Fun in the...Rain!

I went on my first excursion to N. Sydney on Sunday. My two friends and I seemed to be there before most of the class due to the rain so I made some friends. I went outside to observe some older men lawn bowling and made friends with one that was working the sausage grill. He kindly gave me a free sandwich and talked me into purchasing a raffle ticket to help the club.

I was able to pick up most of the game by simply observing the men playing for twenty min before our group got started. I noticed similarities to Bocci Ball, a game I’ve played back in the States. They both involved tossing your balls to aim for a target and are commonly played in a relaxing environment like a country club.

I was placed in a group without any classmates I knew, which was stellar because I was able to make five new friends as we struggled to utilize the weighted side of the ball to curve towards the jack.

One aspect of the rules I found strange was the bracket breakup. We were broken up into the top five teams competing for the ashes trophy and the bottom three teams competing for another trophy. Once divided up, it didn’t matter what place you had, you simply had to be the team with the ball closest to the jack to win.

Overall, it was fun learning a new sport, making new friends (both at the club and from class) and despite the rain, enjoy the view of the city right from the bowling lawn. In addition, that $2 raffle ticket paid off because my number was pulled and I won an excellent bottle of scotch!

My First Rugby Experience

On Friday, I had every intention of spending the night in and saving money. Then my mates barged into my room dressed in all Roosters clothes with bandanas and whistles saying I had to go online and buy a ticket to the rugby game right then and there. I was pretty sure they had no idea who the Roosters were, but obviously, I was convinced.

So I hopped on a bus to the Roosters vs. Rabbitohs match at Moore Park. For $30 we were sitting 25 rows from the field! This was the first difference from American pro football games I noticed. The stadium was also a lot smaller and fans were vibrant, yet polite. I even made friends with a couple next to me, also rooting for the Roosters. This spectator camaraderie is similar to both my 100,000 patron Penn State University Beaver Stadium as well as the Philadelphia Eagles’s Pro Football stadium both of which I’ve been to copious times. The players however, were equally as competitive and rowdy as the states. I realized how much more physically grueling rugby is due to the lack of protection they sport. With reasonably priced tickets, a fun time, and free shuttle back, this won’t be my only rugby spectator experience!

Pro Surf Competion at Bondi Beach

This past Sunday, after visiting the Nippers, my mates and I headed to Bondi Beach to watch the Boost Mobile SurfSho. It was my first time to Bondi Beach and I went for a run to check out the area. I had run from Coogee to Bondi before, but hadn’t been on the beach yet. I was impressed by the crowd the competition had drawn.

Kelly Slater was suppose to be at it, but never showed up. However, I was able to watch several other surfers. Many of which had taken quite a tumble at some point. Competition exists amongst the surfers, but you wouldn’t know. They shake each other’s hands and I spotted a lot of smiles and fun amongst several of the pros.

Sponsored by several Co.’s, I received several freebies! The facility they had set up included a large screen projection and sound system, as well as several tents.

The crowd really seemed to get into the event and cheer whether surfers did well or wiped out. A few of my friends have picked up surfing since we’ve been here and I’m interested to see if they can come close to the skill I saw on Sunday!

Maroubra Beach Nippers

This past Sunday, I met my first group of Nippers and watch them race on the sand and learn about surf safety. Oh, and it was a gorgeous day in the sun with my classmates!

The coach was encouraging feedback and parents were supportive of their kids and were quite friendly and encouraging. I spoke with two dads, Brad and Paul, whom were happy to tell me about their kid’s involvement and the program as well as competitions available to older kids.

The youth swim club I was in taught safety in the water, but in a pool as opposed to the beach. The coaches in my club got paid by the community versus having all volunteers. There was also more competition within the swim club due to timed activities. However, the theme of exercise, safety and fun stays true.

Volunteer, Keith, then spoke to us about kids coming because their mates are here and they get things out of it (get to use the facility, equipment and BBQ for free). The level of camaraderie I witnessed on Sunday was stellar and exciting to see at a young age. I'm looking forward to observing other age groups in the future.