My latest whinge...

Now, this is something that has really bugged me for a while... so now I
have to say something about it...

Funding for elite athletes.

I just received an email talking about the Qld Govt providing funding
for elite juniors to travel overseas. Honestly, I think this is great,
because they should get the opportunity to represent their country. The
unfortunate truth, however, is that if the parents/guardians/coaches of
these juniors got off their butts, there would no doubt be plenty of
corporate sponsors out there available to help. That's the way it is
with elites - you're up to national rep level, you can get the funding.
The Govt also seems to spend a lot of money on talent search programs
(that don't seem to be coming up with much).

Given that obesity levels in Australia are pretty appalling, and getting
worse, does anyone else think that, instead of the govt spending money
so much money on elite athletes, we should probably focus on encouraging
EVERYONE to play sport?

I see an emerging attitude that sport is for people who are good at it,
and if you're not good at it, you shouldn't be doing it. Not everyone
has this opinion but a lot do (and I have to say, I LOVE seeing
overweight people getting out there and exercising with that determined
look on their faces - if someone them they shouldn't do it, that would
break my heart). It's pretty hypocritical given that there's a big push
for everyone to have adequate education, and particularly university
education (not just if you're good at it).

I don't know what your childhood experience of sport was like, but mine
went something like this:

In summer, I was the queen of the pool, but I had no interest in
swimming squad, so I never did it, I just swam for fun. Mum was
wonderful and never made me go to a swimming squad either. So I did
alright at our school swimming carnival, but never went further. My
brother was a gifted tennis player who preferred soccer, so Mum let him
play soccer. We're both very grateful to have parents who didn't try to
live vicariously through us.

I pretty much sucked at all other sports. We all had to sprint or play
ball sports. I couldn't catch and throw all that well and if I tried to
run fast I would trip myself up. (This still happens, hence converting
to ultramarathon where I'm not expected to run so fast.) I would have a
go, but the other kids would laugh at me. I would be the last kid picked
for sport.

So I would do everything in my power to avoid the ball or whatever we
were playing with. For example if we were playing soccer I would be a
defender, and I would tackle the attackers but would always pass the
ball straight away and never try to move it upfield myself. I'd happily
run around on the field all day, but get me to actually do something,
I'd freak out. In touch football, I'd always make sure no one would
pass to me, by being surrounded by opponents, but I'd love defending.

I'd avoid any competition, anything where I had to line up against
others. I especially hated team sports because I felt like such a waste
of space, like I was letting the team down. I would practise catching at
home, bouncing the ball off the wall, but no one thought to practise
with me at school. The PE teachers didn't want anything to do with unco
kids. Sport was for those who were good at it - the rest of us should
just go back to the classroom.

I guess it was fortunate that I liked running around anyway, because
during high school I was no longer the worst at sport - all the girls
who were worried about hair and appearances and so on were rapidly
dropping past me. We did things like gymnastics and I then realised
that I wasn't as uncoordinated as the continual subjection to
humiliating ball sports had led me to believe.

Eventually I noticed I was a bit fat so I started training. I developed
a love for boxing and then judo and the associated fitness training led
me to a love of running. Injury led me to the pool, where I found out I
was still a competent swimmer, and the subsequent recovery led me to
triathlon and then cycling.

These were sports that I was never going to be brilliant at, but I
enjoyed them. Improving myself was enough. I felt no need to judge
myself against others. Now I am a trail ultra runner. I also enjoy
mountain biking. I like these sports because the terrain challenges me
more than any other competitor will.

Maybe I'll always be an hour behind the marathon winner - but that
doesn't matter to me. The winner would never laugh at me, she'd be
impressed that I was out there running. An armchair sportsfan might
laugh at me, but I'd just think they're a loser for watching when they
could be playing.

So I guess I feel like there is a serious lack of funding into promoting
sport participation for everyone, and that's bad enough. But it seems
even worse that there is a continual push for elite funding, spreading
the message that sport is only for people who are really good at it.

Tam

Tamyka Bell wrote:
Now, this is something that has really bugged me for a while... so now I
have to say something about it...

Funding for elite athletes.

I just received an email talking about the Qld Govt providing funding
for elite juniors to travel overseas. Honestly, I think this is great,
because they should get the opportunity to represent their country. The
unfortunate truth, however, is that if the parents/guardians/coaches of
these juniors got off their butts, there would no doubt be plenty of
corporate sponsors out there available to help. That's the way it is
with elites - you're up to national rep level, you can get the funding.
The Govt also seems to spend a lot of money on talent search programs
(that don't seem to be coming up with much).

The other side of the coin is that how many of elite sportspeople, once
they start earning big bucks, go and hide in tax havens and never put
much back into the system that paid for their development? A
significant number .. I'm all for mutual obligation in this context
If we (the Australian Tax Payer) take a punt on some athlete, and they
come good, then they should have to contribute back to the society that
paid for a great chunk of their development.

Given that obesity levels in Australia are pretty appalling, and getting
worse, does anyone else think that, instead of the govt spending money
so much money on elite athletes, we should probably focus on encouraging
EVERYONE to play sport?

Yes.

Is there any relationship between participation rates in non-elite
levels compared to elite level success? Any good studies you know of?
Correlation is not causation, of course
ie: Is there some connection between the amazing success of US elite
sportspeople and the overall participation rate in sports in the US (or
here, or anywhere?), or does Lance armstrong just get more people
watching him on TV rather than going out and racing their bikes?

Bleve wrote:
Is there any relationship between participation rates in non-elite
levels compared to elite level success? Any good studies you know of?
Correlation is not causation, of course
ie: Is there some connection between the amazing success of US elite
sportspeople and the overall participation rate in sports in the US (or
here, or anywhere?), or does Lance armstrong just get more people
watching him on TV rather than going out and racing their bikes?

I don't know about cycling but in hockey there are countries like China
with very few players but high level elite success. They look for
athletic children who have the ability to be coached and put them into
training to become world champions.

I think Australian sports organisations do much the same. They don't
care so much about whether you are a champion school level player at a
particular sport but whether you have right the physical and mental
attributes. Wasn't their an Australian in the winter olympics who came
from Bundaberg or somewhere distinctly non-snowy who was selected for
the toboggan (or whatever) because she could run quickly over ten
metres?

That said, I'm all for focussing on both elite and average sport. I've
always had the attitude that I want to be active until I'm well into my
old age. It heartens me to see people in my town playing hockey into
their seventies and people actively cycling until they are well over
eighty.

P

--
Peter McCallum
Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA

Tamyka Bell wrote:

So I would do everything in my power to avoid the ball or whatever we
were playing with. For example if we were playing soccer I would be a
defender, and I would tackle the attackers but would always pass the
ball straight away and never try to move it upfield myself. I'd happily
run around on the field all day, but get me to actually do something,
I'd freak out.

You would have fitted right into the English long ball game of the
80s/early 90s ...

All you had to do was whack the ball up from defence to your strikers,
bypassing the midfield along the way.

FWIW, in the days when I was a rightback, I don't think I ventured
beyond the half way line too many times. In fact, I don't know if I
even left the 18 yard box ...

Peter McCallum wrote:
Bleve wrote:
Is there any relationship between participation rates in non-elite
levels compared to elite level success? Any good studies you know of?
Correlation is not causation, of course
ie: Is there some connection between the amazing success of US elite
sportspeople and the overall participation rate in sports in the US (or
here, or anywhere?), or does Lance armstrong just get more people
watching him on TV rather than going out and racing their bikes?

I don't know about cycling but in hockey there are countries like China
with very few players but high level elite success. They look for
athletic children who have the ability to be coached and put them into
training to become world champions.

I think maybe the more government-controlled societies may be a bit of
a special case?
(or maybe we're the special case, being a lot more free to do what we
want? )

I think Australian sports organisations do much the same. They don't
care so much about whether you are a champion school level player at a
particular sport but whether you have right the physical and mental
attributes. Wasn't their an Australian in the winter olympics who came
from Bundaberg or somewhere distinctly non-snowy who was selected for
the toboggan (or whatever) because she could run quickly over ten
metres?

Sure, but does that benefit "us" by getting more ordinary people out
playing sport?
Does it even affect grass-roots sport? My suggestion would be (no
facts to back this up, it's a belief ) that focussing on elite sport
may reduce grass-roots participation levels, but as above, that's just
a belief, I don't know if it's the case.

Tamyka Bell wrote:

I just received an email talking about the Qld Govt providing funding
for elite juniors to travel overseas. Honestly, I think this is great,
because they should get the opportunity to represent their country. The
unfortunate truth, however, is that if the parents/guardians/coaches of
these juniors got off their butts, there would no doubt be plenty of
corporate sponsors out there available to help.

There's one young boy I've played hockey with and against who looks like
he has the potential to play for Australia. I see his father doing
things like collecting money at the gate of the car park at the hockey
grounds, working in the bar, umpiring, etc all to raise money to send
his son away to regional/state/national titles. It's much the same for
every parent out there with kids who are recognised to have talent.

When you consider that the Hockeyroos have had massive success,
including three straight Olympic gold medals, yet they were struggling
to find a sponsor after the Sydney games when Telstra dumped them. The
Matildas had to pose nude for a calendar to fund their Olympic campaign
one year.

While a lot of young players do get some sponsorship in the form of
equipment, there isn't a lot of actual cash money available from private
enterprise. When the money is available, the corporates want a clear
understanding of exactly what they are getting in return for their
contribution. It's not easy even if you are a skilled marketing guru to
get that money, let alone a parent/coach whose real interest is sport.

Peter

--
Peter McCallum
Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA

Bleve wrote:

Tamyka Bell wrote:
Now, this is something that has really bugged me for a while... so now I
have to say something about it...

Funding for elite athletes.

I just received an email talking about the Qld Govt providing funding
for elite juniors to travel overseas. Honestly, I think this is great,
because they should get the opportunity to represent their country. The
unfortunate truth, however, is that if the parents/guardians/coaches of
these juniors got off their butts, there would no doubt be plenty of
corporate sponsors out there available to help. That's the way it is
with elites - you're up to national rep level, you can get the funding.
The Govt also seems to spend a lot of money on talent search programs
(that don't seem to be coming up with much).

The other side of the coin is that how many of elite sportspeople, once
they start earning big bucks, go and hide in tax havens and never put
much back into the system that paid for their development? A
significant number .. I'm all for mutual obligation in this context
If we (the Australian Tax Payer) take a punt on some athlete, and they
come good, then they should have to contribute back to the society that
paid for a great chunk of their development.

Exactly - students are expected to pay back HECS debts, and even
students on PhD scholarships will as postdocs contribute tax (in a
higher bracket than from their undergrad degree) - oh except that with
no incentive to keep scientists in Australia, most head overseas...

Given that obesity levels in Australia are pretty appalling, and getting
worse, does anyone else think that, instead of the govt spending money
so much money on elite athletes, we should probably focus on encouraging
EVERYONE to play sport?

Yes.

Is there any relationship between participation rates in non-elite
levels compared to elite level success? Any good studies you know of?
Correlation is not causation, of course
snip
No studies I know of.

Peter McCallum wrote:
snip
While a lot of young players do get some sponsorship in the form of
equipment, there isn't a lot of actual cash money available from private
enterprise. When the money is available, the corporates want a clear
understanding of exactly what they are getting in return for their
contribution. It's not easy even if you are a skilled marketing guru to
get that money, let alone a parent/coach whose real interest is sport.

True.

However if they were provided with a sponsorship proposal package on
which they could base their sponsorship requests, it'd be a lot easier
for them to get the sponsorship. Easier than doing it on their own,
anyway, and probably cheaper than implementing a massive strategy to
provide funding for this and that...

The cost of sending one young person to one international event is
significantly less than the cost of sponsoring a team. It's the kind of
thing that a local community business can do, to get people in there.
It's the kind of thing that, ESPECIALLY in small towns, everyone will
chip in an extra buck here or there to get the kid going.

And my gripe isn't really with young talented kids getting money - so
they should. I just think that promoting sport only for elites is a
really fscked up idea. More healthy people participating in sport =
lower health costs = more money for elite sport anyway, eventually,
right?

Tam

Tamyka Bell wrote:

Given that obesity levels in Australia are pretty appalling, and getting
worse, does anyone else think that, instead of the govt spending money
so much money on elite athletes, we should probably focus on encouraging
EVERYONE to play sport?

Well, not sport, but certainly more recreational[1] activities.
but that isn't a popular attitude. I do not support kids engaging in
competitive sport outside their local area as i think until they are
adults, it should be about fun, then they can decide if they want to
compete heavily.

Not in favour of the AIS either, but I'm not interested in any sport
that I don't play. {:-).




[1] loaded definition folks {:-)

"Tamyka Bell" wrote in message
...
Now, this is something that has really bugged me for a while... so now I
have to say something about it...

Funding for elite athletes.

I just received an email talking about the Qld Govt providing funding
for elite juniors to travel overseas. Honestly, I think this is great,
because they should get the opportunity to represent their country. The
unfortunate truth, however, is that if the parents/guardians/coaches of
snip funky rantage
even worse that there is a continual push for elite funding, spreading
the message that sport is only for people who are really good at it.

Tam

This is something that really needs more attention. I'm not good at sports
of any kind really, and never have been. I'm not fast on the bike and I
don't race. But I enjoy riding and while I'm still a fat *******, I'm
becoming a fit fat *******. Apparently this is miles better healthwise than
being skinny and unfit. I'd rather be lean and fit but that hasn't happened
yet. Some encouragement to get out and just DO could be pretty readily
worked into sports telecasting and other promotion. Get the athletes in
front of the camera: "You've just seen me *insert sports activity* for
*insert time period*. Now it's your turn. Get out there and enjoy yourself."
Or something. I'm sure there are plenty of them who'd be happy to promote
actual participation.