Women Can Talk Sports is hitting the road!

SURVIVE AND THRIVE this football season! 

2- hour Football 101 crash course

Led by WCTS Founder Taryn Foshee

Learn the basics of this fun sport alongside other ladies just like you! 

Register TODAY by selecting your event below! Seating is limited for all events.

College Football kicks off in 4 days! If you need an emergency crash course before the season begins, click on these Top 5 posts on the Basics of Football.

Player Positions

Quarterback or Cornerback? Sound alike…BIG difference.  Learn the basic football player positions and what they do on the field!

1st Down

We’ve all heard, “FIRST DOWN!” But, why is that first down so important? And why are there so many first first downs during a game? Understanding Downs is the most important  concept to unlock the game of football.

Flag on the Play

The little yellow scarf refs throw on the field is known as a FLAG. It signals that a rule has been broken and a penalty will be enforced. Let’s break down the most common reasons a FLAG is thrown during a football game.

Basic Formations

Before the team can run a play, the players must first line up in a formation. Learn to recognize a few basic offensive and defensive formations.

Apps are your friend

Staying up-to-date during football season can be quite overwhelming. So, here is a little hint to make your life easier: Keep a few sports apps at your fingertips!

However, for those who are unfamiliar with college basketball, March really is madness. What is a seed and what does it have to do with a bracket? Are we gardening or fixing a cabinet? And seriously, what does Cinderella have to do with anything? Well, no matter your interest level in college basketball, everyone can enjoy a little bit of March Madness! And here is your Survival Guide!

March Madness 101

March Madness refers to the time period surrounding the single-elimination NCAA college basketball tournament (Men’s and Women’s) that begins in March at the conclusion of the regular season and conference tournaments. Currently, 68 teams make the NCAA Men’s Tournament and 64 teams make the NCAA Women’s Tournament. Then 3 weeks of single-elimination games take place until a new National Champion takes down the net.

The conference tournaments are an important part of March Madness because those games often dictate which teams make the NCAA tournament. How are the teams chosen for the tournament? Glad you asked!

32 teams gain automatic entry for winning the conference championships. The remaining teams are selected  by the Selection Committee. The decisions of the Selection Committee for at-large bids and seeding are released to the public on Selection Sunday (Women’s bracket is released on Monday). This year Selection Sunday is March 16.

The tournament begins with First Round (which used to be play-in games when the field was only 64 teams) on March March 18 and progresses through Second Round, Third Round, Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Final Four, and finally the National Championship Game on April 7.

March Madness Terminology

The Dance Also referred to as “The Big Dance” is the affectionate name for the NCAA Tournament.  (See I told you it’s a love affair!) If a team is “going dancing” it means the team has received one of the 68 invitations to the play in the NCAA Tournament.

Seed When the bracket is released on Selection Sunday, each team is given a seed. The seed is their ranking in the tournament. A #1 Seed is the highest ranking team and a #16 Seed is the lowest ranking. The NCAA Tournament Bracket is broken up into 4 regions, and each region has a 1-16 seed. Therefore, there are 4 Number 1 Seed teams in the tournament, 4 Number 2 Seed, etc. I will explain the importance of seeding below in Bracketology 101.

Cinderella A team that achieves greater success in the tournament than predicted is often referred to as a Cinderella. Just like Cinderella made the most of her opportunity at the ball, a lower seeded team that wins more games at The Dance than expected is also a Cinderella. These Cinderella stories are the most captivating of the tournament.

Bracket Buster A braket buster is a low-seeded team that upsets a highly ranked team in the tournament. The highly ranked teams are expected to make it very far into the tournament, and your bracket usually depends on their success. However, when a low-seeded team knocks off a highly-ranked team unexpectedly, your bracket gets busted. 

Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, and Final Four These are nicknames for the different levels of the tournament. Sweet 16= 16 teams left, Elite Eight = 8 teams left, Final Four = 4 teams left. The 2 winners from the Final Four Games compete against each other for the National Championship Title.

Taking Down the Net It is customary for the winner of the National Championship to cut down the basketball net at the conclusion of the game. Pay attention to all the March Madness this year to see who will “take down the net” on April 7.

March Madness Brackets

First let me say, EVERYONE should fill out a March Madness Bracket!

Reason #1 Everyone else does it. I know, if everyone jumped off a cliff, would you too? But this is harmless fun! It’s a great way to keep updated on the latest tournament action, and it’s a great conversation starter.

Reason #2 Warren Buffet is giving $1 Billion dollars for a perfect bracket.  The odds of actually filling out a perfect bracket are something like 1 in 128 billion, but its worth a shot right?

Reason #3 It’s up to you whether filling out the bracket is easy or hard.

My sister picks her brackets based on team colors and mascots. Last year, she won her office bracket challenge. Did I mention she is the only female in her office? So even if you don’t know much about college basketball, it’s easy to randomly select who will win each game.

Now, if you want to consider some strategy in choosing your teams, the possibilities are endless.  Consider a team’s (average margin of victory) x (Conference RPI) when making your selection. (Seriously, that was the first thing that came up when I googled bracket strategy).

If you are looking for easier strategy: See who is “hot” going into the tournament. Who is on a winning streak. Who lost in their conference tournament and has something left to prove? And pick a Cinderella to make it through the first 3 rounds.

Bracketology 101

The brackets are divided into 4 regions: West, Midwest, South, and East.  As I mentioned above, each region has teams seeded 1-16. The benefit of having a high seed is that in the first round of the tournament the highest seeded teams play the lowest seeded teams. For example, during the First Round  1 seed plays 16 seed, 2 seed plays 15 seed, 3 seed plays 14 seed..etc, etc.  The highest seeded teams are expected to win these early games. So, you can see what a “bracket buster” it would be to have a lower seed team defeat a higher seed team early in the tournament. 

The teams in each region are competing their way into the Final Four. The Final Four is comprised of 1 team from each region. (Hint: The Final Four is the final 4 teams, not the final 4 games.)  The 2 winning teams of the Final Four compete against each other in the National Championship Game.

1. The Court

Basketball is played on the Court (also known as the Hardwood). The Court is a rectangle with a Basketball Goal on each end. The Goal (also known as a basket or hoop) is supported by a backboard and has a net for the ball to travel down. (“Nothing but net” refers to a shot that doesn’t use the backboard but slides right into the hoop and down the net.)

Now, there are a lot of lines on the court. The court is outlined by the boundary.  The half-court line splits the court into 2 halves.  The center ring is used for Tip-off.  The outside arc in the 3-point line. Any shot made with the player outside this line counts for 3 points. If the player is inside this line, the goal is worth 2 points.  In front of the goal is an area known as “the paint” or “lane.”  The short lines  around the paint mark the space for players to stand during free throw shots. The line at the top of the paint parallel with base line is the foul line. The player shooting a free through must stand behind the foul line.

2. The Players

There are 5 players from each team on the court. The 5 players must play both offense and defense. Remember, offense has possession of the ball and is trying to score. Defense is defending or guarding the goal, trying to keep the offense from scoring and also trying to steal possession of the ball.  More on the 5 player positions HERE.

3. The Ball – Dribble, Pass, Shoot

A player can DRIBBLE the ball around the court, PASS the ball to another player, or SHOOT the ball into the goal.

When a player has possession of the ball, the ball must be in motion. Dribbling the ball is the motion of continual bouncing the basketball off the court. If a player picks up the dribble he has only 5 seconds to pass or shoot the ball. Once a player picks up the dribble, he cannot walk or restart the dribble.  If he does, the other team gets possession of the ball. More on penalties HERE.

4. Scoring

The only way to score points in basketball is to shoot the ball through the hoop.

During regular play: 3 points for shots made outside the 3-point line. 2 points for shots made inside the 3-point line.

During penalty play: If a player is fouled, a penalty shot may take place. A FREE THROW is worth 1 point each. It’s called a free throw because it is an unguarded “free” shot. This shot is taken at the free-throw line. Players line up on either side of the goal in hopes of retrieving the rebound if the shot is missed. Depending on the type of foul, a player may be given 1 shot, 2 shots, or 1-1 shot. A 1-1 shot requires the 1st shot to be made in order to attempt the 2nd. More on penalties HERE.

Free Throw Shot

5. Time

In basketball there is a Game Clock and a Shot Clock.

The Game Clock manages the time of the game. The NCAA has  TWO 20-minute periods. The NBA has FOUR 12-minute periods (High schools vary based on state).

Shot Clock A team has a limited amount of time to attempt a shot once the team has possession of the ball. The shot clock time varies between NBA, WNBA, and NCAA Men’s and Women’s.  The clock is usually visible on or near the basketball goal. The point of a shot clock is to keep the game moving along instead of a team passing the ball around the court for prolonged periods of time.

There are also time elements measured by the officials. For example: Players have 10 seconds to get out the ball of the backcourt, or 5 seconds to in-bound the ball. You will see the official keep time by swinging an arm like a pendulum. More on these time penalties HERE.

6. Tip Off

It’s Game Time! To begin the game, each team sends one player to the center circle for tip off (usually the tallest player). The ref throw the ball straight up into the air, and one of the players in the center will tip the ball to teammate to begin play. This is the first possession of the game.

The offense will run plays and try to find an open shot. The defense will guard the ball handlers, try to intercept a pass, or rebound a missed a shot. If the defense gains the ball, the possession changes immediately, and the teams will race to the other end of the court as the new team in possession of the ball will be attempting to shoot the ball.

Once a shot is made, the possession changes to the other team. However, instead of this posession change being immediate, a player must take the ball out of bounds, and throw the ball to a teammate inbounds to restart play.

The game continues to move at a fast pace with possession of the ball changing very quickly. Learn more about basic basketball strategy HERE.

If you understand these 6 easy things about Basketball, be sure to keep learning with our our other Basketball Basics posts!

The position can be called by number (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) or by name (point guard, shooting guard, etc). Let’s get started!

Position #1 Point Guard

The Point Guard is the main ball handler and brings the ball down the court. Much like the quarterback on a football team, the point guard is the leader of the basketball team and runs the plays.

Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Lindsay Whalen

Position #2 Shooting Guard

The Shooting Guard is a skilled shooter. Also known as the 2 Guard, this player’s primary role is to score points for the team. However most 2 Guards are also skilled ball handlers and team leaders along side the Point Guard.

Dwyane Wade, Michael Jordan, Cappie Pondexter

Position #3 Small Forward

The Small Forward is usually the most skilled and versatile player on the team. The 3 player is responsible for scoring, rebounding, drawing fouls on offense, and defending against the opponent’s top scorer.

Lebron James, Scottie Pippen, Maya Moore

Position # 4 Power Forward

The Power Forward is larger in size than the Small Forward and is mainly responsible for rebounding and inside or mid-range jump shots.

Kevin Garnett, Charles Barkley, Glory Johnson

Position #5 Center (High Post)

The Center is usually the tallest player with great strength and body mass. The Center uses body size to get to the basket for scoring and rebounding.

Shaquille O’Neal, Dwight Howard, Brittney Griner

Extra Point: The 6th Man

While a team’s starting 5 constitutes the best player at each position, another very important role is the 6th Man. This is the player who isn’t a starter but is “first off the bench” (meaning the first player to substitute in).  The 6th Man can usually cover several different positions and often plays equal, if not more, minutes than some of the Starting 5.

Kevin McHale, Manu Genobili , DeWanna Bonner 

Personal Foul Penalties

Personal Foul While on defense, players are trying to get possession of the ball (a steal) and block the offense from shooting.  They can do this by staying close to the offensive player and waving their arms, but players CANNOT physically touch each other or “reach” into the player’s personal space. Different variations of a personal foul are Reaching in, Hand Check, Holding, Elbowing. Simply put: Direct physical contact = personal foul.  

College players are allowed 4 personal fouls each game. If a player commits a 5th personal foul, they must leave the game and cannot return. (NBA players foul out after the 6th personal foul) Personal fouls also count toward the team’s total foul count.  When Team Fouls reach a certain number (NBA: The 5th  foul per quarter.  NCAA: 7th foul per half) it’s Bonus time. In the Bonus, each foul results in at least 1 free throw shot.

Shooting Foul If the personal foul occurs while the offensive player is shooting the ball, the penalty always results in a free throw for the fouled player. If the original shot was made, the player gets 1 free throw shot. If the original shot was missed, the player gets 2 free throw shots.

Flagrant/Technical A certain amount of “unintentional” personal fouling is expected in basketball, however the referee can make a judgement call if he thinks a player caused intentional harm in the foul. This elevated personal foul results in automatic  free-throw shots for the fouled player and  the fouled player’s team keeps possession of the ball after the free throw shots.

Charge  When an offensive player runs into a defender who has established position (2 feet firmly set before contact), a charge is called.

Block  If a player uses his body to prevent a player from moving down court without established position (2 feet firmly set before contact).

Extra Point: Flopping Very dramatic acting. If a defender illegally blocks a player, he may pretend to fall down in an effort to make the referee think the offensive player committed a charge instead. There isn’t a penalty for flopping, but the intent is to influence the referee.

Ball Handling Penalties

Double Dribble A player must continue to dribble the ball. If the player picks up his dribble, he must pass or shoot. If he begins to dribble again, whistle blows!

Travel (also called Walk) A player takes more than 1 ½ steps without dribbling the ball, or a player quits dribbling and moves the pivot foot.

Back-Court As the offense bring the ball down the court, and  the ball crosses the half court line, it cannot be passed back across the half court line.

These penalties are very frustrating, as these skills are considered fundamental. Usually when a player commits one of these errors he looks like this….

Time Penalties

There are many time rules in basketball. A few of the are listed below. When you notice the referee swinging his arm out like pendulum, he is counting these time rules. These penalties result in loss of possession.

3 second rule A player cannot stand in the foul lane more than 3 seconds at a time

5 second possession If a ball handler stops dribbling the ball, he must pass within 5 seconds.

10 seconds in the Back-court When bringing the ball down the court, the offense must get past half court within 10 seconds.

5 seconds inbound The offense has 5 seconds to pass the ball in-bounds when starting play.

DEFENSE

Man-to-Man In man-to-man defense, players are assigned to defend specific offensive players. 

Zone In zone defense, players are assigned specific areas of the court to defend. They defend offensive players when they come into their “zone.”

Full Court Press When a defense begins pressure as the offense inbounds the ball under the opposite goal. Usually this happens when a game is close-scoring. Most of the time, the game is played in half-court so that more defenders are near the basket.

Double Team  Sometimes the defense will put 2 defenders on 1 offensive player.

Blocked Shot When the ball is knocked down on its way to the basket. Also called a Swat.

OFFENSE

We discussed in Basketball Basics that while on offense a player must dribble, pass, or shoot the ball.

Pass There are 3 main types of passes

 Chest Pass        Overhead Pass          Bounce Pass

Shot There are 3 main types of shots

Jump Shot: The player stops, sets feet, and jumps while shooting the ball.

Layup: The player never stops moving and lays up the shot right up to the goal.

Dunk: The most famous shot. The player dunks the ball directly into the goal.

Jump Shot                   Layup                  Dunk

Screen An offensive player helps the ball-handler by standing next to the defender to give the shooter extra space to move or shoot.

Pick and Roll When an offensive player sets the screen and then rolls back toward the basket for a pass and layup.

Assist A pass that leads directly to shot being made.

Open When an offensive player is unguarded by a defender.

Post Up The offensive player (usually the Center or Power Forward) blocks out the defender to receive a pass.

Box Out The player uses his body to move the defender away from the goal to get the rebound.

Pivot Once a ball-handler picks up the dribble, he cannot restart dribbling or walk. In order to maneuver to pass or shoot, the player can pivot while one foot remains firmly on the ground. If the player moves his pivot foot, a traveling penalty is called.

I’ve always been told that a parent is more likely to have a son play in the Super Bowl than a daughter compete at Miss America. Statistically it’s true. Only 52 girls compete in Miss America each year, and it’s a one-and-done scenario. Now, I’m not comparing these two programs (the talent, strength, and agility on display at the NFL Combine is super-human), but the similarities in preparation and competition between the Miss America Pageant and the NFL Combine are just too good not to share….

The Contestants

The contestants are on full-display, all the time. They are dressed in identical outfits, lined-up for comparison.  Judges examine body type and fitness level during each phase of competition. The contestants come from every state in the country, have different backgrounds, stories, and family lives,  but they all share the same goal: competing at the next level.

The Preparation

Years, and years, and years of training prepare the contestants for these moments. I started piano lessons at age 7  and competed 4 years at Miss Mississippi before finally reaching the Miss America stage.

Fitness/Diet, Talent, Interview. These are the elements to master before the competition. Choosing vegetables over dessert, an extra hour of cardio over a time with friends, studying over television. These decisions matter when you are sitting on the bench or stretching your legs, waiting to perform.

Teams of trainers, agents, and support staff  keep the contestants focused, mentally and physically healthy. It’s all a game.  My mom would always tell me, “Keep your blinders on, you are only competing against yourself.”

The Special Talent

As I mentioned before, the feats at the Combine: super-human. However, I have also seen some pretty incredible talents at Miss America. I am just so thankful that my weight and bust measurements weren’t plastered across national television and social media. I am now oddly curious about my wingspan and the advantage of my hand size (specifically the thumb to pinky reach) in playing the piano. You know what they say about a girl with big hands… oh wait…

The Interview

The miraculous displays of talent are impressive, but the interviews are equally important. Who are you? What kind of leader will you be? How do you handle adversity?  Now, of course they don’t ask these questions straight out. Everything is coded. What is your favorite color? Movie? Pet?  Or sometimes Chris Matthews asks you on national television, “What is the status of race relations in post-Katrina Mississippi?” (true story) Regardless of the questions asked, the contestants are given an opportunity to show who they really are.

Bottom Line

Pure talent is not the only determining factor for long-term success. Every year big names become NFL busts (Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell), and some players left out of the Combine have superior careers (Wes Welker) and even Super Bowl rings (Kurt Warner).  It is all up to the competitor inside the individual.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget the shoes…

The Nike Suite at NFL Combine                                                                                                             

                                                                                   My Combine Experience: Miss America 2007, 3rd Runner Up

Motivational and Keynote Speaker

Women Can Talk Sports™ Founder, Taryn Foshee has 10 years of motivational speaking experience to engage your audience. Taryn’s unique life experiences as Miss Mississippi 2006 & 3rd Runner Up to Miss America, Entrepreneur and Founder of WCTS, and extensive academic background and research in sociology of sport, have shaped her into a versatile and entertaining speaker.

Lunch and Learn

Have us over for lunch! Female professional development is at the heart of Women Can Talk Sports™.  We create fun, interactive presentations to have your audience talking sports in 30 minutes! Our mantra is “You don’t have to know everything, you just have to know something!” A quick crash course can give you that something to start the conversation in the workplace or at home!

Sorority Life

A proud Chi Omega alumnae, Women Can Talk Sports™ Founder, Taryn Foshee knows the college experience centers around football in the fall. Make sure your sorority sisters are able to talk sports in the stands on Saturday! Our events are perfect for a new pledge class or for the entire chapter. And, we always include a little professional development – It’s all about Culture, Connection, and Confidence.

Church Ministry

Women Can Talk Sports™ believes that increased knowledge and confidence about sports can lead to better communication and stronger relationships in the lives of women. We offer discounted rates to church ministries for any of our services. Women Can Talk Sports™ wants to partner with your church for women’s ministry and outreach!

FOR A SAMPLE OF PAST EVENTS AND CLIENTS CLICK HERE

Request Taryn to speak at your event!

To expedite request, please include date of event, length of presentation, and a contact phone number.

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A generally accepted myth: Men talk about sports, women don’t.

Truth: 45% of NFL fans are female, 46% of MLB fans are female, 47% of MLS fans are female

So the reality is WOMEN CAN TALK SPORTS, and lots of them do! In February, WCTS will begin a series highlighting the amazing women I encounter daily who are talking sports in their personal and professional lives.  My hope is that by spotlighting this varied and vast group of women, you will also be encouraged to join in the conversation. Below is a list of my current favorite women talking sports on TV, twitter, online, and in their everyday lives.

My Top  10 Women Talking Sports

1. Christie Leigh Mueller

Author of Gridiron Belles: A guide to Saturdays in Dixie Christie Leigh shares my passion for empowering women through sports knowledge. She is a world-changer, and it only took 1/2 a cup of coffee for me to become her biggest fan.   Twitter: @gridironbelles

2. Sam Ponder

Sports broadcaster for ESPN and ABC Sports. She is married to NFL quarterback Christian Ponder.  Her first post on her blog (ProThrityOne.com) Examining Truth and Twitter is a must read…like right now!   Twitter: @sam_ponder

3.Charlotte Jones Anderson

Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer of  the Dallas Cowboys. I had the opportunity to meet her this summer, and she is advocating for female fans at the highest levels within the NFL. She is a rockstar businesswoman, speaker, and sports fan. Twitter: @cjonesanderson

4. Nicki Case Haulman

Amazing wife, mother, professional businesswoman, and one of main reasons WCTS became a reality.  Nicki knows, loves, and talks sports in her personal and professional life. She is the most authentic fan I know.  We worked side-by-side for 5 years, and she continues to inspire me every day with her passion for sports and people.

5. Kristi Dosh

The Sports Biz Miss. Attorney, Sports Business Analyst,  Author.  You can find her work on ESPN and Forbes. Her newest book Saturday Millionaires is a fascinating look at the business of college football.  Twitter: @SportsBizMiss

 6. Michelle Beadle

Funny. Real. Does sports her way, and destroys haters on Twitter. She went to NBC to host Crossover and Access Hollywood, but soon you will see her back on ESPN.  Twitter: @MichelleDBeadle

7. Erin Andrews

Who doesn’t know Erin Andrews? She makes the list simply because of her impact in advancing the credibility of female sports fans. 2.1 million twitter followers!  Twitter: @ErinAndrews

8.Lori Kelly

Fellow Nashvillian. Bullpin Editor for Outkick The Coverage  She is gorgeous, talks sports, and somehow manages the outrageous and entertaining sports stories flooding into Clay Travis’ OKTC.  Twitter: @loriOKTC

9. The Sports Brat

Jessica Ceresino founded The Sports Brat and writes for the female fans too. I just found this site, and I really love what she is doing. Check it out!  Twitter: @_TheSportsBrat

10. YOU!!!!!!!

Keep Talking Sports!