For sure there can be a long debate about which sport is the king of all sports. Judging by popularity, some of the ball games like soccer, American football, basketball have the largest amounts of fans and hobby athletes. But judging by impact on the strength and conditioning required on a large scale in most of sports, track and field is arguably the mother of all sports.
What supports such a statement? Well, for an instance track and field is nothing more and nothing less then a collection of disciplines that puts together all the physical qualities required by the majority of sports, running, jumping, throwing. Still why is it that track athletes can run faster, throw farther or jump longer/higher the athletes from other sports. The answer is simple, this is what you are required to do to win your competition. You have to cover a given distance in the quickest time, you have to jump the longest or the highest possible, or you have to throw an object the farthest possible.
In other sports these qualities are combined with other skills, like dribbling a ball, passing it, jumping to catch, running and catching, jumping/running to kick a moving object, etc. . If you ever tried running 50 meters as fast as you can, and then run the same 50 meters keeping control of a soccer ball, or a handball, most probably you realized that without an additional object you were faster. And if you had equal skills with an opponent in maintaining control over the soccer/handball ball, but you could run faster than them, in a direct confrontation you would defeat them. That’s just a simple example of what track and field can do for you to get better at your own sport.
If in track and field you would have lets say two athletes being able to run, jump, throw equal, but you would increase the maximum and specific strength of one, most probably the stronger athlete will win the direct competition.
Track and field athletes and coaches have been busy for a very long time with finding the most efficient methods of training for improving these basic physical qualities , long before most of the modern sports appearance, that’s why in our days you will see the majority, if not all other sports having a strength and conditioning coach with deep roots in track and field.
This is not a subjective debate based on each ones sympathy, it is a very objective remark and a reflection of reality, and I consider that track and field can help every athlete become better, of course in addition to being the best at the skills required by their given sport.
I hope i could give you an insight in this topic, if you have any further questions just get in touch with me.
Best regards,
Stefan
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