#im so proud of australia for their performance given this

[carnthetillies-blog]

Exclusive Stajcic Column: The Lessons I Learnt From Our Matildas' Courageous Campaign

“We might not have come away with the Tournament of Nations trophy today but I saw resilience and courage from our Matildas side that all of Australia can be proud of. We beat Brazil and Japan and the US scored a late equaliser against us to draw 1-1. We reminded the sport's world No.1 that we're a force to be reckoned with. In the end though, the US were far too good for Brazil in the final game, which we watched from the stands, and claimed top spot on the table. But the bigger prize is in one year, at the Women’s World Cup in France – and there were positives, and negatives from this campaign for us to reflect on as we build towards that ultimate goal.

I was really pleased with our mental toughness: it was a pretty tough tournament for us, because we had a lot of players back-up from playing the last round of National Women’s Soccer League here – there were quite a few players who had to play four games in 10 days as a result.

We had our first training session on a Tuesday before a Thursday game, which was mainly running off the fatigue from the weekend’s club games. The advantage for the US is they’d all been kept from their clubs and gone into camp 10 days earlier, as were Brazil’s players. Our side had to overcome the difficulties of international football, like playing in the day while the US played at night, or having less recovery time between games. Against Japan, in the first half especially, we showed a lot of that fatigue. The players tried to keep the ball today but there was so much residual fatigue it made it harder.”

With all that in mind, it was a courageous campaign, and I was also pleased with our defending – both organised and desperate - and our play on the counter attack.

What didn't we do as well? We didn’t play out from the back as well as we have in the past 12-18 months. Having such little preparation time was a factor in that, but it’s an area we have to improve again to get back to the levels we know we can reach.

That can all be summed up by the performance against the USA.

We weren’t playing the ball out as we might have liked, but as the hosts started to gain momentum, we showed fantastic desperation to react to the circumstances. For the most part, I thought we were well organised, but they also put their bodies on the line. Just compare it to US’ 4-1 win over Brazil; they also dominated the South Americans but against us, they didn’t really have the range of clear cut chances that they did today. Against us, there were a lot of crosses, a couple of shots, but to absorb all that against arguably the best front three in the world is a testament to how far the team has come, especially the back four and keeper. All this, remember, in their backyard, with a big home crowd, and a bit of luck too. The corner before their equalising goal should have been a goal kick!

There were a couple of individual standouts for us too, to go with that team reflection.

Hayley Raso had a good tournament; Ellie Carpenter, I thought today she was unbelievable, with the amount of energy and momentum when everyone fatigued. I thought she turned the game for us (both pictured below)

Larissa Crummer came in for the first time in her life at centre-back, after a long time out, and did well.

I thought our two No.6s were both good: Emily van Egmond, and Elise Kellond-Knight.

We built up a bit of depth as well, so that’s another plus on the player front.

We also got to blood two youngsters – 15-year-old Mary Fowler and 16-year-old Amy Sayer. What a great experience for them to come away with the team, and see some of the best players in the world first hand. They sat on the bench, knowing there was a possibility to be a part of the action. It is a great reward coming through the Future Matildas program, where Gary van Egmond and Leah Blayney have done a great job. This was a first step for the youngsters.

Now, there will be a bit of reflection and analysis before we begin a very busy calendar; we should have some announcements for some more games at home and abroad for later this year, while we also get into the W-League, and begin planning the lead-in to France 2019, which will require looking at plenty of logistics based on where our players are playing and living for their club football across the globe.

That’s plenty to look forward to, but for now, we look back on a very productive tournament.

We know we had some great support from back home. We always want to do as well as we can for ourselves, but we also realise the place this team has now got in the sporting and football landscape back home.

I think everyone in the team is pretty proud of the standing in the mainstream media and public and hopefully that translates into some good crowds in November.

source

[melekseev]

alright, so here’s my final top 43 with minor commentaries that no one asked for. also this is probably... not common, bUT WE LOVE SOME DIVERSITY. this is obviously personal taste, but im just gonna say i would die for all the songs in my top 10

43. Russia - alright, so this wasn’t originally this low on my list at all, but after hearing it live... holy shit. i feel really bad for her, but her vocals were tragic, to the point where i don’t even understand how this happened. sh00k

42. Georgia - okay see, this is just not working for me. this is the only song this year that i can never listen to all the way through, and for some reason it depresses me. it honestly gives me funeral vibes.

41. Iceland - oh, Ari. honestly i just find it all too cheesy, especially when you add his personality, given he’s a bundle of sunshine, too, and then it’s an overdose of sugar. the song is rather dated, and this is another one that kind of makes me feel... hhh. just, must we?

40. Germany - okay, look, this one i don’t have a great excuse for other than tthe fact it doesn’t do anything for me personally. i tried to like this song so much though, i swear i did, but the more i hear it, the more i dislike it. this is the one where i usually go out to grab a snack or a drink while it plays, because i just... i don’t like it, i’m sorry.

39. San Marino - *rubs at temple* listen originally i gave them the benefit of the doubt but the way they are suffering live makes me suffer, too. the awkward rapping, that mess of lyrics, the weak vocals.... it’s not great.

38. Israel - plot twist. this was originally my last, so compared to that this is still better. but i just reeeally don’t like this song. it annoys me, actually. makes me laugh, but when i see the odds it makes me cry. also, honestly, her live performances did nothing for me - other than the high notes in the very end, it was... whatever it was. i really can’t comprehend why everyone’s eating this up, but you do you guys.

37. Romania - i swear i sort of keep forgetting this song exists, oh my god. it’s just kind of a mess..? i don’t really know what it wants to be, maybe they also don’t know what it wants to be. in the very least she sounds good live.

36. Latvia - so this song... is also something that’s just sort of there, but i don’t feel a single thing. i’m not too fond of her stage presence when it comes to it, either, with all the dramatic hairflips. am i the only one who thinks she’s like jessica rabbit?

35. Lithuania - aww, Lithuania... puts me to sleep ;;; she has a nice, unique voice but i find myself incredibly bored during her performances. i was watching the amsterdam live and i didn’t even notice she switched to Lithuanian at one point, only when i saw the recap. probably not a great sign.

34. Belgium - she kept dropping on my list anyway, and after hearing her live, she just somehow got down here. first of all, honestly it has great quality - doesn’t grab me the slightest, though. i find the chorus disappointing...? “echoes echoes and goes...” i always keep expecting a bigger, powerful drop and i’m somehow let down every time. and her vocals live, just... oooooh no.

33. Sweden - *buries face in hands* Justin Bieber...? this song is something that we’ve all heard like 1000000 times before. furthermore, i can’t be the only one who’s annoyed that he doesn’t sing his chorus live, he just whispers over it? like...

32. Czech Republic - okay, this kind of goes hand in hand with Sweden for me. i like Miki, but this is very, very... i don’t wanna say outright cheap, so let’s just say basic. basically talk dirty to me. honestly, it’s basically the exact same thing. one of the many. next!

31. Estonia - she actually went quite up on my list, because i appreciate her talent, and couldn’t question that even if i tried. i mean yes, i’m honestly not into opera... but it’s not horrible. although in the end it becomes a bit too much for me personally.

30. United Kingdom - SuRie is amazing, i honestly love her so much for her personality?? icon. buuuut the song is still not great and it’s just an inch away from tipping towards annoying - but, i can enjoy this one.

29. Poland - it’s okay for what it is. they are having fun. but i don’t want to give it more credit than that, it’s something you can hear every day in a club, on the beach, on the radio... been there done that. also... *whispers* okay JOWST did it much better, i’m soRRY

28. Australia - fun, up tempo, catchy BOP. do i feel more than that? no, not really. Jessica is adorable, though ;;; i wish this was... more.

27. Finland - her NF performance did not convince me one bit, but the studio cut and her Amsterdam performance elevated her a bit on my list. but still not... enough? it’s... it’s okay.

26. F.Y.R. Macedonia - this grew on me, to be honest. i still don’t know if i really like the three-songs-at-once thing, but i learned to enjoy it.

25. The Netherlands  - okay, so country is not my type of music at all, and he’s only here because i think it’s a decent entry, and he's really good live.

24. Slovenia - i really dig her voice, and i like the verses, and LOVE the pre-chorus. she’s great on stage. the only reason she’s not higher is because the chorus itself is... sigh, it leaves me a bit disappointed.

23. Moldova - they literally jumped 17 places ahead on my list, and i regret nothing. i woke up on them, even if it took a while. once that tacky performance from the NF was out of the way, i was into it. THIS MAKES ME WANT TO HAVE FUN WITH THEM, OKAY

22. Malta - another BOP, but it just works better for me than Australia, personally. i was worried about her live but i think she delivers. it’s often stuck in my head.

21. Cyprus - BOP after BOP. it’s good, catchy and fun, definitely works for what it is, and i always jam to it.

20. Croatia - okay, i really really like her voice?? there’s something about this specific female vocal that i love, and tbh the song isn’t bad at all.

19. Spain - i prefer the studio cut with them, honestly. i find it to be a really lovely song, but when they do it live i just don’t feel connected with them, because they are busy connecting with each other. there’s nothing wrong with that, they are adorable, but it’s just as high as it will go for me.

18. Ireland - listen, i love his voice. it’s so sweet... the melody stayed with me from the very first listen. i am well aware he will get lost in the semi, but i appreciate him. this is really good.

17. Austria - so here’s the thing, this was originally in my top 10, but i just kind of got over it? he is also good live, but that’s about it. the song is good, i dig the hozier vibes it has, it’s a radio friendly tune... i just like 16 other songs more.

16. Azerbaijan - okay this song gets a lot of hate, and i GET that this is just esc pop, but a good one? i really like her voice?? and the power the song has in it? i don’t know, i was so sceptical about this but i replayed it right after the first listen - it makes me feel good.

15. Norway - listen i love Alexander Rybak, but i was also so sceptical about his comeback, because why, you already won? but the live performance was honestly so good, like listen, this guy’s charisma is ON POINT. i still love the violin. i still love him. i won’t rate him higher, because yes, the lyrics could be better, but i still enjoy it a whole lot.

14. France - oh, i love them. very easy to get into, it’s lovely. not something that makes me catch my breath, but i really appreciate it still because i honestly love listening to it.

13. Armenia - Sevak is so on point vocally, um...? this song is a huge grower for me, and at this point i seriously just... it’s so good.

12. Albania - I’M STILL MOURNING THE PRE-REVAMP VERSION HHHHH.... but i still love it, and love Eugent aswell. he has amazing vocals, and he would definitely deserve a good place.

11. Serbia - okay okAY OKAY I LOVE THIS SO MUCH??? the ethnic vibes, the whole... composition, their voices, it’s one big massive yes.

10. Switzerland - *cries softly* listen i fucking love them? Corinne’s vocals are EPIC. this song is just really good, although people are sleeping on it like they are knocked out. but they are doing great and i’m very proud of these Zibblingz. damn.

9. Ukraine - wELL I LOVE MÉLOVIN, WHO WOULD’VE THOUGHT. he is a Performer™. his voice is amazing, and this song just doesn’t leave my head, i don’t even care about his ‘aghdshfdfzgz’, he’s that good.

8. Denmark - talk about epic? this whole song just raises me to a whole another spiritual level tbh. i can just close my eyes and see the sea and... hear the soundtrack of a fantasy movie, and i’m all for it. also, he’s REALLY good every time.

7. Bulgaria - i loved this song to begin with, but their live performance really gave it the last push. they harmonize their vocals in such a beautiful way, and i was afraid it wouldn’t work so much live, but it does. it really does, and i’m loving it.

6. Hungary - i can’t believe my country makes it to my top ten like... the 3rd time in a row, considering i never liked our entries before. but honestly AWS is.. wow, i was shook from the moment i first heard the song, and i LOVE how daring we’re being lately. i’m incredibly proud of them. they have so much energy, and in Amsterdam, they were definitely my favorite - i’m shocked. they deliver, they are an explosion. Örs’ vocals are AMAZING, and they never falter, even if this song is so demanding in that aspect? fucking... respect.

5. Montenegro - i aggressively love this song, maybe even love it more the more people ditch it. this is so dramatic and epic?? he is another singer who delivers vocally whenever it’s live? this song is... i LOVE the balkan sound, the musical-esque melodies, the power in his voice, just... i personally love it more than Adio from Knez, come fight me.

4. Portugal - i feel entranced every time. she grabs me, and doesn’t let go. this whole song is like a sweet dream, to be honest, and i love it sooooo much. i adore when isaura joins in. i just... it goes straight to my heart, god bless. beautiful.

3. Greece - this song... is so magical? like, pure magic. i’m so happy greece is finally doing it right, i’m... yianna is an actual greek goddess, and her voice... dude. this is art.

2. Belarus - definitely my most played song this year, oh my god. (okay, i might play Navsegda a bit more, but Forever is amazing too) the revamp didn’t ruin it, it gave it more personality. i love his tone changes? i love his soft, beautiful voice, and how he plays with it? guys alekseev is brilliant, and i would actually probably sob if he didn’t make the cut. this song does things to me. just.. wow.

1. Italy - there is not one other song this year that makes me think ‘winner’. just... there isn’t any other. it has everything; two amazing male vocals (and that contrast between them, gOD THAT CONTRAST!), an amazing, original song, an important message, the soul... what more do you want? this is a masterpiece. makes you stop and listen. honestly, if they don’t win, i really don’t see the point.

[magnusrosen-blog]

Im so proud to be involved in this: Tony Martin: Black Sabbath Ex-Frontman Will Relase ” Thorns ” Former Black Sabbath singer, Tony Martin, signs with Battlegod Productions Australia for his upcoming solo album THORNS. The album is licensed in all of North and South America by Dark Star Records. The new album will feature Danny Needham (Venom), Magnus Rosen (HammerFall), Scott McClellan (who helped co-write the album) and Greg Smith who performed with Alice Cooper, Rainbow, Blue Öyster Cult, and many more. Talking about the new album, Tony says: “This new album is probably the most “Tony Martin” a Tony Martin album has ever sounded!! It’s got several surprises that will lift people’s eyebrows I am sure. Largely but not entirely based around the riffs of Scott McClellan, new to the world scene he has proved to be a worthy partner in crime for this release… I was able to make some great songs out of the riffs he was coming up with which is very similar in the writing sense to that which I experienced with Tony Iommi. Different sound and style but the riffing talent that someone like Scott has are very cool." Tony states that the album is the "diverse, melodic, powerful, thought-provoking and of a standard high as ever I have worked on." He believes "there are stories still to tell, songs still to be sung and with this album. I feel it’s achieved everything I could have wished for." Tony is "grateful to the people who have given their extra talents in appearances on this recording. It’s been a challenge in COVID lockdown, getting everyone’s performances from across the world, but in another way, it was a perfect opportunity to get it done.” Battlegod Productions label founder Peter Kotevski says that “Tony Martin is one of the best Metal vocalists of all time and lyrically brilliant and musically fantastic, a True Heavy Metal Legend." Tony Martin, is an English heavy metal vocalist, best known for his time fronting Black Sabbath, initially from 1987 to 1991 and again from 1993 to 1996. Martin was the band’s second longest-serving vocalist after Ozzy Osbourne. Eternal Idol and Headless Cross are among the best known Black Sabbath albums featuring Tony Martin as well as Scream his solo album from 2005. Tony Martin's new album Thorns will be available at Battlegod Productions. TRACKLIST: As The World Burns Black Widow Angel Book Of Shadows Crying Wolf Damned By You No Shame At All No Where To Fly Passion Killer Run Like The Devil This Is Your Damnation Thorns http://metal-roos.com.au/news/tony-martin-black-sabbath-ex-frontman-signs-with-battlegod-productions?fbclid=IwAR3EssQc7dylmM0cq9kEvwjY3d3wLlvnLKxBZmS_vVB3UK4Gu7fGy1oLTMQ 

Magnus.

www.magnusrosen.com

[pikapepikachuu]

How Josh Wakely landed the Beatles, Dylan, Motown and more

Could I please have a knife and fork, he asks the waiter as we take our seats in Mr Wong, a bustling, upscale modern Chinese restaurant in a converted warehouse in Sydneys CBD. Even as the words are leaving his lips, he knows theres a good chance theyll end up in print. I knew the risk I was taking, he says. He pulled the same stunt on his first date with the woman who was to become his wife. Shes a human rights lawyer and I was a semi-employed screenwriter and I went for the knife and fork. And how did it turn out? I got a second date, but it still burns her, he says. At least it wasnt a spoon. Wakely is quite happy to tell stories against himself. Hes proud of what he has achieved that his success allows him to order the spectacularly good salt-and-pepper Balmain bugs at this restaurant whenever hes in town, for instance and he has ambitions to achieve a lot more. But as a boy from Newcastle, he also knows it doesnt do to get ideas too far above your station. His parents were, comparatively speaking, quite posh his mother was a social worker, his father a teacher but the town in which he was raised was dominated in every sense by the steel plant, at least until it closed in 2000. Everyone was employed in BHP and then everyone wasnt, he says. It was a very working-class world and thats still the world I feel most comfortable in. And yet the one thing I could do was write, though I didnt really know what to do with that.

The salt and pepper Balmain bugs are a highlight.Credit:Louise Kennerley He lasted just five weeks in an arts-law degree at Newcastle Uni his brush with torts was cut short when he rocked up to class dripping from the surf, only to have his tutor tell him, I dont think youll be a lawyer before decamping to Sydney with dreams of making it as a writer. Some good reviews for his 2002 play Woomera in which he also starred as a young detention-centre guard helped earn him a place at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, even though acting wasnt his primary interest. So I rang up the head of WAAPA and said, Ill come to your drama school, but I want to be a writer and director, he recalls, laughing at his own chutzpah. He says Im the only person whos ever rung up and negotiated. The tyro writer did all the acting and dancing expected of him even though he wasnt particularly good at it. Then he would go home and write for four or five hours, every night. By the time he left he had enough work under his belt to convince a series of producers to pay him to write screenplays none of which ever made it to production, he says, because they were just too ambitious for Australian budgets.

Beat Bugs marries the songs of the Beatles with computer-animated critters.Credit:Netflix Thats why his credits pre-Netflix are, to put it mildly, rather thin. But if he was guilty of thinking too big back then, Wakely has zero regrets. There is great power in being wildly naive, he says. Unquestionably, though, his most pie-in-the-sky idea was to go after the rights to the Beatles catalogue with an eye to turning their songs into an animated childrens series.

The bill, pleaseCredit:Karl Quinn Beat Bugs has recently produced its third season for Netflix, won him a screenwriting Emmy, and spawned three albums of Beatles covers by the likes of Sia, Pink, Rod Stewart and The Shins. Next year, a live version is set for an 80-city tour of the US and Canada. It's fair to say it's been a hit. But for a long time after Wakely and his wife moved to Los Angeles about a decade ago, it was just another wildly ambitious plan seemingly destined to go nowhere. One day, Wakelys worried father-in-law, visiting from Australia, tapped on the door of the garage where he wrote and asked what his back-up plan was if he didnt manage to land the Beatles rights. Ive got a good idea for Bob Dylan, came the reply. His father-in-law closed the door, shook his head in despair and walked away. Now I look back on it, he was the sane one, Wakely says. I was insane. When he finally got a chance to put his idea to Sony/ATV, which holds the publishing rights, Wakely rocked up with a demo recorded for $200 by his old mate Daniel Johns in one hand and a pitch document hed put together at a local printing shop in the other. The meeting didnt go well. For some reason, he was made to stand on a cushion, and its very hard to keep your status on a cushion. Then one of the executives fell asleep while Wakely was talking. Worst of all, when he hit play on the stereo it didnt work. And I just remember thinking, I am f---ed. It could have been a fatal blow, but as I left one of the guys there said, Hello, Goodbye would be a good song for children. That was enough. For Sony/ATV, the appeal of Beat Bugs lay in exposing the music to a generation that might otherwise never hear it. It refreshes their catalogues, it keeps them pertinent and present, Wakely says. If you refresh it, it stays in the culture. Presumably there was the small matter of a significant sum being handed over too? To be clear, I think the Beatles were fine without me, he says. I dont think it was ever about the cash. They made the cash long ago. Once he had the rights, everyone wanted to talk to Josh Wakely. In the weeks after, it was all expensive cars coming to take me to meetings at Disney and Dreamworks, he says. But while being feted was nice, he realised that if he signed with one of the majors hed get the bungalow and the credit but he wouldnt be making the show himself. So instead he went with Netflix and the Seven Network in Australia. I came back to Sydney to set up an animation company, which was its own epic journey. It was as hard, really, as securing the Beatles rights. Wakely is a restless spirit, though, and long before the first season was in the can he was onto the next thing. I kept saying to them, You know when I get the Beatles rights then Ill ask for Motown, because that will be electrifying for children. They just thought that was part of my stand-up act. And then Beat Bugs had success and I went back and reminded them. [embedded content] He landed the Dylan catalogue too he even spent a couple of hours in the presence of the great man, an experience he describes as sacred and Universal has given him access to its entire repertoire as he looks for ways to tell stories about the songs, or the stories behind the songs. Because that, really, is his thing. For now at least. When he got the go-ahead to do Beat Bugs, he says, Id never directed a frame of animation and Id only written one childrens script. But I get how music works with storytelling and I took a lot of confidence out of that. Now his slate also includes projects with Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, and a project called 27, based on the mythical age at which so many rock stars have died. What if one of them survived, and you get this alternative history, he says. You can watch it linear or you can watch it interactive.

The dining room in this converted warehouse is buzzing.Credit:Louise Kennerley Despite his success with Beat Bugs and Motown Magic, Wakelys main interest is in adult-oriented drama and comedy. He wants his company, Grace, to develop into a fully fledged production house, ideally based in Australia. The creative talent is here, he says. Its just a question of whether the resources and infrastructure are here and if youd get the blessing [from the studios in LA] to do it here. Theres no knowing how much of this he will be able to bring to fruition, of course. But on the evidence to date, youd be mad to rule out the possibility that he might just pull it off. At any rate, all he can do is ask for the chance to try. The odd power I take into those rooms is a sense that I shouldnt be there anyway, the kid from Newcastle says. So what have I got to lose? Follow the author on Facebook at karlquinnjournalist and on twitter @karlkwin Karl is a senior entertainment writer at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. Most Viewed in Entertainment Loading https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/how-josh-wakely-landed-the-beatles-dylan-motown-and-more-20190408-p51c3z.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

[jakemarnie-blog]

3. Being an effective team member, contributor, building confidence and being efficient. At the conclusion of my first few events I have gained a considerable amount of experience in such a short period of time. I have been fortunate enough to have been given an opportunity to work at many different types of events such as the Australian Superbike Championship, Bendigo White Night, Eastland Icerink, Real Madrid Fan Experience and also the Chinese Moon Lantern Festival. Working across many different areas of events and performing whilst being an effective team member has allowed me to realise I have the tools and passion to be able to continue in the industry. This has continually built my confidence more and more each week. Bump in and bump outs of events I can now work autonomously and perform all tasks to a hjgh standard. At Bendigo White Night I was given the responsibility of a new task that I have not performed previously. As the event required tasks to be completed at different stages, it meant new staff were starting and ending their shifts at different times throughout the bump in. This meant that I was made responsible of inducting staff to the sight and ensuring they knew were abouts around the sight they were needed. Being given such an important task made me feel like I was providing significant value to Miles Per Hour. It also allowed me to develop vital transferrable skills within the sporting industry such as staff management, risk management and organisation. With each event I definitely am getting more confident and my efficiency is getting to the level required to work in events.

4. Challenges To date, the internship experience has been a positive one with very little challenges or hurdles. Due to the somewhat unpredictability of events there are always going to be various dificulties which will need to immediately be addressed and also putting together plans so it doesn’t happen in the future. The first challenge as previously mentioned was my lack of Microsoft Excel experience as I havent had to use the software at my previous roles. My major project at the MotoGP required me to build a schedule and budget using excel. I knew that excel is such a useful tool that all workplaces use in the industry so I made sure I took the time upskilling in this area but watching tutorials and experimenting using the different features. This was a relatively easy challenge to overcome. Another challenge we had to overcome at the first Australian Superbike event at Morgan Park, QLD was the severe winds throughout the weekend. This was an issue with all of the signage around the track as each morning we inspected the signage a lot had shifted out of position or blown over. This was also because the ground was way too hard to peg the signage into the ground. This would obviously be an issue on race day with the sponsors, camera crew and also safety. To ensure all signage were correctly placed for race day we had to be on track even early and improvise by filling each sign with tyres to weight them down. This was a one off issue as all other courses we were able to peg the signs into the ground. Another isssue at this event that was totally unavoidable was the podium skin being ripped off of the truss knocking down the grid girls. To ensure the podium was still available for the main presentations I took the initiative to hold the podium down from behind so that Motorcycling Australia and its sponsors would be happy. We identified that this issue cannot happen again in the future as it could have ended in injury and also significant costly damage to the podium. This meant that we made sure and planned that in future events, that the podium be facing a certain direction so its not affected by the wind. Another challenge in the industry is the long working hours. At some events I was working at we had to start at 6am and not finish until 10pm. This wasn’t an issue for me as I thoroughly enjoy this type of work and love being at events.

5. Achievements and milestones both technically and professionally Having now completed the entirety of my internship it is a perfect time to refllect on my major aachievements. From a professional standpoint I believe firstly I worked extremely hard and perfected all of my duties that were handed to me by all of my supervisors. Completing all of the different aspects of the staffing logistics for the MotoGP is definitely something I am proud of as the weekend could not have run any smoother. The briefing document I created was professional and will be used as a template going forward. The skills I have shown and developed over the course of the internship are much more than what I thought id be able to develop in such a short space of time. My initial goal and aspiration was to show enough skills and technical and professional growth to my supervisor with the hope to secure a role at Miles Per Hour. Having met with the owner at the conclusion of my 228 hours I can now say that because of my hard work and commitment I have been offered some part-time or casual work, working at events with the possibility of some office responsibilities. This is a great achievement for me now having completed my bachelor of sports business and searching for a start in my career in the industry. This will be a great starting point for me to be able to further enhance my skills and experience and add some real value to the company. 6. Career aspirations including goal setting (reflections on submitting job applications) Prior to beginning my studies at Holmesglen I have always aspired to have a career in the athlete management industry. Now that ive completed this has not changed. Hearing various guest speakers throughout the degree who have worked in that field, were able to secure an agency job after some time working in events. This is due to the transferrable skills of managing, problem solving and organisation. Working in events also allows you to deal with a range of people and clients which offer a great opportunity to network with the right people. As Miles Per Hour work in conjunction with one of the leaders of athlete management TLA Worlwide, moving forward this may provide me wi th the opportunity to network and build my professional brand to level where I may be sought after. This is now only a dream but given the opportunity to do so I would grab it with both hands. As completing the degree is still so fresh I do not currently have any immediate plans for starting my career in the industry other than the casual events role as previously mentioned. I have however also secured a role at Basketball Jersey World and have sent a job application for a duty manager role at YMCA managing the Casey Stadium. This internship process has allowed me to almost perfect writing job applications as I did annoyingly have to write numerous applications to land an internship role. Being a manager at a local facility would be a different kind of challenge all together but believe I do have the skills necessary to excel in this thanks to the course at Holmesglen as well as my jnternship and work experiences. As I am in America for a month I only applied for this role as a requirement of the unit but would be ecstatic given the opportunity. Once I do get back however I will definitely be on the lookout for a role whjch would suit my skills and aspirations. Im fairly confident that I can put together an attractive cover letter and resume addressing the selection criteria. I will ensure I regularly scan sportspeople and LinkedIn for the next big role. 7. Supervisor evaluations and future career professional development requirements   Not to be over confident but I was not surprised with receiving such a positive evaluation from the owner of Miles Per Hour, Geordie. All of the strengths of mine he has mentioned such as Ability to learn quickly, Communicate with other staff, Stay calm under pressure and Hard working attitude I have acquired through my various other jobs particularly at US Sports Down Under. These strengths however have undoubtedly been further developed through the 228 hour internship. When looking into whether or not I require further professional development I would say I believe I am ready to tackle role that im fortunate enough to land moving forward. Due to the nature of the course with all subjects being so industry specific which is not a feature at all universities I believe I already have tbe required knowledge in my focus areas such as sponsorship, events, marketing and athlete management. I would not require any further study. If anything, I would benefit and would love to do an internship in the US which many professional clubs offer numerous of. Working in the US would be a dream and completing an internship there would be a big step in achieving that.  

8. Student showcase and reflections on internship and studies Now that the internship, my studies and the student showcase are over I am first of all relieved to say the least. It has been an extremely long road to get to this point but I a mm extremely proud with what I have been able to achieve to date and definitely looking forward to the future. It was extremely exciting to hear all of the great experiences that my fellow classmates had throughout their internship and was quite pleased that I too had such a positive outcome from mine. I wasn’t short of exciting things to talk about and really wanted all the awesome events I was fortunate enough to attend to be a focus. I was happy for the students also who have actually been able to secure full time roles in the industry. Being such a competitive person this has made me even more determimed to put myself out there and try and land a full time role myself either in events, player management, sponsorship or venue management. After studying for 3 years at Holmesglen I believe it has prepared me well for the workforce especially with the sport and industry specific subjects ive been fortunate enough to undertake. Because of this I am extremely confident that I am well skilled and equipped enough to look attractive to potential employers. Due to feeling so prepared I believe I will have the confidence to deliver high standard interviews moving forward. Right now im looking forward to a little break, refresh and then search for that first full time role in the industry.    

[grapsandclaps]

GRAPS AND CLAPS DOES PROGRESS

Hello everyone and welcome to the story of Show 66 of the #100showyear which took me on a monster 4 hour journey via Leeds to Progress Wrestling in jolly old Camden Town for their last show before the big one of the year at Ally Pally. So this was a case of putting the final pieces into the jigsaw before the hype train leaves the station, lets see what went down.

One thing to point out using Virgin East Coast trains is the big difference from its West Coast rivals is that they have put plug sockets next to each set of seats, which for anyone knows who dont have a table seat can be an arse to charge your phone which is soon dwindling down to 5%. Also posher seats with more padding for my ever expanding arse - all this travelling and sitting down does nothing for my svelt figure - Hey Fatty Bum Bum!!

Arriving in London, it was straight to the usual Premier Inn at Euston at a cost of £82 for the night, you know what you are getting with a Premier Inn - if its good enough for Lenny Henry its good enough for me. One downfall though was the lack of bedding on the sofa bed, which meant our Geoff was to take up his usual 3/4s of the bed and me clinging on for dear life staring into the abyss of the carpeted floor. As stated by a few wrestlers on twitter - Why do hotels never stick plug sockets on your bedside table to charge your mobile? Never got it myself why this is the case 😕

All checked in, it was straight to the ballroom as the first bout of the afternoon was at 330pm. Getting in i have noticed that Progress have stopped putting wristbands on the seats, not sure why but im sure someone will know? It felt a quieter crowd than usual due to the transport issues getting into the capital but soon filled up once the action began.

Pre show action began with Never Say Die vs The debuting Aussie Open in a really good opener and could have easily been on the main card. The Aussies who have become instant favourites since arriving to the UK took most of the action on NSD, impressing with flying cutters, piledrivers and other high octane offence - sadly no Awful Waffle from Mark Davies to finish the match as they were soon overhauled by NSD who picked the win up in around 10 minutes. Good stuff and would like to see Aussie Open again in Progress as they could be a great addition to a growing division.

First main match was Strangler Davis fresh from disposing of long time partner - Rob Lynch vs Connor Mills in an ok opener mainly to get over the noose wielding Strangler as a force to be reckoned with. Davis is very much submission based showing off shades of 1980s World of Sport arm whips and headscissors, Mills tried his best but succoumbed to the strangle for the tapout in about 7 minutes. 1-2 NOOSE!!!! Your Winner James Davis 👍 🖒.

Interview time with Flash Morgan Webster and Progress Odd Couple - Jimmy Havoc and Mark Haskins with added Townsend The Tree bought by Progress Management for Flash (Daylight Shrubbery if you ask me). Very funny segment this which set up a tag match at the end of the night with Travis Banks and Resident Scowler - Pete Dunne interjecting themselves. So it was made Haskins & Havoc vs Dunne & Banks in a Dysfunctional Tag Team Match HOLLA HOLLA MY FRIENDS!

Womens No.1 Contendership match up next with Jinny vs Dahlia Black for the right to face Toni Storm at Ally Pally. Very physical match here with Jinny taking the early advantage on her slightly taller opponent but as time wore on Dahlia gained the advantage and picked up the win on Jinny to face Toni Storm in a New Zealand vs Australia battle, but as we shall see later on Dahlia picked up an injury suffered at the hands of Pete Dunne in the main event. This writer likes both Storm and Black, but ive been a long time Toni Storm fan so would like to see her come out as champion at Ally Pally.

Next 2 matches were to decide the stipulations for the tag title match at Ally Pally between CCK and British Strong Style. 1st up was Kid Lykos vs Tyler Bate in a very good match more playing up to the junior heavyweight style of wrestling - a cry of “Small Lads Wrestling” was heard from the Progress which riled a visibly pissed off Tyler. I know Tyler is supposed to be apart of the main heel faction in Progress but i cant help but feel he looks very reluctant to be as dastardly as his bearded cohort Trent Seven and Pete Dunne, i smell Tyler going out on his own sometime here 😤.

Finish of the match came when Trent Seven came to interfere using the old distraction finish to put Lykos off his game enough for Tyler Bate to pick up the win. Stipulation time and after much humour about a possible Punjabi Prison Match and a trip for Jim, Jon and Glen to the nearest B & Q, it was settled on a normal tag match as BSS’s stipulation to piss off the Progress throng to a chorus of boos my mate Shauna would be proud of.

Chris Brookes vs Trent Seven then took place to decide the next stipulation in another good match but with Trent getting a taste of his own medicine with Lykos this time helping his mate Brookes to perform a Sick Fucking Tag Move to get the win and the choice of stipulation was you ask - A Ladder Match which should be a fantastic spectacle to see, but hopefully better ladders have been hired unlike the last time during SDS Vs The Riots.

Break done it was time for FSU vs The Grizzled Young Vets (sounds like a 6 part drama on ITV Sunday Night at 8pm, think Heartbeat but with a Scouser and a Wet Dog), that said Drake and Gibson are a welcome addition to the tag leagues and provide a great threat to the face teams out there (if CCK win at Ally Pally i can see a match up between the 2 teams) FSU are in a state of flux where they are not diminished if they lose as they are popular enough to overcome it, plus as well Eddie Dennis and Mark Andrews are accomplished singles wrestlers in their own right.

But with that said they couldnt put away the GYV’s who picked up the win with the elevated lung blower in a really good tag match and a great way to start the second half.

Next up was a clash of technical styles which was maybe my only downpoint as it featured seasoned British star Doug Williams vs my beating stick - Timothy Thatcher. Now i know i get plenty of stick for my non love of Thatcher from close wrestling friends of mine, but it is an opinion i will stick with - that is even though he is a good technical wrestler, he can suck the atmosphere out of an audience just like that - ive seen him 5 times now live and even though i have given him a chance u just dont think i will see the fascination with him.

The match was ok but i saw a far superior Doug Williams match the other week vs PCWs Philip Michael in Blackpool. Thatcher picked up the submission win over a valiant Doug and moves onto the 3 way at Ally Pally vs Matt Riddle and Walter which should be as hard hitting as they come as long as they turn it into a slugfest it will be magical.

Main event time with Haskins and Havoc vs Banks and Dunne but was mainly played up as a 2 on 1 with Dunne refusing to co-operate with Travis Banks and instead taking a spot on the announcing booth proceeding to boot Progress Flag Waver - Callum Leslie in the balls. Haskins and Havoc took advantage of the numbers game early on and worked well as a unit and not showing much dissent but it would soon end as a mix up between the two cost them dearly and Travis Banks hit the Slice of Heaven but before he could go for the pin Dunne ran to the ring and smashed Banks to leave Haskins prone for the 1-2-3.

Whilst Banks was down injured, BSS took advantage and beat down Banks and the incoming CCK, Dunne also proceeded to drag Dahlia Black onto the stage and hit her with a Sledgehammer to a chorus of boooooooooosssss to make the heel squad look strong going into Ally Pally in 2 weeks.

Beer prices - £4.90 for Camden Pale as ever it was passable.

Graps done it was time to hit the bright lights of Camden, but first it was Maccy D’s for a £1.99 big mac and fries whilst witnessing some 5 ft 5 roidhead planning to smack a nerd (your typical night in London i guess). But if this was a one on one match, imagine being done over like my mate Ben who faced Five Guys and got shafted for £19.90 all for a Burger, Fries and a Shake - Tory Britain strikes again 😮.

Pubs visited included Brewdog Camden for a £2.75 half pint of Orange Ale which was alright but i wouldnt pay for a full pint of it.

The Black Heart for a pint of £5.80 Fruity Cream Ale from Weird Beard, a discussion about what 6 matches i would stick on a promotion if i ran one in Rochdale Town Hall came out with a decent card in our dreams. As long as their is a hot buffet and a raffle im sure punters will be happy enough 😍.

The Worlds End produced shouty shouty RAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH music and a £5.50 pint of Lowenbrau pffft. It was then off to more cheaper climbs of The Ice Wharf Wetherspoons which was packed to the rafters with people getting down to the sounds of despacito. A pint of IPA was had here and was very nice at a cost of around £4, i recommend the Peanut Butter Stout Can our Geoff had which was lovely and sweet for £2.99.

Last call was to The Prince Arthur pub for a £5 pint of cask ale (daylight robbery especially for Cask ale) - Decentish pub but very pricey for my Northern liking. A cheeky whisky and coke in the hotel bar for £4.10 was had to send me off to bed for a what was a great nights kip 😴😴😴😴😴😴.

Overall a good setup show for Ally Pally, nothing outstanding but nothing bad. Would i say it was worth the 4 hour trip and the cost of it - probably not but still good times were had. I am just hoping now at Ally Pally that Travis Banks and CCK win their respective matches as it is the natural finish to the storyline with them but we just have to wait and see.

Next review will be Lucha Forever from tomorrow night in Manchester, till then its a goodbye from me but make sure you spread the word of #grapsandclaps amongst the Twitter Universe. As i guess you all seem to enjoy these tales of British Wrestling Travelling.