Source: www.guardian.co.tt
Written by: Asha Defreitas Asmoseley
A very serious incident took place earlier this week that inspired today’s column, the topic of which is centered on the importance of sports and sportsmanship in the lives of our children. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines sportsmanship as “conduct (as fairness, respect for one’s opponent, and graciousness in winning or losing) becoming to one participating in a sport.” Whether you are competing in a talent show, a sport, the chutney soca monarch or a game of monopoly, if you are not prepared to deal with losing as much as you are determined to win, then perhaps you should seriously reconsider competing. The bottom line is: No one is impressed by the irrational temper tantrums of a sore loser, particularly those of high profile personalities. In today’s world, it is very easy for parents to get caught up with the hustle and bustle of life, focusing on the tangibles such as money, work and maintaining a particular social image. To some, these things are important. It is equally, if not more important, to ensure that the intangible needs are also attended to, particularly where children are concerned. As parents, it is imperative that children participate in some sort of athletic extra-curricular activity. Aside from the obvious physiological benefits of exercise, it is the simplest way to influence young minds to adopt commendable qualities of honor, humility, discipline, and respect for others and for authority — some of the universally accepted redeeming attributes a person could have.
Unfortunately, many parents underrate the unique contribution that sport makes in the molding process of their children and as a result they delay starting their children in such activities or skip it altogether. Children are then forced to learn the lessons associated with sport participation later on in life, as teenagers and in some cases as adults when the consequences weigh more heavily. While it is true that children can be exposed in other ways to develop various positive personality traits, sports competition further tests a person’s true character by forcing the individual to exhibit exemplary behavior in their actions, regardless of their emotions, such as congratulating your opponent immediately after facing defeat. Michael Jordan said, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.” The experience of defeat teaches not only humility but builds mental fortitude. Maintaining your composure and self-confidence despite losing can be a tremendous challenge for highly competitive spirits, particularly if a person has not been trained at an early age to deal with such adversities, however, it is not impossible to develop. To overcome and to appreciate the lessons learned from the experience is to challenge oneself to perform better the next time.
Some parents live vicariously through their children. As a result, they push their children to extremes in their training and in their diet, turning them into unpleasant and callous competitors or on the other hand, bring them to resent the sport altogether. This type of culture exists in some sports more than others in T&T. Parents must always remain conscious of the fact that they have a responsibility to set a healthy example for their children and not victimise them. Sport is meant to ultimately build a child’s identity and to bring them joy. Most children will not be able to play in the English Premier League, or even be professional athletes, but the devotion and discipline that they will gain through their participation in sport will likely brim over to benefit other aspects of their life. Regardless of whether your child turns out to be an outstanding athlete in his sport or not they will develop valuable skills that will be instrumental in becoming constructive young adults.
This is particularly important at the University stage when they experience life outside of the nest for the first time. By this time they would likely have developed a natural tendency to lead a healthy and active lifestyle; developed their social skills through relationships with their peers as friends and as teammates; be able to think collectively and strategically; be familiar with brain-training techniques to deal with stress; have excellent time management skills; be able to think independently due to a strong sense of responsibility and self-identity; and so on. So parents, resist the temptation to avoid the extra-curricular activities and go the extra mile to get your children involved in sports. You will be glad you did in the long run.
Asha De Freitas-Moseley is a certified athletic trainer with a Masters in Sports & Fitness Administration. She has worked with several of our top athletes and continues to seek out ways to promote the industry of sports medicine in T&T.