Athletics/Recreation

PRESTON CHONG
SOCIOLOGY 001
KATIE LOOKHOLDER
04 DECEMBER 2016

Athletics/Recreation
Athletics and Recreation fall in the same institution of physical activity.
Athletics is a physical sport and game of any kind usually involving
competitions
Recreation is an activity done for enjoyment
However, athletic sports can also be converted into a recreational one, one with a
less competitive environment

History of Athletics
The history of Athletics lies before history started being recorded. However, the first recorded
organized athletics event is the Ancient Olympic Games which started in 776 BC in Olympia,
Greece.
In the first event only one competition was held, the stadion footrace, but as the years
progressed, other running competitions have been added. There were four sports, The long
jump, the javelin throw, the discus throw, and the stadion foot race which are the present in
the track and field today.
Athletic events were also present at the Panhellenic Games in Greece and became known to
Rome in 200 BC which furthered developed different track and field events such ass stone put
and weight throwing competitions.

History of Recreation
Recreation has probably been around just as long as Athletics but the foundation
of Recreation was started by students.
Ohio State was the first university in the nation to establish a Department of
Intramural Sports.
Although the department was solely dedicated to intramural sports, students
began organizing club sports for their own enjoyment.
Over time, recreational sports grew to encompass intramural sports, club
sports, drop in activities, as well as general exercise.

How does society perceive Athletics/Recreation

Society sees Athletics more as a form of entertainment and is very fun to watch
whereas for Recreation, they find it to be more of an inclusive activity where
they can find enjoyment while being active.
Many people find that they do not have the physical capabilities for Athletics but
they find it easier to participate in recreational activities in order to stay active.
This can also go beyond that boundary of sports

Impact on Society
Athletics has shown to be very important of American culture.
Athletics can be referred to as sports which are essential to American society and
impact the economy and mass media. They also help define the ethics and
morals of certain athletes and society. They have become a means for
entertainment and a method to derive hidden values in competitors.
Athletics also help society grow and also serves as a form of mutual ground for
people to connect through.

Members of the Institution

Members of Athletics and Recreation can mainly be separated into three
categories.
Athletes
Recreational Players
The Audience

Each category plays a different roll on their contribution to society but they all
balance each other out to expand the institution.

The effect participants have on society

Athletes
Athletes are the main performers. They are the acting players in sports and entice the audience into watching the sport. They
expand the sport through marketing or simply their
Some athletes have contributed so much to the sport that they have either revolutionized or evolved the sport to make it what it is
today, such as Michael Jordan(Basketball), Michael Phelps(Swimming), or Tiger Woods(Golf).

Recreational Players
Recreational players are those who participate in a certain sport or activity that allows them to enjoy the activity without
experiencing as intense of a competitive environment as athletes do.
These people are typically inspired by athletes who have impacted them through their achievements. As a result, it translates into
the growth of the sport as not only are athletes able to participate, but so are typical people in society.

Audience
The audience is what allows athletes to continue playing their sport and allows the sport to live on for generations.
They contribute the towards the economic growth of a sport as well as the culture of how we celebrate certain sports events. Many
bars have sports themes in order to attract sports fans to their establishment and many home owners hold parties for their friends
and family to gather and watch the sport together.

Sports
Based on revenue, there are four major professional sports leagues in the United States are the
Major League Baseball(MLB), the National Basketball Association(NBA), the National Football
League(NFL), and the National Hockey League(NHL).
Sports has been integrated so well that it has become another part of our daily lives. Sports has
evolved into what it is known to be today, games played primarily for entertainment.
Sports have been evolving and the community has been growing as in 1896, the inaugural modern
games offered 9 sports whereas, the Olympics now offer 28. There are different categories to
organize athletic competitions such as event, discipline, and sport.
Sports that are valued by specific cultures depend on four major variables, competition, heroes,
values, and customs.

Basketball
Dr. James Naismith is known as the inventor of basketball. He created this
sport during his school days where he played another game with a similar
concept, known as duck on a rock.
There were 13 original rules of basketball but now with the creation of the
National Basketball Association, we have an entire handbook filled with
regulations ranging from standard gameplay to officiating to attire regulations.
There are many athletes who have contributed a lot to the sport of basketball.
Some known as great players and some known as legends. One of the players
who is respected highly for his game and artistry is Michael Jordan. He was
known as the Greatest of All Time or the G.O.A.T. and has expanded the sport
of basketball globally, through his gameplay and marketing.

Swimming
Archaelogical and other evidence shows swimming to have been practiced as early as 2500 BCE in
Egypt. Swimming was also taught as part of martial training in Greece and Rome.
Now swimming has been converted into a professional and recreational sport where many people
can either participate in a competitive environment or swim for good cardio.
Swimming categories can be categorized by swimming strokes which are the Freestyle, Butterfly,
Breaststroke, and Backstroke.
Swimming is also one of the major sports in the Summer Olympics. Michael Phelps is known as
one of the greatest swimmers in the world and is the most decorated Olympian with a total of 28
medals, 23 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze. He has inspired many people to swim today and people
will always acknowledge him as one of the best swimmers in the world.

Golf

The origin of the sport can be traced back to Scotland in the 15 th century.
The sport has evolved through the creation of new technology, clubs, balls, or range finders. Many
people play the sport recreationally and can often be referred to as a more wealthy sport due to the
cost of obtaining the equipment and cost of playing a round on a course.
The amount of greenery that the sport requires creates a place for plants to thrive and create a nice
scenic background to enhance the quality of the golf course.
Many players have been known to revolutionize the sport, but one of the most recognized players of
the current generation is Tiger Woods. He was the most dominant athlete in the sport having won
24 competitions at the age of 25. His build allowed him to drive the ball further than most, giving
him a stroke advantage which allowed him more leeway down the stretch of the competition.

Works Cited
History of Athletics, How Everything Began. AthleticsDB. The Athletics Results Database. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
History of Golf. igfgolf.org. International Golf Federation. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
History of Recreational Sports. Student Life, University of Michigan. Recreational Sports and University Unions.
04 Dec. 2016.

Web.

Ipatenco, Sara. Sociocultural Influences on Sports. Live Strong. Sports, 03 Jul. 2015. Web. 04. Dec. 2016.
Laughead, George. History of Basketball. Kansas Heritage. Kansas History, 16 Apr. 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Macri, Kenneth J. Not Just a Game: Sport and Society in the United States. Inquiries Journal. Inquiries Journal,
Web. 26 Nov. 2016.

2012.

Smith, Brandon J. Early Beginnings to the Current World of Sports History. Thepoeplehistory.com. The People
History. Web. 26 Nov. 2016.
Sotis, Greg. The Incredible Evolution of the Olympics. Human Nature. Live Science, 27 Jul. 2012. Web. 26 Nov.
Sports in the United States. Wikipedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Swimming. The Editors of Encyclopdia Britannica. Britannica, 08 Nov. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.

2016.