Hildren Need to Play Not Compete - Essay Example

My Response to “Children Need to Play, Not Compete” In "Children Need to Play, Not Compete," Jessica Stasky argues against competition in organized sports for children aged 6 to 12 as this exposes children to physical hazards, anxiety and psychological dangers which negatively impact on their development. Parents and coaches impose adult standards and their expectations on children sports which emphasize on competing and winning. With such children not ready to compete, the involved physical action, especially in contact sports, could abnormally strain their bodies causing lifetime injuries.

Consequently, the fear of being hurt prevents these children from enjoying sports. With winning being the focus, selection of participants is important. This locks out children who could have future potential for excellence, causing them to lose self-confidence. The selected ones need to live up to the winning expectation causing them anxiety. “Horror stories” have emerged from children sports due to focus on competition (Statsky 278). Thus, the author advocates for a change in the rules to make children sports fun.

Despite living in a competitive world, emphasis should be laid on individual performance and cooperation before these children become psychologically prepared for competition. Children sports programs should promote sportsmanship, self-esteem and fitness.Contrary to the argument in “Children Need to Play, Not Compete,” I support competition and winning as critical components of children sports, just as in other sports. It has for a long time been appreciated that in order to have a child behave in particular manner, then such a child should be taught the expected behavior early in life.

In their adulthood, such persons would always observe the behavior learnt in childhood. Teaching such a child the importance of competing and winning in sports consequently means that in adulthood, such a child would find it easy to participate and win in sports, winning being critical in adult sports according to Statsky (276). Furthermore, competition does not necessarily exclude fun in children sports. In fact, competition makes these sports fun, there being a reward for the winner at the tail end.

Stasky (276) misleads the audience by referring to competition and wining as adult standards. It is a fact that for these school-going children, competition and the need to win always presents itself in the class setting. When sitting for exams, these children do not only seek to pass but emerge topmost among their peers. Coming last in these exams demoralizes these children and would not be something they would wish for. Competition motivates children towards performing the best as they dislike being bottom, not only in sports, but in whatever they engage in.

It is therefore misleading for the author to claim that competition excludes the less gifted students from sports. If anything, competition gives such children an opportunity to prove their abilities. The weaker ones take their loss positively and work hard towards improving. As such, competition even adds the value of persistence to these children. Therefore, children are already aware of competition and the need to win and its inclusion in their sports would be nothing strange to them.The major problem that I identify the author of this article is referring to is the lack of sportsmanship with regards to children sports, as opposed to competition and winning.

This is what causes children to break the rules of sports, exposing them to physical dangers that cause them anxiety and psychological hazards. Still, it is the lack of sportsmanship that causes unruly behavior during children sports. Therefore, the author should have focused on ways of teaching sportsmanship to children as opposed to opposing competition. The psychological danger observed in children who fear participating in sports due to past experience indicates a weakness in their coaches and parents.

Instead of changing rules to abolish competition, coaches and parents should be taught how to motivate their children after failure. For example, my first competition in races in pre-school saw me fall down before the finish line, hurt and finished last. I feared races and vowed not to participate again. However, my mother talked to me and explained to me that the injury was a distraction to achieving my potential. She motivated me to get back to the track. Today, I am an active athlete and I have won accolades in the sport.

Therefore, I oppose the argument against competition and winning attitude in children sports as argued by Jessica Statsky. From her essay, the core problem is not competition and winning in childhood sports but lack of sportsmanship. Hence, parents and coaches should seek to teach children sportsmanship and this will prevent physical hazards, anxiety, psychological and misbehavior in children sports. Work CitedStatsky, Jessica. “Children Need to Play, Not Compete.” The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing. 8th ed. Eds. Rise B. Axelrod, and Charles R. Cooper. New York: Bedford/St.

Martin's, 2008. 276 – 279. Print.