Playing competitive sports can teach students many positive social behaviours and life skills, but above all they realise that true competition is about working on themselves.
Playing competitive sports can teach students many positive social behaviours and life skills, but above all they realise that true competition is about working on themselves.
Slamming her racquet on the floor and calling the umpire a liar and a thief garnered world-wide attention for Serena Williams at this year’s US Open. Facing three code-of-conduct violations for illegal coaching, racquet abuse and verbally abusing a judge, totalling to a penalty of US$17,000 many have argued that the price she paid for her outburst cost her a lot more than the monetary fine. The incident has since opened a discussion about the importance and value of sportsmanship and accepting defeat or setbacks as part and parcel of life.
“Winning and losing is a basic fact of life,” Travis Washko, regional activities manager for Nord Anglia Education’s (NAE) international schools in China, said.
“Sport is one of the best ways to teach young people how to win and lose. Learning to be gracious and respectful [by experiencing both] is very important in life.”
Mr Washko, who recently helped set up an NAE regional Global Games football event for students under 14 years old, said
