Editorial

'I believe what we lack is joy. The ardor that a heightened awareness imparts to life, the conception of life as a happy thing, as a festival €_'  These words appear in the article below about the writings of Herman Hesse, a German-born Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. The article is about many things but largely it is about how we can miss the joy when we are head down, rushing, and buried in 'busyness'. Hesse wrote these words over 100 years ago!  €_  'The ability to cherish the "little joy" is intimately connected with the habit of moderation,'  Hesse wrote.  For me, the item after the Hesse article -- the video  The Cost of Winning  - also talks to the issues of joy and moderation. For too many young people, sport can become more about meeting the expectations of adults and less about the joy of play, more about the day-in, day-out grind toward another PB, another school 1st  'whatever' team, another medal  €_ another injury (see story three), and less about friends, learning, and fun. Meeting the challenge of youth sport and the pressure placed on kids to win early, train like elite athletes and adopt unhealthy practices is one we must all walk toward, whether we are coaches, parents, sport administrators or school Boards. How can we make sport fun again for all young people?

Brett Reid, Community Coaching Consultant, Sport NZHermann Hesse on Little Joys, Breaking the Trance of Busyness, and the Most Important Habit for Living with PresenceOf all ridiculous things the most ridiculous seems to me, to be busy  €” to be a man who is brisk about his food and his work," Kierkegaard admonished in 1843 as he contemplated our greatest source of unhappiness. [BrainPickings]  The Cost of Winning  ACL injury: Rising number of children suffering serious knee injuries playing sportChildren's sports getting faster and more professional are among the reasons being suggested for a rise in the number of young people needing knee reconstructions. [ABC.Net.au]  Creative Coaches: Create, Innovate, Implement and WinCreativity - along with the ability inspire change through emotional connection - is a coach's most powerful tool. [WGCoaching]  9 research findings that show why education needs sportFor many people, sport and education stand in stark opposition to each other.   One is trivial, the other serious. [EPALE: Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe]Comment:  Sport NZ agrees with almost all the views or points expressed in the '9 research findings' story. However, in the New Zealand context, Sport NZ does not see physical education (PE) as the 'educational representative' of sport. Sport NZ believes sport is an experience that could be used in PE but that PE should have a wider focus on learning about the holistic wellbeing of the students themselves, and others, and their communities; and on promoting the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to enjoy ongoing participation in physical activity and a healthy lifestyle.  Coach2Coaches (A Youtube channel for coaches by Wayne Goldsmith)