British kids don’t want to compete

Although more than eight out of ten British schoolchildren say the competitive element of sport is important, 64 per cent of them would not mind it being removed, a new British study shows. Many would even be happy or relieved.

The survey was conducted among 1,000 children and 1,000 parents and is commissioned by the English cricket club Marylebone Cricket Club in collaboration with the  cricket charity 'Chance to Shine', which seeks to promote cricket in schools.

The English study invites to a discussion about the deeper purpose of school sport. Should school sports, for example primarily give kids a free space, make them healthier and more ready to learn, bring them physical skills, develop elite athletes, or prepare children for a competitive adulthood?

Such a debate has clear ideological undertones. In the UK, the conservative government is working on spreading competitive sport in schools, and children's apparent lack of competitive spirit also sets the alarm bells ringing in English cricket.

“It is worrying to see that so many children would be relieved to see competition removed from sport. We want to teach children the importance of playing sport competitively and fairly and for them to see the benefits that it can bring to their lives,” said Wasim Khan, Chief Executive of Chance to Shine.

Parents want competition
The desire to use sport as an educational lever that can help prepare children for adult life by teaching them how to deal with adversity appears to be met with understanding by the vast majority of parents. No less than 89 per cent of the parents asked in the survey point to the fact that it is important that children learn to win and lose in sports.

However, the results of the study are far from unambiguous. For an example, a large majority of both parents and children point to exercise and teamwork as the two most important aspects of sport, and just 4 per cent of parents and 14 per cent of the children point to winning as the most important.

This more nuanced view of the competitive element in sport is also expressed when parents are asked for their view on a number of value based claims about sport.

While 60 per cent declare their agreement with the statement that it is important to learn to win and lose with dignity, and 47 per cent agree that sport is about winning, there is also strong support for the view that children's participation and non-sporting performance is what count. Approximately 45 per cent of the parents even think that there is too much focus on the competitive element in school sports.