One of 14 short films created by the Gibson Group for the Ministry of Science + Innovation. The 14 Kiwi companies featured were chosen for their originality and creativity, and have developed unique and fascinating products or services. Harnessing the characters and innovations from each of these organisations, Innovation Stories will take viewers inside exciting development processes, explain the science and workings behind the products, and provide engaging yarns that leave viewers with knowledge about the amazing innovations happening in New Zealand.
Category: HERO’S
Posts and updates from particularly amazing people.
Learning to dive
We have been over a few of the basics but now its time for the fun stuff and this time its Diving. This is not a difficult skill to learn but does require some guts and determination to practice as if you get it wrong, it can hurt a little!
The key learning points are:
Start by practicing in your goal keeping gear on your knees. Sit up / kneel up straight and tall, then have a friend throw a ball to within you reach.
Go for it with both gloved hands; save the ball, then use your gloves to brace yourself as you land.
Practice this extensively, until you are quite familiar with all the points of impact – and the sensations – as well as the various ways you can lessen the force when your body meets with the ground.
Once you are comfortable doing this you can move on to do the same from a fully upright position.
Stand in your normal stance. As the ball comes towards you, push off with your outside leg to transfer your weight laterally. Then the main drive will come from your inside leg. Reach for the ball with one or both gloves; make the save then land with your hands bracing your fall.
The most important thing to remember is to make sure you are fully warmed up and stretched before trying this skill. It can be dangerous and hard on your body so please be careful.
Learning to Dive | Rachael Lynch
www.rachaellynch.com.au
Hi guys, I wanted to share with you all my new website that I’ve made. Similar to the OBO resources website, this site is for any goalkeeper who want tips and ideas that might help them to become a better goalkeeper. Check it out and tell me what you think. I have added 4 different skills sessions so far covering topics from stick and glove saves to warm up even juggling. I will also be blogging on there so you can all keep up with what the Hockeyroos are doing in the lead up to London 2012.
Big thanks to OBO for the ongoing support
Warm up technique
This is a juggling warmup technique that we have been working on to get both sides of the braining firing for those all important games. This can be done by yourself or as can been seen in the video in pairs. Good luck, let me know how you go, or if you can manage to do it with more then 2 people…
Champions trophy
Well, what can we say? Another year of champions trophy is now over for the women. It was a great competition and it is even better to see that now the top 8 teams is the world are so close.
Interestingly there are some new techniques that international goalkeepers are trying. These techniques are mainly to combat the drag flick, which is relatively new in the women’s game. There was a mix of goalkeepers diving more and a mix staying more on their feet, I think that both these techniques have advantages and disadvantages. I’d be interested to hear your views.
The final (Argentina v Holland) saw the new one-on-ones used versus the good old penalty shoot out. This is the first major tournament that this has been used. I think it was a crowd pleaser as there were lots of cheers.
Hockeyroos on twitter
Hey guys, just a quick note to say if any of you are on twitter then it would be great if you can follow some of the Hockeyroos. @RachLynch27 @hockeyaus will also give you lots of live game updates. Questions are always welcome 🙂
Rachael Lynch: champions trophy practice games 2 & 3
Morning everyone
We have played 2 games since I last wrote, one against Germany which we lost 3 nil and then yesterday we played Korea and won 2-1. The game against Germany was my first game and was certainly a game of two halves. The first half was the best we have played so far which was really pleasing but in the second half things didn’t go so well. They scored a field goal and were given two strokes. As always Adam took it as a real positive and we were able to take heaps of lessons out of the game. I guess this is why you play games before a major tournament. Yesterdays game against Korea was great. A much improved performance, so everyone is now feeling good about champions.
Today we fly to Holland with all the other teams and will hopefully have a bit of free time when we get there to check out our location. I have stayed at this hotel before but it was on my debut tournament so my memory of it is a little blurred. We still have two more practice games before the tournament so plenty more to work on but looking forward to getting stuck into it.
You may be pleased to know that we haven’t escaped the rain over here that facebook tells me everyone is experiencing back home. We were able to test out our new water proof jackets yesterday and luckily enough they came through with the goods. Ok better go pack. Chat soon
Sorry no photos this time
Rach
Rachael Lynch: champions trophy practice game 1
Hello from Germany
First day of games over and all teams are sitting even on 1 draw with 3 goals for and 3 against. We played the Argies yesterday and drew 3-3. It was a reasonable game and a pretty good start to the tour for us. The Argies were at full strength with the number one player in the world back after some time off and at one point we were beating them 3-1 so cant complain. One of our girls who was playing her first game scored a ripper goal after the goalie deliberately let it go in thinking it was outside the circle. Funnily enough though it wasn’t even close. Brain explosion I guess and a gks worst nightmare. I sat out yesterday and so had to watch the game through the video camera. Not nice. I was going cross eyed by the end. I did miss one of our goals so hopefully that will secure me a spot on the field next game and never filming again 😛
The other game, Ger v Korea was also a 3-3 draw which was pretty exciting. Goals are always great. The Koreans are playing one short now as in a practice match the other day an Argie smacked one of the girls in the jaw with her stick. Accident of course. She had multiple fractures and had to have surgery. ouch!!
Today is a rest day so not much happening but I have included a few photos for you to have a look at. Including one very unattractive one of Cronky and I where I look like a Gigantor! We got a new uniform before we left and our lovely sponsor decided to give us both small goalie smocks. We are both now at risk of dislocating our shoulders every time we put them on. Eeek! The other photos are just muck around ones. More to come.
Next game is against Germany so ill be in touch after that
Rach
4 nations champions
Hola again,
How are you all? Sorry for the delay between posts. Internet wasn’t great at our last hotel. So as you may have seen, in the last few days we have had some great success in Mendoza. We have played 3 games, firstly beating USA 1-0, then drawing with the Argies 1-1 to get us into the final, then beating the Argies last night with a goal in extra time. What an exciting game it was. We had a really tough match against them the previous day so were all feeling very tired and sore. Cronky had played a blinder to keep us in it and we were very happy to draw with them which put us in over the Germans.
The game was as tough as we had expected but this time we were all over them in the first half. I only had a few saves to make and so we were looking good going into half time. Our only problem was that we had lost one of our defenders Anna who got hit on the hand. Turns out she had smashed her knuckle so today flew home for surgery. One of the other girls from perth has been called up and so will come to play the second leg of the tour here in Rosario. Anyway we didnt come out aswell in the second half and had 2 goals scored against us, both from Pc’s. Ash and Casey combined well to get one back but it was starting to look like it was all over. With less than 30 seconds to go we headed into the circle and just as the siren went the umpire blew a short corner for us. The Argies were going nuts of course but the umpire stuck to her guns. We had a secret weapon up our sleeves in Jodi Shultz who is a big Queensland girl who can drag flick. We hid this skill the whole time and chose to pull it out as a last chance effort to draw the game. It worked. Great goal and therefore extra time. We regrouped and decided that we didnt want to be out there any longer than necessary so said one chance and that has to be a goal. Within a minute we had another short corner. Secret weapon stepped up and bang..all over. Great effort by Jodes and our first gold medal as the new hockeyroos.
This afternoon we arrived in Rosario after a 2 hour flight and a 5 hour bus ride. Here we play all the teams again in another 4 nations tournament. Plan is to do it all again but with a few injury concerns it could be a bit difficult. Im looking forward to spending a bit of time wandering rosario again. It feels like only yesterday that we were here for the world cup.
I have attached a few photos so I hope you like them. Take care
Rach x
Commonwealth Games GOLD
Hockeyroos win Gold at Comm Games. What an amazing experience. We all had an absolute ball in Delhi and are so proud to have returned home with a well earned Gold medal. Thanks Obo for your continued support!!