Canada boasts a wide array of sporting activities, of both professional and recreational interest. Amongst them, Ice Hockey takes the lead and is considered the national winter sport of the country. Lacrosse, a sport of indigenous origin, is the official summer sport, although Canadian football takes up the lead as the most popular summer entertainment amongst all sports enthusiasts.
Ice Hockey
The cool climate in Canada favors the popularity of winter league sports, with Ice Hockey inevitably the most practiced competitive sport. It actively involves all age groups, from school students to adults and is quite popular among women too. It is very much integrated into the daily lives of all Canadians, with various TV programmes, comic strips and the music industry emphasizing the enthusiasm for the sport.
The modern game of Ice Hockey has originated in Montreal in 1875, where the first official game was played at the Montreal's Victoria Skating Rink. It received immediate popularity, and was soon featured in the annual Winter Carnival at Montreal.
The sport itself involves two six player teams on ice skates, trying to score goals using the ‘puck’ (a rubber disc) into opponent’s goal net located at the opposite end of the ice rink. The puck is passed around using a long wooden stick with a curved end. Each goal has a ‘Goalie’, who tries to prevent the opposite team from scoring. Players are not allowed to swing the puck using body movements, although redirecting it by angling their feet is allowed.
Ice Hockey is a speedy and physical sport and is ranked as a high risk sport. Protective equipment such as helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads, mouth guards, protective gloves, heavily padded shorts, shin pads, chest protectors and neck guards are highly recommended at all competitive levels.
Canadian Football
Canadian football is closely related to American football, yet the differences in play are significant. Originated in the early 1860’s, Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played using a brown, spheroid ball on a field of 110 yards length and 65 yards width. The concept of the game is to throw or pass the ball and score goals within the duration of two 30 minute halves. The game begins at the 35-yard line, where one team place-kicks the ball at start-off. Various scoring methods include touchdown, field goal, safety and single.
Other Team Sports
Sports such as baseball, basketball, cricket, curling, field hockey, rugby, cricket and softball are also popular in Canada and are played at youth and amateur levels. Professional Baseball has a history in Canada, recorded as far as the late 1800s. Toronto Blue Jays are the most popular and is Canada's only Major League Baseball team. They were the first non-American team to host a World Series Game in 1992 and they won the series that year.
Basketball is also widely practiced in Canada, and is especially popular in Southern Ontario. The creator of the game itself is a Canadian, James Naismith of Almonte, Ontario, who invented the sport in 1891.
Individual Sports
Individual sports are also popular in Canada with sports such as auto racing, boxing, cycling, golf, horse racing, skiing, snowboarding, swimming, tennis, track and field, water sports, and wrestling taking the lead. In the professional level, the Canadian Grand Prix Formula One auto race is highly popular and is held annually.
Achievements
The Canada's Sports Hall of Fame recognizes great achievements in Canadian sport. It was established in 1955 and is located in Toronto with the purpose of 'preserving the record of Canadian sports achievements and promoting a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport’.
The Lou Marsh Trophy is a trophy awarded annually to Canada's top athlete by a panel of journalists, and is considered a highly prestigious rank. It is awarded in honor of Lou Marsh, a prominent Canadian athlete.
Canada has been the host of several high-ranked international sporting events such as the 1976 Summer Olympics, the 1988 Winter Olympics, and the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Canada is also the host country for the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics.
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