Leisure, Play, and Recreation

-- End Ad Box --->competitive edge now fills the void where need of
In today’s American society it is notsurvival once reigned.
uncommon for the average citizen to encounter aThe sports that have been known throughout the
great deal of “free” time or time away fromages have evolved and engulfed so many
work. The average workweek has decreasedvariations of the kind. “Sport within our society
significantly over the past 150 years. In 1850,reflects a complex, multi-faceted, socioeconomic
American’s workweek average was nearlysystem. It also represents a tremendous diversity
66 hours (11 hours a day, 6 days a week) .in participation from a child’s frolic, to
Today’s 5 day weeks and 8 hour daysunstructured and random play within the home, to
have presented an increased gap in time availablethe fulfillment of a dream in winning a tournament
for leisure activities. So one might say that leisurechampionship, to the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle
is simply a matter of free time, others sharethrough regular sport participation.” There are
different views. One such concept sees leisureindeed many forms of sports and many levels
not merely as a time block, but as a force, whichand we all have our reasons for participating.
is not only the germinating concept of art andSome experts believe that recreational and leisure
culture, but a pause during which a participantactivities are engaged in simply as a way to
gains glimpses of values and realities that healleviate the built up stressors that evolve in our
ordinarily misses in everyday life. Such adaily lives. Play can be a safety valve for the
perception supports the proposition that theexcess energy in our bodies and becomes a
quality of civilization depends upon such anatural outlet, soothing our physical and
transmission of values, and the widespreadpsychological well-beings. These theories, however,
distribution and use of leisure is a matter of greatfail to account for the fact that most individuals
importance, culturally and economically, to ado not partake in recreational activities as a
nation.”means of relieving stress or recharging for the
Recreation’s definition, given bywork week to come.
Merriam-Webster online dictionary isWhy then, do people engage in activities on a
“refreshment of strength and spirits afterregular basis? The answer is not a simple one, nor
work; also: a means of refreshment orcan it be fully addressed since there is such a
diversion,” but this doesn’t nearly do itmultitude of opinions, professional or otherwise, on
justice. The word itself holds a new meaning tosports and recreation. There are, of course, many
whomever you ask, dependent upon theirreasons why people keep coming back to the
personal views, beliefs, values, but mostsame gym for a pick-up game or take out the
importantly — their interests. Recreation tofishing boat weekend after weekend. Some may
you may not mean the same to a Nativebe: the love of the game, the adrenaline rush, the
American living in southeastern Alaska. Hisexcitement, the exercise, the social interaction,
ideology, on the value of spending time, mayetc. My reason for playing what I play, or doing
focus more on family and nature. The culture andwhat I do results from a combination of these
environment in which an individual develops andfactors and more like them.
learns has lasting effects on the life that they willNo matter the reason, the motivation, or the
lead. This includes the recreational activities incause, we all are participants of what we love.
which one participates.We have evolved along with the sports in which
As the country has evolved economically,we’ve come to enjoy; and whether we
technologically, and so on, so too has it evolvedplay to win or play just to play doesn’t
on its view of recreation. Not so long ago theseem to matter. Rules and regulations can control
purpose of hunting, fishing, hiking, canoeing, andyour play on the court (i.e. dunking, spiking) but
skiing held a much different purpose. The way wethey can never control your love of the game
were fed, clothed, moved from place to place,— that is your own.
etc. were all very much a part of everyday life,Yukic, T. (1963). Fundamentals of Recreation. New
not just a way to “unwind.” The accessibilityYork, NY: Harper and Row.
of food, clothing, transportation and the like areYukic, T. (1963). Fundamentals of Recreation. New
no longer the responsibility of the individual hunter,York, NY: Harper and Row.
trapper, or fisherman. These activities have takenBayless, K., Mull, R., & Ross, M. (1983). Recreational
on a new label in our society — sports. TheSports Programming.