April 2014
Featured in this insight: Sports & physical activity, Children & young people
Survey discovers that children ‘not bothered’ about winning in school sports: A recent survey commissioned by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the Chance to Shine cricket charity, which raised concerns that children are not bothered about competition in sport, found that almost two thirds (64%) of eight to sixteen year olds would not be bothered, would be happier, or would be less anxious if the competitive element was removed from school sport.
However, just over eight in ten (84%) of the eight to sixteen year olds questioned agreed that experiencing winning and losing is important.
The survey reveals that many children believe that competition is a key reason why their parents watch them play, with almost two in five (39%) saying that their mothers and fathers would be less interested if there were no winners and losers at the end of the match.
Furthermore, the majority (86%) of youngsters surveyed, along with 97 per cent of the parents, said that they felt there are some mothers and fathers that are more concerned about winning than the children themselves.
Wasim Khan, Chief Executive of Chance to Shine, said:
“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.”
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