Is it all about the winning or the taking part?
Why do we say “it’s not the winning but the taking part that counts”?
It’s a phrase echoed by the founder of the Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who said “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”
Many people in the UK though seem to agree that trying and failing is more admirable than not trying at all.
In practice, though, most people seem only to be interested in the winners and the medallists.
In young children’s sporting events, last place is often rewarded with a ‘wooden spoon’ or booby prize. Grown-up athletes don’t even have this to look forward to. Perhaps ‘taking part’ is just a myth designed to cheer up the slowest children: to take the edge off failure.
Many people would say otherwise. They say that effort, determination and striving to reach a goal are commendable in themselves.
Winning athletes are those who combine this good behaviour with natural talent.
Competition is not unethical. It is reasonable that winners be rewarded, even if their victories have an element of chance; this is the essence of a game, and games are fundamental to humanity.
Celebrating achievement is not in itself unethical – but it can drive some competitors to unethical behaviour.
What are your views? Did you compete in sport when you were young? Did your school encourage competition to win? How can we best prepare our children and grandchildren for the real world of competition?
Is it all about the winning or the taking part?
102 people have already voted, what's your opinion? Winning! Taking part and doing your best!What are your views?
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The reason was I had bad feet and couldn't run as fast as anyone else. I'd say things were stacked against me and others who could not run, jump or whatever as good as others.
There is a definite stigma attached to those who can't do as well as anyone else. I'd say it's the winning rather than the taking part. But they need losers like me to make them look good!
I am not the least bit competitive. My father was ferociously competitive in his business, a London Lovejoy on steroids and Scotch, but it must be said he was so much more successful than Lovejoy.
I didn't inherit the competitive gene. Not at all interested in sport. But I would echo Sally's point ... Celebrating achievement is not in itself unethical – but it can drive some competitors to unethical behaviour ... Now, that I utterly deplore. It's always to the detriment of the game.
How about a little 'kultcher':
Sir Henry John Newbolt in his work Vitai Lampada wrote:
There's a breathless hush in the Close to-night—
Ten to make and the match to win—
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play and the last man in.
And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat,
Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,
But his captain's hand on his shoulder smote
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"
Or,
A quote attributed to Wellington but is probably apocryphal:
The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton.
Yes, there's a place for sport and competition in life, but not a place for me within it.
My school selected me, a very small twelve year old from West Norfolk, to play rugby against the French Lycée, just two minutes walk from where I lived in London. The French fielded giants, they must have been fifteen or sixteen years old - I think I might have looked at their navel!
I got one grab of the ball, ran in the right direction, but was picked up by a giant, carried on his hip as he ran to the other end and scored. My team mates surrounded me and gave me a sound kicking. The result? Three days in hospital with internal bleeding and broken ribs. When next I looked in the mirror the me I'd grown up with was't recognisable.
At school I refused to play games or sports. The floggings I received for insolence were worth it. Yet about five years ago my doctor queried some anomalies in my liver and kidney function and delved into my past. Yes, the effects of that kicking might be with me still.
No, no competitive instinct, yet still I made my way in life and once was the best in the country at what I did. Pig keeping!
You're right, it's the doing, the taking part which matters. The result? Well there's always another opportunity.
It sounds as though the Lion-el is a bit of a masochist!
Life is competitive and children have to get used to it, our school life was competitive both in the classroom and on the sports field. Schools these days who have non competitive sports days so not to offend less able children are just ridiculous. Sports days are when some children have their opportunity to shine, not everyone is academic and we should celebrate winners in all aspects of life.
Just like the French football team last night - who wants a losers medal - no thanks!