Sports (or sporting activities) is any forms of generally competitive physical activity that, through organised or casual participation, attempt to employ, enhance or develop specific physical skill and/or ability while also providing entertainment for participants, and sometimes, spectators. Many different types of physical activities have been and are being developed and practiced by both professional and amateur athletes, participants in organized sports competitions and/or fitness clubs. These activities range from indoor leisure and fitness programs, to outdoor competition, including high-profile athletic events like the Olympics, to recreational activities popular in many countries, such as golf, swimming and surfing. In recent years, with the increased interest in participating in a variety of regular physical activities, especially to help lose weight and build muscle, the development and evolution of sports-based exercise programs and fitness centers have also become more widespread.
One common type of sports activity is track and field, a venue for several Olympic medals. Track and field is a competitive sport involving a series of hand-eye coordination, jumping and kicking skills. Another well-known type of sport is tennis; tennis players use racquetball-like racquets to hit a ball across a court to hit it out of a net, or “return” the ball back to the player who hit it first. The sport most closely associated with the word “sports” is golf, which involves throwing and hitting a ball over a distance.
While the above sports share many common components, each specific sport requires unique qualities and individual skills, as well as a variety of equipment and accessories. Swimming, for example, requires both swimming skills and highly trained ability to move swiftly and easily under water, while also maintaining body movement and balance. Strength, endurance and agility are crucial qualities to a player who wishes to swim effectively and successfully. Agility and flexibility are equally important qualities in other types of sports, though some sports require more specific training to develop these necessary physical abilities. For example, golf requires both hand-eye coordination and accurate ability to hit a golf ball with great accuracy.
While all of these physical skills are necessary to participate in a number of sports, none of them are as unique as skateboarding. Skateboarders must be skilled in their ability to balance and maneuver on their skateboards, while also mastering a number of seemingly complex moves and tricks. Skateboarders must be both expert in their own realm of skating and also skilled at performing powerful tricks that use their physical dexterity.
In recent years, skateboarding has earned a reputation as one of the most popular activities among youth, due to its high degree of safety and fun. As skateboard riding gained popularity, several different names for the activity emerged, such as rollerblading, skateboarding and even street skating. These names reflected the creativity and innovation of the people involved in the sport. Over time, however, the original activity became recognized as just simply skating, as evidenced by the modern spelling of the word. In order to lend clarity to the name, today many children and adults alike commonly refer to the activity as skateboarding. Taking this broader view of the sport, it is easy to see why it has become an internationally recognized pastime with millions of fans.
Another reason why skateboarding has become so popular has to do with the way it satisfies the need for physical activity. Children who love to skateboard do so because they are unable to find enough physical activity outside of school or family chores. Since most of these youngsters spend a great deal of time sitting in front of a television screen, this type of sedentary lifestyle is often discouraging. Skateboarding, on the other hand, allows young people to spend a few hours on their feet without having to spend the rest of the day at a computer or PlayStation.
Perhaps the most significant influence in the growth of skateboarding has come from the efforts of its manufacturers. Many companies made sports gear and accessories specifically for skateboarders, because of the level of skill required in the sport. This led to the development of a wide range of new skateboarding games that are now available for children to play on home computers. Skateboarders can compete against each other or with friends in these games, taking advantage of the wide variety of games sports equipment manufacturers designed specifically for use by people of all ages. These highly competitive online games take advantage of the low-cost investment involved in buying sports equipment and using specialized boards.
No matter what segment of society you belong to, there is likely to be a number of popular sports for you to choose from. Whether your favorite team is basketball, baseball, football, tennis, or any other kind of team-based sport, there is a sport for you. Whether you are interested in participating in physical dexterity activities or competitive games of skill, there are many options to choose from.