Competition

To ensure every child 'wins', Ontario athletic association removes ball from soccer

"Injuries are down and self esteem is way up!"

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With the growing concern over the effects of competition in youth sports programs this summer, many Canadian soccer associations eliminated the concept of keeping score. The Soccer Association of Midlake, Ontario, however, has taken this idea one step further, and have completely removed the ball from all youth soccer games and practices.

According to Association spokesperson, Helen Dabney-Coyle, "By removing the ball, it's absolutely impossible to say 'this team won' and 'this team lost' or 'this child is better at soccer than that child.'"

"We want our children to grow up learning that sport is not about competition, rather it's about using your imagination. If you imagine you're good at soccer, then, you are."


This summer Peter Oldring spent time with the Midlake Thundercats, an under 11 boys and girls team, and put together this radio documentary.


article with link to audio interview.... (it is only a couple of minutes long- and worth it for the laugh)
http://www.cbc.ca/thisisthat/blog/2013/09/03/to-ensure-every-child-wins-ontario-athletic-association-removes-ball-from-soccer/
 
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Do you understand competition?
Do you believe that future generations will understand the concept of what it takes to win? Or will they feel entitled to a prize, simply because they showed up?

Where is the happy medium between little league parents yelling at their kids to throw faster or kick harder - and removing the ball so that no one feels left out?

(by the way, the Canadian story is made up - but it could just as well be true.)
 
Thank goodness that story was made up. Competition is good, but it's not merely for the winning. I mean even isn't something that's not sport like debate a competition. It is very hard stepping up against another person and trying to say, I have more than you, I can do more than you, I want this more than you, i've worked harder than you. Even if you're sent packing and have to go back to the drawing board and rethink your strategy, it is a process that is giving you a method in which to do a lot of things in life. So winning in competition is just a culmination of all the previous work and your mental determination to make something happen that's great. But the real gift in competition is failure. Is being beaten.

I was in a situation in which I thought I was the most prepared to win this competition. I overlooked the tactic that somebody else used which gave them the win. I was stronger but they were smarter. By losing, I was not angry at that person. I told myself that person will never find me there again. I will never overlook that tactic again, so when I see it in the future I know exactly what to do. And in a situation like that when you lose, you almost want to go up and just shake their hand and thank them for the lesson that you learned. So it is by competing that you learn how to win and to learn how to lose.

Don't even get me started on the aspects of teamwork and what positives that has.
 
This is RB broadcasting live from Solo Sports.

Competition is good for the individual and for society. It motivates us to strive for excellence. To be the best we can be. It is what leads to cures for diseases, technological inventions, great films, music. and even food. I do laugh at people who are cutthroat about playing silly board games. Especially ones that have little to do with strategy. I think the important thing is to be a gracious competitor both when one wins and loses.

Back to you Uno...

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So, does anyone have any aspects of teamwork they'd like to share?

I suck at teamwork. I prefer to work, play, and compete solo.
 
I suck at teamwork. I prefer to work, play, and compete solo.

A friend of mine attended a sales conference for work where he learned he would now become part of a sales team.
He was asked if he was a "teamwork" kind of guy.

He answered, "In high school I swam and ran track. I've been an independent sales rep my entire life. Oh, and I'm on my fourth wife. What do you think?"
 
A friend of mine attended a sales conference for work where he learned he would now become part of a sales team.
He was asked if he was a "teamwork" kind of guy.

He answered, "In high school I swam and ran track. I've been an independent sales rep my entire life. Oh, and I'm on my fourth wife. What do you think?"

That was a great response. Love it.
 
competition can be good, especially with kids and in the form of "team sports"
I know far too many adults that were never a part of a "team"
I myself, always felt like the outsider on most of teams I was on, but I was on the team
and often a valued member despite being weird/different from most of my teammates
also, I have come to believe that much of the wrong currently in our world is being created by
a handful of fiercely competitive, super loners with immense power who don't seem to get that
[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzGnX-MbYE4‎[/video]
People are people


ps: there are activities other than sports where these valuable traits can be developed, being in a band comes to mind...
 
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