POP TENNIS

                                           

   POP TENNIS

I am still amazed five years after starting my 30 sport challenge that I am still finding new and modified versions of different sports being played in the Charlotte, NC region.  Today I met Mark who is trying to drum up business for the game of Pop Tennis.  He can be found at Carolina Pop Tennis on Facebook.  I, of course, was instantly drawn to learning a new sport when I saw him interviewed on a news show so I contacted him to learn this new game, which is really another version of Paddle Tennis that is popular out in California.  So what is POP tennis?  Think smaller court dimensions of tennis, shorter implements to strike the ball, and a different racket head texture. The ball itself is can be a real tennis ball but is used after it is poked with a pin to let the air out.  So the ball is slightly slower which will allow for longer rallies.  This leads to a great workout! And there is NO overhand serve so you start the game underhand.  This was the best feature for me since I usually get smoked on the serves and I just do the side shuffle back and forth on the baseline as I get beat by opponents in real tennis.  So why is it called POP?  Striking the ball gives a very unique popping sound as you rally back and forth on the court. There might be other reasons for the name but that makes sense to me.  Thanks Mark for a new sport that I will definitely be playing again.  Check out more details at: http://poptennis.com.

Trampolining

Trampolining at Sky High Sports

Don't need to explain much here except this 41 year old can still mimic a "Jordan"!

Thanks Sky High Sports in Pineville, NC for letting me jump with my family and allowing me to be a kid again!  There are trampolines everywhere for free jumping, flipping, jamming a basketball and even dodgeball. And YES the Trampoline IS a competitive Olympic sport.

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Work out with Jillian Michaels!

                                     

Wow this just got interesting!!  I was attending a conference in Washington D.C. to receive an award for my school and guess who showed up....Jullian Michaels.  She held a private workout for some teachers and I got to participate.  Lucky me....if you consider doing this lucky! This is the first time I have actually participated in a sport with a national celebrity.  As most of you know, Michaels is a well known fitness trainer that is part of the Biggest Loser phenomenon.  She led us in cardio strength exercises that wiped us out but I held my own, I'm proud to say.  Of course I HAD to take a few breaks to video this awesome experience, at least that was my excuse. Other than that, my legs were burning, I was huffing and puffing and working up a great sweat....which is my motto so I was enjoying myself quite a bit.  She definitely was motivating and very entertaining to watch (I mean work out with).  The best part was to occasionally look behind me at the other health professionals with looks of "I love this but when is it going to be over"!!  My favorite exercise by the way.....can I count stretching at the end!  Thanks Jullian for a great surprise.

Kubb

Kubb

This is my new summer game this year!  Pronounced like the word cube but not quite.  This is a great lawn game that in my opinion is better than corn hole.  It has cornhole elements but a lot of strategy.  It apparently has roots back to the Viking age, which is why is is also known as Viking Chess.  Blocks are placed at both ends of the court and the king block in the middle.  The object of the game is to knock over the blocks on the opposing side and then knock over the king before the opponent does.  Games can last anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour.  My game lasted close to 40 minutes in my friends back yard on a beautiful Carolina summer night.
Oh and I didn't have to buy anything either.
Just pvc pipes and wood laying around my garage did just fine!

BADMINTON

Today I decided to return to the same place that I had played table tennis to try another net game called Badminton.  It was definitely hard to walk back into the Hawthorne Rec Center after embarrassing myself last week on "the table" but I thought surely this might be better.  After all, the birdie is a little slower and easier to track, right??  Well, I was again met by some great individuals who introduced me to the game.  I watched for a few minutes and then got the honor of playing doubles with a gentleman who has been playing since the 70's.  We started a little rallying back and forth and I was feeling pretty good.  I was able to keep it going much longer than that ping pong ball last week.  And then I was asked to play in a real game!  YES!  I was excited until......they started picking on me.  I served the shuttlecock (official name for birdie) across the net and was quite proud that it went over.  Then it came back.....and landed on the floor!  I was told that I was admiring my serve and that I should have been getting in better position.  I knew that but apparently my body did not, so I just stood there!  With a little gentle yelling from my teammate with his accent from England, I began to move around more.  It was great to be coached by him especially since the game came from England.  I have tough skin and besides, that is the whole point of my challenge to be thrown into a game.  We lost the game 21-13 and then my teammate told me to come into the side room.  I thought he was going to yell at me and I prepared myself by walking slow but in fact he took the time to show me the correct striking techniques.  He spent a few minutes helping me out and then told me that basically "no offense but I was not ready for a game".  And he was correct.  I stood around and watched the other games being played and was again in awe of the POWER and speed of the game.  What a great feeling it must be to just slam the shuttlecock with control back and forth across the net.  And it too makes a great sound as it comes off the racket whiffing through the air.  Thanks to Jim and everyone else at the Charlotte Badminton Club for allowing me to try yet another sport in this great city of Charlotte.  What a cool thing they have going at the rec center and I will be back one day after some well deserved practice!

Table Tennis!

Today I visited the Charlotte Table Tennis Club that meets at the Hawthorne Rec Center and quickly realized that this was NOT ping pong!  This was official table tennis and not for the lighthearted.  This was serious stuff.  I was greeted by some individuals who have been around table tennis in the Charlotte area for over 30 years.  They allowed me to hit around with them and I kept wondering when they would actually invite me to start a game.  I now understand why they did not since I was told that there is "nothing right about my game"!  There goes an ego buster!  But that is what my challenge is all about.  Throw me in a game and lets see what happens.......most of the time I'm humiliated and tonight was no different.  I did get to play a match with a gentleman that was new to the game but even he defeated me all three sets.  I was stiff, awkward, and most of the time off rhythm.  I looked in awe at all the other tables that displayed that beautiful "click, click" sound of the ball bouncing in perfect harmony.  I was so eager to be able to rally a ball like that.  With that said, I truly appreciate my chance to be in the same room with tournament players but now it's back to my garage......where I am CHAMPION of the table!!

4.0 for 40

I never proclaimed myself as a runner but I have definitely begun to enjoy it a little more this past year.  Today I took an idea from my wife's aunt who said she is going to run 7 miles upon turning 70. So I had to up my game from my 2-3 mile runs to 4.0 for my age 40 today!  All I can say is bring on 50!!