The Concept of Sport and Health

Sport and health (also often abbreviated as SD) are interrelated concepts that often share a common understanding of the goal to create physical conditions conducive to active participation in sports. SD includes aspects of physical education and active lifestyles that promote health and fitness. SD is most often associated with organizing and promoting sports events, teams, and competitions. These may include summer camps, school sports programs, after school sports programs, and physical education programs for teachers and other school administrators.

Although sports and health have a common goal, the two concepts often go hand-in-hand. For example, there are countless school programs that are designed to teach students how to play baseball, basketball, tennis, swim, or track. In addition, there are countless activities that utilize these sports as a form of physical education and/or skill development, such as track meets, archery contests, swimming tournaments, and football games.

Sport and physical prowess are not solely the domain of athletes and professional athletes. Many children and adults engaged in a variety of competitive sports are motivated by the desire to develop their athletic ability, rather than to merely win. Therefore, while most athletes and professional athletes engage in SD, they do so to develop the physical prowess that will allow them to excel in their chosen athletic activity. Similarly, while many adults enjoy participating in various competitive sports, they do so to improve their athletic prowess and the quality of their life.