The term ‘sport’ can mean many things. In its most broad sense, it refers to any form of usually strenuous physical activity that, though not specifically competitive, is designed to use, develop or enhance physical ability and/or skills for the sake of fun, competition or both. In this context, sport can refer to organised sports; non-sport friendly activities; or can be applied to a single category of activities like horse riding, snooker, tennis, badminton, golf and swimming. In its more specific sense, the term refers to a single activity, be it hiking, climbing, swimming, horseback riding, athletics, or martial arts. Sport can also refer to a collection of related activities, like cycling, boating, diving, skiing, weightlifting, tennis and motor-racing.
Today, there are various common ways of categorising sporting activities, sometimes with no clear demarcation between the different types of activity. For instance, football can be regarded as a type of contact sport, but it can also include field games like baseball and soccer, swimming, tennis, basketball, track running and rowing. Similarly, skiing and ice skating are also considered to be part of the sporting activity category. Rugby cannot properly be classed as a sport because it is not a physical skill that requires physical dexterity. Cycling and inline skating are similar to football in this respect.
A sport can be broadly divided into two main categories: physical exertion and skill. Physical exertion refers to physical contact sport like football, rugby and sprinting, soccer and wrestling. Skill, on the other hand, refers to any kind of competition that calls for a particular level of skill and can include skill learning, skill building, and competitive game playing. This includes but is not limited to, golf, swimming, horseback riding, baseball, softball and skating.
One of the most popular sports around the world is the United States Open, which attracts a large number of tourists each year. The Open is a competitive event that requires the participants to wear the US Open dresscode, which consists of a polo shirt, slacks, trousers and a jacket. It has been held regularly since 1875, and has been the subject of many biographies, including that of its first winner, Thomas Hazlett.
Rugby is the oldest and largest club sport in the world. It has a long history, having been founded in Ireland in 1860. In recent times it has developed as a professional sport in the English language, retaining much of its traditional terms and traditions. One of the most popular sports played by the people of England is cricket. Cricket is a hugely popular sport in England, with over 21 million people taking part in matches every year.
Skateboarding has become popular among youths, with many companies producing skateboards aimed specifically at the younger market. Another major kind of sporting activity is motor skills. Motor skills can be developed by participating in downhill rollerblading or any similar extreme sport. Extreme sports are those that involve physical danger, speed and skill. A good example of an extreme sport is snowboarding or surfing.
