What Defines a ‘Sport’?
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Sports have been a worldwide phenomenon for thousands of years, becoming a culture among billions of people around the globe. However, as more and more people become engrossed in sports, their minds only travel to the physically demanding, stamina-testing games. Dance, cheerleading, and golf, among others, are brushed off as pastimes, disregarding the athleticism, hard work, and mental toughness that these sports require.
Dance is often seen as a form of art, described as a way of expressing oneself through movement. While that is true, it is only one aspect of this highly demanding sport. Professional dancers are required to endure grueling hours to perfect their choreography, build strength, and improve their flexibility. Dancers have to regularly train and build their muscles for immense control, balance and stamina. Dance is often overlooked because of its focus on performance. The required skill, however, tells a much different story, as they need as much - if not more - endurance and strength when performing.
Cheerleading is dismissed as a sideline event to the contact sports it supports. However competitive cheer includes intricate stunts, tumbling, and team coordination. It can be compared with gymnastics, overlapping in technique and skills. Cheerleaders must have the strength, endurance, and confidence when tumbling and flipping themselves and their teammates during routines. They often do dangerous lifts and flips during their routines, which require trust with teammates and reliability in their own physical strength. The physical risks, training hours, and athletic form required for cheerleading more than qualifies it as a sport.
Golf is often viewed as a pastime, not described as a physically demanding sport. Although it lacks the physical activity of a stereotypical sport such as running, physical contact, or fast-paced nature, beneath its calm appearance is immense physical and mental stamina, strength, and refined precision. Players have to refine their athleticism and core in order to execute the perfect swing. Hitting the golf ball with precise accuracy is both physically and mentally straining during the long duration of matches. Players spend countless hours perfecting their swing, improving their stamina, and building the mental endurance needed to compete at high levels. The physical control and discipline required can prove that golf deserves its place as a sport, with its unique set of challenges and athletic rigor.
Dance, cheerleading, and golf all challenge stereotypical connotations of what sports typically look like. They all require the same physical and mental challenges that all athletes face while perfecting their abilities and skills. It is time to consider that sports are not just about brute strength or speed, but about the skill, endurance, and passion needed to push the limits of what the human body and mind can achieve.
