With the football season over and fans gearing up for the Super Bowl, you can see how this event has become somewhat of an American holiday. Football is undoubtedly one of the most beloved sports in the United States. Even football fans without teams competing in the Super Bowl will still spend thousands of dollars on tickets to the big game. We love a good game that highlights the strongest competitors in the sport. The Super Bowl embodies everything that reflects America’s competitive culture. But, have we become too competitive? Is there a fine line between a friendly game and an outright battle of the fittest? The Super Bowl seems to be the perfect time to explore if Americans are too competitive.

 

Competitiveness in Youth Sports

When studying the competitive nature in our culture, we can look at how we were introduced to sports or other competitions when we’re young. Anyone who participated in sports as a kid can probably identify at least one parent or coach that has taken the game too far or put too much pressure on the concept of winning. We constantly hear cases of parents arguing, screaming, and physically fighting over games played in youth leagues. Just last October, a vicious brawl broke out between parents at a youth football game in Virginia. Experiences like this aren’t the only reasons why young kids are feeling the pressure to perform well in sports. Statistics show that in the United States, 70% of kids will quit their sport or sports of choice by the age of 13.

While there’s a number of different reasons why a teenager will want to quit a sport, the sport becoming too competitive is a common answer. A game that was once a form of exercise and fun can quickly turn into proof that Americans are too competitive. Kids just playing sports to have fun apparently has a shelf life, and it appears to be 13 years old.

 

Competitiveness in Entertainment

One could say that we could turn anything into a competition. If you’re scrolling through cable TV on any given night, you might see a talent competition, dance competition, singing competition, survival competition, weight-loss competition, cooking competition, or a baking competition. We’ve even figured out a way to make love a competition with shows like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Apparently, it’s difficult to sit back and enjoy any of these forms of entertainment without having a clear winner or a loser at the end of an episode. We see competition as a source of enjoyment in many more areas than sports. Major entertainment companies have picked up on the idea that Americans are too competitive. This has lead to a boom in competitive reality TV in a number of different genres.

 

Finding a Balance When Americans Are Too Competitive

If Americans are too competitive, is there a way to find some sort of balance? Everyone knows that healthy competition does exist. We can be emotionally invested in a sport, skill, or talent and still enjoy it even if we’re not the best one in the room or on the field. With the ruthless energy surrounding the Super Bowl, it’s a nice time to address our thoughts and feelings about competition. This is especially true if you have a child or teenager who has experienced winning or losing on an exaggerated level. It’s important to communicate that the idea of winning has been emphasized by our culture, customs, entertainment, and even our government. Being upset with the results to a competition or game is completely normal, but it’s certainly not the end of the world.

Teaching kids to appreciate the lessons learned from winning and losing carries a lot of value. It’s a good time to reinforce the idea of empathy and how great it feels to support a friend who has won a competition that you have lost or visa versa. Knowing how to emotionally handle a loss is just as important as knowing how to emotionally handle a win. If we’re going to create a more fun environment for kids or teens who want to compete, it starts with healthy emotional development.

 

For More Information on This Topic

If you’ve been feeling the effects of unhealthy competition in your household, speaking to a professional counselor can help. Kids and teens face tons of unnecessary social pressures every day. It probably doesn’t help when we see so many cases supporting this idea that Americans are too competitive. Of course, adults also face similar social pressures and competitions on a regular basis. Whether it’s through sports or your work environment, it’s common to deal with ideals of winning and losing throughout your day. If you or someone in your family is struggling with this kind of pressure, it’s important to seek out help. Contact a counselor today for more information!