Michael Frearson and Nick Moody on differing attitudes to encouraging children and competing Cath Bishop and Norway are right ( Norway’s all-conquering Winter Olympians have a message for us all – and it’s not what you think, 26 February ) – too much competition kills the joy of sport and risks putting children off physical activity for life. Ten years ago, I attended a good Football Association safeguarding course for new coaches of children’s football. I learned how, in Norway, development is prioritised over winning: when a team is ahead by two goals, they lose a player. This idea was introduced in a discussion on emotional abuse, and I quickly learned why it is needed here. After a year of watching coaches deny playing time to weaker players, parents screaming at children to win the game, and children in tears, I stopped coaching my local under-nines team. Judging by rising levels of obesity and other health conditions attendant on declining physical activity, I doubt much has changed in our approach to encouraging children to get active. Michael Frearson Cambridge Continue reading...