Raising a good sport

I suppose you can see it all unravel in Chariots of Fire, Hugh Hudson's glorious movie that came out in 1981. It is etched on our memories thanks to its stirring soundtrack. Admittedly, our reality is a far cry from movie glitz, though super athletes are today's celebrities as well as our children's heroes.

Whether they're eight or 18, many schoolchildren become involved in a sporting or hobby related competition at some time or other, whether it is organised by the school or extra curricular. This not only provides a break from the classroom and from books but also helps children to be more fit and alert. Moreover, learning how to play fair and coping with winning and losing are important lessons for adult life. Encouraging children to participate even for the fun of it instils the verve of setting a target and going for it. It also introduces them to working under pressure, which is why driving children under eight to get involved with competition is harmful, for the early years should be spent enjoying their games for their own sake without the strain to prove themselves. Seven years of age is significant because this is when children begin to develop the concept of competition.

Money or treat incentives are a bad tactic and not just an open bribe. Rather, parents should emphasise the buzz factor of competing and focus on personal satisfaction so that children get the message that winning is not the end and be all. Driving them too far too soon is one way of robbing their childhood. Plenty of praise (whatever the result) and sympathising when things go wrong always work wonders because both are balm to the ego. Besides, children need to be aware that top athletes do face defeat from time to time. It's also crucial to watch out for signs of stress or loss of interest and motivation.

Nurturing fair play comes by complimenting other competitors on good performances and ignoring taunts from rivals. It's also important to teach children to respect judges and officials. So, screeching that "The ref is an idiot" (plus a string of foul expletives) while watching a football match on TV is a big no-no. I suppose this is asking too much from football crazed fanatics while our exposure to the Italian press that pillories its sportsmen adds fuel to the fire of bad examples.

Well, it may seem a world away from us but taken to an extreme, hot-headed spectators in South America are known to have gunned down referees and players. It's so easy to gloss over such tragic events not only because of geographical distance, but also because South America is the home of legendary footballers. And though comparisons are odious, it's impossible to miss the overwhelming difference between Pelé and Maradona notwithstanding the fact that they played within a totally dissimilar framework of football styles and, moreover, bore the impact of their different personalities and different personal demons.

The phenomenon of football hooliganism is closer home and rings out a litany of social ills that fester miles away from a football stadium. So it's vital to get talking sensibly about it by spelling out that social injustices still don't waive off personal responsibility, just as there's no point in disregarding the grip of big money that dominates the world of sports.

What about high fliers? It's very sad to see young talent in Malta face gross limitations on realising dreams of glory. At the same time, sponsorship, state-of-the art and specialised schools are not the only answer. While well-rounded individuals are less likely to suffer burn-out, it is vital for all children who are committed to serious training and competition to have other interests and qualifications to fall back on.

In a world where neither stellar success nor steroids halt an athlete's body clock ticking the countdown to an early retirement, raising a good sport means teaching your child to take the bull by the horns without riding roughshod on what it takes to be fulfilled and earn respect at the same time - inside and outside a sports arena.