Sports – types and activities II

In the previous article, we defined sports and highlighted some major examples. It is pertinent to note that sporting activities do not just involve males, but also females and are beneficial to both genders.

We will highlight some other important sporting events and explain their nature in this article. Other types of sports include:

• Golf
• Shot put
• Jumps
• Basketball
• Hurdles
• Pole vault
• Swimming etc.

Golf

In this part of the world, golf is seen as a game for the “big men” (ha-ha) and the reason for this is not far – fetched; the nature of the game and the skills and techniques involved.

The aim of every player of this game is to get the golf ball into a hole made for it with an instrument called a club, by making the smallest possible number of attempts.

The golf ball is made in such a way that it can travel even across distances without being interrupted by the air. In different stages of the game, the distance between the golfer and the destination continues to increase.

Shot put

This is another interesting field event played by both males and females. In definitive terms, a “shot” is “put” across a distance from a particular spot or reference point.
The shot put ball used for both males and females vary in weight; 4kg ball for females, and 7.26kg for males.

On the field where the game is to be taken, a circle is made of the reasonable circumference and the player is expected to throw the ball by taking a little run within the circle. A shot that is put from outside the circle is disqualified.

However, unlike the normal way of doing many “throw” games, the shot put ball is thrown merely by extension of the hand above the head without a propelling backward movement.

In other words, when making a shot, you don’t move your hand back and then forth, but by placing the ball in contact with your chin and moving your head for a specific number of times before giving a throw.

The distance the ball covers is measured if it falls within the playing area and the winner is determined as the player who throws the farthest distance in a certain number of tries.

Jumps

Jumps are a very common type of game played by either “jumping over” a height in the high jump or “jumping towards” a point in the long jump.

Long jumps are carried out on a certain part of the field which has been filled with sand for a safe landing. Players are required to jump from a start line marked on the floor to a point within the field of play.

The first point where the body makes contact with the ground is taken as the land point and the distance is measured from the take-off point to this land point.

High jump on the other hand requires that athletes jump over a bar of a given height after taking a short propelling run. A participant only passes a stage after he or she has successfully jumped across the bar without bringing it down, and at different stages, the height to be crossed is increased by raising the bar.

Winners are determined as the players with the longest or highest jump in long and high jumps respectively.

Basketball

It is believed that basketball is a game for people who are tall; though this may not necessarily be the case. It involves two opposing teams of five players each, with each team trying to get the ball into the net which is usually hung on a stand.

Players involve skills such as dribbling, bouncing, and passing the ball to teammates close by in order to achieve this aim. The team with the highest number of goals is made the winner.

Hurdles

In sports, hurdles are bars of certain heights placed across a track which athletes must cross. The hurdles are spaced out over a certain distance; say 100 metres and athletes aim at crossing all hurdles successfully and coming first. The winner is determined by the number of hurdles successfully crossed, and the speed used to attain that feat.

Pole Vault

Pole vault is a type of jump game carried out with a flexible pole. In this game, players run a short distance with a pole of a given height, and on getting to the location of the bar; plant the pole in the ground which propels them upwards over a bar. This bar is usually too high to be crossed without the aid of the pole.

A player is successful if he or she successfully crosses over the bar; the bar height is increased continually after every stage in order to determine the winner of the game.