Eton offers a wide range of sporting activities it classifies as 'minor sports' not because they are less important, but because they involve fewer boys. They include: aikido, archery, badminton, basketball, beagling, canoeing, chess, clay-pigeon shooting, croquet, cross-country, eventing, fencing, fives, golf, gymnastics, judo, karate, lacrosse, mountaineering, polo, rackets, sailing, sevens, shooting, squash, sub-aqua, swimming, table tennis, tai chi, volleyball, water-polo, windsurfing, and the Wall Game (illustrated).
Not all minor sports are available every half (polo is played only in the Summer, for instance), and not all are available to everyone (only about 40 boys get the chance to play the Wall Game in F block, for instance, although every boy who wishes can play in E).
In most cases, there is some sort of ‘club’ that a boy can join, where he can receive some coaching and may find himself selected to represent the school. These clubs generally operate in free time before supper, and they usually provide equipment, at least for beginners.
In many cases a boy can use the facilities whenever he happens to be free .