What is competition?
Do you enjoy playing sports? Perhaps you are on a soccer team, or you have fun playing kickball with your family in the backyard. Playing sports, entering contests and participating in a game all involve competition, the act of using your skills to accomplish a goal, often with the hope of winning. The word "competition" may also describe the event, game or contest itself! Competition can be a fun way to celebrate the results of hard work, and it can bring people together in a way that is encouraging and inspiring.
Sometimes when people compete, they may focus only on winning and forget to enjoy the experience of playing the game. Competitors may also decide to do whatever it takes (including ignoring the rules) so they can be in first place. While it's normal to be nervous before a game or disappointed after losing a contest, remembering to play fair and be kind to others is just as important as scoring a goal, shooting a basket or being the ultimate winner. And of course, don't forget to be a good sport as an audience member, even if the team or person you're not rooting for is winning the game!
by Mya Kagan (Whyzz writer)
Exploration
The next time you compete, take a moment or two to encourage the other competitors! For example, if you're playing checkers with a friend and he or she captures one of your checkers as part of the game, try saying, "Nice move!" If you're playing soccer and your team shakes hands with the members of the other team after the game, try saying "Good game!" or giving the other players a smile. You may even find that you enjoy competition more when you make time to enjoy yourself and the company of others along the way!
Further Information
Just as people compete in sports, they compete in a variety of other endeavors, such as writing contests, band auditions and board games. Sometimes people compete against each other, and other times they may compete against themselves, such as the runner who tries to beat his or her best time in the mile race!