The Mental Benefits of Sports
Participating in sports is a great way to keep physically active, but the benefits don’t stop there. The mental benefits of participating in sports are as rewarding. In addition to physical fitness, participation in sports helps children develop valuable life skills, such as teamwork and social interaction. They can also learn how to compete with other players and feel better about themselves. Having a positive self-esteem is crucial to later happiness and success. It’s also fun to play.
Sporting activities began in colonial America. The first games were played in the wild. Hundreds of years ago, in ancient China, people would engage in gymnastics. By the time of the Pharaohs, ancient Egypt’s sports had developed. Egyptian sports included high jumping and javelin throwing. Other ancient cultures were the Greeks and the Persians. They also had sports, such as jousting and the Zoorkhaneh martial art. Modern day sporting events are often motorised.
Colonial Maryland and Virginia were also thriving with sports. While in England, hunting was a privilege reserved for the landowners, in the new world, everyone was welcome to participate and hunt. In fact, hunting and sporting activities were a means to improve physical fitness and social status. In 1691, Sir Francis Nicholson organized competitions between “the better sort of Virginians”. The games involved teams of all classes, from lower-class slaves to well-off men and women.