The Spirit of Competition is a tale as old as time. The benefits of competing in a particular sport or skill set are endless. Competition fosters comraderie, builds self esteem & resilience, reduces stress & pressure. But sometimes it can be scary and nerve wracking. Our youngest competed in her first karate tournament a year ago. She ended up medaling in 2 events! Over the year she waxed and waned about wanting to compete again. We told her how much we loved watching her compete. Watching her practice and focus on this year's tournament has made us realize it's not enough just to practice a sport. Competing brings a whole other level of pride for young athletes.
She was recently diagnosed with OCD and often resorts to ritualistic behavior when she feels uncomfortable. I do believe that the "good" stress of competition will present her with alternative coping skills when dealing with her diagnosis.
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