[Discussion] Is speedcubing a sport?

[crafto22]

Is cubing a sport? Two major definitions of the word exist
"an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment"
and or
"an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc."
Depending on the definition, other things like poker or pool could be sports?
This is all being asked because I have a meeting with other members of my school's Cubing Club with the District Athletic Administration, and we need a good argument to present. Could anyone help? If this can happen, the Cubing Club (of 12) will become a Cubing Team
Wouldn't this help expand the community too, due to it offering a Sport (P.E, athletic etc.) credit, giving drive for other kids to learn and go out for a team. This may in the end help the kids that aren't as well rounded and lack in athletics.
Don't forget, the brain is a muscle too!

A very short answer for this one: no.

Don't call yourself a cubing athlete, because non-cubers will kill you.

 

[obelisk477]

My best definition, personally, for what a sport is:

Two simultaneously opposing (playing together at the same time) teams/persons that have the ability to affect the other teams/persons ability to score in whatever metric the 'sport' in question is scored in.

So no, cubing is not a sport according to that definition. But that's my definition

 

[SpeedSkewber]

My best definition, personally, for what a sport is:

Two simultaneously opposing (playing together at the same time) teams/persons that have the ability to affect the other teams/persons ability to score in whatever metric the 'sport' in question is scored in.

So no, cubing is not a sport according to that definition. But that's my definition

By this, golf, swimming and bowling wouldn't be a sport either?

 

[WACWCA]

By this, golf, swimming and bowling wouldn't be a sport either?

I was thinking the same thing, by his definition running isnt even a sport

 

[NewCuber000]

Sorry but it really isnt a sport, and it really shouldnt count as an athletic credit XD.
Although, one thing about cubing is if your group participates in compeitions then it is competitive... so you could sort of consider it a team. Is there any other benefits to it being considered a sport besides the P.E credit?

 

[SpeedSkewber]

Sorry but it really isnt a sport, and it really shouldnt count as an athletic credit XD.
Although, one thing about cubing is if your group participates in compeitions then it is competitive... so you could sort of consider it a team. Is there any other benefits to it being considered a sport besides the P.E credit?

Not many other benefits, it may grab college attention, but only due to it being so unique. It is unlikely scholarships could come from it.

 

[CubesOfTheWorld]

I always look at questions like this (e.g. Is League of Legends a sport?) the same way. I don't apply any definition of a sport, so I don't squish or stretch any existing definition to its bounds to include something that I may take as seriously as a sport. Although it seems childish and lazy to forgo any definitions, I don't think that there should be much though put into deciding whether something is a sport. In my own very subjective opinion, speedcubing (and League of Legends, as in my example) is not a sport. It just does not seem similar enough to tradition sports in my mind to be considered a sport. However, this does not mean that it should be demeaned for not having the status as a "sport."
So rather than using the word "sport" to uplift cubing, I'd prefer that people understand cubing as a regular hobby and be open-minded to how seriously some people may take it, because it's satisfying and fun.

 

[SpeedSkewber]

I always look at questions like this (e.g. Is League of Legends a sport?) the same way. I don't apply any definition of a sport, so I don't squish or stretch any existing definition to its bounds to include something that I may take as seriously as a sport. Although it seems childish and lazy to forgo any definitions, I don't think that there should be much though put into deciding whether something is a sport. In my own very subjective opinion, speedcubing (and League of Legends, as in my example) is not a sport. It just does not seem similar enough to tradition sports in my mind to be considered a sport. However, this does not mean that it should be demeaned for not having the status as a "sport."
So rather than using the word "sport" to uplift cubing, I'd prefer that people understand cubing as a regular hobby and be open-minded to how seriously some people may take it, because it's satisfying and fun.

This was exactly what I was looking for, someone who made a real argument back to me
(Just trying to keep this going) You said "It just does not seem similar enough to tradition sports in my mind" poker was added to the Olympics on 2012 if I'm not mistaken, so do you thing the cubing community would just have to wait a while before more hobbies start to be seen as sports before we try to push cubing through as one?

 

[Seanliu]

In my definition, a sport is something that can be competitive. Memory Sports, Basketball, throwing the piece of paper into the bin over there... They can all be defined as a sport. However, I think we should see what the Oxford Dictionary has to say:

An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment:
team sports such as soccer and rugby
[MASS NOUN]: I used to play a lot of sport
(as modifier sports) a sports centre

As you can see, speed cubing is a sport. First of all, SpeedCubing requires physical exertion (to turn the cube, though this can be debatable), and skill, which isn't debatable. In competitions, individuals (or teams in TeamBLD) compete against one another, for entertainment.

This is probably a valid argument, though feel free to correct me.

 

[joshsailscga]

Wasn't there a thread very similar to this recently?

Cubing is a mind sport, like chess. Those who are saying cubing requires physical exertion, so does reading because you have to hold the book. However, your brain is incredibly active during cubing practice.

Obelisk477, your definition is for a game. Physical 'sports' are composed of two categories, competitions and games. The difference is whether or not other people can interfere with you. E.g., a track meet is a competition, not a game, but basketball is a game.

 

[biscuit]

I was thinking the same thing, by his definition running isnt even a sport

Well actually running would be a sport under that definition. You can seriously affect the other runners (especially in cross country) based on how you run your race, and the better you score, the worse they score (and I don't mean relatively, if you get a higher position, they score less.)

And no. Cubing is not a sport. Look at my previous posts on this thread for my arguments. I've made all of them 3 or 4 times.

 

[CubesOfTheWorld]

This was exactly what I was looking for, someone who made a real argument back to me
(Just trying to keep this going) You said "It just does not seem similar enough to tradition sports in my mind" poker was added to the Olympics on 2012 if I'm not mistaken, so do you thing the cubing community would just have to wait a while before more hobbies start to be seen as sports before we try to push cubing through as one?

Yeah, I think that cubing could be considered a sport if comparable activities are also considered as such. As Bobby Fischer said about chess, it's "a sport for the mind," and I would distinguish chess and cubing from the realm of tradition sports. If the International Olympic Committee decides to assume many of these activities into the Olympics, then I will probably accept their authority. However, I just don't think that very many of these "sports for the mind" will become official Olympic sports.

 

[TommyGo]

There are many sports about mental capability, such as Chess, Go and E-sports. I think Cubing could also be a sport.
Cubing contains many events, and each of them tests different abilities.
e.g. speed solving tests reaction, coordination between brain and fingers, long-term memory, fast observation and etc. (like E-sports)
Fewest moves tests spatial imagination and logical reasoning. (even much harder than Chess)
Blindfolded tests short-term memory and spatial imagination.
There are even more events than any other sports. In fact, I think Cubing is much a sport more than a game. How do you think?

 

[uyneb2000]

I think it's down to judgment, I can see arguments on why it should and shouldn't be a sport, and I think it's one of those that would definitely fall in some gray matter. Personally, I don't really see it as a sport, but it is definitely competitive. Of course, I respect if others think it's a sport, as I totally get why people would think so

 

[shadowslice e]

Cubing is a sport. Just not a sport.

 

[Loiloiloi]

If speedstacking is considered a sport (which many consider it to be) then speedcubing is definitely a sport

 

[allanboss131]

Speedcubing does not require physical exertion at all. It is not a sport.

 

[GenTheSnail]

I'm not going to argue, I just found something that Jason Baum said awhile ago in this thread.

Well, I think there are different kinds of sports. There are athletic sports (hockey, football, etc), mental sports (any type of memory sport), musical sports (DCI) and other kinds. The common factor in all of these is that they involve competition. Anything that is competitive can be a sport. Now, we are not athletes just because we cube competitively. But just because we're not athletes doesn't mean that what we do isn't a sport. There is a difference between sports and athletics.

This is just my opinion of course. When most people here the word sport they think hockey, baseball, basketball, football, soccer (the REAL football). I just think that the word sport is not limited to athletics.

 

[biscuit]

Cubing is a competitive activity. A sport is a competitive activity that takes "physical exertion and skill". Cubing take skill yes, but is not physically demanding. Definition according to google.

"an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment."

To people talking about Chess, Go or whatever else, just because some people consider it a sport does NOT make it a sport. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Doing to much cubing and not enough physical exercise (which I'm definitely guilty of) is a problem. But so is the reverse! (Substitute Cubing with any sort of mental stimulation). You need both, but they aren't the same.

 

[Chree]

If I can borrow a term that I heard in this talk by Steven Pinker, I think "sports" can qualify as a "fuzzy category", or Family Resemblance category. Much in the same way any single definition of the word "game" will exclude many of the individual examples of games we can think of, a broader set of definitions is needed to capture everything.

Beginning of discussion of classical categories
Introduction of Family Resemblance categories
The whole talk is really interesting, recommended.

Some people here have picked out some examples of activities that are commonly accepted as sports that don't fit a definition including any reference to physical exertion. That's the key point that shows that we should consider a broader definition of "sport", and one that I think speedcubing can fall into. Like cup stacking, darts, bowling, golf, poker, e-sports (I mean, why even put the world "sports" in the name if it isn't a sport); skill is definitely required to be competitive, but breaking a sweat is not. But I'm not about to walk up to the World Champion of Darts and say "what you do is not a sport". Not because I think he can beat me up, but because I believe that darts IS a sport based my acceptance of the category "sport" as a fuzzy one.

Personally, I'd be willing to accept that most organized, competitive games/activities can qualify as a sport. We call the game of basketball a sport, but maybe we'd hesitate to call "dunking a basketball" a sport. However, as soon as people start a side competition to see who's the best dunker, they're created a whole new sport that requires far less physical exertion.

On that note, can we get REALLY pedantic and start arguing the definition of physical exertion? DISCUSS.