My Final Blog

Before I came to Australia, I did not know much about Australian sports. I had imagined that the country consisted of a bunch of blonde surfer dudes and meathead rugby players. I should have remembered the Olympic swimming tradition associated with Australia, but I had blanked on that connection. This class has given me the opportunity to experience a completely new culture and to learn about the many varied and interesting sports engaged in here in Australia. Despite some differences in the types of sports played here and in the USA, both countries exhibit the same love and appreciation of sports. If anything, sports are even more important and supported here in Australia. No matter what the level of expertise, whether it was with young children or professional players, the passion for the sport was always present. The parents on the sidelines of the nippers' training had just as much excitement, support, and energy as the fans at the South Sydney Rabbitohs game.

Through the field trips I was able not only to watch the various Australian sports, but also to use the knowledge that I had learned about the sports during class. In the beginning of the semester I had gone to several games before I had the chance to learn about the game, the rules and scoring and I remember being quite confused about what was actually going on.  When I went back and revisited some of the sports later in the semester,  the increase in my understanding and subsequent appreciation for the sports was dramatic.

In addition to the field trips provided by this class, living in a residential college gave me many more opportunities to experience sports. Living in St. Johns I was able to go to rugby, cricket, netball, swimming, and various other games. Seeing the amazing talent possessed by individuals whom I call my peers was breathtaking.. It seems as if everyone who attends St. Johns College and most other Australians I have met who are of my age are great at at least one sport. This fact reinforces the importance and the benefit of Australians starting sports training at such a young age.

We did not only watch others play sports. We also went outside to the oval behind the education building and played cricket. Earlier in the semester I had watched two cricket games that St. Johns played. At the first one I had no idea of what was going on. All I noticed was that the same people stayed in the field and occasionally, but not often, there was a switch in the batter. When I went back to the second game, I had all the rules of the game explained to me. Then I understood the game better and I realized that there is really only one inning as it would be called in baseball, which explained why the people in the field never went off. It was difficult for me to understand why people would want to play a game that to me as a spectator seemed so boring. I tried to imagine myself playing and it seemed like a lot of standing around and not particularly much fun. During class we used a plastic bat and ball. While we were outside trying to play cricket, a group of Australians were playing a game of rugby. We definitely looked like fools, missing the ball while hitting and throwing it far from the target. I was much better at fielding than ether batting or pitching. I assumed the pitch would be like a baseball pitch but it was completely different, and batting was a combination of a golf swing and a baseball swing. Given that I am not good at either golf or tennis, my cricket swing left a great deal to be desired.

In Australian sports, competition is an important and significant aspect. Not unlike in America where everyone wants to win, sometimes the love and passion for the game gets lost in the quest for glory and money. It was, therefore, particularly great to see the Nipper’s program field trip we went on in Maroubra. The surf life saving program was a reminder that engaging in sport can be for fun and learning. There was no competition among either the children or their parents and everyone was there to support the kids and help them in their training. There were no coaches or parents screaming on the sidelines and pressuring them to win, but rather they were there cheering them on in support. There was no discrimination against the kids who weren’t as good as the others, and all the members of the teams were expected to work together and respect each other. As the kids grow up, their teams focus more and more on being number one and it is no longer sufficient to love a sport to play it. It is nice to see everyone getting a fair chance at participating in the team when they are younger. This will hopefully keep the kids coming back year after year even if they might not be the star athletes.

In conclusion, this class has given me the chance to experience and learn about not only Australian sport, but also Australian culture. The field trips, lectures, and St. Johns' games were great opportunities for me to explore and even participate in these sports. I have played a little bit of rugby, cricket, netball, and I even took surfing lessons! The power point presentations gave me the background information I needed for the sports, and the field trips demonstrated to me the love and passion Australians have for their sports. Making this blog was a great addition to my semester course because it made me focus upon everything I was doing and think about what it meant. This blog will be something I can look back on for a long time to come. It was also a way for my family and friends back in America to keep up with what I was doing, and also learn more about Australian sport and culture. I hope that reading my blog has encouraged and inspired my friends and family to come to Australia and share the things that I was so lucky to experience.

Rawson cup finals

After a semester of battling with the other colleges, and always losing to St. Andrews in the finals, Johns finally came out on top, well sort of. Last night Drews and Johns battled it out in the Rugby intercollege finals. Despite the cold weather and on and off rain pour, there was a huge crowd out there supporting the team. Unlike most of the games I have seen, this was Rugby union. The most obvious difference was the use of a scrum. I had seen a scrum in league, but not very often. I enjoyed how they would lift someone up (it sort of reminded me of cheer leading, but much more manly). I don't know if it was because it was Rugby union or because it was my friends out there on the field playing, but it was definitely my favorite rugby game I have seen. Everyone got so into it. A bunch of us even painted our faces!

After battling through the rain and mud, and with the score going back and forth between the two teams, the game was coming to an end. With a few moments left the game was at a tie. Back in America a tie game would go into over time or extra innings depending on the sport, so I assumed that if when the time ran out the score was still tied, the game would continue. Well first off when the time finished the game didn't, and the game ended in a tie, which according to them meant that we both won. I was shocked to see these Australians who are always so competitive and concentrated on winning be content with a tie. All in all it was a great game and a great ending!

Rugby League take 2: Rabbitohs v Tigers

Last weekend I went on the class trip to another professional rugby game. Having already attended the Rooster v Rabbitoh game in the beginning of the semester I knew pretty much what to expect in terms of the crowds and the lack of security. There were fewer people at this game than the one I went to at Sydney Football Stadium, but that is probably because it was opening day for the Roosters. Going into this game I was much more excited because I now understand the rules of rugby, or at least better than I initially did. Being at the Rabbitohs home field, I had to support them. I also loved their mascot, and was somewhat disappointed that the Tigers did not have one.


After snapping a picture with the rabbit, I quickly shifted my attention back to the actual game at hand. It was shocking to me that I could actually follow the game and even explain some of the rules and point values for tries, goals, and field-goals to my fellow classmates. I am glad I had the opportunity to go to two professional rugby games because I was able to actually experience how much I have learned about Australian Sports.

Surfs Up!

When I think about Australian sporting culture my mind always jumps to surfing. Before coming to Australia, I told myself I was going to learn how to surf, so when my abroad program took us to a surf camp for a day I was so excited. I have always loved swimming and the ocean, but I had never tried surfing. When we arrived, we were first put on boogie boards. That was a lot of fun and a great start to the day. It helped me get accustomed to the waves and the current of the ocean. It was also good practice to get a sense of balance on a board, although ultimately it turned out to be very different from being on a surfboard. After boogie boarding we went paddle boarding.

 

I tend to be very clumsy and I lack a great sense of balance, so I didn’t have high expectations for myself. The instructor told us the larger the board the easier it would be. Obviously I rushed to get the largest board possible. I got on the board and started paddling. We were told that if it was too difficult, we could get on our knees. I expected to fall off as soon as I stood up. I turned out to be a lot better than I had imagined that I would be. Midway through the day we all switched boards, and I ended up getting the smallest board there. I managed to stay up and paddle all the way back to shore without falling or having to go to my knees. Finally after those preliminary activities were over, surfing was next.

 

Everyone was so eager to take the board and get right in the water, but the instructors first made us lay on the board and practice paddling while still on the sand. After practicing paddling and standing up on the board, we hit the water. At first I had trouble balancing on the board, but after letting several waves past I finally got used to it. The first time I tried I completely fell off before I could even get into a squatting position. The second time I stood up, but fell off immediately. After a few more tries I got up and was able to ride the waves all the way into shore. This happened a few more times. After I boasted about my impressive surfing skills, my American surfer friend offered to go surfing with me again. This time I was not as good as I had been as a true beginner. He had a small board and he wasn’t as helpful or as encouraging as the instructors had been. I only managed to get up once, but that was enough for me to be proud of myself.

Netball

 

 

Living in St. Johns College, I have had many opportunities to join a sports team. Because I am apparently a relatively tall girl in Australia, many people were trying to convince me to join the Netball team; not the intercollege team, but the fresher team. Before coming to Australia I had never even heard of netball. When the other girls tried to explain the game, they said it was like basketball, but different. There was no explanation of how it was different, just that it was different. I considered joining, but then I found out that I was not going to be able to make the one and only competition so it did not make sense to join. However, since I did not become a member of the squad, I still had no idea what netball was. A few weeks back, the John’s netball team played the other colleges. I went out to support my peers (despite the pouring rain) and I finally got the chance to observe and understand the sport.

I saw the sport as a mixture between basketball and lacrosse. Obviously they use a court and ball similar to basketball. A significant difference is that there is no backboard for the hoop. What reminded me of lacrosse was the incorporation of boundaries and limitations as to where to go on the court.

After watching the game, I realized that I would have been frustrated playing. It seemed strange and confining to me that you couldn’t run or dribble the ball, but rather that you had to remain stationary and just pass it.  I was confused as to whether or not you could jump to block the ball or not,  which also made me feel as if I would have been strait-jacketed. Those girls are great athletes and did a phenomenal job, and being a member of such a team would have been a great experience. However, netball is not the sport for me.

Just Keep Swimming

On Wednesday, the inter-college swimming and diving tournament took place at Sydney Olympic Park. Members of St. Andrews, St. Johns, Wesley, Womens, St. Pauls, and Sancta Sophia came out to compete in many races and competition in hopes of becoming the Rawson and Rosebowl champions. A bunch of my fellow Johnsmen and I went to support our swimmers and divers. Since Australia is known for its great swimming culture I was excited to see how it differed, if at all, from my swim team at home. We got there a little late due to traffic (and incorrect directions), but when we arrived they were just about to start the diving portion of the competition. I have never actually seen diving before. It was really beautiful, and it reminded me of gymnastics just instead of landing on a mat, they landed into a pool. 

The swimming was the real reason I went. As a former swimmer I was eager to compare my old times with theirs. It was hard to see where I would have placed because as opposed to a 50-meter pool that they were using, I used to compete in a 25-yard pool. Overall I was pretty impressed with the skill level of many of the swimmers. It seemed as if everyone could swim at a decent level, without much training at all. Being a former breaststroke swimmer, I noticed that of the four strokes, that was the one people had the most difficulty with. Free style was clearly everyone's dominant stroke, and then surprisingly butterfly was second. I was never able to master the butterfly, probably because I was lacking in upper-body strength.

The swimming and diving culture that I witnessed here did not differ greatly, if at all from what I am accustomed to in America. Besides for the pool length, I felt as if I could have been back in New York at one of my high school swim meets.

Indigenous Rugby League Game

            On Sunday, we went to Coogee Oval to watch an Indigenous Rugby League game. This game was very different from the one I saw earlier in the semester when the Roosters played the Rabbitohs. At that game there were many more people and it was much more professional. This event was rather informal as there were some spectators actually sitting on the grass beside the field, and occasionally a young child would run onto the field to get a fallen ball when playing a game of catch.

            Another distinct difference is that this was rugby league instead of rugby union. First of all the field was very different, in that it is thinner, but longer than the one used for union. Scoring is also a big difference between the two types of rugby. A try is worth five points in rugby union, but only four pints in rugby league. There were fewer scrums in this game and no one was lifted up. Overall the game was enjoyable and I am starting to appreciate rugby more and more each time I watch it.

Moreton Island

             This past weekend I went up to Moreton Island for a full day of activities. After traveling several hours to get there by bus and then by ferry, we finally made it to the island. We then took a large garbage-truck-like bus through the sandy island into the desert. We climbed up a large mountain of sand where we were given small planks of wood. From the top of the sand hill it looked really high and somewhat scary. First we had to wax the bottom of the board so that it would easily slide down the hill. The first time I rode down the hill, I lay face-first on the board. I had to raise my elbows and the board up off the sand so that sand didn’t come flying into my face. It was a lot of fun and it definitely gave me an adrenaline rush. After going down on my stomach, both forwards and backwards, I switched to doing stand-up. We moved to a less steep area of the hill to prevent us from killing ourselves. This was actually a lot more fun and much easier than I thought it would be.

              After sand boarding all morning, we moved to the water for some snorkeling. We went snorkeling in an area full of sunken and abandoned ships that was also inhabited by a great variety of animals. First we were given our wet suits which were required so that we wouldn’t get our skin caught on the ships, get stung, or touch something we shouldn’t. We then put on our masks and made sure that we could breathe easily and that we did not have any water leak into our masks. The flippers and the gloves were the last things we put on after which we all looked like something from an alien world. While snorkeling around the sunken ships we saw many fish, especially zebra fish, and a Wobbelong shark.

Lawn Bowling

             Last Sunday we went lawn bowling. After waiting some time for the weather to clear up, we finally got on the grass. We broke up into groups of 5 or 6 people. Going into it I thought it was going to be like bocce ball. I am not good at that or bowling, so I wasn’t expecting to be that great at this either. The point of the game is to roll a ball, known as bowls, so that they come close to a small ball, called a “jack” or “kitty.” It took me awhile to realize that the bowls were actually asymmetric, so it kept going in the wrong direction. After many tries I started to get the hang of it, but still managed to end the day with a score of 0. After doing it once, I would love to go back on my own and try again. Hopefully, I will be able to score some points the next time.

Baseball for Snails

              This past week I have gone out to support my fellow St. John’s residents in two games of cricket. Before going all I really knew was that many people compared it to baseball and that there were two batters at once. I know a fair amount about baseball and am a huge Yankee fan at home, so I thought I could pick up on the game if they are in fact so similar. The first game I went to I could only stay for about an hour, maybe a little less. Well, needless to say that hour was the most confusing hour I have ever spent watching a sport. I didn’t understand why no one was really moving and why the two teams didn’t switch fielding and batting. I couldn’t even tell who was winning and what was good or not. I would just clap and cheer when other people in Johns did. After this game I thought my cricket watching days would be over.

              I went back again, this time making sure I got there early and sat with my Australian friends. They told me that these games could go on for hours on end. I also learned that each team only got one inning at bat, and one in the field, and in order to end the inning you must get 10 out of the 11 players batting out. When the ball is hit you don’t have to run, but to get a run you have to run to the opposite set of sticks. That is the equivalent of just one run, but most of the time the players at bat scored at least two runs. If the ball rolls past the cones that line the field, that counts as an automatic four runs. If the ball is it on the fly and goes over the cones that is an automatic six runs. In order to get a player out the ball must be caught on the fly or the stick that lies on top of the other three needs to get knocked over either by throwing it when bowling (pitching) or when they are running.

All the different rules and conditions make cricket an acquired taste and I am still working on it!

Nippers

        This past Sunday at Maroubra Beach, I got the chance to watch the Nippers in action. The Maroubra Beach Life Saving Club has a program designed for children of all ages to learn about the beach and water safety. They meet once a week, every Sunday, for about one and a half hours. The program starts around 9:00 AM with the youngsters running around the beach and competing in races. After a period of time, they proceed to the water. Normally the children present range from age five to thirteen, but due to a surfing competition that was taking place on the same day, we were only able to watch the young ones. For this age group, the program is intended to inform the children not about life saving skills, but more about beach safety. As they get older, however, they get more involved in the water and the activities associated with being lifeguards.

            This program is not only a great opportunity for the children, but also for the parents and the local community. The program is completely volunteer-based. The adults get such pride and a sense of community from watching and helping the Nippers out. Because Australia places a great deal of importance on its water sports and its beaches, it is important for these young children to understand, respect and feel comfortable with the water; but it is not all work. The youngsters and the adults participate in this program mainly because it is FUN! The kids wait all week just to get the chance to run around in the sand and get their feet wet in the ocean. This program is an example of the importance and emphasis that Australia puts on community and water safety.

Go Sydney Roosters!

I wanted to start off by introducing myself before beginning my blog. My name is Samantha Norden. I am originally from New York City, but I have been studying at a small private university in rural Pennsylvania for the past three and one-half years. I am currently studying abroad at the University of Sydney, Australia for this semester. Many people thought I was taking the easy way out by going to a place where the people spoke English and the culture was not too different from what I already knew. Technically the Aussies do speak English here, however I still have trouble understanding the true meaning of Australian slang. The culture, especially in the sports world, is also very different from what I experienced back in the States.
 

This past Friday I went to my first rugby game where the Roosters (white) took on the Rabbitohs (red/green) at Sydney Football Stadium. I had never before been to a rugby match although I had had friends who played the sport and even my older sister was on the club team at her university.  I regret to say that I cannot really tell you what was going on half the time. I had assumed that it was similar to American football except that one could only throw the ball backwards and that the players did not wear padding. I was proved very wrong. Unlike football, rugby is a fast moving game. I was accustomed to a much more “stop and go” game where the whistle was blown about every 10 seconds. In rugby, by contrast, the plays were continuous and very rarely interrupted. It was exhausting just watching the players. It is no wonder that the after-game is such a celebration. They survived!

 Not only was the game itself different from what I was used to, but the fans were also unlike those back in the States. When I have gone to sporting events in the US, the home team usually has much more support than the visiting team, and the home fans tend to be louder and generally take over the stadium. Even when two home teams play each other, the fans of the team in their home stadium are usually in far greater numbers than the opposing fans. This was not the case here in Sydney! The Rabbitohs fans (in red and green) were at full throttle on Friday night, and at times completely overwhelmed the Roosters fans.

It was a great experience. The excitement of the crowd and the action of the game made it an evening I will never forget and I can’t wait to go to my next game!