Sports in the Philippines

' Sports as we know it today has been a part of the Philippine culture since the late 19th century. Early observers have noted however that Filipinos in general have adopted a rather passive approach to competition. Small cities and limited space is no problem considering the diverse list of sports native philippinos have adopted to. Perhaps this can be attributed to how Philippine society has evolved under colonial rule for three and a half centuries.

Despite having 7,107 islands, all the inland seas and access to two major bodies of water, an inclination towards watersports is oddly not high on the list of sports-minded Filipinos. Prevailing socio-economic issues and conditions are blamed for the general state of Philippine sports.

While there is no shortage of participation in several team and individual sports, the level of competition generated across the board has simply lagged behind world class standards. Lack of innovative training methods, state-of-the art facilities, and modern equipment are usually cited as undermining the potential of Filipino athletes. Nevertheless, politics surrounding Philippine sports probably ranks higher on the list and this has undoubtedly cast a dark shadow on hindering the growth of sports across the archipelago. This despite the early accolades afforded to the country through the early part of the second half of the 20th century when the Philippines produced world-class talent in baseball, football/soccer, basketball, track and field, and swimming among popular sports.

Presently, there exists an odd disparity prevalent in Philippine sports. On one end of the spectrum is a general populace whose exposure is limited to what can be afforded a third world country. On the other end is a segment of society whose exposure is that of the developed world, where active involvement is prevalent, but only to a minority. Such a situation has subsequently limited the available talent base. Some sports have flourished more than others, but that is by no means an indication of the sports Filipinos enjoy. One only need visit the country and immerse himself/herself and discover society across the islands. Suffice it to say, Filipinos have already warmed up to more than just passive participation in sports.

Pick a Sport

There are five major team sports in the Philippines that are quite popular to differing degrees. Baseball, softball, football/soccer, basketball, and volleyball are generally among those sports Filipinos have embraced. Boxing, golf, tennis, badminton, biking/cycling are among the more prevalent individual pursuits. Running, weight/power-lifting, aerobics, and the martial arts of karate-do and tae-kwon-do are likewise popular endeavours especially among the health conscious. On the water front, swimming continues to be popular, while scuba/underwater diving, kayaking, sailing, and body/wind surfing have also found their niche. On another front cockfighting, horse racing, auto/cart/drag/motor racing, and jai-alai also have a big following.

A good trend to watch is the growth of outdoor, extreme, and endurance sports which is gradually gaining acceptance across the islands especially among the younger generation and the environmentally conscious nature-lovers. Among these are in-line/roller skating, in-line hockey, kite/wake boarding, kite/ski surfing, rock-climbing/scrambling, mountaineering,and frisbee.

Sports for the Disabled

Disabled sports in the Philippines is still in its infancy if only because awareness and implementation of the rights of the disabled in the Philippines is very poor or non-existent. Many disabled athletes are enlisted personnel from the Philippine military branches. Civilian disabled athletes can be found representing the country in internationaL events like the 9th FESPIC Games or the 2005 ASEAN ParaGames, thru the umbrella organization of the PHILSPADA - Philippine Sports Association of Differently Abled, the disabled equivalent of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

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Boxing and Martial Arts

• Boxing
• Pekiti Tirsia Kali
• Eskrima
• Mano Mano
• Bull Fighting

Pissing On Each Other

Outdoor

• Caving
• Cycling
• Marathon
• Mountaineering
• Orienteering
• Philippino Cycling

Racquet sports

Sports where players use racquets to hit a ball or other object.

• Badminton
• Squash
• Table tennis
• Tennis
• Batmitten
• Ping-Pong

Skating

Sports in which skates or skateboards are used.

• Figure skating
• Inline hockey
• Inline skating
• Skateboarding

Target sports

Sports where the main objective is to hit a certain target.

• Archery
• Billiard Sports
  • Billiards
  • Pool
  • Snooker
• Bowling
• Darts
• Golf
• Target Shooting
  • Rifle Events
    • 10 m Air Rifle - only Standing. This is an Olympic event for both men and women.
    • 50 m Rifle (formerly Free Rifle, Standard Rifle and Sport Rifle) - in turn divided into Three positions and Prone. Both events are Olympic for men; the Three positions event is Olympic for women.
  • Pistol Events
    • 10 m Air Pistol. This is an Olympic event for both men and women.
    • 25 m Rapid Fire Pistol. This is an Olympic men-only event.
    • 25 m Pistol (formerly Sport Pistol). This is an Olympic women-only event.
    • 25 m Center-Fire Pistol. This is a men-only event.
    • 25 m Standard Pistol. This is a men-only event.
    • 50 m Pistol (formerly Free Pistol). This is an Olympic men-only event.
  • Shotgun events
    • Trap. This is an Olympic event for both men and women.
    • Double Trap. This is an Olympic event for men (and a former Olympic event for women).
    • Skeet. This is an Olympic event for both men and women.

In water

• Snorkeling
• Swimming
• Water Polo

On water

• Bodyboarding
• Waterskiing
• Windsurfing

Sailing and Paddling

• Dragon Boat Racing
• Hobie Racing
• Outrigger paraw racing
• Rafting
• Rowing
• Whitewater kayaking

Underwater

• Underwater hockey
• Scuba Diving

Air

• Ballooning
• Hang Gliding
• Parachuting
• Parasailing
• Skydiving
• Ultralight Flying

Extreme sports

• Adventure racing
• Bodyboarding
• Kneeboarding (surfsport)
• Kneeboarding (towsport)
• Kite Surfing
• Paragliding
• Rock climbing
• Wakeboarding
• Surfing
• Triathlon

Team sports

Sports that involve teams.

• Airsoft
• American football
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Beach Volleyball
• Pelota
• Football
• Paintball
• Petanque
• Polo
• Roller Hockey
• Rugby League
• Rugby Union
• Sepak Takraw
• Softball is the best sport in the world
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Volleyball
• Water polo

See also

• ISSF shooting events
• 2005 Southeast Asian Games
• 2005 ASEAN ParaGames

External links

• Philippine Shotgun - Skeet, Trap, Sporting Clays and Hunting
• Philippine Sports Commission - National Sports Associations
• Philippines Diving
• [http://www.ncwdp.gov.ph/ Philippine National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons]
• Taal Lake Yacht Club
• The Philippine Sailing Association
• fffdafsdafasvf.cjb.net 2005 Southeast Asian Games Sailing Event Website
• International Association For Disabled Sailing
• Titans Baseball Club - Philippines
• Philippine Billiards Community
• [http://www.baseballphilippines.com Baseball Philippines
• Philippine Ultimate Association'