Sports, a very popular pastime today, have existed since ancient times. The Greek Olympic Games featured events from chariot racing to javelin throwing to wrestling. Furthermore, a game similar to football was played in China in the 2nd century BC. In England, a violent game of rugby was even played to settle feuds between villages. With the development of the industrial revolution and the creation of the first public schools, sport decreased violence and was practiced in a more recreational and constructive way. Basketball was invented to help the youth of New England expend their energy in the winter months. Since the early 1900s, sports have been a fundamental experience in the United States (“History of Sports”). I have been playing sports for many years and the experience has helped me grow significantly as an individual. The benefits of sport range from physical, mental and social. Exercise keeps people fit, develops healthy muscle tone, and reduces heart and lung problems (Oak, Manali). Sports studies have shown that “young people are motivated and engaged in ways that do not regularly occur in any other area of ​​their lives. Their sporting experience stands out from almost all other activities, including socializing and schoolwork, in providing enjoyment where they exert concerted effort toward a goal” (Larson, Reed, and Sean Seepersad). People who play sports bond over a common interest. This opens children up to meeting new kids and socializing with many others. In kindergarten I played baseball. Even though I didn't really understand all the mechanics of the game, I made new friends and started to develop fine motor skills. This was very helpful from an early age and pushed me to stay active throughout my life....... middle of paper ......emier. EBSCO. Network. October 27, 2011.Hatzigeorgiadis, Antonis and Stuart JH Biddle. “Negative self-talk during sport performance: Relationships with pre-competition anxiety and goal-performance discrepancies.” Journal of Sports Behavior 31.3 (2008): 237-253. Premier of academic research. EBSCO. Network. 27 October 2011. "History of sport". History of sport. Network. November 1, 2011. Larson, Reed, and Sean Seepersad. “Adolescent Leisure in the United States: Parties, Sports, and the American Experiment.” New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development 2003.99 (2003): 53-64. Premier of academic research. Network. November 1, 2011.Oak, Manali. "The benefits of playing sports." Network. October 26, 2011. Rosewater, Ann. “Learning to Play and Playing to Learn: Organized Sports and Educational Outcomes.” Education Digest 75.1 (2009): 50-57. Premier of academic research. EBSCO. Network. October 27. 2011.