Friday, July 24, 2009

High School Musical Characters

The lead stars characters in the movie High School Musical is Troy Bolton, East High's star athlete and Gabriela Montez, the Math Whiz who just transferred to East High. At first look, the characters can not be any more different from each other. Bolton, played by teen heartthrob Zac Efron is the basketball team's captain and is one of the most popular personalities in school. He is well loved and is expected to lead his team- the East High Wildcats to victory in the basketball championships.

On other hand Gabriela Montes, played by eighteen year old Vanessa Ann Hudgens, is a Math whiz and is the new girl in school. She sees this as the perfect opportunity to try new things and not just focus on Math which has always been her greatest strength.

The two characters meet during winter break without realizing they will end up being schoolmates when classes resume. The two were forced to sing together during karaoke night at a ski resort and that's when they realize they both enjoy singing.

When they audition for East High's Winter Musical- Twinkle Town they end up being called back for the final auditions for the lead roles against the siblings Sharpay and Ryan Evans. The two teens have always starred in the school's productions.

Sharpay Evans is the school's drama queen. Played by Ashley Tisdale, the Disney star who also has a regular basketball in the popular TV shoe The Suite Life of Zach & Cody, Sharpay is unhappy that she might end up playing understudy for the lead role to the new girl Gabriela.

Sharpay's talented brother Ryan is played by Lucas Grabeel. He helps his sister work out schemes to prevent the jock Troy Bolton and Math whiz Gabriela from landing the lead roles in Twinkle Town.

Sharpay and Ryan also stage elaborate performances that really make basketball drama teacher Ms. Darbus proud. Add to this the fact that Ms. Darbus is cautious about the real intentions Troy for auditioning.

Troy has a best friend named Chad played by Corbin Bleu. Corbin is also a Disney star who has starred in his own movie about jump rope teams- Jump In!. Gabriela on the other hand finds a dependable friend in Taylor McKessie played by actress Monique Coleman.

Another character that plays an important role in Troy and Gabriela landing the much coveted lead roles in Twinkle Town is song-writer & pianist Kelsi Nielsen. Kelsi created all the music for the musical and helps Troy and Gabriela practice the songs. Kelsi Nielsen is played by actress Olesya Rulin.

Other characters in the movie are: Zeke, the pastry-making basketball player played by Chris Warren Jr.; Coach Jack Bolton, Troy Bolton's father and the coach of the basketball team played by Bart Johnson; Jason, a basketball player played by Ryne Sanborn; Mrs. Montez played by Socorro Herrera; Principal Matsi played by Joey Miyashima; and other supporting casts.

More updates, significant stories, musical tours and concerts about high school musical movie on ice could be found at http://www.TheHighschoolMusicalOnline.com

Spud Webb Dunk or How to Dunk a Basketball

Do you remember Spud Webb winning the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1986? Standing at only 5'6"!, Spud beat the defending champion Dominique Wilkins with a variety of nasty dunks - a one-handed 360, a two-handed double pump and a 180 reverse double-pump just to name some.

So, its clear that you dont need to be very tall to dunk. Its all about the vertical jump - your vertical jump! And what matters most: you can train it! You can increase your vertical leap. If you dont agree at this point, you dont need to read any further.

Spud Webb had a 42-inch vertical what is yours? To find out, stand near to a wall and stretch your arm upright over your head. Now, mark the top point of your hand on the wall. Put the hand down and mark your fingers with some chalk or paint. Now, jump as high as you can and touch the wall with your hand. The distance between the two marks is you vertical.

Ok, by now, you know where youre at and where you want to be.

The next step is your overall fitness. Your legs must be strong enough to take up a vertical program. You also have to lose the extra pounds (if you have some).

For that, go jogging and use the jump rope 3 times a week basketball minimum 45 min. 3 times/ week; jump rope: 100 jumps 3 times a week)

Jumping rope not only gives you explosiveness and calf strength but is also a great way to build stamina, and work on your overall leg strength.
Other, basketball effective exercises are calf raises and squats, as they train the most important muscle groups in the jumping process. Do these exercises every now and then (the days you do not run).

Important note: dont exaggerate (max. 1 set of 8 reps 2 times/ week)! After 2 or 3 weeks your legs should be prepared for a vertical program.

You can now try exercises like this one:

Stand straight up, and jump as high as you can without bending your knees (they will bend slightly). As soon as you hit the ground, jump back up again. Repeat the motion a number of times. This exercise is very effective at strengthening your lower leg muscles.

personal trainer

Or, you take up a real vertical program. Personally, I can only recommend Go Up Strong http://www.howtodunk.org but you can also try other programs.

When you stick to it and do the exercises seriously, you should be able to dunk in less than 8 weeks. p.s. Did you know Spud Webb once dunked over the 76 (!) former NBA Center Manute Bol?

Basketball Erase Boards

We have all watched basketball games, either on television or live at the court. But, have you ever given a thought as to what goes on behind the scene before the players get on that court to play? Behind the basketball skills and moves is usually the coach, who trains them on various tactics required for them to win the game. While it would be difficult for a coach to limit himself to verbal training of his players, some form of illustration is necessary to assist him.

This is where the basket ball erase boards come in. They are usually easy and convenient to use since they come with magnetic aids which can be moved around on their surface, which is imprinted with an outline of the court. The coach draws up game strategies during training sessions to illustrate important moves to his team, which he can later wipe away to draw up teams formation, attack or defense plays to be followed during the game.

The board can also be used for other purposes like an organizational chart that may include a work schedule or even a calendar. Since the grid is not erasable, the information within it can be erased and updated according to changing plans and schedules. In the past, before electronic displays were available, they were used to call for player substitutions.

You basketball still find them all around us being used for other purposes. Some are custom made for use in hospitals, mainly for keeping track of work schedules, or other relevant information. You will also find white boards being used as a background for presentations from an overhead projector. basketball working out mathematical problems, also find it easier to use since they can erase whenever they make a mistake or when through.

Peter Gitundu Researches and Reports on Erase Boards. For More Information on Basket Ball Erase Boards, Visit His Site at BASKET BALL ERASE BOARDS You Can Also Add Your Views About Basket Ball Erase Boards At BASKET BALL ERASE BOARDS