If you’re new to a sport, there is nothing more exciting than the journey of discovery you experience when you want to learn more about it. Similarly, if you have been a fan of a sport for a while, but you want to show off some extra background knowledge to your friends at the bar, there’s always more you can learn.
However, one of the difficulties in learning anything new is knowing where to begin. This is especially true in modern times, when we are bombarded with new information every second of the day.
The good news is, thanks to the internet, there has never been so many learning resources at your disposal, so as soon as you decide on an aspect of a sport you want to know more about, you can quickly get up to speed.
Here’s how you can learn more about a sport:
You can learn about sporting history through gaming
Arguably the easiest method for learning anything new – particularly in sports – is to experience it for yourself. This is especially true for its history, which can feel dry and distant if you are new to the sport. Books can tell you all the information, but until you watch history with your own eyes, you can’t relate or hope to understand it.
This is why sports games can be so useful. They are chock full of history, allowing you to play as famous athletes from the past or wear iconic team kit.
For instance, if you’re looking to develop your understanding of baseball, you could use a baseball manager game to pick from a variety of historic players and test them out against each other. You will quickly learn what their real-life strengths and weaknesses are, giving you a more nuanced understanding of the sport.
You can take this a step further by studying individual players. If you want to learn Ted Williams stats, for example, you can read up on his career via a simulator website.
Competing helps you to learn more about the sport
Another technique you can use to improve your understanding of a sport is to play it regularly.
This might sound obvious, but nothing quite beats the experience of learning the very techniques used by your sporting heroes. You might not approach their level of ability, but going through the motions allows you to internalize detailed sporting rules, understand subtle techniques and better appreciate the incredible abilities of star athletes.
If this is not possible, you could always get involved with events as a manager, coach, or organizer. Simply by being involved in a sport – even among amateurs – can transform your overall knowledge of it.
You can meet fellow fans on sports games
A further method you could use to understand a sport better is to get involved with online gaming communities that play games involving your sport.
Most major sports now have affiliated games, and are beginning to become actively involved with linking the sporting brand itself with its eSport alternative. You can learn a lot by joining these communities because the players are often highly knowledgeable and can help you to learn more about the sports history, its rules system, and different athletes who you might not have heard of.