What is an athlete?

bulldog

bulldog

New Member
Webster defines an athlete as: One who participates in competitive sports or one having natural aptitudes for physical exercise and sports, as strength, agility and endurance.

With the winter olympics fast upon us, I'm curious to know some of your thoughts of an athlete or of what is or is not a sport.
I'm going to list a few off of the top of my head and see where this goes. Not designed to initiate arguments, just curious to know what others think.

Sport or no?:
Bowling
Skiing
Snowboarding
Archery
Shooting
Curling
Equestrian

There are many others, but I listed mostly individual sports that in some cases I have a hard time of defining the participant as an athlete. Take bowling for example. Even at the professional level, is a bowler an athlete?
Archery? I'm a bow hunter and a pretty dang good archer who shot indoor competition archery some years ago, but I never considered myself an athlete because of it.

I listed curling because, well....it's curling.


:popcorn:
 
Otter

Otter

Nothing to see here
bulldog said:
Webster defines an athlete as: One who participates in competitive sports or one having natural aptitudes for physical exercise and sports, as strength, agility and endurance.

With the winter olympics fast upon us, I'm curious to know some of your thoughts of an athlete or of what is or is not a sport.
I'm going to list a few off of the top of my head and see where this goes. Not designed to initiate arguments, just curious to know what others think.

Sport or no?:
Bowling
Skiing
Snowboarding
Archery
Shooting
Curling
Equestrian

There are many others, but I listed mostly individual sports that in some cases I have a hard time of defining the participant as an athlete. Take bowling for example. Even at the professional level, is a bowler an athlete?
Archery? I'm a bow hunter and a pretty dang good archer who shot indoor competition archery some years ago, but I never considered myself an athlete because of it.

I listed curling because, well....it's curling.


:popcorn:
Click to expand...

As your definition states "One who participates in competitive sports or..." All exceptional athletes / competitors have something extra upstairs that allows them to rise above others. Be it physically or mentally taxing, all that you listed are sports in their own right. Of course, Im sure some will differ with my opinion.
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Sport or no?:

Bowling No. Neither is darts or shooting pool.
Skiing Absolutely.
Snowboarding Yup
Archery No. It's in there with bowling.
Shooting Bowling
Curling Bowling
Equestrian Yes



:buddies:
 
aps45819

aps45819

24/7 Single Dad
When I first moved her I had a large fat women explain to me that she's an athlete because she plays in a league for pinball bowling machines they have in the bars around here. :killingme

I think ANY competitive event can be considered a sport
 
Baja28

Baja28

Obama destroyed America
bulldog said:
Webster defines an athlete as: One who participates in competitive sports or one having natural aptitudes for physical exercise and sports, as strength, agility and endurance.

With the winter olympics fast upon us, I'm curious to know some of your thoughts of an athlete or of what is or is not a sport.
I'm going to list a few off of the top of my head and see where this goes. Not designed to initiate arguments, just curious to know what others think.

Sport or no?:
Bowling
Skiing
Snowboarding
Archery
Shooting
Curling
Equestrian

There are many others, but I listed mostly individual sports that in some cases I have a hard time of defining the participant as an athlete. Take bowling for example. Even at the professional level, is a bowler an athlete?
Archery? I'm a bow hunter and a pretty dang good archer who shot indoor competition archery some years ago, but I never considered myself an athlete because of it.

I listed curling because, well....it's curling.

:popcorn:
Click to expand...
Hold tight here.... :lol: You asked "what is an athlete?" and gave the definition. But then you asked "sport or no?" Here is that definition.

SPORT - noun 1. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.
Click to expand...

So everything you listed is a sport but you don't have to be an athlete to participate (i.e. fishing, hunting, bowling).
 
Baja28

Baja28

Obama destroyed America
CrashTest said:
Golfers - NOT athletes despite Tiger Woods being named athlete of the year, decade, etc.
Click to expand...
Good point! Golf is a sport but those who play are not an athlete.

ATHLETE - noun a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.
Click to expand...
 
Otter

Otter

Nothing to see here
Baja28 said:
Good point! Golf is a sport but those who play are not an athlete.
Click to expand...

So you're saying that driving a golf ball 300 yds, or pitching a golf ball 50 yds to within a couple feet of the hole doesn't require a physical skill?
 
Beta84

Beta84

They're out to get us
Baja28 said:
Good point! Golf is a sport but those who play are not an athlete.
Click to expand...

You do realize that your definition of athlete includes a part that says "one who participates in a sport", right? :lol:

To the original post...
There are varying levels of athletes, but I would call all Olympians athletes. All events are sports. They may not be your typical sport and they may not exert the typical energy that you'd think of in a sporting event, but that doesn't mean they aren't sports.
 
CrashTest

CrashTest

Well-Known Member
otter said:
So you're saying that driving a golf ball 300 yds, or pitching a golf ball 50 yds to within a couple feet of the hole doesn't require a physical skill?
Click to expand...

A 75 year old is capable of going out and shooting a 68. Nuf said.
 
MrEvo

MrEvo

New Member
Ive seen some pretty insain chess tournaments... UFC has nothing on a good game of Chess..

Im just saying. :coffee:
 
CrashTest

CrashTest

Well-Known Member
Scores on the Senior PGA tour are not that much different than scores on the regular PGA tour. However, the level of play in the Senior NFL is not near what it is in the regular NFL. Oh wait, there is no Senior NFL because football players need to be athletes.
:killingme
 
Beta84

Beta84

They're out to get us
CrashTest said:
Scores on the Senior PGA tour are not that much different than scores on the regular PGA tour. However, the level of play in the Senior NFL is not near what it is in the regular NFL. Oh wait, there is no Senior NFL because football players need to be athletes.
Click to expand...

read my last post. k thanks. :banghead:
 
Baja28

Baja28

Obama destroyed America
otter said:
So you're saying that driving a golf ball 300 yds, or pitching a golf ball 50 yds to within a couple feet of the hole doesn't require a physical skill?
Click to expand...
Yes, that's what I'm saying. After all, you do it. :biggrin: See definition of athlete.

Beta84 said:
You do realize that your definition of athlete includes a part that says "one who participates in a sport", right? :lol:
Click to expand...
Ummm.... finish reading fool.... requiring physical skill.

CrashTest said:
A 75 year old is capable of going out and shooting a 68. Nuf said.
Click to expand...
DING DING DING WINNAH WINNAH WINNAH
 
LordStanley

LordStanley

I know nothing
Im on the fence about bowling. I bowl and I can say it takes some sort of athletic ablility to hurl a 15lb bowling ball down the lane, for 10 frames, 3 games in a row.... But then again, any sport you can drink Beer while playing, isnt really a sport. More like just a game.
 
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