You are never too young to be a hockey fan!
The Vancouver Canucks are a British Columbia's professional ice hockey team of the National Hockey League (NHL). They are in a playoff game tonight. Go Canuks Go!
What kind of sports do you like?
DID YOU KNOW????? Hockey is basically known as the “ball and stick” game and it was played since ancient times in places diverse as Rome, Scotland, Egypt and South America. The NHL Hockey history actually begins with the NHA’s beginning in 1910 based in Canada.
How well I remember those words -- Hockey Night in Canada -- broadcast from television sets and radios in the fifties, sixties and even the seventies on Saturday evenings. Quite the contrast to the past several years where it seems hockey is always on -- sort of takes the pleasure out of it .... that is just my opinion, what do you think?
Sharon
Don't follow hockey, or any sport really, though I do know Australia has teams....LOL
ReplyDeleteI just had a look in my Inbox to see is I missed the invite to be a WWWCOF contributor!!
Hope you will stop by my site and leave a few comments...smile.
Hi Jan, I was not even sure as to what the National Sport of Australia was so I went and did some research that revealed the following.
ReplyDeleteAssociation football (soccer) is apparently popular, but the national sport in terms of spectator popularity I understand is Cricket, followed by Australian Rules Football, and then Rugby League.
Soccer is the most popular participation sport, but mainly because of it's popularity with under-18's! It is said that it is growing amongst adults, and will continue to do so, but the traditional three still hold sway for adult participation.
Netball is the most popular participation sport for women.
It most likely does not come to a surprise to anyone that one of Canada's official sports is hockey. Canada reasserted itself as the world's greatest hockey nation at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic Games where both the women and men's hockey teams won the gold medal.
ReplyDeleteWhat may be a lesser known fact about Canada is that we have another official sport, lacrosse. Lacrosse had been the unofficial sport of Canada since before Confederation, although popularity has lessened somewhat since then. How did it come to be an official sport, then?
In 1964, a bill was introduced to declare hockey as Canada's national sport. An opposing bill countered that though, legally, lacrosse had not been Canada's official game, popular opinion had made it so. Thus, the bill sought official recognition of lacrosse in this manner. Ultimately, neither bills were debated by Parliament. The issue arose again in Canada's Centennial Year when Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson proposed separate national summer and winter sports. This matter, however, would not be resolved for 27 years.
In 1994, Bill C-212 was introduced to officially declare hockey as Canada's national sport. Opposition came from supporters of lacrosse who wanted to recognize the traditional and cultural significance of this sport. Consequently, Bill C-212 was amended to recognize both sports. Thus, on May 12, 1994, Canada's National Sport Act (Bill C-212) became law, reading: "To recognize hockey as Canada's National Winter Sport and lacrosse as Canada's National Summer Sport". While hockey's popularity is unquestionable - especially in Canada, lacrosse is still enjoyed by Canadians and has gained popularity in the United States, England, Ireland, and Scotland.
Lacrosse -- The First Nations began playing the sport more than 500 years ago. Today lacrosse not only remains an integral part of native culture, but is played by thousands of people across Canada. From its origin as 'The Creator's Game' to the overwhelming popularity of the Toronto Rock and the modern game, lacrosse has survived the test of time after treading down a long, controversial path that led it to become recognized as Canada's official national sport.
ReplyDeleteLacrosse, derived from the Native game of baggataway, was Canada's most popular sport before ice hockey came along.
I haven't heard much about Soccer in Australia, Rugby League is very popular, and in the southern states Australian Rules. I just googled sport australia and the result was surfing and swimming, and they are certainly popular, and all types of other water sports too, boating, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and cycling and cricket. Nearly everyone that is near water has a boat.
ReplyDelete"The term football has different meanings in different states. For example, Australian Rules was largely only played in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia until the advent of the National League in 1987. New South Wales and Queensland are strong Rugby League states, and the other codes of Soccer and Rugby Union have a minor following in most states." I would agree with that quote.
Yes of course, water sports should and would rank right up there in Australia Jan, just as they do here on Vancouver Island. Makes perfect sense with so much ocean about!
ReplyDeleteNo surfing at the Olympics though!!!!
ReplyDeleteWould not be deemed to be a winter sport, lol.
ReplyDeleteAre we talking about Winter Sports....LOL Cricket, swimming and the water sports are summer sports. Actually they surf all year around here, they wear wetsuits. Now you've got me curious so I googled and one of the headings was "What is the national sport of Australia"
ReplyDeleteAccording to official government statistics, in 2005–06, the most popular sports in terms of crowd attendance were Australian rules football, horse racing, rugby league, motorsport, cricket, rugby union and soccer (association football) in descending order.[2] Research by a marketing company found that those attracting the "most interest" among adults in capital cities during 2006-07 were cricket, swimming, tennis, Australian rules football, soccer, rugby league, rugby union and motor sport.[3] According to official statistics, the most popular forms of "physical recreation activity" among Australians aged 15 years and over, in 2005-06 were walking, aerobics/fitness, swimming, golf, tennis, soccer and Australian rules football.[4] According to some sources, the cultural significance and long history of cricket in Australia means that it is a de facto "national sport".
So it didn't really answer the question. Or there is no particular National Sport.