The Impact of Sports on Society
Sports have been part of the human civilization from its earliest days. One of the most famous of all sports is basketball. Basketball involves two teams, each of which tries to shoot hoops using a hoop called a basketball. In its modern incarnation, basketball is an international sport played by teams from numerous nations. Two different types of games are distinguished by the rules they involve: basketball games are played with nine players on each team; in tennis, each player controls only one racket; and billiards has three main sets of rules.
The earliest origins of sports can be traced back to the Ancient Greek Olympics, which were akin to today’slympics, though they predate the games we know by thousands of years. A number of Olympic sports were similar to soccer and football, such as swimming, javelin/rowing, wrestling, and track. Though the Olympic sports vary from region to region, the games themselves have developed into a large part of the modern Olympic Games. Ancient Greece and Rome were the first civilizations to develop and hold organized sports competitions. Though there are disagreements about the exact nature of the Ancient Olympics, it is clear that they attempted to emulate many of the same sports that we know today.
Sports competitions, tournaments, and events flourished during the Renaissance. While there was no real physical education attached to these sports, the athletes who participated often spent much of their time training for athletic contests, usually for professional reasons. They spent periods of time in training and trying to improve their skills, which translated into successful sports careers and powerful careers in the Renaissance.
Sports events and athletic accomplishments during the Renaissance helped to further social change. The social status of the athlete was tied to his success in various sports. Not only were the athletes seen as athletes who were role models to lower class citizens, but the upper class who supported them were seen as role models as well. This trend carried over into the European and American sporting cultures, which resulted in social change. Professional sports leagues were created, giving the public another way to support their favorite athletes.
Sports also had an effect on physical dexterity. Professional sports require a great deal of athletic ability, mental ability, and physical dexterity. As a result, many individuals who participate in these sports find it very difficult to maintain their skill levels once the competition and pressure of actual competition start. Sports help to keep individuals in shape and in good health while simultaneously building confidence.
Modern sports have become even more specialized and competitive, which has made the competitions even more extreme and strenuous. Autotelic sports are particularly intense, requiring a great deal of physical dexterity and mental abilities. Sports that fall into this category include skiing, surfing, kite boarding, skateboarding, rock climbing, and figure skating. There are even contests for gymnasts, such as the US National Team Ski championships. However, there are some sports that don’t make it into the sports category; these include horseback riding, mountain climbing, paragliding, and inline skating.