Participating in Sports is a great way to stay active and healthy while at the same time gaining benefits to one’s mental health. Besides being fun, sports also teach children valuable life skills and help them become independent and social. As a result, they gain positive self-esteem. This self-esteem helps them be successful and happy in the future.
Sports provide an opportunity to connect with others, and are often the focus of cultural exchanges. They create a sense of community that transcends national boundaries. People who are involved in sports also feel a sense of fierce identification with their team, and sometimes hatred for their opponents. This can lead to feelings of despair when a favorite player is injured, or elation when a last-minute goal transforms defeat into victory.
Sports were first developed in the late seventeenth century in England. They were a response to the Puritan movement, which condemned traditional pastimes and drove them underground. During this time, organized games began to develop under the leadership of the Marylebone Cricket Club. Founded in 1787, the Marylebone Cricket Club was the first to develop cricket and rationalized competition.
According to Michael Brown, a sport is any activity that has a competitive element. These can include track and field events, gymnastics, ice events, golf, and tennis. Some sports do not have competitive elements, such as shooting, archery, markmanship events, and tennis.