Nine Fun Sports that Often Get Overlooked
You’re never too old to start getting involved in sports.
Luckily, if you don’t enjoy the usual sports, there are still tons of options for you. There are some sports you need to play as a team and others you can enjoy all on your own.
So whether you have a group of friends looking for something to do on the weekends or you’re tired of staying home alone and want to get out and be more active, there’s a sport out there for you.
Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate frisbee is a team sport where players use a frisbee. A point is scored when one team catches the disc in another team’s end zone, similar to American football.
Developed in the late 1960s, this sport is similar to other traditional sports but self-officiating. In the US, ultimate frisbee has a professional organization called the Ultimate Players Association (UPA), now called USA Ultimate.
Golf
Unlike other ball games, golf does not have a standardized playing area, so players must cope with the terrain.
Golf is played on a course with 18 holes, and all players tee off from the same area.
While golf is a fairly popular recreational sport, pros who practice golf swings can make millions of dollars playing on the green and through sponsorships.
Disc Golf
Disc golf is an individual sport where players play against each other to try to get their disc into a pin in the fewest number of throws possible.
Similar to golf, disc golf has a par. However, players throw into a pin with chains rather than a hole in the ground with disc golf.
Disc golf isn’t a new sport and even has its own channel called the Disc Golf Network (DGN).
Even though you may not have heard of disc golf at the competitive level, this sport was invented in the early 1900s and has been gaining momentum and popularity in recent years.
Now, disc golf pros can make hundreds of thousands of dollars playing their sport and through sponsorships with disc companies.
Water Polo
Water polo is similar to volleyball, but it’s played in the water.
Water polo combines speed and strength with goals on each end of a pool. The winner of this game is the team that scores the most points by getting the ball in the net. However, this is made increasingly more difficult because players cannot touch the bottom of the pool and instead must tread water throughout the game.
Players can move the ball by throwing it or swimming with the ball in front of them. However, they can only hold the ball in one hand. There are 13 players on a team, but only seven are allowed in the water at one time. The players move around the pool continuously to try to score a goal.
Water Polo is a great sport to try out if you’re finding you’re not getting as much out of the gym as you would like.
Sumo Wrestling
Sumo wrestling is a contact sport in which two participants try to force each other outside of the ring or pin them down.
Sumo originated in Japan, where it’s the only place in the world where it’s considered a national sport.
Sumo wrestlers live differently than most athletes, though. They are required to live in sumo training stables, and their meals are dictated by strict tradition.
Badminton
Badminton is similar to tennis in that you must use a racquet over a net. However, players hit a shuttlecock instead of a ball while trying to avoid letting it hit the ground. Badminton can be played with larger teams but is most commonly played as singles or doubles matches. It’s important that you get the right shoes for badminton as you would for tennis.
Chess Boxing
Chess boxing combines chess and boxing, one game that takes patience and strategy and another that uses physical contact to beat an opponent.
In chess boxing, two opponents play alternating rounds of chess and boxing until one wins by knockout or checkmate. Like regular chess, you can also win the game through a time penalty. Chess boxing is played in a boxing ring using boxing equipment and rules with a chess table and board also in the ring.
The chess equipment is moved out of the ring when the boxing begins.
Underwater Hockey
Underwater Hockey, also called Octopush, is a sport played around the world.
It’s a limited-contact sport in which two teams try to move a puck across the bottom of a pool into the opposite team’s goal. They use hockey sticks, also known as pushers, to move the puck. Unfortunately, players are not allowed to use scuba gear or other breathing equipment while playing, so they’re forced to hold their breath while underwater.
Octopush originated in England and is now played worldwide.
Final Thoughts
There are many different sports that are far from the traditional ones you see everyone play. As such, you have a wide range of options to choose from if you’d like to try something new. Because these sports are often overlooked, it may take some time to learn how to play them, but by doing so, you may aim to be one of the best players of this sport.
You might also enjoy these articles on the benefits of creatine and BCAAs for different athletes.
Sara Young
Sarah Young holds a Bachelors in Marketing Communications from California Lutheran University. She enjoys running her website glitternglue.com where she can share her own and others' thoughts on lifestyle tips! During her spare time, she enjoys going to the beach with her dog or painting nature murals.