It's time everyone realised enjoyment is far more important than winning in kids' sport

ANYONE involved in sport, from coaching at its most basic level underage through to senior, understands the benefit of physical activity.

Children are pushed to try sports from a young age as it encourages them to become more confident and strengthens their co-ordination. It allows them to have an outlet from school or home in an environment that is social and safe.

Understandably coaches’ personal interests and emotions can take over at times. And everyone understands the majority involved with youth sport are giving up their free time to coach or manage a team. The key question though is can we balance participation with winning?

Coaches’ values are distilled down to children but we must be very careful of a ‘win at all cost’ attitude.

A recent incident at a Tipperary GAA juvenile hurling blitz last month, where a nine-year-old boy was allegedly grabbed by the throat during a pitch invasion, created national headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The Gardaí, Munster Council and the Tipperary County Board all got involved.

Of course, this is one of the most extreme events to occur during a children’s match, but are we getting too accustomed to hearing these stories?

Why should kids bother playing any form of sports if they are not going to be encouraged throughout their development, rather than being physically or verbally abused for something they have done wrong?

In Germany for example, they have implemented new regulations in soccer which focus on children under 11 years of age. They plan to concentrate on fun and take a more player-centered approach with smaller-sided games.

The programme allows the kids to enjoy the sport and develop their skill set in a supportive environment. Competitive games don’t begin till they are 16 or older. Is this the approach that team sports need to follow in Ireland to cut out abuse and allow children to experience the benefits of activity?

In some sports and clubs, they expect children to perform and win matches from a very early age. This competitive nature can stem from parents right through to the pressure from coaches.

If a cutthroat attitude is accepted in sport culture too early it becomes a staple as the child moves up the age groups. Understandably everyone likes to win games but that clearly shouldn’t be the priority when they are developing.

Young children are learning from what they see on the sidelines with screaming coaches and parents expecting the best at all times.

These experiences tend to have a negative effect on kids who maintain the approach that winning is everything. This belief filters into their school and social environments, where they think that losing in any aspect of their lives is a negative thing.

Their disposition is based entirely on what they have experienced through playing sports, in which the atmosphere is pressurised, toxic and intimidating.

Bringing these emotions through to their daily lives can have a detrimental effect on their behaviour and emotional development causing outbursts and rows through what they know as failure.

SKILLS

So, what can be done in Ireland to prevent incidents like the one in Tipperary from happening?

It should be a prerequisite that children are allowed build up their basic skills when they first start out in their chosen sport. Fun and enjoyment has to be the building block of training.

Coaches should be shown how to promote kids’ natural abilities while also allowing them to feel included.

Ideally, competitive games shouldn’t take place until U12 level, though this is already the norm in most of the leading sports with Go Games in GAA and no formal leagues in soccer, rugby or basketball below U12.

Any age group under this should be allowed to build up a skill set in an encouraging setting, while also enjoying the sport. This can be developed into playing tournaments and challenge games to allow them to understand the rules without the stress of winning.