I recently had the pleasure of officiating a speed skating competition by Skate Dream Africa as an MC, and I think that by the awarding ceremony, I had convinced a few parents to keep investing in their children’s sport.
I mean, who wouldn’t be proud to see their child putting themselves out there against others and pushing their limits as they tried to clinch the win? What about witnessing the grit displayed by a child who fell, got up and kept pushing to the end? Oh, and hearing about their child taking an additional lap to motivate their competition to cross the finish line? I have to say, I was particularly moved by this last act of sportsmanship since it had been done by a child of three years! And her competitor had been a younger girl of two years who’d just learnt how to skate previously!
First things first, one must realise that the hardest thing on race day is having the courage to not only show up but also present oneself on the starting line. It is one thing to train with your peers and coach present, and a whole other world performing with hundreds of eyes focused on you. Kudos to, in this case, all those young children who participated in the race.
Interesting thing about sport, and perhaps this is why sports-based movies tend to be inspirational, is that there are certain qualities displayed by the athletes that one wouldn’t ordinarily see in daily life. In school, one is told to work hard and not give up. But that’s theoretical compared to seeing an athlete start the race, push themselves until they cross the finish line. Add to the mix the sight of one getting up after falling or crashing and making a dash for the finish line!
I therefore hold that sport is the one place where one can learn lots about living life. And in the process, become not just better people but also better athletes.
In your typical sports narrative, you are introduced to a subject who doesn’t know how to (properly) play a sport, but the passion is definitely there. You then follow their lives as they keep trying to be better, and at first they get beaten by their competitors but with time they dominate the field. And as they celebrate their win, you are left with tears in your eyes and the resolution to do better.
Funny thing about real life, though, is that even you as the subject do not really feel or experience the change brought about by the sport. In fact, it all seems normal to you. To others, however, they get to see how much you work to improve yourself, see your level of determination in a race and the happy face after you cross the finish line…and guess what? They want to be just like you.
I do not lie when I say that I was touched by that young girl of three, who did a supportive lap to encourage her competitor.
And the thing about competition is the need to get better and better each time while developing sportsman-like (and human) qualities along the way.
So much do we value these qualities, that as Duo-Bearings Africa (DBA), we award not certificates of participation but of COMPLETION. Anyone can start, but only a few see it to the end, and sport is the one place where that is emphasised.
As soon as the suspension of sports is lifted, DBA will kickstart by offering a platform (especially for kids and teens) where one can improve themselves through competition in sport. The Sprint Battle #1 was just the beginning朗… Just in case: https://rightfullyconvictedtolifebehindhandlebars.sport.blog/2021/03/23/sprint-battle-1-the-report/
I think that as a parent, I’d be super proud of my child who, even if they did not win the race, put themselves out there against others competitively and had fun. After all, not everyone who starts wins, but the exceptional ones are those who cross the finish line. Oh, and parents, please don’t forget to remind your children that you are proud of them. That does go a long way, it does.
(Please note that this is a fully opined article, so please feel free to agree or disagree in the comments below).
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