Technology in Sports
Sports have been popular for hundreds, no - thousands, of years. You can just imagine the kids in ancient Greece playing with a ball and kicking it into the goal, right? So did you ever think about how sports have changed since then?
Over the past decades, technology has changed sports for athletes and spectators. One of the most important ways technology has changed sports is through equipment. For example, helmets for bicycles and tennis rackets have become lighter and stronger. Even bathing suits and shoes have gotten better. These have helped athletes get better and stay safer.
Videos, another technology, have also changed sports. Coaches and athletes can watch their performance over and over again. This way they can find what needs to be improved. This not only helps athletes improve their skills, but it also helps them avoid getting hurt.
Technology has also changed the way we watch sports. With streaming and social media, you can watch games from anywhere in the world. In addition, technology has also made the spectator experience better with new things such as VR (virtual reality) and 360-degree cameras. With these technologies fans can feel like they are in the middle of the action! Who knows what is next to come?
Vocabulary
popular - well known or well liked - ____________________________
ancient - very very old - ____________________________
since - from that time - ____________________________
decade - 10 years - ____________________________
athletes - people who do sports - ____________________________
spectators - people who watch sports games - ____________________________
equipment - the tools used for something - ____________________________
helmets - a cover to protect the head - ____________________________
rackets - the bat for playing tennis - ____________________________
lighter - less heavy - ____________________________
bathing suit - what you wear when you swim - ____________________________
coach - the person who tells an athlete how to play - ____________________________
improve - get better - ____________________________
avoid - not to do something - ____________________________
Using Vocabulary
- I am at a football game. There are over 10,000 ____________________________ here watching the game.
- If you want to ____________________________ your results, it is important to practice a lot.
- My father has an ____________________________ coin. It is over 2000 years old.
- The Beatles were very ____________________________ in the 1960s. Everyone listened to their music.
- Dana has a new ____________________________ because she takes swimming lessons.
- It is very important to wear a ____________________________ when you ride your bicycle. You have to protect your head.
- Yoni wants to ____________________________ studying late at night, so he does his homework as soon as he gets home.
Thinking about connections:
Put the vocabulary words from p. 27 into the table in the right place:
| time | people | equipment |
|---|---|---|
Future practice:
Use the other vocabulary words to write your own sentences.
Comprehension Questions:
- What are some examples of how equipment changed due to technology in sports?
- How has watching videos helped coaches and athletes?
- How has technology affected sports fans?
Thinking further
- Why do you think companies put in the time, effort and money to make changes in sports equipment?
- What professions have helped make the advancements that you have read about? Think about what professions helped to improve bathing suits, tennis rackets or create videos.
Talk about Sports
Sit in a group of 4 people who are NOT your close friends. Talk about the sports you like or want to do one day. Fill in the table below. Ask for information from them.
| name | sport | more information (why, since when, how often) |
|---|---|---|
Now, write 3 - 4 sentences about each person in your group. Look at the example below:
Joe is a boy I study with. He wants to learn how to ski. He dreams about skiing in the mountains. That sounds like fun.
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