Saturday, January 31, 2009

What Is a Win Worth?

By Jennifer Dumas

It is a growing trend to start our children in organized sports at a very young age. Mom, dad, I am sure you proudly recall watching your first born playing soccer at the age of 5. The rules are simple. Everyone plays and nobody loses. Funny how the game always seems to end in a tie. Your little guy chases the ball mixed into a cluster with the other children. It's wild kicking in that cloud of kids. Thank goodness for shin guards! Amazingly, by the end of the season, they have learned some basic positions and are no longer on top of eachother. It is in that moment that you realized that your little one has some real athletic talent.

He or she continues to work hard to develop those athletic skills. You pay for the private instuction and make the commitment to practice and play 5 days a week or more. That hard work pay off as he and his teammates win league games, tournments and move on to thier sports version of the "World Series".

Your child's team works hard to achieve championship status. As a family, you commit to raise the money to make your child's "World Series" deam a reality. You sell hotdogs, wash cars, and seek sponsors. Your friends , family and community rally around you, contributing to the cause. You have raised the funds...the team will have their opportunity to play.

Prior to arriving at the tournment, your child's coach informs you that the tournment allows teams to pick up "stud" players. To stay competitive with the other teams your coach feels he must do the same. The result... Your child and many of his teammates sit on the bench.

What message do we send to our children? "Thanks for all your hardwork this season, but have a seat. You're not good enough to play these kids". Isn't it your child and his teammates played hard to make it to this level? Thats's when a win doesn't feel like a win.

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