The most extensive hockey playing resided in Canada and other countries until the early 1900’s. Montreal, Canada is the true parent of modern day ice hockey. This is when the very first actual organized play began in the history of hockey. The first official season in the NHL took place between 1917 and 1918 in Montreal. Just five teams were in the league at first. One had to quit due to their ice rink burning down. The obstacles were many in the early development phase of the NHL and slowed down the advancement of this great sport that many people love today. The O’Brien trophy was the original league championship trophy awarded for the championship game. When the game’s popularity increased so did the number of teams within the league.

Professional hockey originated in in the early twentieth century. The Western Pennsylvania Hockey League began paying players openly for the sport. This specific league joined with Michigan and Ontario teams to create the very first professional international hockey league in the year 1904. Many players were openly paid from this league which actually disbanded in 1907. By now, numerous major hockey leagues were running in Canada. The National Hockey Association or NHA was formed in the year of 1910 in Montreal, Canada and was then followed by a 1917 re-organization that created the National Hockey League (NHL). Expansion of the league into the United States began in 1924. Many rules were initiated during this time including twenty minute periods and various penalties.

Today, professional hockey is played in various countries all over the world. It is the defining sport of Canada as well as a renowned game in the United States and other countries. Fans love the ruggedness of the game. They gather within the stands every season to watch their home team battle for that ultimate win and the ever so famous Stanley Cup. This championship trophy has been a symbol of strength and perseverance for years and is the ultimate end result of each and every season.

When writing this article I found some other great stuff from Leo Wells Sports Blog. He has a sports blog named Leo Wells on Sports that is really well done.

But of course, in such situations you may think that the only place where it may be possible to ski all year round is at an artificial ski slope. However, there is one place in the world where skiers of all abilities can ski through the summer months without a care in the world – and that place is Chile.

The Portillo Ski Centre is perhaps the best priced of all the locations you could choose from, but the slopes here aren’t for the faint hearted. The Valle Nevado resort would be more suitable for beginners, and the ski school on site offers great value lessons with highly experienced instructors. However, it is quite common for many first timers to pick the Termas de Chillan resort; mainly because it also offers spa facilities. Indeed, this can prove ideal for relaxing those aching muscles at the end of the day.

Chile is a long, thin country which has the Andes Mountains running virtually the whole length of its right hand side. And it is these mountains which make skiing in the summer perfectly possible in this part of the world.

Chile also has the advantage of not being that well known among many skiers. In fact, many are known to enjoy the winter ski season and then head off on a hot summer holiday beach destination during the warmer months of the year. That leaves the delights of the Andes Mountains for you to explore – if you are up for this sensational experience, of course. And depending on what part of Chile you visit, it is also possible to experience the warm and sunny side of the country too.

Therefore, it is good to know that finding flights to Chile and accommodation at the various ski resorts should not be too difficult. Depending on how experienced you are as a skier, it is possible to find a resort that best matches your skill level; this will enable you to book the best skiing holiday for your needs. But regardless of where you stay, you are bound to enjoy the experience of skiing in Chile.

Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Making his debut in the first game of the 2003/04 season, in a comfortable 4-0 win over Bolton, Ronaldo came off the bench to replace Nicky Butt to become the first ever Portuguese player to represent the Red Devils.

From the raw talent signed by Sir Alex Ferguson – after being passed over by the then-Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier and almost being bought by Arsene Wenger at Arsenal – Ronaldo has turned into one of the modern day greats who is among the very best in world football. This claim has been verified by the fact that in 2008 Ronaldo received the Ballon d’Or, often called the European Footballer of the Year Award; although, nowadays players from any nationality playing in any country can win the accolade. The previous year Ronaldo had come second to the Brazilian Kaka.

Ronaldo became the third Portuguese international (joining Eusebio and Luis Figo) and the fourth Manchester United player (after Denis Law, Bobby Charlton and George Best) to win the award. Rather than go by a player’s performances over the course of a season, the Ballon D’or is awarded to whoever is deemed to have been best over the course of a calendar year.

Ronaldo started 2008 scoring against Aston Villa in the FA Cup before scoring his first ever hat-trick, in the 6-0 demolition of Newcastle. The winger, or floating second striker as he was often employed, scored 24 goals between New Year and the end of the 2007/08 season. His goal against the Czech Republic helped his national side reach the quarter final of the 2008 European Championships. An ankle injury delayed Ronaldo’s return to club football but he managed another nine goals before the end of the calendar year, including four in four days as he scored match-winning doubles against West Ham United and Hull City.

Thirty players were nominated for the 2008 award, with 96 international journalists voting for their top five choices. Ronaldo came top with 446 points, followed by Barcelona’s Lionel Messi with 281 points and Liverpool’s Fernando Torres with 179 points.

Since then, however, Cristiano Ronaldo has been snubbed by his main rival. When asked to name his dream team of 2008, Messi neglected to select Ronaldo instead opting for a midfield of Javier Zanetti, Cesc Fabregas, Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

Regardless, Ronaldo remains very much in focus as being one of the world’s best and every transfer window brings rumours that clubs from across the continent are preparing huge bids to pry him away from Old Trafford.
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Victoria Cochrane writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

The Championships, which have been going since 1993, draw over 250,000 spectators, as well as millions of television viewers. As such, twelve of the 14 rounds are held in Australia, whilst New Zealand is host to one (Hamilton 400) and Bahrain another (Gulf Air Desert 400).

In general terms, V8 Supercars is a category within touring car racing. It sees customised street cars – based on the Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore car models – legally race against one another across a variety of purpose-built racetracks and street circuits. As well as attracting huge interest in New Zealand, V8 Supercar racing is the most popular motorsport in Australia.

Because the V8 Supercars are similar in weight and speed, it is usual to see the top 20 drivers qualifying within a second of each other. The result is a fast paced, close racing experience, providing viewers with an action-packed Championship and drivers with everything to play for.

A similar format is followed for each race, which sees drivers complete a practice and qualifying round, as well up to three races. As already mentioned, the competitors must either complete an endurance race – a single race, with compulsory pitstops – or a sprint race. There are currently two tracks offering endurance races: Phillip Island 500 and Bathurst 1000.

The next stage in the competition, the Gulf Air Desert 400, is gearing up for yet another exciting race weekend. Hosted at the Bahrain International Circuit, the event is returning for its third consecutive year, having been voted the V8 Supercar ‘Event of the Year’ in 2007.

Reflecting the growing worldwide appeal of motorsports, reports are that the Gulf Air Desert 400 has already attracted unprecedented interest, with spectator figures expected to reach well over the 30,000 seen last year.

Located in the middle of the desert, the race track measures 5.4 kilometres or 3.37 miles long and includes 15 turns. It is one of Bahrain’s premier sports events, as well as the Bahrain International Circuit’s biggest international sporting affair. Thirty one V8 Supercar racers are expected to take part this year.

And, with the grand final looming around the corner, people will be following the outcome of Gulf Air Desert 400 with bated breath. Indeed, not only will it take the drivers one step closer to the finishing line after a long battle, but it will also go towards deciding which one will walk away triumphant.

Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Although many believe partying forms a large part of a student’s curriculum, in reality you are expected to work hard and often have tight deadlines to meet. From the moment you arrive, demands are high, with many courses requiring you to spend any ‘free’ time conducting research in the library or completing assignments.

And, as you progress throughout your course, you will find that the opportunity to socialise becomes less frequent, whilst the workload rises. Of course, you are studying and therefore expectations are that you have to work hard to earn your qualifications.

However, all work and no play makes for a dull student. That’s why it can be a good idea to make sure you take some time out and indulge in a bit of extra-curricular activity. This is especially important since a lot of studying requires individual effort and it’s essential to interact with other people, not least to maintain your sanity!

While heading to the pub is a popular pastime, there are many other things you can do to create a bit of excitement, as well as making friends. For example, why not round a group of likeminded people together and find some student games to participate in? It may be hard in the beginning, but if you put your mind to it, there are loads of activities which don’t involve downing mixed shots of alcohol.

Take ten pin bowling for instance. A fun way to wile away a few hours in the company of friends, bowling is a great student game. For the competitive spirited of you, you can challenge your fellow team mates to a bit of friendly competition, whilst at the same time saving money on gym membership by taking advantage of the calorie-burning exercise it induces!

If you look around, there are some attractive group deals available, which include things like shoe hire, food and drinks, meaning you don’t have to blow the student budget. And, for those who cannot bear to be away from the pub for too long, most centres come with a bar.

The other advantage of going ten pin bowling is that there are usually a range of other games and activities for people to do. For instance, many offer such things as amusement arcades, pool tables and even laser gun arenas.

Ten pin bowling is just one example of the many student games you can play. So, why not use your imagination and give the pub a miss the next time you plan to go out?

Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.