How has sport, the happy games of childhood, become branded as an endless competition of 'winning' and 'losing'? Why is the public apparently 'unperturbed' with humiliating so many people? It can 'cost' five thousand 'losers' to produce one 'winner' - sport, a 'weapon of mass destruction'. ""As a committed player, coach, sport scientist, administrator, and media commentator who has lived his life off/through sport in a total sense, your book really did challenge me like never before. Your arguments are extremely powerful. Short, sharp sentences constantly evoked my curiosity. Numerous inward debates on a multitude of specific issues, became the norm. I wanted to argue a more positive view (my personal experience) re the 'good of sport' - physically, mentally, emotionally and socially, but almost in every instance, failed! Having sat on the AFL Research Board for the best part of the past two decades, as we allocated considerable money in an attempt to make our game more fun/enjoyable to watch and play, easier to umpire, and safer for the participants (in the broadest sense), I now wonder if our efforts have been somewhat misguided!?
My overall conclusion is that your book needs to be compulsory reading for all those who study for, and hope to work in, both recreational and professional sporting environments. Teachers, recreationalists, coaches, sport scientists, sport developers and sport managers need to be exposed to your thinking. The debate which starts with children's play/games, and ends (even though there is no end) in the world of professional sporting competition, needs to be had."" - David Parkin OAM
- ISBN13 9781459689787
- Publish Date 25 November 2014
- Publish Status Unknown
- Out of Print 21 April 2016
- Publish Country CA
- Imprint ReadHowYouWant
- Edition Large type / large print edition
- Format Paperback
- Pages 204
- Language English