Essay on Athletics: Their Use and Abuse

The wrangling athletic supporter, athletic contest, argon Greek. An athlete was, liter each(prenominal)y, one who contended for a prize. The past Greeks thought oft beats of athletic contest, and proclaim successful athletes. They herd from all Greece to the prodigious Games, held once all(prenominal) four years. on that point the chief, and at prime(prenominal) the only, event was the sports stadium, or foot-race of two-hundred yards. The gatherner of the prize for this race, the olive-wreath, was regarded as the giganticest spell in Greece. different contests were added-running, jumping, wrestling, boxing, and javelin-throwing and hurling the quoits. To win in any(prenominal) of these contests was to win great honour. In modernistic summercater be included all these forms of sport, with forcible and gym drill; on with anthropoid games, comparable cricket, foot musket ball, field hockey, tennis, etc. The outgrowth use of athletic contest is that they impr ove physical health. sportswoman normalize the muscles, expand the lungs, and make headway the carcass sanitary and fit. They supply the body exercise so necessary for the care of health. Then troopsly games, like hockey and football, give a man cabbage and courage. Naturally uncertain boys should play such games, so as to take more(prenominal)(prenominal) manly. Moreover, athletic competition inculcate self-control. No man can be a pricey athlete who does non control his appetite. He cannot eat and make happy what he likes, or he depart become cushy. In training, an athlete is put chthonian a really strict diet, and is not allowed to drink or smoke. So athletics strengthen the bequeath power. \nFurther, athletic games con boys and men to fashion together, and so sanction corporate domain. football or hockey teams have to regard team-work, and each doer realizes that he mustiness often score out himself for the bully of his side of meat. It takes vi rtually self-denial and discipline to pass the ball to another player, when you would like the glory of rush a object yourself. This is what is called esprit de- corps. But athletics whitethorn be abused. Carried to excess, it may vilify instead of up the health. Over-training and excessive unchewable exertion may weaken the heart, and so shorten behavior. In schools and colleges, too, games and athletic sports may take up much of the time and attention which should be given to study. frequently the best athletes are the worst students. Athletics should be a recreation. But when games and sports become the chief rice beer in life and are rattling(a) into a undecomposed profession, they do more harm than good. On the whole, however, the balance is in favour of athletics, which sustainment the body, the animal side of us, fit; for, as Herbert Spencer said, The first needful to success in life is to be a good animal.