a sport of choice -

[Old Proflexer]

i was reminded the other day why i like mountain biking so much.  i've never been much of a team player in my day, nor a corporate tagalong yes man.  most of my time is spent in individual sports, surfing, hunting, fishing, bike riding etc.

my two stepsons play lacrosse and the older who is newer to the sport and less athletic is not necessarily a team player either, he surfs, body boards, used to bmx race etc.  he's enjoying the time we spend practicing our archery more and more.  the other stepson on the other hand is a highly social person, his team coaches all love him and he excels at everything - a perpetual all star in every team sport.

we put in a call the other day to the high school team lax coach when we noticed the older stepson hadn't started on offense as usual and only played a few minutes in the game.  the younger defenseman was hardly ever out.  the coach would not explain and said this was a good 'growth experience' for the older.

'growth experience' towards what? - being his style of team player?.  don't get me wrong, the older is very good, works hard and does well.  he doesn't socialize much with the team off the field.

too many coaches, managers and bosses want many of us to conform to their guidelines and personal standards - be their type of team player in a team sport.  not all of us are wired that way tho' - we prefer a personal challenge, personal growth and personal satisfaction.  

many choose the path of shoulder to shoulder acceptance.  many others prefer to bait their own hook, load their own ammo, fletch their own arrows and even pedal their own arse that hill.

mountain biking is a good thing to clear the head and get away so we can get back in there in that world that seems to more and more stress team sports.  i don't like being at work and having to pedal someone else's rear end over a hill and they take credit for doing it - - - - -

i like my bikes and think my older stepson and i will be doing a lot more hunting and fishing together as we both get older.  i'm saving that, still in the box, spare new 4500 with carbon crosslink that's never been built, for him.

OP

[Simon]

My son played football (soccer) from the age of 7,he's 13 now, although not a bad player (despite our encouragement)he never felt his efforts were appreciated,this led to him starting to lose confidance in himself,he wanted to take up MTB racing an individual sport where all the results are down to him alone,he quit soccer and he took up MTB racing,glad to say he's certainly proved his point [smiley=laughing.gif].

Simon.

[Carbon_Angus]

.....sometimes we aren't good enough to be on a competitive team, either  [smiley=laughing.gif]

i wound up doing xc(running) and track. there is some "team" in both of theses sports but winning and losing was all about me.

i am self employed also, which contines the pattern for me and my pshyco make-up.

[smiley=beer.gif]

[Dennis]

I wholeheartedly agree with everything that has been said.
I also dig cycling, windsurfing, skiing, etc because they are individual sports. For me, being into individual stems partially from experiences with elementary and high school gym teachers/coaches who always seemed to favor the naturally talented and didn't bother trying to develop someone who had more enthusiasm than talent.
I loved soccer in elem. school, but was soon turned off by 5th grade since I wasn't all that great, but willing to try.
I then wanted to play football in junior high, same experience.
then, lacrosse in h.s., same experience. although
I did get to play a little club lacrosse and rugby in college which was pretty cool.
As a h.s. teacher, I see it with the coaches and  kids on teams, the favoritism of the naturally talented. its really a shame, and I see it with my nephews, both ski racers, actually the older one is an ex-ski racer and current collegiate sailboat racer, which is great for me, as I have spent almost my entire life racing sailboats. in fact, I am going to RI on friday to see him race.
as a teacher (of an academic subject) I don't really understand how one could get a great deal of satisfaction from only coaching the naturally talented, they could do it with any coach. I prefer to teach the kids who are willing to work hard to learn, the kids to whom learning comes easily don't give me the same satisfaction as they could learn the material from most any teacher.
anyway, I just wanted to second the thought of why individual sports are preferable (at least to us) and another point is that these are lifelong sports. team sports are only for school, except for those very few who play professionally (I wish I could play professionally, my teaching work seems like play most of the time, but its important, its not a game).
anyway, that's my buck twenty-five on the subject.
[smiley=groucho.gif]