Technological developments in sport

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Technological developmentsin sport
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Todays objectives

• You should understand the technological
  developments in sport.
• You will look at how various sports have
  progressed over the years.
• We will talk about facilities how they have
  improved.
• You will design your own pair of sports trainers.

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Technological developments

• The changes in sport over recent years have come
  about in 2 main areas
• Equipment
• Materials.

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Equipment

• More varied, safer and better designed
• Always changing - governing bodies have to keep a
  check making sure it is legal, not giving anyone
  an advantage!

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• The impact can be seen in particular sports
• Racket sports
• Tennis rackets wooden aluminium
  graphite.
• As the material used was lighter, it was possible
  to
• enlarge the head, actual length was still the
  same.
• Players can hit the ball harder and more
• accurately, but this isnt necessarily a good
  thing
• WHY?

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• 1994 Wimbledon Mens Final
• How many strokes do you think were in
• the longest rally?
• Of which there was only 1 in the whole
• game!
• Answer

vs
Goran Ivanisevic
Pete Sampras
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Why is this?
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• BECAUSE they were both serve and volley
• players!

• Positive note
• Tennis courts are now filled with electronic
  hawk eye to tell if the ball is in or not.
• Very useful as the speed of the ball has
  improved.

• Like many sports tennis players are monitored by
  computers, analysing each result and constantly
  updating their rankings.
• The strings on all rackets is stronger longer
  lasting, strung at a higher tension, enabling
  more power to be generated.

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Rackets as they used to be
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Rackets as they are now.
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• Athletics
• Field events have benefited from improved
• equipment in several ways.
• Can you think of any?

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• - The high jump has a similar landing area, which
  replaced the old sand area.
• - This has been necessary due to the changes in
  techniques of the jumpers landing on their
  backs (fosbury flop).

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• The pole vault is now made of a lightweight
  fibreglass which makes it stronger and more
  flexible.
• Means they can jump much higher.
• To ensure safety, large, air-filled landing areas
  have been designed.
• Allows them to land safely from heights of around
  7 metres (20 feet!)

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• The javelin (show clip)
• Went through lots of changes, but it became too
  dangerous as competitors were throwing them so
  far that the stadiums were not big enough!
• They are now reduced in weight and the centre of
  gravity has been moved, to reduce the distances.
• This is an example of
• technology being too
• effective!

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• Timing in athletics
• Previously it was officials with hand-held stop
  watches.
• Now the starting gun, starting blocks and lanes
  are all connected to automatic timing systems,
  giving an accurate, instant time.
• Footwear and clothing has
• also advanced, but well
• talk about this later.

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• Cricket
• Now a full range of protective equipment for
• players
• Protective helmets as a result of faster
  bowling
• Other equipment become much lighter and less
  bulky as designs and materials used have
  improved.
• What protective equipment do cricketers use?

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Third umpire

• Now adopted by cricket and rugby.
• An extra official who is able to watch slow
  motion action replays.
• Direct radio link between the umpires and the
  person in the booth.
• Ensures all decisions are as fair as possible.

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Materials

• Over the years there have been a great
• number of synthetic materials used in
• sport.
• light, aerodynamic clothing for swimmers, speed
  skaters and cyclists
• Artificial surfaces for hockey, tennis, football,
  athletics and sports halls.
• Used to only use natural wood, metal, wool and
  leather for clothing / equipment.

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• - This has greatly changed the nature of some
  games e.g. most club hockey matches are now
  played on artificial surfaces and rarely on
  grass.
• Allows players to benefit from higher levels of
  skill, as its a smoother surface.
• Learning is easier as the pitch is
• less bumpy.

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• Artificial cricket strips also popular for same
  reason more predictable bounce.
• (the condition of a grass wicket and the way it
  helps batters and bowlers is essential in cricket
  so it is unlikely high level matches will be
  played on astro.)

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Negatives to artificial surface

• 2 sports turned away from this
• Football
• Several football teams laid this in the
• 80s / 90s
• There was criticism of them so it was outlawed by
  the FA
• Grass pitches were reintroduced.

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• American football
• The authorities havent outlawed it yet, but
  clubs are choosing to revert back to grass
• There were many injuries because of the surface
  the grip was so good that ankle and knee injuries
  were occurring due to tackles.
• Many stadiums are indoors so have to keep the
  surfaces, they are fewer and fewer.
• Technology trying to find a way to protect the
  surface from the weather.

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• Many materials used today are by-products of the
  space race of the 60s and 70s.
• E.g. Teflon originally a tough, non-stick
  material, developed for spacecraft.
• Then used for saucepans, now used to treat
  materials both natural artificial making
  them wind and water proof.
• Ideal for swimmers who already resort to shaving
  all their body hair!

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General developments and improvements

• There have been many recent developments, but no
  doubt there are many new ones to come.
• Facilities
• In the past facilities were built and activities
  were
• catered for in them, but now facilities are
  being purpose built. E.g. gymnastics and tennis.

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• Other areas include fitness gyms, and
• multi-purpose facilities easily adapted
• for different activities e.g. a new football
• stadium for other uses
• WEMBLEY STADIUM!!

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Any others?!!

• Millennium Stadium Cardiff
• National Indoor Arena
• National Exhibition Centre
• Where are they built?
• On outskirts of towns / cities to make
• access easier and safer.