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What Defines a Sport?

Young couple dancing cha-cha-cha at a junior L...

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Many people roll their eyes at the so-called “girly” sports in the Olympics: figure skating and ice dancing, for example. What defines a sport? Is it the “feel” of the sport? Does it have to involve teams? Why do some consider cheerleading a sport and others call it a dance team? Is dancing a sport?

No matter if you agree on whether figure skating or ballroom dancing is a sport, these well-toned professionals who participate in such activities must be considered athletes. Dancers often are more toned and muscular than athletes in some of today’s most popular sports because dancing requires them to use their entire body in ranges of motion in ways that a defensive linebacker in football or a golfer would never dream of. Dancers also undergo much more training and discipline to excel in their profession.

When compared to other sports like shooting, pool, or curling, it may seem ridiculous that dancing isn’t a sport in the Olympics, especially when sports like ice dancing or figure skating are. Figure skating involves precision, fluidity, timing, and a keen sense of music–sound like dancing at all? Ice dancing makes no pretense in its comparison to its non-ice counterpart, ballroom dancing. The sport fully acknowledges that it has its roots in the art of ballroom dancing. All of these activities (skating, dancing, cheerleading) involve a judging system of points, distinct skills, and a highly competitive field of participants.

So at the end of the day, why is dancing not considered a sport? Why is figure skating laughed at? Why do people roll their eyes at cheering competitions? Is it because many of these sports are wrongly considered to be a mainly female activity? Who drew the line and said if something is aesthetically pleasing, it cannot be a sport? If this were the case, football would be an art, not a sport, because of the intense attention drawn to uniforms, commercials, and cheerleaders.

Filed Under: Athletes, Sports Tagged With: , ,

Online Sports Betting Sites Offer a Range of Opportunities

Bookmakers at the dog races in Reading, UK

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As online casinos and online poker grew in popularity, it was just a matter of time before sports betting sites gave players the opportunity to bet on their favorite sports teams from the comfort of their own homes. Knowing how to use online casinos will help you make smart bets that earn money.

Online Casinos Make Sports Betting Easy

The proliferation of online casino games has made it easier for individuals to bet on sports such as football, basketball and baseball. Many sites even offer players the opportunity to place bets on smaller sports that do not command a lot of attention. The easy access of online casinos could lead to an increase in sports betting.

Betting on Sports

Sports betting occurs at every level of play. Although you probably won’t find your son’s little league team listed on a sports betting site, you will find local pro teams. Some sites will let you bet on everything from pre-season games to the World Series and Super Bowl. This keeps fans interested throughout the season. Everyone bets on the Super Bowl. Real fans, however, keep track of statistics throughout the season and place bets on the teams they believe will win small games as well as big competitions.

How Sports Betting Works

Sports betting sites offer a variety of opportunities for fans. Choose betting options that give you the greatest advantage. That usually means placing bets on totals and spreads. Online gaming sites should give you your odds when you place a bet. These odds can change depending on what occurs after you place the bet. Still, considering the odds will help you determine whether you should bother placing a small or large bet. When you win, the casino will deposit money in your account. If you lose, of course, they keep the money that you bet.

Explore online casinos that make it easy to bet on a wide range of games and collect your winnings.

Filed Under: Sports, Training Tagged With: , ,

Choosing a Sport For Your Child

If you are a parent who wants to get your child involved in sports, its important to pick an activity that is a good match for your child. Here are some tips to help you pick a sport that fits your child’s interests and abilities:

  • Start by exposing your child to various sports. You can do this at first by watching different sports on TV. If your child thinks a certain  sports seem interesting, take note of things like whether your child prefers team sports (basketball, soccer) or individual sports (golf, gymnastics).
  • When it comes to selecting a sport, body type matters. A petite body type is ideal for gymnastics, while a tall frame is better for basketball.
  • Once you have narrowed down to two or three sports that your child enjoys, enroll them in lessons or a league so that they can get experience at those sports. Keep it to one sport per season and see which one they have the best aptitude at and enjoy the most.
  • Of course, before you sign up your child for lessons in a sport, take them to the doctor for a thorough physical. Let the doctor know what sport(s) your child will be participating in.
  • Think outside of the box when it comes to selecting  a sport for your child. Activities such as fencing and martial arts count as sports, so don’t lock your child into traditional sports like baseball or soccer.
  • Don’t pressure your child to take up a sport just because you played it when you were their age. Maybe you were great at basketball, but your child does not have the body type or interest to excel at that sport, and would rather play another one instead.
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Benefits of Sports for Kids

Participation in sports is beneficial for kids in several ways. Young people who play a sport tend to better academically; participation in sports also improves social skills. This is in addition to the physical benefits of playing a sport. Some kids will want to be a part of a competitive league; but if not, a city league or church-based group can provide opportunities for your child and the benefits are much the same:

  • First and foremost, sports are fun! It’s helpful for kids to engage in an activity with youth who have similar interests.
  • For girls in particular, playing a sport results in a better body image and high self-esteem. Staying active reduces the chance of becoming overweight.
  • Studies have shown that girls who play a sport are less likely to get pregnant as teens, and boys and girls who play sports are not as likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol.
  • Engaging in physical activity is an excellent way for kids to combat stress and ward off depression. Exercise releases endorphins that improve mood.
  • Playing sports fosters discipline in youth. It teaches them the importance of setting goals and then putting in the practice required to reach those goals.
  • Kids who play sports can apply that discipline to their studies — playing sports increases a child’s chance of graduating from high school.
  • Playing sports creates good sports. Kids learn that you can’t win them all and they learn how to maintain a positive attitude, even in defeat.
  • Kids who play sports are more likely to remain active as adults. Physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight throughout life.
  • Playing sports helps a child to develop coordination and they also learn how to think strategically. Strategic thinking is a skill that can be helpful on or off the court.
  • By participating in a sport, kids learn the importance of teamwork and develop leadership skills.
Filed Under: Coaching, Sports Tagged With: , ,

Sports Camps for Kids

Sports camps are a way for kids to receive in-depth instruction in a team or individual sport. While some kids may participate in a sports camp strictly for recreation, others may enroll in a sports camp as a way to further their training in a particular sport.

Sports camps are available for team sports like football and soccer, as well as for individual sports such as tennis and gymnastics. Some sports camps are day camps, where kids attend for several hours each day, just as they would attend school during the academic year. Other sports camps are residential, meaning that children stay in a dorm for the duration of the camp. At a residential sports camp, there will be adult supervision 24/7. Some sports camps may last a week or two, others may extend for several weeks during the summer months.

Many sports camps will offer online registration, parents can simply fill out a form and submit payment to secure their child’s place in a sports camp. Sports camps will typically offer sessions for different age groups or experience levels. In some sports, such as gymnastics or tennis, an “elite” session may be offered — these sessions are geared towards young athletes who are highly talented and might qualify for professional or Olympic-level competition.

Representatives from college athletic departments sometimes attend sports camps in order to scout out talent. If a child makes an impression on a college scout, this may lead to an athletic scholarship once the child finishes high school.

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Michael Phelps an Inside Look

Michael Phelps is a well-known Olympic swimmer at the young age of 25 years old. He attended the University of Michigan, where he studies sports marketing and management. In 2007 alone Michael won 38 national titles in swimming. Over the course of his career he has set 35 world records, 5 of which he set in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. His strongest stroke is breast stroke. He wears two swim caps, using the second one to smooth out the wrinkles from the first one. He is being celebrated as the “Greatest Olympian ever.” During the medal ceremony he said, “I am at a lost for words. To be the most decorated Olympian of all time, it just sounds weird. I am speechless.”

Michael devotes most of his time and energy to swimming. He practices about two to three hours, two to three times a day and about six times a week. He eats more calories than an average person could consume in a day. He has to eat so much because if he doesn’t he would never have the energy to swim as well or as fast as he does.In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family, friends, and his dog Herman. He also likes to play video games.

Through the Make A Wish program he has met some children and on Facebook he shares with us, “These kids tell me that I’m their inspiration, but these brave kids are much more inspiring to me.” Throughout Michael Phelps’s career he has inspired many people just like the kids that met him through Make A Wish. Many swimmers have begun to pursue a career in swimming because of him and others like him. Some people don’t realize it, but our action effect the actions of others. Maybe Michael Phelps did recognize that and maybe that’s why he is such a great person. He has set the ultimate example and people strive to follow it.

Filed Under: Olympics, Sports Tagged With: , ,

Butterfly, Going Through the Motions

Butterfly_stroke

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Competitive swimming consists of four different strokes, the hardest of which is the Butterfly. Butterfly is also very commonly used; it is the first stroke in an IM, which is an event that consists of all four of the strokes. The event lengths for butterfly can range from fifty yards to one thousand five hundred yards.

The Butterfly, or also called Fly, is one of the most dominant strokes. When doing the fly stoke the legs are moving together in a motion people call the dolphin kick. The dolphin kick helps the body have as much undulation as possible without slowing the body down. It is important to have undulation to keep the body moving through the water at a consistent rate. If the body were to have too much undulation the body would be slowly dragging in the water. If the body were to have to little undulation the swimmer would still move through the water but not as swiftly or as quickly as they would if they had the right amount of undulation.

While the legs are kicking the arms are moving in a windmill motion. While moving the arms as smoothly as possible the hands are to be flat palmed and the fingers held tight together. This will result in the arms moving more water and the body will move faster through the water. Also the swimmer never wants to smack the water with the hand, this also could result in the slowing of the body. Instead of this the swimmer wants to smoothly insert the hand into the water at an angle to create one swift movement.

During all this the head is down until the swimmer needs to take a breath. At this point the swimmer brings the head up briefly with the arms, takes a breath, the puts the head back down. When doing this the swimmer does not want to put the head too far down, this would result in the head casing the rest of the body to drag through the water.

Filed Under: Olympics, Sports Tagged With: , ,

Freestyle, Going Through the Motions

freestyle swimming

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Freestyle is the most common of strokes in competitive swimming or even just luxurious swimming. It is one of he easiest strokes to learn because the movements are not as in-depth as any of the other strokes. The most important movements are with the legs, arms, head, and hands.

When doing the Freestyle the legs are doing the kick known as the flutter kick. The flutter kick is the movement of both legs kicking back and forth at different times. When done correctly the leg will be moving perfectly opposite each other. When doing this the swimmer should point the toe this will result in the swimmer keeping the water moving smoothly so that their body can move swiftly through the water. Of the toe is not pointed it will cause the body to drag through the water slowing the swimmer down.

With the arms the swimmer should form a sort of windmill movement, but they should have the arms moving opposite each other so one arm is in the water and one is not at all times. The hands should be flat palmed and the finger tight together so that they can move the water more effectively. The hands should never slap the water, doing this would result in the moving of less water and the swimmer slowing  down. In stead the swimmer should smoothly slide the hand in at an angle in one swift movement. When the swimmer needs to take a breath they turn the head to the side of the body that has the arm that is under water. When stroking the swimmer wants to keep the head in line with the body so that the body doesn’t drag through the water.

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Breaststroke, Going Through the Motions

Breaststroke

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Breaststroke is one of the hardest competitive swim strokes to learn. It consists of many different complicated and precise movements. It is also hard because not all of the movements are as swift and steady as some of the other strokes. During the breast stroke the swimmer has to concentrate on the precise movement of legs, arms, body, hands, and head. On of the things that makes it easier is that on every stroke of the arms the swimmer brings their head up for a breath.

In the Breaststroke the swimmer uses the legs in a kick that looks like a frog kick. The swimmer will bring up their legs so they form a sort of diamond. After that the swimmer will form a movement some times known as a mule kick. They will kick out hard to the side of their body and then the legs will come back together and the movement starts over again. While doing this movement the swimmers does not want to point the toe doing this will result in the moving of less water and the swimmer will move slower through the water.

With the arms the swimmer should start above the head and bring the arms around the body and at the chest bring the hands together. At this point the swimmer will want to bring the head out of the water to take a breath. When the swimmer does this they will want to keep the head as close to the chest as possible as if they are holding a tennis ball to the chest with the chin. This will make it easier for the swimmer to keep the body flowing through the water. As the head goes back into the water the swimmer will want to quickly put their arms back in front of them so their head is in between their biceps.

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Backstroke, Going Through the Motions

Backstroke

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Backstroke is one of the easiest competitive swimming stoke because the head is never fully submerged. The swimmer can breathe throughout the whole event therefore conserving their energy. At the beginning of the event the swimmer starts in the water at the block. There is a poll across the front of the block to hold on to. The swimmer will hold onto the poll and bring their head to almost touch the poll while there feet are flat against the side of the pool. When pushing off the swimmer will let go of the poll and put their arms so there head is in between their biceps and kick off with there legs.

During this stroke the swimmer is lying on the back while performing swift movements with the legs and arms. The swimmer will be kicking the legs back and forth at different times so that the legs are kicking perfectly opposite each other. This kick is known as the flutter kick due to the way it looks when it is being performed correctly. This kick allows the swimmer to move through the water more swiftly and more quickly. If the kick was performed in the wrong way it would result in the body dragging through the water and the swimmer to slow down.

With the swimmers arms they are performing a sort of windmill motion but the arms are moving opposite of each other. While the arms are doing this, the hands are flat palmed and the fingers are held tightly together. When the swimmer does this it allows them to move more quickly through the water. This movement allows the hand to move more water, which allows the body to move through the water.

Filed Under: Coaching, Sports Tagged With: , ,
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