Sports and Sports and American SocietyAmerican Society

Play, Games, Contests, and Play, Games, Contests, and SportsSports

GETTING PHILOSOPHICAL!GETTING PHILOSOPHICAL!

PLAYPLAY

• Play is a realm of freedom a Play is a realm of freedom a purposeless activity.purposeless activity.(The pleasure of play is in the doing (The pleasure of play is in the doing and not in what has been done)and not in what has been done)

• This definition rules out commonly This definition rules out commonly accepted goals like:accepted goals like:– Character developmentCharacter development– Improved motor skillsImproved motor skills– Peer group socializationPeer group socialization

PLAYPLAY

•Play, in an ideal sense of Play, in an ideal sense of the word, has been the word, has been singled out as the most singled out as the most human of activities.human of activities.

Play can be divided into Play can be divided into Two categoriesTwo categories

• SPONTANEOUS SPONTANEOUS PLAYPLAY

May be as close May be as close as we can come, as we can come, as humans, to as humans, to the realm of the realm of pure freedom!pure freedom!

• ORGANIZED PLAY ORGANIZED PLAY (Games)(Games)

Most play is Most play is regulated and regulated and has rules. We has rules. We refer to this as refer to this as GAMES!GAMES!

GAMESGAMES

• Symbolizes the willing surrender of Symbolizes the willing surrender of absolute spontaneity for the sake of absolute spontaneity for the sake of playful order.playful order.

• What do you add? RULESWhat do you add? RULES

Examples of GAMES!Examples of GAMES!

• Leap FrogLeap Frog• ChessChess

• MonopolyMonopoly• Ring Around the RosieRing Around the Rosie

• Duck, Duck, GooseDuck, Duck, Goose• Tic Tac ToeTic Tac Toe

• DiceDice• FootballFootball

Categories of GamesCategories of Games

•Games of Physical SkillGames of Physical Skill

•Games of StrategyGames of Strategy

•Games of ChanceGames of Chance

• Hacky Sack and Basketball are different Hacky Sack and Basketball are different kinds of games. They both have rules kinds of games. They both have rules (organized play) but the rules provide (organized play) but the rules provide for a difference!for a difference!

• Basketball is a CONTEST and Hacky Basketball is a CONTEST and Hacky Sack is NOT.Sack is NOT.

• Examples of games that are complete Examples of games that are complete without a Won-Lost Outcome…without a Won-Lost Outcome…

CONTESTSCONTESTS

• Contests are Games that have a Win Contests are Games that have a Win or Lose Outcome!!or Lose Outcome!!

• The importance of contests in our The importance of contests in our society makes it difficult to realize society makes it difficult to realize there are literally thousands of there are literally thousands of games that are NOT CONTESTS!games that are NOT CONTESTS!

• The term The term ATHLETEATHLETE derives from derives from the Greek words the Greek words AthlosAthlos and and Athlon.Athlon.

ATHLOSATHLOS

CONTESTCONTEST

ATHLONATHLON

PRIZEPRIZE

Are all Contests Are all Contests games and are all games and are all Games contestsGames contests

CONTESTS

GAMESLeap FrogHacky SackHula Hoop

Legal ProceedingsWar

ChessMonopolyFootball

What is meant by the word What is meant by the word SPORT?SPORT?

• The element of playThe element of play

• The element of physical exertionThe element of physical exertion

• The element of competitionThe element of competition

• The element of orderThe element of order

The Element of PlayThe Element of Play

• The word sport is derived from Latin The word sport is derived from Latin des-portodes-porto, meaning “carry away”, , meaning “carry away”, and the Old French word and the Old French word desporterdesporter, , meaning “to carry away from work.”meaning “to carry away from work.”

– Being carried away from the ordinary Being carried away from the ordinary world by exuberance, joy, amusement and world by exuberance, joy, amusement and sheer fun is what characterizes play and sheer fun is what characterizes play and constitutes the central element of sport.constitutes the central element of sport.

Physical ExertionPhysical Exertion

• This is what differentiates sport from This is what differentiates sport from other games.other games.

• All games involve the mind, but only All games involve the mind, but only sport games involve mind and body.sport games involve mind and body.

CompetitionCompetition

• This is what differentiates sport from This is what differentiates sport from other forms of recreation.other forms of recreation.

• If winning and losing are at stake, If winning and losing are at stake, the physical activity then becomes a the physical activity then becomes a contest, and the actors become contest, and the actors become contestants.contestants.

The element of OrderThe element of Order

• Rules – Sport is rooted in order and Rules – Sport is rooted in order and held together by rules.held together by rules.

How would we define How would we define SPORT?SPORT?

• Playful physical contests which Playful physical contests which include an important measure of include an important measure of physical as well as intellectual skill.physical as well as intellectual skill.

• Example:Example:– Chess is a contest, but it is NOT a Chess is a contest, but it is NOT a

Sport!!Sport!!

DebatableDebatable

• CAR RACINGCAR RACING• HORSE RACINGHORSE RACING• FISHINGFISHING• HUNTINGHUNTING• PRO WRESTLINGPRO WRESTLING

Do Sports Require an Do Sports Require an Audience?Audience?

• Examples:Examples:– A race between two childrenA race between two children

– 2 people playing tennis2 people playing tennis

– Golfing by YourselfGolfing by Yourself

Why have Sports Why have Sports become so important become so important

in our Society?in our Society?