Williams
Today's topic is our 5K Cross Country! This event will be held on Saturday August 1st at the Cottonwood Complex in conjunction with Opening Ceremonies. Here are some helpful hints and websites to help you on your journey to running a 5K. Who knows, maybe next a marathon?

Check out www.personalrunningtrainer.com they feature a section on 8-weeks to running a 5K. They also suggest some fun tunes to train by!

Have you often wondered when you should replace your running shoes? Here are some guidelines.

• The mileage on your shoes is high. A good rule of thumb is to replace your running shoes every 300-400 miles.
• You're feeling pain (ie., muscle fatigue, shin splints, joint pain especially in your knees).
• Your shoes fail the twist test. If you hold your running shoes at both ends and twist the shoe, it should feel firm. An old shoe or one that doesn't have proper support will twist easily.
• Your soles are worn out.
• Newer shoes feel much better.Some experts recommend that runners rotate two pairs of running shoes

Where can I find resources on running?
Runner's World Magazine
George Sheehan
Shoe Finder
Shoe finder sponsored by the American Running Association and the American Medical Athletic Association
Pace calculator
Training plans:
www.coolrunning.com/index.shtml (Check out the "Couch-to-5K Running Plan" for beginners.)www.halhigdon.comwww.jeffgalloway.com/www.runnersworld.com/home/ (Click on "training plans" in the left margin)

Ending on a funny......

"It's unnatural for people to run around the city streets unless they are thieves or victims. It makes people nervous to see someone running. I know that when I see someone running on my street, my instincts tell me to let the dog go after him." - Mike Royko