Sports That Go Beyond the Ball

News: Sports Extra

Two teams face off in the middle of a playing field. When the whistle blows, one player launches a frisbee® into the air toward an end zone. No, that's not a typo—it's "Ultimate." Ultimate, along with climbing and archery, is one of a few nontraditional sports racking up points with kids and teens across the United States, all while helping them develop life skills, cultivate meaningful relationships, and engage in physical fitness. Ready to play?

Ultimate Competition

Ultimate is a fast-paced team sport similar to American football—minus the tackling, shoulder pads, and referees. Teams compete to procure a predetermined number of points by tossing a frisbee into an end zone. People often wonder what makes the sport "ultimate," and fans say its allure is boundless.

First, Ultimate is self-regulating—players must hash out on-field disputes themselves. This is part of the "spirit of the game," a set of principles established to build a culture of positivity and mutual respect in the sport. According to Vermont high schooler and Ultimate athlete Forrest Holloway, it's working. "I've learned to negotiate and engage in discussion," the teen told a local newspaper.

Ultimate proponents say the sport is a great catch for other reasons, too, like USA Ultimate's policy of inclusivity, which allows players to participate in any division events where they feel comfortable or safe. Plus, Ultimate is accessible, necessitating only a frisbee and room to play, so anyone can give it a throw…er…go.

Upward Bound

Once relegated to outdoor adventurers, climbing is now rising among kids and teens, thousands of whom participate in youth climbing clubs across the U.S. Practitioners say that surmounting rock walls not only improves hand-eye coordination and strengthens muscles as climbers ascend, it also bolsters patience, self-discipline, and focus. It is, climbing tournament organizer Steve Lulek explained to the Bennington Banner, "a creative, artistic, mind-and-body experience."

High school climber John Smith agreed. "[Climbing's] nice because there's no right way to do it," he told the Banner. "You just develop your own style and your own way…everyone's built different."

Celebrating differences is important in the climbing community. There are many climbing groups that support athletes from a variety of backgrounds. Kareemah Batts is an amputee who founded an adaptive climbing group in 2012. It provides affordable climbing experiences for people with disabilities. Batts told NPR that climbing is tops because it gives people a sense of self-sufficiency while at the same time providing camaraderie.

Home on the Range

Today, the ancient sport of archery is hitting the mark with millions of students across the U.S. who are giving it a shot. As with other nontraditional sports, experts say archery has both mind and body benefits. It improves balance and proprioception—the body's ability to sense its position in space—while also aiding in focus and persistence.

These are skills that Larry Brown aims to instill at Center Shot Archers. It's the organization he founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 2008 to bring more people from diverse backgrounds into archery. "Everybody can do this," Brown told CBS News, "regardless of size, strength, or gender."

Accessibility is paramount in archery, and many programs offer accommodations for people with disabilities. Students with lower body disabilities, for example, may shoot from a chair or wheelchair, while those with vision loss may utilize a support person to help guide them.

So, whether you prefer throwing frisbees, climbing rocks, or shooting arrows, nontraditional sports offer unique opportunities to learn new skills and to grow as an individual.

Think about and discuss these questions:
Imagine a friend wants to try a nontraditional sport. How could you use facts from the article to help your friend decide?
Does one of these nontraditional sports sound like a good fit for you? Why or why not?
Consider the sports described in the article and compare them.

What is one similarity you noticed?
What is one difference you noticed?
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