4. Games and sports.
Take a look at these pictures. What are these people doing? Could you tell me the most important difference between these physical activities?
(Original picture: flickr (ablaeninternet)) (Original picture: Rafael Gómez Montoya)
That's what we are going to talk about now: games and sports. But I have a question for you: game and sport are not the same thing. Why?
There are a few things that make the difference between them. We talked about one of these differences in "safety and rules". Do you remember?
A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work and professional sports, which are usually carried out for remuneration.
It is very simple: we play games because we like to do it. We have fun when we are playing them; otherwise we wouldn't do it.
A game is as an activity that must have the following characteristics:
Fun: the activity is chosen for its light-hearted character.
Separate: it is circumscribed in time and place.
Uncertain: the outcome of the activity is unforeseeable.
Non-productive: participation does not accomplish anything useful.
Governed by rules: the activity has rules that are different from everyday life.
Fictitious: it is accompanied by the awareness of a different reality.
( Roger Caillois, Les jeux et les hommes (Games and Men))
What am I talking about?
- fun: when we are with our friends, and we have to make a choice between several games, we usually choose the easiest and the funniest one, don't we?
- separate: we need a specific area to play, and also we need a specific time to do it.
- uncertain: we don't know how our game is going to finish. Am I going to win? Am I going to be second...?
- non-productive: we just do it for fun.
- governed by rules: your game, your rules.
- Fictitious: you can be whoever/whatever when you are playing your game (a pilot, a spaceman, a famous sportsman/sportswoman...).
Sports have been existing in our society since time immemorial. They have evolved over the years and will, without a doubt, always continue to be a part of society. Sports have always had a positive effect on the society. Although, the professionalism in sports has brought along some negative effect recently but they in no way would be able to overshadow the positive impact which sports have in our society.
(http://psyblogger.com/influence/influence-of-sports-in-our-society/).
Sport.
Sport: physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sport).
Sports have the same characteristics as games, but they have some differences too. Sports are:
- fun: we practice a sport because we have fun doing it. Don't we?
- separate: just like games. But in this case, areas and times are very specifics. And they are provided by sports federations.
- uncertain: see games.
Now, let's see some differences with games:
- productive: Playing football, basketball, baseball... we want to win. We need a good result. When we are playing a game, results are not as important as they are when we are playing a football match in our neighborhood league, for example.
- governed by rules: sports rules are provided by sports federations. And sport rules are very specific and strict.
- professionalism: if you are good at any sport, you can become a professional sportsman/sportswoman and your favorite sport will be your job too.
- spectators: probably your family supports your team every Saturday morning when you play your soccer/basket/baseball... match. They don't do it when you are playing Tom Tiddler's Ground (for example) with your fiends at school.
Sports benefits:
- Playing sports is fun. It gives you something to do and a group to belong to. You have a group of friends that has the same goals and interests.
- Playing sports, you'll quickly learn that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. You'll learn to be a good sport in both situations. It also helps you learn to deal with disappointment and go on.
- Motor skills, strategic thinking, and even math skills are learned by playing sports.
- Regular exercise keep you healthy.
(http://parenting.families.com/blog/10-benefits-of-playing-sports#)
And remember this: you have the right to play.
Article 31 of the UN Convention:
That every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
That member governments shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.
And this is the end of the topic. Keep working!
