John Morrison: Why children must learn to lose

It can be both good and bad for children to keep score

Should we keep scores in underage games?

John Morrison argues both sides of this suggestion in the current issue of Gaelic Life.

He highlights the reasons why it is beneficial for players to play without pressure at an early age.

However, he says that not keeping score, at some point can be a bad thing.

“Under game pressure the use of ‘no score taken’ can be detrimental to healthy psychological development.

“Here are the reasons why.

“Kids need to learn to lose. No score policy doesn’t encourage fun.

“It promotes a fear that losing is dreadful and kids need to be protected from it.

“Denying the opportunity to lose, they can’t develop ways to cope with loss and many young players grow up less resilient and seem so entitled and disrepectful.

“Teach them how to lose. One simple way to do this is to use advice such as it is ‘never a mistake (loss), it’s always a lesson’

“Help these young players learn a lesson.”

John Morrison also suggests that in certain cases parents are the problem.