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]]>The post Get some good zzzzzzleep appeared first on SPONSOR.ME blog.
]]>Sleep is crucial to become a top athlete (or in fact, a good person in general). Get the necessary relaxation and your 8 hours of sleep by taking some simple precautions.
Always head for the toilet before your get huddled in
Avoid alcohol for several days to get a deeper and better sleep
Stop using bright screens two hours before going to sleep
Solve sad matters and quarrels, and always say “goodnight”
Never ever start using sleeping pills
No sugar in the evening!
Avoid training fours hours in front of your “nighty night”
Eat small, balanced meals – and no food two hours before bedtime
Keep your sleeping room chill – open a window for fresh air
Always brush your teeth (and take a shower if necessary)
Do not work in the evening – read a (happy) book instead
Did we forget something? Let us know by commenting below or emailing our customerservice@sponsor.me
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]]>The post 10 fastest sports in the world appeared first on SPONSOR.ME blog.
]]>To some, speed is everything. And some of us just like to see who’s the fastest. These competitive sports are known for their speed. So if that’s your style, you’re in the right place. Can you guess the winner?
#10 – 100m sprint
The extent of human speed is performed in a sprint. It’s an accessible sport with many variations in distance. It is theorized that humans can reach 64km/h (40mph) max in the Journal of Applied Physiology, which easily beats Usain Bolt’s 45km/h (28mph) record.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_metres
#9 – Hockey
Hockey has the fastest tempo in team sports. Endurance, agility, and speed (up to 32 km/h (20 mph)!) is the definition of this sport. And the pucks can reach speeds at 160km/h (100mph). Great for people who don’t like a lot downtime ie: American football, or baseball.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hockey
#8 – Lacrosse
If you love hockey but prefer not to skate, lacrosse is the solution. Lacrosse is the fastest tempo sport on two feet, where checking and stick contact is common. Endurance is essential when you consistently react and move at top speed with balls reaching 190km/h (115mph).
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacrosse
#7 – BASE jumping
Base jumping is similar to skydiving, but involves jumping off high-altitude bases, like a mountain. The speed can reach 225km/h (140mph), with the danger of colliding with an array of objects. It’s both fast and dangerous.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASE_jumping
#6 – Pelota
This 300 year old Basque sport has the fastest serve recorded at 302km/h (188mph), and has the most lethal ball. It is played with a curved hand racket on a square court. It’s a fun sport that can also be played solo, against a wall.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_pelota
#5 – Badminton
Badminton is one of the world’s fastest sports, requiring perfected accuracy and reaction time. The ball can move up to 321km/h (200mph) with only a few meters in between the competitor.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badminton
#4 – Formula 1
Formula 1 is about the power of acceleration and making split second decisions on a curvy, winding road. Corners are taken at 290kmh (180mph) with the fastest record being 372kmh (230mph).
Formula 1 isn’t running a circular track; it’s an exciting maze-like race. Everyone should see a F1 race at least once in their lifetime.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One
#3 – Skydiving/Wingsuit
Skydiving (and wingsuit) is often overlooked. However, it is considered an extreme sport, with the average fall speed of 290km/h (180mph) at 12,000 altitude, which is nothing when you learn some skydivers jump without a parachute at 25,000 feet. Fastest speed reached is 396kmh (246mph)!
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingsuit_flying
#2 – Speed skiing
If you love skiing and speed, speed skiing is the fastest way down the slopes. With more than 400kmh (250mph), taking a slope becomes a whole new experience.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_skiing
#1 – Drag racing
Unlike Formula 1, drag racing is all about powerful acceleration to reach a top speed as quickly and smoothly as possible. World record
is 539kmh (335mph)! Drag racing is more complex than it looks on the surface.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_racing
And, let’s not forget…
…baseball (153km/h), downhill skiing (130km/h), frisbee (130km/h), soccer (130km/h), downhill mountain biking (80km/h), and a wide selection of motorsports.
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]]>The post Celebrating 1,500,000! appeared first on SPONSOR.ME blog.
]]>10,000 fundraisers registered! 100,000 athletes and teams sponsored! And 1,500,000 users visiting and spending time on our platform! In only two and a half year!
We will continue being the humble local brand despite the fact that we are becoming a global player. To us it’s important to see each fundraiser equally, from the Olympier to the grassroot player. We promise to continue doing our best building a community for athletes and teams, the sponsors and the crowd.
Thanks to all our Norwegian athletes, teams and sponsors. And the Danish. And the Swedish. And the French. And the British. And the Germans. And the Dutch. And the Russians. And the Italian. And the Spanish. And the Irish. And the Finnish. And the Portuguese. And the Americans. And the Australians. And the New Zealanders. And the Canadians. And the Austrians. And the Swiss. And the Croatians.
Together we build the world of sports!
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]]>The post The most mentally demanding sports (according to science) appeared first on SPONSOR.ME blog.
]]>The body is an amazing thing. We have tremendous potential when we discipline ourselves to take on extreme demands, and it’s amazing to see some of the things we are capable of if we push ourselves beyond typical limits and allow the mind to give us that extra push.
Sports and athletics also require psychology to beat intimidation, an overtaxed body, and the fear of failure. Let’s explore some of the most mentally demanding sports in the game right now (according to science!)
#5 – Swimming
Swimming takes the breath out of you, works the muscles against the dense force of water, and requires the ability to go without breath for periods of time.
Beyond having conditioned muscles, swimming requires a conditioned heart, and the ability to work past breathtaking exercise. Many swimmers are so conditioned in this respect their hearts typically beat slower and more relaxed than the average person’s.
There is a certain pain in being out of breath, while also having to hold your breath during a stroke, you have to try to turn this feeling off and push through it, all while keeping focus on your movements and breathing patterns.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming
#4 – Decathlon
Few sports consist of the variety of skills required of the decathlon. Understanding the ten events over two days calls for tremendous preparation, and the honing of a plethora of skills.
Though not as physically demanding as some of the others listed, you will have to keep track of many things, strategize, and push yourself past the feats of your competitors.
There is a lot of thinking involved, knowledge of other participants, equipment, weather, your overall conditioning, and event averages. Your mind must be keen to achieve success here.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decathlon
#3 – Gymnastics
Despite its popularity with youth, and an expectation that you start at a young age, gymnastics is no easy sport. By the time you reach a professional standing, you will have undergone years of training and conditioning.
Balance, speed, and knowledge of the body’s movements are essential concepts a gymnast must study. Although you can train your body to better function within these concepts, you also have to train the mind to achieve fluid control.
Balance for instance, can be thrown off when focus is broken, and equilibrium is lost within the mind. Some feats require a certain speed, the feeling of which has to be recognizable to the athlete. Fluid body movement, most of all, requires extensive muscle memory and breathing patterns, and an understanding of how to transition between movements.
Competition can be fierce in gymnastics, and being able to achieve feats greater, or more advanced, than a rival can truly test your limits. All of this coupled with the dangers of severely injuring the body, both temporarily and permanently, earn this sport a spot on our list.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnastics
#2 – Triathlon
The strenuous demands of triathlon events are just one part of what makes this competition so demanding. A large of part of the challenge happens before the actual event.
It starts with conditioning the body to give it the possibility of completing the three events, all of which are considered exercises in endurance. Participants take months of time planning their training, diet, and mental fortitude in preparation.
Not only this, they also have to train their body to function and move seamlessly between events, as seconds matter. Practicing to transition from swimming to cycling for instance, is a test of mental preparation in itself, as you have to remove a wetsuit, put on items like socks and shoes, and perform various objectives just to continue onto the next race with a clock ticking the whole time.
A highly-conditioned mind is vital to successfully complete this competition.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triathlon
#1 – Big wave surfing
The biggest hurdle when it comes to surfing is having trust in your skills. Through years of practice, you can increase the size of waves you ride.
Having a fine-tuned body capable of handling the physical requirements to provide enough paddle to catch a wave is one thing. Having the nerve to ride a massive wall of water, loudly charging through the ocean is another thing altogether. It’s not unheard of to hear of the death of a professional big wave surfer, despite them being at the top of their game.
The psychology required often creates an almost cliché spirituality among surfers, and when it comes to riding these goliaths, it’s no joke.
The art of big wave surfing isn’t so much overcoming the fear of sharks, it’s overcoming riding the shark.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_wave_surfing
And, let’s not forget…
Baseball, downhill skiing, freediving, wrestling, boxing, American football, rugby, Formula 1, cliff diving, and probably many, many more.
All Sports Require Mental Fortitude
Although these sports require the mind to be highly conditioned, any athlete in any sport benefits from mental strength. Thinking up complex strategies to push the body past pain and exhaustion, the conditioned mind allows us to move beyond what our bodies are capable of or the limits we feel against an intimidating obstacle.
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]]>The post SPONSOR.ME – A Year in Review appeared first on SPONSOR.ME blog.
]]>We had a year full of achievement and bold adventure, and we shared it with hundreds of thousands of people who love and admire sports as much as we do.
With this blog post, we would like to look back at all the remarkable things we’ve achieved at SPONSOR.ME and thank our users, partners, and investors for their support and commitment to building the world of sports we all would like to live in – the world where everyone can follow their athletic dreams.
A bit about numbers
In 2018, we’ve helped hundreds of thousands of athletes and teams fundraise with SPONSOR.ME. In total, the athletes fundraising on our site came from 22 countries. The most successful fundraiser came from Norway and received 24 600 dollars.
Better user experience design
We’ve fully updated our platform to make it more user-friendly and aesthetically appealing. With the new website, we were able to offer more features to our users. For example, our Genius Wizard has helped hundreds of athletes create fundraisers in seconds. SPONSOR.ME users were also able to ask for funds faster with easier social sharing options.
More inspiration with more interaction
With the “Cheers” functionality, we’ve added more interactivity to our platform. We believe that Cheers inspire and motivate athletes to work hard and achieve more. We also wanted to show our admiration for the people who support athletes on SPONSOR.ME and added the Cheers feature to donations.
Now, all donations can be “cheered for” and shared on social media! If you want to thank your sponsors, there is no easier way than applauding to them first and then sharing their donation on Facebook with a kind word of thanks.
First to add Google Pay
In less than 24 hours after Google Pay became available, we added it to our payment options. SPONSOR.ME wants to make sure that the world of sports becomes accessible to everyone, and we do all we can to make it easy for other people to donate to athletes. The more payment options are available, the more chances each athlete gets to be funded worldwide.
Updating users at all times
Closer to the end of 2018, we implemented SMS notifications: all fundraising managers are now getting timely updates on the status of their fundraisers.
To keep our users updated on the latest trends in sports fundraising, we also launched a new blog and invited professional sports writers to join us on the mission of building the world of sports. We believe that keeping athletes updated on trends in sports fundraising makes them better athletes.
Overall, it was a great year. We’ve done a lot and we’ve learned a lot too. We wish all our users, followers, partners and investors a great upcoming year! We wish you to stay active, ambitious and open to new adventures!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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]]>The post When all sponsors say ‘no’ to your sports dreams, is it time to say ‘yes’ to Crowdfunding? appeared first on SPONSOR.ME blog.
]]>Crowdfunding is a method of raising funds, usually in smaller increments as a way to fundraise. The donations are aimed at a wide audience, asking for small donations, with the size of the crowd being the determining factor in making a good return. When you think about it, $1 is a lot when you reach 50k people, which is an unlikely investment from a sponsorship unless you’re already established and sought after.
It differs from traditional sponsorship in that it’s up to your ability to convince others to give just a small donation out of desire to help another achieve. Crowdfunding has been wildly successful for many people, and it’s one of the best modern solutions to getting the funds you need, without having to focus on a few select options to attain sponsorship.
Getting Started with Crowdfunding
Setting up a crowdfunding campaign is relatively simple. It needs a clear and concise mission, and an outcome that people can expect from their donation.
You have many options to set up your campaign, and there are even websites and groups that help you in getting the word out and assisting in your success (although they often have a fee), doing it on your own is the best option if you have the time and integrity to build a great setup that grabs the attention of a prospective donation.
One of the key aspects how having a successful and hot crowdfunding campaign is the ability to stay on top of your efforts through media, you need to not only get attention, you also need to maintain it. Some efforts may start slow and may take some time to gain steam. It really is a mixed bag, but a great pitch and an exciting attitude can get people shelling out the bills to see another succeed.
One example is myself. I always liked seeing a prospect reach their dreams. I’ve given around $120 to five different crowdfunding campaigns this year — mostly for up-and-coming martial artists — and that is pretty much what it takes. Something one can relate to, and someone that needs a little assistance in getting there. In my view, subsequent donations come when you keep active in your campaign and update your donors with your efforts and achievements.
Where Should You Crowdfund?
As I mentioned earlier, there are many solutions to setting up crowdfunding. SPONSOR.ME, Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and CrowdFunder are the most popular. If you’re looking for a
Using media platforms like Instagram, Tumblr, and good ol’ Facebook to further grow your crowd and further your reach are essential. So it’s never a bad Idea to look into crowdfunding sites, especially in your fist endeavors or as a single athlete. However, if you have a team of people or feel your have the ability to achieve a proper campaign on your own, it is certainly doable.
This DIY article gives a good idea of how to tackle crowdfunding without the help of a for-profit website. Knowing WordPress can also be an excellent solution in self-hosting a crowdfunding site.
At the end of the day, it’s best to sit down and write down your goals, expectations — and most of all — your capabilities realistically for what you need to achieve this. Don’t be afraid to get some help if you need it. But if you feel you have the skills, it’s possible, and there are plenty of people looking to fund someone with a dream.
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]]>The post The best playlist to relax after a hard strength training day, according to science appeared first on SPONSOR.ME blog.
]]>If you are on a journey to increase your personal athleticism, music can increase your performance. There is a science to this, and I’m going to fill you in on the best beats to increase your feats in building strength, by letting your body re-energize.
It is important to know, that although lyrics and strong beats can help encourage that workout, it is more the frequencies and rhythm that help muscle growth after intense training.
In a study on the effects of recovery from intense muscle conditioning, it was found that recovery can be increased by motivational, rhythmic music and even slow-tempo music.
What can it do for post training?
Music can reduce lactic acidosis after intense workouts. Lactic acidosis is what causes burning muscles, sharp bowel pains, and a slew of nauseating symptoms. This of course reduces your recovery and gains. Active recovery (like a light jog or walk) is a better method of reducing lactic acid levels. Although passive recovery (sitting in rest, relaxing the body) is still an effective method,
Your rated perceived exertion or RPE can be reduced with rhythmic music. This can make subsequent intervals or sets during intense exercise easier by reducing rapid heartbeat and fatigue.
So what makes an excellent playlist for recovery?
Although the music you choose can be something you like, it’s important to get the right rhythm and pulse to enhance your recovery. You’ll want to avoid complex beats and melody. Lyrics are okay but they need to be in a pattern and in a consistent rhyme.
The most important aspect is, you’re trying to put your body in a trance state. Even without music many athletes have reached this state. It feels good, you’re in the zone, relaxed but focused. Your body is almost vibrating. You’re almost like a statue in this state, your muscles feel like they break from a mold when you move.
So here are some sources of sound that will put you in the zone of recovery. Songs with a tempo of 70 to 90 bpm are the target.
Classical:
Even if classic music isn’t your thing, there are some songs that I believe anyone can listen to after a hard workout, and achieve a tranced mood, and recovering body.
- Moonlight sonata, by Beethoven
- Air, by Bach
- Trois Gymnopedies, by Erik Satie
- Clair de lune, by Claude Debussy
Dance, trance, and electronic:
To be honest, this is the best genre for the right sounds and frequency to amp up recovery. Simply looking up the electronic music scene will introduce you to what I believe is the best music for getting into the zone of recovery.
- Persuasion by AM Feat. Shawn Lee
- Oxygen Bar by Deep Divers
- Joakim Karud – Dreams
- Recreation by Leavv
- Silver Lining by Kupla x j’san
- Everlong by Moby
- Protection by Massive Attack
Pop, rock, hip-hop:
These genres tend to be lyric heavy, but that doesn’t mean they should be avoided, as they often have excellent positive rhythms:
- Bird Set Free by Sia
- Slow Country by Gorillaz
- Videotape by Radiohead
- Crazy Dream by Tom Misch
- Provider by Frank Ocean
- Forrest Gump by Frank Ocean
- Fallin’ by Alicia Keys
- Four Page Letter by Aaliyah
- When Doves Cry by Prince
- Madness by Muse
- Second Song by TV on the Radio
The most important thing to remember is that it’s all about the ability to get in the zone, and sync your body to the sound. These songs are great for doing just that.
Latest posts
- Ever heard of these sports?
- Get some good zzzzzzleep
- 10 fastest sports in the world
- Celebrating 1,500,000!
- The most mentally demanding sports (according to science)
- SPONSOR.ME – A Year in Review
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]]>The post 5 great books about sports fundraising every successful sports manager must-read appeared first on SPONSOR.ME blog.
]]>Sometimes it isn’t enough to just use the internet for the essential information you need on a topic. Managing fundraising for sports, for instance. The best solution is through a solid, well written book (or audiobook).
Here, I will list some of the most popular books on sports fundraising. Through these, you will be able to dive into the aspects you should know, and what is and has been effective.
Fundraising for Sport and Athletics
By Richard Leonard
Giving an in-depth look at the strategies, and methods of raising funds for the various bracket levels of sports, from Jr. to Olympic.
Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits: Real-World Strategies That Work
By Ilona Bray
Although this is geared toward building a non-profit organization of any type. This text covers all the most effective modern methods of building a great NPO and getting effective results.
It also include numerous real life examples to get inspiration and ideas.
10 Fundraising Ideas & Strategies: Fundraising Strategies to Raise Money
By Alex Genadinik
This book covers the most essential strategies to know, in-depth and with examples. You’ll learn the do’s and don’ts along with all the calculations you will need to understand in balancing budgets while using these strategies.
Building the Bear: A Mid-Major Fundraising Story
By Brian Gerrity
Based on the success of the Mercer Athletic Foundation. You are taught the the goals and strategies they use to achieve tremendous success, from the minds of the those who made Mercer’s 16 divisions a valid achievement.
Event Sponsorship
By Bruce E. Skinner, and Vladimir Rukavina
This texts covers the guidelines and proper structure to event planning for sports, and how to properly approach fundraising for the best results. Learn these successful strategies for the highest return on any effort
Read up about sports fundraising
In the end, fundraising and event planning isn’t impossible. Having a strong grasp on the theory and applicable methods used today will allow you to join the race, and with effort, achieve the best results. Don’t overlook these excellent texts that will bring your dreams within reach.
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]]>The post Why sponsor a random athlete on the internet? appeared first on SPONSOR.ME blog.
]]>With the ability to become an internet personality with just a camera and a social media account, the ability to get recognition, or even a jumpstart as an athlete has never been more accessible.
There are many motivations for those wanting to gain attention for their athletics, and with that social aggregation, comes a great opportunity for sponsorships. Any sized business can benefit from the fact one individual or team of content producers can advertise your business. The best aspect of this is that consistent content creators, on YouTube, blogs, etc, build loyal fan bases, that oftentimes ritualistically follow these market influencers.
While sponsoring personal athletes building their career, they in turn give you the opportunity to market in the various formats of content they create from fitness, sporting events, training instruction, commentary, so on. You get a wide breadth to apply your brand to when supporting these influencers.
Here are some of the advantages:
You get to start at what level of sponsorship you want. From smaller unknowns to more popular faces that already have some recognition, whether it be in competition, or who are just active and having a strong social following.
Having a sponsored athlete pitch your brand is extremely effective on video sharing sites and during video streaming. The advantage here is that your brand is pitched directly by who you’re sponsoring, rather than being an advertisement roll. Allowing for more organic and genuine sponsorship.
Accessibility is an excellent factor, as there a numerous athletes out there, hungry for the opportunity to build on their goals. The internet take out a lot of the footwork, and can accompany any other method of finding athletes to sponsor.
Since most up and coming athletes are going to be of the millennial and younger generation, those who are utilizing the internet, their patrons more comfortable with purchasing from lesser known businesses, and even less mainstream or niche markets.
Finding prospective athletes
It shouldn’t be hard to find athletes interested in sponsorship, as you have a plethora of avenues to cover. YouTube, Facebook, and various live streaming sites.
Through the internet, you can inquire a wider range of individuals. It saves time, allowing you to build a better picture around them, and if they fit with your philosophy. The best prospects should have some footing in their recognition, if not a small following.
The most important thing to consider is finding those who have the integrity and consistent effort in holding a following and bringing more to that circle.
Definitely avoid those who are sporadic in their temperaments, and socially egregious, as even if they may be able to build and maintain a large audience (some are attracted to this). The probability of these individuals to be shut down personally or on social media can be an incalculable risk.
Why sponsor an athlete? Why not!
It’s not so much the “randomness” you go about finding an athlete to sponsor, it is the variability to find someone who may be relatively unknown, and help that prospect evolve into an excellent opportunity to expand your brand, strengthen the influence of your sponsorship, and become your own powerhouse. While at the same time, this opens you up to having a large pool to work with and greater control over the risks you take and overall approach. It’s a win-win all around.
Latest posts:
- Ever heard of these sports?
- Get some good zzzzzzleep
- 10 fastest sports in the world
- Celebrating 1,500,000!
- The most mentally demanding sports (according to science)
- SPONSOR.ME – A Year in Review
The post Why sponsor a random athlete on the internet? appeared first on SPONSOR.ME blog.
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