Paul Parker - A hero’s welcome for England team

The World Cup may have ended in tears for the England team, who finished fourth overall, but it rekindled a love of football in the nation not seen in decades. Rather than returning home defeated, once again, the team returned as national heroes.

The last time England made it so far in a World Cup was in 1990, when MN2S celebrity speaker Paul Parker was in the team. He said that the first players heard of the sensation they were causing was when rumours spread on the plane home that there were people waiting at the airport for them.

He said: “We honestly didn’t know how much of an impact we had made at Italia 90, and it was only when people started cheering that it suddenly clicked that they were there for us. Thousands upon thousands of people. It took all of us by surprise – even the likes of Bryan Robson, John Barnes and Gary Lineker.”

This time around the England team will surely have been better prepared for the goodwill that greeted them on their return home. In an age of social media, they must have been well aware of the positive feeling that their winning streak had generated. The team touched down at Birmingham Airport, where they had a kickabout on the tarmac before parting ways.

The team has left England as a disappointment and returned the heros of one of our hottest ever summers - much like Paul Parker did, 28 years ago. He said: “I eventually made it back home, only to discover my cul-de-sac in Wokingham had been turned into a street party. I hadn’t even lived there long, but 40-50 people lined the pavements, people I had previously only waved at, except my immediate neighbours. It was quite emotional to see everyone making such an effort.

“I got recognised everywhere I went. My presence caused places to shut down – whether it was tills in supermarkets or pumps in petrol stations – as people asked me for autographs.

“No one knew my face prior to Italia 90. I headed to the World Cup as a QPR player; I returned an England player. It transformed my life and I’m still seeing the impact 28 years on.”

If you’re interested in hiring a member of England’s last great teams, Paul Parker is available as a speaker and for brand partnerships. Get in touch to find out more.

soccer football paulparker

Transforming Injury with Wearable Biomechanics

“The road to athletic greatness is not marked by perfection, but the ability to constantly overcome adversity and failure” –Nike

Unfortunately, injury is one of those inevitable sources of adversity for many athletes and active individuals today. For many, injury is just a part of the game, and it shows. According to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine,

High school athletes, alone account for close to 2 million injuries, 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations annually. The majority of injuries (sixty-two percent) take place during practice, with sprains and strains being the most common type of injury.

Prevention

Anyone in the medical community knows-prevention is key. This can include:

-Improving flexibility

-Warming up

-Strengthening the right muscles

-Using proper technique

-Wearing protective gear

-Resting

-Recognizing pain early on

-Cross-training

-Eating a balanced and nutritious diet

-Hydrating

Wearable Biomechanics

But what if you could have a biomechanics lab at your very fingertips, analyzing your every move? The benefits would be extraordinary, minimizing your risk for injury in the first place. But for dorsaVi, an FDA-cleared wearable sensor technology, that’s not all. The smart technology is simple to use, it’s low cost, and it may be used in real-time, to help you to get better and make well informed decisions along the way.

Bringing the accuracy of the lab, to real-life situations, the technology combines accelerometers, magnetometers and gyroscopes with precise algorithms to measure your body’s movement, along with adhesive electrodes to analyze your muscle activity. Because you belong out there, on the field, on the track, in the pool, on the court - not in a lab.

Sports & Clinical Applications

With precise answers, the technology helps to minimize risk, accelerate rehabilitation and inform you when your body is ready to return to the game. Track your progress and improve your performance, because now that you have more knowledge, every move you make is well informed and prescribed for accurate treatment.

“These are certainly exciting times in professional health and safety as well as elite sports. Coaches, ergonomics experts and physical therapists and chiropractors now have access to a veritable crystal ball. Never before have they been able to make choices that are so well informed,” says Megan Connell, Chief Marketing Officer of dorsaVi. She continues, “The data produced by dorsaVi was previously only available in a biomechanics lab, which was out of consideration for the vast majority of people, it was pretty much the exclusive domain of elite athletes and researchers. The dorsaVi solutions provide this lab-quality data, but at a price that is accessible to almost all Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, pain specialists, strength & conditioning coaches, ergonomists, and workplace health & safety executives.”

Addressing the Core Modules

The dorsaVi sports and clinical solution is used by professionals in the health and performance realm bringing solutions to strength & conditioning, day-to-day training and injury rehabilitation. Its clinical solution, Professional Suite offers detailed analytics that address three core modules of assessment:

Low Back

The Low Back module tracks range, timing, and movement quality in various postures, considering age normative data to identify abnormalities.

Run

The Run module uses precise algorithms to identify ground reaction force, symmetry, initial peak acceleration, speed, ground contact time and cadence. These tests are simply completed on the treadmill or on the road in real-life conditions.

Knee

With functional tests, the Knee module collects data in regards to dynamic movement and proper function, assessing risk for ACL and other common injuries.

Going the Distance

The dorsaVi technology is used by trainers of leading sporting teams (any Clippers fans?) as well as world-class Olympians to deliver real results and swift recoveries. Although, you don’t have to have a gold medal to benefit. With dorsaVi technology, knowledge is power. It’s the power to lead active lives everyday and the power to go the distance in health and human potential.

The Best Accessory: A Great Book

Pair a book with your latest outfit creation. Reading not only makes you look well-versed and sophisticated, but it also expands your comfort zone. Grab these stylish books to read while riding on the train, chilling at the local coffee shop, or even grabbing a cocktail. They’ll go great with the new satchel and glasses you’ve been meaning to wear.

How To Lose Friends and Alienate People

A retro story set in the 50’s for when you’re feeling mid-century modern. How To Lose Friends and Alienate People follows the downward spiral of a once-hot young journalist. After Toby loses his job at Vanity Fair he is slowly shunned by his affluent peers. A hilarious expose of the East Coast media establishment and a must read.

Journeyman

Journeyman is a rugged book for men who appreciate quintessential American style. While hiking the Appalachian Trail, Matt wakes up in an unfamiliar barn.  With no memory of what happened, he must figure out why these farmers live such a simple life and how to get home.

The Great Gatsby

The epitome of class and style, The Great Gatsby is the inspiration for costume parties everywhere. Written in 1925 at the peak of the Roaring 20’s, The Great Gatsby embodies the party life while teaching a cautionary lesson.