Log Rolling: Is It a Sport?
YES
Sam Mercuri
01/28/13
Soc 2330
Log Rolling: Is It A Sport? People have been competing in the activity of log rolling since the late 1800’s. Over the years, log rolling has developed into a unique pastime that honors its history as thousands of log rollers compete in competitions all across the United States and Canada. Log rolling has really grown in popularity in the recent years, and the United States Log Rolling Association is now petitioning for log rolling to be recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a sport. As a member of the IOC, it is my duty to review the activity of log rolling and determine if it meets the four points of criteria that define what qualifies as a sport. Log rolling is an activity where two competitors balance themselves on a log floating in the water and begin rolling the log with their feet. The goal is to outlast your opponent and roll the log in a way that gets them to fall off the log and into the water in a certain time limit. In order to consider log rolling a sport, it must meet four specific criteria that constitute what is considered a sport. These four criteria are: physical activity, competition, officially governed and institutionalized, and internal and external rewards. When determining whether or not log rolling is considered a sport, the first criterion it must meet is whether or not it contains an element of physical activity. The World Health Organization defines physical activity as, “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure” (WHO.int, 2013). With this definition in mind, I believe that log rolling undoubtedly contains physical activity. In log rolling competitions, competitors must have a very high level of coordination and balance as well as be able to move their feet quickly enough to keep themselves from falling off the rolling log. Elite log rolling competitions sometimes last up to four rounds and exceed ten minutes of competition which includes
Sam Mercuri
01/28/13
Soc 2330
Log Rolling: Is It A Sport? People have been competing in the activity of log rolling since the late 1800’s. Over the years, log rolling has developed into a unique pastime that honors its history as thousands of log rollers compete in competitions all across the United States and Canada. Log rolling has really grown in popularity in the recent years, and the United States Log Rolling Association is now petitioning for log rolling to be recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a sport. As a member of the IOC, it is my duty to review the activity of log rolling and determine if it meets the four points of criteria that define what qualifies as a sport. Log rolling is an activity where two competitors balance themselves on a log floating in the water and begin rolling the log with their feet. The goal is to outlast your opponent and roll the log in a way that gets them to fall off the log and into the water in a certain time limit. In order to consider log rolling a sport, it must meet four specific criteria that constitute what is considered a sport. These four criteria are: physical activity, competition, officially governed and institutionalized, and internal and external rewards. When determining whether or not log rolling is considered a sport, the first criterion it must meet is whether or not it contains an element of physical activity. The World Health Organization defines physical activity as, “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure” (WHO.int, 2013). With this definition in mind, I believe that log rolling undoubtedly contains physical activity. In log rolling competitions, competitors must have a very high level of coordination and balance as well as be able to move their feet quickly enough to keep themselves from falling off the rolling log. Elite log rolling competitions sometimes last up to four rounds and exceed ten minutes of competition which includes