Super Bowl XLIX

The Super Bowl is the annual National Football League Championship game that has been going on since 1997. The game is played between the winners of the two conferences, the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The winner of the AFC this year was the New England Patriots and the winner of the NFC this year was the Seattle Seahawks. Hear's a little background on both these teams before they play in the big game.

The New England Patriots are lead by head coach, Bill Belichick and star quarterback,Tom Brady and have together combined for 180 wins together. The Patriots finished the year with a record of 12 wins and 4 losses, which tied for the best in the NFL. Tom Brady finished the year with 4,109 passing yards, 33 passing touchdowns and will be looking for his fourth NFL championship that would tie an NFL record if he does obtain it. Another star player on offense, is tight end Rob Gronkowski, who finished the year with 12 receving touchdowns and was named comeback player of the year after returning from an ACL injury. One of the star players on defense, was cornerback Darrelle Revis. He finished the year with 2 interceptions while constantly shutting down opposing receivers. 

The Seattle Seahawks are lead by head coach Pete Carroll and third year pro quarterback Russell Wilson. The Seattle Seahawks finished the year with a record of 12 wins and 4 losses which also tied for the best in the NFL and look to claim their second consecutive super bowl championship. Russell Wilson finished the year with 20 passing touchdowns and 6 rushing touchdowns. Another star player for the Seattle Seahawks offense is Marshawn Lynch also known as "beastmode." Marshawn Lynch finished the year with 1306 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. On defense, the Seattle Seahawks are led by "The Legion of Boom" which consists of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas III, Kam Chancellor, and Byron Maxwell. They helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to being first in points allowed per game. 

Both these teams are incredible on both offense and defense but unfortunately there can only be one winner. With both teams leading the league with the best records in NFL, this Super Bowl matchup is primed to be a great one.

How to Sprint Properly

In order to be successful in any sprinting track and field event, it a necessary to have proper sprint form. With the right sprint form, you can maximize your speed in any sprint event of your choice.

The first step of sprinting properly is the acceleration phase. Your body should be slightly leaning forward until your normal sprinting form is reached (about 20 meters). A good acceleration is crucial to your overall sprint. 

When you are at full speed and in the middle of your sprint, your leg that is pushing off the ground should be folded tightly toward your butt as it comes back in relaxed heeling motion. Your thigh in the front should be coming up almost at a 90 degree angle. Your thigh should be "exploding" up at a fast speed in order to be as efficient as possible. Also your toes should be pointing upward on the leg that is coming up. Also make sure TO ALWAYS run on the balls of your feet to come off the ground quicker.

During all of this, your shoulders should remain relaxed. You're elbows should be coming back at a 90 degree angle and your hands coming forward should slightly be above your shoulders. 

With lots of practice and work, you'll be able to perfect your sprint form in no time and race your way to first place!

My First Surgery

During January 2011, I was diagnosed with appendicitis. I was coming home from piano class when I started experiencing sharp pains in the side of my stomach. It was the worst pain I had ever experienced. I wasn't able to eat nor walk around without being in complete pain and agony. As a matter of fact, when I was laying down or sitting, I didn't feel much better. The next day, I went to the doctors and they told me I probably had appendicitis. 

According to webmd.com, appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix, a tube that extends from the large intestine. Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes blocked. The function of the appendix is unclear, but people can live without it. If left untreated, the appendix can burst and spill infectious materials into the abdominal cavity. It is necessary to receive surgery as quickly as possible if diagnosed to remove the appendix.

Before getting the surgery, I was very anxious and nervous because this was the first time I ever received surgery. Afterwards when I woke up after the surgery, however, I was relieved that it was finally over. I still was in pain from the surgery in the couple of days afterwards but I was able to return home after about three days. I spent another week at home before returning to school and was as good as new!