is competition a good or bad \nthing? especially in younger \nminds.?
338377
Competition does not make someone a better or more effective person.  It can actually do the opposite.  Teamwork and concentrating on doing the best you can do are much more effective means of developing our skills plus they do not cause us to develop a desire to put ourselves above others or to see others fail.  Competition will develop skills, but it also develops a you against the world mind set that is the root of a person's selfish desires and to telling lies or cheating or defeating others to get ahead.  Whenever you are in a situation that causes you to hope that someone else fails, then you are developing the wrong kind of skills needed to make us all excel together.  Think how much better the world would be if we developed our skills to their greatest potential and then wanted to use those skills to help others succeed too.\n\nCompetition is also a poor way to try and develop self esteem and confidence, since there will be a good portion of the kids being defeated.  At a young age, self esteem and confidence come from achieving and cooperating with others.  Teamwork exercises achieve self esteem and cooperation where competition is unable.
540600
In the ideal world this would be great, Unfortunately when some one achieves something better than they themselves have it sparks envy, and thus strife. Competition should motivate us to better, with self improvement not others destruction. God Bless
582022
pros:  Your kids are free to learn based on their own pace, and delve deeper into thier own interests.  \n\nCons:  Your kids learn from you, so if you have bad habits they will have them too.  Evaluate your self before you start...\n\nand create a good group of friends with kids aged 2-3 years younger and older than your kids.
1075860
Yes!! I love to play tennis.  I have even started my own team at school becuase we didn't previously have one.  With a little more practice I believe we will be ready to compete and I am seriously considering joining a community team for the coming year.  So while I don't currently compete I hope to in the future.
682876
There are a lot of competition.
198953
I think it's a sport.  Here's my watered down way of looking at it.  \n\nIf it makes you sweat (burn calories) and it can be competitive, it's a sport.\n\nIf it doesn't make you sweat, but it's still competitive, then it's a competition or a game.
344313
I did it when I was little and it was fun.  The only thing is there are games every weekend so it takes up a lot of your time. Then there is practice during the week. Well I guess it depends on your schedule.  But it was a lot of fun. Good to mingle and get with girls of your same age.
97630
Aha. Good Question...\nObviously, nobodys perfect, but one can get pretty close to perfect, and thats good. Maybe you can win some money if youre pretty close to perfect...\n\n"Practice makes close-to-perfect"
491257
It's okay. Just be sure to give your effort.  Even the greatest athletes are only good in one or two sports. If you want to become good at a particular sport..try sport specific exercises.  Being okay at a sport is not bad.
741637
Tennis is a game with lots of ups and downs.  Most people play their best 25% of the time. They play their worst 25% of the time, and they play in the middle 50% of time. So it's normal to play well sometimes, and play poorly at other times. A lot of the time it's mental. If you don't think positively, you probably won't do well. If it's a matter of your strokes not being consistant, then hitting against a wall or using a ball machine is great because it grooves your strokes. The more you play, the better! Also, when I have problems with consistancy, I try to play less point play and more drills. This also helps to groove my strokes. Anyway, good luck in the next tourney!
638109
I enjoy wrestling. I wrestled one year in high school. I wasn't that great. Usually, when I lost, it was because of a few points. I didn't like that aspect of it because I always felt like if I had been wrestling that guy on the street, things would have been different. But I still enjoyed it and I think you should definitely pursue that while you're young. I have found that people who start wrestling at a young age usually do really well when they start collegiate wrestling. Good luck to you. I hope you achieve your dream!
454637
The environment SHOULD be recreational for kids under 12. This gives them time to enjoy playing for the sake of playing before the competitiveness kicks in. Over 12 there is an emphisis on skills and desire to win. It is sad to see parents pushing kids as young as 5 and 6 to be ultra competitive. Parents should stop trying to make their kids do things that they can no longer do themselves. GAME ON...ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN.
586788
I don't think it is a bad thing.  If your keeping score then your playing to win.  If anything I wouldn't worry about it, maybe next time they won't mug you in the lane but if your gonna play, play hard and play to win.  Now if I was you I wouldn't intentionally try to pick on or abuse smaller friends but if they foul hard then foul hard back and if you aren't trying to hurt them on purpose then don't worry.
834807
"We learn more from the games we loose"\n"How do winners get to where they are today if they never participated?"\n"If you never try for fear of loosing, you have already lost"\n"Those that think that winning is everything may want to stay in a small area where they are the best. They will be the biggest fish in the pond, but never see the ocean."\n"Risk participating in larger ponds and by the time you come back to your old pond, your greater experiences will make it easier to beat the old small pond champion."\n**********************************\nToss a few of these arguements around your debating team and see if inspires other ideas.
334120
I think it is good for young kids (elementary age)\nkids are too sedentary now, \nanything that would discourage kids from doing sports is bad (like coming in last place), praise for just participating is great\n\nthe kids that do better than the other kids know it and it is easy to enjoy something that you are good at, they need less encouragement
466338
healthy competition is always good but don't kid yourself, the women is always the boss, even when she's letting you think you are! :) j/k
470298
I am a very competitive person.\n\nThe way to deal with competition is:\n\n1. Study the competitor and learn as much as you can.\n2. Copy what they are doing better than you AND come up with your own ideas that are better than their's.\n3. Focus on your customer (in business) or your goals (for whatever it is you are competing for).\n4. Do 1-3 over and over and over without stopping. It is a marathon, not a short race.\n\nIf this is the best answer, please vote it the best. Thanks!