Does anyone hate how competitive the world has become?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the world has always been this competitive, but in the USA, now more "travel sports" programs have moved down to the age 8-12 group and demanded 3-4 practices a week, multiple games a month, and stupid & unnecessary out-of-state tournaments.

This boxes out the athletic kids from being multi-sport for longer, finding their people, and playing on local or school teams.

Frankly the only good way to be multisport in addition to 1-2 primary activities is to go to a small middle or high school, or private school. Your kid will be nice and well rounded, and the teams won't have A, B, C teams where club players only make varsity and showup for half the practices.

There is a difference. One you would know if you lived elsewhere (just for reference, I have lived on 4 continents).

The big difference is that in the US it is not just being competitive. It is not just winning. It is winning and crushing the competition. In the rest of the world, the emphasis is on doing well. Winning is secondary.

Maybe then the solution is emphasizing that winning isn't everything.

I don't know anyone raising their kids to think winning is everything. When people say "in the US" they are not talking about everyone's experience here, maybe 0.5% of people, and ironically these people already won because they already are rich. So what are they trying so hard to prove and achieve?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the world has always been this competitive, but in the USA, now more "travel sports" programs have moved down to the age 8-12 group and demanded 3-4 practices a week, multiple games a month, and stupid & unnecessary out-of-state tournaments.

This boxes out the athletic kids from being multi-sport for longer, finding their people, and playing on local or school teams.

Frankly the only good way to be multisport in addition to 1-2 primary activities is to go to a small middle or high school, or private school. Your kid will be nice and well rounded, and the teams won't have A, B, C teams where club players only make varsity and showup for half the practices.

There is a difference. One you would know if you lived elsewhere (just for reference, I have lived on 4 continents).

The big difference is that in the US it is not just being competitive. It is not just winning. It is winning and crushing the competition. In the rest of the world, the emphasis is on doing well. Winning is secondary.

Maybe then the solution is emphasizing that winning isn't everything.

I don't know anyone raising their kids to think winning is everything. When people say "in the US" they are not talking about everyone's experience here, maybe 0.5% of people, and ironically these people already won because they already are rich. So what are they trying so hard to prove and achieve?

First gen Indians fight tooth and nail. Here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everything is so damn competitive now, and I don't know how people survive this world. It starts when someone is young with how competitive youth sports has become. It is extremely difficult to even make the JV team now. College admissions are more competitive and cutthroat than ever, and you have to be insanely lucky to get into a school like UVA, UMich, or UNC right now.

Even if you make it into a good college, the competition doesn't stop there. Most engineering, premed, and business clubs require applications and interviews to join. Greek life rejects most people who try to join. Getting research experience is extremely hard too.

And it is impossible to find a job now once you graduate.

How are kids supposed to survive now?

Finding a good job right now is a function of the economy not a competitive society. Some of this may be due to increased awareness as a parent and where you raised your kids. Focus on growth mindset and resilience instead of scarcity mindset. There is not one path to success and happiness.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure it's intimidating for kids who aren't that athletic trying to join a sport so they have something to put on a college application. Why do there have to be tryouts? Why can't kids join because they want to? Adults put so much pressure on kids trying to make them into overachievers because everything is so competitive these days.

Watching the Olympics, I noticed Americans seem so obnoxious compared to people from other countries. It's as if they are so self-centered they don't even really see how they are acting like buffoons, and I'm an American. Everyone's behavior is so over the top nowadays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure it's intimidating for kids who aren't that athletic trying to join a sport so they have something to put on a college application. Why do there have to be tryouts? Why can't kids join because they want to? Adults put so much pressure on kids trying to make them into overachievers because everything is so competitive these days.

Watching the Olympics, I noticed Americans seem so obnoxious compared to people from other countries. It's as if they are so self-centered they don't even really see how they are acting like buffoons, and I'm an American. Everyone's behavior is so over the top nowadays.

+1
There are tryouts so they only take the best, most athletic players and ‘win’ championships and tournaments. Its messed up how young we start our kids on this track of competition for the rest of their lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure it's intimidating for kids who aren't that athletic trying to join a sport so they have something to put on a college application. Why do there have to be tryouts? Why can't kids join because they want to? Adults put so much pressure on kids trying to make them into overachievers because everything is so competitive these days.

Watching the Olympics, I noticed Americans seem so obnoxious compared to people from other countries. It's as if they are so self-centered they don't even really see how they are acting like buffoons, and I'm an American. Everyone's behavior is so over the top nowadays.

You are so naive if you think it’s only Americans competitive in kids sports

[Anonymous]

Basically, those that are complaining about how competitive it is want a participation trophy for their kids.

It is like an obese guy wants a beautiful gf/wife, given his obesity, that will not happen.

[Anonymous]

It's only a competition if you choose to compete. What exactly is this prize you think you are going to win by buying into all the madness that makes the actual life you are living day to day sheer misery? Sounds like you already lost simply because you thought you had to join the race.

There are better ways to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Basically, those that are complaining about how competitive it is want a participation trophy for their kids.

It is like an obese guy wants a beautiful gf/wife, given his obesity, that will not happen.

Plenty of obese guys have beautiful wives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basically, those that are complaining about how competitive it is want a participation trophy for their kids.

It is like an obese guy wants a beautiful gf/wife, given his obesity, that will not happen.

Plenty of obese guys have beautiful wives.

👍

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the world has always been this competitive, but in the USA, now more "travel sports" programs have moved down to the age 8-12 group and demanded 3-4 practices a week, multiple games a month, and stupid & unnecessary out-of-state tournaments.

This boxes out the athletic kids from being multi-sport for longer, finding their people, and playing on local or school teams.

Frankly the only good way to be multisport in addition to 1-2 primary activities is to go to a small middle or high school, or private school. Your kid will be nice and well rounded, and the teams won't have A, B, C teams where club players only make varsity and showup for half the practices.

There is a difference. One you would know if you lived elsewhere (just for reference, I have lived on 4 continents).

The big difference is that in the US it is not just being competitive. It is not just winning. It is winning and crushing the competition. In the rest of the world, the emphasis is on doing well. Winning is secondary.

Maybe then the solution is emphasizing that winning isn't everything.

Disagree, knowing people from certain countries who will cheat to win (not just in sports).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure it's intimidating for kids who aren't that athletic trying to join a sport so they have something to put on a college application. Why do there have to be tryouts? Why can't kids join because they want to? Adults put so much pressure on kids trying to make them into overachievers because everything is so competitive these days.

Watching the Olympics, I noticed Americans seem so obnoxious compared to people from other countries. It's as if they are so self-centered they don't even really see how they are acting like buffoons, and I'm an American. Everyone's behavior is so over the top nowadays.

+1
There are tryouts so they only take the best, most athletic players and ‘win’ championships and tournaments. Its messed up how young we start our kids on this track of competition for the rest of their lives.

People may not realize how it works in Europe and then come to the conclusion it isn’t so competitive

Most top soccer clubs are training kids at 5 years old where the kids may be boarding at the club. It’s super competitive and kids are often cut and replaced by better players all the time.

These kids live and breathe their sport with school taking a backseat.

The difference is that kids that aren’t on these ultra competitive teams know at an early age that they are now playing their sport for fun…there are no college sports.

You don’t ever see the young superstars training unless you happen to live near these training academies.

It’s a very different system…but one would argue actually more competitive and cutthroat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, keep up and rise to the occasion or get left behind. Make smart decisions, be a planner, take risks and create opportunities. American’s are largely complacent and choose to not reach for more. My kids enjoy excelling and being at the very top for everything. I do, as well. I am a competitive person though and always have been. My husband likes appearances as he is from an old Dallas family who is like that. Most will just not achieve and settle or suffer though. It is a fact of life.

Now I am curious what family! signed, former Dallasite.

Me too

-HPISD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the world has always been this competitive, but in the USA, now more "travel sports" programs have moved down to the age 8-12 group and demanded 3-4 practices a week, multiple games a month, and stupid & unnecessary out-of-state tournaments.

This boxes out the athletic kids from being multi-sport for longer, finding their people, and playing on local or school teams.

Frankly the only good way to be multisport in addition to 1-2 primary activities is to go to a small middle or high school, or private school. Your kid will be nice and well rounded, and the teams won't have A, B, C teams where club players only make varsity and showup for half the practices.

There is a difference. One you would know if you lived elsewhere (just for reference, I have lived on 4 continents).

The big difference is that in the US it is not just being competitive. It is not just winning. It is winning and crushing the competition. In the rest of the world, the emphasis is on doing well. Winning is secondary.

Maybe then the solution is emphasizing that winning isn't everything.

Disagree.

WTF. No one is “crushing” anything. The only thing getting crushed is the kid and their practice schedule. That’s the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the world has always been this competitive, but in the USA, now more "travel sports" programs have moved down to the age 8-12 group and demanded 3-4 practices a week, multiple games a month, and stupid & unnecessary out-of-state tournaments.

This boxes out the athletic kids from being multi-sport for longer, finding their people, and playing on local or school teams.

Frankly the only good way to be multisport in addition to 1-2 primary activities is to go to a small middle or high school, or private school. Your kid will be nice and well rounded, and the teams won't have A, B, C teams where club players only make varsity and showup for half the practices.

There is a difference. One you would know if you lived elsewhere (just for reference, I have lived on 4 continents).

The big difference is that in the US it is not just being competitive. It is not just winning. It is winning and crushing the competition. In the rest of the world, the emphasis is on doing well. Winning is secondary.

Maybe then the solution is emphasizing that winning isn't everything.

And yes I have four citizenships and actually, if you count Turkey as Asia, spanning four continents.

But some countries aren’t competitive for structural and governance reasons. Hence the talent and brain drain, if not in academia for a career.