Basketball is a very popular sport
Basketball combines the fast-paced excitement of football with the concentration and athletic prowess of baseball. Basketball game can be intensely exciting but are usually less rowdy than football games.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) contains 29 teams from major Canadian and US cities. They play about 100 games on evenings and a few afternoons between October and May. The championship games are in June. NBA games in many cities are sold out well in advance, so it may be difficult to obtain tickets. There are ten Women's National Basketball Association teams (WNBA) in the US. Their games are not as popular as the NBA games but are just as exciting, and you can easily obtain tickets.
Hundreds of universities across the USA play college basketball. At the "basketball schools" with excellent teams ticket might be hard to find.
Hockey is also a popular sport in the USA
Hockey is not as popular as football, baseball or basketball, but it has a loyal following of fans in certain cities of the USA and Canada. The game has the fast paced excitement of football and basketball with plenty of violent body contact. Hockey games have a reputation for attracting loud, beer-drinking, rowdy fans.
The National Hockey League (NHL) has 30 teams in major cities across the USA and Canada. Each team plays about 80 games between October and April. Playoff elimination games are held after the season and the two top teams play in the "Stanley Cup" championship. Tickets are available for hockey games in most cities as only the most popular games are sold out.
Enthusiasm for NASCAR auto racing is growing rapidly
Stock car racing was once popular primarily with the rural population in the small towns of Southeastern USA. Today, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is one of the fastest growing spectator sports across the USA. About 35 major NASCAR races are held each year plus about 60 minor or specialty races. Tickets are usually available at most NASCAR racetracks as they have large seating capacities. The racing season begins in February in the southern states and extends through the end of August. Annual championships are awarded based on points accumulated throughout the season.
Minor league stock car racing is still held at numerous smaller tracks across the country where local racecars and drivers compete for regional championships. Drag racing meets are held at numerous "drag strips" across the US. Truck pulls, tractor pulls, big wheel exhibitions and demolition derbies are held at various racetracks and stadiums around the USA.
Written by: Mike Leco
C Women in Sports
Women's sports have changed dramatically on so many levels in recent decades. The dramatic floodtide of talented women athletes onto American playing fields – and the opportunities that came along with them – no doubt benefited from the women's movement of the late 1960s and 1970s, with its emphasis on self-empowerment at every level. But the true impetus was Title IX, the landmark U.S. Government legislation signed by President Richard Nixon in 1972 that guaranteed equal rights for girls and women in every aspect of education, including athletics
Title IX has had a marked impact on overall academic educational achievement in the United States. It has also leveled the playing fields of America’s schools. Title IX bans unfair treatment based on sex in any program of a school receiving money from the federal government. Schools and universities lose government aid if their sports programs do not treat men and women equally.
Title IX has helped girls and women participate in interscholastic and intercollegiate athletics in far greater numbers than they had in the past. Just one year before the enactment of Title IX, in 1971, a Connecticut judge was allowed by law to disallow girls from competing on a boys' high school cross country team even though there was no girls' team at the school. And that same year, fewer than 300,000 high school girls played interscholastic sports. Today, that number is 2.4 million. Today in the U.S. over one-third of all female students in high school play sports, and the number of women participating in university sports has tripled. Women now compete in almost every sport, whether the competition is team, individual, or mixed gender.
Girls and women also are increasingly participants in sports that have traditionally been seen as out of bounds for women, including soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, and rugby. In one sport that is more and more a favorite for young girls -- soccer-- the results led to a World Cup championship in 1999 and Olympic medals. Players like Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain have helped make the sport more popular.
Many people say women's professional tennis has become more interesting than men's tennis. More people watch the women's games on television than the men's games. One sports commentator said, "The women are not only good players. They are also very interesting people."
D American Pastimes
Everyone needs a hobby. It is something that can take your mind off of your troubles and make you rejuvenated for more work. When it comes to picking your hobby, it may be hard to know which one will be best for you. Here are a list of some of the most popular hobbies in America. Maybe some of these will suit your needs.
Fishing
Fishing for a long time has been one of America’s great pass times. It is great to get out doors and it can be so relaxing. With over 46 Billion dollars annually in fishing gear sales, we can see why fishing is one of the most popular hobbies.
Bowling
Bowling is a fun sport that almost anyone can get into easily. Over 50 million people bowl every year, which makes it the number one most participated in sport worldwide. Bowling is a fun hobby that will release stress and allow people to be social with their friends.
Collecting
Collecting can be a very enjoyable pass time. If it is stamps, or baseball cards, antiques, or shoes, collecting can be a very fun pass time that allows you the ability to create something bigger over time. It is always fun to see how much the value of something can go up as well!
Biking
It is strange if you know someone who can’t ride a bike. Almost anyone nowadays can ride a bike. About 20 million bikes are sold each year, which shows that biking is still going strong! Weather you are road biking long distances, BMX biking at the skatepark, or downhill biking, you are sure to be exhilarated by the rush of the sport, and the work out you are getting.
Food for Thought (optional)