Sports are activities that use time and energy. They don’t necessarily divert attention from schoolwork. They require learning, memorization, and repetition of skills directly related to class work. Furthermore, playing sports helps people develop their communication and teamwork skills. The physical, mental, and social benefits of playing sports far outweigh their negatives, and many students choose to pursue a career in sports after high school. But while some sports are fun, others are not.
The earliest evidence of sports is found in prehistoric China, where artifacts date as far back as 2000 BC. Gymnastics may have been widely practiced at that time, and there are monuments of Pharaohs dating back to the 15th century indicating that sports were also well developed in ancient Egypt. These activities included wrestling, javelin throwing, and high jump. In ancient Persia, sports included Zoorkhaneh martial art, and jousting. During the modern era, motorised sports have emerged from a long-standing tradition.
African sports include various races that date back to prehistoric times. While many European explorers were awed by the prowess of the native peoples, European sports were largely ignored. Nandi runners ran distances at a speed that would send European runners to collapse. High jumpers in Tutsi tribes soared to heights that seemed incredible to Europeans. Photographs taken during Adolf Friedrich von Mecklenburg’s anthropological expedition even show them in flight.