Page 21 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 61

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #61 December 2017 21

The Attributes: Power Viewpoint: Sports in Education

By Casey Leger
L’Heritage is also competitive when it
yanna Hunt comes to track and field, with students
By Jim Riddell, Thas been the competing at OFSAA, and they won an
vice principal at EOSSAA soccer championship last year.
Seaway Karate Club École secondaire
The Dragons compete in the “A”
publique
division of OFSAA, which is for schools
L’Heritage for
of up to 500 students, but one thing
almost three
n the previous issue of Sports Energy we began to look at the attributes that is of utmost importance to the
years. This is
Iinvolved in the sport of karate that every practitioner should train to athletes, teachers, and administrators is
her first job as
improve. The first attribute that we discussed was speed as it is arguably the its involvement in the Franco-Ontarian
an administrator,
most important, and the one that always seems to be in the forefront. Games, which, according to some
and she’s enjoying the experience. Hunt sources, is the largest annual gathering
Power is a stand-alone attribute, but is one which goes hand in hand with went to high school in Penetanguishene of francophone youth in Ontario. “It’s a
strength and is very closely linked to speed. To successfully achieve power in where she was an avid swimmer and cultural experience through sport,” said
your technique a little bit of science needs to be applied. Newton’s 2nd Law: earned her lifeguard credentials. Now, Hunt. “It gives the kids an opportunity
Force = mass x acceleration is a formula that is fundamental for punches, she’s a runner, and has coached the to meet their peers from across the
L’Heritage Dragons cross-country
kicks, elbow, and knee strikes. Mass should be viewed not as just the hand, province and interact with them.”
running team.
foot, or limb, but as the use of proper body mechanics during the execution Being an athlete at L’Heritage is a
of the technique. Acceleration is not the speed of the technique but is defined Opened in 1994, L’Heritage is a small privilege as well as an honour, according
as how fast the individual can increase the speed of the technique. In other grade 7 to 12 school in Cornwall with to Hunt. “Our job is to educate students,
big aspirations; it has a student body
words speed is important but it is necessary to reach maximum speed in the to help them become responsible people
of 250 or so pupils, and enrolment
shortest possible time. Using a punch as an example this means that the fist who contribute to their society. This
increases every year, according to the
needs to go from a relaxed state of tension to the point of impact in the blink means we have to teach them to meet all
administration. Volleyball is the sport of of their responsibilities.” Hunt asserts
of an eye. choice at the school, and it’s one in which that L’Heritage helps athletes meet their
Muhammed Ali, one of, if not the greatest boxer of all time, possessed an the Dragons excel. Hunt has high praise academic commitments by identifying
extremely fast and powerful jab. This power was generated through proper for Coach Luc Rozon, who coaches student issues, both academic and social,
body mechanics (mass) and acceleration. In May of 1969, Sports Illustrated both the boys’ and girls’ squads. “The early on, and by working with them to
had Ali’s jab measured by an omegascope at .040 milliseconds. This means students have a big-time commitment to prevent potential problems. “We believe
that sport,” she said.
that Ali’s fist travelled to full extension in less than one half of one tenth of in prevention,” she finished.
one second. This helps to partially explain the success that Ali had as the Brought to you by Scores
average trained reaction time is around double that time.
Each and every technique must be properly preformed to generate an effective Athlete of the Month
amount of power. The reverse punch is one of the most commonly used
strikes in karate and here is what must happen for it to generate the proper Sydney Seymour
amount of power. 1) Push off the back foot (R to generating the power to
Age: 17 - Grade: 12
rotate the hips. 2) Lead leg (L) is bent slightly at the knee to help with the
Hometown: Cornwall, Ontario
hip rotation. 3) The right hand accelerates towards the target rotating so that School: Saint Joseph’s Catholic Secondary
the palm faces somewhat downward, the fist clinching and snapping into the Sydney Seymour is well known in plenty of local
athletic circles. She’s a multi-sport athlete: she’s a
target.
gymnast, a former hockey player, and, most recently,
People think of the kiai as a yell which helps to increase ones power when she played for the Saint Joseph’s Panthers Senior
striking in karate, but it is actually used in numerous situations in both sport Girls Basketball team.
This month, Sydney competed in New York City
and everyday life. In sport, boxers and MMA fighters often forcefully exhale
in the New York Sevens rugby tournament. The
when executing a punch or a strike. Almost every Canadian has helped to New York Sevens is an annual affair that attracts
push a vehicle that has become stuck on a snowy winter day and either top rugby clubs from all over the continent. Sydney
consciously or unconsciously grunted to increase power while pushing. This competed at with the Eastern Ontario Rugby Union’s Elite U19 women’s side, and she
power that was used to push that stuck vehicle is known as static power just recently turned 17.
The EORU girls won the plate final at the event, losing only one game over the weekend.

which is the maximum force that one can exert in a short period of time. In Sydney is also making a name for herself provincially, playing the more traditional
karate this can be utilized to push, pull, or throw an opponent. fifteens version of the game. This summer she was long-listed by team Canada for both

15s and 7s and is waiting for her chance to shine on the international stage. Sydney has
Two other types of power are explosive power and dynamic power. Explosive
played in national competitions, winning gold with Ontario at the U16 level. She will be
power is described as the ability to exert maximum force in either a single travelling to Vancouver in March to represent Ontario on the U18 sevens side.
or in a series. This would refer to either a single strike or a combination. Delivery Available
Dynamic power is the ability to exert muscular force continuously over a
ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT
period of time. This could be a 2 or 3 minute sparring round, or a timed SOUP, SALAD AND FRUIT BAR
round on either the heavy bag or focus mitts. A helpful tip maximize your
power in karate – get a good ground connection by pushing into the floor
with your legs. By doing this the energy travels back up the body, through
the limb being used and into the target.
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