The 2016 Summer Olympics are set to start next week, and then run for another two weeks. There are many intriguing stories leading up to the games, such as concerns about zika, athletes dropping out of the games because of zika, the cleanliness of the venues, if all of the structures will be finished, the living conditions for the athletes, and much more. However, I am sure everything will be resolved by the time the games do start, as there are always concerns leading up to the event. Swimming and diving, gymnastics, soccer, the 100-meter dash, and basketball always seem to be the big draws of the games, although I can’t figure out the appeal of watching our basketball team cruise to its one millionth straight gold medal beating its' opponents by 40+ points. All of these events, except for basketball, are usually very competitive and exciting, but they are not the only ones. Here is a list of off-beat sports that deserve your attention during the summer Olympics:

Golf

This year marks only the third time ever that golf will be included in the Olympics. The previous two times were during the 1900 Paris games and the 1904 St. Louis games. Many people rejoiced the return of golf to the Olympics, and it will surely have the feel of a major. However, it will be interesting as to how the event plays out, considering some of the top golfers in the world have dropped out due to concerns about the Zika virus. This means there will be no Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, or Rory McIlroy competing. There are still great golfers that will be there; such as Martin Kaymer, Sergio Garcia, Danny Willlet, Henrik Stenson, Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler, and Bubba Watson. Despite the big names dropping out, this deserves your attention because there are still world class golfers competing in an event never seen during this lifetime.

Cycling BMX

Rio marks the third games that will have BMX in it. The competition consists of BMX bikers racing on a track that includes, banked turns, jumps, and rhythm sections (part with many rollers in a row). The races are very short and intense, putting 8 racers on the track at the time. If you like extreme sports at all, this is definitely something to look out for.

Badminton

Everyone has played badminton in high school gym class, and certainly was one of the best gym units. I know we all think we were great badminton players back in gym, maybe even Olympic caliber for some of us, but watching just one match of Olympic badminton will show you just how bad you are. There are actually five badminton events, both singles and doubles for men and women, as well as mixed doubles. There are bound to be some crazy rallies during the games, and watching this is a great way to burn through your time throughout the day.

Trampoline

Until just now, I thought jumping on a trampoline was something reserved for suburban backyards. However, it appears to be an Olympic sport. A quick look at it on YouTube reveals that it’s absolutely amazing. The athletes whip off some crazy flips you didn’t even know was possible. Trampoline is also good for people with short attention spans because each person only does a routine of about 10 sequential jumps.

Handball

All of the previously mentioned sports are great and entertaining, but handball certainly takes the cake. Handball pits two teams of 7 including a goalie against each other for two 30 minute periods. It looks like a mix of water polo, soccer, basketball, and hockey. The ball is small and easily gripped in one hand, and each person can take three steps with the ball before they dribble. The objective is to throw the ball into your opponent's net to score a goal. However, there is 6-meter semicircle around each goal that players cannot step into. This means the players dive at the edge of the zone into it and then whip the ball towards the net. I have played this sport in gym before, and it’s as much fun to play as it is to watch. If you do watch one oddball sport this summer, make sure it’s handball.