It’s the start of a new year, and for so many of us, that means back to early mornings at the pool, afternoon activities next to the rugby field, training weekends on the sidelines, or long hours in the auditorium. Competitions, rankings, and performance scores are rolling in, and as parents, we feel the intensity as much as our kids do. We want them to succeed. We want to see them give it their best, standing on that podium, receiving that recognition. After all, isn’t that what we’ve been told matters?

But as I sit with these thoughts, watching our child push himself/herself to be better, I can’t help but ask: What really matters most?

In twenty years, will it matter if they made the first team in Grade 3, 4, 7, or 9? Will it matter that they won gold in grade 8 discus? Silver in 100m, that they were the fastest on the track? Perhaps. Hard work and discipline do shape our children, and we want to teach them about hard work, discipline, sacrifices, using their talents and giving it their all, but what will matter more?

The person they became.

Were they kind? Inclusive? Supportive. Did they uplift their teammates? Did they shake their opponent’s hand, even after a tough loss? Did they show up for their friends even if they didn’t make the team? Did they go and cheer for the E,F and G teams? For their siblings, their peers? Did they learn to lead with compassion? Lose with the right attitude? Did they give someone else the benefit of the doubt. We think kindness also deserves a medal, and although our affirmation bracelet might not be handed out to you on a podium (even though we think it should), we hope you can also see our affirmation bracelet with the word kind - as an accomplishment. A Reminder of what really matters most.

Kindness is not a weakness. It is not a lesser virtue in the face of competition. It is the foundation of character. Our children will grow, their talents will evolve, and life will take them down paths we can’t predict. But what we can instill in them—what will stay with them long after the trophies collect dust and the medals are in some box or crate in the garage, is the way they treat others and the kind of person they choose to be. So, as we cheer from the sidelines, as we encourage our children to push for their best, let’s also remind them that true success is measured not just in victories, but in kindness. Because in the end, that’s what matters most.

Let’s raise champions, not just in sport, but in heart.