MTV’s Made Rugby Episode Now Available Online
Check it out:
http://www.mtv.com/videos/life-after-made-season-10-ep-40-rugby-player/1646012/playlist.jhtml
USA Rugby Now An Official Member of USOC
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RuggaMatrix America Podcast Featuring Phaidra Knight
I recently had the privilege of speaking with NYAC coach and rugby connoisseur Bruce McLane, Alex Goff (Rugby Magazine) and Djuro Sen on RuggaMatrix America radio show. Check it out here:
Click to listen. Or got to iTunes.
Interesting Article From the New York Times
September 15, 2010, 12:01 am
Phys Ed: Can Exercise Make Kids Smarter?
Roger Weber/Getty ImagesIn an experiment published last month, researchers recruited schoolchildren, ages 9 and 10, who lived near the Champaign-Urbana campus of the University of Illinois and asked them to run on a treadmill. The researchers were hoping to learn more about how fitness affects the immature human brain. Animal studies had already established that, when given access to running wheels, baby rodents bulked up their brains, enlarging certain areas and subsequently outperforming sedentary pups on rodent intelligence tests. But studies of the effect of exercise on the actual shape and function of children’s brains had not yet been tried.
So the researchers sorted the children, based on their treadmill runs, into highest-, lowest- and median-fit categories. Only the most- and least-fit groups continued in the study (to provide the greatest contrast). Both groups completed a series of cognitive challenges involving watching directional arrows on a computer screen and pushing certain keys in order to test how well the children filter out unnecessary information and attend to relevant cues. Finally, the children’s brains were scanned, using magnetic resonance imaging technology to measure the volume of specific areas.
Previous studies found that fitter kids generally scored better on such tests. And in this case, too, those children performed better on the tests. But the M.R.I.’s provided a clearer picture of how it might work. They showed that fit children had significantly larger basal ganglia, a key part of the brain that aids in maintaining attention and “executive control,” or the ability to coordinate actions and thoughts crisply. Since both groups of children had similar socioeconomic backgrounds, body mass index and other variables, the researchers concluded that being fit had enlarged that portion of their brains.
Meanwhile, in a separate, newly completed study by many of the same researchers at the University of Illinois, a second group of 9- and 10-year-old children were also categorized by fitness levels and had their brains scanned, but they completed different tests, this time focusing on complex memory. Such thinking is associated with activity in the hippocampus, a structure in the brain’s medial temporal lobes. Sure enough, the M.R.I. scans revealed that the fittest children had heftier hippocampi.
The two studies did not directly overlap, but the researchers, in their separate reports, noted that the hippocampus and basal ganglia regions interact in the human brain, structurally and functionally. Together they allow some of the most intricate thinking. If exercise is responsible for increasing the size of these regions and strengthening the connection between them, being fit may “enhance neurocognition” in young people, the authors concluded.
These findings arrive at an important time. For budgetary and administrative reasons, school boards are curtailing physical education, while on their own, children grow increasingly sluggish. Recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that roughly a quarter of children participate in zero physical activity outside of school.
At the same time, evidence accumulates about the positive impact of even small amounts of aerobic activity. Past studies from the University of Illinois found that “just 20 minutes of walking” before a test raised children’s scores, even if the children were otherwise unfit or overweight, says Charles Hillman, a professor of kinesiology at the university and the senior author of many of the recent studies.
But it’s the neurological impact of sustained aerobic fitness in young people that is especially compelling. A memorable years-long Swedish study published last year found that, among more than a million 18-year-old boys who joined the army, better fitness was correlated with higher I.Q.’s, even among identical twins. The fitter the twin, the higher his I.Q. The fittest of them were also more likely to go on to lucrative careers than the least fit, rendering them less likely, you would hope, to live in their parents’ basements. No correlation was found between muscular strength and I.Q. scores. There’s no evidence that exercise leads to a higher I.Q., but the researchers suspect that aerobic exercise, not strength training, produces specific growth factors and proteins that stimulate the brain, said Georg Kuhn, a professor at the University of Gothenburg and the senior author of the study.
But for now, the takeaway is clear. “More aerobic exercise” for young people, Mr. Kuhn said. Mr. Hillman agreed. So get kids moving, he added, and preferably away from their Wiis. A still-unpublished study from his lab compared the cognitive impact in young people of 20 minutes of running on a treadmill with 20 minutes of playing sports-style video games at a similar intensity. Running improved test scores immediately afterward. Playing video games did not.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/phys-ed-can-exercise-make-kids-smarter/?ref=health
Tag Teaming With former NFL Player Ahman Green
Teaching a 15 year old rugby requires help from many perspectives. I was fotunate enough to have Ahman Green, the Green Bay Packers all time leading rusher, share some of his time and expertise with Sharon (from MTVs Made Rugby Episode). Check out this “after show” segment featuring Ahman Green:
http://www.mtv.com/videos/life-after-made-season-10-ep-40-rugby-player/1646012/playlist.jhtml.
Knight Answers Fans Questions at the 2010 Rugby World Cup
During the 2010 Rugby World Cup earlier this month, fans reached out to the World Cup participants with questions on various themes. Here are a few questions and answers from an interview with Phaidra Knight. Check out the video of the interview at the following link:
http://www.rwcwomens.com/home/news/newsid=2040350.html#phaidra+knight+answers+your+questions
Helen Buteme: Who is your favourite person to play with?
Phaidra Knight: At the risk of getting attacked later, I enjoy playing with my 25 teammates. Any team I step on the field with I make it a great experience. If I had to single out some player, same position, probably Kelly McMahon is one of my favourite teammates – we played at the last World Cup together in 2006. But having had the opportunity to play with players from the US and all over the world I have to say any teammate I step on the field with is a teammate I love.
Liz Hamilton: Who has been your toughest opponents so far at this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup?
Phaidra Knight: Our toughest opponent has probably been ourselves. If we look at it from a different perspective I would probably say England. They handed us a loss, Ireland handed our first loss but we were able to prevail against them in our second match with them. So probably here, if we had to look at another team, England, but a bigger picture, we our probably our biggest opponent if you will.
Erin Morton: What is your favourite food and what do you like to eat before a match? ‘s Rugby World Cup?
Phaidra Knight: I have a few, I love sushi and I love good sushi. My food before a match is pretty simple, I like a nice large green spinach salad and chicken, grilled chicken.
Mark Brown: What can be done to help further promote the women’s game and would you like to see a Women’s Sevens World Series run parallel to the current circuit?
Phaidra Knight: Yes I would like to see the women’s game run parallel; I think it has to happen. Things that can promote women’s rugby I think is exposing it on mass media, people need to know about it. I know it is the most spectacular sport in the world and once people are made aware of that it will become academic.
Brittany Richter: How can someone play for their country, if they currently play for their club?
Phaidra Knight: The best advice is to work twice as hard as you are now. You can never do enough to train and you always have to be ahead of the game. You have to train twice as hard, you have to study the game twice as hard, and everything you do you have to double and that is at a minimum. Work hard but also stay positive and put out good energy because that is when the good stuff comes back to you and those opportunities come your way.
Will Fewkes: Who are your sporting idols?
Phaidra Knight: My sporting idols are essentially all rugby players. Every rugby player that steps on the field that goes to battle is an idol for me. I don’t like singling out people because I am always amazed at another person the next day. But everyone here, every woman at this World Cup is an idol to me because they have sacrificed or made a choice if you will to be here, to put everything else on hold and that is a huge sacrifice as we all know.
Giles Cowan: If you could be any superhero, who would it be and why?
Phaidra Knight: If I could be one superhero it would be the Incredible Hulk. Number one the monstrosity of the man is beyond belief, I believe in getting there and making a huge impact really quickly and just by looking at this guy he immediately demands respect. As an idol for kids he always does right, he tries to make wrong, right, and that is a great role model for the world. In terms of playing rugby, he is the most powerful being there and no one is going to be able to tackle him and no one is going to be able to catch him.
Eagles Finish Cup in Fifth Place
9.5.10 – from USA Rugby.org
GUILDFORD, UK – The Eagles hit their stride in the final match and played well when it really mattered. This was the Eagles’ most tightly contested match of the World Cup with the USA and Canada switching the lead frequently throughout the match.
The Canadians struck early, having scored a penalty, a try, and a conversion within the first ten minutes of the match. Down by ten points early, the USA needed to wake up. And fast. Thanks to the boot of the American flyhalf, Christy Ringgenberg, the USA was brought back into the match. The pivot slotted two penalties for her side and brought the USA within four points. Canadian center, Sarah Ulmer, was carded in the 25th minute and would spend ten minutes in the bin, giving the Americans a one player advantage which they would capitalize on. Ashley English gave the USA the lead as she scored in the 30th minute, a missed conversion brought the scores to 11-10. The Canadians would answer back with a try of their own as the Canadian second-rower Megan Gibbs went over in the 35th minute. The conversion was good, and the scores at halftime were USA 11, Canada 17.
The second half would be a different story. The USA came out of halftime with an impetus that was slow to come in the first half. Inside center, Lynelle Kugler went over in the second minute of the half and a conversion from Ringgenberg brought the scores to 18-17 and a nail-biting finish to the match. Speedster Vanesha McGee added another try to the American tally only five minutes after Kugler’s try. Ringgenberg’s conversion wouldn’t hit the mark. With a score of 23-17, the Americans maintained a lead, allowing only another penalty for the Canadians in the 66th minute. Canada was within three points for rest of the match, but the American lines held off the Canadians and would finish with a final score of 23-20.
“We are really proud of how the team came together for our last World Cup match. Today we played smart rugby, maintained possession, and came out with a win,” said captain Ashley English.
Head coach Kathy Flores was pleased with the win, and also gracious to the Canadians, a team she has come to know extremely well both as a player and as a coach.
“Ultimately, I’m happy we maintained our fifth place standing. I know the players have grown with each International experience. We knew the match would be tight, and as much as we are rivals, we greatly appreciate having Canada as a consistent opponent,” said head coach, Kathy Flores.
The Eagles finished the Women’s Rugby World Cup with a 3-2 record, with the two losses coming in pool play. The losses to England and Ireland shut out American hopes for a semi-final berth, but the USA reacted to the two consecutive losses well. In their second match against Ireland, the USA came away with a 37 point victory, showing what the Eagles could do. In a tightly contested fifth place playoff, they showed that they had the skill and the character to overcome adversity and put in an enormous effort in a rivalry on the World stage.
USA
- FARRAH DOUGLAS – AT LARGE (Replaced by Vivolo, 68′)
- LISA BUTTS – BERKELEY ALL-BLUES (Replaced by Wallace, 54′)
- JAMIE BURKE – BEANTOWN
- BLAIRE GROEFSEMA – BERKELEY ALL-BLUES
- SHARON BLANEY – BEANTOWN
- KRISTIN ZDANCZEWICZ – MINNESOTA VALKYRIES
- BECKETT ROYCE – ORSU (Replaced by Knight, 45′)
- MELANIE DENHAM – BEANTOWN
- CLAUDIA BRAYMER – ALBANY
- CHRISTY RINGGENBERG – MINNESOTA VALKYRIES
- NATHALIE MARCHINO – BERKELEY ALL-BLUES (Replaced by Folayan, 64′)
- LYNELLE KUGLER – TWIN CITIES AMAZONS
- AMY DANIELS – BEANTOWN
- VANESHA MCGEE – NEW YORK
- ASHLEY ENGLISH – BERKELEY ALL-BLUES (Captain)
- MAURIN WALLACE – BEANTOWN (Replaced Lisa Butts, 54′)
- LARA VIVOLO – NEW YORK (Replaced Douglas, 68′)
- STACEY BRIDGES – AT LARGE
- PHAIDRA KNIGHT – NEW YORK (Replaced Royce, 45′)
- KIM MAGRINI – KEYSTONE
- MELISSA KANUK – MINNESOTA VALKYRIES
- VICTORIA FOLAYAN – BERKELEY ALL-BLUES (Replaced Marchino, 64′)
Tries: English (30′), Kugler (42′), McGee (47′) Conversions: Ringgenberg (43′)
Penalties: Ringgenberg (16′, 20′)
USA Defeats Ireland in “Rematch” – Face Canada For 5th Place
GUILDFORD, UK – The fifth place play-off will be a North American affair after both USA and Canada stormed past Ireland and Scotland respectively, scoring plenty of tries in the process.
IRELAND v USA
By Nathaniel John
USA gained revenge for their defeat in the pool stages with an emphatic 40-3 defeat of Ireland at Surrey Sports Park on Wednesday to guarantee a top six finish at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010.
Victoria Folayan and Amy Daniels both scored a brace of tries with Vanesha McGee also touching down to set up a fifth place play-off with North American rivals Canada on Sunday after they came through against Scotland.
With Ireland, who had come out on top 22-12 in their Pool B encounter on day two, controlling the early exchanges, USA managed to score a try with the first real attack by their backs through wing Folayan. The ball being spread wide to the powerful wing, who outpaced two Irish defenders before handing off a third on her way to the line.
The try instilled confidence into the USA, who scored their second midway through the first half following a scrum deep into the Irish 22. From the scrum, the Women Eagles set up a rolling maul which Ireland brought down illegally, allowing referee Sébastien Minery to award a penalty try.
Christy Ringgenberg added the conversion, but then on the half hour mark Ireland full back Niamh Briggs kicked her side back into contention with a well-struck 25-metre penalty to reduce the deficit to 14-3.
However, the Irish joy was short-lived as five minutes before the break centre Daniels crashed through for her first and USA’s third try of the afternoon, bringing the score to 21-3 at the interval.
Ireland came out in the second half a rejuvenated side and spent the first 20 minutes camped inside the USA half with all the possession, but little to show for it on the scoreboard.
This would proved costly when they were punished after losing possession in the USA 22, the Women’s Eagles quickly broke using their backs with Folayan bursting through two tackles before offloading to Daniels just over the halfway line. The centre then had the easier task of running in the try to score next to the posts, despite the Ireland defence chasing back.
With minutes remaining, USA scored their fifth try through the impressive Folayan. After a series of scrums in the Irish 22, USA spread the ball blind to the wing, who ran around the on-rushing defence to extend her side’s lead to 33-3.
Just two minutes later, the Women’s Eagles completed their scoring with their final try of the afternoon from replacement wing McGee. Again orchestrated by their impressive backline, captain Ashley English exploited an overlap to find the flying wing to score her second.
Ireland must now regroup for a seventh place play-off against Scotland on Sunday.
POST MATCH REACTION
USA coach Kathy Flores: “In the England match, the players saw what they can do, what we have been telling them all along and we had to keep that going. We didn’t really prepare any differently to the first Ireland match. As a coach you always want the perfect game but I am very proud of them.
“The Canada game is going to be bragging rights for North America. The players need to rest and then we’re going to try and get away and have some fun with the players.”
USA captain Ashley English: “We are very pleased with our game. We stuck to our game plan and we got the ball wide and we ended up with a lot of points on the board, very pleased. Our set pieces were good and we went forward and had good ball handling today. And we got our penalty count down which was really good.”
On avenging loss to Ireland: “It’s not often you get a chance to redo something in life and today we got a chance to do it and we did it better this time.”
On facing Canada next: “Every game is different. We have played Canada a lot last year so we know some of their tricks, but they know some of our tricks. We’ll just have to see what happens on the day and hopefully we will come out on top.”
| 05 Sep, 11:00 | Kazakhstan | - | Sweden | Surrey Sports Park (Pitch 2), Guildford |
| 05 Sep, 13:15 | South Africa | - | Wales | Surrey Sports Park (Pitch 2), Guildford |
| 05 Sep, 11:15 | Scotland | - | Ireland | Surrey Sports Park (Pitch 1), Guildford |
| 05 Sep, 13:30 | Canada | - | USA | Surrey Sports Park (Pitch 1), Guildford |
| 05 Sep, 15:00 | France | - | Australia | Twickenham Stoop, Twickenham |
| 05 Sep, 17:15 | New Zealand | - | England | Twickenham Stoop, Twickenham |
Countdown to USA v. England at the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup
With only a few hours until match time, the USA National Team makes final preparations for our match versus England tomorrow. This is the biggest and most important match, thus far, of the tournament for the Eagles. A big win today could secure Team USA a spot in the semifinal bracket.
The USA line up for today’s Pool 3 match v. England is as follow:
1 FARRAH DOUGLAS – At Large
2 LISA BUTTS – Berkeley All-Blues
3 JAMIE BURKE – Beantown
4 BLAIRE GROEFSEMA – Berkeley All-Blues
5 SHARON BLANEY – Beantown
6 PHAIDRA KNIGHT – New York
7 KRISTIN ZDANCZEWICZ – Minnesota Valkyries
8 MELANIE DENHAM – Beantown
9 KIM MAGRINI – Keystone
10 CHRISTY RINGGENBERG – Minnesota Valkyries
11 NATHALIE MARCHINO – Berkeley All-Blues
12 LYNELLE KUGLER – Twin Cities Amazons
13 AMY DANIELS – Beantown
14 VANESHA MCGEE – New York
15 ASHLEY ENGLISH – Berkeley All-Blues
16 MAURIN WALLACE – Beantown
17 LARA VIVOLO – New York
18 KITTERY WAGNER – Beantown
19 STACEY BRIDGES – At Large
20 CLAUDIA BRAYMER – Albany
21 MELISSA KANUK – Minnesota Valkyries
22 VICTORIA FOLAYAN – Berkeley All-Blues
Follow the game live at http://www.rwcwomens.com/video/index.html. Kick off time is 1:30 pm EST. If you are unable to catch the match live, tune in to NBC Universal (http://www.universalsports.com/tv-listings/Universal_Sports_on_TV.html) for the replay at 10 pm EST tonight. GO USA!
ABC News Personality Marysol Castro Inspired By Rugby Player Arnold Chavis
Rugby is the fastest growing sport in America. More than 100,000 youth played rugby last year for the first time. It has been the source of a lifestyle change for many, including kids in inner city New York. Arnold Chavis is one of those young people greatly impacted. At the helm of this revolution are New York Rugby Club U19 Coach Lisa Lake, accompanied by Coach Annie Collier, both former New York Rugby Club and US Players. Check out the link below to view the special segment put together by ABC News Personality Marysol Castro.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Inspirations/marysol-castro-inspired-rugby-players-hometown/story?id=11445626
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