Team GB did well at the Olympics with their haul of golds (well, GB came 4th in the medals table) and now Gordon Brown is enthusing about the need to bring back competitive sports in schools to improve chances for the Olympics in 2012. I suppose it is about the whole ethos of sports in general, how do we perceive sport especially competitive sports? What do we say as socialists and as feminists?
Will competitive sports “inspire” more kids, especially girls? I have to admit I enjoyed competitive sports at school. Some where I competed alone, some in teams. You were psyched up and as I lacked a lot of confidence at school, yet contradictorily, competitive sports, boosted it immeasurably. It engendered a mindset built on winning and succeeding.
You kinda saw others as people to beat, while looking for their weaknesses and flaws. It was about success and coming out on top. My own persona changed once I entered a sports hall or pitch. My main concern was to do well and to win. It wasn’t a case of you do well wherever you finish, no, for me it was about winning (or at least coming in the top 3!).
I still kinda have a competitive streak now and it comes ever apparent when I enter a sports hall (badminton…I play to win) and swimming pool (I sometimes find myself racing against someone in the fast lane). That mindset from school comes back to haunt me. Can’t I just take a laid back attitude to sports (when I can be bothered to go to the swimming pool and sports centre that is!!)?
Did competitive sports bring the best or the worst out of me? Sometimes when I won I felt fantastic and having a sense of purpose and self-worth but if I lost it was back to the drawing board with a sense of failure. Sprinting was my specialist area and it did give me purpose. The running and building up the speed I used to feel good, which was probably to with the endorphins kicking in but at the same time my mind was concentrated with no distractions on giving it my best and crossing the finishing line.
But, alas, I gave it up in my mid-teens to concentrate being an artist. Mainly because I didn’t think I was good enough. I was unable to run just because it was good exercise..it was about the competition.
What are the values and beliefs you instill in kids about competitive sports? It isn’t really about team work even if you are part of a team, you are individuals who work in a team without being collective or a sense of solidarity and as an individual competitor it is about seeing others in terms of beating them to the finish line. It is based on individualism and being the best.
It can also be alienating and isolating. Pushing yourself against the limits. It may increase your physical endurance but what does it do to your perception of sports? And what happens if there are kids who aren’t interested in competitive sports, or just don’t like it? There is undermining, humilation and bullying in sports, which destroys self-esteem and confidence. I saw it and it brought about total disengagement with sports.
I agree that sports and exercise generally is a positive thing for development but why does it have to be about competitiveness and being the best? why does it have to be about winning the most golds in 2012 for an event that smacks of elitism and over-indulgence. Will there be more people from working class backgrounds participating..?
Obviously these are my own views on the subject and there are people out there who maybe have positive experiences and views on competitive sports.
August 25, 2008 at 3:01 pm |
Eeek! I’d best not challenge you to a round of Badminton then!
In all seriousness I used to hate most sports when I was at school. Partly because I was crap at most of them (except for some athletics, hockey, swimming and rounders(!)) and partly because I then found the competitive mindset profoundly alienating. It wasn’t what I’d call a particularly great way of instilling me with sporting attitudes or body confidence.
But because that was my experience I don’t draw the conclusion, unlike Chris Bambery, who seems to think competitive sports are bad ummmmkay. I’m sure an olympics under socialism would be less elitist and nationalistic, but chances are there will be a continued competitive element. Who can really say?
August 25, 2008 at 3:15 pm |
To be honest Phil, I haven’t played badminton for years now and I will be very rusty. But I have to say…even when I frequented the gym on a regular basis I found myself in a similar mindset as to when I was a kid playing competitive sports. It’s weird and probably says more about my own individual psyche (ahhh, Dr Freud, we meet again…).
I think you are rights as well about the experience being alienating. Sports can be utterly miserable and humilating as well.
That’s why i found it ironic that I found confidence and self-esteem in sport (and Art). I felt I was good at something.
But what happens if someone hates sports, feels crap and undermined? You are kinda pushed aside and emphasis is put on the ones who seem good (rather like the methods used in any other subjects).
There’s none of this working together collectively as a team and for enjoyment, or fun.
I think also the general ideology about competitiveness fits with the capitalist ethos. You could carry this through to all aspects of your life.
I disagree with Chris Bambery as certain degrees of competitiveness aren’t strictly bad it’s when you build an ideology based on it that feeds into sporting events like the Olympics.
Yes, what would it be like under socialism.
Btw: I hated hockey and long distance running.
Netball was cool though in one of my over enthusiatic moods I dislocated someone’s finger….
August 25, 2008 at 4:12 pm |
Chris Bambery? But he’s a Celtic fan! You can’t get more competitive than that!