Sport or Pastime

[sam vimes]

The definition of the word "sport" started to change before anybody alive was born. You'd need to be seventy plus to have lived with folks that might have routinely applied "sports" to shooting, fishing and hunting. No modern definition of the word "sport" is likely to include angling. However, there are still throwbacks. Horse racing is still called "The Sport Of Kings". There's still a shooting magazine called "The Sporting Gun" and, when antis wish to cast aspersions, they still lump angling into the pejorative "Bloodsports" grouping.

Angling was definitely a sport under the old original definitions. It's only the change in the definition that has largely left angling (and shooting/hunting) behind.

 

[bracket]

I am not too concerned what you care to label it as. For me it is a compulsive obsession, which could be described as a pastime, a sport, or an incurable condition. Take your pick, the end result is the same, thankfully. Pete.

 

[no-one in particular]

Or hobby, I often refer to it as my hobby. I don't really know what the difference is by definition, pastime, sport leisure, hobby but, hobby is what it is to me.

 

[Philip]

The problem with giving angling a label like "sport" or "pasttime" is that it can depend on whether you angle for food or for recreation.

I imagine Angling falls into a sort of grey zone for the general public, its not quite "hunting" but its clearly not a sport like Tennis either. I doubt they put much more than a fleeting interest into its label although if pushed they are more likly to bundle us togteher with huting and field sports than anything else.

It ensures that while the end for sport fishing is inevitable at least there is a basis to make it a long drawn out lingering death as we attempt to argue what it actually is.

 

[Keith M]

In my view it's a ‘sport’ if done as a competition against other competitors adhering to strict competition rules (or your practicing in preparation for said competition).
and
It’s a ‘pastime’ if it’s done purely for the pleasure it gives you; and you are not competing against anyone but yourself (sometimes) and the fish.

Keith

 

[peterjg]

For me it's also an obsession, it's definitely not a sport and not a pastime. It's more a way of life, I used to average around 60 nights a year, now I do few whole nights but do go fishing three days a week. One day I will take it up seriously .....

 

[nottskev]

Nowadays, sport is not sport. How does that affect definitions?

Call it it what you like. I love it.

 

[Ray Roberts]

I heard someone say that any pastime you can do in your normal clothing isn’t a sport.

Darts and snooker aren’t sports, because any activity you can be world champion at while off your tits on cocaine or drunk as a skunk can’t possibly be classed as a sport. I would make an exception for cycling as anyone who takes as many drugs as some of those guys and still manages to find their bike, let alone ride up a bloody great mountain, deserve everything they get, including being called sportsmen.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Badgerale]

There doesn't seem to be a hard definition but i'd say there are two components to being a sport:

Physical activity and competition.

Is playing poker a sport? Probably not, it's competitive but doesn't involve doing much physical. You'd probably call it a game.

Is hiking a sport? No, it's physical but not competitive. You'd call it a past time.

There are border cases like darts or snooker which you only do a bit of physical activity but what you do do is really key.

For pleasure fishing, it's not a sport in this definition as it's not competitive and while there is a physical side to it, it's not exactly something you need to hone or develop.

Match fishing I think could claim to be a sport.

 

[nottskev]

Perhaps angling - on a good day - qualifies as an art, with imagination, creativity and finely honed physical skills?

 

[John Aston]

Sports are something with competition , rules and exertion at their heart , but pastimes and hobbies are essentially nothing more than activities to stave off boredom when otherwise unoccupied. But fishing is something which defines me. I never 'took it up' - I already knew I was a fisherman before I was five years old . And the intervening six decades showed I was right .

 

[markcw]

Would the world championships in all the styles of angling be classed as sport or pastime. ?
My view is sport because of them being competitive.

 

[steve2]

Dictionary definition.
Sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

Pastime
: something that amuses and serves to make time pass agreeably : diversion Her favorite pastime is gardening. or in our case angling.

Angling can only be seen as a pastime.

 

[markcw]

Dictionary definition.
Sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

Pastime
: something that amuses and serves to make time pass agreeably : diversion Her favorite pastime is gardening. or in our case angling.

Angling can only be seen as a pastime.

But the world champs or any league matches or individual matches must be sport.

There is more skill involved in fishing for England than sitting by local park lake.

 

[sam vimes]

There is more skill involved in fishing for England than sitting by local park lake.

Surely that depends on the angler in question? If Steve Ringer decides to have a session on his local park lake is he suddenly less skilful than when he fishes an international match? Merely fishing a match, regardless of the standard, does not miraculously make an angler more skilful.

 

[Philip]

How about "recreation" ?

Not sure we have had that one yet...

 

[rayner]

If exertion defines angling as a sport, in my case it is definitely a sport. Every time I fish I am totally drained.
I have changed my mind I am not addicted to angling I just love it.

 

[markcw]

Surely that depends on the angler in question? If Steve Ringer decides to have a session on his local park lake is he suddenly less skilful than when he fishes an international match? Merely fishing a match, regardless of the standard, does not miraculously make an angler more skilful.

I see your point Chris, I was referring to the average angler sitting by a park lake,
I would say Alan Scotthorne 5 times world champ and Bob Nudd 4 times world champ are more skilful than many anglers, and yes these anglers have been beaten in local matches but their standard of fishing must be a lot higher than most ,

 

[sam vimes]

I see your point Chris, I was referring to the average angler sitting by a park lake,
I would say Alan Scotthorne 5 times world champ and Bob Nudd 4 times world champ are more skilful than many anglers, and yes these anglers have been beaten in local matches but their standard of fishing must be a lot higher than most ,

I'm not disputing that Bob Nudd or Alan Scotthorne are more skilful than the average angler. However, it's not the venue or it being a match that makes them better. They don't suddenly get less skilful if they happen to go to their local park lake for a pleasure session. Their skill levels remain the same regardless. Practice and plenty of time fishing makes them skilful. There are also skilful anglers out there that have never fished a match in their lives. They may not have the exact same skill sets as a matchman, but they are not necessarily less skilful. There are pretty poor anglers that fish matches twice a week. The skill level of an individual (or team) can't sensibly be used to define whether an activity they are involved in is a sport or not. Football doesn't cease to be a sport when it's Sunday League under 12s rather than a competitive men's International fixture. There's no doubt that the latter involves higher levels of skill. Then there are the non-competitive oddities. Skilful souls that don't actually play football, the keepy uppy and trick shot masters, some of whom manage to make a living out of it.

 

[108831]

If you match fished,especially team wise at a high level,there is no doubt it is a sport,sorting out tactics,practice sessions and more generally a truly single minded approach,blinkered to win,you could argue many olympic 'sports' simple dont reach the dictionary account sport,archery being one,dont judge angling sport wise by your own approach to it,look at all the joggers out there,they dont compare to competetive athletes...