Olympics a time to discover offbeat sports

A lot of people like the Olympics because it showcases the
best athletes in the world competing at the highest level.
Others like them because it brings the world together for
two weeks every few years. I like the Olympics for all the
different sports I discover.

Don’t get me wrong. I think bringing the world together
and watching the best at their best are great reasons to
watch, but I also like being exposed to a bunch of sports
I’ve never seen before.

Most of us grew up playing basketball or tennis or running
track. We’ve played volleyball and have been swimming,
but be
honest, how many of us took up fencing or competitive
canoeing or judo?

Take judo. Oak Harbor’s Marti Malloy won Bronze on
Monday and Tacoma’s Travis Stevens is in the medal round
Tuesday morning.

But have you ever watched judo? It’s ten minutes of two
people grappling and looking for leverage with an
occasional
leg sweep looking for the “ippon.” That’s what it’s
called when you throw your opponent onto his or her back.

That’s what I love about the Olympics. Watching new
sports and getting into their nuances and trying to
appreciate the moves and the skills, and you get to learn
from watching the best in the world.

Have you ever sat down and watched fencing? My college
roommate was a nationally ranked fencer and I still don’t
understand the rules. Three different weapons all with
different rules scoring only with the point of the sword
on one. Anything goes in the other. If you’ve never
seen fencing, watch it.

I watched a little water polo on Monday for the first
time. It’s brutal. Treading water for that long and if
you have the ball, you just get punished. I never realized
why they have pads over their ears. Now I know.

My advice to you is to go online and watch the sports that
won’t make the NBC highlight reel at night. Expose
yourself to competitive canoeing and sailing. Watch
rhythmic gymnastics and archery. You’ll be glad you did.