       Sport plays an important role in our life. Some historians think that sports first appeared as a repetition of typical movements of a workman or a soldier performed to refine practical skills. Some tribes of Native Americans played a game which was alike football, but it had a religious meaning. The winning team had to be executed as the one that had pleased the gods of the tribe.
       European traditions started in Ancient Greece with the Olympic Games. They were started as All-Greece holidays and contest to honour Zeus in 776 BC. Every fourth year for five days all Greek athletes gathered in the city of Olympia. All wars had to be stopped. Every city sent its athletes to Olympia, and the winner returned to his native city through a break in the city wall because people believed that the winner had been chosen by the gods. The Olympic Games included running, wrestling, boxing, horse-racing, pentathlon and chariot races. The games were stopped in 394 AD when Olympia was destroyed by two strong earthquakes. So the tradition lasted for more than 400 years. The present Olympic Games were started in 1896. The founder of the modern Olympics is Pierre de Coubertin. As in the past, the Olympic Games of the present take place every 4 years in summer. But there are the so-called «White Olympics» in winter and Paralympics for disabled people. Since 1896 Olympics have been held in Britain 2 times in London (1908, 1948), in the USA 4 times: in St. Louis (1904), in Los Angeles (1932, 1984) and in Atlanta (1996). Olympics were also held in Russia in Moscow (1980).
       Now the Olympic Games include many sports - swimming, diving, running, sport walking and many, many others.
       There are several well-known and popular national British sports. The most well-known are cricket, golf, horse-racing and boat-racing. The Americans love baseball which is considered their national sport. But both the British and the Americans are fond of football.
       Football, or soccer, is popular in all countries. There was time when there were no rules, so the game was very rude. There were many injuries such as broken legs and arms. But step by step the rules were worked out and accepted by all countries in 1863. Now' football is the most popular game in the world. The game requires many technical skills and a special way of thinking. It is a team game with 11 players on the field. They are the goalkeeper, 4 defenders, 3 midfield link men and 3 forwards. The aim of the game is to kick the ball into the goal. The players work hard to work as a team and understand each other without words. American football is different from soccer. It is played with an oval ball. American football and Rugby are alike. Football is very popular in Russia.
       Rugby (or rugger) is a team game, too. It was first played in the city named Rugby in 1823, that's why it is called rugby. The players can pass the oval ball with their hands (but not forward) and their legs. The aim of the game is to kick the ball over the horizontal bar of the H-shaped goal. The Rugby League unites the teams of professional players. There are 13 players in each professional team. The Rugby Union unites the teams of amateur players which consist of 15 players each. Rugby is not very popular in Russia, but there are some Rugby teams.
       Cricket is a team game. There are 11 players in each team. They play with bats, wickets and a cricket ball. The game is played on an oval grass field. The aim of the game is to ruin the goal of the other side with the hits of the ball. The International Federation of Cricket includes more than 10 countries. Both boys and girls play cricket at schools. But in Russia cricket is not popular. Russian children play football, basketball or handball at school.
       Golf is another popular game, but it is not a team game. 2 or 4 persons play the game of golf. Each player has a small golf-ball and drives it with a golf-club; players have different clubs and can choose the suitable one for the next blow. There are 9 or 18 holes in the golf ground. The aim of the game-is to drive the ball into the holes. The game appeared in the Middle Ages in Denmark. Since 1927 the golf contest has been held every year.
       Boat-racing is also popular. Every year there is a contest between the universities of Cambridge and Oxford on the river Thames. In 1996 Britain won the Olympic gold medal in rowing.
       Horse-racing is a spectator sport. There are two main events - The Grand National and the Derby. The Grand National is about Smile long. It is a steeplechase. The Derby is a race which is held every year. There is a lot of betting at these events.
       The national American sport is baseball. The game of baseball is played with a bat, a glove and a ball. There are two teams of 9 players each on a field with 4 bases, that's why the game is called baseball. The main players are called catcher, shortstop, fielder and batter, but there are many other types of players. The referee is called the umpire.
       The most popular sports in Russia are football, hockey and figure skating. As for football, Russian boys play football in every yard, when it becomes warm enough. There are many professional and amateur teams. Russia is also known for its gymnasts, chess players and skiers.
       There are no sportsmen in my family. My father used to go in for football and chess when he was young. Nowadays he watches almost all football and hockey matches that are shown on TV. My mother and I prefer spectator sports, such as figure skating, gymnastics and diving. In spring and summer I can play basketball or volleyball. My mother likes badminton. There is a river and a lake near our summer house. I bathe and swim there. I also walk a lot. I think walking is the best sport. You do not have to buy special equipment, you do not need the company of others. You can do it without special training.
       There is a certain contradiction between watching sport events and going in for sports. While sport competitions are very popular (about one third of the population watch sport events on TV or listen to sports news over the radio), only 3-5% go in for sports on a professional or amateur basis. It is believed that sport keeps people fit and healthy. Sportsmen have good figures and strong muscles. They are usually attractive. They develop positive traits of character and learn how to work hard, to be strong, patient, well-organized and disciplined. You can be an amateur sportsman, in this case sport helps you to be energetic, to make your body work well and stay healthy.
       But these reasons are not enough for most of people. They have their own reasons. One of the most important reasons is that sport takes much time. It is really so. If you want to be a sportsman, you have to exercise every day, or, at least, several times a week. Many people can not afford that, because they work hard to make their career. They can do morning exercises or visit gyms or swimming-pools from time to time, but I can not call them sportsmen. Another reason is that people do not like to lose. When they lose, they feel uneasy and unhappy. The winner is happy and proud, but the losers feel they are bad, even if they are good at their profession or happy with their families. That is why many people stop going in for sports when their results grow worse. One more reason is risk. Going in for sports can cause many injuries. Some players get hit, they break their bones, they sometimes tear their muscles. This is very dangerous. But even more injuries take place during the training. Most of the gymnasts become seriously ill. Sport is a job for the young. When you are thirty, you are too old to be a professional sportsman. There are few sportsmen over 35 years of age. As for me, I would rather watch than participate.
       Sport is also one of the most important components of the healthy way of life.