Sports are normally governed by some kind of laws or traditions, which allow for fair play, and ensure consistent adjudication of the final winner. A sport can be broadly classified into two main types – athletic and non-athletic. Athletic sports refer to those involving contact with a ball, including cricket and soccer. Non-athletic sports are generally those that do not involve contact with an object or body part. These include swimming, sailing, mountain climbing, cycling, horse riding and playing sports like tennis, badminton, table tennis, table sawing and racket ball. The popularity of these sports has increased over the years due to their easy accessibility and recreational value for all ages and skill sets.
Though most sports require skill and physical activity to participate, many are seen as more mental and self-motivating than physical activity, with the exception of motor sports such as motor racing, swimming and cycling. For example, football, in which the outcome is dependent upon a number of unpredictable factors, is considered to be an athletic sport whereas tennis is a form of competitive tennis. For motor skills, motor bike racing, karting, rally driving, aerobics, surfing, track running, horse riding, racing motorbikes and ice skating are all examples of non-athletic sports.
Many children who engage in these sports possess the basic skills required for their eventual development into athletic individuals. Physical fitness is an essential part of every sports. Without it, sports are not able to be played, though some sports can be modified to increase the physical fitness of players. Skateboarding for instance requires the use of both the mind as well as the body, but requires very little in terms of motor skills. Water sports require almost complete focus, physical fitness and the ability to swim, whilst golf, and baseball require very little in the way of physical fitness, or the ability to swing a club. Some sports require a great deal of speed or strength, though they tend to have lower levels of physical fitness.
Sport can be divided into several different categories. A number of sports rely on a particular type of physical activity, where as others rely on it as a component of a game. Basketball for instance, is usually associated with speed and physical dexterity, while football relies heavily on the stamina and power of the feet. A sport’s level of skill depends highly on how much time and effort a player is willing to put in. Professional sport involves many different types of skills, including gymnastics, fencing, table tennis, hockey, swimming and soccer.
Each sport has its own set of equipment that is unique to that particular sport. Equipment includes clothing, such as shorts, bibs, sports shoes, socks, helmets, padding, etc., but also tools such as nets, weight scales and medicine balls. As each sport is distinct, the equipment used in each should also be designed for that particular sport. Though most sports depend largely on the body, some have other components that can make the sport more challenging, such as golf and swimming. The difference between a golf club and a club used in baseball could be the length of the shaft or the angle the club tips.
Sports have been a physical activity since ancient times. The ancient Greek Olympics, for example, were competitions that emphasized physical activities as a form of art and athletic activity. Sports can be competitive or non-competitive, although most athletes use performance enhancing drugs and other techniques to boost their performances. The importance of sports can be seen not only in how they are celebrated but also in how they are administered. Through sports, people learn to become independent citizens who are able to excel in their own right and join together to pursue a common goal.