I did an informal survey with a number of HS kids who have invaded the house over Spring break, a HS AD, and some parents of HS baseball/softball players and asked....
What is a sport?
Had various answers which many times depended on gender. In the end, from a HS student and AD perspective, the concensus was that if you have to take a physical, can recieve a "Letter", and have to follow a code of conduct you are involved in a sport.
From the parents point of view. At their age if they wake up sore they have been involved in a sport.
Then my daughters who waterski got all worked up because according to definition they are not involved in a sport, they are an activity. I would say that they work harder year round than most HS football/basketball/baseball players at their specialty.
Then the cheerleaders gave me the "sis-boom-rah" that if gymnastics is a sport then cheering is also as they share the same workouts.
I've gone to the World Lumberjack tournaments and I think of that as a sport, many don't.
I've been to National billard and foose-ball tournaments. Are they sports?
Is the "shot-put" a sport?
Is skateboarding a sport?
Is ballet a sport?
Is ballroom dancing?
Is NASCAR a sport and monster trucks not?
Where do others draw that line of being involved in a sport versus an activity?
Does your definition rely on the level of play (competitive vs rec or pick-up)?
Or is being "involved in sports" just a matter of personal definition?
Can you be an athlete and not be involved in a sport?
