What is a Sport?

                A “sport” is an activity that is physical, a competition, and requires skill. Many activities are not sports even if they have one of those factors. Going to the gym involves physical activity, but in no way is it a sport. One must use physical activity and be fit for the activity to be considered a sport. Even though it is a competition and requires skill, if there is no physical activity it is not a sport. The physical activity does not have to be strenuous, but it must be a factor. A ball is not required for something to be a sport, but if there is a ball it is a sport. Any activity I can think of that involves a ball is a competition with skill and is physical.

                A sport has to be a competition in some way. There has to be a way to score the activity ad decide a winner. A sport can end in a tie, but there must be a way to win. Yoga requires physical activity and skill, but is not a competition and therefore, is not a sport. There do not have to be teams, it can be individuals, but it must be a competition of the individuals. Athletes need to compete in a sporting event to win. People must want to win a sporting event, and must have talent and skill to do so.

                Most hobbies and activities do require skill, so it is not a surprise that sports must also require skill. A sport is something that not everyone can do. If everyone could be good at a sport, it wouldn’t be special and there wouldn’t be professionals. One must be talented and have extreme skill to be a professional at the sport they are playing. Most competitions also require skill as there has to be a winner so if an activity is a competition and has physical activity, it almost always also involves a skill. Those who are skillful in the sport will excel in the competition component. Thus, if something involves physical activity, is a competition, and requires skill, it is a sport.