No winning and losing in team sports?
Well, that’s what is happening to soccer in our province starting this year. Soccer leagues across the province that will stop keeping score and tabulating standings this season in hopes to shift the focus away from winning and toward skills development.
Some leagues and age groups started last season and others will adopt the approach this year. By 2014 it will be mandatory across Ontario for all competitive players under 12. More in a Toronto Star article here.
Ridiculous isn’t it?
The Ontario Soccer Association’s Alex Chiet says it’s beneficial to not keep score for young soccer players, while Jill Barker argues it is.
I feel about this the same way I felt about all kids getting trophies, and keeping silent on the soccer fields.
What is wrong with competition and keeping score? I can understand a program like PlayBall, a fun learn-to-play introduction to soccer for kids who are under six. But older school-aged children?
How can not keeping score affect kids’ skill development? Keeping score teaches children the aspects of winning and losing and good sportsmanship. It also teaches kids to strive to do better next time if they lose, how they can improve their game, how to work better together as a team.
What do you think?
Here is a video of The Ontario Soccer Association’s Alex Chiet who says it’s beneficial to not keep score for young soccer players, and Jill Barker who argues it is.
3 Comments
This makes drives me crazy! Competition is healthy. It allows kids to see where they can improve. I have yet to see a child in athletics who doesn’t thrill at a victory and vow to do better after a loss.
And I’m with you on the participant trophies – totally unnecessary. My kids never displayed these, unlike the ones that show a job well done.
I think that is completely ridiculous. If you’re not keeping score then it’s not a soccer game…
SMH! WHO are these people anyway!? Probably the same ones trying to ban Hide&Seek b/c it’s unsocial!? Kids don’t want to play w/o scoring… then it’s just another boring practice!