Let Kimmel be part of Your Team

Need a location for your
Team Meetings??

Let your local Team Sport Specialists help

Baseball, softball and soccer seasons are upon us, which means parent meetings and shopping for equipment.

Kimmel Athletic wants to help you out by hosting league or team meetings at our various retail locations.

Each location has a large room perfect for events featuring conference tables, chairs and Wi-Fi. Let us know what you need (paper, pens, etc.) and we will assist in any way we can.

Bring your officers, team and/or parents to our stores and shop our retail floor afterwards. It is a great time to gear up for the season.

In addition, we will distribute 15% off coupons to each of your players for allowing Kimmel Athletic to be part of your team.

Coordinate with your local retail store manager to make arrangements.

Retail Locations/Hours

SPOKANE, WA
202 East Mission Ave.
800-541-6803
509-326-7710
Mon-Fri: 9-7
Sat:9-6
Sun: 11-5

COEUR d’ALENE, ID
405 West Neider,
suite 106
866-440-5461
208-277-1020
Mon-Fri: 9-7
Sat:9-6
Sun: 12-5

REDMOND, WA
16101 NE 87th St.
800-732-9259
425-882-1456
Mon-Fri: 9-7
Sat:9-6
Sun: 11-5

YAKIMA, WA
2105 West Lincoln Ave.
800-554-2366
509-573-9001
Mon-Fri: 9-7

 

HOT WEATHER, 2-A-DAY PRACTICES… ARE YOU STAYING HYDRATED??

With this hot summer we are now starting to experience it is extra important to remain hydrated and avoid overheating. Keep in mind also, that with many high school sports starting up and having two practices a day, risk of hydration is higher.

Don’t forget that when it is hot outside your body tries to compensate you by sweating to keep you cool. The act of sweating drains your body of fluids and electrolytes, therefore, it is highly important to replenish these. Things that are full of electrolytes (banana’s, sports drinks with electrolytes) are good to consume before or after a long work out or activity that causes loss of these. http://fitbie.msn.com/slideshow/5-foods-help-replenish-electrolytes/slide/2.

It is important to be aware of the signs of dehydration so you are aware if you are someone else is experiencing it.

MILD DEHYDRATION CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY:

• Dry mouth
• Tiredness or sleepiness
• Thirst
• Headache or dizziness or lightheadedness
• Dry Skin (lack of tears or sweat)

COMMON CAUSES OF DEHYDRATION IN ATHLETES

• Inadequate fluid intake
• Excessive sweating
• Failure to replace fluid losses during and after exercise
• Exercising in dry, hot weather

General Guidelines for Fluid Needs during Exercise

While specific fluid recommendations aren’t possible due to individual variability, most athletes can use the following guidelines as a starting point, and modify their fluid needs accordingly.

Hydration Before Exercise

• Drink about 15-20 fl oz, 2-3 hours before exercise
• Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 min before exercise

Hydration During Exercise

• Drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 min during exercise
• If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 fl oz of a sports drink (with no more than 8 percent carbohydrate) every 15 – 30 minutes.

Therefore avoid dehydration before it begins. Pack plenty of water for yourself or your child. Encourage constant consumption of water, weather they are being active or not, it is better to be fully hydrated before being out in the heat or being active.

It is highly recommended as well that those that are participating in two a-day practices to avoid the sun and heat in between sessions. Staying cool and rehydrating during this time will be important to avoiding dehydration.

BEST OF LUCK TO ALL DURING YOUR PRE-SEASON PRACTICES AND TRYOUTS!!!

KIMMEL LOVES JULY BECAUSE THAT MEANS SUMMER SALES!!!

Sizzling Hot Deals, Just in time for all your Sporting Needs

Hey Kimmel Team,

Hope you have your check lists ready for those up and coming sports teams you might be playing on or coaching. Kimmel Athletic is ready to help you check things off as we have the things you need to be fully geared up and prepared for any sporting activity you might be partaking in.

Our 2012 Summer Sale Kicks off at our Coeur d’Alene location JULY 5TH!!

REDMOND, WASHINGTON: 13th-15th

YAKIMA, WASHIGTON: 19th-21st

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON: 26th-28th

Save up to 60% on all closeout items… What a steal of a deal!!!

Not finding what you need in our closeout items??? DON’T WORRY recieve 10% off on any regular priced items as well during the sale. Kimmel likes it when we can make everyone a winner!!!

FIND THE EQUIPMENT AND GEAR FOR ALL YOUR SPORTING AND ATHLETIC NEEDS!!!

See you this weekend,

Kimmel Athletic

BASKETBALL SHOE SALE

BASKETBALL SHOE SALE

Stop into any Kimmel Athletic Retail store and check out our great selection of basketball shoes that we have on sale. Shoes starting as low as $19.95!!!

 GET A PAIR BEFORE A WEEKEND OF PLAY AT HOOPFEST!!!

HOOPFEST 2012

The End of June only means one thing to most Americans HOOPFEST! The largest 3 on 3 street basketball Tournament in the World.

“The idea of Spokane Hoopfest was born from two separate groups: one group with members from the Midwest who wanted to see the continuance of the 3-on-3 ball they had back home and the other with members trying to raise money for Special Olympics. Eventually the two groups merged under co-founders Rick Betts and Jerry Schmidt and Spokane Hoopfest Association was created. Finding support for the first tournament proved a challenge as Hoopfest wanted to do something no one else had: shut down the streets of downtown Spokane for two full days of basketball. By going door to door and winning a majority of downtown business owners over with the idea, the permit was granted and 36 courts were taped off on the asphalt”. (http://www.spokanehoopfest.net/Organization/History.htm)

On June 30 and July 1, 1990, the first Hoopfest Tournament was played.

Hoopfest Brings over 225000 spectators to Spokane. There are over 7000 teams, 28,000 players and 458 courts that expand over 42 downtown city blocks.

BASKETBALL SHOE SALE!!!
DO NOT MISS OUT, PICK UP A PAIR BEFORE HOOPFEST

RETAIL LOCATIONS

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SPOKANE 202 East Mission Ave Spokane, WA 99202 •509-326-7710 • 800-541-6803
COEUR D’ALENE 405 West Neider Suite 106 Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 •208-277-1020 • 866-440-5461
REDMOND 16101 NE 87th Street Redmond, WA 98052 •425-882-1456 • 800-732-9259
YAKIMA 2105 West Lincoln Ave Yakima, WA 98902 •509-573-9001 • 800-554-2366

2012 NFHS Football Glove Rule Update

 

NSGA Pleased with NFHS Decision to Delay Football Glove Rule Change Implementation Until 2013-2014 School Year

Contact: Bruce Hammond, Director of Marketing & Communications
bhammond@nsga.org
(847) 296-6742, ext. 102

MOUNT PROSPECT, IL – The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) is pleased to announce that the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Rules Review Committee has upheld an appeal initiated by NSGA that will delay implementation of what is known as the Football Glove Rule until the 2013-14 school year.

The rule, which was passed by the NFHS Football Rules Committee in January 2010, would have taken effect next season (2012-13 school year). The rule would require all football gloves worn in varsity games to bear the certification seal of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE). Gloves bearing that seal and gloves that meet the previous standard are materially the same – both for performance and safety properties.

The NOCSAE standard specification establishes performance requirements for the friction and adhesion properties of new football players’ gloves. The standard test method and performance specification are specifically created to limit the level of tackiness of gloves to limit the potential aid they may have in handling or catching the ball. When the rule goes into effect for the 2013 fall football season, the NOSCAE seal must be visible on the outside of the glove.

According to NSGA President & CEO Matt Carlson, “We understand this was a complex issue, and we appreciate NFHS’ Rules Review Committee for looking at the big picture when deciding to delay the implementation of rule until the 2013-14 school year. By taking the interests of sporting goods retailers and team dealers into consideration in this process, the committee helped avert what was sure to become a major economic hardship for our members.”

The process to delay the rule’s implementation date included advocacy from both NSGA and the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), and NSGA appreciates SGMA’s involvement in this issue.

“The delay in implementation of the rule will provide an opportunity for NSGA member retailers and team dealers to significantly reduce their inventories of these football gloves, which will also benefit the manufacturers,” said NSGA Chairman of the Board Jeff Rosenthal, President & CEO of Hibbett Sports. “It also benefits the players and their parents who purchase these gloves by eliminating any confusion as to what is and is not legal next season.”

To learn more about this rule and other rule changes that affect equipment and uniforms, please visit NSGA’s website, www.nsga.org.

About NSGA

The National Sporting Goods Association has served as the leading voice for the sporting goods industry since 1929. The association develops industry research and publications, while also providing discounted services and hosting the annual NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. All of these services are aimed at helping NSGA members be more profitable and to advocate on their behalf.

For more information about membership or NSGA’s products and services, please visit www.nsga.org.

Check out this article on how to perfect your baseball swing, written by Smita Pandit

Perfect Baseball Swing
Perfecting the baseball swing is the key to graduating to the Major League. Scroll down to know more about baseball swing mechanics so as to develop a perfect baseball swing and make your dreams come true.

Every little league player dreams of the day when he graduates to the Major League and establishes his mark as a match-winning big hitter. There is no bigger dream than having a proper baseball swing which hits the winning home run! To make this dream come true, the player has to understand the mechanics of a perfect baseball swing. Coaches and players work together so that the player can understand how to perfect the baseball swing. A well-timed swing that allows the bat to meet the ball right in the middle can be achieved only if one makes sincere attempts to understand the baseball swing mechanics. Here are some tips that may help you to perfect your baseball swing.

How to Get a Proper Baseball Swing

To perfect the baseball swing, the batter must have a good stance, a proper grip, perfect hand-eye coordination, and must also know when and how to extend his arm and rotate the body so as to ensure that the bat hits the ball with enough force to hit a home run. Needless to say, the player must be willing to practice hard so as to perfect the baseball swing.

First of all, identify the batting stance that suits you the most. The parallel stance, closed stance and open stance are the most commonly used batting stances that batters use. In case of a parallel stance, as the batter stands in the batter’s box (a box drawn with chalk surrounding the home plate, which in turn is a five-sided slab that is made from whitened rubber), his feet must be parallel to the home plate. The parallel baseball hitting stance enables the player to see the pitcher properly, and allows him to hit the ball on inside as well as outside pitches. When a batter uses a closed stance, the front foot is closer to the home plate than the rear foot. In case of the open stance, the front foot is placed farther away from the home plate than the rear foot. A majority of players use the open stance as it allows them to see the ball better and helps them to move in a better position or build up the momentum while the pitch is on its way to the home plate. So, the player must decide which stance to use and how far to spread his feet so as to be a big hitter.

One of the basic baseball rules is to keep your eyes on the ball. The batter needs to track the ball right from the time it leaves the pitcher’s hands till it makes contact with the bat. So, he must have the patience and skill to wait till the ball gets inside the front foot before attacking it. His chin should be tucked in and the hands should be kept close to the body, while the elbows must be parallel to each other, and need to be at an angle of 45 degrees. He should also have a good grip. He should hold the bat firmly, but make sure that he doesn’t hold it too tight.

The loading phase is a very important part that a batter must pay heed to. The batter must shift the weight from one foot to another and be ready in a loaded position to hit the incoming pitch with a lot of force. The batter must first load the weight to the rear foot. At that time, the rear foot must be well-grounded and needs to act as a solid anchor to prevent any forward hip movement. The batter then should then transfer the weight to the front foot right before he rotates the rest of the body and extends the arm to transfer that to the ball. This would enable him to leverage and channelize the hitting power in a big way. The proper baseball swing is generated when the hips rotate and the arms extend. If these steps are not followed, the hit will lose its power.

Understand the concept of staying over stack with a perfect rotational swing. This refers to the spinning movement of the batter’s body. Both the head and the torso must be in a smooth and ideal alignment over the back foot during the swing. The head must stay still. The proper baseball swing is a rotating motion with the body staying back and spinning over the back hip. It is this rotational motion which generates the best baseball swing. Perfecting this technique and curbing the desire to go hammer and tongs at the pitched ball is a lesson which ought to be learned well.

Another essential aspect is related to body extension through the ball. This enables the batter to enhance the time of contact between the bat and ball by driving the hands and the barrel of the bat forward for as long as possible. The bat moves with tremendous speed and precision in the compact A to C swing where the bat moves from the launch position (A) to contact position (C). Maximizing this period of contact between the bat and the ball is one of the essential techniques when it comes to securing the best baseball swing. This ensures that tremendous power is generated in the swing and helps in carrying the ball to greater distances.

You might have got advice from friends and your coach on how to perfect your baseball swing. The key is to filter such advice and follow what is essential. To be a successful big hitter, one must be able to swing at balls pitched in the strike zone. The batter is the best judge of deciding what pitch falls in his strike zone. Home runs can be hit on pitches outside the strike zone too. The simple dictum is to see the ball early and ensure that the bat and ball are in the same plane during the strike.

These were some instructions on ways to perfect the baseball swing. When you get to the baseball field, follow these baseball batting tips and techniques to get a perfect baseball swing. Be aware of your strengths. Avoid bad pitches and identify the pitches on which you may be able to hit. It is practice that makes perfect. So don’t be disheartened if you miss a couple of pitches in your quest to achieve the best baseball swing!

By Smita Pandit
Last Updated: 2/1/2012

Spring is in the Air…

　

“Hello again, everybody. It’s a bee-yooo-tiful day for baseball.”
“Holy Cow!” –Harry Caray

The snow and cold weather are soon to end and before we know it, flowers will be blooming, birds will be chirping, lawns will need taming, and more importantly… SPRING SPORTS WILL BE BEGINNING!!!

Baseball and Softball players are eager to triumph the field. Track athletes want to put year-long training to the start line. Golfers are fervent to break the green with a fresh tee.  And, once again the fans and supporters are excited to cheer on local high schools, clubs and favorite pro teams.

Once said by Rogers Hornsby…

“People ask me what I do in the winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.“

Kimmel Athletic is prepared and fully stocked with the latest gear and equipment to make any athlete or coach prepared for that first day of practice. Visit your local retail store in one of our four locations:

Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Redmond and Yakima

Supporters and fans, Kimmel Athletic has gear for you too. Come in now to purchase stadium chairs, high school sweatshirts and more!!!

2012 Baseball and softball gear is fully stocked at all locations.

Batons, shot puts, javelins, track spikes, WE’VE GOT IT ALL!!!

**Our Kimmel team is always ready to answer all questions you may entail; we guarantee our team is educated and knowledgeable about the product we carry!

DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE NEW BBCOR BAT RULES!!!

Link to instant bat regulations à BBCOR BAT RULES

KIMMEL ATHLETIC WISHES ALL BEST OF LUCK AT YOUR SPRING SPORT TRYOUTS!!!

Congratulations to all Wrestlers at the 2012 State Tournament, Job Well Done!!!

Upcoming Sporting Events:

Mid February-end of March:  Baseball Spring Training

MAR 1-3:

Hardwood Classic: 1B, 2B Boys & Girls State Basketball Championships (Spokane Arena)

Hardwood Classic: 1A, 2A Boys & Girls State Basketball Championships (Yakima Valley Sundome)

Hardwood Classic: 3A, 4A Boys & Girls State Basketball Championships (Tacoma Dome)

March Madness: begins Tuesday, March 13, 2012, and ends Monday, April 2, 2012.