There is no question that basketball, football and baseball are sports. From a young age, children start exploring the world of sports picking up one or several that they are good at. Some continue playing in hopes of starting a career and being professional. COVID-19 put a big pause on sports but they have slowly started to come back.
The NFL just started their season with limited to no people allowed in attendance. The NBA is continuing their season in a bubble in Orlando, Florida. In a world where sports ceased to exist for a short time, it left many wondering—what now? Some would watch reruns of old games and others were finding new ways to distract themselves from the pandemic. One big question with an answer that is constantly evolving is, what is a sport?
There is no single answer. Dictionary.com defines a sport as “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.” It continues on to give examples of what they consider sports. They consider racing, baseball, tennis, golf, hunting and fishing all to be sports. Merriam-Webster defines a sport as “a physical activity engaged in for pleasure.”
ESPN televises different programs throughout the day. It airs programs like poker, bowling and cornhole. With the absence of contact sports, many were watching “sports” that others wouldn’t consider sports. What are some of those sports?
Bowling
Bowling is a source of entertainment for many. It’s an activity for when you want to hang out with friends and family. You sit around eating pizza while watching others trying not to embarrass themselves or trying not to embarrass yourself. Bowling has been around for thousands of years. The earliest evidence of bowling balls and pins were found in the tomb of an Egyptian king in 5200 B.C. It was also part of a religious ceremony in fourth century Germany. So, what makes it a sport?
“It requires a lot of practice and focus,” said bowler Kelly Heighway, ’23. She explained that bowlers have to focus on targeting, bowling ball speed, form and lane reading. “Bowling is not just throwing a bowling ball down a lane,” Heighway continued.
So why don’t people consider it a sport? “There is a lot of things that go into being a good bowler that people don’t realize,” Heighway explained. “I think that because it is a sport that anyone can pay to play recreationally, people don’t see anything other than that. I think that because I know the competitive side, I can see it other than just for entertainment,” she said.
Cheerleading
Cheerleading has been around since the 1880s. Princeton University had formed an all-male pep club to cheer on the football players during the game. In 1923, women were able to cheer for the first time. Since then cheerleaders have been viewed as a happy group on the sidelines whose purpose was to encourage the players and keep the fans entertained. Cheerleading has evolved greatly since the first team was formed.
Tumbling and acrobatics have been added to routines to change the difficulty. Cheerleaders are not only located on the sideline, but they are also attending competitions. Earlier this year, Netflix released a docuseries following the Navarro College’s competitive cheer team. It follows the team through their mission to win another national title. It shed light on the competitive side of cheer. Cheerleaders are seen as real competitors to the audience as they are taken through rigorous training.
Director Greg Whitley said in an interview with The Wrap, “They’re the toughest athletes I’ve ever filmed.”
The stereotype that cheerleaders do nothing more than shout from the sidelines is no longer true. Cheerleaders are now competitors that put their bodies through as much training as a football player or basketball player would. There is no right definition as to what is a sport and what isn’t. Everyone has a different opinion and just about anything that requires any physical activity can be considered a sport.
