My short stint volunteering for the recent inaugural Youth Olympics made me think : why is it that our local sportsmen can never compete internationally? Is it due to our limited pool of talent, or is it due to the fact that we just do not care about sports?
Times are changing. During my time, parents wanted their children to excel in their studies and not other things. Hence, even though the child could do a certain sport very well, or play a certain instrument very well, parents would stop them and made them concentrate on their studies instead, go to university and get a good job. Sports and music were frowned upon.
But it is changing. Kids are getting more and more all-rounded, excelling in studies, sports and music. A few years back, the sports school was set up, to groom all the young athletes around. Kids who are good in sports can now have a career in them since young.
Yet as compared to the international arena, somehow our own sportsmen are still not on par. What is the best here? He or she may be nothing internationally, which is a very sad thing.
Are we really not as good? I do not think so. Judging from the capability and power of so many people here, I daresay we are just as good, if not better, than many other people. I guess because sports is still a relatively new area, our locals still need more time and experience so they can be confident and not crumble under pressure.
That is why the Youth Olympics is such a good experience and exposure. Maybe give them another few years, perhaps by then, a born and bred local can clinch a gold medal at another major sports event, instead of relying on foreign talent.
Times are changing. During my time, parents wanted their children to excel in their studies and not other things. Hence, even though the child could do a certain sport very well, or play a certain instrument very well, parents would stop them and made them concentrate on their studies instead, go to university and get a good job. Sports and music were frowned upon.
But it is changing. Kids are getting more and more all-rounded, excelling in studies, sports and music. A few years back, the sports school was set up, to groom all the young athletes around. Kids who are good in sports can now have a career in them since young.
Yet as compared to the international arena, somehow our own sportsmen are still not on par. What is the best here? He or she may be nothing internationally, which is a very sad thing.
Are we really not as good? I do not think so. Judging from the capability and power of so many people here, I daresay we are just as good, if not better, than many other people. I guess because sports is still a relatively new area, our locals still need more time and experience so they can be confident and not crumble under pressure.
That is why the Youth Olympics is such a good experience and exposure. Maybe give them another few years, perhaps by then, a born and bred local can clinch a gold medal at another major sports event, instead of relying on foreign talent.
0 comments:
Post a Comment