Meaning
Sports refers to activities that involve the physical excursion of effort and skill where an individual or group of people plays against as rivaling group of people towards a target reward or appreciation and by extension, the entertainment of a different group of people.
Sports involve playing in a characteristic lively and energetic way. Sports inspire fun, commitment, hard-work and team effort.
Sports are beneficial to the health, physical and mental, of any individual which is why countries should encourage it.
Types of sports
There are many types of sports, each with its own set of rules and regulations. Sports can be categorized into the following:
- Ball and bat or stick sports- These constitute of games that require both a ball and a bat or stick for the players to use. They include games such as cricket, hockey, baseball, lacrosse, golf, soft ball and baseball.
- Ball only sports- Include games that only require a ball. They include games such as volley ball, net ball and water ball.
- Endurance and track sports- These constitutes of games like sprinting, marathon and other running games like relay. Track as well as field events like high jump, long jump, discus, javelin throwing all fall in this category. There are also sports like the different forms of cycling which also fall in this category like road cycling, track cycling, mountain biking, etc. Walking is also categorized in this line of sports.
- Combat and strength sports- These include martial arts, karate, taekwondo and jujutsu which are in fact ancient combat sports. It also includes games like wrestling, boxing and mixed martial arts. Combat sports may incorporate the use of weapons. Weightlifting, power lifting and body building can also be categorized here as they involve strength.
- Water ice and snow sports– Include the likes of swimming, rowing, jet skiing and sailing. Diving, surfing and wake-boarding are also involved. For the case of ice, there are games such as ice hockey, curling, speed-skating among others. During snow there are activities of sport such as skiing, snowboarding and sled.
- Gymnastics– Consists of activities like balance beam and high bar. Flips and slack lining as well.
Benefits of sports
- Research has shown that sports have been instrumental in the academic success of athletes.
- Sports enhance team work towards problem solving and skills.
- Sports is also important in boosting self-esteem because in the field everyone is equally and important.
- Sports also have a physical health benefit due to the burning of fats and calories towards a physically fit body.
- It is also possible to reduce pressure and stress through sports.
- Sports help children develop metal and physical toughness.
- Sports increases blood circulation hence proper health and physical well-being.
Importance of sports in school
The relevance of sports in schools goes far beyond the confines of physical and health benefits. This is because it fosters the following among learners.
- Teaches children the life skills such as problem solving.
- It individual effort towards team success.
- It also fosters leadership.
- It promotes patience with the will to do better.
- It makes them mentally and physically fit.
- Boosts self-esteem for individual players, thus students.
- Develops a sense of friendliness among the children.
Importance of sports in society
- Sports have been very instrumental in providing employment for a lot of youths.
- Sports have also played a significant role in ensuring that there is reduction in idleness which is often the root of crime.
- It helps bring people together hence a unifying factor in society.
- Sports are a paramount leisure activity and a constructive way of spending free time.
- Sports have helped shape the characters of many people in society making them develop patience, teamwork and know how to work hard towards desired ends.
- Sports are a cheap way of enhancing physical health.
- It helps to nurture young talent in the society hence an important part of human living.
- Sports have been instrumental in bringing up certain communities who receive recognition because of the fact that they possess a lot of talent and do well in certain specific sports.
Importance of sports in college
- Sports help shape the character of students on and off campus by teaching them some of the principles of living like hard-work and patience.
- There is also the provision of scholarships which favor students who are good in sports.
- I also help nurture the talent of the individual players towards becoming better sports men and women.
- Sports provide physical and mental health for college students making them able to study better.
- Sports make a name for colleges following inter-institution regional competitions and bring trophies and awards home.
Sports day
- Sports day is a day where athletes and legends in the sports arena are celebrated for their good work.
- Sports day helps campaign for the relevance of sports to our everyday life.
- Sports day also encourages any talented sports man and women that what they possess is a gift that should be nurtured and used wisely.
- We celebrate sports day as a symbol of unity amongst citizens of a country.
- Sports day is celebrated to appreciate the role of sports in society towards functional and healthy living.
Conclusion
Sports serves as unifying factor because of the fact that it brings people together in mutual support regardless of ethnic background, religious or whichever divisions there might be in life.