What makes Australia so damn good?

[Hooper]

i think its more than just cricket.

As kids we are brought up with so many sports happening around us (AFL, rugby, cricket, basketball, soccer etc) and through school we play these sports and get coached through sporting programs, and then physical activity is encouraged and promoted throughout high school with awesome inter school sports competitions, and then not mentioning the compulsory athletic and swimming days secondary schools have to have. Then once teen years come we have these skills all muddled together. Where as other countries might not have the same opportunities to play as much sport as we do.

Then the media might be another factor. So much attention is put onto sport and sporting events. Its hard to find a role model for a kid who isn't an athlete

If you look at some players the Australian team (i forget exactly who) they had to make a decision in their teen years whether or not to continue with another sport which they were state reps in, or cricket. So that proves they just were'nt technically brilliant in cricket, they were just overall good at sport

Yeah, I agree with that. School sport is definitely a way how many of Australia's athletes get into sports. They may be good at not only one sport as a result of this:

Steve and Mark Waugh - Could of had Soccer or Tennis careers.
Andrew Symonds - Could of had a Rugby League career.
Gregg Blewett (and Ponting I think) - Could of been decent Golfers.
Shane Warne - VFL reserves player.

See, its just how Aussies are brought up with sport. We are introduced to everything and anything. We may be a small country compared to countries like England and India but we focus on sport at a young age more I think. Myself, I have played Hockey (Ice), Soccer, Footy, Cricket and Basketball. All of them sports I played outside of school. So we get a broad choice to choose from and you can join teams easily. Back to the Cricket thing. Its the summer thing, families here play it at Xmas, at parks, in their backyards, in the street or at your local school with their Cricket nets. Its just so popular, all kids want to play it, we have leagues for all ages, in all areas. Then we have representative Cricket. Then theirs the Grade Cricket level, As, Bs, Cs, Ds. Then our State Cricket system is probably the best Domestic system in the world. Us Australians are probably so damn good because we live and breathe Cricket in the summer and their are so many levels at which you can play it at.

Sorry if that rambled on a bit, its 1AM here.

 

[MUFC1987]

Cricket is also popular in Australia. In England for example players (e.g. Phil Neville) will always choose Football over Cricket, whereas I don't think that is as prominent in Australia.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

One reason is coaching is better in Australia. They recognise natural talent straight away, and nurture it. If a bowler doesn't have much pace on him, they tell him to be accurate and turn him into a McGrath style. If he's quick, develop that. If a batsman hits the ball hard, teach him how to field/keep and let him develop into that. Good technique, develop that. I haven't heard of any spinners turn to seamers or vice versa in Australia either.
Then there is natural athleticism with Aussies.
And then, strong domestic Competition.
Then, they select players when older, and not 19/20 like other countries. You need to have performed before you make it.
And ofcourse, a strong emphasis on fitness and fielding much before other teams focused on it.

 

[genghis_khan]

An interesting topic.

For those suggesting Australia will suffer a dip like the Windies they are wrong, the game is administered and run far too well in this country to suffer a severe dip like that.

I think it is a genetic thing, not just with cricket but competitive activities as a whole.

 

[Animator!]

Im of the opinion that there is just a lot more of a competitive nature in Australia. There are children of a lot of ability in many sporting fields, so it's the case of really have to work/play/train hard and become very good to get to the standard. In England we're not pushed as hard.

 

[Gilly Fan]

Shane Warne - VFL reserves player.

Yeah but he was a bit slow and failed to chase Kernahan and was benched and didn't play for the rest of the game, or ever. He was a good full forward, always kicked bags of goals.

 

[smssia0112]

Well when you consider the culture of Australia it isn't much of a surprise that they are so good at sports for a country their size.

Basically the country lives and breathes on three sports; Australian Football, Rugby and Cricket.

In America, children memorize names such as Lincoln and J.F. Kennedy. In Australia, household names are more like Bradman or Ablett (AFL player).

The entire culture of Australia revolves around sport. Even a minor sport such as Soccer gained a huge following around World Cup time.

Melburnians, it is said, will see anything if it involves sport. Rugby is very minor in Melbourne, but more than 80,000 packed into the MCG to watch the Bledisloe Cup. The friendly against Greece (soccer) had a similarly large crowd, and an A-League match at the Telstra Dome got around 50,000 which is amazing for a sport that has never been popular in Australia.

While countries in Asia are concerned with their army, Australia is concerned with its sports.

It is the dream of almost every boy to represent their club or country in footy, cricket or rugby. It's just the way Australia is.

When you have a nation so addicted to sport, kids grow up playing it and you begin to produce stars. For a country so small, Australia is number 1 in the world at cricket and rugby league and very good at union. We have in the past produced great players at tennis, and have a sprinkling of good players at many other sports such as basketball. Even soccer, historically a minor sport, has been somewhat succesful.

The facilities are just made for sports and when so many people are into it and have such good training, you produce good teams.

 

[rickyp]

IMO It's the mentality and attitude, we don't need to be the best to win, look at our soccer team at the world cup, they are crap, but were the toughest there, and made it past the group stages..

 

[Sureshot]

Yeah, I agree with that. School sport is definitely a way how many of Australia's athletes get into sports. They may be good at not only one sport as a result of this:

Steve and Mark Waugh - Could of had Soccer or Tennis careers.
Andrew Symonds - Could of had a Rugby League career.
Gregg Blewett (and Ponting I think) - Could of been decent Golfers.
Shane Warne - VFL reserves player.
Hooper - Definitely not getting a career as an English teacher

----

Australia is a very outdoors country, they do an awful lot of stuff outside, from surfing to cricket, from Rugby to Aussie rules, etc. It came up in our Science lesson last night, because Australia receives more UV light than any other country and is a huge problem for Melanoma's, and the Aussie government has got brands and make up companies to include sun block in their products, apparently.

As for why they are so good at Cricket?

Mental attitude, so many Aussie's have such a winning attitude which helps a huge amount.

Ability? It's hard to compare just ability to ability from one nation to another, I personally think that ability is pointless if you haven't got the mental attitude to take you to the next step.

 

[Cricketdude]

IMO It's the mentality and attitude, we don't need to be the best to win, look at our soccer team at the world cup, they are crap, but were the toughest there, and made it past the group stages..

???? Australia are actually pretty good on paper! They got Bresciano who plays for Palermo, Kewell who plays for liverpool, Scott Macdonald(new youngster) Celtic, Viduka plays for Newcastle, Tim Cahill who plays for Everton, Lucas Neill who plays for West Ham United, Mark Schwarzer who plays for Middlesbrough, David Carney(youngster) plays for sheffield united, Jason Culina who plays for PSV, Michael Burchamp who plays for FC Nurnberg, Patrick Kisnorbo who plays for Leicester City, John Alousi(retired from European leagues now).

How are we cheap tell me?

P.S We would of went further in our World Cup Campaign if it wasn't for Italy's dive in the penalty box, bloody cheats

 

[etho11]

Yeah, I agree with that. School sport is definitely a way how many of Australia's athletes get into sports. They may be good at not only one sport as a result of this:

Steve and Mark Waugh - Could of had Soccer or Tennis careers.
Andrew Symonds - Could of had a Rugby League career.
Gregg Blewett (and Ponting I think) - Could of been decent Golfers.
Shane Warne - VFL reserves player.

See, its just how Aussies are brought up with sport. We are introduced to everything and anything. We may be a small country compared to countries like England and India but we focus on sport at a young age more I think. Myself, I have played Hockey (Ice), Soccer, Footy, Cricket and Basketball. All of them sports I played outside of school. So we get a broad choice to choose from and you can join teams easily. Back to the Cricket thing. Its the summer thing, families here play it at Xmas, at parks, in their backyards, in the street or at your local school with their Cricket nets. Its just so popular, all kids want to play it, we have leagues for all ages, in all areas. Then we have representative Cricket. Then theirs the Grade Cricket level, As, Bs, Cs, Ds. Then our State Cricket system is probably the best Domestic system in the world. Us Australians are probably so damn good because we live and breathe Cricket in the summer and their are so many levels at which you can play it at.

Sorry if that rambled on a bit, its 1AM here.

Yeh Ponting has a handicap of 2. For a cricketer that is amazing because i have heard from my local pro that my cricket swing affects my golf swing badly.

???? Australia are actually pretty good on paper! They got Bresciano who plays for Palermo, Kewell who plays for liverpool, Scott Macdonald(new youngster) Celtic, Viduka plays for Newcastle, Tim Cahill who plays for Everton, Lucas Neill who plays for West Ham United, Mark Schwarzer who plays for Middlesbrough, David Carney(youngster) plays for sheffield united, Jason Culina who plays for PSV, Michael Burchamp who plays for FC Nurnberg, Patrick Kisnorbo who plays for Leicester City, John Alousi(retired from European leagues now).

How are we cheap tell me?

P.S We would of went further in our World Cup Campaign if it wasn't for Italy's dive in the penalty box, bloody cheats

David Carney aint no youngster but our players in Europe do play for very decent clubs.

 

[Hooper]

same! When we went with school, he asked if I played Cricket...and he could tell.

Yeah but he was a bit slow and failed to chase Kernahan and was benched and didn't play for the rest of the game, or ever. He was a good full forward, always kicked bags of goals.

Lol, I see you have the King of Spin DVD as well

----

Why wont I be an English teacher?

 

[mattfb]

Andrew Symonds - Could of had a Rugby League career.
Gregg Blewett (and Ponting I think) - Could of been decent Golfers.

Symonds actually got asked but Brsibane Broncos coach to play a trial with them and was going to choose Rugby League but eneded up choosing cricket.

And Punter has like a 7 handicap in golf i think, could be wrong.

EDIT: Just read Ethos post, didn't know his handicap was that low!

 

[smssia0112]

same! When we went with school, he asked if I played Cricket...and he could tell.


Lol, I see you have the King of Spin DVD as well

Why wont I be an English teacher?

You could of if you were more careful.

Cricket is also popular in Australia. In England for example players (e.g. Phil Neville) will always choose Football over Cricket, whereas I don't think that is as prominent in Australia.

AFL has taken a lot of people away from cricket, and I'm sure that Rugby has had a few too, though not so many as the build difference is quite significant.

 

[mattfb]

same! When we went with school, he asked if I played Cricket...and he could tell.


Lol, I see you have the King of Spin DVD as well
Why wont I be an English teacher?

That video is awesome.