By Chanda Temple

When news started to spread about the World Games in Birmingham, Theresa McGhee Johnson wondered how she could show her enthusiasm to others.

So she did what she does best: she made a quilt.

The Birmingham native started the quilt in April 2022 and finished it at the end of June. In early July, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute included her quilt in its “Race to Freedom” exhibit, which will end on July 16. The gallery focuses on running in sports and includes historic pieces such as the Atlanta 1996 Olympic torch, cereal boxes with African American Olympians on them, notable memorabilia from Muhammad Ali, Hank Arron, and more.

Johnson’s quilt features 40 different sports from the World Games. She drew each image in her composition pad, made the patterns, ironed the patterns onto the quilt, and hand-stitched around each figure so they would stay in place. At the top of the quilt is a banner filled with his hand-stitched images of popular Birmingham landmarks including Sloss Furnaces, Citizens Bank founded by AG Gaston and Vulcan. It also sports the colors of the World Games.

“The quilt represents Birmingham, to me,” Johnson, 69, said. “I felt great from start to finish working on it. It was awesome.”

Her favorite square is the breakdancing square because she remembers her children breaking dancing in the garden when they were younger. She also loves the wheelchair rugby square. Some figures, such as sumo wrestlers and flag football, challenged her to create because she wanted the image to be perfect. But when she got stuck, she just closed her eyes and thought about how they moved during their workout.

When she returned to work, she managed to capture the movement of the sport.

“My family gave me time each night to take my nap and then get up at 7 a.m. and work on it,” she said. “My energies were ready to start flowing. My friends were thrilled to know that I created a part of Birmingham, AL history.”

A friend of hers, Dee Walker, stepped in to help Johnson create embroidered labels for each quilt square to show the name of the sport. Walker made the labels and Johnson sewed them onto the squares.

While making the quilt, Johnson often thought about how she used to watch the Olympics with her grandmother, who taught her how to quilt when she was 9 years old. And now, to still be able to use those skills on a project she created to showcase Birmingham. and the World Games are very special.

“Quilting is therapeutic. It’s so calming. It’s what I teach and it’s what I live,” said Johnson, who is the executive director of the United Community Center in Riley. She teaches free quilting classes Mondays from 2-5 p.m. at the center, located at 3617 Hickory Ave.

The “Race to Freedom” exhibit represents the marathon of progress and provides a historical perspective of African-American athletes and the challenges they faced early in their professional careers. Doors open at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. for this exhibit. Last admission to the exhibit will be at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Go here for more information. To see a video of the exhibition, go here.

BCRI will also host STEAM Sporting on Saturday July 16th. For more information on these events and more, visit www.bcri.org.

Photo credit: Courtney CooperWhen Kirsten Yelvington, Operations Administrator for the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, moved to Birmingham in October or 2021, she noticed the World Games branding and signage displayed throughout the city. .

While researching the range of sports at the 2022 Games, she noticed that duathlon was one of the sports represented and her interest was piqued: Yelvington’s nephew, Bert Harrison, a professional duathlete, was preparing for a competition in Spain to qualify for one of only two men’s duathlon spots on Team USA for the World Games.

“Bert has competed all over the world, so we asked if he was going to compete here at the World Games,” Yelvington recalled. “At the time we weren’t sure he was going to qualify, so I kept the World Games in the back of my mind and thought it would be amazing for him to have the opportunity. to run here.”

A love for running and cycling turned into an international career

Residing in Ellijay, Georgia, Harrison was interested in mountain biking and cross-country as a child. After racing cross-country at Berry College, Harrison nursed a few injuries through cross-training in cycling and found a love of cycling again.

Merging his two sporting passions, Harrison began participating in duathlons as a hobby. Duathlon, a sport from the triathlon family, is a sporting event that consists of a 10 km running stage, a 40 km cycling stage and a second final 5 km running stage. Duathlons are held over sprint, standard, medium and long distances.

After winning his first national duathlon championship in 2012, Harrison was hooked.

“I started training quite frequently and became instantly competitive in the duathlon. I started competing in national and international races and in 2018 I turned professional,” Harrison said.

After winning his age group in two races at the 2017 Duathlon World Championship in British Columbia, Canada, he then competed in Switzerland at the World Championship the following year and officially became a professional duathlete.

An unlikely duathlon between Birmingham and UAB

Photo credit: Courtney CooperAt the start of 2021, Harrison was struggling with an injury but had his eyes set on training and competing in Spain in November 2021 for a qualifying position at the 2022 World Games. He made the connection as the games unfolded next door in Birmingham, from all over the world, and knew it would be a great opportunity to represent his country and his family back home, especially with a family like Yelvington in the city.

“I regained sufficient health to make the trip to Spain and finally clinched my spot as one of two male duathletes representing our country at the World Games,” Harrison said. “I now aim to finish in the top 10 at the World Games and would love it if I could make that a reality in front of my family and friends who can watch me compete.”

On July 16, Harrison will compete at Railroad Park in the men’s elite race and the following day in the mixed relays. His current training schedule is around 20 hours a week, with 10 to 15 hours spent on his bike and another five running. Familiar with the hot southern climate, Harrison is training to prepare for his performance in Birmingham in a few weeks.

For Yelvington, seeing UAB’s involvement in the World Games comes full circle and continues to add to the excitement she has for the start of the games.

“I’m definitely more engaged and interested in the World Games thanks to Bert’s participation; but really, is it cool that Birmingham welcomes athletes from all over the world? I’m thrilled that his family and mine are all together for a mini-reunion and have the opportunity to experience the magical city and my new piece of paradise.

As the matches draw closer, the luck of the situation is not lost on Harrison that he often travels the world to compete and will now have the chance to do so in his backyard.

“I’m really excited to have the World Games in my area – the south – of all places in the world, and I’ll be very proud to be there doing what I love in front of so many people who will be cheering me on” “I hope I can represent the United States to the best of my ability,” Harrison said.

Ballarat has all the credentials to host marathon events at the Commonwealth Games Victoria 2026, and is the perfect location for athletes, organisers, spectators and viewers.

In April, Ballarat was named the host city for athletics at the 2026 Games, with most events taking place at Mars Stadium.

Ballarat City Mayor Cr Daniel Moloney said the venue for the marathon events – which include the men’s, women’s and wheelchair categories – has yet to be confirmed.

“Traditionally, the Commonwealth Games marathon is run in the same city (venue) as all other athletics events, and we hope that tradition will continue in 2026,” he said.

“In the event that other locations are under consideration, the clear benefits of hosting the marathon in Ballarat should be emphasized.”

A video showcasing these benefits has been sent to key stakeholders in the Victorian Government, the Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee, Commonwealth Games Australia and Athletics Australia.

The video features Cr Moloney, 2006 Commonwealth Games runner and Ballarat resident Shane Nankervis, up-and-coming Ballarat runner Gretta Ashley and City of Ballarat chief executive Evan King.

Cr Moloney said Ballarat has a long and proud tradition of distance running, from community competition to elite level competitors.

“Four decades ago, Steve Moneghetti began training on the same streets of Ballarat that we hope will host the marathons in 2026. Steve still leads them today,” he said.

“Our vision is that the legacy of these events will inspire generations of young Ballarat riders to the same heights as Steve Moneghetti and Shane Nankervis.”

A Ballarat marathon could offer the drama and excitement of a stadium finish, with the sights and sounds of a crowd of 30,000 at the Mars Stadium to entice runners to the line.

“As a volunteer at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006, the personal highlight for me was seeing Australian marathon runner Kerryn McCann enter the MCG just behind Kenyan runner Hellen Cherono Koskei,” said Cr Moloney.

“McCann was carried by the roaring crowd to victory in the final 200 metres, providing a memorable atmosphere for the athletics competition. It would be fantastic to offer athletes, live crowds and viewers around the world the opportunity to get to the stage of the 2026 marathon.”

Cr Moloney said residents of Ballarat and West Victoria would love the opportunity to see the marathon in their own backyards.

Whether it’s the tree-lined boulevard of Sturt Street, our rich array of 19th century heritage buildings in Lydiard Street, Lake Wendouree and our Botanical Gardens – Ballarat will provide an exceptional backdrop for the broadcast and excellent viewing opportunities for viewers.

“We can make sure this is the best spectator event Victoria has to offer. Sport is a way of life in Ballarat, and local fans will jump at the chance to experience a world-class event on their own streets at no cost,” said Cr Moloney.

“It would allow them to train on the competition course and acclimatize to the local conditions, and fully experience the Commonwealth Games with their own athletics team.

Most importantly, they will have necessary and immediate access to medical and support staff from the athletics team.

For athletes, Ballarat would allow the best possible preparation for running the marathon.

For event organizers, a Ballarat Marathon eliminates the requirement to temporarily house athletes and officials in a separate location or establish another hub.

“It also removes the need to duplicate the security and support logistics that we will have in place in Ballarat,” Cr Moloney said.

The early 2000s were a rich time for NFL and NBA games. Titles like Madden, NFL Blitz Pro, NBA 2K, ESPN NFL Football 2K, NFL Fever, NBA Live and NFL GameDay have overflowed store shelves. But there was a catch: Every game outside of NFL Blitz Pro was a simulation-style sports game, providing realistic versions of games played on hardwood and the grill. Which was good, but the number of arcade-style games was pretty tight, especially on the basketball side.

Then, in 2001, EA Sports Big released NBA Street, a game that was the first of its kind when it came to NBA licensed games. The in-game NBA rosters consisted of five players — each with different stats — and you had to decide which ones would compete in a 3-on-3 version of 21, a full-contact street basketball variation. Each match was played on various street courts, including the famous Rucker Park in New York.

During play, players could perform stunning streetball moves including dunks, layups, and crossovers. Each move earned you points that filled a meter. When that meter was full, you unlocked a scoring move called Gamebreaker, which not only added to your score, but also subtracted points from your opponent’s score – later games allowed you to collect Gamebreakers to perform more exotic plays that would deduct even more from your score. opponent’s score.

The Gamebreaker feature was so popular that EA brought it to NFL Street in 2004. NFL Street’s version of Gamebreaker temporarily turned your comeback into Tecmo Bowl’s Bo Jackson, making them impossible to approach, and it also allowed defenders to fire the opposing quarterback. faster and cause more fumbling. There were no out of bounds, as the game replaced sidelines with walls players could be knocked into – think Arena Football but outside and with more pizzazz. Matches consisted of 7-on-7 football that lasted until someone scored 36 points.

These games featured a mini-renaissance in arcade-style sports gaming, but that was short-lived, with the final iterations coming in 2006 with NFL Street 3 and NBA Homecourt in 2007. Well, 15 years later, I think it’s high time for EA to take to the streets again and bring these titles back to life. EA hasn’t released an NBA Live game since 2018 and Madden is nothing more than a $70 roster update with old features considered new. By bringing new life to Street titles, EA could be giving sports gamers a welcome break from simulation-style sports games, which seem to deliver diminishing returns to gamers year after year.

Winning multiple championships and rebuilding lineups is one thing, but the feeling of throwing a touchdown pass 40 yards behind the back or unleashing a sleek, multi-pass dunk to end a game is unmatched. NFL Street was the real Iron-Man football, where players played both offense and defense. Your quarterback may have a cannon for an arm, but if he’s slow, putting him in retreating coverage will make throwing in the middle of the field a delight for the opposing offense.

Both games had unique game modes. NBA Street Vol. 2 had Be A Legend where you could create your own player and earn field credit by playing pickup games. This allowed you to unlock jerseys, Street Court legends like Stretch – which graced the cover of the first game – new courts, and more. NBA Homecourt had a mode called Gamebreaker Battle, where points were only scored using Gamebreakers. NFL Street has followed suit by allowing you to create your own team and logo while giving you the awesome ability to unlock multiple stadiums, players and more.

These games had no rules on how you could play outside of the team structure and they were big sellers. The first NBA Street sold 1.7 million copies, while NFL Street sold 950,000 copies. They helped create another avenue for sports games and what they could be. We’ve seen a glimpse of this before with the Backyard Sports series that started in the late 90s, and NBA Street and NFL Street have improved on that by adding 3D graphics and using real – albeit abbreviated – NFL rosters. and NBA.

EA Sports BIG has brought the schoolyard style of these indoor sports to the masses, showing a more experimental side to the sports simulation studio. Arcade-style sports games allow for more creativity for both developers and players. Your only limit is your imagination, and the moves you could string together in these games made you feel like a mad scientist with a ball in your hands, and the pitch and terrain acting as your blackboards.

With games like Minecraft and World OlliOlli, released in February 2022, Taking inspiration from things like building blocks and skateboards, it’s clear that toys have moved from toy boxes and playrooms to the video game industry. There’s always something whimsical about seeing games with plastic, plush, or wooden art styles mixing a nostalgia factor of playing with toys as a kid and enjoying more intricate fun. as an adult.

Whether games allow players to assume the roles of favorite toys and stuffed animals, or simply rely on familiar imagery and game types to establish their identity, toys have evolved far beyond simple toys that most children have grown up with over the decades.

11 Lego games

If there is a series that knows how to play with toys, it is the LEGO games. Whether it be Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Where The Avengersthe series merges the familiarity of many famous franchises with all the colorful fun of playing with a new box of LEGO.

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The games are all about being silly and creative with the same amount of imagination and creativity that made the various movies and adventures they explore so incredible. Fantasy and superhero epics are all beautiful and dandy, but there’s just something impeccably enjoyable about seeing the same scenes from the movies recreated with Minifigs.

ten The brave squire

Although the game is technically not released yet, The brave squire already has the makings of a stylistic platforming adventure that seems to borrow many different gameplay mechanics and visuals from other iconic toys and video games. Obviously inspired by The Legend of Zelda at its core, the game clearly draws inspiration from childhood toys as Jot the Squire escapes from his storybook and enters a child’s room.

From the trailer alone, visions of video games, Rubix Cubes, coloring books, and other toy box accessories abound. Players may still have to wait until August to play, but it sure looks like a fun time with more than a few quirks to spare.

9 naughty bear

Classic Game Room on YouTube described this game as “The Care Bears meet The Shining,” and it’s certainly a good take on a game like Naughty bear. games like Hotline Miami and Grand Theft Auto thrive on gratuitous violence, but this game replaces guts and blood with fabric and buttons as the player assumes the role of a very disgruntled teddy bear.

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Naughty Bear itself is what would happen if someone put Ash Williams, Jason Voorhees, and Winnie the Pooh in a blender and turned it on. The game allows players to unleash their frustrations on a population of colored bears by strangling and mauling them in the most creative ways possible, making for both an absurd and disturbing experience.

8 Puppeteer

Puppeteer is an interesting alternative platformer, to say the least. It’s a platform game brought to life via a puppet theater where players must control a puppet boy who can wield magic scissors to affect the environment around him.

When Kutaro literally loses his head at the feet of the fearsome Moon Bear King, he and his friends must save the souls of captured children and take on the king’s army of henchmen lying behind the scenes at the puppet stage. It’s a very over-the-top experience that plays most of its elements for laughs, but it’s really as entertaining as a night at the theater.

seven disney infinity

Toy-to-life video games were kind of a fad in the 2010s, but disney infinity had a very distinct and enjoyable toy-themed experience with a cast of beloved Disney characters and environments. As a kid, it was always fun to have different action figures and stuffed animals of famous people play. disney infinity make that happen.

The likes of Mickey and Minnie could battle the Green Goblin with the Guardians of the Galaxy, then go go-karting with Chewbacca and Darth Vader. This is the kind of imaginative gameplay offered by the title. With so many movies, characters, and features to play with, it’s so tragic that the studio has ceased production.

6

5 Yoshi’s woolly world

The Yoshi’s Island games have always had an unwaveringly playful nature since they were first created on the SNES, but the way Yoshi’s woolly world uses soft and fluffy characters made of yarn, fabric, buttons and other plush materials are absolutely adorable.

While it retains many familiar mechanics and controls from the original SNES games, this cute and cuddly world of plush and felt feels like it was knit with love for Yoshi. Players beware, just because he has a soft exterior doesn’t mean he lacks challenge. Even with Yoshi’s friendly nature, the game will test hardcore platformers.

4 Kirby’s Epic Yarn

Yoshi wasn’t the first to get the craft-inspired treatment, as Kirby’s Epic Yarn sent Nintendo’s favorite chubby pink puffball on an adventure through a nifty realm. Imagine what would happen if Kirby was taken away from the magical kingdom of Dreamland and had to escape the local Hobby Lobby, and that’s that title in a nutshell.

Although he may lack his signature copy ability, Kirby can transform into various vehicles and objects to traverse this new world. Similar to the previously mentioned title, Kirby works its magic on a plush-inspired world with tons of platforming goodness worthy of the character’s standard repertoire.

3 Boxless Hypercharge

If a player has ever played with an action figure at least once in their life, they will know how to play Hypercharged unboxed. Essentially an FPS mixed with toy story Where little soldiers, the game puts the player in control of their own miniature in different game modes, from tower defense to zombie mode.

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Charming doesn’t even begin to describe this delightfully whimsical action game, as it was clearly designed and programmed by a team of loving hands. Players will battle green army men, rattling toy robots, and dinosaurs with toy guns and ammo. It’s sure to trigger a truckload of nostalgia for gamers who had GI Joe and star wars characters competing in the backyard.

2 little big planet

If there’s a name synonymous with cute, cuddly, toy-inspired gameplay, it’s the little big planet Games. Sackboy and all his adventures through the various imaginative planets made up of cardboard, craft supplies, toys and other odds and ends. Couple all of that with Stephen Fry’s narration and it’s a game that absolutely oozes fantasy.

It’s a side-scrolling platformer where players interact with various bits and bobs in a charming world full of varied environments and a colorful and quirky cast of characters. From castles to space stations, the kingdoms of LittleBigPlanet are only limited to the imagination.

1 The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

This remake of the Gameboy classic leaned heavily on a cute, almost doll-like atmosphere, transforming Koholint Island from an 8-bit world into a beautiful fantasy that could be a Zelda-themed play set. Link looks absolutely adorable as a little toy version of himself. That being said, it still follows the same weird story from 1993.

Don’t be fooled by the Toy Town of Koholint and the comic egg on top of the mountain. The tale of the Wind Fish and its mysterious, dark end is still present, just wrapped up in a nice wrapper.

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10 Nigeria vs South Korea (2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup)

9 Nigeria vs Canada (2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup)

8 Nigeria vs Sweden (2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup)

7 Nigeria vs Niger Republic (2019 WAFU)

6 Nigeria v Equatorial Guinea (WAFCON 2018)

5 Nigeria vs Zambia (WAFCON 2018)

4 Nigeria vs Japan (2004 Athens Olympics)

3 Nigeria v Cameroon (WAFCON 2014)

2 Nigeria vs Mali (WAFCON 2016)

1 Nigeria vs Cameroon (WAFCON final 2016)

Backyard parties just got a little more competitive with this fun take on beer pong

Always worth the wait, summer is upon us and backyard parties are back in full force. When sorting out the elements needed to make your gatherings a legit good time, it’s always important to remember some gaming action, because who doesn’t love a little competition between cold sips on a hot day?

Rated five stars on Amazon, BasketPong is ready to bring you up to speed in this department. So to take it up a notch, grab your beer, put aside the solo cups or card games and enjoy a fresh take on pong shenanigans. Typically priced at $150, you can pick up your own set for just $120 when you use code JULY20 during our 4th of July sale.

Ideal for travel and built to last, BasketPong is a perfect game to bring out while getting together with a group of friends or family. BasketPong comes with 12 buckets, two seven-inch rubber basketballs, and a carry bag for easy storage or transportation. Plus, the package weighs less than two pounds, so you’ll have no problem moving the game to a new location.

Incorporate BasketPong into your drinking plans and have the opponent take a sip every time a ball lands in their bucket. Or keep it suitable for all ages and watch the kids get excited as they take turns and show off their snaps.

Ready for your next backyard barbecue, picnic in the park, or trip to the beach, the BasketPong Giant Yard Pong Basketball Game is ready to enhance your summer experience for just $120 (usually $150) when you use the coupon code JULY20 at checkout. And during this limited time offer, you can use this coupon sitewide for all orders over $100.

3 Monkeys Inflatables is pleased to share that they have expanded their inventory for carnival games and have also introduced an attractive line of backyard game rentals. The website now offers bouncy house rentals, water slide rentals, and party rentals for birthdays, church and community events, corporate events, college events, and many other fun parties. Carnival games don’t mean they’re for big events with big spaces, and this company also offers games suitable for backyard parties. Some popular options in this category are Giant Connect, Giant Jenga Tower, Giant Pick Up Sticks Games, Oversized Chess, Bottle Ring Toss Bin Game, and Golf Challenge.

Those who can save space can also rent equipment such as Human Whack a Mole Interactive Game, GAGA Ball, Battle Dome Interactive Arena, QB Blitz Football Toss, Soccer Shoot Out Inflatable Game, Target Hoverball archery and many more. With over 60 carnival games and party rentals, party planners will be spoiled for choice. Starting as low as $40, customers can choose to have as many games as possible to provide their guests with an amazing carnival experience with the greatest selection. There are games for guests of all age groups.

With the pandemic still doing the rounds, people are very cautious. 3 Monkeys Inflatables offers amenities that allow guests to stay at least 6 feet apart while enjoying a good game. Party planners looking for suggestions for planning an event and keeping their guests safe can visit the page of Covid suggestions for more details. When it comes to equipment, customers can rest assured that every bouncy house rental, waterslide rental, and party rental equipment is thoroughly sanitized after each use. The equipment also undergoes periodic maintenance and safety checks.

Backyard play rentals also offer toddler bouncy house rentals, perfect for kids ages 1-6. Toddler units will be great additions to a backyard party and parents with toddlers will love the arrangement too. Perfect for preschool parties, first birthdays, fun kids events and other parties, this gear is absolutely safe for little ones. It’s a constant effort by 3 Monkeys Inflatables to bring our customers new and exciting party rentals. They ensure that the inventory is updated from time to time. This allows clients to plan an event according to their budget, whether small or large. 3 Monkeys is also fully insured, contributing to a stress-free entertainment rental experience.

To learn more, visit https://www.3monkeysinflatables.com/category/carnival_games/

About the 3 inflatable monkeys

3 Monkeys Inflatables are the carnival game and backyard game rental specialists delivering to York, Lancaster, Hershey, Harrisburg, Baltimore, Reading and many other cities in central Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Known as the Mid-Atlantic Attractions and Large Event Specialists, this company caters to the entertainment needs of the community, colleges, churches and corporate events, school events, birthday parties, graduation parties and other special events.

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Contact

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Phone: 717.650.7657

Website: https://www.3monkeysinflatables.com/

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FOR THE BIG ACCOUNT

Hockey has always been synonymous with India. While the sport has certainly had its ups and downs in India, the national team’s hegemony at the Olympics will always be cherished. The 1980s and beyond saw a decline in the performance of both men and women on the court. However, with the introduction of hockey to the Commonwealth Games in 1998, the teams regained their mojo and performed terrifically in the competition.