RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY

Recreation refers to all those activities that people choose to do to refresh their bodies and
minds and make their leisure time more interesting and enjoyable. Examples of recreation
activities are walking, swimming, meditation, reading, playing games and dancing.
Leisure refers to the free time that people can spend away from their everyday responsibilities
(e.g. work and domestic tasks) to rest, relax and enjoy life. It is during leisure time that people
participate in recreation and sporting activities.
Sport refers to any type of organized physical activity, e.g. soccer, rugby, football, basketball
and athletics.

Recreation, leisure and sports in the community

In many low-income countries where people work every day just to survive, the concept of
leisure time is not always well understood and nor is it a priority. Indeed, many activities that are
considered recreational in high-income countries are considered a means of livelihood in low-
income countries, e.g. fishing and handicrafts.
In most communities the type of recreational and sporting activities people participate in are
determined by age, gender, local context (e.g. rural vs. urban) and socioeconomic status. For
example, children in poor communities are likely to play games using natural materials, such as
sticks or stones or using discarded manufactured items like tyres and rope. Leisure time is also
likely to be based around cultural activities, such as traditional dance, storytelling, religious
festivals and events, and visiting entertainment troupes.
In many poor and rural communities there are no designated places for people to spend their
leisure time, such as community centres and sports stadiums, so it is common for people to
gather in places of worship, tea shops, houses and open spaces.
Communities in low-income countries often have pressing priorities and limited budgets. As a
result the development of formal recreation and sports activities/programmes is usually
dependent on donors. It is important that external funding is carefully managed to ensure that the
programmes/activities introduced are appropriate to the local context.

The benefits of participation

Participation in recreation and sports activities can have many benefits for both the individual
and community.These include:
 health promotion and disease prevention – recreation and sports activities are an enjoyable
and effective way to improve health and well-being; they can relieve stress, increase fitness,
improve physical and mental health, and prevent the development of chronic diseases, such as
heart disease;
 skills development – physical and social skills are some of the many skills that can be developed
through participation in recreation and sports activities;
 awareness raising, reduction of stigma and social inclusion – recreation and sports activities
are a powerful, low-cost means to foster greater inclusion of people with disabilities; they bring
people of all ages and abilities together for enjoyment, and provide people with disabilities the
opportunity to demonstrate their strengths and abilities, and promote a positive image of
disability;
 international peace and development – sport is a universal language that can be used as a
powerful tool to promote peace, tolerance and understanding by bringing people together
across boundaries, cultures and religions (10).
 empowerment – recreation and sports activities can empower people with disabilities by
positively influencing their self-confidence and self-esteem.
 VOLLEYBALL

History of Volleyball
Volleyball was developed in 1895 by William G. Morgan, physical chief of the Young Men's
Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It was structured as an indoor
game for representatives who found the new sport of basketball excessively vivacious. He
called the game "mintonette,"until an educator from Springfield College in Massachusetts
saw the volleying thought of play and proposed the name of "volleyball." Morgan composed
the first principles and imprinted in the original adaptation of the Handbook of the Athletic
League of the YMCA North America (1897). The game a little while later exhibited to have
tremendous interest for the two sexual orientations in schools, play zones, the military, and
distinctive relationship in the United States, and it was subsequently familiar with various
countries.
Volleyball came into Europe with American troops amid World War I when national
associations were shaped. The Fédération Internationale de Volley Ball (FIVB) was
founded in 1947. The USVBA was one of the 13 registered individual associations from the
FIVB, whose enrollment developed to over 210 part nations by the late twentieth century.
Global volleyball games started in 1913 with the first Far East Games, in Manila. Amid the
mid-1900s and proceeding until after World War II, volleyball in Asia was played on a
bigger court, with a lower net, and with nine players in a group.
The FIVB-supported world volleyball titles (for men just in 1949; for both genders in 1952
and succeeding years) prompted acknowledgement of institutionalised playing principles
and directing. Volleyball turned into an Olympic game for both sexes at the 1964 Olympic
Games in Tokyo.

Participants
Two teams of six players compete against each other. Five main positions are to be filled on
every team at the elite level: Setters, Middle blockers/Middle hitters, Liberos, Outside
hitters/Left side hitters and Opposite hitters/Right-side hitters.
Volleyball is a sport played by two teams on a playing court divided by a net. There are
different versions available for specific circumstances in order to offer the versatility of the
game to everyone. The object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground
it on the opponent's court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent. The team has
three hits for returning the ball (in addition to the block contact). The ball is put in play
with a service, hit by the server over the net to the opponents. The rally continues until the
ball is grounded on the playing court, goes "out" or a team fails to return it properly. In
Volleyball, the team winning a rally scores a point (Rally Point System). When the receiving
team wins a rally, it gains a point and the right to serve, and its players rotate one position
clockwise.

Volleyball is a complex game of simple skills. The ball is spiked from up to 60 cm above the
height of a basketball hoop (about 3.65 metres) and takes fractions of a second to travel
from the spiker to the receiver. That means the receiver must assess incoming angle, decide
 where to pass the ball and then control their pass in the blink of an eye. A purely rebound
sport (you can't hold the ball), volleyball is a game of constant motion.

A team can touch the ball three times on its side of the net. The usual pattern is a dig (an
underarm pass made with the forearms), a set (an overhead pass made with the hands)
and a spike (the overhead attacking shot). The ball is served into play. Teams can also try to
block the opponent's spike as it crosses the net. A block into your own court counts as one
of your three touches in beach volleyball, but not in volleyball.

Power and height have become vital components of international teams, but the ability of
teams and coaches to devise new strategies, tactics and skills has been crucial for continued
success.

 There are six players on court in a volleyball team, who each must rotate one position
clockwise every time their team wins back service from the opposition. Only the three
players at the net positions can jump and spike or block near the net. The backcourt players
can only hit the ball over the net if they jump from behind the attack line, also known as the
three-metre line, which separates the front and back part of the court.

 Volleyball has developed into a very specialised sport. Most teams will include in their
starting line-up a setter, two centre blockers, two receiver-hitters and a universal spiker.
Only certain players will be involved with service reception. Players will also have
specialist positions for attack and defence. Substitutions are allowed during the game.
Since 1998, volleyball bas been using a new scoring system. Teams scored a point on every
rally (Rally Point System), regardless of which team served. Formerly, a team could only
win a point if it served the ball. Winning the serve back from the opposition was known as a
side-out.

 Matches are played best of five sets. The first four sets are played to 25 points, with the
final set being played to 15 points. A team must win a set by two points. There is no ceiling,
so a set continues until one of the teams gains a two-point advantage. Previously, all sets
were to 15 points, with the first four sets having a ceiling of 17 and the final set requiring at
least a two-point winning advantage.

 In 1998, the FIVB introduced a new specialist role: the libero. This player wears a different
coloured uniform from the rest of the team and can be substituted in backcourt for any
player on the team. The libero cannot serve, spike the ball over the net or rotate into the
front-line positions, but plays a vital role for the team in serve reception and backcourt
defence. There must be at least one point played between a libero substituting off for a
player and going back on the court for another player – hence he/she cannot be on the
court for the whole game. The libero has added an extra dimension to backcourt defence,
improving the reception of teams, lengthening the rallies and giving a vital role to shorter
players.
Playing Area
The playing area includes a rectangular court and the free zone. The court measures 18 x 9
m and is divided into equal halves by a net measuring 2.43 m above the court for men’s
competitions and 2.24 m for women. The height of the indoor volleyball court must be
minimum 7m. The halves are further divided into two halves (the front row and the back
row) by the attack line on both sides of the net (3 m from the net). The court is surrounded
by a free zone which is a minimum of 3m wide on all sides.
BASKETBALL

The game of basketball as it is known today was created by Dr. James Naismith in
December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, to condition young athletes during cold
months. Naismith was a physical education instructor at YMCA International Training
School (now known as Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. Upon the request
of his boss, Naismith was tasked to create an indoor sports game to help athletes keep in
shape in cold weather.[1] It consisted of peach baskets and a soccer style ball. He published
13 rules for the new game. He divided his class of eighteen into two teams of nine players
each and set about to teach them the basics of his new game. The objective of the game was
to throw the basketball into the fruit baskets nailed to the lower railing of the gym balcony.
Every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder
and retrieve the ball. After a while, the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed. The first
public basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 11, 1892. [2]

James Naismith devised a set rules for these early games as follows:

 The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.

 A player cannot run with the ball, but instead the player must throw it from the spot
on which he catches it.

 The ball must be held in or between the hands, not any other body parts.

 No shouldering, holding, pushing, striking or tripping in any way of an opponent is

permitted. The first infringement of this rule by any person shall count as a foul; the
second shall disqualify him until the next goal is scored.

 If either side make three consecutive fouls it shall count as a goal for the opponents
(consecutive in these rules means without the opponents in the meantime making a
foul of their own).

 A goal is scored when the ball is thrown from the ground into the basket and stays
there. If the ball rests on the edge of the basket and the opponents move the basket,
it shall also count as a goal.

 When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field and played by the
first person touching it.

 The umpire shall be judge and have the power to disqualify or foul players as
required.
  The referee shall be the judge of the ball and decide when it is in play in bounds, to
which side it belongs, and shall keep the time.

 The time shall be two 15-minute halves with five minutes' rest between.

 The side scoring the most goals in that time shall be declared the winners.

5 Key Basketball Positions

1. Center: The center position plays close to the basket and scores most of their points off
offensive rebounds or by "posting up" in the paint. The player in this role is typically the
strongest and tallest player in the line-up. Centers should be able to score easily in the low
post, forcing the opposing team to double them, leaving one of their unguarded teammates
open for a shot. On offense, centers also set screens on defensive players to open up scoring
opportunities for their teammates. On defense, the center's primary responsibilities are
using their size and strength advantage to block shots and collect rebounds.
2. Power forward: The power forward position requires speed, athleticism, and a good
mid-range jump shot. This role prioritizes rebounds and defense, placing a high focus on
rebounding the ball, and using defensive skill and size to set screens that allow their
teammates to get an open shot. Power forwards are good passers that can hold their own in
a post-up situation. On offense, their teams often rely on them to score near the basket and
outside the paint. On defense, power forwards need to be quick enough to guard players
closer to the perimeter and strong enough to match up with centers playing in the paint.

3. Small forward: The small forward is usually the most well-rounded, versatile player on
a team. A small forward must be an excellent ball-handler, three-point shooter, passer, and
have the strength and speed to drive to the basket and score from down low. A team's
offense counts on their small forward to be aggressive and draw fouls, leading to the small
forward scoring many points from the free-throw line. On defense, teams rely on small
forwards to defend both the arc and the rim

4. Point guard: Nicknamed the "floor general," the point guard is in charge of running the
offense, setting up plays, and controlling the tempo of the game (this position is similar to
the quarterback position in American football). The point guard typically dribbles the ball
up the court after the opposing team scores and plays around the perimeter unless they
drive to the hoop to score. Point guards are usually the shortest player on a team but make
up for their height disadvantage with their dribbling skills, shooting skills, passing skills,
speed, and intelligence.

5. Shooting guard: The primary job of the shooting guard on offense is to score points.
Shooting guards are often the best shooter on a team, and a good shooting guard should
average at least 35-40% from behind the three-point line. Shooting guards are usually
taller than point guards, excellent free throw shooters, strong, fast, and can drive to the
basket in addition to taking long-distance shots. Since a good shooting guard is probably
the offense's biggest scoring threat, many teams design their offense around the shooting
guard. This position needs to be skilled at moving around the court without the ball to free
themselves up for open scoring
pportunities.
 BADMINTON

badminton, court or lawn game played with lightweight rackets and a shuttlecock.

Historically, the shuttlecock (also known as a “bird” or “birdie”) was a
small cork hemisphere with 16 goose feathers attached and weighing about 0.17 ounce (5
grams). These types of shuttles may still be used in modern play, but shuttles made
from synthetic materials are also allowed by the Badminton World Federation. The game is
named for Badminton, the country estate of the dukes of Beaufort
in Gloucestershire, England, where it was first played about 1873. The roots of the sport
can be traced to ancient Greece, China, and India, and it is closely related to the
old children’s game battledore and shuttlecock. Badminton is derived directly from poona,
which was played by British army officers stationed in India in the 1860s. The first
unofficial all-England badminton championships for men were held in 1899, and the first
badminton tournament for women was arranged the next year.

The game was played in India during the 18th Century, at which time it was called "Poona" .
In the 1860s it was adopted by British Army officers stationed in India. The officers took
the game back to England, where it became a success at a party given by the Duke of
Beaufort in 1873 at his estate called "Badminton" in Gloucestershire.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF; originally the International Badminton

Federation), the world governing body of the sport, was formed in 1934. Badminton is also
popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and Denmark. The BWF’s first world championships
were held in 1977. A number of regional, national, and zonal badminton tournaments are
held in several countries. The best-known of these is the All-England Championships. Other
well-known international tournaments include the Thomas Cup (donated 1939) for men’s
team competition and the Uber Cup (donated 1956) for women’s team competition.

ompetitive badminton is usually played indoors because even light winds affect the course
of the shuttlecock. (Recreational badminton, on the other hand, is a popular outdoor
summertime activity.) The rectangular court is 44 feet (13.4 metres) long and 17 feet (5.2
metres) wide for singles, 20 feet (6.1 metres) wide for doubles. A net 5 feet (1.5 metres)
high stretches across the width of the court at its centre. A clear space of 4 feet (1.3 metres)
around the court is needed. Play consists entirely of volleying—hitting the shuttlecock back
and forth across the net without letting it touch the floor or ground within the boundaries
of the court.

In international play, athletes compete in best-of-three-games matches. A game is played to

21 points, provided that the winner has at least a 2-point advantage. If a 2-point advantage
is never reached, the first player or team to score 30 points wins. Points were only awarded
to the serving side until 2006, when the BWF adopted the “rally scoring” system, under
which either side can score at any time.

Professional badminton games are of five kinds: Men's singles, Men's doubles, Mixed
doubles, Women's singles and Women's Doubles