Want to win an Olympic medal? Be cooperative rather than competitive. Don’t take my word for it. Take the words of sports psychologist Susan Butt who believes that Cuba’s remarkable achievements in the Olympics could be traced to its emphasis on “reinforcing feelings of competence and co-operation in athletes” rather than “promoting aggression and competition”.
From UBC Public Affairs:
While some degree of aggression and competition is highly desirable in an athlete, Butt feels they receive far too much emphasis.“If an athlete is to have the greatest chance of fulfilling their potential, they are best served by feelings of co-operation and competence. In North America, many coaches would like to see their athletes be more aggressive and competitive, and I’ve long argued against that,” she says.
Butt says her theories are often misunderstood: “I’m not against having a contest, but there are better ways of approaching competition,” she says. “We often waste our elite athletes. We throw them into the dustbin when their careers are over.”
The Cubans, in contrast, build a family-style atmosphere within their sports programs. Loyalty and trust are emphasized and athletes maintain good relations with the team years after they have finished their careers, she says.
Read the full article here. I must say that Susan’s got an intriguing theory. Maybe she’s right. What do you think? Maybe all that talk about nice guys finishing last is just a lot of bull?
