Everyone’s buzzing for the Olympics, and we’re witnessing records being made left and right. With the wide variety of sports included in the Olympics, there’s bound to be something for everybody. Even non-sports enthusiasts are tuning in, and the excitement is palpable.
But there are still several sports that the Olympics doesn’t feature. Especially for those tired of the traditional forms of athletic events, the stranger and rarer ones are usually more exciting. If you’re one of those who want something newer and rarer, here are a few interesting sporting events you need to know.
Rodeo Is a Sport
While you might be aware that rodeo culture is still very much alive and kicking, what you might not know is that there’s still a lot of rodeo sporting events. It also has a wide following, so you definitely won’t find yourself alone in the stands when you decide to watch.
Like a gymnastic competition, there are many events in a rodeo, like those involved using breakaway ropes, the all-too-popular bareback riding, and even steer wrestling! Rodeo events are very much exciting, and it has a very competitive and entertaining atmosphere.
A Pro Wrestling Show
It can be argued that pro wrestling isn’t a sport. But it definitely feels like one. The atmosphere of both competition and entertainment is present, the people watching are in on the excitement, and the traditions of competition are still followed. Of course, being predetermined can affect your enjoyment, but once you’ve suspended your disbelief, you’ll find that it’s just as exciting as regular sports.
Have You Heard About Hooverball?
Named after President Herbert Hoover, hooverball started as a way for physician Joel Boone to keep President Hoover fit. Eventually, it turned into a sport on its own that’s enjoyed by many. Like volleyball, it uses a net and largely involves tossing a ball back and forth between two teams.
It’s often done in either sand or grassy areas. The interesting part in hooverball is the ball itself: they use 6 lb medicine balls that they need to throw over an 8 ft net! While hooverball doesn’t have any professional association, it’s still played among schools and even gyms. Many fitness gyms are beginning to implement it in their routines as it’s fun and packs quite the fitness challenge.
Hockey Without Ice: Floorball
Areas without snow often don’t have any notion of winter sports. Skiing, ice hockey, sledding are all but heard on the internet or TV. But many of the motions in these sports can also be made without ice, only less efficient.
Enter floorball, an interesting take on ice-less ice hockey. It’s played with five players and a goalkeeper and uses a similar stick with hockey and a plastic ball filled with holes for less air resistance. It’s just as exciting as ice hockey minus the ice and is considerably safer as the players aren’t skating and won’t be able to build up inhuman amounts of momentum. Because of fast transitions and constant action, floorball is exciting to watch.
Volleyball + Kicking = Sepak Takraw
We’ve already mentioned hooverball, where you replace the volleyball with a heavy medicine ball and have it thrown around. However, going the opposite way also works. Sepak takraw is a Southeast Asian sport similar to volleyball, but with a catch. The ball is smaller, and you use your feet instead. It’s a sport that combines the physics and ideas of volleyball but with the nimbleness and agility often found in kicking-based martial arts.
It’s definitely enjoyable and exciting to watch, as it’s akin to watching a very acrobatic movie fight scene. Audiences are always in for a treat during a sepak takraw match. It’s not uncommon to see backflip kicks, near-impossible saves, and very flashy offense during competition.
Watch a Strongman Competition
You might be surprised when you’re watching a Strongman Competition. These big and burly men aren’t there to fight. They’re there to lift the heaviest amount of weight possible. Strongman competition is as much a spectacle as it is a sport.
The participants are often of an amazing size, and the feats they accomplish are near-superhuman. You’ll find them lifting a 200 lbs stone like it’s nothing, throwing a 50 lbs keg 20 feet in the air like it’s nothing, and deadlifting the weight of a car. Truly, a strongman competition is a sight to behold.
There are quite a lot more interesting sports that aren’t featured here. It’s best to keep an open mind and an open eye when looking for interesting sporting events to watch. There’s more out there, and we’re excited to see which one becomes famous next.
