Sports and games

In the USA most sports and games have been to a great extent commercionalized. The four foremost professional games there are American football, baseball, basketball, and ice-hockey (it has its roots in Canada, though). These games are turned into big shows in which the sports stars make a lot of money. American football differs from European mainly in the shape of the ball (oval), the way in which it is carried by the players (in the hands), and the form of scoring (touchdowns at field goals). Other sports such as the former Indian game lacrosse or field hockey are also popular.

In our country ball games rank among the most popular ones. They include especially football, volleyball, basketball, handball, and tennis. Besides this ice hockey is played at a very high level here too. Our country has produced many sportsmen who have achieved success in top international competitions. In the first place athletics (recently javelin and decathlon), but also net games (tennis and volleyball) players and shooters have excelled abroad.

In our town there are rather many sports facilities available. We can visit both the summer stadium, which serves as a track and football field, and the ice-rink where one can skate. Next to the summer stadium a few clay tennis and volleyball courts and a handball playground can be found. For indoor activities there is a modern sports hall and several fitness centres around the town. The only fault is that we have no indoor swimming pool yet. Besides many other small fields elsewhere in the town and a few gymnasiums near the schools there is a ski tow on a nearby hill at the skiers' disposal.

Our physical training lessons are quite rare - we have them only twice a week. Usually before the lesson starts we change into sports wear such as T-shirts, shorts, track pants, sweatshirts, and sneakers in a dressing room. When the weather is good, our lessons are usually filled with running, jumping or simply playing games. But first we must always do a little warm-up exercise (for those who do not do morning exercises it is especially necessary). In winter or in bad weather, though, we go to the gym and do gymnastics. Our gym is fully equipped - there are many apparatuses there (wall bars, horizontal bar, parallel bars, beam, rings, vaulting horse, mats, springboards, climbing rope and pole).

The 01ympic Games (the Olympics) were already held in ancient Greece. At that time they put emphasis on the ideal of an all-round developed person. The 0lympics were renewed by Pierre de Coubertin about a hundred years ago and today as well as in ancient times they take place every four years. Since 1924 there are two parts to the games - the winter part and the summer part -, which alternate once every two years.