Helping Children Succeed in Sports - Part 3
About the Author: Jim Roberts is the Physical Education Specialist at Crismon Elementary School in Mesa, Arizona. Jim has taught elementary physical education for the past 24 years. Jim was selected as the 1998 National Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
Children under the age of 14 are participating in sports in record numbers. Sport participation is not only big in American culture; it has a big impact on children’s lives. That impact can range from very positive to very negative. Adults are the ones who are primarily responsible for determining that impact.
Last time we talked about the benefits children can gain through sports participation and more specifically we looked at the physical, social, and personal benefits. This time we will look at the potential of sports along with the philosophy of children first and winning second.
The Potential of Sports
“I like to run track because I get to meet new people and go places and get in shape to do more things.”
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“My favorite thing about volleyball is you have to work together as a team.”
- Betsy, age 12
“I like to win, but if I play a good game and I lose, that’s okay. I’m mostly just playing for fun.”
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These children have identified a few of the many reasons children like to participate in sports. These reasons include: to meet new people, to get in shape, to work as part of a team, and to have fun. Sports have great potential in many areas for children.
Sports can:
* help children acquire the skills and values essential for successful living
* provide opportunities for intense, concentrated involvement
* promote growth and development physically, socially, and mentally
* tune children in to the joys and benefits of a lifetime of physical activity and fitness
It’s up to adults, however, to help children realize the potential benefits that sports hold for them. Future messages on this topic will help adults make that potential become reality. But first we will look at the philosophy that should permeate adult’s efforts in helping children benefit form sports, namely putting children ahead of winning.
Children First, Winning Second
We are not implying that winning is not important. Winning is a fundamental objective in sports. Victories simply should not come at the expense of the development of children.
There is a big difference between winning and striving to win. Winning is not in an athlete’s or team’s total control. Striving to win or putting forth effort to achieve victory is within our control. Striving to win is not just acceptable in children’s sports, it is desirable and essential to the honesty and integrity of the contest.
When winning is more important than the children’s development, unfortunate things begin to happen. Children’s egos are deflated. Children play “not to lose” rather than to win and they become afraid of risking error. Coaches and adults criticize a youngster’s ability to perform a skill, prompting that child to think he is a “loser.” It is quite possible he was never correctly taught how to perform the skill in the first place. Officials, who oftentimes are not much older than the athletes themselves, are razzed or harangued when they make judgment calls. Children find their value in their team’s win-loss record. The list could go on.
Winning has become almost a dirty word in children’s sports. Many adults have learned a knee jerk reaction to winning. They say they don’t really care about winning. They just want to help children develop physically, mentally, and socially. However, go with these parents and coaches to soccer games and baseball contests and you would swear that these adults care very much about winning. The coaches play the lesser skilled players the minimal time required. Parents are highly critical of coaches’ moves, players’ skills and umpires’ calls. In fact, many parents “graciously” offer the umpire assistance on making calls.
“When parents yell at the umpire, it slows down the game. We just want parents to leave us alone so we can play.” - Matt, age 12
“I don’t like it when people are bad sports and they make winning everything.”
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“I think that parents should calm down about winning and think about what the players want.”
- Rita, age 13
What the players want are chances to play, to have fun, to develop, to be with friends, and to be supported by adults in their sports endeavors. When adults truly put children ahead of winning, they are helping young athletes do just that. Winning should not be a dirty word in children’s sports. It should be seen for its face value and kept in its proper perspective. Winning is a worthy goal of young athletes. It is just not the end all and it should not come at the expense of children’s feelings or development.
Coaches, parents, and other adults involved in youth sports programs usually don’t find it a challenge to endorse this philosophy. Many do find it a challenge, however, to implement it. The Bill of Rights for Young Athletes, which will be discussed in future messages, should help adults put children’s welfare ahead of winning.
“Did You Win?”
Derek came home from his baseball game sweaty and happy. He’d had four hits in four at bats and made a spectacular catch in center field. His team had lost
“Did you win?” his father asked.
“No, but I went four for four,” Derek said.
“You lost to the Cubs? I thought they were in last place.”
“And I made a great catch in center field. You should have seen it,” Derek continued.
“Too bad you lost, Derek. Hope you do better next game.”
Derek was no longer happy. Yes, the Cubs were in last place. How had his team lost to such a bad team?
The next week, Derek returned home again. He was sweaty, as he had been the week before, but this time he wasn’t happy. Even though he’d had another four hits, he was quite glum.
His father and his sister were in the kitchen. “Did you win?” his father asked again.
“No. We got beat,” Derek said.
“Too bad,” his sister said. “But how’d you do? Did you get any hits?”
“Who cares?” Derek said. “We lost.”
Next time we will begin our look at the “Bill of Rights for Young Athletes.”
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