Top 10 Best Sports in the United States
Basketball is a sport played by two teams of five players on a rectangular court. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high mounted to a backboard at each end. Even when a game is low scoring and defensive-minded, it's the best sport. You still get constant movement and can see every player's face, every emotion. Sports like soccer or football are either too far away, or the players are wearing helmets.
In basketball, everyone on the court usually touches the ball and has a chance to score. Soccer depends mainly on one scorer and a goalie, while football has either a quarterback, receiver, or running back doing virtually all the scoring. No one cares about kickers! Nothing bothers me more than a bunch of long drives that lead to no points or players kicking a ball around for 90 minutes with a 1-0 score.
American football is a sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. Football is number one and, in my opinion, should be voted to be the "American Pastime." The sport doesn't take hours to play out like baseball, and it rarely ends in low-digit scoring like soccer or hockey. It's also a physical matchup, which is what makes it interesting.
Oh, can someone also tell me the point behind an "error" in baseball? Honestly, it is the most pointless stat in the book. It's time for baseball to hand down the title of "America's favorite pastime." It got that title before any other sport was invented and has been coasting on that ever since.
I saw this list and almost spit my drink all over my computer. Soccer is above baseball?! Okay, how many times has soccer (or basketball or football, for that matter) been referred to as "The American Pastime"? How many more people have followed baseball intently for the past century and a half in America compared to soccer?
I can understand football being number one (I love it just as much as baseball), but as a baseball player, I think it's ridiculous that it is below soccer and basketball. Baseball is the oldest and most continuous sport in the United States. My fellow baseball players and fans, come to vote up this glorious pastime!
It's sad that baseball fans are a dying breed because it is the purest American sport. Baseball for #1!
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players each. It is played with a spherical ball. The objective is to score the ball in the other teams goal. Soccer is one of the oldest sports in the world. Baseball should be below soccer. In baseball, you see a lot of chubby players. But in soccer, there would only be one fat person at the most.
I have a brother who plays football and baseball. He says in soccer you rarely get hurt, but that's so not true. I play in a city soccer league, and the ball hit me in the face, and I was tripped twice in the first quarter. The referee didn't call it. Unlike football, when every time you're on the floor, they call it.
In baseball, there is only one way to contact another player, which is by tagging the person with the ball. I understand basketball and football, but not baseball.
Ice hockey is a contact team sport played on ice, usually in a rink, in which two teams of skaters use their sticks to shoot a vulcanized rubber puck into their opponent's net to score points. Ice hockey is by far the most difficult sport to play, not to mention the toughness it takes to compete. Not only do you have to be an expert skater, which is difficult on its own, but you also have to control a puck sliding on ice while avoiding other players trying to smash you into the boards at every chance.
Just look at the average hockey player. Any of them would take a slapshot going 80-90 mph to the face just to save a goal. Nothing compares to it. I've played football, baseball, soccer, and hockey. I love football, but it doesn't compare in toughness, and none of them compare in skill.
Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of exercises requiring strength, flexibility, balance and control. I don't care what you football, baseball, or hockey players think. We are just as strong and, more than likely, stronger than you. I swear, if you were to go to just one level-seven gymnastics practice, you would die. This isn't right.
I lift weights at practice every single day, even on weekends. You football players think three hours of practice, five days a week, is hard? Try five hours of practice, six days a week. I only get Sundays off because I have to go to church. And this is even during the school year!
I have given up everything I know for gymnastics - all of my work money, all of my time, even my friends and going to a normal school. I have to be homeschooled! Give me a break - #8? This isn't right! I don't care what you think. The truth is that gymnastics is just harder than football, hockey, baseball, NASCAR, and pretty much anything else!
Swimming is an individual or team sport and activity. Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports, with events in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Swimming is ranked as one of the toughest sports in the world. It is truly the best. It takes mental and physical strength and is not just a skill you can pick up easily. A few football players at my school tried to swim one year. They quit after a day because they just couldn't handle it.
Swimming keeps you in top shape because it works more muscles than any other sport. But it's not just a sport - it's a lifestyle, because what you do outside of the pool matters, unlike in other sports.
Swimmers train the hardest and the longest out of any sport. We also do not have off-seasons. For example, Michael Phelps trained on every holiday, including Christmas and his own birthday!
How many professional soccer, football, or hockey players are there compared to professional swimmers? You may have to look a bit harder for that one!
Wrestling is a combat sport involving grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling is the best sport ever. I know it should be at the top of the list.
It is dangerous, yes, but it is the best-loved sport in the whole world. Take those foolish sports from the top five and put wrestling at number one.
If wrestling were easy, they would call it basketball. Wrestling is the only sport you use two balls for.
Do wrestling, or do a sport where you only use one ball.
Come on, guys. Wrestling is a part of the world's history, most probably the oldest sport out there. It's in our blood. Dude, accept it.
Tennis is a racket sport that can be played individually against a single opponent or between two teams of two players each. Tennis is so much more than just hitting a ball back and forth, and many people don't understand that. It requires discipline, good aim, and so much more.
And whoever said football isn't hard is not correct. My brother plays football, and I've watched his practice before. It is hard. I don't know if gymnastics is harder, but I think it is. It definitely builds up your pain tolerance and strength!
I'm a level 7, and so far, I've broken a leg, a thumb, an arm, pulled a tendon, pulled a muscle, broken my tailbone, and broken my wrist. The uneven bars really did it for me...
Horseback riding (or Equestrian) is one of the most intense sports known to man. Not only because it's physically challenging, but it takes more than athleticism. Horseback riding takes commitment, time, patience, and most importantly building a bond with your horse. If you don't have a good relationship... read more This should be farther up on the list. Horseback riding is honestly one of the best sports by far. It is more dangerous and challenging than many other sports. I know a lot of people can agree with me.
I have been riding since I was seven, and I have never lost that "I love horses" stage. Whether you ride Western or English, any equestrian can agree that horseback riding should be in first place!
How is this number nine? Seriously, it is probably the second hardest sport (football might be harder). I think a lot of people - especially guys - think it is so easy that it shouldn't even be considered a sport!
Seriously, try riding at a competitive farm for one week. I bet you will quit.
The Newcomers
Paintball is almost like airsoft, but better. It takes strategy, mental and physical skills, and is a lot of fun - especially after you pop off that first shot.
Sport stacking stands on a tower of cups, staring down at the rest of the competition!
Boxing is a martial art and combat sport in which two people wearing protective gloves throw punches at each other for a predetermined set of time in a boxing ring.. The best sport for men, as it shows their power and bravery. It's also a good sport for building abs!
Boxing is great. You get to kick some ass, so go out and start punching or kicking some people.
BOXING IS THE BEST SPORT! The way you get pumped up and your adrenaline flows like crazy is the best feeling you could get! And knowing you can defend yourself if you need to is good too.
NASCAR races sell out every week. Last year, at the final race, the stands filled up with 150,000 people. Daytona Speedway has sold out every race since 2001. That's 34 races, and that includes only the Daytona 500 and the Coke 400 - not including the Budweiser Duels and the Sprint Unlimited.
I'm a big fan of NASCAR, but I've never been to a race because the tickets sell out so quickly. I watch every race I can. NASCAR's stands are always filled. Some people in Kansas hate NASCAR and want to close Kansas Speedway down. I don't know why. The sales are fantastic. NASCAR is the number one sport.
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard. Skateboarding can also be considered a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding is awesome, but I don't think it could surpass football. What really confuses me is why people think racing is exciting. Maybe it is exciting in the car, and maybe street racing, but those long 24-lap races get so boring. It's worse than golf.
Also, gymnastics is a hard sport, but it's not the best among people in the US. I think boxing should be #3 or #4 at least because it has so much excitement. Cage fighting should be all the way up there too.
To people who actually read this, thank you.
Definitely a good sport. Really, how often do you hear of skateboarders dying? Or, for that matter, suffering from heatstroke and concussions? Yes, skateboarders do not always dress properly, but when you fall and get hurt, you learn not to.
Like any sport, you can get hurt - fall down, break bones, and in general, get injured. If you do not feel confident, then yes, wear pads (suggested for younger children). However, it's never been a problem for me.
In my opinion, dance is the best sport, but I can totally understand why many people think others are better, so don't think I'm judging anyone.
Most people immediately think of a bunch of girls in tutus when someone mentions dance, but it's really so much more. There are many, many different types of dance, and most of them have nothing to do with tutus! In fact, in a lot of those non-tutu styles, comfortable, non-poofy clothes are needed to really get those steps right. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with ballet - it's a very difficult sport.
I've also seen many posts claiming that dance "isn't a sport." Whoever says that has never seen real dancing. When people really practice it, there's lots of sweat and sore muscles involved. The best thing about dance is that it's not just about being strong, fit, and dedicated. You also need to have concentration, memorization, grace, and lots of teamwork. When you dance with a group, everyone depends on each other, and any mistakes by one person can have a huge effect on the whole group.
But, like I wrote before, I can understand why some people don't think of dance as a sport, and I respect their opinion. Dance definitely isn't for everyone, just like wrestling, soccer, or basketball isn't for everyone either.
Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, duos, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport included in the Olympics, in 1908. The four Olympic disciplines are men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Awesome! This is the most beautiful, fun, and challenging sport you will ever experience. It is almost impossible to describe that wonderful flying feeling every time I skate. This sport deserves to be #1, better than basketball for sure!
This is a very fun sport, but if you don't have a lot of money, don't do it! It is very expensive - about $3,000 a month - but it is really fun.
You learn balance and coordination, and your friends can take the journey with you!
AWESOME! It takes YEARS of practice, but it eventually pays off when you get to show everyone a triple or something. There is no better feeling in the world than landing a jump or spin.
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. Volleyball is the best! I've played it for years! Everyone thinks it's so easy (especially football players), but the truth is, it's really challenging!
It takes practice and discipline. It has to be the number one team sport because it requires communication, building up teammates, skill, concentration, and a short memory. If all you think about is the mistakes you've made, it affects your performance!
It's a tough sport, but it's worth it.
Yeah, volleyball is hard. It requires passing, setting, hitting, serving, and countless other techniques like communication and leadership.
It's really fun because when you hit, you can hit as hard as you can! What other sport lets you do that?
Golf is a club and ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes from a range of 80 to 600 yards on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf is fun and relaxing. It's a sport where you can play and enjoy yourself, unlike other sports where you hurt and injure people. It's for those who prefer a relaxed experience.
I feel sorry for those who have never played golf and caught the fever. Most people just don't know or understand, and that is a pity!
Best sport without a doubt! There is no sport like it. There is much more to this game than many people think.
Lacrosse is a contact team sport played between two teams using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick. Lacrosse is the true American sport. The Native Americans invented the sport, calling it the creator's game because they believed it was invented by the gods. Only those with the will and power to play could please the creators.
The game involves both mental and physical power. Overall, lacrosse is the true American sport and takes great skill to play.
The fastest sport on two feet is also the fastest-growing sport in America. If you take the tactics of basketball, the contact of football and hockey, the endurance of soccer, and the hand-eye coordination of baseball, then put it all on steroids, you have the greatest sport ever made.
Archery is the sport, practice or skill of using a bow to propel arrows. The word comes from the Latin arcus.
Cross-country is both a team sport and an individual sport. You are running the same event with your teammates, yet you are also competing against yourself. It takes a lot of willpower to run, so it will strengthen you for other life situations.
This sport is not only the best but also the hardest. You take on pain both physically and mentally for long periods, and the feeling of complete freedom you get is just amazing!
Cross-country is my favorite sport. It is awesome, tests mental and physical strength, can get competitive, and helps you learn more about yourself than you could ever imagine. Plus, it's good for you.
I'm only 11, and I have a 6:30 mile, 24:41 5k, 54:10 10k, and a 1:59 half marathon! I love this sport so much - it should be #1!
It is very hard to do a dive and execute everything perfectly.
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" and "doubles".
Mixed martial arts is a full-contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, from a variety of other combat sports and martial arts. I've played football, basketball, and soccer, but by far, MMA is the hardest, most technical, and most exciting sport I've ever watched or participated in. It should be number one, in my opinion.
MMA is fresh, new, and very entertaining. Unlike basketball, football, or baseball, MMA is a combative sport that is as real as it gets, rather than simple boxing or wrestling.
MMA is the true test of modern-day gladiators in hand-to-hand combat.
Cheerleading is a sport and performance activity that combines elements of dance, gymnastics, and acrobatics. Originating in the United States, it has evolved significantly over the years, moving beyond the traditional role of leading cheers for sports teams to become a highly competitive activity in... read more Uh, hello! How could cheerleading not be on this list before I added it? It teaches you discipline, and yeah, it is hard, dangerous, and fun.
And football being number one? I can't believe it. All the boys in my class are bragging about how strong they are... Truth is, I could beat them up in a heartbeat! They complain about how hard their practice was last night. Well, I've had surgery, my Achilles tendon snapped, and I have arthritis in my right wrist, my two toes, my knees, and my right ring finger (due to surgery).
I've had a broken arm and a sprained ankle from cheer. So guys... build a bridge and get over it!
I love running, and I am a very fast runner. This should've been on the list already. I like swimming too, but running is better, especially since all my fat goes to my legs, which keeps them in shape!
I like to run. Track and field can make your body healthier and stronger, preparing you for important events in the future.
There is no luck in this sport. You need to work hard for your speed.