School competition: the role of parents

Children who play sports tend to relate better to others, as they learn to live together and the importance of fair play. Therefore, when we go to a game of our children, parents must continue to be a reference for them of fellowship, of knowing how to win and how to lose.

And even if we are able to control our anger or disappointment, everyone going to see our children at a football or basketball game, on a Saturday morning or early afternoon, we transform a little when the whistle blows and start rolling the ball.

A large number of studies have been published by different organizations and universities over the last few years, analyzing the different positive and negative variables that affect school sport. In all of them, emphasis is placed on school competition: the role of parents and coaches so that sport helps us in our educational task and does not become a pernicious factor that distorts our child's incipient personality.

What should sport bring to families?

Any sport that takes place in the school stage, should be an activity that promotes the education of our children, mainly in two aspects:

1. An effective help for the child to recognize and improve their own skills, knowing and recognizing their own limits.

2. An effective contribution to personal development and character, promoting or reinforcing in the child the discipline, courage, spirit of sacrifice, will, loyalty to their peers, know how to win and know how to lose.

What do the children think about their training and games?

A European study carried out on children from 10 to 12 years old from four European cities, including Valladolid, explains that the physical-sport activity carried out through school sports can serve two types of models: one recreational-recreational, where the cooperative takes precedence over the competitive and the participation over the selection; while the other relates to federative sports practices, where results, efficiency and performance search are the most important.
In this same study the children themselves are asked what their reasons for practicing school sports are. And, attention parents, what our children really think about their training and games is the following, in order of importance:

1. Encourage your health. They feel good when they play sports, especially if they have had the option to choose the sports discipline they practice.

2. Be and enjoy with your friends. They say that it allows them to interact with children they would never meet, with whom they end up getting along. Especially Spanish schoolchildren think that children who play sports tend to relate better to others, because they learn to live together with others.

3. They think that their matches have nothing to do with professional competition and what they want is to have fun together ... and if they win, the better. Therefore, for them to lose is not by far their greatest concern.

The reflection of the parents

Now that we know the motivations of the children to get up on a Saturday morning, dress with their equipment and go to the call of their coach, do you really think that your son understands his father or mother shouting at him from the stands to fight more, than enter with more force? Or that when the ball escapes him or the player of the other team runs more than him, he makes a gesture of contempt or disenchantment?

Anina your child to practice a school sport, which is always as a team, and then if you call a match is still a benchmark for é of companionship, good to know how to win and know how to lose.

Keys to know how to win and lose as a family

Reflect if all our actions, attitudes and words are educating or not for your children. Even if we are not able to realize it, they are ALWAYS watching us and ALWAYS find out what we do or say.

Analyze the motivations for which you have targeted your child to a football, basketball, handball or volleyball team. And think if what we want is to contribute to its proper integral development, or if what we are looking for is a small Messi or a dwarf Gasol in the family.

Do not focus all your attention on that child who has opted for the same activity that we are passionate about. With the same enthusiasm and dedication we should suck a game of football, basketball or rugby. Everyone needs our support in the sport they have chosen to practice.

Support your children in the sports discipline they practice and recognize their effort after each game, even if they lose. And if someone "has not been an athlete", explain the good things you can enjoy practicing a team sport, encouraging him, at least, to try; You can find new friends, different ways to occupy your free time, or we will discover a "Pepe Reina" in our family.

Mª Jesús Sancho. PsychologistMaster's Degree in Marriage and Family from the University of Navarra