If your kids enjoy swimming, the next logical step might be to introduce them to the world of competitive swimming. In some areas, children as young as five or six can join a local swim team, depending on their skill levels and how comfortable they are in the water. Swimming is a great way to stay active, and doing it competitively can be fun for both you and your child. So what do you need to know before getting your kids into competitive swimming?

Start With the Basics

Don’t throw your kids in the deep end and expect them to be Michael Phelps. Make sure you start with the basics. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until kids are four before they learn to swim, even though there are water safety classes that can teach the basics to children as young as six months old.

If they’re interested in starting competitive swimming, consider enrolling them in a pre-team class. These classes teach the basics of swimming as well as the four competitive strokes so that they’ll be prepared for tryouts and practice. Read the rest of this entry →

When the weather is warm, there is no better place to be than out on the water — but sitting in a boat or lounging in a tube can get boring after a while. Learning a new water sport might seem like a daunting task, but there are plenty of options that are fun and easy to learn. Here are five examples that might help you find your next favorite summertime water activity.

Image: wiki commons

1. Paddle Boarding

If surfing looks like fun but you feel like you might not have the balance or the lower body strength to brave those waves, paddle boarding can be a great alternative. This water sport involves standing on a large flat board that’s similar to a surfboard but designed to be more stable. You navigate the paddle board with a large paddle, similar to the one you would use on a canoe but with a longer handle.

It doesn’t take a lot of balance or skill to use a paddleboard. In fact, some places even hold yoga classes on them, if that gives you an idea of how stable these wide boards can be on the water.

2. Canoeing/Kayaking

If speed isn’t your thing but you still want to get out and start exploring your local waterways, getting into a canoe or a kayak can be a great way to do that. These two watercraft are similar in that they are small, self-powered boats designed to fit one or two people, but that’s where the similarities end.

Canoes are open, while kayaks have enclosed seats you need to slip your legs into. Canoes flood if they capsize, while a skilled kayak pilot can flip themselves back upright without ever getting out of the kayak.

Both of these boats take some upper body strength to maneuver, but they can be a great way to get out and enjoy the water.

3. Wakeboarding

Now we’re getting into the really fun stuff. Wakeboarding is done on a board your feet are secured to — similar to a snowboard — while you’re hanging on to a rope tied to the back of a boat. The goal of wakeboarding, as its name suggests, is to ride the wake of the boat.

Skilled wakeboarders can use the wake of the boat that is towing them to launch themselves into the air and do some fantastic tricks, but you might want to focus on staying upright first. It’s not a hard skill to learn, though it does take some practice.

4. Water Skiing

This is an iconic water sport that involves strapping two wooden skis to your feet and skimming across the surface of the water at high speeds. It takes a bit more balance than wakeboarding — as well as some lower body strength to control the skis — but it can be easy to learn and an absolute blast.

For beginners, it’s recommended that you start with your skis tied together, which keeps your feet from going in two different directions when you start moving and saves you from some potentially painful splits.

5. Jet Skiing

If you want to get some serious speed without worrying about faceplanting into the water, hopping on a jet ski might be the best water sport for you. When you rent a jet ski for the first time, you’ll get a crash course on how to use it safely. Once you have the basics down, though, it can be a fantastic way to speed around on the water. You might even be able to do some tricks if you catch a wave or the wake from a passing boat.

Choosing the Right Boat

If you find a water sport you really love, you might balk at spending the money to pick up the equipment yourself, but it can save you a lot of money on rentals in the long run. Regardless, it’s important to choose the right boat for the sport you’re participating in. Ski boats are designed to reach optimum speed quickly to get you out of the water and onto your skis, while wakeboard boats are designed to generate more wake for the boarders to enjoy.

Once you’ve got a boat and have chosen your sport, all you need to do is find yourself a pilot and get out on the water!

This year’s upcoming Super Bowl Halftime headliner was recently announced, and Maroon 5 will take their place on that iconic stage. While not everyone is happy about this announcement, it does lead us to another question — what really goes into creating those massive halftime shows?

Planning Comes First

The planning stage takes the longest. The Superbowl is usually played in February, and the planning stage will start the June before the big game starts. This is what experts call the “nuts and bolts” stage — figuring out how to put together a massive show and get it all on the field in six minutes.

Yes, you read that right — in just six minutes the entire stage gets set up. This is when the show planners figure out the technical side of things, such as where to put the broadcast trucks, where to position the speakers to create the most optimum sound and how they’re going to plug in all the toys.

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Nothing says summertime like baseball. And across the nation, kids have a ball playing on their little league teams. Sadly, some of them will end up injured.

When we think of dangerous sports, baseball generally doesn’t rank high on the list. However, the tragic case of little Nader Parman II demonstrates that even a relatively tame sport can turn deadly. While cases such as Parman’s are considered freak accidents and are blessedly rare, failing to take proper safety protections can lead to serious injury. To keep your littles safe on the diamond, adopt the following safety measures:

1. Learn CPR and First Aid, and Be Sure All Coaches and Assistants Are Trained in It

Most adults who work with children, from school professionals down to summer playground leaders, are required to be trained in CPR and basic first aid — but don’t take that for granted. Inquire as to whether your child’s baseball or softball coach is certified. It’s a good idea if volunteer assistant coaches and other adult participants get certified as well.

As a parent, it’s always a good idea to get certified in first aid and CPR yourself. You will hopefully never need the skills, but it helps to know you’re prepared should an emergency occur.

2. Warm up and Cool Down Properly

Just like adult exercisers, children need to warm up and cool down properly before engaging in physical exertion. Contrary to popular opinion, warming up doesn’t necessarily involve heavy stretching. Rather, focus the warm-up on mobility exercises and exercises made to increase heart rate gradually. Read the rest of this entry →

Skiing and snowboarding are the two primary choices for those who want to take up a winter sport, and both activities make the winter season more exciting. Since skiing and snowboarding are both so popular, many are curious as to which one they should learn first. Before choosing, you have several factors to consider.

The Learning Process

The first week or two of learning snowboarding or skiing will vary based on which you choose. Skiing tends to be more gradual in its learning process, with navigation being more comfortable to start. You do have ski poles to help your balance, after all. Since your legs are separated during skiing, you can throw one foot out to help rebalance yourself if needed. Read the rest of this entry →

As America’s favorite pastime, baseball is an excellent way to stay in shape, make new friends and get outside on beautiful days. However, if you live far away from a park, you might want to build a diamond somewhere closer to home.

Whether you’re building a diamond for yourself, your kids or a professional or local team, here are three basic tips to help you create an epic baseball diamond.

1.     Hit a Home Run, Not Someone’s Car

A practical place to start in your diamond-building endeavor is to find an ideal spot for the field. Things you should take into consideration may be location, proximity to traffic and measurements of the field. This may vary depending on who will use the field — including whether it’s for professional or recreational use.

Depending on how you plan to use the field, the size will differ from one age group to the next. Also, remember that after you determine your field measurements, you may want to calculate room for visitors and spectators to park and sit.

When foul balls inevitably happen, be sure to have a net or the standard 60 feet of bushes to help block the ball from hitting fans, cars or other potential victims. You should also ensure the field will not be at a low elevation or a floodplain. Verify there is sufficient water drainage to avoid water damage, as well.

2.     Know Your Numbers

Before you break ground, it’s good to know what your numbers look like so you know what to expect. Take a close look at your budget, including a plan for maintaining the field after you build it. You can create a beautiful state-of-the-art field, but if you don’t take care of the turf, dirt or soil afterward, you’ll waste money down the road on repairs.

Once you have a complete understanding of your budget, you will know what kind of materials and layouts you can afford. This will give you a better vision of your field and help in the decision-making process. For example, if you want to build a field for a college or high school, you may want to use different materials than what Wrigley Field has.

The pitcher’s mound and batter’s box will need higher amounts of clay to maintain quality throughout use — around 40 percent is a good number. The infield, overall, however, doesn’t need quite as much. You want to have the amount of sand under 75 percent to keep the infield from becoming dry. An ideal infield mix is 25 to 50 percent clay and silt with 50 to 75 percent sand.

To save money in the long-run, it’s crucial that you care for your field after you build it. You can easily maintain the integrity of your field by hiring a field manager or turf consultant.

Once you have a solid idea of what you want the field to look like, where you want it to be and what kind of professionals you may want to hire, you’re ready to start building.

3.     Start From the Ground Up

Players, coaches and empires alike will all appreciate a level playing field — both literally and figuratively. Make sure that when you break ground, you do it right.

You may need machinery such as rollers, loaders and excavators to help move dirt and flatten the land. These can be expensive to purchase but renting them is a cost-efficient way to go.

After you have flattened the land, you can measure the field and mark your bases. A standard baseball diamond is a 90-foot square with sliding room around the bases, but there’s room to move for the outfield and fences.

If You Build It, They Will Come

By following these tips, you can build the baseball diamond of any player’s dreams. Enjoy your new home turf — play ball!