What do kids say about winning?

Summary of article by Sherry Labyer, The Duncan Banner, Okla., February 22, 2009

According to a survey Baylor University’s Health, Human Performance and Recreation Department conducted among kids at the lowest levels of youth sports, “fun” is the primary reason most young athletes play sports. This survey, distributed to 6000 youth sports participants revealed that while 62% of respondents said that they mainly played sports “to have fun,” only 2% identified “to succeed or win” as the most important reason they play sports. Competition proved the least common motivator among this age group, ranking at the bottom of the seven responses given in the survey, behind “To be with their friends" (11 percent), "To make new friends" (10 percent), "To become physically fit" (7 percent), "To improve their skills" and "To learn new skills.”

The Baylor survey results may shed some light on other studies conducted by the Northeastern University Center for the Study of Sports in Society and the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University. These studies show that among kids who began playing sports by age 8, 42% have stopped playing by age 16. Teenagers offer a variety of reasons for leaving athletics, but these studies indicate that 50% of respondents say they stopped playing sports because “It’s not fun anymore.”

Sherry Labyer’s article identifies the “fun” correlation between the two studies and exhorts parents and coaches to ensure that children gain positive attributes from youth sports. She reminds parents that emphasizing winning at a young age is counterproductive and can lead to feelings of failure an adequacy that can spill over into other areas of life. She encourages parents instead to focus on supporting young athletes, their teammates, and coaches, developing skills, and promoting sportsmanship. Similarly, Labyer argues that coaches should not focus on winning games, but rather on ensuring that kids gain positive attributes from sports, and that they have fun and want to continue playing. Kids can see the sports aren’t all about winning, Labyer claims, adults should too.