WINNING AND LOSING WITH HUMILITY.

Winning and losing is a fact of life, not just on the sporting arena. Learning to win graciously and lose with dignity are essential skills to learn. When we win, we can be proud of our efforts and skills but also show respect for the losing team. When we lose, we should use this as an opportunity to learn and commit to becoming a better player, but also respect the skill of the winners. Understanding these concepts is one of the greatest life lessons from sport.

Parents, teachers and coaches all play a role in the education of our children. Fundamental values of respect, cooperation and striving to be better person (athlete) are the foundations for success, both in life and sport. How we instill these concepts from an early age should be the focus of our education and development.

The most important thing to remember is that kids are still growing and developing and will reach their peak potential in their own time. Kids grow differently. Just because they are the same age does not mean they are at the same level of development physically, mentally or emotionally.

Sport provides a great opportunity for this development to take place, but it cannot be rushed, pressured or driven by a ‘win at all costs attitude’. That’s the realm of professional sports played by adults. Let kids have fun!

Jane Kilkenny has over 25 years’ experience in health and fitness. She specialises in exercise for kids and teenagers having trained at the Children’s Hospital Institute of Sports Medicine (CHISM) Westmead in 2004. She is also a High-Performance specialist and a Level 4 IAAF athletics coach. Jane can be contacted via her website.