Colman Noctor: Win or lose, children's sport should be about having fun 

A competitive approach to team sports may benefit a small number of children but risks excluding many others

Children notice who gets picked, who gets praised, and who gets more time on the pitch. This is where a participation-focused approach matters most, yet it often receives little attention. Picture: iStock 

Last week, a concerned mother told me about her son who had sat at the family kitchen table in tears, saying he didn’t want to play football anymore. He had just come back from a match where he didn’t get a single minute of game time. To make matters worse, younger children from another team had been selected ahead of him. He was upset and embarrassed and said he didn’t want to go back next season.

He is 11 years old.