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Medha Mayawala
Timothy Erickson
English 1010
Do sports help build a childs character? Does it make a child stronger; a better
individual? A well- rounded person? Or an egotistical individual who is only concerned about
winning no matter what the stakes are. Whats your opinion? This is a question that has been
debated and discussed for decades. A lot of people agree with the fact that participating in sports
can help build a childs character. They believe that sports, whether its a team sport or
individual sport, teach children valuable life lessons like team spirit, dedication and loyalty. They
see sports as an educational tool for their kids and encourage the kids to participate, learn and
prosper from. On the other hand there are a lot of people who do not support the idea of their
children participating in any kind of competitions at all. They believe sports promote bad
behavior, selfish attitudes and dont want their children to develop these negative traits.
Whether positive or negative, sports can play a big role in an individuals life. They help
build a childs character by teaching them the importance of hard work, teamwork, and not give
up easily even when the odds are against them. These characteristics are very important even as
the kids grow up, they realize that it takes time and effort in order to reach important goals in life
. Through teamwork they learn to work with others and this can prepare them as they grow older,
get jobs, and progress in their careers. Another thing it teaches them is to keep persevering even
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when things may seem impossible. This is something that everyone has to face as they grow up,
All of these physical attributes are necessary for an individual, but competition doesnt
just benefit someone in a physical aspect; it can also be helpful in building an individuals
confidence and self-esteem. At some point or another, everyones confidence has or will be at an
all-time low, but people learn to overcome it in a way that shows everyone that theyre able to do
something great, and competition in sports can accomplish that for kids. Kids can always use a
confidence booster, and by making decisions kids gain confidence faster, than getting a trophy,
showing they accomplished something. Through competition theyre able to gain confidence
when they make a basket or goal; theyre able to prove themselves. Just like their confidence,
their self-esteem can also be affected. Competitions can raise a kids self-esteem every time that
kid does something good. They learn to be proud of themselves, and gain more self-respect as
According to Karen Coffin, author from the National Federation of State High School
Associations magazine, competition is a good thing. It challenges us and makes us aware of how
well we perform under pressure. Competition brings out the best in us and teaches us
commitment, focus, and the ability to work well with others, which instills the quality to
constantly improve. Kids get motivated, determined, and willing to work hard. They learn about
the benefits of hard work at an early age and learn that in order to succeed it is important that
they stay committed to their goal. It teaches them to perform better under pressure, which is great
to learn at an early age because it prepares them for challenges as they grow older (Coffin).
While many adults believe in this idea that their child is learning when competing in
school or sports, some disagree. The reason for their disagreement is that they feel competition
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is not a good learning experience, because it promotes joy at the expense of others downfall.
Competition by definition means where one succeeds and rest fail so how can it be good, they
say. It is bound to be bad. They believe that it ruins kids self- esteem and confidence at a very
early age. Or if they win they will become egotistic, arrogant, over confident, and patronizing
towards other kids, accepting the fact that you are worth as much as you accomplish. They dont
want the kids to feel that they are as good or get better depending on how many people theyve
beaten (Kohn).
Some adults feel they are protecting their children by not wanting them to participate in
competitions, because they think it can be destructive and harmful. These parents believe that by
doing so they are protecting their children and hopefully avoiding a whole negative situation. It
is possible these parents and adults are being too soft on their kids, thus teaching children to
believe that winning doesn't matter, and this will not prepare them for their future. Theres
competition all around us and people competing all the time, whether a promotion or a college
scholarship. If children arent taught the importance of competition at an early age, they are
going to have a hard time, trying to keep up with others around them, later on in life. Teaching
children that winning and losing is all the same is not teaching them to do their best. Parents
should provide their kids with the necessary tools to succeed in life and by allowing them to
In an interview with Marianne Engle, PhD, sports psychologist and Clinical Assistant
Professor at the NYU Child Study Center, discusses competition and how it is something that
keeps children from getting too comfortable in one spot; instead it keeps them wanting to
improve themselves. This results in the improvement of the quality of their work. This also
makes them want to learn from their mistakes and focus more on their flaws to achieve goals in
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life and succeed. Dedication and focus they learn early in life can lead to their success later in
life. When kids compete they are ready to explore and they are not afraid, which opens up more
possibilities for them. By taking part in competitions they are able to take chances and learn on
their own. Without competition like this, progress can come to a standstill. Not competing and
being pleased with how they are can hold someone back from their full potential. The foundation
of most life skills are set in childhood and competition is one of those skills. It is connected to so
many other positive life skills such as cooperation, teamwork, social skills, hard work, focus and
discussing competition and how among kids it can provide a better understanding on the concept
of winning and losing without having the ill feeling against each other. It can teach them to learn
how to be a good competitor and how to use past losses as a learning tool to improve. It can also
increase your physical coordination and your mental abilities. Giving you the ability to think and
competition. It is also unfair to put the entire blame on the activity that kids participate in or
because of the competition and the desire to win rather than losing. The results of competition
should be positive, adults should not try to influence the children with their opinion about
competition, instead let them form their own views .It can come down to the coach or even the
parents themselves, because of how they portray competition and their negative actions can
shape the childrens thoughts. The kids learn from what they see, so it is unfair to blame the
negative effects of competition on the activity and competition itself. If people see competition
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as a bad thing for their kids, they shouldnt teach them to avoid it. Instead, teach them what they
organization. Its important for kids to be involved in a group, because everyone wants the sense
of being important and wanted, especially young kids. The aspect of being on a team is
something that teaches kids to do their part and be responsible enough to do their job and
accomplish them. Also teaching them to work together and trusting each other to accomplish the
same goals is an important life skill. A recent article discussing children and their ability to work
together, explained the benefits. It mentioned many positive outcomes such as, social skills,
literacy skills, and positive results from having the sense to be wanted (Work Together).
A lesson to be learned through sports could be to press forward, and know the fact that
we didnt fail, we just found a way that doesnt work. We remember that and move on to the
next possible way. The result of this competition lets a child know how they face life and its
challenges. For example, in sports people learn to push themselves physically, emotionally, and
mentally. Lets break this down: physically we grow stronger, which is a result from hard work
in the gym or on the field. This can teach a kid that the reward we get from our effort or hard
work can be a bigger and better. Mentally, we see from pushing ourselves further that we have
before and preparing ourselves to overcome our own faults. Imagine we are playing in the U. S
Open, leading by one stroke, and being challenged by competitor thats nipping at our heels. In
this situation, a strong and mentally prepared player calms himself down, takes a deep breath,
sees a shot that is needed, and executes. Thats what separates someone who has competed and
learned beforehand how to handle stressing a competitive environment and someone who has
been taught to avoid it. This can be relatable to every aspect of life not just sports. For example
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even professionals such as doctors, pilots, and engineers deal with stress and anxiety better if
they have learnt to deal with it at an earlier age rather than having to deal with it later on in their
careers. Lastly, emotions, they can get the best of anyone. It can be anger, doubt or even lack of
confidence. Whatever it may be, we must know how to deal with them. Carson Barrett, sports
manager, discusses how competition can teach us how to deal with all of these. A lot of times
people only see the physical aspects that competition brings and forget it can improve us
mentally as well. It boosts their self confidence and as a result they are more attentive in class
and able to grasp more academically and in other areas of their life.
Look at peer pressure. In some cases its a very bad and negative thing. It has made
people feel horrible, but sometimes it can help. In the right way and around the right people it
can help someone to see that maybe that they need to change some of their habits, work ethics,
and improve their own abilities. A child who is constantly around members of a team can see
this. Watching friends and opponents improving and doing what needs to be done to improve can
influence kids to do more. Kids are always having competitions with one another, whether its
just a race to see who can get to the dinner table first or who can get the better test score. It
makes them want to work harder than the person next to them to improve and better themselves.
Ideas like these are going to stay with them throughout their adult years. They will know that in
order to achieve something, they will have to work harder than the person next to them.
Competition can teach children to achieve what they never thought was achievable.
If we look back how competition had started and how they became popular; you might think
about the Olympics and the Greeks. Also, it was the Spartans and the Vikings who started to
train at a very early age for these competitions of survival. These were tough competitions where
only the strongest could survive. Over time this continued, and the fighting competitions brought
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out the best in them. The most capable warriors won and were depended on to protect their cities,
when needed. These competitions prepared them from the earliest time in their life as skilled
warriors and a formidable team. Even though most times they were outnumbered by their
enemies, they were able to hold their own because they worked and trained together as a team.
This was possible, because as children they competed against each other, learning to lean on one
another, thus improving their individual character. Due to these competitions they were able to
accomplish great things in life, enabling them to succeed in life as they grew older and
All these positive characteristics are great for kids, and can really help them progress in
life. In addition to the above-mentioned characteristics, studies have proven that children who
participate in endurance sports and competitions had enhanced brain development and an
increased IQ. They develop qualities like perseverance, hard work and working through
obstacles. These qualities are ingrained in their character and help them in other aspects of their
life. If they encounter difficult situations in life, they dont quit; they keep trying. For example in
order to play on the team, kids have to maintain a certain grade point average; so instead of just
giving up they work hard and maintain their grades. This makes them responsible students as
well (Chessman).
Payne, Fernando, and Lancaster, authors of the book Beyond Winning: Smart Parenting
in a Toxic Sports Environment, believe that too much pressure on the kids can take the fun out
of the activities they are in. One example is when kids come back from a game. Instead of asking
how their experience was, the question usually asked is Did you win? or How many did you
score? The message that comes across to the children is that winning at all costs is important.
They make the child who scored the most points is the most important, instead of acknowledging
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all the kids and the effort they put in. The children feel the pressure, because coaches stress the
importance of winning games; slowly all the weak players are weeded out and the players who
stay on the team spend most of their time practicing. They have no time left for any other
activities in their life. The end result is that the players have so much pressure that they end up
This is one of the main reasons why some parents believe that competition is bad for their
child. They think that their children will get pushed too much and wont be able to enjoy the
game and soon will get tired of it. This is true. A lot of times children get burned out by a sport,
because they are told to focus on winning rather than enjoying the game and having fun. If
parents believe this will happen to their child then they should teach their kids to have fun, rather
than concentrating on winning. They still need to let them participate and compete, because they
need the experience. Participating in competitions not only is a source of amusement, but also
Competition is beneficial for children and even adults. It can help teach many life
lessons. It can be associated with some of the best characteristics wanted in a child as they grow
up. It can make them a well-rounded individual and teach them how to deal with life situations.
More importantly, it can make them a better person. Their overall character develops for the
better and people can witness this through their everyday life and the actions they make.
Competition can change them for positive or negative, depending on the individuals
perspectives and the influence around them. If some adults believe it brings negativity and bad
attitude, then they should do something to make it a more positive experience for their children.
Parents and the coaches that influence a childs life need to teach their kids the correct attitude
towards competition, how to deal with a loss, and how to react to a win. They need to teach the
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children good sportsmanship and how to deal with everything as it comes. Sometimes it may be
Its not always easy, but it is necessary. How we learn to cope with the results start from
here, and these habits develop at an early age. In the end its up to the individual and how they
choose to present themselves. Competition is just a way for these children to learn. It depends on
the children and if they want to make this learning experience or just be there as a spectator to
those who are taking full advantage of what they are being taught. Competition can help develop
a childs character for the better; it just takes effort and positive influence.
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Works Cited
Chessman, Kristin. "Organized Sports are a Home Run." N.p., 31 Mar. 2014. Web.
Coffin, Karen. "Competition Good or Bad?." National Federation of State High School
Engle, Marianne. "Kids and Sports: Creating a Healthy Experience for Every Child." . N.p., 1
Johnson, Cynthia. "Children and Competition." . North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service,
Johnston, Charles. "The Training of a Young Viking." Our Little Viking Cousins. : Nabu Press,
2011. . Print.
Kohn, Alfie. No Contest: The Case Against Competition . . 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
1992. Print.
Payne, Kim, Luis Llosa, and Scott Lancaster. Beyond Winning: Smart Parenting in a Toxic