Sports from around the world
In every country that we have a language school, people love sport! Not only does it improve fitness and health, it is also great fun to play and watch! If you choose to study with us, here are the sports that you may come across!
Australia
People in Australia play a massive range of sports, with the most popular being Cricket, Tennis and Swimming.
Each year the world watches Australia as they host one of the biggest Tennis tournaments in the world – The Australian Open. Every four years they also host The Ashes, as the Cricket team battles it out against England – they have been doing this since 1882!
Canada
The national winter sport for Canada is Ice Hockey, known as just Hockey to Canadians. It is played on an ice rink and involves trying to score goals with a stick and a puck.
Another national sport is Lacrosse. Again, the aim is to score goals for your team but this time it is played on a field with netted sticks designed to catch and throw the ball.
England
Football, or Soccer to many other parts of the world, was created in England and is played by people of all ages and abilities. Famous professional teams to watch in England include Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.
Rugby Union is also very popular, and involves running with and kicking a ball that is shaped like an egg!
Ireland
Many Gaelic Games are played in Ireland such as Hurling, Rounders and Gaelic football. Hurling has been played for over 2000 years – longer than the recorded history of Ireland itself!
Soccer and Rugby are also played, but Gaelic Football is the most popular sport, with the AlI-Ireland Football Final attracting 80,000 fans to Croke Park and millions of viewers over television.
Malta
Although Football is the most popular sport on the Island of Malta, that are many Rock Climbing and Microlight clubs for those of you who like danger!
Once a year, the best Snooker players in the world get their cues out for the Malta Cup.
New Zealand
People in New Zealand are mad about Rugby Union. Their team are known as the All Blacks and if you ever see them play live, expect to be scared by their Māori dance, also known at The Haka!
Netball is also played but don’t confuse this with basketball – you are not allowed to bounce the ball!
Scotland
If you enjoy throwing logs of wood over your shoulder, bundles of hay into the air or large heavy stones into the distance, then Scotland is the place for you! The Highland Games have been played for hundreds of years and even America holds their own annual gatherings.
Each year, the best Golf players in the world such as Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer play at the beautiful course of St Andrews, for the oldest major golf championship – The Open Championship.
USA
Where do we start with America?! There are more sports played in this country than any other, with Athletics being encouraged to many USA schools and college students.
The three main “American Sports” are American Football, Baseball and Basketball. The Superbowl is known as The Greatest Show on Earth, the New York Yankees are one of the best known brands in the world, and the Chicago Bulls had one of the greatest athletes of all time… Michael Jordan.
Americans are famous for not only providing great sport to watch, but great entertainment too.
What next...
If you do choose to study at one of Kaplan’s English schools, why not watch some of these sports? Even better, why not play them? You could be the next big star!
Enjoyed the blog? Why not become a part of it by joining one of our world-class English language Schools today? Take a look at our website, Kaplan International Colleges, to see what our English courses could do for you.