Sports (or sports) refers to any forms of typically competitive physical activity that, through organised or casual competitive involvement, aim to employ, develop or enhance physical ability and abilities while offering entertainment for participants, and sometimes, spectators, who take part in the sport. The term can also be used to refer to a particular sport, or even to any type of activity or hobby where one or more people attempt to compete against each other. The most common sports seen today are American football, ice skating, golf, tennis, basketball and soccer. Most of these have evolved from simpler games such as baseball and shepherd’s hook to more complicated activities like track and field, cricket and especially swimming. Sports can be divided further into several categories, each with its own distinct set of rules or objectives.
For some sports, like golf, basketball and softball, it is the aim to hit a ball sufficiently far into the air to be able to return it to the ground without breaking or rolling it. Another important objective of many sports is to hit a given number of balls with a golf club as quickly as possible; the fastest time wins. In tennis, the aim is to hit a ball long enough towards the opponent’s side of the court to send it out beyond the baseline; the winner is the player who hits the ball the farthest. Cricket is a popular sport where a batsman swings an aluminum bat and attempts to hit a ball into a netting or other protective area, which then returns back to him or her, usually with a foul. Water polo is a water-based, fast-paced and exciting sport where two or more paddlers compete against each other in a race against time.
While not all sports are based on a physical competition, most of them do include some type of competitive element, whether it is the competitive spirit of the participant or the competition among the teams or venues. The importance of sports can never be undermined, as they are a great outlet for social interaction and exercise. With regular exercise, the heart rate plummets, muscles are stretched and the body becomes stronger. It also helps to relieve tensions and depression, which is often prevalent in people who have hectic schedules and little time for themselves.