Category: Recreation and Sports

Quality of life depends on individual’s subjective measures, objective measures and perception of life which is vary by person to person, as an example if “a person who seems to have everything may not be happy, whereas a person who is quite ill and without apparent resources or family ties may feel very positive about life” (Kunstler & Stavola Daly, 2010, p. 25). so, it is hard to understand the concept.

Three phase of program planning in group setting are according to below:

• Warm up
• Experience
• Wrap up

Warm up phase is also known as orientation phase, it includes the introduction session of group member in the presence TRS or he/she can start this phase. TRS start it by introduction, welcoming of group members, and explaining the purpose of group which helps to improve communication in between participants as well as TRS get important information about clients like their abilities, needs, likes and dislikes. Warm up phase is very useful for every one in group, it helps to establish good communication, comfort, trust and bond between members and TRS which help to perform an activity smoothly by that way TRS get good outcomes. Positively involvement of participants in the warm up stage is a precious motivational process and starts two-way communication (Kunstler & Stavola Daly, 2010, p. 314). Warm up stage involves several warm up activities that helps to promote socialization, group comfort, reduce group conflicts and members know each other better. Second stage include explaining the rules of group, it assists to run activity nicely and prevent any kind of conflicts or risks.

The experience phase covers about TRS, he/she has to use all his professional experience and judgements to achieve highest benefits and desired goals for the participants. This phase start with giving direction and instructions, it contains rules of an activity, steps, step by step process to perform it which is depends on types of activity and leadership style. Engaging in the experience: this step is very skillful, he/she must have to use his skills like tact and diplomacy whenever it required. He has to require supervision, good leadership and verbal interaction. Processing and feedback: recreation personnel have to observe the improvements & outcomes of participants for activity and give feedback on their performance.

Wrap up phase is a last stage for both at this period clients summarize what they gained, learned or experienced by an activity. TRS responsibilities include wind up everything, make evaluation, escort clients at appropriate places, documentation, preparation for next session as well communicate about client’s progression with management and families.

TRS has to format proper therapeutic recreation activity according to client’s needs in limited setting to meet desired goals.

TRS is totally focused on only one person to achieve outcomes. “interaction is ongoing and continuous, requiring maturity, competence, patience, and understanding boundary issues for the clients” (Kunstler & Stavola Daly, 2010, p. 332).

TRS work with client alone in personal space so he/she must be careful while working his/her work action should not become issues or misunderstand as having personal matter for the client.

Therapeutic recreation and volunteering both are different in form, for recreation services individual need specific educational background to plan different activities and program for an individual according to their needs to promote their quality of life, abilities and skills. Volunteers can participate in any recreational activities but their roles and responsibilities are limited. It could be possible if recreation volunteers who has specific backgrounds like recreation and leisure services college or university student. The professional recreation personnel can able to maintain client’s progression, improvements and developments in particular behaviours and skills. An individual from same filed or students of recreation education program could be a volunteer in therapeutic recreation because it is a part of their study and life.

It helps TRS to select and modify an appropriate activity to accomplish participants goals as well as get to know about what types of skills and abilities required for active participation in activity by the client.

Therapeutic recreation outcome model would be best fit with case study because it concerns on individual’s quality of life. It covers six types of functioning behaviour domains of clients which helps to improve their overall health. In case study TR notices that participants need to educate about their encouragements to engage in various activities. To involve the clients in program need more supervision and education to improve their involvement which help TRS to get outcomes. The model work to improve their leisure domain “develop awareness of the value of recreation in their lives” (Kunstler & Stavola Daly, 2010, p. 33) by meeting and educating them, it helps to increase their active participation, self determination and well-being.

The first core value of therapeutic recreation that is utilised for an adult with autism is autonomy, he/she has right to make own decisions and choice. Client choose to go YMCA three times a week and also want to go without any support of therapist. Client also utilized second core value is right to leisure, he/she has right or freedom to participate in leisure activity no one can stop or ignore or decline participation without client’s wishes.

Inclusion is very suitable principle for client with this case study because after some times YMCA members become restrictive or limited (exclusive), client has right to get full participation as well as support by TRS and other members. One of the TRS responsibility in working with this principle is to communicate with the organization “to overcome the physical, social and attitudinal barriers to recreation participation” (Kunstler & Stavola Daly, 2010, p. 27). Reduce the restrictions and barriers of client’s participation and growth by visiting the agencies and team members.

We performed class activity on music therapy, it was great experience for me because, I leaned and proved that music therapy can improve the muscle tone, skills, mental adaptation as well as memory recognition ability of the client by learning it. We kept only one music instrument in our activity for client for the next time I think we need to do more research about more instruments and how they improve the functions of participants because each instruments need different skills to play it so it will be beneficial for all age clients for our future activity.

References

1. Kunstler R & Daly F S (2010). Therapeutic Recreation Leadership and Programming. Windsor, Canada: Human Kinetics
2. Kunstler R & Daly F S (2010). Therapeutic Recreation Leadership and Programming: One to One Therapeutic Recreation Service [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved Dec 8, 2019, from eConestoga.

ABSTRACT

The present study is intended to focus on the important of recreation for the wellness of teachers and students in education. The education plays a vital role in the development of the country. The progress of the country depends on the wellbeing of the students. So the education should not create the stress in them rather the education should be the joyful one which will create the wellness in students. To achieve this wellness students are helped out through meaningful recreation. This will foster their cognitive skills and the learning will bring good results. Once the students learn the art of learning this will bring crucial changes in the progress of the nation.

INTRODUCTION

Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators, but learners may also educate themselves.[1] Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. The methodology of teaching is called pedagogy.

A fundamental goal of education is to make an individual perfect and reasonable. It makes an individual civilized and refined. Cultured and modernized. It is the only mean for a civilized and socialized society. It is the key to solve various problems of life. As students of the modern era digital natives, they should be taught through techno-based instructional aids.

LATE BLOOMERS (LB)

A slow learner initially wants to learn, but has a problem with the process. A reluctant learner is not motivated and can also be passive aggressive, creating more problems for teachers and parents through non- cooperation. Reluctant learners seldom have slow learning problems. Actually slow learners are normal students but the problem is that they are simply not interested in studying under traditionally accepted system of education.

In general, slow learning students may exhibit some or all of these characteristics, depending on their age and degree of problems acquiring knowledge at school.Slow learners are recurrently immature in their relations with others and do poorly in school. They cannot do multifaceted or complex problems and work very slowly. They lose track of time and cannot convey what they have learned from one task to another well. They do not easily master skills that are academic in nature, such as the times, tables or spelling rules. They don’t focus on long- term goals. They have short attention span and poor concentration skills.

RECREATION

To make the mind fresh and active the recreation is needed. This will elevate the wellness of students and Teachers which in turn reflect in the Effective learning process. The stipulated time table and strict syllabus construction makes the students and Teachers feel bored and inactive. Students are by nature love to learn through play way methods. Because this create lot of fun and the learning will be successful. But the recreation should have the beneficial motive within. It should focus on wellbeing and foster learning by enhancing their intelligence.

Some brain games and video games will enrich the learning because they are constructed for purpose of learning. Those can be used in recreation for the students to refresh their mind with new energy.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Hence cognitive development is largely a matter of neural enrichment. The learning environments of home, school and the wider culture enable experience-dependent learning, and lay the basis for the cognitive and emotional functioning of the adult system (Goswami, 2015).

At the heart of the educational process lies the child’. This observation from the Plowden Report (CACE 1967) remains as true at the time of writing in 2015 as it was in 1967. Since1967, however, there has been an explosion of research on how children of primary age develop, think and learn. Some of this research contradicts basic conclusions from the Lowden Report. For example, it is no longer widely believed that there are different developmental stages in learning to think (Piaget’s theory, CACE 1967: 50).Similarly, it is not believed that a child cannot be taught until she/he is cognitively ‘ready’ (CACE 1967: 75).Rather, it is important to assess how far a child can go under the guidance of a teacher (the ‘zone of proximal development’, Vygotsky 1978).

COGNITIVE SKILLS

Cognitive skills are the core skills your brain uses to think, read, learn, remember, reason, and pay attention. Working together, they take incoming information and move it into the bank of knowledge you use every day at school, at work, and in life. Cognitive development is the construction of thought processes, including remembering, problem solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood.

Cognitive skill development in children involves the progressive building of learning skills, such as attention, memory and thinking. These crucial skills enable children to process sensory information and eventually learn to evaluate, analyze, remember, make comparisons and understand cause and effect.

Cognitive developmental delay is broadly defined as a significant lag in a child’scognitive development when compared to standardized milestones. It is important to understand cognition, which is the process of acquiring and understanding knowledge through our thoughts, experiences, and senses.

Cognitive and neurological health refers to the health of the brain and its overall function. Specifically, cognition is the combination of several critical brain functions, including memory, judgment, language, intuition and the ability to learn.

Cognitive abilities are brain-based skills we need to carry out any task from the simplest to the most complex. They have more to do with the mechanisms of how we learn, remember, problem-solve, and pay attention, rather than with any actual knowledge.Dec 18, 2006

Cognitive disorders (CDs), also known as neurocognitive disorders (NCDs), are a category of mental health disorders that primarily affect cognitive abilities including learning, memory, perception, and problem solving. … Neurocognitive disorders are diagnosed as mild and major based on the severity of their symptoms.

BRAIN TRAIN ACTIVITIES

The brain is the most important part of the body. Keeping the brain active can help improve one’s mental skills. Brain can become almost stagnant without proper stimulation The brain train activities such as physical exercises, Video games, Puzzles, Riddles can enhance the cognitive skills of the Late Bloomers.

Brain train activity is a comprehensive new approach to teaching by using research that has been conducted on the brain and by using the study of neuroscience. Brain Train Activity is based upon what scientist currently knows about the function and structure of the brain at different developmental stages. Using the most current research and educational techniques that are brain friendly provide a biologically driven framework that will create effective instruction.

BRAIN TEASERS

Brain Teaser is a type of riddle that makes one think outside the Box. Some brain teasers are easy, some are a little harder, and some can really make you ponder for a while. Often when you finally hear the answer you feel ignorant or silly, because it should have been obvious to you. However brain teasers are fun. Therefore we keep testing ourselves and hoping we get better at solving them.

Riddles not only provide fun, but also help children learn to think and reason. Our selection of riddles includes some silly ones, some old favorites, and some that make kids really spend some time thinking.

Brain teasers are a sure way to have fun, it is a kind of puzzle that requires you to do some brain – storming to be able to solve it, it usually comes in the form of question and answers, unconventional questions that will demand that you think in an unconventional way to be able to get the answer right. It is a good way to exercise the brain. When it seems that your brain needs some awakening, try answering some brain teasing questions.

NEUROBIC EXERCISES

Neurobics is the science of brain exercise. Its primary goal is to help you keep your memory, along with the ability to learn new information. The term ‘neurobics’ was coined by Lawrence Katz, Ph.D and Manning Rubin to describe these brain exercises and it includes many practices that help the brain stay fit.

Regular exercise changes the brain to improve memory, thinking skills. There are plenty of good reasons to be physically active. Big ones include reducing the odds of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Maybe you want to lose weight, loweryour blood pressure, prevent depression, or just look better.

Brain Games Improve Memory, But Only Under Some Circumstances. New research finds promising evidence for computer programs designed to sharpen thinking skills. … Well, a new review of research found they can improve memory and mood in older adults who’ve begun to experience a decline in their mental abilities.

SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The hectic Curriculum should focus the wellness of students through Recreation. So the text books should carry few Brain train Activities such as Brain teasers, Video games, Brain games, Neurobic exercises.

Teachers are also given time to engage themselves in creative recreation to develop their wellness.

CONCLUSION

Research predicts that wellness through Recreation is the best way of enhancing cognitive skills in students. It also fosters learning. The recreation which is included in the system of learning will make the students to create in them the thirst for learning. The exercises selected for recreation should increase the students IQ. It will increase their interest in acquiring knowledge and stimulate their brain to absorb new ideas and concepts.

REFERENCES

1. Bharti, Ashok Kumar and Jha, Parveen Kumar (2008). Happiness as a function of sense of general well- being and self-actualization of university students. Praachi Journals of Psycho-Cultural Dimensions, 24 (2), 24.
2. Gill, Navneet (2007). A study of psychological well-being among college students of Haryana in relation to coping behavior. Unpublished M.Phill. Dissertation, Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa.
3. Hamminger, L.D. (1987). The relationship between exercise, perceived stress and psychological well-being in college students. Dissertation Abstracts International, 49(4), 760-A.
4. Kumari, Meena (2008). Personality and occupational stress differentials of female school teachers in Haryana. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, 34, 251-258
5. Rani Bhavna (2008). A study of well-being among university students in relation to certain personal variables. Unpublished M.Ed. Dissertation, Punjabi University, Patiala
6. Srimathi and Kumar, Kiran (2010). Psychological well-being of Employed women across different Organisations. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, 36, 89-96.

Soccer is a game that is played by two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball that may not be in contact with hands or arms during gameplay, except by the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper is permitted to use their hands only within the 18-yard box that is outlined, and any contact with the ball by the hands of the keeper outside the box, would be considered a handball. The objective of the game is to score as many goals as possible in the opponents’ net, whether it be with the foot, head, shoulder, or knee. Soccer, or “futbol” as said in foreign countries, is played by over 250 million professional players worldwide, and estimated to be played by a total of about 4 billion poeple on the global stage. This makes soccer the most played and most popular sport in the world.

The purpose of this report is to analyze how soccer has evolved over time and how things used to be in comparison to now. Topics that will be explored are the history of soccer and where it originated, the tactics that have been used back then and how they are used today, the aspect of physical training and high fitness level of soccer players as opposed to players of yesteryear, modern day soccer equipment and how it now aids players to enhance fitness and technical skills, the nutrition that a soccer player must maintain in order to perform, and the different variations of soccer.

History of Soccer

The earliest dated evidence of soccer being played was seen in Asia approximately 3000 years ago. In other countries like South America, there seemed to be a game that merely resembles modern day soccer. Additionally, the Greeks and Romans take part in claiming that they created a game that is similar to soccer as well (Bell, 2015). Although there is possible evidence of soccer being played in other areas of the world, it was not very well known until the game made its way to Europe. After many years, soccer eventually made it to Europe, and the game was played and enjoyed for the next 300 years. The game that was loved and played by the Europeans began to look a little like modern day soccer, however, without many rules in place, the sport took an unexpected turn and was extremely violent, causing injuries to occur consistently. Due to the violence, King Edward III felt the need to put a stop to it, so he ended up banning soccer in England and it was considered against the law to play it (Bell, 2015). Despite the implementation of this law, many players attempted to continue to play the game they love as much as possible, but many were punished and/or imprisoned. For many years following, kings and queens of England followed the path that King Edward started, and continued to ban soccer.

After a while, soccer became unbanned in the 1800’s and people were free to play at last. Schools in England began to organize teams and play against each other, and the idea of tournaments was thought of at the time, but not every school or area followed the same set of rules for the game. To solve this issue, a man named Ebenezer Cobb Morley, who was a founder of a famous football club at the time, gathered as many football club managers to a meeting, where they jointly established the official rules of soccer. Although these rules may have been adjusted over the years, Ebenzer is considered the founder of soccer (Bell, 2015)

Tactics

Many things have changed in this world. From people’s minds, to politics, to architecture, and many more. But what about soccer? One of the most significant changes in football history are the various gameplay systems and tactics used over the years. There have been a variety of methods used such as the 3-5-2 system, the 4-3-3, possession tactics, counter pressing, and vertical passing (Kick off, 2019).

Every few decades humanity spawns groundbreaking revolutions that fundamentally change life’s steam engines. When it comes to soccer, there have also been technical revolutions at similar intervals, which changed the game the innovators dominated for years (Kick off, 2019). Viewing and understanding the history of tactics may help to see where is ends up.

In 1872, the first international match ever occurred between England and Scotland. England started with a 1-1-8 formation, while Scotland was walled in with a 2-2-6 formation. Below are diagrams of these formations. The first one is England’s formation and the second is Scotland’s. [image: ][image: ]

These ample amount of striker on the pitch resulted in a bad game, and these formations were never used again. Later, Arsenal coach Herbert Chapman was incredibly successful with his more defensive approach, a “WM” system (Kick off, 2019). Due to this formation, arsenal was considered unbeatable, and they thought they had the perfect tactic. This formation was very common and was used in the first world cups. After many years of success with this formation, the English were finally defeated by the Hungarians. In 1953, the English were blown away when the lost 6-3 at home to the Hungarian national team. Hungary had a change in their 2-3-5 tactic by creating an under hit, which meant that one of the five forwards would drop back towards the defence as opposed to staying flat at the top. This allowed for technical ball distribution to the attackers, which ended up confusing the English. Despite Hunagrians’ success, it did not last forever. Later in the 60’s, other European teams like Italy created an even more defensive system, which allows for an overload of defenders on each opponent. Next, came the Dutch man Rinus Michels with his “total football” revolution. This was a tactic that meant each player can play in any position they wish to play, as long as the wide 4-3-3 formation was maintained. He was later rewarded with FIFA coach of the century(Kick off, 2019). Many of today’s coaches utilize techniques that were created back then, but instead of the focus being on only one tactic, almost all coaches at the professional level these days practice and master all tactics, and use them differently depending on the opponent.

Strength and Physical Training Expectations

It is important nowadays that players have far higher physical capabilities than the players of yesteryear. Soccer players these days must be more fit due to the fact that they are required to cover 50% more distance in a game then players before. For example, the amount of sprinting that soccer players perform has almost doubled since the year 2002 (90soccer, 2017). Over the course of a 90 minute soccer game, these days the ball is in play for about 15 minutes longer than in the 1990’s, meaning the fitness and endurance of players today must evidently be higher. Also, the players of today must be able to summon larger amounts of mental concentration in order to consistently perform adequately at a professional level. Physical and technical training of players has also evolved over the years. Since modern day soccer equipment has been established, soccer players are able to train on their own using things like hurdles, ladders, speed ropes, dummies, cones, and rebounders to enhance technical skills of players today.

Nutrition

Additional to the topic of physical training and fitness of soccer players, the importance of a soccer player’s diet cannot be underestimated in today’s soccer, especially when it comes to planning the path to success on the field (Coggin, 2018).

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger once said: “Food is like kerosene. If you put the wrong one in your car, it’s not as quick as it should be”

If one compares the nutrition of players before, as opposed to the nutrition of players now, it is clear that they do not consume the same healthy foods that the players of today do. This is because modern day professional soccer teams always tend to have a specific person who monitors the nutrition and health of every player, in order to maintain the highest possible fitness levels .

Variations of Soccer

Soccer may be well known to only have one variation, but in reality, the beautiful game has spun off in a variety of different ways and they are all equally enjoyable in their own way (Augustin, 2017).

• Futsal
• Indoor
• Beach
• Mud soccer

Conclusion

To sum everything up, soccer has definitely been around for many years and has been evolving ever since it was created. From the basic rules of soccer, to complex tactics, to the physical training of soccer players, soccer is seen to be a very interesting sport with unlimited outcomes. In the days of the past, soccer and the facilities that revolve around soccer were not taken into consideration, like the players eating habits outside the field for example, which shows that the soccer players of today must work much harder in order to make it to the top. With longer games, more tactics to master, enhanced technical skill, and far better fitness than players of the past, soccer players and coaches have reached an all time high with soccer revolutions.

Work Cited

1. Augustin, R. (2017, March 27). Retrieved from https://www.redbull.com/ie-en/football-variants-played-around-the-globe
2. Bell, E. (2015, March 29). How has soccer changed over the years?. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/5p70pv1rmdip/how-has-soccer-changed-over-the-years/
3. Coggin, S. (2018, February 3). This Is What a Soccer Player’s Diet Should Look Like. Retrieved from https://www.liveabout.com/soccer-players-diet-3557666
4. Hetzel, M. (2019, June 11). Benefits of Underwater Treadmills. Retrieved from https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a20844107/benefits-of-underwater-treadmills/
5. History of Soccer. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.historyofsoccer.info/
6. -, 90S., By, -, & 90Soccer. (2017, April 23). How the sport of soccer has changed over the years. Retrieved from https://90soccer.com/how-the-sport-of-soccer-has-changed-over-the-years/

Abstract

Websites like those for outdoor recreation and tourism address dynamic design problems and mobile connectivity concerns that need to be investigated. Re-searchers developed a mobile device prototype to obtain a deeper understanding of user’s preferences and desires for a mobile device for outdoor recreation.

Introduction

Mobile device and apps usage have continued to grow, and the number of adults owning smartphones has risen from 35% to 56% in just two years. The most common outdoor activities were biking, cycling, fishing, camping, hiking, etc. With the widespread and steady interest in outdoor recreation, the need to provide information about recreation and tourism through mobile devices increased.

To enhance visitor experiences and build public contact, the goal was building a mobile application that would meet the increasing demands and interactivity needs of the public. In order to learn what types of features and knowledge users required for this mobile recreation application, we first conducted the following tests:

1. Meta-review of current parks and mobile recreational applications
2. Usability-based focusing group
3. Surveys for mobile mockup designs

Evaluation Scope, Metrics and Strategies

The main goal of this research was to identify usability issues with the mobile prototype and to establish best practices for the design of mobile user interface, because the usability always refers to how simply and easily user can accomplish a specific task with some tool to achieve certain goals. To have all that features to assure that we implemented all standards the best choose is to follow the ISO standards.

The good usability consists of three components: satisfaction, efficiency and effectiveness. In order to follow testing, we always must answer those questions:

• What users like and dislike about the flow of mobile prototype?
• What elements are hard for users to understand?
• What aspects need to be gained in this process?

Procedure

The research team occupied a park site and made up a data collection station composed of a table, tablet and mobile device mock-up and tracking software, video camera to monitor tablet use, and umbrella to darken the screen in a sunny, outdoor environment for ease of viewing. Visitors were selected by walking around the park site and calling volunteers, who would earn $25 for the 30-minute sessions.

Usability Results

Participants performed nine task situations using the mobile prototype. The tasks centered on searching for information using the application, such as directions to the park, weather reports, lake events and where to leave feedback. Participants were also asked whether they should use the mobile app and for what reasons. Most of them were able to finish 4 tasks fully successfully, 2 of the tasks partially successful and 3 of the tasks encountered as difficult.

In general, all the participants gave positive feedback and were interested in using mobile app in future. Also, they provide some suggestions how to improve and what they would like to add in the content of that mobile app.

Best Practices Based on Observations and Results

Provided results based on those experimental sessions of usability testing for mobile prototype should include and have:

1. Clear navigation at the bottom of the screen
2. Minimal scrolling
3. Larger clickable areas for clickable features
4. Less clicks to reach desired information
5. Accurate labels and headers
6. Appropriate space between buttons for easy click

Also, this outdoor usability testing provided some additional, unique findings related to outdoor recreation and tourism apps such as:

1. Many outdoor locations for recreations have very weak or no wireless signal
2. Options for access weather are not necessary
3. Environment conditions should consider for choosing good font size and color contrast in order to increase readability
4. Separate apps should be developed for different devices (tablet/mobile)

Conclusion

In conclusion, all results for mobile testing demonstrated best practice user interface design recommendations that are especially relevant to mobile recreation applications requiring access to a large amount of data and diverse audience in outdoor settings. The use of multiple methods in usability testing is unusual but highly recommended. Specifically, in contrast to single-method tests, the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods applied to the participants increases the validity of the findings and results were better.

Pop an ollie and skate!

When you think of a “skateboarder”, I’m assuming the first thing that comes to mind is, graffiti, vandalism, shady-looking kids, and troublemakers, well some of that is true when referring to me but the stereotypical label that has been put on us skaters and our reasons for why we skate.

In the eyes of a skateboarder, skateboarding for me gives me freedom, it’s a hobby, a sport, a community, and a shared interest. Trust me, it is an incredible feeling when you get your first piece of wood with wheels on it. In case it isn’t obvious, I love skateboarding and potentially want to create a diverse skateboarding company/ community sometime in the near future. Nevertheless, there has been this stereotypical label put on us skateboarders. For years, people have been calling us troublemakers and outlaws of society. It is this exact untrue label that has made stores and businesses put up signs that proclaim in bold letters with an exclamation mark, “No Skateboarding!”

Personally, I am not a part of a “skateboard gang.” I enjoy it as a sport, a sense of freedom. Skateboarding is my favorite thing to do in my spare time besides thrashing a Red Hot Chilli Peppers song on my guitar. Skateboarding is my mode of transportation. Going down a hill, with the breeze of wind going through your hair as you spread your arms out, is the best feeling in the world, it tops any other feeling. To be real, I love everything about, well besides the stereotypes, that you oldies have made about us. Not many people know this, but I’ve been skateboarding since I was around six or seven, I remember getting a Hannah Montana skateboard for Chrissy and all I have to say to skateboard is… cheers! I’m now eighteen and I believe it has shaped me into the person I am today, it has taught me how to get up after I fall, never give up stick to something until I get it, and be proud of something I’ve accomplished. Trust me, take this from someone who has scars all over their knees and elbows and had to get their chin glued back together. I never let any of this stop me from doing the one thing I love – all of this taught me perseverance

I remember, when I was a little tucker, my dad would take me to the local skate park with my cheap $15 skateboard I got from Big W. I would always try and do the little things I knew how and most of the time get in the way of the older kids. Sometimes on special occasions when the older kids were in a good mood, they would give me advice and tips on how to do certain tricks and teach me how to keep my balance, which is something I suck at.

Going through high school for me was like torture and skateboarding helped me become a better person during this time. Being brought up in the 21st century, our world is surrounded by influences where sometimes it can be hard to find the difference between what you want and what you think you want. For example, skateboarders cop a lot of heat from the mainstream media, celebrities, and society. These people put a heavy burden on us and how to live OUR OWN life on what’s right and what’s wrong to what’s cool and what’s not. Skateboarding helped me become independent, it taught me how to achieve my goals and how to challenge them.

Video games: E-sports

Do people believe that sitting in front of a display screen, computer, or mobile, and playing video games is considered to be a sport? Video games are starting to take over the world industry over time. William Higinbotham, a physicist, invented the world’s first video game which was a very simple Tennis game. There are many arguments concerning the fact that e-sports are real sports. ‘E-sports’ is shortened term for ‘Electronic Sports’ which describes competitive and organized video gaming worldwide. E-sports are unlike regular video gaming as video games are for fun, but E-sports are mainly for competition. Also, they are arranged between skilled and competitive players and can either be one-to-one competitions or teams. Although some people believe that E-sports are not real sports as they do not require physical activity and can destroy the player’s mental health, unlike any other sport. I among other perspectives believe that they are real sports as they involve competition and they generate profit just like any other sport.

Some people believe that E-sports are not real sports as they do not require physical activity like other sports such as football, baseball, and basketball. Other sports need several months or even years of training to fulfill the requirements needed to play. Also, it is very challenging to be in a suitable formation by going to the gym for hours and exerting a lot of effort to become successful in the preferred sport. Some people believe that anyone can be good at video games without exerting any physical effort. Video gamers can improve themselves without going to the gym or lifting weights, they can just play more. However, many people believe that e-sports need physical demand based on many studies for example according to Kari and Karhulahti (2016). Research shows that exercising is not only good for the body, but also it is good for the brain. This means that exercise can improve your cognitive function; speed, concentration, and flexibility. Although e-sports players do not move a lot, they need to physically train on a daily basis. According to Kari and Karhulahti (2016) a sample of 115 esports players, they train for approximately 5.28 hours every day. Also, there is physical fitness for about 1.08 hours a day. They believe that physical activity has a positive effect on them and on playing video games, so this is the main reason why they train. 47 % of These athletes physically train to benefit and take care of their mental health. The study shows that e-sports players are energetic. Those aged 18 and older physically exercise more than three times (21 minutes for each exercise) per week.

Secondly, some people believe that e-sports are not real sports as they can destroy the gamer’s mental health. Unlike any other sport, e-sports can lead to depression, anxiety, autism, low self-esteem, and even violence. Video games can take over someone’s life completely and negatively affect it. As gamers spend most of their time staring at a display screen just playing video games, they obviously start to neglect the crucial things they have to do in their lives. Therefore, they will become more anxious and have low self-esteem as they are not successful in their lives. Also, as a result of usually playing video games, they tend to communicate less face-to-face with their families and friends so which can lead to autism. On the other hand, harm to the mental health mentioned above can occur if the players are addicted to playing. Meaning that not all gamers can face these issues because not all of them spend most of their time playing, some are just playing for fun and with a limited number of hours. Secondly, there are many reasons why playing e-sports can be beneficial to the gamer’s mental health. Gaming can improve the player’s concentration level and the skills to solve problems as when gamers play any type of video game, they need to stay concentrated. Also, video games can improve the player’s memory as players need to focus and hold a lot of information at once in order to win and finish the assigned task. For example, they need to memorize the places, the tactics, and the tricky points in the game. Furthermore, many gamers start playing video games because they are facing problems or are emotionally in pain. This is the only way for gamers to escape from reality and have a peaceful time without thinking about their problems. In response to issues with friends or parents with feelings of anger and annoyance dissipating after time spent in gameplay, children playing games have reported.

Definition of Recreation and Recreation activities

21st century every human being is busy running their own rat race 24×7 round the clock and hardly find time to take a break and look around. In such cases recreation activities are needed to give the human brain a well-deserved break to rejuvenate energy for better functioning.

Therefore, let us see what does it mean by RECREATION?

Definition of Recreation

Recreation covers broadly any pursuit taken up during leisure time other than those to which people have a high commitment (overtime, second job, home study and various maintenance jobs around the house). Tribe (2005)

In simple recreation means the activities that take place during a free or leisure time as a hobby or even in commercial aspect. Recreation is time based as its done during a leisure time, meaning a free time where one doesn’t have any other activity to be carried out.

Recreational Activities include home-based activities such as reading and watching television, and those outside the home including sports, theatre, cinema and tourism.

Recreation activities are widely spread across the world and are accessible to all age groups from toddlers to elders which each individual liking, capacity to withstand challenge and mainly the purpose of engaging in such activity what they want to achieve end of the day.

Geographical importance for Recreation Activities in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean, which lies off the south-eastern tip of the Indian Subcontinent. Colombo is the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, and is situated on the western coast of the island being the largest. Sri Lanka spans 435 km’s north to the south and 224 km’s east to the west, covering a total area of 65,610 sq.km’s.

Sri Lanka has a strategical advantage over sea and air space intersection due to its unique placing in the Indian Ocean. This also has led to gain advantage among the Far east countries (China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia) and continent of Europe and making sri lanka an international giant in logistic supply.

Recreational Activities in ancient sri lanka

With the immigration of the aryan’s to sri lanka towns and cities were constructed, later became kingdoms. Hence sri lanka is known for its eminent specialized knowledge on construction of cities. It is evident in buildings such as Sigiriya and yapahuwa. These kingdoms were shifted from one place to another considering the threats by other invaders to sri lanka.

the mesmerized fact in ancient sri lanka Is that all cities and towns were planned competently and constructed for beautification of the city and for recreational purposes.

Many urban landscapes used flora and water for its recreation purposes. Garden sports, Water sports(Boat racing , spear fishing, swimming) and Blood sports( Mainly Animal Hunting, Wrestling also known as Angampora) were mainly considered to be the out door active recreation activities during ancient sri lanka, making use of open water ponds, gardens, pavilions and island gradens.

The only recreational city constructed in ancient Ceylon with town beautification, leisure and amusement is the Rock Fortress of “Sigiriya” which is considered as a world heritage. While constructing ancient citadels, the other most important fact they had considered is Recreational activities.

Socialization in sports always happen in interaction from the rest of society. Sport is a social representation of historical, Social and Cultural forces and the same time it affirms, Legitimated and reproduces those very same conditions.

According to (Greendorfer and Bruce 1991:137) ‘Sport reduces social reality and transmits those aspects of culture that convey meaning about the social, Political and the economic order of society; about gender race; and class relations about the body and physical activity ‘

Also Eitizen and Sage (1987) described socialization as the ‘process of learning and adapting to a given social system'(77)

Some of the factors that influence socialization in Sports and Recreation are mentioned below;

RACE AND ETHNICITY

Influence of race and ethnicity in our society are among other many important societal factors which affect participation in sporting events.

Race is defined or known as a group of people characterized by physical or biological traits, whereas Ethnicity refers to group of people characterized by their cultural heritage and traditions.

Some of the incidences whereby this race and ethnicity factors are seen or apply it’s like in example; If we focus on elite levels of Basketball, Football or Track, it’s likely we will find relatively large percentage of African-Americans and also Caucasians will also be found in this category in the field.

GENDER

Socialization into sports is often gender-based thing and the process differs for boys and girls and this is due to the stereotypical assumption that boys are supposed to be more active compared to girls and also that sporting activities are more appropriate for boys than to girls.

According to most of early research showed that sports and games were the top most important factors young boys used to compare their social standing with their fellow peers(Veroffi 1996)

Duda(1981)found out that both boys and girls found it very important to be successful in sports, but that it was more important for boys to succeed in a sporting context than for girls. Physical competence was the most important status criterion for adolescence males. It seems as through differing opportunity exist for boys and girls and that peers have an important influence on individual’s perception of competence and success in sports that’s according to Eitzen (1976)

Continued participation of now both boys and girls is facted directly by this influence thus clearly providing an uneven social context, which disadvantages the girls in this case.

SOCIAL CLASS

Social Class is known to be the difference between the rich and the poor ,whereby their standards and level of living is different.

When opportunities in sports are examined, social class becomes a factor which influence socialization in sports. A child from a family which has limited income, will have fewer opportunities to join ‘the club’ to play any game, for instance; to play tennis, to play golf, go surfing in the ocean, go snow skiing in the mountains or even water skiing behind the new modern boat. Those types of activities are only open to those children whose parents have money to access the sites and the necessary equipment. People with less money are limited to public-funded facilities or those requiring only limited equipments and small participation fees and the access is more open.

Based on the above statement, it’s clear that children have differing opportunities to participate in physical activities based upon income levels of their parents or guardians. This difference go well beyond even affecting people ability of participation to become spectators ;this is brought forth due to ricing events tickets yet you find that not all can afford a certain amount of entry or the entrance fee.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Geographical Location is defined as the position or the place where a town or state is located. This may be an influence because if you take an example with a child from the Northern parts of the Country let’s say United States; the child will know how to play ice skating, how to play ice hockey this child cannot be compared to a child who comes or lives in the Southern climates where there are no such activities.

Similarly, a child from coastal regions let’s say around the coastline region will have greater chance to surf because he/she gat good access to the ocean compared to a child who has no access to those coastal areas or regions.

Geographical influence due to the geographical differences do not explain the greater variance on sporting opportunities for children in the same geographical area or region.

CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS

Multiple experiences and multiple decisions about whether to be involved in sports and each new experience is filtered through the social and cultural context of an individual in which it’s situated and this can be defined as Socialization process. After the initial entry into sport, children have gained the experiences necessary to develop perceptions about their own involvement in physical activity.

Eceles (Parisons’) Expectancy Model(1983),which incorporates both social and psychological variables, has been used to examine participation in sports (Eceles (Parasons’)et al, 1983).Eceles model foregrounds the concept that parents develop expectations for their own previous experiences in sporting activities (Ecceles and Harold, 1991).

Later on, the child develops her/his own expectations thereby influencing the choices for involvement and expected achievement in various activities. One is provided the opportunity to become involved in sport his/her perception are influenced by societal factors which include; Cultural and gender stereotypes, values and expected behaviors, personal characteristics (example, beliefs, aptitudes and talents) and past experiences.

CONCLUSION

I started this chapter by using some peoples description like Greendorfer and Bruce (1991) of sport within the society, then I also described socialization as the ‘process of learning and adapting to a given social system'(Eitzen and Sage, 1987;77).

As the process of socialization into sports happens within the larger society, the same issues faced in society are often reflected in the sporting context. Also we learn that children who are more competent In physical skills tend to be more popular with their terms than children who are not .Other children reactions to the abilities of their fellow poor children can influence the poor children’s perception of themselves. Children begin to develop self-perceptions about their competence through the reciprocal interaction between the children and other and influential socializing factors. If Children are not confident in their abilities, they are more likely to persue future involvement in sports that is based upon social comparison.

REFERENCE

1. Greebdorfer and Bruce 1991:137
2. Eitzen and Sage (1987)(77)
3. Verioffi ; (1996)
4. Duda (1981)
5. Eceles (Parsons’) Expectancy Model(1983)
6. A process of socialization; in Ravick G. I (Ed) Physical Activity :Human Growth and Development; 304-333.Orlando, FL:Academic press
7. Lapchick, R. E and Matthew K. (2000)
8. Gender Report Card(for 1998)
9. Boston: Center for study of sports in society (North eastern University)
10. Eceles(Parson’s’) et al. 1983

Small-sided soccer has always been one of Charles Russell Leone’s favorite sports. Russell Leone used to play small-sided soccer every Saturday. It was a way for him to blow off some steam, stay in shape and spend time with his friends. Small-sided soccer was also what led him to pursue club soccer later on. It made him fall in love with the game. He became one with the ball when he hit the field. His team even became one of the best small-sided soccer teams in San Antonio.

This sport is in Europe, where it’s often called Futsal. But it is not to be mistaken for American football whose rules and gameplay are entirely different. There are still doubts about how to say right: small-sided soccer or futsal? But to solve this mystery and find out more about the history of this sport, let’s go back to the 30s, to Montevideo in Uruguay!

Brief History of Small-Sided Soccer (Futsal)

People who are devoted to this game love to say that small-sided soccer was created after the First World Cup in 1930 in this South American country. This event has caused a great desire in every Uruguayan boy to ‘kick the ball.’ This was when one physical education teacher came up with a great idea.

Namely, professor Juan Carlos Seriani realized that each school had enough space for a field that would be approximately 40×20 meters. The area would also be covered. As a result, this small field would allow for a smaller variant of football in poor weather conditions. In 1933, he wrote the first rules for a new sport: Football in the hall, Futebol de salao (Portuguese) or Futbol de salon (Spanish). In time, the term Futsal was accepted all over the world. In America, we usually refer to it as small-sided soccer.

As early as 1936, some of the rules of small-sided soccer have been improved in Brazil. Ultimately, Brazil turned into the main development center of this great game. Then, in 1954, the first organization of small-sided soccer in Rio de Janeiro was formed. However, the most crucial step forward was made in 1960. The South American Futsal Confederation (CSFS), established in the period from 1965-1979, organized seven continental competitions. It was a huge step that changed the game forever and made it as popular as it is today.

FIFA showed a lack of interest in the sport at that time. But the desire of the people who played small-sided soccer to internationalize this sport led to the formation of FIFA ‘Federacion Internacional de Futbol Sala’ on July 25, 1971. The honorary president in the period from 1971-1973 was João Havelange, who will head FIFA in 1974.

Then, in 1982, the First World Cup in Sao Paulo, Brazil was held. Ten countries attended the cup. Later in 1985, Spain hosted the Second World Cup. There were 12 countries from 4 continents, and the finale in the Community of Madrid Sports Centre with 14,000 spectators soon followed!

Only two years later, FIFA takes this sport under its umbrella. In 1989, the Netherlands became the host of the First World Championship under the auspices of FIFA.

The Rules of Small-Sided Soccer

The first recorded rules of small-sided soccer were, in fact, a mixture of rules from soccer, basketball, handball and water polo. Over time, the rules changed a lot. One of the more interesting rules was that throw-ins were done by hand. This rule was practiced up until about ten years ago. Also, the goalkeeper’s position suffered probably the most significant changes, all in order to increase the speed of the game itself.

Even today, most tournaments, school competitions or recreational competitions are played in a manner that is incompatible with the rules of small-sided soccer. This includes playing with a soccer ball, on a field with two goals, with five players in the field, etc.

Here are some of the basic rules of futsal:

• Playing Field: The length of the field is at least 25×16 m (82×62 ft). The maximum length 42x25m (138×82 ft). It’s mandatory that the field has a rectangular shape.
• The Goal: Dimensions of the goal: 3m wide, height 2m, with rounded tripods and a crossbar.
• The Ball: The ball in small-sided soccer is a size-4-ball that usually weighs around 400 g, that is 14-16 oz.
• The Number of Players: There are four players on each side and a goalkeeper on each goal. Twelve players at most can be used in one game.

The Number of Substitutions: The coach is allowed an unlimited number of substitutions during one game. However, the maximum number of substitutes that FIFA allows in nine. Substitutions can be made at any point, but a player must leave the field before his replacement enters it.

The Goalkeeper: The goalkeeper has the right to own the ball only once during the attack of his team. He can hold the ball until the opponent touches the ball, or the ball goes beyond the boundaries of the court. After that, he can once again be in contact with the ball, but only using his foot. If this rule is violated, it is considered an indirect foul.

Duration of the Game: The game lasts for two halves, each lasting 20 minutes. The time is stopped at every dead ball. The players take a 15-minute break between the two periods. Each team is allowed to use only one time-out per half. The time-out can last only one minute.

The Penalties: For a violation, or hitting the ball with your hand in the penalty area, a penalty kick of 6 meters (20 ft) is performed. It is the so-called “small penalty.’ Each team can make five fouls in the field during a single half. However, each penalty after the 5th one is followed by a 10-meter shot (33 ft). It is the so-called ‘big penalty.’

Aficionados of this sport, like Charles Russell Leone IV, will often say that small-sided soccer is ‘the most important side thing in the world.’ But one thing is certain. That is that futsal will surely be going shoulder to shoulder with its big brother very soon.

Throughout the Olympics, there are countless sports that demonstrate the important features of sportsmanship within a team. A major sport/event that commonly depicts these examples is running. Running is most often known as one of the most or as the most iconic and recognized cross-cultural/racial sports. Sportsmanship mainly refers to virtues such as ethics, control, encouragement, positive behavior, and concentration. Sportsmanship is a significant feature as it builds on teamwork, as well as building resilience within one another and yourself (making stronger nature). The main goal of the Olympics is to support and create better relationships between different communities and nations (creating many more social/uplifting societies worldwide). The running sport within the Olympics presents endless acts of as well as bringing many countries/communities together to compete, giving each society a chance to show acts of kindness or sportsmanship.

Sportsmanship is an extremely critical factor not just in running but in every single sport, as it teaches one the need for respect, honor, kindness, teamwork, and inclusion to be able to achieve a goal. This means that it lays the foundations for building a strong character through embedding the qualities of a true athlete. Sportsmanship in running is predominant, through giving respect to your competition, even though it may be extremely competitive (creating motivation for runners). When a team or an individual is unethical (cheating or breaking rules) it gives the opposition a major disadvantage and causes disrespect between one another. Good sportsmanship is praised. Successful sportsmanship includes being able to win without esteem, respecting the opposition (no matter what outcome), and being able to lose gracefully. As Michael Jordan said, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships”. Michael Jeffrey Jordan is known for being the world’s greatest all-time basketball player. This quote has a deep-down meaning. It phenomenally explains how sportsmanship always wins the best prize, respect, and support of an opposition team/individual. And as Gary Gygax observed, “Games give you a chance to excel, and if you’re playing in good company you don’t even mind if you lose because you had the enjoyment of the company during the course of the game”.

A historical example of sportsmanship is when Derek Redmond was set to win the 400m solo race with ease. This was until his hamstring injuries found him and led to a breakdown. This was a huge letdown. All his work was wasted. That was until Redmond’s dad stood by his side and supported him to get through the entire race, allowing him to complete it after all the hard work he had done. This example shows that the values of sportsmanship can lead to winning great things that aren’t always a medal, it can win love, respect, excellence, and/or consolidation.

Usain Bolt, also known as the world’s fastest man, is a perfect example of a professional athlete that displays sportsmanship throughout his career. The Jamaican three-time gold medalist shows many important aspects of sportsmanship and teamwork. A great example of this is when after the 200-meter race at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos from track-and-field stars into the center of a roiling controversy over their raised-fist salute, a symbol of black power and the human rights movement at large. This act of sportsmanship shows respect to the darker people, as they are commonly not treated well or the same compared to the white race. Multiple white athletes such as Joe Biden and Jack Johnson showed their support as they chose to salute, support, and applaud them due to their actions. This example identifies that running displays respect/support and excellence within two significant moments that have been marked in history.

Therefore, it is clear that the Olympic sport, running, displays respect, excellence, support, and other major features of sportsmanship, as well as gaining respect from the opposition and crafting strong friendships/relationships along the way.