Am I the only person who has noticed that Gold medal winners, ALWAYS get a name check, silver medal winners Usually get one, but some bronze winner get no more than " we won a bronze in xyz"? Far too much focus on Winning, rather than the Taking part
Because it's akin to +ve discrimination - if you make up events to fudge getting more women in, rather than just increasing the number of women taking part in their own right then to me it's wrong.
That is completely different to ignoring gender across all sport and simply having mixed teams.
Obviously, I'm in a minority of one though, so I'll shut up.
Because it's akin to +ve discrimination - if you make up events to fudge getting more women in, rather than just increasing the number of women taking part in their own right then to me it's wrong.
That is completely different to ignoring gender across all sport and simply having mixed teams.
Obviously, I'm in a minority of one though, so I'll shut up.
'...I think @Dovefromabove is right about structures within sporting competition enabling more diverse people to take part but I also agree with @pansyface
that the whole thing about being better or best can be damaging for the
less sportily gifted and even more so, it seems, for the exceptionally
gifted reeling under the pressure of high expectations and no longer
enjoying the sport itself.....'
I was never particularly good at any sport but greatly enjoy watching almost any sport being performed at the top level. I certainly haven't suffered any psychological damage through realising I'm not as good as them. Elite sport is really no different to any other area of life - not everybody can excel, but we can all do our best and be able to accept the difference.
Yes @KT53 but that's a balanced view. There are far too many sports teachers and, dare I say, parents who are less than kind in handling children who have no sporting gift. That can lead to long term problems and feelings of failure whereas it would be far better to channel energies into something they may be good at.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
In my experience things have changed a lot in that respect … youngsters are encouraged to improve on their own scores rather than beat others. Even least athletic of us can find a way of improving our physical abilities … as you know I worked with disabled youngsters … they were all encouraged to improve their Personal Best … just as my son was when training and running for his club.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
My experience of sports teachers was excellent at an all girls grammar school in Manchester but after 2 years there we moved to north Cheshire and a mixed grammar with huge sporting facilities including a swimming pool and squash courts, gymnasium, tennis courts, netball, hockey, rugby, athletics.
Great for me as I was above average in most sports but one of the 4 sports teachers there was a really nasty specimen who bullied and picked on people she didn't like or who weren't good and that could be a miserable experience for those concerned.
It would be good to think teaching standards and methods have improved but I'm not at all complaisant that it is so at all schools in all areas of the country.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
My school were only interested in the ",sporty types" when we had swimming lessons outdoor unheated pool,the swimmers swam,we had to hold on to the side, while kicking our legs. The swimmers used to dive under,pull out legs from underneath us,the teacher was nice and warm up in her tracksuit and never noticed
Yes @KT53 but that's a balanced view. There are far too many sports teachers and, dare I say, parents who are less than kind in handling children who have no sporting gift. That can lead to long term problems and feelings of failure whereas it would be far better to channel energies into something they may be good at.
I worked with one of those parents. His son was a really good swimmer and his dad, who I worked with, had swum at county level but no higher. He openly said he didn't care whether his son enjoyed competitive swimming or not, he was going to get the very best out of him, because he hadn't be able to do it himself.
There was a story on our local news about a woman intending to do a triathlon to raise money for charity. She can't run and has no balance so finds cycling difficult. I am no less impressed by her efforts than by a gold medal winner. It's not about being the best in the world. She says she tries to be 1% better than she was yesterday.
Posts
Far too much focus on Winning, rather than the Taking part
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Great for me as I was above average in most sports but one of the 4 sports teachers there was a really nasty specimen who bullied and picked on people she didn't like or who weren't good and that could be a miserable experience for those concerned.
It would be good to think teaching standards and methods have improved but I'm not at all complaisant that it is so at all schools in all areas of the country.
I worked with one of those parents. His son was a really good swimmer and his dad, who I worked with, had swum at county level but no higher. He openly said he didn't care whether his son enjoyed competitive swimming or not, he was going to get the very best out of him, because he hadn't be able to do it himself.
Jade takes on epic London Triathlon challenge for North Devon Hospice | (inyourarea.co.uk)
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”