Sportsmanship Or Political Correctness

[tightloop]

do they have to change for the worse?

[38superman]

Ron is right.

Let's see if we can pull this thread back in line before the thread police lock us all up.

I started this thread because I noticed that some juniors are being told that "the purpose of competition is to have a good time and do your best, but it's not proper to speak about beating others".

Which begs the question "Sportsmanship or Political Correctness"?

Parents, teachers and coaches have a duty to teach children values (and manners).

It is a parents right to do so as they see fit.

Yet, I can't help but wonder if "Winning" is becoming one of those "bad" words that kids are taught not to say?

Tls

[EricW]

Hold the phone here. My best bud's son will be polevaulting for the school record here shortly, so I just had this conversation.

Winning is good. It is important to a certain extent. But when you put so much pressure on a kid and tell them "Win at all costs!" it almost invariably causes them to crash and burn sooner or later. *Trying* to win, in a sense, can preclude one from winning. I don't see anything PC about telling a junior shooter to step up to the line, focus on the fundamentals, and shoot his or her game. That happens to be a winning strategy for a lot of people. Kimel whips my ass virtually every match doing just that.

I was talking to my friends' son last night at the pole vault pit last night. There's a lot of pressure on him to set a record. College scholarships literally hang in the balance. We chatted and we both agreed that the best way to nail a record was to simply focus on execution and not *try* to hit 15'6" or whatever the magic number is. I don't feel like in any way I'm advising this young man to underachieve by saying that. Getting in his face and screaming bloody murder or screaming at him while he's going over the bar (I have witnessed this firsthand at a track meet) seems totally counterproductive to "winning."

Pressure alone does not foster achievement. I know that everyone thinks it does, but I'm here to tell you it doesn't.

Go shoot a match while thinking "Win! Win! Win!" while you're shooting. I would be interested in how it constructively influenced your performance.

[38superman]

I'm not talking about putting too much pressure on a youngster to win.

I am talking about doing the opposite.

The question is do you want to discourage them from thinking about it or talking about it?

Let me put it this way.

If your son came up to you before a match and said:

"I've been working hard on my fundamentals and shooting pretty well lately".

"As long as my gun runs well, I think maybe I can win this thing today."

What would your response be?

Would you tell him that it is inappropriate to talk about beating other people?

T.

Edited April 18, 2006 by tlshores

[EricW]

What would your response be?

Then get after it!

Would you tell him that it is inappropriate to talk about beating other people?

No. That's the polar opposite of "You'd better hit a homerun or else!!" to a 9 year old farm league player. I disagree with both extremes.

[bayoupirate]

Ron, You are certainly correct about the thread drift.

Lastly and most important.

There are still many GREAT kids and the common denomenator seems to be Parents and/or other possitive role model Adults in their lives.

I'd like to share that about 15 years our Church Sports League was shut down because it was becoming about who could recruit the best kids to play for your parish team, regardless of their address or participation in that actual parish life, and winning was the focus. There was little if any ministerial work being done at the ball park and even fewer Christian values being instilled. After a 2 year break, we started up again with a new mission statement, we butchered the rules to take out all of the fancy what if's and keep it to be a simple game, and required that every kid play equal time.

People who have never been to a Church League Tournament are easy to pick out.

They're the ones with their jaws dropped. They can't believe that parents for both teams clap and cheer when a kid makes a good play. There is NO booing, and NO one speaks to the ref except the coach. Everyone has a great time, Kids make new friends, mingling, talking, visiting and sharing with kids from other churches. Parents do the same and everyone plays 4 games win or lose. We do recognize a winner or the sports part of the tournament, but always give an award equal or bigger to the group with the most Christian Spirit of the day.

I wish everyone could experience sports this way. Then they would feel as strongly as I do about the other way being harmful to children.

Eric, Good Advice to that young man. The value of a life should never be measured by one thing. I hope he gets the record.

[Coach]

The lessons that sports and athletics are supposed to teach young people cannot be properly taught without trying to win. This is not win at all costs, but there has to be an emphasis on winning. There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying as hard as you can to win. You have to beat other people in order to win.

Spending time working on fundamentals and learning the sport or game and then going out to the competition and just having fun does not accomplish much.

Now older people playing golf and/or this game may not be quite the same. I think it is entirely appropriate to try to do well and to try and win. But this game USPSA could be done for fun.

Edited April 19, 2006 by RoyceLowellPatton

[tightloop]

RLP

+1

[Ron Ankeny]

The lessons that sports and athletics are supposed to teach young people cannot be properly taught without trying to win.

That pretty much sums up my thoughts on the subject.

[Sam]

Winning means different things to different people.

My definition of "winning" means performing to my current level of "absolute best" , on demand. I used to tie winning to match placement, but I found that the "win" is very short lived by that definition. Usually the match winner sees mistakes that could have cost them the match, but someone else's mistakes were simply more costly. (I win because I suck less than the other shooter.)

For me to be a winner, is an altogether different matter. To be a winner means to constantly strive to remove the obstacles that limit my shooting. To encourage my competiition to perform at their best is a very important part of being a winner. This means helping, talking strategies, offering assistance, hoping that the competition also shoots their very best. We carry each other along.

Political correctness is for pansies because it gives you an excuse when you don't shoot well. If you come into a match with a ready-made excuse, you aren't going to shoot with the lightness of spirit and pure purpose that carries you into the zone. The zone is where the fire burns, by which all myths and illusions are distroyed. Match placement is just a judgement of that which survived the fire.

[Flexmoney]

Anybody catch the latest commercials for the NBA playoffs? It's all about getting a little exercise...

[Ron Ankeny]

To encourage my competiition to perform at their best is a very important part of being a winner. This means helping, talking strategies, offering assistance, hoping that the competition also shoots their very best.

Sam:

As you know, I too believe very strongly about helping other shooters. I have even gone as far as walking off the line during a man vs. man shoot off to help my competitor load mags, calm down, and get squared away. I didn't want to beat him knowing he wasn't at his best. Besides, when he thumped me it made my loss more palatable.

Not to drift the thread even more, but you make an interesting observation about "sucking less" that reminds me of my pet peeve. Ever notice how the home team fans (say at a high school basketball game) cheer just as loudly, if not louder, when the visiting team makes a huge blunder as when the home team makes a great play? It's kind of sad in a way.

[blackwolf]

I have noticed a lot of the same trends posted in this thread.

I don't worry about these things any longer though. Competition is in fact the essence of human nature. It is what has given us everything we have today - from fire, to the car, to the phone, to the cell phone to the iPod. Competition and the desire to exceed has driven every ounce of that.

Success is a choice. The desire to win can be groomed, but only groomed. It can not be grown. It is either there or it is not.

The beautiful thing about this "laziness" or "liberal" component of today's youth is the ease with which those that choose to succeed will be able to impact the world of tomorrow.

We've all noticed it, and we've all been concerned about it. Then I think about Pele, or Michael, or Tiger and I realize I don't even need to use last names. They've chosen to succeed beyond the scales of Wilt, or Jack or whomever.

Political Correctness gripes my ass. I think it is B.S. But I trust . . . no, not just trust, I believe that those who choose to succeed will indeed succeed. That the sanctity of mankind as it has existed for thousands of years will yet again prevail. And in that I believe that the future generations will exceed all hopes and ambitions of our generations.

Anymore I have neither the time nor the inclination to worry about these things because the man upstairs knows that it will all balance. For ever young soul that simply chooses to exist there is another who has chosen to be great. For generations this has been the case and for generations that will continue to be so.

The greats are great. The dropouts will drop out. Only one will win, and I for one have no doubt who the winners will be and have faith in the fact that they will win gracefully and with confidence.

BW

[Sam]

Ever notice how the home team fans (say at a high school basketball game) cheer just as loudly, if not louder, when the visiting team makes a huge blunder as when the home team makes a great play? It's kind of sad in a way.

Yes Ron, I have noticed this behavior and I too find it appalling. Those of us who grew up in small towns or earlier generations have probably experienced the hospitality that can only result from true humility in people. We should be horrified when our opponent stumbles, it detracts from the game. What honor is there in besting an opponent with a swollen ankle or sand in his eyes?

PC is just a misguided attempt to enforce someone else's idea of what is right on everyone else in our society. Attempts at "loading the language" and "taking the moral higher ground" are both Marxist tactics that people with a hidden agenda try to use to drive a society the in the way they want it to go. I have seen these tactics employed in business, religion, and politics by people who where too corrupt to be open and honest about their plans. The important fact missed by the PC crowd is this: All humans, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or religion have the same basic level of intelligence. Stupidity is only common in crowds.