Create Your Own Sport!

Have you ever thought about how a sport was created? Have you ever played tag and thought, “this would be way cooler if we added a trampoline?” Or maybe you’ve wished a football game included water balloons?

The creation of a sport begins with an idea. A long time ago, sports began as a way to train for war and hunting and included events like wrestling, javelin, and chariot racing. The modern era of sports began around 1850, with new team-based sports. Sports became popular all over the world. Each sport had to create rules to make the games fair for individuals or teams to compete against each other.

That’s what James Naismith did in 1891. Mr. Naismith was in Springfield, Massachusetts and he was a physical education teacher. He created the game of basketball to make an indoor game for his students. He created the game using peach baskets as goals and a soccer ball.

Follow the QR code on the PDF for a 2-minute video about how the game of basketball started.

Can YOU create your own sport? Use the KidFit “Create Your Own Sport” worksheet, we can help you started.

HERE’S HOW YOU DO IT!

• What is the goal of your sport?
• What do the people playing your sport wear?
• What rules will help make your sport fair?
• What equipment do you need for your sport?
• What does it look like where you play the sport?

Develop a plan to share your sport with a group of friends or family. Enjoy time together and have fun!