Since the PVS Blog staff is busy polishing its first assigned posts for 2023-24, we dug into our archives for this one. Last spring, blogger Louisa Richardson valiantly pursued an answer to the question, “Which is the most difficult sport?” I’ve heard the stories of our winning volleyball players sacrificing life, limb, and bruise-free complexions as they dive across the gym floor. Is that the most demanding sport? The Palm Valley community talked to Louisa and had some surprising responses.
Blog Instructor Zachik
A Survey, Conducted by Louisa Richardson
One of the more controversial subjects at my dinner table is the debate over “What is the most difficult sport?” My father thinks it’s tennis. I think it’s hockey. My mom and sister think it’s swimming. There is no consensus. I’m here to change that. I talked to Coach Erenberg, and I DID find out what The Most Difficult Sport is.
Coach says that the hardest mental and physical sport is hockey because it is like any other sport, but on skates. My aunt has a different hypothesis; she thinks that dance is the hardest. As a dancer myself I have always thought that ballet was the hardest mental sport simply because of the mental abuse it puts you through. It seems like everyone has a different opinion, so maybe the best way to decide is a vote.
Dr. Sherman and Mr. Satterfield agree the hardest sport is ultramarathon running because it goes on for so long that you have the constant opportunity to fail.
Ms. Schapiro states, “Rock climbing [is most difficult] because it requires mental and physical acuity (also I’m scared of heights).”
Upper Schooler Cindy Wang says the most challenging sport is “Horseback riding because you have no control over the horse, and often at competitions they have you ride a different horse than you are used to.”
Ms. Bartosik says the most difficult sport is “Boxing because it can have a lot of bad injuries that can result in a lot of recovery time, so you have to be in good shape.” She adds, “I have a lot of respect for boxers.”
Ms. Greer, Lead Administrative Assistant, presumes that horse polo is the hardest sport because of the trust you need to put in your horse.
Mr. Killeen thinks that water polo is the hardest sport because it “gets really physical and is also underappreciated.”
Students Lorelei Behr and Scarlett Barrett believe that the hardest sport is football because of the brain trauma and general aggressiveness the sport contains.
Finally, Middle Schooler Hunter Harrington says of sports, “All of them [are difficult] ‘cause no one ever lets me play…”
Not including myself, we have two votes for football, several for boxing, two votes for ultramarathon running, and a bunch of other sports. You’re probably thinking that it would be a three-way tie, but a special guest states that The Most Difficult Sport . . . is boxing. Who’s that special guest, you ask? It is Google. When you ask Google: What is the most difficult sport? It answers . . . boxing (ESPN). Boxing is the hardest sport. You will be happy to know that most of the other sports mentioned are also up there on the difficulty scale, but boxing has won overall.
Although I might have not agreed with this opinion before, Ms. Bartosik offered a pretty convincing argument with the threat of serious injury. Thus, the consensus is . . . Boxing is the hardest sport.
Leave a Reply