Ball Sports

Rugby Rugby is a physical team sport that originated in England in the early 19th century. According to legend, it was invented in 1823 when William Webb Ellis, a student at Rugby School, picked up a soccer ball and ran with it during a match. The sport has since evolved into two main formats: Golf Golf is a precision sport where players use clubs to hit a small ball into a series of holes on a course, aiming to complete the course in the fewest strokes possible. A standard golf course has 18 holes, each with a designated par (the expected number of strokes). The sport combines physical skill, strategy, and mental focus, played on diverse terrains like fairways, greens, and bunkers. Golf is unique for its individual and team formats, accessibility across ages, and emphasis on etiquette and self-regulation. Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The game is played on a field with a diamond-shaped infield and an outfield. The objective is to score runs by hitting a pitched ball and running around four bases to reach home plate. The team with the most runs at the end of nine innings wins the game. Football (Soccer) Football, known as soccer in some countries, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each. The objective is to score goals by getting a ball into the opposing team’s net using any part of the body except the hands and arms (except for the goalkeeper, who can use their hands within the penalty area). It is played on a rectangular field with goals at each end and is governed by rules set by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). American Football American football, often simply referred to as football in the United States, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The objective is to score points by advancing the ball into the opposing team’s end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent’s goalposts for a field goal. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. Handball Team handball (also known as Olympic handball or European handball ) is a fast-paced indoor team sport where two squads of seven players (six outfield players + one goalkeeper) pass, dribble, and throw a ball to score goals into the opponent’s net. The game is played on a 40m x 20m court , with matches typically lasting 2 x 30 minutes . Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players each on a circular or oval-shaped field. The game is centered around a 22-yard-long pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The primary objective is for the batting team to score runs by hitting the ball bowled by the opposing team’s bowler and running between the wickets, while the fielding team aims to dismiss the batsmen and limit the scoring. Tennis Tennis is a racket sport that can be played individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Players use a strung racket to hit a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net and into the opponent’s court. The objective is to hit the ball in such a way that the opponent cannot make a valid return. The game is played on various surfaces, including grass, clay, and hard courts, each of which affects the speed and style of play. Basketball Basketball is a fast-paced team sport played on a rectangular court (94x50 feet for professionals) where two teams of five players each aim to score by shooting a ball through a hoop (10 feet high) mounted on a backboard. Points are scored via field goals (2 or 3 points, depending on distance), free throws (1 point), and the game is typically played in four quarters (NBA: 12 minutes each; FIBA: 10 minutes each). Key skills include dribbling, passing, shooting, rebounding, and defense, requiring athleticism, coordination, and strategic thinking. Played indoors or outdoors, basketball is accessible and adaptable, with variations like 3x3 basketball gaining traction. Table Tennis Table tennis, also known as ping pong, is a fast-paced indoor sport where two or four players hit a lightweight ball back and forth across a table using small rackets (paddles). The game is played on a hard table divided by a net, and the objective is to score points by making the ball land in the opponent’s half in a way that they cannot return it. Field Hockey Field hockey is a fast-paced team sport played on grass, artificial turf, or watered-down fields, where two teams of 11 players (including a goalkeeper) use curved sticks to hit a hard ball into the opponent’s goal. The game is known for its speed, skill, and tactical complexity , with matches typically lasting four 15-minute quarters (60 minutes total). Ice Hockey Ice hockey is a high-speed, full-contact team sport played on an ice rink, where two teams of six players (five skaters + one goaltender) use sticks to shoot a vulcanized rubber puck into the opponent’s net. The game is known for its blistering pace, physicality, and skill, with matches divided into three 20-minute periods. Badminton Badminton is one of the fastest racket sports in the world, played with lightweight rackets and a shuttlecock (or “birdie”) across a high net. It can be played as singles (1v1) or doubles (2v2) and is known for its blazing speed, agility, and explosive rallies. Softball Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played on a diamond-shaped field, closely related to baseball but with distinct differences. It features two teams of nine or ten players alternating between batting (offense) and fielding (defense), aiming to score runs by hitting a pitched ball and circling four bases to return to home plate. The defensive team seeks to record outs by striking out batters, catching hit balls, or tagging runners. Futsal Futsal is a fast-paced, small-sided soccer game played on a hard court, typically indoors, with five players per team (including a goalkeeper). It emphasizes technical skill, quick decision-making, and ball control in tight spaces. The game uses a smaller, heavier ball with less bounce than a standard soccer ball, and matches consist of two 20-minute halves with a running clock. Volleyball Volleyball is a fast-paced team sport where two teams of six players each compete to score points by hitting a ball over a net and grounding it in the opponent’s court. The game emphasizes agility, teamwork, and explosive athleticism , with players using serves, spikes, blocks, and digs to outmaneuver rivals.