What world do you live in?
Yes it matters more then skill development! The piece of paper is how you get to the next step. It goes on the resume!
the assumption is that if you have the paper... you have
good enough skills
AND the
powers that be
have covered their butt because you have the papers.
I live in my own little troll world, but thanks for asking!
I was thinking along the lines of little ones (like under 10 years old) rather than the
youth
in general (which I guess would be up to 18 or 20 year olds).
Perhaps I'm too pragmatic, but I suspect the ratio of youth competitors and top level athletes is probably less than 1000:1
With that in mind, I would imagine it would serve any sport far better to focus on
fun-factor
over accolades for all but that 0.5% of truly gifted atheletes.
I respect our local High School football coach who firmly stated that while each player thinks they're the next NFL 1st round draft pick, it was likely that MAYBE 2 in the whole school have a chance at a full scholarship to a Division 1 college. Some may make Division 2, but most will end their football careers with graduation.
I hoped the kids take away the message that there is still fun to be had in the sport, and it's not worth killing yourself, cheating, or bad sportsmanship to get ahead given the remote chance for
success
(in terms of NFL play)
I would like to think that my future crew learn to enjoy sailing as a sport, a pastime, and a culture. Play hard, play fair, know the rules (and don't be afraid to enforce them), but don't leave the fun out of the equation.
I mean, really, who doesn't like to watch Ding pop a gasket when you lee-bow him (which, respectfully is getting less and less), or Karl (the first) get all stoic when his spin pole looks like the letter L, or watching the rise of JC & Sarah, having raced with them so often in the past?
Who hasn't had a really sweet leg, race, regatta that they'll remember the rest of their lives (even if they never won anything)?
Sailing's so far beyond just buoy racing, but we tend to focus our effort there. Perhaps too much?
Jeeze I sound like some tree-hugging, berkenstock wearing liberal. I need to go clean my guns
Some of the most fun I ever had was at the back of the fleet, just trying to get past one particular boat that was always just ahead of us. On the last leg (C to upwind finish), I would tack away, he would tack to cover, then I would just keep tacking like a madman, until he blew a tack. At that point, he and his crew would start screaming at each other, each blaming the other for being in irons, and I would just sail by. Even when I told him what I was doing over the campfire, all he could say was
I know
then we'd go out and do it all over again the next day...
Of course my new highlight has to be sailing with Hunter at Madcatter this year. He's six years old, steering the Wave along the starting line before the races, and out of nowhere starts singing
Come sail away with me...
Winning regattas is a different kind of fun.
Mike
Sam,
Zhik on the A, and a Kokotat w/ camelback for distance.
Well put Todd.
I came accross this website to read more info on this great product: http:/
Wow, thread resurrection AND spam all in one. Awesome.
...and registering and making his first post. Now that's what I call multitasking!
Mike