What are some underrated sports?
The traditional, mainstream sports are well known to all. For example, hockey, football, and soccer are all fantastic sports in their own right. But why not try something different? You will undoubtedly recall playing a variety of sports during your P.E. classes in school if you think back on them for a while. American children will either remember football or trying to avoid gym class while British children will only remember (and care about) soccer. But perhaps you can recall a time when you participated in a particular sport and thoroughly enjoyed it, but because it wasn’t a typical, well-liked sport, it may have been overlooked. Continue reading to see if any of the sports mentioned make you remember a time when you participated in a niche sport and found it enjoyable. If not, continue reading anyhow to learn about a new sport that you might end up enjoying.
Badminton
Yes, the name might not make you want to jump out of your chair, but perhaps that’s just because you haven’t yet discovered what makes badminton such a fantastic sport. Players are positioned on opposite sides of a court with a (high) net, similar to how it is done in tennis. Each player will use a racket that is smaller in size and less densely packed with strings than a tennis racket. This guarantees that the user can use their full power while playing. The players will hit a shuttlecock back and forth rather than a ball. This thing has a cone-like shape and resembles a teepee in many ways. You will hit with great accuracy and power when you hit the target. Similar to other court games, the goal is for the opposing player’s shuttle to miss them and land on their side of the court. One of the most underrated sports out there, badminton is a competitive and exciting sport.
Ping Pong (Table Tennis)
This one might be more well-known to many people; possibly because the college-adapted version, “Beer-Pong,” but possibly not. In reality, traditional table tennis is one of the most entertaining sports available. Table tennis is just as competitive as tennis and other sports in its league, but it takes skill and tenacity that anyone can develop with practice. Similar to its namesake sport of tennis, table tennis involves two players standing on opposite ends of a table with a net in the middle to separate them. similar to a tennis court, but on a table. The game is played with a table tennis bat, and the rules are largely the same as in tennis. Because players only play to 11 instead of 15, 30, 45, and game, the ball cannot hit the net during service (requiring two clear points to win). Ping pong is a game that can be enjoyed by players of all ages and is a great form of exercise. Learning all the cool spin serves and power reactions is also part of the fun.
Cricket
What do you mean? Something that people in the UK play between their third and fourth sips of afternoon tea. Not exactly. Cricket is actually a very well-liked sport that is played everywhere, from South Africa to the United Kingdom and from India to Pakistan. This sport may actually be an improvement if you enjoy baseball. Traditionally, each team needs 11 players; however, if you’re playing casually with friends, you can use fewer players. On a sizable outdoor area, there will be batting and fielding teams. The batter will be positioned in front of a wicket. Because the wicket is made with a heavy stick on top of it, when the bowler (of the fielding team) throws the ball in an attempt to hit the wicket (and strike out the batter), the batter will attempt to hit the ball and run between wickets to score runs during this time. That was a mouthful, but once the rules were fully understood, the game was very simple to play. Cricket is a fun game to play with friends or in a competitive setting.
Squash
It could be a game you’ve never heard of or one that your father enjoys. Squash is still a ton of fun, a great workout, and extremely competitive. Each player has a bat and a pair of goggles, and they all stand in a box area indoors. Without goggles, there is a very real possibility that the ball could strike you in the eye due to the small area and the close proximity to the wall, so take caution. Without allowing the ball to bounce more than once, each player will use the racket to hit the ball against the wall. If so, the opposing player will score a point. The game is extremely fast-paced, competitive, and can actually be a great test against your fitness because of the small area and frequently high power involved in the shots. The game is by far underrated and should be played. Play a top-tier sport that you probably haven’t given much thought to playing while enhancing your fitness.
Put down the baseball bat and the urge to kick the football, and try something new instead.