Sports Then and Now

Competitive shooting can be an extremely exciting sport, although the idea of actually going to a competition can be intimidating at first. Perhaps you feel like you’re not good enough, or maybe you just don’t know where to start. Fortunately, getting involved in shooting sports is easier than you might think. You just need a bit of knowledge, some equipment and a willingness to learn.

For New Shooters

If you don’t have much experience with guns, there are a few preliminary steps you need to take before you can get started. First, you’ll need to take a gun safety course to learn the basics. The National Rifle Association hosts firearms safety and training classes in every state. Your local gun range might also offer its own introductory courses. Another option is the First Shots course sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, although these classes aren’t available in all areas. Read the rest of this entry →

The world of auto racing can seem like an intimidating place. At the highest levels of competition, professional drivers race cars that cost more than $100,000 in parts alone. However, stepping into the world of racing may not be as difficult as you think. There are several different types and levels of racing, ensuring that you can find some way to participate regardless of how much time and money you can invest.

Autocross

The easiest way to start racing is with autocross. The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) holds more than 1,200 events around the country, and these events are open to anyone. All you need is a car that has passed a safety inspection and a helmet, which you may be able to borrow at the race.

In autocross, makeshift tracks are laid out with traffic cones, often in a large parking lot or at an airport. You’ll race the course alone, just you against the clock, and compare your time against other vehicles in the same class. You can talk to your local race organizer about how to best prepare for the event, but common advice is to put some extra air in your tires, remove your hubcaps and take any loose items out of the car.

Wheel-to-Wheel Racing

If autocross doesn’t quite cut it for you, wheel-to-wheel racing might be more your speed. You’ll be put on a road course with several other drivers, pitting your skill – and your car – against theirs. Being on the track with other racers does add an element of risk, which is why your vehicle will have to meet strict safety requirements. Here are a few safety features most racing clubs require: Read the rest of this entry →

It’s the Super Bowl. You’re over at your buddy’s house watching the game when the clock finally expires in the second quarter. Up next are some clever commercials before the broadcast returns and you’re greeted with an epic, gargantuan halftime show that seemingly covers the entire football field.

Ten minutes ago, the field was more or less empty. But right now, there’s a huge stage front and center, not to mention all the props, costumed folks, lighting apparatuses and other spectacles.

How the heck do they pull off these kinds of stunts?

It’s not luck: it’s the result of intense, careful planning. After all, there are only a few minutes to get the stage together. The performance itself is 12 minutes long, and then the stage needs to be completely disassembled and carted off the field.

“It’s the most unique of any unique show or experience,” explains Hamish Hamilton, who’s directed the Super Bowl halftime show since 2010. “It’s easily the most intense and by far the most adrenaline-charged because you have a very real set of factors that can only come together at halftime.” Read the rest of this entry →

You may be the biggest racing fan on the planet, and you want to try your hand at the circuit. What it all comes down to, though, is money. You can’t run with the big guns until you get a car and dedicate it to racing.

With all these souped-up racecars around, you may think it costs a fortune to get a car up and running for racing. This simply isn’t true. You can start with any basic, affordable sporty car – even a factory one, right off the assembly line. The point is, racers add to their cars as they go.

How do you think great racers started in the first place? That race-ready Volkswagen Jetta didn’t just fall into their hands – they worked hard to get it there. You can, too; but you’ll need to pick a set of wheels first. Here are some cheap and reliable suggestions:

Volkswagen Golf GTI

If you’re looking for the perfect starter, look no further than the Golf. Hailed by racers for a little more than a decade, this is a modder’s dream car. It’s a hot little hatch with some screaming power – 210 horsepower and a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine.

While the car’s acceleration is a tad slow at 8.5 seconds, it makes up for it with its unrivaled agility. Read the rest of this entry →

Why do people go to airshows? The reasons are many.

Some people are serious airplane enthusiasts, eager to check another aircraft they’ve seen in person off of their list. Some people have an appreciation for the enormous feats of engineering on display.

Probably there are a lot of people who just don’t have anything better to do and attend airshows like they would a county fair — there’s a crowd and a spectacle, so it’s something to go see with the whole family.

But perhaps there’s another driving force behind people’s desire to attend an airshow.

It usually goes unspoken, and most people probably wouldn’t like to admit it. But when you are watching people go to war with gravity — sitting right below them as they rip over your head, temporarily defeating the ubiquitous force that — you’re not just marveling at human ingenuity. Part of you is also wondering what would happen if gravity won.

Read the rest of this entry →

Everyone’s got at least one hobby.

It is the competitive nature of certain pastimes that raises the question as to whether they are sports or hobbies. A sport could be defined as a competitive activity that can be performed by an individual or team that is played against others for entertainment purposes. The activity typically involves both physical exertion and skill.

Meanwhile hobbies are understood to be activities done alone or with others in one’s spare time for personal enjoyment. While certain hobbies can be done competitively, practically all sports function on a timetable laid down by an organization responsible for governing all related competitions.

Compare that to competitive hobbies that are done in one’s selected free time.

Some pastimes can be performed either as hobbies or sports, which leads to some general confusion. Are the following activities hobbies or sports? Let’s find out!

Golf

We begin this list with a sport that is often associated with leisure time afforded to older retire gentlemen or a “paper pusher” hoping to make a good impression on his boss.

For some, golf is very much a hobby. This is because it is strictly done during free time. But this game’s long history suggests that it is indeed a sport.

The sport of golf meets all three major requirements to be considered such. Read the rest of this entry →