Emotions in Sports

Sports

Emotions are an integral part of sports culture. While they are often orchestrated, they may also be a product of internalization. In sports, emotions are structured by rules and stage-setters, and elite athletes internalize the scripts of their coaches. These emotions can form a connection between sports and national identity. This article outlines some of the key elements of emotions in sports. It also offers suggestions for identifying and managing your own emotions in the context of sports culture.

The evolution of modern sports can be traced to the Renaissance. Some games are still rooted in aesthetics, but the focus in modern sports is on the quantitative aspects of achievement. The transition from the Renaissance to modern sports is evident in the evolution of the word measure. During the Renaissance, the word measure connoted an aesthetic sense of balance and proportion. In the 19th century, it came to mean numerical measurements. While many sports have retained elements of aesthetics, the focus on measurable achievements has transformed the discipline into a highly scientific endeavor.

Ancient peoples like the Chinese and Aztecs enjoyed ball games. Some of these games were not contests but were noncompetitive ritual performances. Nevertheless, ancient Greek and Roman literature revealed that ball games were not purely secular, but were part of a religious ritual. Galen, the Greek physician, recommended that ball games be played for good health. Hence, ball games have been part of human culture for thousands of years. So, the history of the origin of games is fascinating.