How good do you hope the opposition are?

Today is Friday.  School teams all over the country will be preparing for tomorrow’s matches.  At a conservative estimate, somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 teams from independent schools will compete each week of the autumn term. It’s a serious business.

Often weekly practices and team meetings will make mention of this week’s opponents.  Their strengths, weaknesses and level of ability.  How many coaches express the hope to their players that tomorrow’s opposition will be really good? Or do they look forward to the games against teams of proven incompetence? Do they want a challenging contest that will provide a stretching educational experience for their teams – or is it enough to finish the game with more goals than the opposition?  Do schools teach a love of sport – or just a love of winning?

There is a subtle and important difference.  Coaches of sport encourage their players to be the best they can be.  The best players, the best team members, the best people.  Not just better than the other school that happens to turn up this week.

Sport is about challenge.  Striving to develop, practising and working to improve skills and attitudes.  Relishing the challenge, and persisting through difficulties.  This sense of achievement has chemistry behind it.  One of the major pleasure hormones, dopamine, is released when tasks are completed, behaviours are mastered.  Without challenge, without effort to succeed, there is no dopamine-fuelled sense of satisfaction.

Sports provide teachers with an outstanding opportunity to encourage children to enjoy challenge.  To provide experiences, and, more importantly, an environment in which the joy of achievement is prominent.  And the investment of time and effort, persistence through difficulty and dealing with disappointment are consistently recognized and celebrated.  In these schools, commitment to playing and training is unquestioned.  And frequently acknowledged.

What teachers value is transmitted to their pupils.  If the prevailing team culture is one that stresses winning, this is what children will value.  In these circumstances, defeat means that nothing has been achieved.  If coaches constantly emphasise striving and encourage children to enjoy this process, and to persist through the inevitable disappointments of errors, defeats, injuries, being dropped etc, then the sporting experience can be positive every week.

In order to achieve this, the opposition must provide a challenge that is meaningful and stretches individuals and teams.  Makes them perform on the edge of their current ability, and allows them to show how good they can be.  Show how good the skills, strategies, work rate, teamship and attitudes have become.  Without sufficient challenge, this can’t be achieved.  The opponents provide the stage for players, coaches and schools to be the best they can be.  And to strive to become better – and to enjoy the process.  To relish the satisfaction of becoming the best that they can be, not merely better than the other team.

So, let’s hope that tomorrow’s opponents are at full strength, and are in good form.