Petition To Gaisf?

February 12, 2004

I dont know if anyone of you guys have heard about GAISF. its the ruling body in sports. how many of you guys would be interested to send a petition to them asking for geocaching to be accepted as a sport (it makes it more official, you know?). found this nifty website, petitiononline.com, it hosts free online petitions.

Anyone interested?

3.1k · February 12, 2004

.You think it's a sport? Do we have winners? I guess it's as much of a sport as backpacking. Doesn't feel like a sport to me.

Sports take work, I'd have to give this up if it became a sport.

7.2k · February 12, 2004

You'll get too many people arguing it's not a sport.

February 12, 2004

quote from geocaching.com: "the SPORT where you are the search engine"

oh yeah GAISF's website is agfisonline.com

February 12, 2004

if you dont think its a sport, this topic is not for you.

6.4k · February 12, 2004

Maybe you should find a few caches first and see if it's a sport or a game?

Edited February 12, 2004 by Mopar

2.3k · February 12, 2004

if you dont think its a sport, this topic is not for you.

Correction: A person not agreeing with you has every right to comment here as long as it is civil.

3.1k · February 12, 2004

OK secretly I think it's a sport. In fact I'm in training for the Olympics.

My best sport is team caching.

1.8k · February 12, 2004

I don't see it so much of a sport as it is an outdoor activity. As with anything, I'm sure people could find a way to make it directly competitive (not talking stats here, I mean like an event where you race other teams to find caches) but at its most basic level, I can't see it being classified as such.

1.1k · February 12, 2004

.You think it's a sport? Do we have winners? I guess it's as much of a sport as backpacking. Doesn't feel like a sport to me.

Sports take work, I'd have to give this up if it became a sport.

Yes we have winners...everytime we find a cache we are a winner!

Competiton? Yes, there seems to be with people trying to be FTF.

Isn't walking an Olympic event? Isn't auto racing a sport? Well we drive and then walk to a cache, so why not.

I look at geocaching as a sport/activity/game/hobby all in one.

2.3k · February 12, 2004

Naaaa.... I don't want to lose my amateur status.

Although I already cache with a Magellan hat sometimes, so I may as well accept a sponsorship from them...

Hey Magellan!! How does 1 million a year sound, maybe I can get an incentive bonus to up it to 2 million a year if I score 200 finds quickly.

3.1k · February 12, 2004

Yes we have winners...everytime we find a cache we are a winner!

Competiton? Yes, there seems to be with people trying to be FTF.

Isn't walking an Olympic event? Isn't auto racing a sport? Well we drive and then walk to a cache, so why not.

I look at geocaching as a sport/activity/game/hobby all in one.

I totally agree with you. In fact, as in any other sport, the top athletes are in training. I've started a training program of my own even.

I'm thinking about entering the manually entered coordinates competition this coming weekend. You have to manually enter 10 different waypoints in the shortest amount of time. In the expert class you end up driving your 4X4 or SUV to each waypoint. I'm not ready for that event yet, maybe next year.

Actually I feel both the walking events and auto racing events require a great deal of training and fitness. It's ok though, if calling this a sport makes people happy I'm cool with it.

7.2k · February 12, 2004

Certainly can make a sport similar to geocaching. There is Orienteering, but hiking and using a compass and/or sightseeing is not orienteering.

While there certainly could be something that is made into a sport that uses GPSes and finding stuff in the woods, but it certainly isn't geocaching in the form it is now.

7.2k · February 12, 2004

I wouldn't call "driving" a sport. For one, IMHO, most people aren't even "driving." The best they can manage is aiming the vehicle and not running things over very often.

February 12, 2004

It's a game.

I equate Geocaching to solitaire. I enjoy caching with others but I don't feel that I'm competing against anyone. I play for my own pleasure.

Who's keeping score? Who cares?

Happy caching and stuff!

3.1k · February 12, 2004

Who's keeping score? Who cares?

There ya go

9.1k · February 12, 2004

I am happier when I get to do it every day... several times a day, if possible.

I definitely use a handheld device.

I try to keep my activity discreet and stay out of the view of others.

I work up a nice sweat most of the time.

Sometimes it's done very quickly, which is unsatisfying.

Sometimes it takes too long or I give up trying, which is unsatisfying.

I hear it's way more satisfying when done with a partner instead of alone.

But my mama said I'd go blind, and anything that makes me go blind shouldn't be sanctioned as a sport.

38.2k · February 12, 2004

From Merriam-Webster

Main Entry: sport

Function: noun

1 a : a source of diversion : RECREATION b (1) : physical activity engaged in for pleasure.

From Encarta:

Sport (Noun)

2. An active pastime participated in for pleasure or exercise

From the American Heritage dictionary:

Sport

3. An active pastime; recreation.

From the Infoplease dictionary:

Sport

3. diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime.

Geocaching sure sounds like a sport to me!

Edited February 12, 2004 by briansnat

7.2k · February 12, 2004

Hey, whatever. You want to call it a sport, have at it.

Fat chance any serious body will recognize it as one in it's present form.

3.1k · February 12, 2004

Brian going to the movies would qualify under most of those definitions :unsure:

I'm off to do a workout and watch Miracle at the same time

February 12, 2004

:unsure:

I think the Olympics are more interested in "Atheletic Sports," not "hobbies."

For that reason you won't find "Internet Browsing," "Fishing," "Beekeeping," "Motorcycle Maintanence," or other hobbies/pass-times at the Olympics. Each of these activities clearly meets the dictionary definitions quoted here...

-Bob

February 12, 2004

Brian going to the movies would qualify under most of those definitions

I'm off to do a workout and watch Miracle at the same time

:unsure:

Hehehe!

38.2k · February 12, 2004

I think the Olympics are more interested in "Atheletic Sports," not "hobbies."

Explain curling then :unsure:

For that reason you won't find "Internet Browsing," "Fishing," "Beekeeping," "Motorcycle Maintanence," or other hobbies/pass-times at the Olympics. Each of these activities clearly meets the dictionary definitions quoted here...

I think most of the definitions imply a level of physical activity beyound beekeeping and going to the movies. Actually fishing is considered a sport by many. it's on the sports page of my newspaper and I buy my equipment at the sporting goods store.

9.1k · February 12, 2004

Let's put BrianSnat in a room with 10,000 angry hornets and see if he changes his mind about beekeeping being a "sport."

February 12, 2004

I buy my GPS at the SPORTING GOOD SSECTION and not the electronics section. RADMAN has spoken and therefor shall be known as a sport. All those who say otherwise will be thrown in Radman's dungeon for life! Also don't make fun of RADMAN because I cry easily.

24.7k · February 12, 2004

It's a sport. Just because stats thus far are not santioned or verfied blah blah blah changes nothing.

I don't ride my mountain bike competitivly but that's a sport. I don't drive my 4x4 up nasty rocks but that's a sport.

I say go for it. It wouldn't change much at first but down the road who knows there might actually be some benifit.

February 12, 2004

I wouldn't call "driving" a sport. For one, IMHO, most people aren't even "driving." The best they can manage is aiming the vehicle and not running things over very often.

Would love to see you at Daytona Sunday!

Nah, on second thought....

:unsure:

February 12, 2004

i cache for the fun of it and the time with my kids and wife. :unsure:

February 12, 2004

I consider it a form of outdoor recreation, just like swimming at the pool, sandpit volleyball, discgolf, etc....

7.2k · February 12, 2004

Would love to see you at Daytona Sunday!

Nah, on second thought....

I didn't do "Daytona" when I lived there. Daytona on the big race weekends are a madhouse. Most locals stay home, or at least stay away from ISB. I did the 24 Hours and the bike races when I could, but NASCAR is too much. I'd rather watch it on TV. But now I can't because I get homesick. :unsure:

Besides, let's break it down like this. Is what I do when I walk around the block a "sport" just because there is the sport of walking? I think not.

2.6k · February 12, 2004

I'd only hate "official" recognition because then before long you'ld be getting into governing bodies, leagues, arcane rules, participant hierarchies and so on. I just don't see that "official" recognition would do Geocaching any good. I say just keep it a low-key grassroots fun activity that it is. IMHO, Football, hockey, baseball, etc. all started going downhill when they atrted being "sports' and stopeed being "games". Subtle and sentimental difference, but my $.02.

H

1.6k · February 12, 2004

Okay, I know everyone was busy debating wether geocaching is a sport or not, but something popped into my head...

If this thing is THE ruling body in international sports, than why the hell haven't I (an avid sportsman of ALL types) ever heard of them?

1.6k · February 12, 2004

A year or so ago we discussed whether this was a sport or a hobby. The thing about calling it a hobby is that a lot of people feel that it demeans geocaching to call it such (don't know why). I define sports as games in which teams or individuals compete with a score defined by who crossed the line first (track) or points scored in a goal (baskets, goals, touchdowns, runs, getting the other player to miss the return, etc.) These are games in which there is a tangible win or lose situation.

Geocaching is more like figure skating in which a player can have more caches, but doesn't necessarily win (especially if the russian judges have anything to do with it...) If a player in an area of the country that has few caches only has 50 caches found, this may be just as or more impressive than a cacher with a 100 finds in a cache rich area. This is like the skater that does some great jump, but loses to some other skater that does a lesser jump, but at a more difficult part of the program.

Not a sport in my opinion.

38.2k · February 12, 2004

I define sports as games in which teams or individuals compete with a score defined by who crossed the line first (track) or points scored in a goal (baskets, goals, touchdowns, runs, getting the other player to miss the return, etc.) These are games in which there is a tangible win or lose situation.

You define it that way, but the dictionary doesn't :unsure:

February 12, 2004

By the way, if GeoCaching gets so popular that it's a "real" sport, I don't want anything to do with it.

By "real" sport I mean:

* it's on t.v.

* children are institutionally trained at a young age for competition

* it's sponsored by Pepsi (Coors, General Motors, whatever)

* you have to wear a color-coordinated costume to play

* there's gambling odds

* it's featured in a television "Disease of the Week" movie

* there are Geocaching celebrities

* it's in the Olympics

:unsure:

-Bob

1.6k · February 12, 2004

Okay, I know everyone was busy debating wether geocaching is a sport or not, but something popped into my head...

If this thing is THE ruling body in international sports, than why the hell haven't I (an avid sportsman of ALL types) ever heard of them?

Once again, am I the only person who's never heard of this organization?

February 13, 2004

I've never heard of it either.

-Bob

4.7k · February 13, 2004

for cryin' out loud, BALLROOM DANCING is considered a sport!

backpacking is definitely a sport, so why not geocaching? it doesn't have to be a stupid team sport to be a sport. and it doesn't have to have a regulating body.

football is a sport, and it's ALSO a game. bridge is not a sport, but it is played competitivey under a sanctioning body. chess, for some reason, is considered by some to be a sport.

i find geocaching to be physically demanding enough, and i have my credentials in order.

February 13, 2004

Sport, hobby, game, whatever. Let's get back to the original question: Do we want it to be recognized by that GAISF group?

NO, NO, NO!!!!!

Recognition by any organization like that usually means that there have to be set rules and regulations. Let's keep geocaching casual, with people free to interpret the guidelines in a way that makes them happy.

RichardMoore

1.8k · February 13, 2004

Yeah....that's all we need is judges with numbers 1 through 10 grading us on our prowess at approaching the cache, what we traded, did we damage the environment, etc. :unsure:

JayBee

Edited February 13, 2004 by jbhooker3

February 13, 2004

What shade of grey are we in today??

I view it as an activity. When does an activity become a sport? I don't give two hoots either way. All I know is it gets me off the couch and out of the house with or without my kids in tow.

my .02 ( canadian)

3.1k · February 13, 2004

Explain curling then

Curling requires a great deal of practice. They don't just pick up some janitors and expect them to work out just fine. Champion curlers spend a lot of time in the gym.

It's ok to call it a sport but I doubt many people would define it that way. Many would disagree with your dictionary defintion too as like I said earlier, going to the movies qualifies.

February 13, 2004

I think the Olympics are more interested in "Atheletic Sports," not "hobbies."

For that reason you won't find "Internet Browsing," "Fishing," "Beekeeping," "Motorcycle Maintanence," or other hobbies/pass-times at the Olympics. Each of these activities clearly meets the dictionary definitions quoted here...

-Bob

Fishing is a sport. Fighting a White Marlin, Tuna, or a Shark for a couple hours, 40 miles out in the middle of the ocean is one hell of a task.

Anyway.

I think geoaching is a sport. Could it be internationally recognized as a sport? maybe. Alot of people don't seem to think so, but geocaching as presented on this website as a sport, is young. Many games/sports/hobbies its being compared with have been around for decades or even longer. You never know what could happen over time.

7.2k · February 13, 2004

My wife keeps nagging me about my lack of involvement in sports seeings how I stopped walking around the block.

Petition To Gaisf?

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