Sports (or athletic activity) is any form of typically competitive physical activity that, through organised or casual competition, seek to employ, develop or enhance sporting ability and skills, while also providing physical enjoyment to participants, and sometimes, spectators. Sports can be associated with a number of physical activities such as running, wrestling, basketball, cricket, field hockey, table tennis, rowing, weightlifting, swimming, surfing, rugby, and skiing. In the past, professional athletes were the exception, not the norm. As time has progressed and sports have become a regular part of daily life for both athletes and non-athletes alike, the popularity of sports activities has grown tremendously. As a result, there are now numerous different organizations dedicated to organizing various sports competitions, many of which are well organized professionally.
One type of sport that are regularly organized and widely recognized as a well-developed sport, but one that has only recently acquired the recognition it deserves is e-sports. Due to the unique characteristics of its members, e-sports specifically, the Counter-Strike series, has gained immense popularity in the world of professional gaming. This type of sport involves computer games played between individuals or teams of gamers, with each team vying for the’Aegis’ or ‘Upper Hand’ trophy, which is presented at the conclusion of a game. The players involved take on a specialized role, usually as one of several individual characters, who are equipped with a set of special weapons, and are attempting to achieve a specific objective. The objective may include ‘escaping from’Hell,’ or ‘performing an ultimate defense against all attacks.’
Another type of popular sport that involves physical exertion and energy involves darts. Darts, in their most common form, consist of two, three, or more darts that are thrown, with the darts landing where they are released from the thrower. Common sporting disciplines for dart throwing are speed, accuracy, and technique. A sportingly active form of dart throwing, the sport of Darts, is also referred to as ‘Dart Boxing,’ and involves throwing a dart at a moving target at a rapid pace, with the aim of achieving an overhead mark. Like paintball and lacrosse, dart throwing can be both intensely competitive and fun and can even involve monetary stakes.
Gymnastics is a sport that, though not actually a sport per se, is often included among sports that are recognized as having a high level of skill and athleticism. Gymnastics, therefore, is often seen as a sport dedicated to increasing overall coordination, which focuses on stretching, strengthening, and building stamina. Because the sport of gymnastics requires extreme levels of concentration and determination, it has been viewed as a competitive activity that will leave participants resembling pros. The history of gymnastic and the philosophical underpinnings of the sport provide valuable insights into the nature and aspirations of athletes. Gymnastics was introduced into the modern Olympics by the Russian Federation in 1996.
Last but certainly not least is the sport of Pokemon Go. As the name suggests, Pokemon Go is a new smartphone application that allows its users to catch’monsters’ and ‘pokemon.’ The ‘monssters’ (mainly cartoon characters) are caught by following a set path outlined by the developers. The main difficulty with the Pokemon Go smartphone application is that it has not been successful financially. However, the immediate future appears to be optimistic since the release of Pokemon Go apps for mobile devices in Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
While there is little doubt about the ability of augmented reality and virtual reality to enhance certain aspects of sport, such as speed, agility, or balance, the future may bring us closer to the ultimate goal: Physical Exertion. Physical Exertion is the discipline of maintaining a state of active physical presence. This type of sport means that participants engage in vigorous activity involving movement, which requires more than mere visual perception. Engaging in physical exertion may include sprinting, climbing, swimming, throwing, or any number of other types of activities.