Reimagining sport as a matriachal system

Okay, let’s break this down for a moment.

Sport currently operates with a patriachal system, informed by masculine values. In other words, sport is a system that encourages competition and domination. It is a system that demands athletes to be “mentally tough” and show no weakness. It is a system that fosters separation and individualization on the way to the top. Be the best. Anything less is not enough.

Yuck, that feels harsh, doesn’t it? Even typing it out gives me the ick.

But that is the reality of the sport system. Yes, each individual team has their own unique culture, or way of doing things. Coaches, parents, and athletes all have their own unique values and motivations. I get that! AAAAAND… at the end of the day, sport is about competition and winning and being the best.

This culture of competition can be helpful because it can fuel motivation and ambition. But it is also important to understand what is fueling that motivation. I’ll tell you.

It’s fear.

What?

Yes! So many athletes are motivated because they are afraid of:

• failing

• not being enough

• getting kicked out of the group

What if, instead of being motivated by fear, athletes were motivated because they genuinely loved what they were doing? Where athletes were motivated to improve because they loved the process of mastering a skill? Where they felt confident to explore and try new things? Where they learned how to take care of themselves as humans while they build physical skills?

I see that as a possibility! But that means sport values have to shift to meet the times.

What if sport leaned into values like: cooperation? well-being? connection? community? generosity?

I suspect we could:

• reduce unsportsmanlike conduct, including doping and steroid use, injury rates, performance anxiety, and burnout

• encourage life-long sport participation and genuine enjoyment

• actually teach emotional regulation skills!

But what would a sport system, that values cooperation, well-being, connection, community, and generosity even look like?

First, I think about opportunities to share resources, like training spaces. I also think about adhering to “Return to Sport” guidelines following injuries, like concussions. Rather than athletes stressing to get back, they would be at ease during the recovery process. I could see more celebrations. Like what ever happened to the 7-11 Slurpee on the way home from a ball game? Small celebrations like that get forgotten as athletes start to train more competitively.

Finally, I imagine letting kids have more time for creative play. We get caught up in overscheduling activities. We want to give athletes every opportunity available for success. That leaves them little time to just play, little time for whimsy. But kids deserve that! And they become better problem solvers for it.

Just a few thoughts on how sport could support athletes better by leaning into matriarchal values.

What do you think?