What Parents Can Learn from Norwich – a Town That Produced 11 Olympians!
BY ADMIN PUBLISHED November 2, 2019, UPDATED January 18, 2023
The town of Norwich rarely finds a mention in the glossy travel magazines and doesn’t see a lot of tourist footfalls. So why are we talking about this little-known town with a population of only 3,000 people? Norwich is ordinary in most ways, except for one. The town has produced 11 Olympians who have brought home three medals, including a gold.
While some may call it a coincidence, there is something more at play. The people of Norwich haven’t been standing spectators but rather active participants in the development of these Olympians.
Today, when most societies and parents insist on cultivating a spirit of ambition and victory in children, the people of Norwich have adopted a different approach. Each child in Norwich is raised by the community and not just parents. The emphasis is never laid on the success or failure of a child but rather on participation. It is in stark contrast to what occurs elsewhere in the world of sports. Children are taught to compete but are rarely taught how to celebrate the success of a fellow athlete.
In Norwich, the children even encourage their rivals. There is a sense of true sportsmanship that can be witnessed in each child. This attitude reflects how parents in Norwich insist that their children enjoy the sport they are playing. No child is forced to participate in a competition and win medals, which is perhaps why 11 Olympians have emerged from the town.
The parental approach to sports and life that is adopted in Norwich is a lesson to parents across the world. As a parent yourself, you should not only encourage your child but also his/her teammates and competitors. This positive approach will ease the pressure and help children understand that real joy lies in participation and not competition. Your approach to the world of sports, your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and how you handle failure, will shape your child’s outlook towards life.
While imitating the Norwich Way is not easy, the trainers and faculty at DPSG Palm Vihar have already started the process. Students of the school are encouraged to participate in all types of sports activities so that they can experiment and enjoy themselves before deciding on the sport of their choice.
Perhaps that is the reason why the students of DPSG Palm Vihar have brought several accolades to the school. Participating in several national and international competitions, one of our students, Jatin Dabas, played a crucial role in the Asian Jr. Softball Tournament in Malaysia helping the team win a Bronze Medal. Many DPSG Palam Vihar athletes have also played IPL for the country, making us truly proud of their laurels.
Apart from being a part of the Gurgaon Junior Basketball Team to acing at Taekwondo Championship, our wards are proactively taking up sports as a career choice. The school encourages each child to enjoy the experience of being an athlete and provides ample opportunities for them to evolve into sportspersons.
With this positive approach being adopted by our facilitators, your child feels secure enough to compete without treating each loss as a significant setback. Developing sportsmanship does more than show kids how to behave politely during and after a game. It builds teamwork, character, teaches respect, honor, discipline, kindness, inclusion, resilience, perseverance, and more. This mental attitude, once imbibed, will not only help your child in becoming a better athlete but also a better human being.
