Well Nick said I should upload this essay and Cheryl wanted to read something so here it is!
Sports has been around since the beginning of time, since man stepped out of the cradle of life in Africa. To many, sports is merely something to pass time, games such as football, rugby and hockey. However, I believe that is a shallow perception of sports, I believe sports relates to mankind’s most primal nature, it is the spirit of competition, the will to best another, to be the strongest of all, this is what I think sports is all about. Sports used to be about ancient values forgotten about today, such as honesty, valor, courage and persistency.
In ancient Greece, one of the greatest civilizations of mankind, sports was seen not only as a pass time, or competition but as a tribute to the gods. One such event was the Olympics. Once every four years representatives would gather from Athens, Sparta, Corinth and all corners of Greece to compete in Olympia. The Olympics were always held in Olympia as Zeus was a unique god to them. The Olympics were held as tribute to Zeus and of course for each kingdom to prove its superiority. The competitors would compete, completely naked in events such as discus throwing. The Olympics has evolved into what it is today. Today many events have been added into the Olympics and it is an internationally recognized event where countries across the globe send their athletes to compete.
Rome, the empire built by Romulus had a great affinity for sports. The Coliseum was built by Emperor Flavian to provide entertainment for the people of Rome. The structure portrays roman architecture at its finest and even today people still marvel at its beauty. Many sporting events took place in the Coliseum However, the Coliseum is most famous for its gladiators. Romans considered watching prisoners battle for their freedom a very amusing sport. These prisoners would be called gladiators, armed with weapons and armor, they were to battle each other and animals such as lions. The gladiators were ill-equipped and on occasion had to battle mounted foes, sometimes on chariots. The champion would gain his freedom and the loser may live or die at the discretion of the emperor of Rome.
In Victorian Europe sports had declined as it was considered more of a past time. Sports was more of a privilege as only the rich would partake in sports. The poor were too busy working trying to make sure their families had food on the table. The Victorians indulged in sports such as horse racing and polo. These sports seemed to be more of a way to meet friends rather than an actual competition. Since only the rich had access to it, not many people were given the opportunity to compete. It was important for a man to be involved in sports but that was as far as it went, competition was scarce and it was just mans version of evening tea.
Today sports is accessible to all throughout the globe and athletes are paid to compete. Athletes no long have the spirit of competition as they are only interested in money. The values of courage, valor and honesty are a thing of the past. Athletes are millionaires, endorsements are given to athletes, and millions are made from the sales of sporting merchandise. In fact the athlete is more like a product or an expensive investment rather than a competitive sportsman. However, it isn’t all that bad as we are given the privilege to watch athletes compete across the globe on television. Besides that, advances in technology have allowed us to create faster and stronger athletes, and these athletes are able compete on an international level. It is exhilarating to watch top level athletes battle it out to assert their superiority. We are lucky that today everyone is given a chance to compete in sports and athletes are held in high regard.
In conclusion, sports is not just about a fun pastime, it is a way of life, a fragment of our existence that brings out our primal nature ingrained in us since the beginning of time, the spirit of competition. As in the world it is everyman for himself, survival of the fittest.
