{"id":3319,"date":"2013-09-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-09-24T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hideme.webinology.net\/nation:8443\/nation2021\/how-your-childs-competitor-makes-him-a-better-player\/"},"modified":"2021-11-03T12:52:07","modified_gmt":"2021-11-03T16:52:07","slug":"how-your-childs-competitor-makes-him-a-better-player","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coachup.com\/nation\/articles\/how-your-childs-competitor-makes-him-a-better-player","title":{"rendered":"How your child’s competitor makes him a better player"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"competition\"<\/a>Sometimes the competition in youth sports is against another team and sometimes it is against another player on your own team. When my oldest daughter was a high school softball catcher, there was a girl a year behind her that kept threatening to take her spot. Although she didn\u2019t verbalize her intentions, her play said it all; she kept improving and my daughter often wondered if this girl would take over as the starting varsity catcher. With my son, it was a quarterback a year behind him who was hungry for the starting varsity position; my son often felt the younger player breathing down his neck. My youngest daughter was also challenged by girl a year younger who had aspirations of taking away the starting libero spot from my daughter when she played high school varsity volleyball. My kids faced several of these intra-squad competitions throughout their years of playings sports. I remember thinking, \u201cGosh, if so-and-so wasn\u2019t on the team, my child would have a much more enjoyable season.\u201d If so-and-so wasn\u2019t on the team, my child would have their starting spot easily sewed up. If so-and-so wasn\u2019t on the team, my child wouldn\u2019t have to fight for playing time. If so-and-so wasn\u2019t on the team, my child would feel much more confident. Then again, if \u201cso-and-so\u201d wasn\u2019t on the team, my children would probably not have become the quality players that went on to play in college. The competition is good <\/strong> Every single time my kids faced competition on their own team for a spot or for playing time, they were faced with a choice: Would they give up? Or would they give it their all? Those athletes that threaten to take our kids\u2019 spots or minimize their playing time are actually a blessing in disguise. This type of competition is good for several reasons:<\/p>\n