This article was recently run in the Southam Newspapers and was written
by Jill Barker

Not everyone is motivated by winning. Wayne Gretzky said one of the reasons he retired was because he had lost the joy of playing--something he had had since he was a child. Once the fun was gone, it was time to quit.

Prof. Terry Orlick, who teaches sports psychology at the University of Ottawa, says children play sports because it makes them feel good. They like feeling needed and valued while playing. Kids who sit on the bench don't share in the excitement of the game or feel as dedicated to improving their skills.

Playing a game or going to practice is no longer fun -- it's boring. Keeping the fun in sport is a challenge, especially when success is gauged by a win/loss record. But it can be done, if parents and coaches work together to redefine success. Kids already know what they want from sport and it isn't winning. British researcher Dr. Jean Whitehead polled 3,000 children ages 9 to 16 on their definition of success in sports. Surprisingly enough their responses had very little to do with the final score. Instead, mastering a difficult skill ranked high on their list of important achievements.

Top 10 reasons children play sports:

1. to have fun
2. to improve my skills
3. to stay in shape
4. to do something I'm good at
5. for the excitement of the competition
6. to get exercise
7. to play as part of a team
8. for the challenge of competition
9. to learn new skills
10. to win.