When those outside of Canada think about this country in relation to sports the first thing that comes to mind for many is hockey. It is true it is a top sport but there are many others that Canada is heavily involved in. Usually for those wanting to know more about Canadian Sports they are interested in the top five. Being as sports are played year-round the favorites can be broken down even further into winter and summer sports. For the winter category, these five are the most popular.
Ice Hockey
Montreal takes much of the credit for making ice hockey such an important sport in Canada. This is because the first time this game was played indoors took place in March 1875 in Montreal. The game is enjoyed here both on a professional level as well as readily available for amateurs. Then even without becoming involved in a league, there are thousands of people who enjoy friendly games of games of hockey on local outdoor community rinks. Although predominantly considered a man’s sport this is no longer the case. There are many proud females playing hockey on all different levels in Canada.
Curling
Curling is a big deal in Canada and is enjoyed by hundreds of leagues. It is overseen by the Canadian Curling Association which was formed in 1990. The game is played on a national level as well as there are tons of house leagues to be found in almost every city and town throughout the country.
Downhill skiing
There are many different forms of skiing that take place in Canada. On a professional level, it is the Alpine Skiing that draws the attention for the country. When it comes to pleasure skiing Canada is most fortunate to have some beautiful ski country. This is one of the sports that many of the schools across the country encourage students to participate in.
Snowboarding
Snowboarding not only attracts both genders and spans a good age group it is also a Paralympic sport that Canada is proud to promote. This sport has evolved from other sports that not only make use of snow like sledding but some summer sports like skateboarding.
Ice Fishing
There are a lot of avid fishermen and women in Canada. Many enjoy this sport all year round. When participating in it during the winter months it is called ice fishing. This is because a hole must be cut in the ice in a body of water that has a reputation for being home to different species of fish. The ice fishing process usually takes place in fish huts that have been placed on a variety of frozen lakes throughout different provinces. These are heated so they are quite comfortable and offer great protection