Sports refer to any physical activity undertaken for the purpose of having fun. In general, the word'sports' encompasses any form of physical contact, whether it's throwing a ball around a park or running around a track. Sports are typically competitive, although occasionally friendly competitions can be held. Many adults play sports, from ballroom dancing to ice skating. In America, for example, 'bowling ball' is used to describe a game that originated in England, while'softball' refers to baseball. Sports have been part of human nature since ancient times, with the idea that it improves body shape and mental concentration. Sports, like other hobbies, usually require equipment that can be bought, or borrowed from friends or family. Sports equipment may include playing fields, baseball bats, tennis racquets, basketball hoops, skates, and other equipment designed to enhance a player's performance. Sports are often associated with a particular age group, with younger children playing organized sports such as soccer and basketball, and older children playing non-organized sports such as swimming and gymnastics. Sports can help keep the body fit and healthy, which is one of the reasons why they're so popular among athletes and non-athletes alike. In addition to the physical benefits, sports help to build confidence, develop social skills, and instill a sense of self worth. Sports can be competitive or non-competitive; however, most athletes and non-athletes recognize that certain sports provide significant mental stimulation and can be hugely beneficial to a person's health and well-being. In fact, recent studies have shown that sports may even be good for your long term health. In North America, the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia, the majority of people engage in some type of competitive physical activity on a daily basis. With the exception of Olympic athletes, most people participate in non-sporting activities for recreation and fitness. For example, people in sports such as gymnastics, baseball, softball, soccer, or track and field might run, swim, cycle, or lift weights. They might also engage in solitary or team sports (e.g., basketball and football) or participate in environmental activities, such as mountain climbing and kayaking. Sports, when used in the singular form, refers to any sort of physical activity undertaken for the entertainment of others. In most North American English, the term sports is used to refer to a single sport, such as ice hockey or American football. However, as we've grown accustomed to using the term sport in this way, the singular sport has begun to encompass a much broader range of sports, as evidenced by the terms basketball and football. Sports terminology has become part of popular culture and is used not only by the professionals but also by many laymen. In most English-speaking countries, the term sport has come to denote any form of physical activity deemed to be of sport, regardless of its content. Sports can be divided into two main categories: object and subject. Sports which are considered to be an object of sport refer to physical games such as horse racing, tennis, golf, soccer, basketball, cricket, swimming, cycling, tennis, and track and field. Sports which are considered to be an subject of sport, on the other hand, usually mean any activity considered to be exercise, sportsmanship, or training; it could also include participation in games or events that are deemed to be competitive, but not necessarily organized sports such as chess or rugby. In most English-speaking countries, the word sport usually refers to any game that is played by physical teams.