What classifies a sport as a sport?
James Flath, Co Sports Editor
October 6, 2009
Filed under Opinion
There is an ongoing fight in high schools across countries over trying to decide what a sport is. The main argument is deciding if cheerleading is a sport or not. I am here to set Belton straight and finish the argument; with theses three guidelines you will be able to decide whether or not anything in question is a sport. I am not here to offend anyone or to take away from there athletic ability, but there are many things that people think are sports that actually aren’t.
It is a given that football, soccer, basketball, baseball, softball and tennis are all sports. However, activities such as dance, cheer, NASCAR and swimming are not always considered sports.
I have a few guidelines that help people determine if their “sport” in question is really a sport or not. Rule one is that it must take athletic ability and skill. Many activities require this such as cheer,and the others listed above, but NASCAR and other forms of racing don’t. It may be hard on your body and it maybe hot in the car, but it isn’t athletically hard. Don’t try to tell me that Tony Stewart is an athlete.
Rule two is that one team’s plays must effect how the other teams play. For example: if one basketball team plays well, than the other team will in turn not play as well.
Rule three is that a judge does not decide who wins. The judge/referee must just enforce the rules, but not decide the winner. This eliminates activities such as dancing, cheerleading, gymnastics, synchronized diving and synchronized swimming. These “sports” are actually athletic activities.
Many people will disagree with me, and I understand, people are all entitled to their own opinions. I am not trying to offend dancers, cheerleaders and gymnasts with this, it still takes a lot of athletic ability to participate in these athletic activities, but they aren’t sports. These activities also take a lot of skill and practice and these participants still deserve a lot respect.
The argument will continue throughout high schools a simple high school newspaper article won’t end it, but maybe I can help shed some light on a new definition of what a sport is.
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James, NASCAR is definitely a sport. Although the winner can be decided by a judge, the racer’s play affects others, and a clear victor can be determined. Last time I checked, going around a corner at 45 mph puts a strain on my abs and arms, so I can’t imagine taking one at over 100 mph, much less doing it 500 times. You nimrod.
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I agree with dillon. It probably takes as much athletic ability to race in NASCAR, motocross, or any other racing sport as it does to play basketball or football. But I also agree that cheering isn’t a sport, and I was actually arguing about that just yesterday. So good job on the article =]
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