Sporting Disciplines

BY 3V KHRISTIAN LALL

Cricket
Cricket, England’s national summer sport, which is now played throughout the world,
particularly in Australia, India, Pakistan, the West Indies, and the British Isles.

History
One of the various ball and bat games that have been played in England during the past 500
years is cricket. Around the 17th century, it developed into a distinct game. Initially, in the
middle of the 18th century, the bat resembled a hockey stick with an outward curve. Cricket
test matches are the only game types that may last for five days and yet be a tie.

Cricket is typically thought to have persisted as a kid's game for many generations until
becoming more popular among adults at the start of the 17th century. Cricket might have
been derived from bowls, assuming that bowls are the older sport, by the intervention of a
batsman trying to stop the ball from hitting it away from reaching its target.

The first mention of cricket as an

adult activity dates back to 1611,

when two men in Sussex were

prosecuted for playing cricket on

Sunday rather than attending church.

That that year, cricket was classified Cricket On The Artillery Ground

as a boys' game in a dictionary, indicating that adult participation had only recently begun.
Cricket rules were established in 1744 and stipulate that any disagreements must be resolved
by two umpires. The height of the stumps must be 22 inches, and the bail must be six inches.
The ball must be between 5 to six ounces in size.
How is Cricket played?
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two opposing sides (teams) of 11 players. The
oval field has a rectangular "pitch" of 22 yards (20.12 meters) by 10 feet (3.04 meters) in the
center. Two sets of three sticks, called wickets, are set in the ground at each end of the pitch.
Across the top of each wicket lie horizontal pieces called bails.

Diagram of a cricket field

Each turn is referred to as a "inning" (always plural) as the teams alternate between batting
and bowling (pitching). Sides have one or two innings each, depending on the prearranged
duration of the match, the goal is to score the most runs. The bowlers attempt to knock
(break) the wicket by throwing the ball with a straight arm so that the bails fall. There are
various ways to dismiss or put out the batsman. A bowler completes a "over" by throwing six
balls at one wicket, after which a different player from his side throws six balls to the
opposite wicket. The batting side defends its wicket. There are two batsmen on the field at
once, the batsman tries to hit the ball away from the wicket. A hit could be either offensive
or defensive. The wicket may be protected by a defensive hit, but the batsman will have no
time to go to the other wicket. In that situation, the batsmen won't need to run, and another
bowl will be used to continue play. The batsman and the second batsman (the non-striker) at
the other wicket switch positions if the batsman can make an aggressive hit. One run is scored
each time both batsmen successfully reach the opposing wicket. The batsmen may continue
to move back and forth between the wickets as long as they have enough time to avoid being
caught out and being dismissed. Each time they do so, they will score an extra run. The
cricket field is surrounded by an exterior fence. If a ball hits the ground before it reaches the
boundary, it earns four points; if it hits the boundary from the air, it earns six points (a fly
ball). The team scoring the most runs wins the game. The game is deemed a draw if neither
team can finish their allotted number of innings within the allotted time. In cricket, scores in
the hundreds are typical.

Variations of the game.

Cricket is unique as a sport with 3 different formats of the game at the very highest level.
Test Cricket, One Day International Cricket and Twenty20 International Cricket are the 3.

Rules that Govern Cricket

 Games comprise of at least one innings where each team will take turns in batting and
fielding/bowling.

 The fielding team will have a bowler bowl the ball to the batsman who tries to hit the
ball with their bat.
 The fielding team tries to get the batsmen out by:
 Hitting the wickets with the ball when bowling
 Catching a batsman’s shot on the full
 Hitting the batsman’s leg in front of the wicket (LBW)
 Or hitting the wickets before the batsmen can run to the other end of the pitch
 The batmen try to score as many runs as possible before getting out by:
 Hitting the ball and running between the wickets and making it to the other
end before the fielders can hit the wickets with the ball. Each time you run one
full length of the pitch it equals 1 run.
 Hitting the ball to the boundary along the ground is 4 runs.
 Hitting the ball over the boundary on the full equals 6 runs.
 The fielding team must get 10 batsmen out before they can change over and start
batting.
 The aim of the game is to score as many runs as possible before the fielding team
takes 10 wickets. The team with the most runs wins.

Equipment used in Cricket

 Collared shirt (white in tests domestic; as per team kit in one day formats[international]) with
short or long sleeves depending on the climate or personal preference.
 Long trousers (white in tests and domestic; as per team kit in one day formats[international]).
 Jumper (a woollen pullover, if necessary). This is usually a vest.
 Sun hat, cricket cap or baseball cap.
 Spiked shoes to increase traction.
 Protective equipment – Jockstrap, Abdominal guard,
Helmet, Leg pads, Thigh guard, arm guards, chest
guard, elbow guards, gloves
 Ball
 Bat
 Stumps

Cricket gear

 Bails
 Sight screen

Cricket’s Governing Bodies

International - International Cricket Council (ICC)

Regional - The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)

Local - The Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB)

Football
History
Britain is where modern football first emerged in the 19th century. "Folk
football" games have been played in towns and villages since before the Middle Ages,
according to regional customs and with the barest of rules. A history of legal restrictions
against particularly violent and destructive forms of folk football combined with
industrialization and urbanization, which decreased the amount of leisure time and space
available to the working class, to undermine the game's status from the early 19th century
onward. However, winter football matches between residence houses at public (independent)
schools like Winchester, Charterhouse, and Eton were adopted. Each school had its own set
of rules; some permitted only limited ball handling, while others did not. Public schoolboys
who entered universities found it challenging to continue playing, outside of with former
classmates, due to the disparity in rules. The University of Cambridge made an effort to
standardize and codify the game's rules as early as 1843. By 1848, most public schools had
adopted these "Cambridge rules," which were then further popularized by Cambridge alums
who founded football clubs. The printed football rules, which forbade carrying the ball, were
created in 1863 following a series of meetings involving clubs from metropolitan London and
neighbouring counties. As a result, the rugby "handling" game was excluded from the newly
established Football Association (FA). In fact, the FA forbade the handling of the ball by
anyone other than the goalkeeper by 1870. However, the new regulations were not adopted
by all clubs in Britain, particularly those in and around Sheffield. While the Sheffield
Football Association, the forerunner of later county associations, was founded in this northern
English city in 1867, it was also the location of the first provincial club to join the FA. Two
games were played between Sheffield and London clubs in 1866, and the following year a
game between a Middlesex club and a Kent and Surrey club was played under the new set of
rules. 15 FA clubs agreed to enter a cup competition and contribute to the cost of a trophy in
1871. By 1877, 43 clubs were in competition, the associations of Great Britain had
established a uniform code, and the initial dominance of the London clubs had lessened.

In Victorian Britain, the processes of industrialization and urbanization were closely related
to the growth of modern football. The majority of the new working-class residents of Britain's
industrial towns and cities gradually stopped participating in old rural pastimes like badger-
baiting and sought out new types of communal recreation. With an increase in the likelihood
that industrial workers would have Saturdays off starting in the 1850s, many of them began to
watch or participate in the new sport of football. Important urban institutions like churches,
unions, and schools formed football leagues for working-class boys and men. Growing adult
literacy encouraged the media to cover organized sports, and transportation systems like
railroads and urban trams made it possible for players and spectators to get to football games.
. In England, the average attendance increased from 4,600 in 1888 to 7,900 in 1895, 13,200 in
1905, and 23,100 at the start of World War I. The popularity of football lowered public
interest in other sports, particularly cricket. Leading clubs, particularly those in Lancashire,
began charging admission to spectators as early as the 1870s and were thus able to pay illegal
wages to entice highly skilled working-class players, many of whom were from Scotland,
despite the FA's amateurism rule. Working-class athletes and clubs in northern England
looked for a professional system that would, in part, offer financial compensation to cover
their "broken time" (time away from other work) and the risk of injury. The FA maintained
an amateurism policy that protected upper and upper-middle class influence over the game
while remaining steadfastly elitist. When the FA expelled two clubs for employing
professional players in 1884, the professionalism debate reached a crisis point in England.
Despite early attempts to limit professionalism to compensation for lost time, player payment
had become so commonplace by then that the FA had little choice but to sanction the practice
a year later. As a result, northern clubs rose to prominence thanks to their sizable fan bases
and ability to draw better players. As working-class players' influence in football increased,
the upper classes turned to other sports, particularly cricket and rugby union. Through the
founding of the Football League, which allowed the top dozen teams from the North and
Midlands to compete against each other on a regular basis starting in 1888, professionalism
also sparked further modernization of the game. In 1893, a second, lower division was added,
bringing the total number of teams to 28. In 1890, leagues were formed by the Irish and
Scots. The Southern League was founded in 1894, but the Football League took it over in
1920. However, during this time football did not develop into a significant money-making
industry. The main reason professional sports teams formed limited liability companies was
to acquire land for the sluggish construction of stadium facilities. The majority of clubs in
England were owned and managed by businessmen, but shareholders received little to no
dividends; instead, their main benefit came from gaining more respect from the community
by managing the local club. Later national leagues outside of Britain adopted the British
model, which included league championships, at least one annual cup competition, and a
league hierarchy that promoted clubs that finished first in the standings to the next higher
division and demoted clubs that finished last to the division below them (relegation). In the
Netherlands, a league was established in 1889, but professionalism didn't come until 1954.
Germany's first season of a national championship was finished in 1903, but it took another
60 years for the Bundesliga, the country's comprehensive and fully professional national
league, to emerge. A professional league did not start in France, where the game was first
played in the 1870s, until 1932, just after Argentina and Brazil had legalized professionalism .

How is football played?

The aim of football is to score more goals then your opponent in a 90 minute playing time
frame. The match is split up into two halves of 45 minutes. After the first 45 minutes players
will take a 15 minute rest period called half time. The second 45 minutes will resume and any
time deemed fit to be added on by the referee (injury time) will be accordingly.

Players and Equipment

Each team has eleven players. These consist of ten outfield players and one goalkeeper. Each
ground's pitch has a different size, but they are all about 120 yards long and 75 yards wide.
Each pitch will have a center circle, an 18-yard box surrounding the 6-yard box, and a 6-yard
box next to the goal mouth. The dimensions of each half of the pitch must be identical to one
another.

The only real necessary items for a soccer game are a field and a ball. Players can also be
seen donning matching strips, shin guards, and studded football boots. Since they are the only
players permitted to handle the ball, the goalkeepers will also wear padded gloves.

Scoring
To score the ball must go into your opponent’s goal. To score, the ball must enter the net of
your adversary. For a goal to be considered valid, the entire ball must cross the goal line. Any
part of the body, excluding the hand or arm up to the shoulder, can be used to score a goal.
The actual goal is a frame that is 8 feet tall and 8 yards wide.

Winning the Game

You must score more goals than your opponent in order to win. With the exception of cup
games, where the game may go into extra time or even a penalty shootout to determine the
winner, if the scores are tied after 90 minutes, the game will end in a draw. With the
exception of goalkeepers, who may use any part of their body within the 18 yard box, players
must kick the ball with their feet and are not allowed to use their hands.

Rules of Football.
A match consists of two 45 minutes halves with a 15 minute rest period in between.

Each team can have a minimum off 11 players (including 1 goalkeeper who is the only player
allowed to handle the ball within the 18 yard box) and a minimum of 7 players are needed to
constitute a match.

The field must be made of either artificial or natural grass. The size of pitches is allowed to
vary but must be within 100-130 yards long and 50-100 yards wide. The pitch must also be
marked with a rectangular shape around the outside showing out of bounds, two six yard
boxes, two 18 yard boxes and a centre circle. A spot for a penalty placed 12 yards out of both
goals and centre circle must also be visible.

The ball must have a circumference of 58-61cm and be of a circular shape.

Each team can name up to 7 substitute players. Substitutions can be made at any time of the
match with each team being able to make a maximum of 3 substitutions per side. In the event
of all three substitutes being made and a player having to leave the field for injury the team
will be forced to play without a replacement for that player.

Each game must include one referee and two assistant referee’s (linesmen). It’s the job of the
referee to act as time keeper and make any decisions which may need to be made such as
fouls, free kicks, throw ins, penalties and added on time at the end of each half. The referee
may consult the assistant referees at any time in the match regarding a decision. It’s the
assistant referee’s job to spot offside’s in the match (see below), throw ins for either team and
also assist the referee in all decision making processes where appropriate.

If the game needs to head to extra time as a result of both teams being level in a match then
30 minutes will be added in the form of two 15 minute halves after the allotted 90 minutes.

If teams are still level after extra time then a penalty shootout must take place.

The whole ball must cross the goal line for it to constitute as a goal.

For fouls committed a player could receive either a yellow or red card depending on the
severity of the foul; this comes down to the referee’s discretion. The yellow is a warning and
a red card is a dismissal of that player. Two yellow cards will equal one red. Once a player is
sent off then they cannot be replaced.

 If a ball goes out of play off an opponent in either of the side lines then it is given as a
throw in. If it goes out of play off an attacking player on the base line then it is a goal
kick. If it comes off a defending player it is a corner kick. A match consists of two 45
minutes halves with a 15 minute rest period in between.
 Each team can have a minimum off 11 players (including 1 goalkeeper who is the
only player allowed to handle the ball within the 18 yard box) and a minimum of 7
players are needed to constitute a match.
 The field must be made of either artificial or natural grass. The size of pitches is
allowed to vary but must be within 100-130 yards long and 50-100 yards wide. The
pitch must also be marked with a rectangular shape around the outside showing out of
bounds, two six yard boxes, two 18 yard boxes and a centre circle. A spot for a
penalty placed 12 yards out of both goals and centre circle must also be visible.
 The ball must have a circumference of 58-61cm and be of a circular shape.
 Each team can name up to 7 substitute players. Substitutions can be made at any time
of the match with each team being able to make a maximum of 3 substitutions per
side. In the event of all three substitutes being made and a player having to leave the
field for injury the team will be forced to play without a replacement for that player.
 Each game must include one referee and two assistant referee’s (linesmen). It’s the
job of the referee to act as time keeper and make any decisions which may need to be
made such as fouls, free kicks, throw ins, penalties and added on time at the end of
each half. The referee may consult the assistant referees at any time in the match
regarding a decision. It’s the assistant referee’s job to spot offside’s in the match (see
below), throw ins for either team and also assist the referee in all decision making
processes where appropriate.
 If the game needs to head to extra time as a result of both teams being level in a match
then 30 minutes will be added in the form of two 15 minute halves after the allotted
90 minutes.
 If teams are still level after extra time then a penalty shootout must take place.
 The whole ball must cross the goal line for it to constitute as a goal.
 For fouls committed a player could receive either a yellow or red card depending on
the severity of the foul; this comes down to the referee’s discretion. The yellow is a
warning and a red card is a dismissal of that player. Two yellow cards will equal one
red. Once a player is sent off then they cannot be replaced.
 If a ball goes out of play off an opponent in either of the side lines then it is given as a
throw in. If it goes out of play off an attacking player on the base line then it is a goal
kick. If it comes off a defending player it is a corner kick.

The Offside Rule in Football

Offside can be called when an attacking player is in front of the last defender when the pass is
played through to them. The offside area is designed to discourage players from simply
hanging around the opponent’s goal waiting for a pass. To be onside they must be placed
behind the last defender when the ball is played to them. If the player is in front of that last
defender then he is deemed to be offside and free kick to the defending team will be called.

A player cannot be caught offside in their own half. The goalkeeper does not count as a
defender. If the ball is played backwards and the player is in front of the last defender then he
is deemed to be not offside.

Governing Bodies of Football

International - The Fédération Internationale de football association (FIFA)

Regional - The Caribbean Football Union (CFU)

Local - Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA)

History of football
Badminton
History
Badminton's origins can be traced to the middle of the nineteenth century, when British
military personnel stationed in British India invented the sport. Its use of a shuttlecock, rather
than a ball, hasn't changed over time, and it was originally known as "battledore" rather than
"badminton." In England, badminton was a racket sport that was primarily played by the
wealthy. It was a straightforward rally competition where players would attempt to hit the
shuttlecock as many times as they could without it
touching the ground, as contrasted to the athletic
game we know today. When British army officers
in India introduced a net and court in the 1800s,
badminton underwent its first major change. At
Badminton House in Gloucestershire, the
residence of the Duke of Beaufort, the game was A game of badminton or “battledore”

Brought back to England by retired India officers. The sport adopted the name badminton at
that point. Since 1992, badminton has been an Olympic sport.

How is Badminton played?

A badminton match can have either two or four players on the court at a given time.

In a game of doubles, after a service is returned, both players are then able to hit the
shuttlecock and are not required to
take it in turns.

Scoring
The scoring system in badminton
has evolved over the past few
years. Due to a change in the rules
in 2006, both players are now
permitted to score points during a
rally, regardless of who served.
All games in adult competitive matches are played to a best-of-three series. A player needs to
score 21 points to win the game. However, if the score is tied at 20-20 (or 20-20), you must
win by two points in order to win the game. Contrary to most sports, however, if the score is
29-29 (or 29-all), the winner will be the player or team that scores the final point.

Variations of the game

Competitive badminton games have five different types of matches/events. They are:

1. men's singles
2. women's singles
3. men's doubles
4. women's doubles
5. mixed doubles (each team is made up of a man and a woman)

Rules
A match consists of the best of three games of 21 points.
 The player/pair winning a rally adds a point to its score.
 At 20-all, the player/pair which first gains a 2-point lead wins that game.
 At 29-all, the side scoring the 30th point wins that game.
 The player/pair winning a game serves first in the next game.
A badminton match can be played by two opposing players (singles) or four opposing
players (doubles).
A competitive match must be played indoors utilising the official court dimensions.
A point is scored when the shuttlecock lands inside the opponent's court or if a
returned shuttlecock hits the net or lands outside of the court the player will lose the
point.
 At the start of the rally, the server and receiver stand in diagonally opposite service
courts.
A legal serve must be hit diagonally over the net and across the court.
A badminton serve must be hit underarm and below the server's waist height. The
whole of the shuttle should be below 1.15 metres from the surface of the court
when it is hit by the server, with the racquet shaft pointing downwards. The
shuttlecock is not allowed to bounce. After a point is won, the players will move to
the opposite serving stations for the next point.
 The rules do not allow second serves.
 During a point a player can return the shuttlecock from inside and outside of the court.
A player is not able to touch the net with any part of their body or racket.
 A player must not deliberately distract their opponent.
A player is not able to hit the shuttlecock twice.
A 'let' may be called by the referee if an unforeseen or accidental issue arises.
A game must include two rest periods. These are a 90-second rest after the first game
and a 5-minute rest after the second game.
Officials
The referee is in overall charge of a badminton tournament or championship(s) of which a
match forms part, to uphold the Laws of Badminton and Competition Regulations in the
BWF Statutes.

Individual singles matches require a total of six officials:

 an umpire who is in charge of the match, the court and its immediate surroundings
 four line judges (two for each side of the court positioned at the baseline) who
indicate whether a shuttlecock landed 'in' or 'out' on the line(s) assigned
a service judge
Doubles matches require a total of eight officials. This is as above but an additional two line
judges are sometimes added (one for each side of the court positioned at the doubles service
line).

Equipment Used

1. Badminton Racket

Badminton rackets can be made from several types of materials. Depending on the material
selection, this can result in different combinations of racket weight, balance points and string
tensions. With so many different combinations, it will take time to decide which is most
suited for your playing style.

2. Shuttlecock

There are two types of shuttlecocks - plastic and feathered shuttlecocks. Plastic shuttlecocks
are far more durable compared to the feathered types which are commonly used. However,
plastic shuttlecocks are only recommended for beginners who are just starting out. This is
because feathered shuttlecocks are expensive and fray easily especially if the wrong
technique is used. Hence, plastic shuttlecocks are good for beginners to use for training.
Plastic shuttlecocks are usually used by young children who play badminton for recreation.
Plastic shuttlecocks tend to travel shorter distances as they are heavier. Hence, they are good
for building strength as you make the transition to feathered shuttlecocks. Most people will
progress to using feathered shuttlecocks as they are used at all competitive tournaments.

3. Badminton Shoes

Badminton shoes are designed to give you better traction and grip to stop in time to return a
shot. They should also be lightweight have good cushioning to absorb impact when you jump
or land.

Regular players will find heel cups useful to prolonging the lifespan of your shoes.

Do not wear jogging shoes as they usually lack grip and traction. You might end up crashing
through the badminton net if you are unable to stop in time to receive a drop shot.

4. Badminton Attire

For casual to non-competitive players, a comfortable pair of shorts and cotton or dri-fit t-shirt
is sufficient. Some players may want to equip themselves with hand grips, wrist bands and
ankle guards.

Governing Bodies Of Badminton

 International - The Badminton World Federation (BWF)

 Regional - Caribbean Regional Badminton Confederation (CAREBACO)
 Local - The Trinidad and Tobago Badminton Association (TTBA)
Volleyball
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.

History
The sport of volleyball originated in the United States, and is now just beginning to achieve
the type of popularity in the U.S. that it has received on a global basis, where it ranks behind
only soccer among participation sports.
In 1895, William G. Morgan, an instructor at the Young Men’s Christian Association
(YMCA) in Holyoke, Mass., decided to blend elements of basketball, baseball, tennis, and
handball to create a game for his classes of businessmen which would demand less physical
contact than basketball. He created the game of Volleyball (at that time called mintonette).
Per Morgan, the game was fit for the gymnasium or exercise hall but, could also be played
outdoor. The play consisted of any number of players keeping a ball in motion from one side
to the other over a net raised 6 feet 6 inches above the floor. Play is started by a player on one
side serving the ball over the net into the opponents’ field or court. The opponents then,
without letting the ball strike the floor, return it, and it is in this way kept going back and
forth until one side fails to return the ball or the ball hits the floor. The side serving the ball
earns points when the opposite side either fails to return the ball or allows the ball to hit the
floor.
During a demonstration game, someone remarked to Morgan that the players seemed to be
volleying the ball back and forth over the net, and perhaps “volleyball” would be a more
descriptive name for the sport.

1895-
How is Volleyball played?

Volleyball, game played by two teams, usually of six players on a side, in which the players
use their hands to bat a ball back and forth over a high net, trying to make the ball touch the
court within the opponents’ playing area before it can be returned. To prevent this a player on
the opposing team bats the ball up and toward a teammate before it touches the court surface
—that teammate may then volley it back across the net or bat it to a third teammate who
volleys it across the net. A team is allowed only three touches of the ball before it must be
returned over the net.

Variations of the Game

 Indoor Volleyball
 Beach volleyball
 International Volleyball

Rules of Volleyball

 Only 6 players on the floor at any given time: 3 in the front row and 3 in the
back row.
 Points are made on every serve for the winning team of the rally (rally-point
scoring).
 Players may not hit the ball twice in succession (a block is not considered a hit).
 Ball may be played off the net during a volley and on a serve.
  A ball hitting a boundary line is in.
 A ball is out if it hits an antennae, the floor completely outside the court, any of
the net or cables outside the antennae, the referee stand or pole, or the ceiling
above a non-playable area.
 It is legal to contact the ball with any part of a player’s body.
 It is illegal to catch, hold or throw the ball.
 A player cannot block or attack a serve from on or inside the 10-foot line.
 After the serve, front-line players may switch positions at the net.
 Matches are made up of sets; the number depends on level of play.

Violations of Volleyball

 Stepping on or across the service line when serving while making contact with
the ball.
 Failure to serve the ball over the net successfully.
 Ball-handling errors and contacting the ball illegally (double touching, lifting,
carrying, throwing, etc.)
 Touching the net with any part of the body while the ball is in play.
 Blocking a ball coming from the opponent’s court and contacting the ball when
reaching over the net if your opponent has not used 3 contacts AND has a
player there to make a play on the ball.
 Attacking a ball coming from the opponent’s court and contacting the ball when
reaching over the net when the ball has not yet broken the vertical plane of the
net.
 Crossing the court centerline with any part of your body, with the exception of
a hand or foot. It is only considered a violation if the entire hand or entire foot
crosses the court centerline.
 Serving out of rotation or out of order.
 Back row player blocking (deflecting a ball coming from the opponent) when,
at the moment of contact, the back row player is near the net and has part of
their body above the top of the net. This is an illegal block.
 Back row player attacking a ball inside the front zone (the area inside the

Equipment Used
 Volleyball balls.
 Volleyball shorts.
 Volleyball t-shirts.
 Volleyball shoes.
 Volleyball braces, sleeves and pads.
 Volleyball court.
 Volleyball net and poles.
 Volleyball penalty cards.
 volleyball equipment

Associated Governing Bodies in Volleyball

 The “Federation International de Volleyball” (FIVB)

 The North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA)
 Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation (TTVF)
Gymnastics

Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength,
flexibility, agility, coordination, and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics
contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shoulders, back, chest, and abdominal muscle
groups.

History of Gymnastics
Gymnastics is thought to have began in ancient Greece about 2500 years ago where it was
used in training to keep fit for sporting activities. In the Greek city of Athens, gymnastic
tournaments were held, including tumbling, rope climbing, and other similar activities.

The gymnasium was the hub of cultural activity. Men met there not only to practice sport, but
to understand art, music and philosophy. The Greeks believed symmetry between the mind
and body was possible only when physical exercise was coupled with intellectual activity.
Because of their love for these tournaments, the Athenians sponsored the ancient Olympic
Games. When the Roman’s conquered Greece, they found that gymnastics was very valuable
in their military training. But after the fall of the Roman Empire, gymnastics vanished for
hundreds of years.

Today, gymnastics is often termed the ultimate combination of sport and art, but the idea is
nothing new. Plato, Homer and Aristotle strongly advocated the strengthening qualities of
gymnastic activity.

The term “artistic gymnastics” emerged in the early 1800s to distinguish between free-
flowing styles from the techniques used by the military. Although viewed as a novelty sport
by many, gymnastics competitions began to flourish in schools, athletic clubs and various
organizations across Europe in the 1880s. When the Olympic movement was resurrected at
Athens in 1896, gymnastics was one of the first sports included.

The early Olympic Games featured some gymnastic disciplines which could hardly be called
“artistic”, however. Rope climbing, tumbling and club swinging were some of the events that
failed to survive the refining process. At the World Championships, 1st held in Antwerp in
1903, field events such as the pole vault, broad jump and shot-put even featured every now
and then until 1954. Swimming appeared once, at the 1922 championships.

The Olympic program began to settle in 1924, with men competing for individual medals and
in team events on each apparatus. 4 years later, women began competing in Olympic
gymnastics at Amsterdam. By 1952, the Soviet Union had become the leading country in
Olympic gymnastics, its profile rising slowly after a group of social reformers – including
playwright Anton Chekhov – formed the Russian Gymnastic Federation in 1883.
history of gymnastics
Variations of Gymnastics
 Artistic
 Rhythmic
 Trampoline,
 Power tumbling
 Acrobatics
 Aerobics

Rules in Gymnastics
 Understand the Scoring Rules.
 Wear the Appropriate Attire.
 Spotting Rules.
 Respect Your Teammates and Opponents.
 No Jewelry.
 Be Confident.
 Avoid Deductions.

Equipment Used in Gymnastics

 Vault.
 Uneven Bars.
 Pommel Horse.
 Still Rings.
 Parallel Bars.
 Horizontal Bars.
 Beam.
 Trampoline.
Associated Governing Bodies in Gymnastics

 The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG)

 Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation (TTGF)
 Pan American Gymnastics Union (PAGU)