Sports have long been a popular pastime in the U.S., with basketball and football being among the most well-known. Apart from having dedicated coaches, America also offers students multiple opportunities to participate in sports, unlike a few other countries that are biased in sports participants. Sports are important because they instill values in participants. Such values include fairness, equality, and discipline: respect, perseverance, team building, and justice. In the free land, there is always something for everyone. Besides sports, you also can find the big and entertaining games waiting for you on casino.netbet.co.uk, keeping you occupied all night long. Some of the United States’ top sports discussed in this article are American football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, soccer/football, golf, wrestling, and motorsports.
Let’s dig in.
Top Tier Sports You Can Find in the U.S.
- American football
American football is a popular sport in North America. Although American football is worldwide, North American professional leagues attract some of the best players around the globe, making its leagues competitive. So how can you start to compete in the NFL? There isn’t a minimum age for anyone that dreams of becoming a professional American football player. However, the NFL requires that one has been out of high school for at least three years before anyone can compete.
- Basketball
On the list of the world’s most-followed sports, basketball is the 10th. However, in the USA, it is the 3rd most popular with an attendance of more than 13000. The NBA has produced great basketball players like Le Bron James and Michael B. Jordan. The NBA only signs players that are 18 years of age or older. Moreover, players who have played college basketball for at least a year are eligible for an NBA draft.
- Baseball
As aforementioned, baseball is the USA’s national sport. Baseball is the 7th most followed sport globally. Baseball competitions mainly have two levels, the minor league and the major league (MLB). MLB has a minimum age requirement of 18 for players born in the USA and 17 for international players. Plenty of pro baseball teams hold tryout camps to allow overlooked players to try out for a spot to play in the MLB.
- Ice hockey
Ice hockey is primarily familiar in North America. It is called “Ice hockey” because the players play on the ice. However, if it’s only referred to as “hockey,” it means field hockey. Artificial ice rinks have revolutionised ice hockey and made it one of the most popular indoor sports. To compete in the Winter Olympics, one must be 18 years of age or older.
- Soccer
It is also one of the most popular sports in the USA. To compete in professional football, you need to have attained a minimum age of 21 years. However, one is advised to join soccer teams from as early as five years of age as this will significantly aid the ascension into professional soccer. Once every five years, the entire world comes together to compete in a World Cup soccer match.
- Tennis
Tennis is the world’s most popular sport. However, it is the 6th most popular sport in the USA. Great players such as Serena Williams and Andy Roddick act as inspirations for young sportsmen and women who wish to impact the world of sports with their talent.
- Golf
Taking the 8th spot in popularity globally is golf. It is popular amongst Americans because one of their own, Tiger Woods, has made a name for himself as one of the world’s best golfers, making Americans very proud. In golf, a caddy is a person who carries a golfer’s bag and gives them advice and moral support.
- Wrestling
Pro wrestling is another popular sport in the USA. Wrestling matches organised by the WWE are some of the most popular matches with wrestlers such as John Cena and The Rock famous among wrestling fans.
- Motorsports
Motorsports involves race cars and even motorcycle races. NASCAR is a prominent motorsport organization in the USA that organizes car races in the USA. The minimum age to get a National Racing License is 15 years.
To Sum it Up
With a population of over 300 million, The United States is home to a variety of sports. Whether you prefer outdoor activities like hiking and skiing or indoor pastimes such as watching sports and playing video games — this is the place for you.
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Sir Jackie Stewart, who was knighted in 2001 for services to motor racing, enjoyed an outstanding Formula One career, winning the World Drivers’ Championship three times, in 1969, 1971 and 1973. Instantly recognisable by his trademark black, Breton-style cap and long hair, Stewart was blessed with charisma, eloquence and no little bravery, in a era when Formula One was still incredibly dangerous. He was widely recognised as the first truly modern professional racing driver and became an international celebrity.
Born John Young Stewart in Milton, Dunbartonshire on June 11, 1939 – hence his nickname, the ‘Flying Scot’ – Stewart formed a close relationship, personal and professional, with the late Ken Tyrell, who provided him with his first opportunity in the British Formula Three Championship in 1964. Driving a Cooper T72, Stewart won seven of the ten rounds to walk off with the BARC Championship.
Four years later, in 1968, Tyrrell achieved his dream of moving to Formula One and Stewart teamed up with him again, with no little success. En route to his first World Drivers’ Championship in 1969, Stewart won five of the first six rounds and may well have won six out of six, but for retiring from the Monaco Grand Prix when fully half a minute in the lead. In 1971, Stewart won six times, clinching his second championship with three races to spare and, in 1973, won five times – setting a world record for the most Grand Prix wins, 26, in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, and improving upon it in the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring the following month – to take the title for the third and final time.
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