O/T English Sport

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cpwigan
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Re: O/T English Sport

Post by cpwigan »

Stop making excuses. Other countries play lots of sports, have smaller populations and yet are world class. We are poor because we do not invest the time/effort to train our youngsters properly and they increasingly do not have the attitude to overcome this weakness. Money is not as huge an issue as some pretend. Perfect practice makes perfect, we practice and what we do is permanent BUT simply not good enough. Statistically, we now compete well BUT when it comes to the magic, the highest level it does not exist. Our present system mass produces mediocrity. It does not breed champions.

Bottom line we simply are not good enough.
cpwigan
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Re: O/T English Sport

Post by cpwigan »

It is an excuse and that is the culture of this country, excuses, excuses. Australia has as many, probably more sports than we do. Italy, France, Germany all have the same numbers. I could go on BUT hey keep making excuses.
mike binder
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Re: O/T English Sport

Post by mike binder »

you 4got darts we have a 13 time world champion ,and we hold our own at pool :lol: oohhh those pub sports ,just proves what sports the english do in the spare time all linked with the local ale house :lol: do we have a dominoes champ amongst us :wink:
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GeoffN
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Re: O/T English Sport

Post by GeoffN »

Some very valid points above, but IMO it goes much deeper than that, it's the whole ethos of the modern education system. Sutty touched on this to some extent with his "sports day" anecdote, and cpwigan correctly alluded to our mediocrity and attitudes.

Winning/excelling, not just in sport but in anything else, is these days seen as a "bad thing" primarily because if there are winners (or tops of anything) there must also be losers (or bottoms), and this simply can't be allowed to happen. As a teacher, for example, I'm not allowed to use the word "fail" - the approved terminology is "not yet succeeded" or some such.
A youngster who is particularly good at something, whether that be sport or, for example, an academic subject, is actively discouraged from excelling because, in effect, it "shows up" the rest. Rather than select an "elite" (which has become a dirty word in itself),for special attention, all efforts are aimed at bringing the lowest achievers up to an acceptable level of mediocrity.

That, IMO, is the biggest single reason why we, as a nation, are reasonable at most things, without excelling at any.

Rant over!
cpwigan
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Re: O/T English Sport

Post by cpwigan »

You actually have no idea what sports these countries play. Italy, France and possibly Germany are all far far better at literally 100s of winter sports for example.
cpwigan
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Re: O/T English Sport

Post by cpwigan »

Very. To be the best at whatever you do you have to have something extra. We do not instill the magic that releases or develops that special talent.

Read the Evening Post about schoolboy rugby and then ask Mike Binder what it is really like. There is a statement in that article that exemplifies why we are so poor at sport.
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lucky 13
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Re: O/T English Sport

Post by lucky 13 »

think most of the above are valid points but the aussies have got it spot on . even though the east german athletes in early seventie's took drugs to reach the top the systems of training they had in place were also very good and realy it was ground breaking ,the aussies around this time were avarage thats why we could compete against them ,they then looked at the german training system took all the plusses from it and formed their own system based on this,they find a sport for you if you can,t do one you find another . :blush:
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cpwigan
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Re: O/T English Sport

Post by cpwigan »

Look at China. They nare now starting to produce some great sportsmen/women
GeoffN
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Re: O/T English Sport

Post by GeoffN »

cpwigan posted:
Very. To be the best at whatever you do you have to have something extra. We do not instill the magic that releases or develops that special talent.

Read the Evening Post about schoolboy rugby and then ask Mike Binder what it is really like. There is a statement in that article that exemplifies why we are so poor at sport.
Absolutely. It's the "winning attitude" that makes the biggest difference at the top level, not skills, fitness, whatever. At the moment, that attitude is actively suppressed in schools, rather than encouraged.

Vince Lombardi (one of the most famous names in American football) said "show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser", and that remains true. Kids these days are taught not only to be a good loser, but that "it's not the winning, it's the taking part". An Aussie (for example) would laugh at that statement.

The top players, in RL or any other sport, aren't always more skillful or fitter, but, without exception, they hate to lose.

To illustrate this; I'm not assessed on how many A*s my pupils get, but how many get C or above. Mediocrity rules.
cpwigan
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Re: O/T English Sport

Post by cpwigan »

What do you teach Geoff?

Modern days PE teachers are funny. They refer to PE teachers who shout instructions to their players as old school and they just stand watching doing nothing BUT being terribly new school which is so so much better. Apparently, participation is everything and that = enjoyment. :o
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