Sports are competitive physical activities that involve physical skill, strength, speed, and endurance. They are different from normal games in that they tend to be played over a specific period of time, often between two to four teams. They also typically have some sort of fixed rules that are enforced through official police officers or referees. Some sports can be very competitive but also governed by a set code of ethics and rules that players are expected to follow. Some examples of these types of sports include baseball, softball, football, basketball, soccer, hockey, racing, rugby, lacrosse, boxing, wrestling and track and field.
Association football is perhaps the most well known and largest association of sports in the United Kingdom. Association football is played between teams of varying disciplines. These teams are based in professional and amateur clubs within a country or league. As part of their physical fitness training, players on an association football team will often run sprints, carry weights and participate in strength and agility drills designed to improve their speed, agility, and physical strength.
Mind sports such as chess and bridge are very popular and are regulated by governing bodies within each country. There are many international governing bodies that supervise and monitor these various mind sports competitions and events. Chess is played between two competing players using a board covered with squares. Players may use checkers, jacks, pencils, slates, etc to try to make their pieces to get to the other side of the board and eventually to win the game. Bridge is a competitive physical activity where one player sits cross legged, holding a pencil between their legs, trying to create pairs out of the letters on the board by guessing correctly (and quickly) what those particular letters stand for and vice versa.
In the main article above we talked about why the rules and regulations govern certain sports and activities. However there are many more aspects of sportsmanship beyond the rules that a good sportsmanship coach will be aware of. Some of these other aspects of sportsmanship include treating the opposition with respect and encouraging refutations when needed, and respecting the opinions of other players of both teams. This last point relates directly to the spirit of sportsmanship and is another aspect of the game that a good coach will be well aware of. Referees are expected to give a clear decision and also to call a foul when the rules allow it.
Another aspect of mind sports that has been discussed in articles is physical activity. Many of the physical contact sports such as boxing, rugby and wrestling have been traditionally associated with a physical element to the sport; however there are many other games and activities that can be considered to fit the spirit of sportsmanship as well. An example of a sport that does not involve a physical element would be the game of chess.
Chess is a game of skill and strategy, rather than physical contact or even actual blows. The association football matches that we usually associate with the term “sport” are examples of classic physical contact sports that are played by people from all walks of life. Sportscasters and commentators may not always be objective regarding the type of sport that an individual or team is playing, but they still provide an entertaining service to the general public by providing comment on the sport and its people. As sports professionals we should always consider that we are providing entertainment for the general public and providing an education to future sports professionals for that matter.