Figure 1.--These English boys have just won a champoionship. The hair styles suggest the photograph was probably taken in the 1970s. I'm not sure, but this looks more like a club team than a school team. |
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No country is more important to the development of modern sports than England. Many sports have English origins (rugby footbal, soccer, cricket, and hockey). These sports were spread around the world because of the importance of the British Empire so that now England often looses international competitions to its former colonies. Cricket is very popular in South Asia and the Caribbean, Rugby is very popular in New Zealand and Fiji. Cricket may well be the most destinctively English sport. The leisuely way in which a match is played make in more of an event than a game. as in most of Europe, however, it is football soccer that has captured the imagination of English boys. Unlike America, girls do not seem nearly as captivatd by it. Rugby is much less widely played. Social class has had a major impact on sport in Britain. Football was one seen as a working class sport. ome public (exclusive private) schools once banned football in favor of rugby.
No country is more important to the development of modern sports than England. Many sports have English origins (rugby footbal, soccer, cricket, and hockey). A factor here was the importance of boys' boarding schools in England. These sports were spread around the world because of the importance of the British Empire so that now England often looses international competitions to its former colonies.
We are developing infornation on specific sports.
Cricket is also very popular in South Asia and the Caribbean. Cricket may well be the most destinctively English sport. The leisuely way in which a match is played make in more of an event than a game. Cricket
is played in state schools but for many years has really only been a major
sport in independent schools where it is the main Summer game for boys.
Rugby is also very popular in New Zealand and Fiji. Rugby is less widely played. Social class has had a major impact on sport in Britain. Football was one seen as a working class sport. Some public (exclusive private) schools once banned football in favor of rugby. A British reader writes, "Rugby is VERY widely played. Not as popular as football but by no means a lesser sport. In some areas it is THE sport with football taking the lesser role. Schools play both Union and League rules but that depends upon where they are located. Many independent schools only play rugby (sometimes referred to as 'rugger') and only have football as a minor game." From my experience in Britain, rugby is very widely played at schools. Many schools (especially private schools) in fact give greater emphasis to rugby than football. But whith kids at home the passion is football. If you see kids playing on the street or in parks, it is normally around football they are kicking.
Hockey is also a popular game, again at school. Iin many independent schools for both boys and girls hockey is a school game.
As in most of Europe, however, it is football soccer that has captured the imagination of English boys. Unlike America, girls do not seem nearly as captivatd by it. An English reader writes, "Football (with anything which could be kicked and any surplus top as goal
posts), rugby practice or cricket would also get played during breaks as
'scratch' matches or just practices. Even when at school where football was
not playedwe would usually find a ball to kick about. Others would spend
their breaks chatting with friends."
A sport which does very badly in the UK is Gymnastics,
especially boys gymnastics as few schools are equipped to provide for it and
training beyond the initial levels tends to be done more at local club
level.
Sports are important at most English sports. This is especially true at private (independent) schools which have a long tradition of sports. In fact manyb important schools were virtually invented at British schools. Although not stuck to rigidly the three terms usually equate to the main playing seasons. Nearly all schools would have had football or similar teams from at least the post-World War II period. An English reader writes, "I know my father and his brothers played in school teams during the 1940s. I suspect such inter-school matches would date back much further, especially so re the public schools who have fought it out on the playing fields for hundreds of years." Btitish schools do not tend to have the same arenas for scholastic sports that American schools have, but there is more of a tradition of participation associated with British school sports.
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