Is Scuba A Sport?

[Divin'Papaw]

Every dictionary you can find will have a definition of sport as a recreational hobby, diversion, or pastime.

There are many (myself included) that choose to not accept this definition of sport, but we're still wrong when we say that a recreational hobby, diversion, or pastime is not a sport.

Diving is indisputably a sport, even if I don't really believe that.

That's exactly my stance. The "official" definition of sport incorporates any possible active forms of recreation. Hogwash I say! Sports involve competition and winning/losing or the occasional draw. Forms of recreation that don't involve competition are just that ... recreation or hobbies, but not sports. Now if I were only King, I'd make it so!

 

[Temple of Doom]

This is Wikipedia's diffention.


Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Used by itself, sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determiner of the outcome (winning or losing), but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports and motor sports where mental acuity or equipment quality are major factors. Sports are used as entertainment for the player and the viewer. It has also been proven by experiments that daily exercise increases mental strength and power to study.

Wikipedia is not an authoritative source on anything, it's written by folks like you and me. I could easily edit that page to include the definition that exists in every dictionary of recreational activity, hobby, pastime, etc.

In fact, that probably should be added to that wiki page...

 

[TheRedHead]

Hogwash I say! Sports involve competition and winning/losing or the occasional draw.

By that logic, chess would be a sport.

 

[letterboy]

Now that's an interesting definition! Does that mean discus throwing isn't a sport? Or Golf?

Golf is as much a sport as curling is. . .

 

[Steve_Dives]

When I think of sport, I think of betting. For most diving, I can't think of what the bet would be. Freediving looks like a high jump (only wetter and opposite in direction), so you could wager. However wagering alone is not enough, as you could bet on which dog takes best in show, and dog shows are definitely not a sport.

Individuals or teams competing by physical endeavor where a score is used to determine the victor. Hmm, that could include playing chess (not a sport) as pawns are physical objects moved about a field...so how do you say it's something fun to watch on TV? Only that rules out baseball and golf...

Ahh, fudge. Back to the laundry (not a sport).

 

[Divin'Papaw]

By that logic, chess would be a sport.

Correct. It isn't? Same with poker.

Actually, my wife and I have this same ongoing debate. I really don't know what to do with chess and poker. I can't consider them sports because they don't involve any physical activity. I consider that a prerequisite. I guess I consider them competitive games, but not sports.

I know, I know. It sounds like splitting hairs, but the boundaries to this question get quite gray.

 

[aowdan]

if you participate in a sport, you have to give a s**t, i don't give a s**t, i just want to dive!

dano

 

[TheRedHead]

I think diving *can* be competitive. You go on a liveaboard and people are competing to take the best photos. Wreck divers are often competing for bragging rights and artifact recovery. Not everyone dives the same way. It *can* be a sport and then again, it *can* be a hobby where one just dives to enjoy it.

I've done dives that weren't enjoyable, but did them simply to test myself. I go someplace like Bonaire and just have fun.

 

[stu_in_fl]

From (web version of) Compact Oxford English Dictionary


scuba-diving

• noun the sport or pastime of swimming underwater using a scuba.

but their definition of sport doesn't make it clear which part it would be..maybe definition #3 ? (as their definition #1 indicates competition)

sport

• noun
1 an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others.
2 informal a person who behaves in a good or specified way in response to teasing, defeat, etc.
3 success or pleasure derived from an activity such as hunting.
4 dated entertainment; fun.
5 chiefly Austral./NZ a friendly form of address, especially between unacquainted men.
6 Biology an animal or plant showing abnormal or striking variation from the parent type as a result of spontaneous mutation.

• verb 1 wear or display (a distinctive item). 2 amuse oneself or play in a lively way.

 

[Steve_Dives]

"Best" is too subjective, even though it may be clear cut in some cases (i.e. you surface with a Faberge egg, I surface with the little round plastic thingy toilet paper spins on).

There could be some competitions created for scuba. For example, we each create a dive plan of at least 20 minutes and set the computers to sample at 1 second intervals. Person who followed their profile with the smallest absolute deviation wins (I have an equation in mind, but scoring using an equation makes the game remote ). It fits well with the golden rule of diving (plan your dive, dive your plan).

Hovering +/- 2 feet for the longest time could be another, but boring to watch. (Does a definition of sport need to include ad revenue???) Lifting the most might promote unsafe diving.

Sample:

Dive to 100 feet.
Move 6 bricks from one table to another stacking them in a pyramid.
Ascend to 50 feet and hover for 1 minute.
Ascend to 15 feet, hover for 3 minutes, and complete 10 helicopter turns.
Ascents must be 30 feet / minute.
Descents at 60 feet / minute or less.
AL80 for the air filled to 3000 psi.
DQ if surfacing with less than 500 psi.
Timer and SPG only. Reefnet Sensus used to data log.
​

Would you watch that? More importantly, would you pay to advertise during that if you were ScubaPro? Would you pay to advertise during that if you are P&G?