Sports are games that involve competitive events between individuals, teams or groups. They can be traditional sports or modified forms of games designed to attract audiences.
Sport teaches physical and mental fitness and promotes positive attitude. It also develops analytical skills and teaches fair play. This helps improve the players’ ability to play future activities.
Sport provides a great leveler, enabling people to see and understand each other’s strengths. It teaches the importance of goal setting and conflict handling. These skills help a person deal with situations with sincerity and earnestness. A positive attitude is important to success.
Throughout history, sport has been a major part of every culture. In fact, it is impossible to say when it originated. For instance, there is evidence that African cultures had ball games and wrestling matches. Other civilizations of the ancient world emphasized hunting. Similarly, many cultures of the early medieval period enjoyed archery and fencing as art.
Today, there are different forms of sports, from soccer and volleyball to basketball, tennis and golf. Everybody can participate in sports, from youngsters to adults.
During the Middle Ages, sports were often held to honor patron saints. Sometimes, they were staged with elaborate fanfare. The bourgeoisie of the Middle Ages enjoyed archery matches. Likewise, the Nuba of southern Sudan staged elaborately decorated bouts.
In the 17th century, the concept of sports record was developed. This led to a semantic shift in the way people understood the word.