The most difficult sports to play

[BuckWrestler141]

ESPN.com: Page 2 - Sport Skills Difficulty Rankings


01 Boxing
02 Ice Hockey
03 Football
04 Basketball
05 Wrestling
06 Martial Arts
07 Tennis
08 Gymnastics
09 Baseball/Softball
10 Soccer
11 Skiing: Alpine
11 Water Polo
13 Rugby
14 Lacrosse
15 Rodeo: Steer Wrestling
16 Track and Field: Pole Vault
17 Field Hockey
17 Speed Skating
19 Figure Skating
20 Cycling: Distance
20 Volleyball
22 Racquetball/Squash
23 Surfing
24 Fencing
25 Skiing: Freestyle
26 Team Handball
27 Cycling: Sprints
28 Bobsledding/Luge
29 Ski Jumping
30 Badminton
30 Skiing: Nordic
32 Auto Racing
33 Track and Field: High Jump
34 Track and Field: Long, Triple jumps
35 Diving
36 Swimming (all strokes): Distance
37 Skateboarding
38 Track and Field: Sprints
39 Rowing
40 Rodeo: Calf Roping
40 Track and Field: Distance
42 Rodeo: Bull/Bareback/Bronc Riding
43 Track and Field: Middle Distance
44 Weight-Lifting
45 Swimming (all strokes): Sprints
46 Water Skiing
47 Table Tennis
48 Track and Field: Weights
49 Canoe/Kayak
50 Horse Racing
51 Golf
52 Cheerleading
52 Roller Skating
54 Equestrian
55 Archery
56 Curling
57 Bowling
58 Shooting
59 Billiards
60 Fishing

 

[scooter1369]

lumping baseball and softball together is stupid. They are two different sports entirely.

ESPN knows nothing about sports

37 Skateboarding
38 Track and Field: Sprints
39 Rowing
40 Rodeo: Calf Roping
40 Track and Field: Distance
42 Rodeo: Bull/Bareback/Bronc Riding

Skateboarding is performed stoned half the time. Try that on the back of a 1800 pound Brahma.

 

[Best Buckeye]

I had to wonder about the list makers until I saw it was from ESPN . That explained it all.
They don't even have arena lion/christian games, or Chasm jumping listed D'oh.

 

[bkochmc]

I had to wonder about the list makers until I saw it was from ESPN . That explained it all.
They don't even have arena lion/christian games, or Chasm jumping listed D'oh.

Like this?

 

[afgolfer]

Rugby at 13 seems low too

 

[Big Papa]

Golf at 51, after table tennis? You must be joking. I don't usually hear people complain about their table tennis game. And since when is cheerleading a sport??

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

[SIZE=-1]Quidditch wasn't rated?

they segregated many track events.... but anyone that has ever tried.. hurdles are rough to learn... definitely not equal to traditional 'sprint' event
[/SIZE]

 

[Muck]

06 Martial Arts

---Because practicing Tai Chi & Muay Thai are exactly the same.

 

[NewYorkBuck]

I have to agree on boxing. Ive done it for years - and no other sport takes so much preparation just to begin learning. You need three months of solid training just to be able to spar three rounds. Just on the conditioning side - try to jump rope as fast as you can for three minutes. Then try to work the heavy bag with your stomach tensed for another three minutes. Then work the speed bag for the last three minutes. Most people cant get past the first round. And remember, all of this time, you're not getting hit.....

As far as difficult to learn in regards to subtleness of the skills involved, Id have to say baseball and golf. These are two sports where just being a great athlete is not enough. Look at some of the physiques on the PGA tour. The same could be said for MLB before the steroid rage. There is just very particular skills that you need to pay these sports, and unlike many other sports mentioned, these skill cannot be compensated for by running, jumping, or stamina.

 

[AKAK]

Skateboarding is performed stoned half the time. Try that on the back of a 1800 pound Brahma.

Ummm... that's the only way I'd get on an 1800 pound Brahma.

p.s.- Beer goggles are a totally different thing.

 

[bkochmc]

[SIZE=-1]they segregated many track events.... but anyone that has ever tried.. hurdles are rough to learn... definitely not equal to traditional 'sprint' event
[/SIZE]

Yep... I was a hurdler in high school and college. Definitely need a great combination of technique and speed is needed to run them well. I had the technique down which helped me compete at a fairly high level in high school. Speed... not so much.

I can't believe they have the weights throws and golf below table tennis... both of those sports take more coordination and technique just to participate than tt does.

 

[matz2]

I agree that golf and baseball should be towards the top of the list.

 

[CausticMick]

I don't know any sport that is as unnatural to humans as ice hockey. Anyone that has gone on the annual Christmas family skate can testify. I think it takes several years before you can perform most of the required skating skills (i.e. backwards crossovers, etc.) proficiently. Then throw in stick handling, passing, checking, strategy and shooting? I've played nearly every sport imaginable- can't say any of them would come close to being as difficult.

 

[Mike80]

Wrestling, especially at the college level is harder than Basketball and Football just from a conditioning standpoint.

 

[Brutus1]

Water Polo- tread water or drown.

To me, it takes bigger balls to get on a bull then in a race car. In a car, you can choose the speed. On the bull, he wants you the fuck off as soon as that gate opens.