Metals in Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Metals in Sports - Essay Example Metals have gained one of the most diverse applications in sports today. Their qualities make them useful in the process of creating a range of sporting equipment. For instance, metals are used to make goals. Most goal frames are metallic in nature and the reason behind this is that metals possess a high density thus giving them the ability to resist movements, pushes and shoves during the goal hitting process. Metallic goals are common in games such as hockey, soccer, rugby, handball and many more. (Review Centre, 2008) These days, metals are being used to make bats, sticks and clubs. Bats are largely associated with games such as baseball. The latter category is a recent introduction to the game and it has generated a lot of heated debate about the limits and applicability of metals in sports. This is largely because bats are subjected to a lot of movement and are likely to make frequent contact with the respective players. The controversies behind the use of metallic bats shall be examined in subsequent portions of the essay. Certain clubs may be made (in part) of metals. However, most of the time, these clubs are composite items that require the good properties in metal to work hand in hand with other materials. Clubs are usually linked to the game of golf. In close relation to the latter use is the use of sticks in games such as hockey. ... In basketball, the rim that holds a net is metallic in nature. This is necessary so as to provide a strong material that can be used as a support for the heavy players making their pointers. In tennis and badminton, metals are also used as frames to support nets. This is largely because metals are easy to form and can therefore provide a firm shape against which players can play the game. The same qualities can be used to explain why metals are used in volleyball and fishing too. Tackle and rods are also made up of this material known as metal. This is because fishing entails the capture of heavy materials that may only be possible through the utilization of a firm and strong support that can withstand the weight of some of these heavy fish. Metals are particularly useful in the creation of protective sports equipment. Usually, these protective gears may be for the facial area, thighs, shins and many others. Examples of equipment that may be made up of these metals include Cup Thigh pads Shin pads Helmets Mouth guards Interestingly enough, metal can also be found in footwear. This is especially the case in sports that require contact with ice or water. In the process of making boards for surfing, it is common to find this material especially in equipments such as boards for snowboarding and skate boarding equipment. Because the latter materials require a certain level of smoothness and strength that is difficult to achieve with other materials, then the better option to choose in this regard is a metal. Gometals.com (2008) Metals are also particularly useful in sporting events that involve the use of skates. In ice skating and roller skating, metals are used to create the wheels or the skates that are essential for movement