Athletic Equipment

Sunday, April 20, 2008 – 10:54 am

Shoulder Pads - a piece of protective equipment used in American and Canadian football. Most modern shoulder pads consist of a shock absorbing foam material with a hard plastic outer covering.


Jockstrap - (also known as a jock, supporter, or athletic supporter) is an undergarment designed for supporting the male genitalia during the performance of sports or other vigorous physical activity. Note: The word jock is also slang for penis.


Mouthguard (or mouth guard) - Protective wear that fits into the mouth and covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce levels of harm (injury) to the teeth, particularly when playing sports.


Cleats - A type of shoe designed especially for sports played on grass or dirt, such as soccer or American football. Unlike “spikes” for sports such as track and field and baseball, cleats generally have large studs on the bottom to assist in gripping the surface, preventing sliding and assisting in rapid changes of direction. The stud itself is often called a cleat.



Sports Phrases in Everyday English

Monday, March 10, 2008 – 12:27 pm

Phrases to remember:

kick off

team player

time out



Out of the Park

Wednesday, June 15, 2005 – 9:30 am

There are many phrases and idioms in American English that come from baseball. Two common ones are:

  • Hit it out of the park.
  • Hit a homerun.

A “homerun” is when a player hits the ball outside of the playing field. This is one way of scoring in baseball.

So to “hit a homerun” also means “to suceed” or “to do something in an outstanding or spectacular way.”

Example:

Joe: Did you like my speech?
Sam: Yeah, you really hit a homerun. (your speech was really great)

“Hit it out of the park” has a similar meaning. The “park” in this case means the “ballpark” (the stadium where baseball is played).

Example:

Joe: How did you do on your exam?
Sam: I hit it out of the park. (I did really great).