SPORTS AND GAMES

SPORTS AND GAMES

Sports

are one of the most popular leisure time activites. This is mainly due to the fact that they help one to keep fir both physically and mentally. Such a form of relaxation as sports is refreshing, can help take off some weight, and makes use of ones skills and strength. Last but not lest, during sports events one can meet a lot of new people and see how it feels to be a winter or a loser.

Usually all sports and games are further differentiated into two groups according to where they can be practised.

Indoor sports include for example gymnastics, table tenis, boxing, wrestling tec.

Outdoor sports are skiing (down-hill, cross-country, slalom, ski jump), sledding, hiking,

rock climbing, horse riding, golf and some aquatic sports such as rowing or

windsurfing.

Non-profissional cycling or riding a (mountain) bike, which is one of the most popular

activities, is also enjoyed out of doors (on the roads or paths).

But most sports and almost all games can be done both indoors and outdoors.

Meetings in all the track and field events (spirnts, middle and long distance runs, hurdling,

high and long jump, pole vault, shot put, javelin and discus throw)

take place in summer stadiums as well as in athletic halls.

Also one of the healthiest sports, swimming, and figure skating do not actually demand a roofed room.

One can easily recognize that those sports which can be done only on ice or snow (skating, skiing tec.) are winter sports whereas all the rest we call summer or all-season sports.

Games

The games are usually all-season activities and they are practised both indoors and outdoors. The most numerous roup of games are the ball games. This means football, volleyball, basketball, handball and tennis.

In the Great Britian

England was the first home of many popular modern games.

Football is the most wide spread. In this collective game are two teams of 11 members. They

play with a ball on a grass playing field. The purpose is to kick the ball so as to get it

into the opposite goal. Football is played all over the world.

In Britain there are a great number of clubs - some of them are Aston Villa, Manchester

United, Arsenal.

In London there is one of the worlds biggest football stadiums - the Wembley Arena.

Rugby football is also very popular. This game was first played at Rugby (town) School in

England. In this game the ball is oval.

Golf is of Scottish origin.

Cricket was and still is an English national game.

Horse-racing is one of the most popular sport. The best known steeple-chase race is the Great National, near Liverpool.

In the USA

In the USA most sports and games have been to a great extent commercionalized.

The four professional games there are american football, baseball, baketball and

ice-hockey. These games are turned into big shows in which the sports stars make a lot of money.

American football differs from European mainly in the shape of the ball (oval), the way in

which ist is carried by the players (in the hands) and the form of scoring

(touchdown as goals).

Other sports such as the former Indian game lacrosse or field hockey are also popular.

In the Czech Republic

In our country ball games rank among the most popular ones. They include football, volleyball, basketball, handball and tennis.

Besides this ice-hockey is played at a very high level here too.

Our country has produced many sportsmen who have achieved success in top international competitions.

In the first place athletics (recently javelin, decathlon), but also netgames (tennis and volleyball) players and shooters have excelled abroad.
In our town there are many sports facilities. We can visit both the summer stadium, where we can play football and skate in the ice-rink.

Next to the summer stadium a few clay tennis and volleyball courts and handball playround can be found.
For indoor activities there is a modern sports hall and fitness-centers around the town.

The Olympic Games (the Olympics)

The Olympics were already held in ancient Greece.

At the time they put emphasis on the ideal of an all-round developed person.

The Olympics were renewed by Pierre de Coubertin about a hundred years ago and today as well as in ancient times they take place every four years.

Since 1924 there are two parts to the games - the winter part and the summer part, which alternate every two years.