Sports

Five pin bowling was invented in 1909 by Thomas F. Ryan in Toronto, Ontario, who responded to complaints that 10-pin bowling was too strenuous. Ryan cut five 10-pins down by 75% of their size, used hand-sized rubber balls, and thus invented the original Five Pin Bowling. Five pins are arranged in a “V” shape at the end of a lane with the object to knock them over with a small ball. Each pin is worth different scoring point values depending on their location within the “V”. There are 15 total points in each frame and players get three attempts to knock all five pins down. 

Beach Volleyball

It is noted that beach volleyball or sand volleyball began in Hawaii around 1915. Although the original game was played in Hawaii, most credit Santa Monica in the mid-1920s for the creation of the current beach volleyball competition outline. Beach volleyball grew in popularity due to the ease of access to public beaches and inexpensive equipment. As the recreational game grew, formal competition formed, and the game was played on a global scale. The first introduction to the world was in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics but was officially announced as an Olympic event for the 1996 Olympics.

A beach volleyball court is set up like an indoor court, but in smaller dimensions. Each team has two to four players on the court at a time. Unlike indoor volleyball, players are allowed to play in any position throughout the game. Rally point scoring is used in every set. Traditionally, each match consists of the teams competing for the best of three sets. The first two sets are scored to 21 and if a third set is required, the game is scored to 15.

Bid Euchre

Bid Euchre is a variation on the classic card game. Two standard Euchre decks, nines through to aces are used. Teams of two sit across from each other receiving six cards each. Players will determine from their hand how many “tricks” they think they can win and bid accordingly. Hands are then played out and points are determined based on winning the tricks that was bid on by each team.  

Billiards

Evolving from a yard game similar to croquet sometime in the 15^th century, billiards was moved indoors on to a wooden table with green felt to simulate grass. Many varieties of pocket billiards, or pool, are possible. The most popular version among recreational players is eight ball, in which one player attempts to sink all the striped balls followed by the 8 ball, while the other player attempts to sink all the solid balls and then the 8. The first to do so wins. Nine ball is often played in professional pool tournaments. In this game, the object is to pocket the 9 ball after the cue ball first makes contact with the lowest-numbered ball on the table.

Bocce 

Bocce is the plural of the Italian word “Boccia” which means “bowl”. Bocce is a lawn or yard game that's played with eight weighted balls aimed at a smaller target ball, or pallino. The side that first attempted to place the jack is given the opportunity to bowl first. Once the first bowl has taken place, the other side has the opportunity to bowl. From then on, the side which does not have the ball closest to the jack has a chance to bowl, up until one side or the other has used their four balls. At that point, the other side bowls its remaining balls. The object of the game is for a team to get as many of its balls as possible closer to the pallino than the opposing team. The team with the closest ball to the jack is the only team that can score points in any frame. The scoring team receives one point for each of their balls that is closer to the jack than the closest ball of the other team. 

Carpet Bowling is a variant of Lawn Bowling and allows for a unique game as bowls must be delivered within an 18 inch delivery area whilst not standing on the carpet. It is rare for players to attempt to forcefully remove other bowls from the scoring area, and must rely heavily on the art of quality drawing and less on power and fortune. It is played on a carpet and involves a jack placed at the end of the mat. Players use the same size and weight of bowls. The main aim is to deliver the bowl closer to the jack than your opponent. Scoring is measured by the number of bowls you get closer to the jack than your opponents.

Contract Bridge

Contract Bridge is a trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each other around a table. The game consists of a number of deals, each progressing through four phases. The cards are dealt to the players; then the players bid in an auction seeking to take the contract, specifying how many tricks the partnership receiving the contract (the declaring side) needs to take to receive points for the deal. During the auction, partners use their bids to also exchange information about their hands, including overall strength and distribution of the suits; no other means of conveying or implying any information is permitted. The cards are then played, the declaring side trying to fulfill the contract, and the defenders trying to stop the declaring side from achieving its goal. The deal is scored based on the number of tricks taken, the contract, and various other factors which depend to some extent on the variation of the game being played. 

Cribbage is a distinctive card game where players try to form various counting combinations of cards to gain points on a uniquely designed board. Scoring is achieved during card play and after the “show”. A “crib” or “kitty” is also a scoring opportunity for the dealer. Invented in the 17^th century by English poet John Suckling, the rules somewhat involved where simple enough to make the game a popular pastime. These simple rules allow for endless subtleties during play which accounts for its ongoing appeal. 

Cycling 

In cycling, participants use a bicycle to navigate a predetermined distance either in a time trail race or predictive event. Time trials use a measured course for riders to complete in the fastest time and the winners are determined by completion time. Predictive events are more strategic, making riders “predict” the time it will take them to complete the course and then comparing their actual time. The winners are determined by a differential of who is closest to their predicted time. 

Darts

The game of darts is about 700 years old, first being developed as a military pastime. Players toss darts at a round shaped dart board containing specifically marked scoring areas. Scoring is based on a “rounds” system and players alternate throwing. There are several game methods that can be played from tournament style to informal pub style. 

Euchre 

Euchre has its origin in the 19^th century from an Alsatian game Juckerspiel. “Jucker” meaning jack, reflects the use of the Jacks as the “best bower” or highest trump in the game. This game is based on multiple rounds of individual cards played from competitors’ hands to take that particular round. Winning the trick is decided by the player who played the highest card to win the round. Taking the majority of tricks during a round will determine the points that are awarded based on who has declared trump. 

Golf

The word “golf” evolved from the Dutch word “kolf”, which means “club”. Scottish dialect changed the term to “goff” and only later in the 16^th century to golf. The game of golf officially became a sport in 1744 when the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith formed the first club. In golf, players strike a small ball with various clubs from a series of 18 tee blocks leading along a fairway to a hole, in series on a course. The player who completes all holes in the series with the fewest strokes wins.

Lawn bowling saw its Canadian debut in 1888 on the garrison grounds at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. The sport can be traced back to Ancient Egypt and through Medieval Europe since the 13^th century. It is one of the “Core Sports” of the Commonwealth Games, meaning it must be included in each edition of them. The player’s objective is to roll a biased or weighted ball so that it stops as close as possible to a smaller, target ball named the Jack. Bowls are designed to travel in a curved path which makes the game more finesse based. 

Pickleball is the fastest growing game in North America and originated in the summer of 1965 in Joel Pritchard’s back yard using an old badminton court, ping pong paddles and a wiffle ball. Its popularity is due to the simplicity of the rules and easy nature for beginners. The nature of the racket sport attracts those who have enjoyed tennis, squash, racquetball and badminton but have found those sports to now be too strenuous. According to the Pritchard family, the name “Pickle Ball” was settled on as it reminded them of a “Pickle Boat” where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boat crews. 

The sport of running originated in ancient Greece around 2,700 year ago and the first ever race was recorded as a sprint from one side of the Olympic Games arena to the other. Many different distances and terrain are offered within the sport of running. Predictive running makes the participant “predict” the time it will take them to complete the distance of the course and then comparing their actual time. Winners are determined by a differential of who is closest to their predicted time.  

Shuffleboard

Introduced in 1913 at Dayton Beach, Florida, shuffleboard became very popular with in the retirement communities and the modern game was quickly defined with rules in 1924. Shuffleboard is a game in which players use cues to push weighted discs, sending them gliding down a narrow court, with the purpose of having them come to rest within a marked scoring area. Match play is used to determine the winner of each game.

Slo-pitch is a variety of softball. Softball saw its beginnings in Chicago after a group of Yale and Harvard alumni anxiously awaited the results of the two schools rival 1887 football game. A boxing glove was tied tightly and swung at with a stick to allow for a hybrid baseball game to pass the time. Over many years, softball evolved into offshoots including Slo-Pitch where a pitcher must lob a softball on an arc a minimum of 3 ft. high from their shoulder. This Slo-Pitch style does not allow for the stealing of a base and play can only originate from contact with the bat. 

Swimming

Swimming emerged as a competitive activity in the 1830s after the first indoor pool was opened to the public. Since then, many distinct styles, events, distances and relays have been adopted by the World Swimming Association (FINA). Swimming is noted as one of the healthiest activities that can be done by most individuals. It is low impact and has numerous mental and physical health benefits. Predictive swimming makes the participant “predict” the time it will take them to complete the set number of lengths and then comparing their actual time. Winners are determined by a differential of who is closest to their predicted time.

The word tennis comes from the Anglo-Norman “tenetz” which can be translated into “hold, take or receive” which was a call made by the server to his opponent before serving. This racket sport is played either individually or in doubles. Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over or around a net and into their opponent's court. The object of the game is to manoeuvre the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a valid return. The player who is unable to return the ball validly will not gain a point, while the opposite player will.

Very similar to running, walking is different in that one foot must be in contact with the ground at all times. Because of this, many adaptations of the rules have been made settling on the “heel-to-toe rule” in which a participant’s toe cannot leave the ground until the heel of the next foot is on the ground. Predictive walking, like the other predictive events, makes the participant “predict” the time it will take them to complete the course and then comparing their actual time. Winners are determined by a differential of who is closest to their predicted time.