Soccer Riot and Competition

Bravo to Alfie Kohn! How pleasant to read an article (Editorial Pages, June 5),”Soccer Riot: Competition Is the Villain,” on the underlying illness behind sports. We are inundated with competition but rarely has it been so blatantly expressed as a negative. The priorities for competition in this country as well as other competitive countries seem quite low in quality.

As a single mother of a 6-year-old boy, I am constantly questioned about his athletic future. For years I have been against the intense sports competition and what it does to the losers. For my son I am choosing the least competitive activities (as limited as they are) I can find: music, gymnastics and yoga. Thanks to parents who didn’t push competition.

We need more writers, literature and games that stop the insane competition. If we are to continue the competitive spirit, why not at least work on our priorities: beat poverty, improve education, bring quality to television, stop the competition of nuclear arms!

MADONNA P. OSTRYE

Alhambra