Abstract: A baseball bat swing training method includes the steps of attaching a leg coupler to a lead leg of a batter adjacent to a knee of the batter. The leg coupler is configured to be extendable around the lead leg. A baseball bat is provided having a grip terminating with a knob. A tether is attached to the baseball bat grip adjacent to the knob. The tether is attached to the leg coupler. The tether includes a resiliently stretchable area and an area resistant to stretching. A length of the tether is adjusted such that the tether is taut as the batter is positioned in a set position before the batter moves toward a batting swing load position. Resistance to stretching of the tether increases as the batter moves to the batting swing load position.

Abstract: A golf club shaft includes a shaft body having a butt end and a tip end, and a counterweight member on an outer periphery of the shaft body between the butt and tip ends. The counterweight member is made of a fiber composite material configured in a way that the counterweight member has a color visually distinguishable from that of the shaft body.

Abstract: A game table and to a game equipment for playing a ball game with legs. The game table includes a table top structure with a see-through table top surface. The table top structure has a first and second table top ends and a first and second table top sides extending between the first and second table top ends. The game table further includes a first table side wall and a second table side wall extending downwards from the table top structure. The first and second table side walls being arranged to form a channel-like game space together with the table top structure, the channel-like game space having a first opening and a second opening at opposite ends of the channel-like game space.

Abstract: A volleyball training apparatus has a laterally extending arm supported on a riser. A resilient member such as a spring is operably connected within the arm. The resilient member is connected to a flexible connector, such as a cable, that is connected to a volleyball. A series of spacers retains the volleyball away from the rigid arm. The height of the arm may be adjustable to locate the volleyball at a desired height. After a user strikes the volleyball, the volleyball is displaced from its original static position, but quickly is snapped back into the static position by the resilient member pulling the volleyball toward the arm against the spacers.

Abstract: Basketball goals may incorporate folding rim assemblies which can be packaged and transported pre-mounted to certain backboard assemblies. Alternately, folding rim assemblies can be sold separately or packaged with a backboard for on-site mounting. Some basketball rim assembles may incorporate a break-away mechanism using a leaf spring. The leaf spring biases the rim bracket and resiliently resists downward pivotal movement of the rim bracket and rim. When the rim is rotated downward under an applied force, the leaf spring is flexed, biasing the rim to return to a static playing position when the force is removed.

Abstract: A target device for target practice. The target device is foldable from a planar cardboard material sheet into a three-dimensional housing having lifted target extensions. The target extensions can be formed or printed with a target shape, or a separate target label can be applied over the target extension. The target extensions can include a tab cut therein that can be folded outward to change the angle of the target extensions relative to the shooter user.

Abstract: A sporting goods merchandising display for a sports stick and ball package, as for playing the sports of ball hockey and lacrosse, wherein a sports ball having a diameter D1 is captured between spaced apart circular holes, each having a diameter D2 less than the diameter D1, in an open-ended packaging sleeve removably locked at a fixed position on the sports stick. Such packaging combines the sports stick and ball to prevent separation while on display but permits tactile access to the product components by sporting goods customers. A purchaser can easily remove the packaging sleeve to separate the product components without the aid of a cutting instrument.

Abstract: A hockey-stick includes a blade and a shaft. The blade includes a heel region, a toe region spaced longitudinally from the heel region, and a mid-region located between the heel region and the toe region. The blade optionally also includes a hosel to which the shaft is attached. One or more tuning rods or similar structures are positioned in the blade to increase the blade's stiffness to substantially match the stiffness of the shaft. The tuning rods are optionally located in the mid-region of the blade and may extend into the hosel and, in some cases, into the shaft or the toe region.

Abstract: A construct for a hockey stick blade and paddle structure having a spine that protrudes from a back face and provides structural rigidity, as well as recessed areas that reduce the mass of the paddle structure.

Abstract: A three-dimensional throwing game target apparatus includes platforms, bridge members, connectors and stanchions. The platforms include an outer wall and a platform receptacle ring that is adapted to receive a cup. Each of the bridge members include at least one bridge receptacle ring and a plurality of elongated girders extending outwardly from the bridge receptacle ring. The bridge members and the platforms may be detachably connected to one another in a horizontal plane. The stanchions are assembled to the platforms to support the receptacle rings at a plurality of different heights. The platforms, bridge members, connectors and stanchions may be assembled together to support the platform receptacle rings at selected vertically and horizontally spaced locations.

Abstract: A construct for a hockey stick that includes a shaft having with variable cross-sectional geometry. The shaft may include one or more portions with pentagonal and heptagonal cross-sections that increase the bending stiffness of the hockey stick shaft.

Abstract: A cover for a blade of a hockey stick are described wherein the cover includes a substantially flat bottom surface that is designed to lay flat against the surface of ice. The cover is designed and configured to be used to on the ice by a new or novice skater who holds the shaft of the hockey stick while skating and uses the stick and cover combination as a balancing aid.

Abstract: Systems and methods for deploying components within pinball machines. In some embodiments, a device may include a physical object coupled to an actuator via a flexible link, the physical object configured to interact with a pinball within a playfield of a pinball machine under control of the actuator. In other embodiments, a pinball machine may include a physical object configured to directly or indirectly interact with a pinball during a pinball game, the physical object coupled to an area within a playfield of the pinball machine other than a playable surface accessible to the pinball during a pinball game, the physical object suspended above the playable surface. In yet other embodiments, a pinball machine may include a plastic playfield cover configured to cover a playfield of the pinball machine, the plastic playfield cover configured to provide a player with access to one or more physical objects within the playfield.

Abstract: Visual aid timer systems comprise a visual aid timer that may be displayed to users, and synchronized to an audible alert signal providing expirations of time intervals and/or indications of start and/or stop times in a plurality of intervals used in physical fitness training and/or testing. The visual aid timer system provides a visual indication of time remaining in each of the plurality of intervals for viewing by users thereof. Methods of using the same are further provided.

Abstract: The present invention is disclosing a performance improvement system comprising a smart athletic flexible accessory and an electronic device communicably coupled with smart athletic flexible accessory. Smart athletic flexible accessory comprises a plurality of fabric sensors configured to measure data associated with a physical activity performed by a user and a first transceiver configured to transmit measured data. Electronic device comprises a second transceiver configured to receive measured data from smart athletic flexible accessory, and a microprocessor. Microprocessor is configured to analyze received data from receiver, generate a recommendation based on analyzed data, and cause a display screen to display generated recommendation.

Abstract: A pitching target assembly for training baseball or softball pitchers. A target defines a plurality of zones, each being backed by a pocket or pouch for catching the baseball or softball. The height of the target can be adjusted to match that of a batter. The zones of the target may be adjusted as well, to tailor the targeting within the zone for specific purposes. The target may also be configured at an acute angle relative to a base plane of the pitching target assembly for practicing drop pitches.

Abstract: A finger guard for use with a goalie hockey stick includes a collar arranged to be frictionally retained about the paddler portion of the goalie hockey stick and a guard body on the collar so as to be supported on the paddle portion of the goalie hockey stick in proximity to the top end of the paddle portion to protrude outwardly from a major front face of the paddle portion. The guard body has a bottom face which is arranged to be oriented substantially perpendicularly to the common plane of the paddle portion. The guard body provides the function of deflecting pucks away from the fingers of the goalie even when pucks are deflected upwardly along the paddle portion of the goalie hockey stick.

Abstract: A swing analysis system is disclosed herein. The swing analysis system includes a motion capture system and a force measurement assembly configured to receive a user; and at least one data processing device operatively coupled to the motion capture system and the force measurement assembly, the at least one data processing device configured to determine positional information for the one or more body segments of the user from the output data of the at least one motion capture device and output forces and/or moments from the force measurement assembly, the at least one data processing device further configured to determine one or more swing performance parameters for the user using at least one of: (i) the positional information of the one or more body segments of the user from the at least one motion capture device, and (ii) the output forces and/or moments from the force measurement assembly.

Abstract: A smart soccer goal for tracking and communicating motion of objects includes a goal frame; a net coupled to the goal frame including a plurality of lights; and one or more sensors coupled to the goal frame. A first sensor of the one or more sensors is directed to detecting movement within and immediately near the smart soccer goal and a second sensor of the one or more sensors is directed to detecting movement outside of the smart soccer goal.

Abstract: A golf club head comprises a face and a golf club head body. The face includes a toe end, a heel end, a crown end, and a sole end. The face defines a thickness from an outer surface to an inner surface of the face. The face defines a leading edge, the leading edge being the forwardmost edge of the face. The golf club head body is defined by a crown, a sole, and a skirt. The crown is coupled to the crown end of the face. The sole is coupled to the sole end of the face. The skirt is coupled to the sole and the crown. The golf club head body defines a trailing edge, the trailing edge being the rearwardmost edge of the golf club head body.