Cheerleading is the fastest growing women's sport, yet many Americans think it can't satisfy the standards and qualifications of a sport. In addition, they fail to distinguish between sideline cheerleaders and competitive ones. Sideline cheerleaders' main goal is to entertain the crowd and lead them with team cheers, which should not be considered a sport. However, it is true of competitive cheerleading.
Competitive cheerleading includes lots of physical activity. Cheerleaders must learn to fall and perform many complex actions, like lifts and tosses. This is where the "fliers" are thrown in the air, held by "bases" in different positions that require strength and cooperation with other teammates. The whole routine has to be completed in less than three minutes and 15 seconds and the cheerleaders are required to stay within a certain area. Just like gymnasts, they are awarded points for difficulty, technique, creativity and sharpness. Cheerleading is a team sport, so without cooperation, first place is out of reach.
Cheerleading is the major cause of serious sports injuries to women due to the fact that cheerleaders always perform without any equipment to protect them. While many athletes in other sports are well protected, smiling cheerleaders are tossed into the air and fall down into the arms of trusted teammates. The fliers must remain tight all the time so that their bases can catch them safely. Because cheerleading is not recognized as a sport by many schools, proper equipment isn't provided to ensure safety. Therefore, more recognition of competitive cheerleading as a sport would decrease the number of injuries.
Competitive cheerleading is a physical activity governed by rules under which a winner can be declared and its primary purpose is to compare the skills of participants. Hopefully, cheerleading will become as well-known a sport as football and basketball, and even appear in the Olympics since cheerleaders are just as athletic and physically fit as those involved in the more accepted sports.
Girls should take part in competitive sport to build confidence, and the leaders of a group of girls' schools will argue this week. Helen Fraser, director of the Girls' Day School Trust (GDST), will tell the group that sport can help girls deal with failure.
"All girls, not just the sporty ones, should take physical exercise," Ms. Fraser says. Research that girls are far less active than boys is worrying, she argues. Ms. Fraser will tell the group that she supports "sport for all". "That's why I love it when our schools have A, B, C and D teams and beyond," she says.
The GDST draws on research from the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation which suggests only a quarter of girls in England meet basic levels of activity each week. One in five girls do no activity at all, twice the proportion of boys, the research suggests.
Ms. Fraser says other research suggests that more than 80% of women business leaders played sports while growing up. She uses the examples of former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who once was a skater and tennis player, and the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, who was in the French national swimming team. Ms. Fraser says Olympic medallists like Jessica Ennis and Katherine Grainger are excellent role models for young women but says women's sport needs more money and more news reports.
Valerie Dunsford, head of Sheffield High School for Girls, part of GDST, said it was important to offer a large number of sports to attract different types of girls. "Not everyone wants to be out playing the hockey." said Ms. Dunsford.
I recall when I was a young girl back in Canada, I was sitting and watching a baseball game on TV with my father and we started to debate the importance of sports. Different from my father, I argued with all the overconfidence of a teenager that sports is more than just a hobby to keep us physically healthy and went as far as claiming that "There would be more wars if we didn't have sports!"
As an adult, my teenage tendencies of exaggeration (夸张)may have faded but I still firmly believe that sports is more than just a hobby for both participants and audience. The challenging times we are all living through right now with coronavirus is proof to this. The effect of cancelling all sports from professional leagues right down to amateur budding athletic programs, can be felt by millions of people worldwide. To many the social emotional impact is stronger than the physical. The loss of the sense of community, of belonging, and of an extended family is real for many girls, boys, men and women everywhere. Others are feeling physical challenges as well as they are struggling to stay active during these times.
But the human race is incredible and adaptable in tough situations, and sports once again is playing a role. Sports teams are staying in touch online and are a source of much needed support, love and laughter in these times. So many professional athletes are playing vital roles through this crisis by sharing their messages of support and at times, making valuable monetary donations to the cause. Even in areas of isolation, people are coming out on their balconies and leading their neighbours through a workout programme to help them stay active. Others are turning to online workout programmes to follow. Once again, sports is finding its way.
So, in challenging times such as now, people are still empowered to continue their sports journey and stay strong and healthy.
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your choice of sport might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses（球场）in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in so me local areas.
There are many environment friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be "green gyms". They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it's free.
It's summertime. That means long hot days, no school— and summer camps. Lots of kids spend at least some of the summer at camps. Some kids spend the whole year playing one sport. And what do they do during the summer? They go to a camp and keep playing that sport. So what's wrong with that?
A study published in the journal Sports Health found that "for most sports, there is no evidence that intense (集中的) training and playing one sport before 13 or 14 are necessary to achieve elite (精英的)status." How big is the risk of injury if you specialize in one sport? A Loyola University Chicago study of 1, 200 youth athletes found that kids who specialized in one sport were 70 percent to 93 percent more likely to be injured than multi-sport athletes. That's a lot. Kids who specialize in one sport also get burned out. An Ohio State University study found that kids who played a single sport were more likely to quit their sport and be physically inactive as adults.
But don't you have to specialize in one sport when you're a kid to have a chance to play in college or be a professional? No! Sorry, but I have to talk about another study. This one was a survey of college athletes by the American Society of Sports Medicine. The study found that 88 percent of college athletes played more than one sport when they were kids.
Look at this year's National Football League (NFL) draft, 26 of the 31 first- round picks, including Jared Goff, the player drafted ahead of all the others, had been multi-sport athletes in high school, according to Tracking Football. It wasn't just the first round: 224 of the 256 draft picks had played more than one sport in high school. More than a third of the drafted players were three-sport athletes.
So if you are a year-round baseball kid, try soccer this summer. It will get you into great shape and help you move your feet in the field. Or if you're a soccer kid, try tennis or rock climbing. Have some fun, and try something new. It's summertime.
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The health benefits of staying active are already well-known. It can help you manage weight, keep blood sugar levels down and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
Now, a new study suggests that regularly playing sports, especially badminton or tennis, is not only healthy but also reduces your risk of death, at any age, by approximately 50%. This is a big scale population study to explore the health benefits of sports in terms of death rate. The study evaluated responses from 80, 306 adults aged 30 and above in England and Scotland, who were surveyed about their health, lifestyle and exercise patterns.
After adjusting factors such as age, sex, weight, smoking habits, alcohol use, education and other forms of exercise besides the named sports, the researchers compared the risk of death among people who took part in a sport to those who didn't. The percentage of reduced risk of death was found to be: 47% for racket（球拍）sports, 28% for swimming and 15% for cycling.
In addition to this, the study didn't find any significant reduction in the risk for sports like running and football. The findings also exposed that over 44% of the participants met the guidelines for the recommended exercise levels to stay fit and healthy, which amounts to 150 minutes of moderate(适度的) physical activity in a week.
Does this mean you stop running or playing football and switch to tennis instead? Every kind of sport and physical activity has different physical, social and mental benefits attached to it. The apparent lack of benefits of running and football could result from several variables that were not taken into account.
Being active helps you feel happier and live longer. So, the most important step is to take part in any kind of sport that you are likely to enjoy and follow in the long term.
Goa is the official holiday destination of India. It is just the one-stop destination to fulfill all your desires and there are endless things that you can do. Here is a list of adventure sports and activities that you must definitely try. So, take a look.
Parasailing
Parasailing is one of the most famous adventure sports in Goa. Your parachute is attached to a motorboat and when the boat swings in with full momentum, you feel like you're flying like a bird.
Cost: INR 1000 per person
Duration: 5 —10 Minutes
Water Scooter
If you are a fan of speed and thrill then this sport is just for you. Riding a water scooter through the blue waters of Goa is like a dream coming true and that is why you should not miss out on the opportunity of doing it.
Cost: INR 200—300 per scooter
Duration: About 20 minutes
Windsurfing
Windsurfing is a combination of both sailing and surfing and is again, one of the very famous sports around the north Goa region. And if you are facing any issues with the same you might join a surfing coaching for being an expert at this sport.
Cost: INR 400—600
Duration: 1—2 hours
White Water Rafting
Why is it an adventure sport that is loved by people across the country? This sport is easily doable and is less risky. Plus, it does not require a lot of training before actually taking up. People who come with less time in hand, find white water rafting as one of their most favourite sports in Goa.
Cost: INR 1799 — 2499
Duration: 2 — 3 hours
Canada is a highly developed capitalist country. It is one of the major tourism players all over the world because of its unique glamour (魅力). Over the years, arts and culture has lived and breathed in every corner of Canada. You can have a really good experience when you go on a trip in Canada. Do you know why it is so obvious that Canada improves and develops in art, culture, sport and so on? Due to a racial and immigrant (移民) population, the variety and richness of art and sports is very evident (明显的).
Since World War I, Canada has produced an impressive amount of writing. From novel to poetry, the selection is wide. Native writers are also becoming better known across Canada in recent years.
Musicians are reaching a higher level of recognition in the world music scene. Everything from country to pop, classical to heavy rock can be found across Canada and across the globe performed by Canadian artists.
Canadian photography as well as painting by Canadians is not well-known outside of Canada but recognition is increasing.
The National Film Board, a film crew in Canada, is the primary producer of movies in Canada. However, many Hollywood studios are turning to Canada as a source for locations and as an alternative (选择) to the more expensive US. Many well-known actors, directors, screen writers and movies come from Canada and often scoop international awards (奖) for their work.
French art was the first to appear in Canada along the St Lawrence in and around Quebec. Since then the amount of art and artists has increased.
Sport is a major part of today's society in Canada. Hockey is the most popular spectator sport (吸引大量观众的体育运动) with more participants taking part in curling. American style football and baseball are also very popular and all of these sports are played across Canada.
Snowboarding genius Su Yiming made a name for himself by winning China's first Olympic gold in the sport on Tuesday. By cleanly stomping back-to-back 1800 tricks, the teenager landed the biggest prize so far in his young career—gold in the men's Big Air at the Beijing Winter Olympics. The notable achievement realized a childhood dream to reach the peak of the sport, which he began to learn at the age of 4.
Now with two shinning medals hung around his neck, the 17-year-old described his superb Olympic debut (首秀) as an unbelievable experience that has made all his sacrifices worthwhile. "This feels so surreal that I've finally accomplished what I've dreamed of since I was little," said an emotional Su.
Over the past four years, Su has combined his talent with hard work to produce one of the swiftest rises to prominence the sport has ever seen. When the Shougang Big Air venue hosted its first international event, Su was an unknown qualifier, who didn't even make the final runs. Just over two years later, Su is the name on everyone's lips at the venue s Olympic debut—drawing the whole nation's attention to the sport he loves.
"The biggest motivation (动力) for me is my love for snowboarding," Su said, when asked about the secret to his success. "In snowboarding, I feel like I can show my own style and creativity. Every time I ride my board, it's always a joyful moment. I hope through my experience, I can inspire more young people to get interested in the sport."
Su, a former child actor who featured in action movies, said the Olympic gold will encourage him to seek for more breakthroughs—even beyond his athletic career. "I enjoy snowboarding just as much as I enjoy acting," said Su, who turns 18 on Friday. "I think I still have a lot of possibilities to explore in my future career either in snowboarding or in acting. But now I just want to enjoy the moment and celebrate it as the best possible birthday gift."
Some events have been added to the 2024 Olympias, with breakdancing, surfing, and sport climbing among the recent additions. A group of terms come with them that are foreign to the French language. Some French-language purists point out it's too much to bear to rely on English to praise surfers on their "nose riding"-standing on the front of the board. They've decided they need a French solution.
The French government has created a team of language experts devoted to promoting the national language. They will meet periodically over the next couple of years to identify and define new sports terms. The French battle against the influence of other languages isn't new. In 1994,the Toubon law was passed, forcing the use of French in all government publications，contracts and advertisements. Yet it contained several loopholes (漏洞), which allow brands and companies to extensively use English. As a result, anglicisms-words from the English language used in another language-are becoming more obvious.
Julie Neveux, linguistics professor at Sorbonne University in Paris, said anglicisms are "sometimes estimated at just under 5% of the present vocabulary, but they are disturbing because they show that we follow an economy and cultural model other than our own." They are particularly present in sports competitions and events, during which athletes from around the world are used to communicating in English. "Sport was one of the first areas to be globalized, "said sports historian Michael Attali.
Despite their best efforts, no committee has successfully prevented English from influencing everyday language. "Similar committees have been put in place in the past, but nothing has changed so far," said Attali.
"There are far fewer anglicisms in French than there are French words in English. " said Neveux, adding these exchanges should not be seen as a threat. "All living languages exist by borrowing from each other. Languages only exist thanks to their impurity. "
