UNIT THREE

ATHLETICS

3.1 History of World Athletics

Athletics, a competitive sport that was founded in ancient times, has continued a dynamic, life-
enhancing sport. Athletics disciplines are among the oldest of all sporting competitions known to
mankind, with ‘run, jump, throw’ the natural and universal forms of human physical expression.

Athletics finally become popular again during the 19th century as amateur contests began, to be
held once again.

International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) was founded in On 17 July 1912 in

Stockholm, Sweden. It governs world track and field athletics.

In 1936 the IAAF took over regulation of women’s international track-and-which had been
founded in 1921.

The major aims of the IAAF are to establish friendly cooperation among members; eliminate
hindrance to participation in international meets on racial, religious, or political grounds; and
compile rules and regulations governing competition.

IAAF program leads fourteen multi-sport and area games competitions, including the Olympic
Games, are organized on all continents with athletics as the core sport. For example: World
Championships, World Indoor Championships, World Youth Championships, World Indoor
Championships, Continental Cup, World Cross Country Championships, Continental Cup,
World race Walking Cup, etc.

3.2 History of African athletics

African athletes have made a huge contribution to the sport, with continent’s illustrious history
stretching back to even before the formation of IAAF.

South Africa formed a national federation in 1894 and it was a sprinter from the country, Reggie
Walker, who becomes the first African to win an Olympic gold medal when he took the 100m
title.

A pivotal point was the famous barefooted marathon victory Ethiopian Abebe Bikila at the 1960
Olympic games in Rome. Kenya made its mark at the 1968, Olympics in Mexico City with Kip
Keino capturing the hearts of athletics running to win the 1500m.
African Women Athletes African women,

Despite often facing social and cultural barriers, quickly followed in the footsteps of their male
counter parts. Morocco’s Nawal El Moutawakil won the 400m hurdles gold medal at the 1984
Olympics in Los Angeles.

In 1992 Olympics in Barcelona Derartu Tulu won 10000meter, and she became the first African
woman.

3.3 History of Ethiopian athletics

Athletics was introduced in Ethiopia in the 1940s in the schools by expatriate physical education
teachers and in less organized system in military camps, Air forces, police forces etc.

Beginning of 1950s, athletics become more popular in most primary and secondary schools of
Addis Ababa. In modern era of Athletics in Ethiopia, after Ethiopia’s registration as a member of
the IOC (International Olympic Committee) in 1948, the country began participating in the
international sport arena by preparing its athletes for the Melbourne Olympics, Australia.

Ethiopia established its Athletics federation since June 4, 1961. Soon became member of the
International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF).

3.4 Horizontal jumps

The horizontal jumps comprise all jumps that gain horizontal distance. These jumps are the long
jump and triple jump.

The aim of a horizontal jump is attempts to jump the greatest horizontal distance possible from a
20cm wide wooden board. It is a highly skilled event and requiring precision in the run-up,
concentrated effort in the take-off, and unusual action in the flight. The jumper must be able to
accelerate and sprint at top speed over about 40 meters and hit the take- off position. Speed is
important for these events as you need to generate enough momentum to travel far.

3. 4. 1 The phases of long jump

The long-jump technique is divided into 4 phases:

A. Approach run; C. Flight and

B. Take-off; D. Landing

A. The approach run:

The main features of the run-up are accuracy, rhythm and consistency. Efficient running form
will assist the jumper to build the required speed as well as ensuring a potentially effective
position for takeoff.
B. The takeoff:

The take-off action converts the athlete’s speed of the run-up into a vertical lift off the board and
will determine the flight path of the athlete’s center of gravity through the airal stride to leaving
the ground.

C. The flight:

This is the phase the jumper on air, and they trying to keep their balance to accomplish the task
of keeping one’s balance through the three flight style:

• The hang style

• The float style

• The hitch-kick style.

D. The landing:

An efficient landing is a byproduct of an efficient take-off. If the athlete does not get sufficient
height at the takeoff it may be difficult to gain the best landing position.

3 .4 .2 The triple jump

The triple jump event is a three-step jump, a hop, step and jump. The aim in a triple jump is to
jump as much as possible with three successive jumps. The difficulty is to maintain a high
horizontal speed throughout the three jumps.

Jumper taking part in this event should be a fast runner with great explosive strength. The event
requires a performer to have good rhythm, balance and agility and the ability to master a
complex technique. It is generally thought that the jump event of the ancient Olympics was a
“multi jump” since the record was 16.76m.

Phases of triple jump

The triple jump has four phases. They include:

A. approach run - least important in the beginning but very important once the athlete learns to
jump properly.

B. hop - develops from a fast controlled approach run. The hop is flat and balanced, with an
active landing.

C. step - is an extended balanced movement with an active landing.

D. jump - uses all the remaining speed to propel you into the hit.
UNIT FOUR

FOOTBALL
4.1 World History of Football

In the world, records of football were once the very earliest structure of the game. It started as an
exercising for an army guide in China courting lower back to 206 B.C. to 220 A.D. The ancestor
of football is Ts’u Chu who used to be from the Han Dynasty. The Ancient Greek Episkyros and
the Roman Harpastum had been later performed with a smaller ball through two groups on a
rectangular area marked through boundary traces and a centerline.

In nineteenth century, the current sport soccer was first developed in England. The Football
Association (FA) used to be set up in 1863 and the ‘Laws of the Game’ have been drawn up in
the identical year. FA established in Great Britain (including; Wales, Scotland, Northern
Ireland).

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) was once fashioned through the year 1882.

FIFA (Federation International de Football Association) was established in Paris on May 21,
1904 with the coordination of representatives from France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark,
Sweden, Switzerland and Spain to run global competitions. In the same year in 1904 soccer was
added in Olympic, in St. Louis, and Canada gained the gold medals.

The first World Cup game was once equipped through FIFA in Uruguay in 1930 and the same
country won the first world cup. The World Cup held every four years prepared with the help of
FIFA is nevertheless the most prepared competition that holds the interest of all peoples in the
current world.

4.2 African football history

The football game was performed in 1862, at least the first recorded game on the African
continent. In 1882, consequently, African football clubs founded, particularly the Savages FC
from South Africa and Gezira SC from Egypt.
Confederation of African Football (CAF), the governing organization of African football, was
formed in 1957, in Khartoum, Sudan. The four founding countries were Sudan, Egypt, South
Africa and Ethiopia. The first Africa Cup of Nations was held in February, 1957, Khartoum,
Sudan.

Women’s football world cup was started in 1991 in China. Nigeria and Senegal women football
team were participated in 1999 world cup in America.

4.3. Ethiopian history of football

The football game was held at Jan Hoy Meda in 1924 between Ras Teferi Mekonnen and Menlik
II High schools by foreign teachers.

The first football group in Ethiopia used to be “Addis Ababa Select Team”, formed in 1935
(1927 E.C). In 1943 (1935 E.C), for the first time, in the presence of Emperor Haile Selase, a
football match was held between five teams namely St.George, British Military Mission(BMM),
Greek, Armenia, and Fortitude(Italian team). After the match, three teams BMM, St. George and
Fortitude finished the match respectively of Ethiopians and Armenians.

The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) was founded in 1943.The EFF is affiliated to FIFA in
1953 and to the Confederation of African Football in 1957.

4.4. The playing area of football

4.5. The referees of football

There are a total of nine referees to be participated in one match. These are one main referee, two
assistant referees, fourth official, two additional assistant referees, reserve assistant referee, video
assistant referee (VAR) and at least one assistant (VAR (AVAR)) may be appointed to matches.

4.6. Strategies in football

Strategy is a method implemented by the team to own the advantage of the game as much as
possible. It is a plan to accomplish your seasonal or individual game goals. It is dynamic and
varies according to the situation of the game type.

Football is a team game that is practiced by male, female and Paralympic athletes. It demands
teamwork and individual skill. The strategy of a team is built upon individual players’ skills.
Hence, any football team has a strategy that is to be done individually and in a group.

4.6.1. Formation

The term formation in football explains in a manner how players of a team are arranged
according to their position along the pitch.

The selection of team formation is the responsibility of a coach or a manager. So, players in the
team act in an organized way and know their roles and positions in the team. Usually, team
formations are written in numbers that look like formula 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 3-5-2, etc.

4.6.2 Defensive strategy

Football strategies are grouped as defensive strategies and offensive strategies. In earlier times
defensive play was not played whereas modern football games balance between offensive and
defensive plays. The purpose of defensive strategy is to secure a team play by taking a position
between the opponent team and the goal. Defensive strategy is applicable by each player in a
team; every player has a responsibility to protect not to score a goal.

4.6.3 Offensive strategy

An offensive strategy is the reverse of defensive strategy. It is possession of the ball and spread
out on the opponent’s field to make defense difficult. It demands holding the ball and moving
forward to score a goal Offensive strategy basically is possession of the ball within a team as
much as possible by passing and moving quickly so that space will be created for attacking.

4.7. Skills of football

Skill is the ability, coming from one’s knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc. When viewed from the
perspective of football it refers to the touch one has on the ball when passing, trapping,
receiving, or shooting. Passing, receiving, and dribbling are fundamental skills whereas thigh and
head controlling and tackling skills are advanced football skills. The only thing that you need is
to devote your time and energy to practice it well.

4.7.1. Controlling

One of the basic elements of football is ball control. It has a great advantage to apply other
techniques of football. As the name implies football is played using the foot but it is allowed to
control the ball with those body surfaces such as the head, chest, and thighs other than the foot.

4.7.2. Tackling

Tackle is one of the advanced skills of football. A tackle is when a player goes at an attacking
player and successfully stops possession and ball movement without committing a foul or tackle
is the act of a defender coming to meet an opponent who has the ball, engaging them, and then
legally using the foot to take the ball away.

As football is a team game every player needs to prepare himself or herself for each skill.
“Defending from the front” indicates all needs to be in a good position of knowing and using
skills as the game demands. There are different types of tackling. The two basic of them are
Block tackle and Side tackle.

i. Block tackling (Front block tackle)

The block tackle is made when a defending player meets an attacker head-on. Both players use
the inside of their tackling foot, forcibly making contact with the ball. The block tackle is used
more often than any other kind of tackle. It is hard but safe body contact.

ii. Slide tackling

Slide tackling is riskier than other types of tackling. It is because of the following reasons. As
you slide on the ground there is a chance of missing the ball and you will be out of the game.
There might be an incidence of injury. If you miss the ball and hit the player you will conceive a
yellow card.

4.7.3. Goalkeeping

The term goalkeeping refers to the activity of securing or safeguarding a goal. Goalkeepers train
alone the fact that goalkeeping skills are different from other football playing skills. There are
different goalkeeping skills that you need to know some of which will be presented below.
 A. Diving (Ground diving)

The ground diving technique is recommended for high shooting fast balls and when a goalkeeper
is unable to catch the ball while staying on their feet or to catch balls that are apart from the
vertical position. The goalkeeper dives in the appropriate direction upwards to push or tip the
ball outwards or collects the ball inside to the body. It is for very advanced keepers often enough.

B. Punching

Punching is used to clear away crossed balls that cannot be caught, usually in heavy traffic. It is
not a technique used often, as the ball should be caught whenever possible.

C. Kicking (Goal kick)

Kicking skill is mandatory for a goalkeeper. Another thing is goalkeepers need to kick the ball if
he or she is outside of the penalty area it’s a must to kick the ball to pass to a teammate.