Game vs Sport

There is a tendency to call anything that involves hard work a sport, and everything else becomes a game. Hence I was participating in the sport of surfing, while normally I play the game of pool. I don't agree with this mindset though. I believe that a game is something that you do for fun. Sure we learn a lot from games too, but the primary reason that we turn towards games in the first place is that they are fun. Even difficult activities like paddling can be fun in the right context. So does that make it a sport or a game? For paddling, or surfing in general I would say that it wasn't either of those options, but rather something else entirely.

That got me to thinking about why I feel safe in saying that I play the sport of pool. It is the competitiveness of it. When there is something on the line, and it is being played competitively, then it is a sport. Otherwise it is something else.

Taking an activity to the competitive level requires a certain dedication that is not usually seen by the casual player. The required focus, practice and dedication is monumental even for amateur of the sport. Bringing it up to the professional level is something completely different. That requires a passion that I'm not going to write about today.

But the next time you load up that game consider what kind of benefits you could gain by turning that game into a sport for yourself. The true benefits from a game are only gained when it is taken seriously.