As a left handed ball player who was told to become right handed, I eventually joined the target shooting community. There’s competition only if you want to do it but otherwise, it’s on a personal skills level.
"You want pressure?" he snapped. "In our town we have 13-year-old girls who are pregnant. There are drugs and drinking in schools. Then there is paying bills in this economy."
He gave his boy a hand-slap and said, "Pressure is part of life."
So now, the "everybody's a winner, we're all special" mentality may finally be dying!
But I don't see much room for normal kids in society today. There are lots of resources thrown at pregnant teens, kids with special needs, and kids from poor families. And there are lots of special opportunities for kids who look like they could be in the Olympics, or go to Harvard, or something.
Normal kids who dream of growing up, buying a house, raising a family? PPHHTTWWWWH! Who cares about them?
Isn’t this what intramural sports are for?
I played high school football in the early 70’s and a good many of our starters had played Pop Warner Youth football. They already knew the fundamentals of the sport and were also acclimated to the hitting. I was too big to play Pop Warner (they have weight restrictions), so it took me a while to catch on, but the inter-team competition made me a better football player and I eventually started.
My sons and daughter all played sports. They learned teamwork and discipline, had fun and made good friends. My youngest did will enough in football to earn a partial scholarship and is playing college football now.
If mom and dad show unconditional love whether he wins or loses. Good for them.
But if they are living their childhood through him.
When he burns out or rebels. It will be ugly.