A few years ago, I was speaking in Baltimore on the importance of inclusive sports and fitness communities for people with disabilities. One of my colleagues approached me after the presentation to reflect on her experiences with youth sports. She commented that she felt inclusive sports and games were a terrific idea for elementary school children, but that once a child reached junior high school, the transition from playing for fun to playing to win would preclude most youth with disabilities from participating.

My colleague was absolutely correct: many youth -- and their parents and coaches -- play to win. There is that break point in youth sports where winning becomes the primary reason for playing, which is no different psychologically or motivationally from what people do when they go to Las Vegas. The thrill of victory is worth the potential failure of losing money or the game. Winning feels good and losing feels bad. That's all there is to it. But that may be precisely what is wrong with the structure of youth sports today. Those who lose, and lose often, quit. And those who win, and win often, keep playing. Think of the irony of that; the winners keep playing and the losers are relegated to the sidelines. Shouldn't it be the opposite way? Those who lose need more time to play and practice rather than less time!

Read the entire column at: http://www.ncpad.org/467/2348/2007-5~Issue~~Emphasis~on~Winning~Banishes~Many~Youth
~~With~and~Without~Disabilities~~from~Playing~Fields.