Nike Women Australia

Ultimate Frisbee gives her ultimate belief

nikewomen_en_AU — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:32:00 GMT

Hey Girls! I’m Mel Lozano, and I’m an Ultimate Frisbee player from Manila. Ultimate isn’t very mainstream… in fact you probably think we all throw Frisbees for dogs to fetch (normal reaction) so I figure I’ll start this off by telling you a bit about the sport.

At this point, there are roughly 400-500 active Ultimate players in different clubs all over the country. In Manila alone, Ultimate Frisbee is played about 6 times a week in 2-3 different locations. The Philippines are represented by an official Philippine Team (Team Pilipinas) made up of both male and female players. And since the game mandates at least a 4:3 male: female ratio, women have really taken an interest in the sport.

But when I first started playing, there definitely weren’t as many girls playing as there are now. I think since times are changing and girls are becoming more empowered they aren’t afraid to get out there and have a go. Now, I’m proud to say that Manila has the only competitive Women’s League in South East Asia. Filipinas are monsters on the field!

The cool thing about Ultimate is that it’s a pretty friendly game, which makes it more inviting to join up. It’s all about sportsmanship. There are no refs and the players make the calls – so you really have to trust your players and your opponents. And I really like that spirit of camaraderie. Plus, you make tons of friends playing because there are usually a bunch of like-minded – super chill, super cool – people playing.

Ultimate is a great workout – it’s a hybrid of football (soccer) and basketball. You’re basically running around the field and trying to get the Frisbee in your end zone. It’s like a training session in itself. You have to be quick, and you have to be agile. So on the days I don’t play, it’s really important to train so I can keep my cardio skills up to par. The last thing you want to do is huff and puff out there on the field.

Well, I think that’s about it for now. Hopefully you’ll check out some local leagues – it’s an awesome game! Check back later for more blog posts!

Cheers!

Mel

Power is the name of her game.

nikewomen_en_AU — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:32:00 GMT

Hey there! My name is Monyca, I’m 17 years-old and am a professional surfer from Hawaii. When Nike first came to me and proposed this blog, I was pretty psyched. I mean, surfing is a pretty male dominated sport, so it’s great to get the word out and get more girls into it.

So I figure the best way to start this thing off is to tell you a bit about the sport and myself.

For those of you who don’t know much about surfing, I’ll give you a quick rundown. You start off by eyeing the waves and when you see a rideable one on the horizon, you have to match its speed and paddle like crazy to get out there. Once the wave carries you forward, you jump to your feet and ride down the face of the wave, staying just ahead of the breaking part.

I’ve been surfing for about 8 years now. And even though I mentioned before that surfing is male dominated, it wasn’t unusual for girls from Hawaii to pick it up, because in Hawaii, surfing is a way of life. Basically, all my friends surfed, so I just naturally took it up.

But, surfing as a hobby is one thing and becoming a professional, especially for a girl, is a whole other. It’s a lot harder for a girl. Luckily, I had my parents who had always encouraged me, even from a young age, to be an athlete. And I think this paved my way towards a professional career. Most of my friends who are on a professional path are boys. In fact, I am the only female surfer on the professional path who has come from my hometown Hana.

Though, when I think about it, being the only female has also helped me out somewhat. Like all, my friends and neighbors love it when I bring my trophies back home, I think it gives them a sense of pride. So I get tons of encouragement from them. And that totally keeps me going.

So that’s my story so far. Next time I’ll tell you a bit about my upcoming competitions and training. Stay tuned for the adventures to come!

From sidelines to BMX star

nikewomen_en_AU — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:32:00 GMT

I got bored of watching my brother on his BMX bike all the time. So I decided to give it a go. Watch my interview to find out the key to becoming a professional BMX rider.

Kicking into high gear

nikewomen_en_AU — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:32:00 GMT

I never saw myself kickboxing. But now it’s my passion. Watch my interview to find out when I started. I bet you’ll be shocked. And hopefully inspired.

Dancing to her own story

nikewomen_en_AU — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:32:00 GMT

I began dancing at a very early age. Watch my interview to find out how dancing influenced my life. I wouldn’t be the same person today without it.

The only thing that she serves is strength

nikewomen_en_AU — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:32:00 GMT

In beach volleyball, my opponent isn't my only competitor. Watch my interview to find what else turns up the heat.

Believe to become

nikewomen_en_AU — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 02:32:00 GMT

Hi! My name is Hannah Lo and I’m a kickboxer. Usually when I tell people that I’m a kickboxer, 9 times out of 10 they are really surprised. I think they don’t quite believe it. I’m not what most people imagine a kickboxer to look like.

Taking up kickboxing as seriously as I have was never something I had even thought about, until it found me. That was only 2 years ago. But kickboxing really made me believe in myself.

Facing challenges and experiences that were new and a bit scary and actually getting through it, I started to believe that anything was possible and that nothing is out of reach.

When I’m in the ring, I think of myself as a great kickboxer, throwing amazing punches and kicks, defeating my opponent.

But I have to train hard to be able to deliver.

I find that kickboxing works on my flexibility, endurance, strength, coordination, and stamina. Within just an hour, I can improve and work on so many different aspects of keeping fit.

And if you’re serious about getting into the sport, I have some advice. Know what your strengths are and how to use them to the best of your ability. Determination and discipline are essential. But what’s most important is that you believe in yourself completely. Just like I do every day.

Come back to hear what it was like to throw my first punch.

Hannah

Reading minds

nikewomen_en_AU — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:32:00 GMT

It’s not just a sport. It’s a game against yourself, your opponent, and the natural environment. My name’s Sonia Kong. I play beach volleyball.

What I love about beach volleyball is that it’s challenging both physically and mentally. During a game, our coach can’t say anything. We’re the ones that have to be tough, solve problems and push each other. Only my partner and I control our team.

So, it’s important that we train both mentally and physically everyday.

One of the most important things that we work on is improving our communication. We talk during both practice and games. Sometimes, we can read each other’s minds; anticipate what the other will do next. That only comes from training so long together.

Our future goal is to make the 2012 Olympics. In order to get there we have to improve our fitness, stabilise our skills and then, we’ll be a team that is ready.

Check back to find out just where we’ll be next.

Sonia

Train to tell a story

nikewomen_en_AU — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:32:00 GMT

Hi, everyone. My name is Flora Hon. My passion is dance.

I first fell in love with dancing when I was 9 years old. I can still remember when my Mom sent me to my first dance class with my sister.

Back then I used to be very shy. But I found that through dance, I could express myself.

My favorite style of dance is Contemporary. I love that it lets me use movements instead of words to express myself. I can tell my story to the audience without hiding anything.

But to be able to tell my story, I must train everyday. The body is the most important tool for a dancer.

So, I take dance classes to work on my basic techniques like jumps and turns. I do cardio to maintain my endurance. I even swim and sometimes go jogging with my dogs to stay in shape.

And after a good training session, I feel happy and satisfied. My whole body is full of energy.

Being a dancer, you need to know how to protect and take good care of your body. You must love what you are doing because dance is passion.

Please come back soon to read more about my training.

Flora