March 24: Writing Prompt #83- Competition

What activity, task, or game most brings out your competitive streak?

Hmmmm….I’m really not competitive. I mean really, really not, much to my dad’s chagrin I’m sure as he is a very competitive tennis player, winning tournaments still today (in his 70’s-WOW, so proud of him).  I like to play tennis, swim, run, play cards, dominos, and board games with my family and friends, but I never really feel that nagging competitive spirit that others do.

The one time in my life I remember really experiencing that feeling is when I was playing soccer in my 20’s on Kwajalein. I was part of the “teacher” team, a group of ladies mostly made up of teachers from the elementary and high school along with some other long-term Kwaj residents and former Kwaj kids.  We were all about having fun on the field, not winning, because many of us had never really played soccer competitively before.

That said, there were a couple of women’s teams who were VERY competitive to the point of being almost “mean” on the field.  After experiencing a few games with these ladies, who were also friends and acquaintances of mine because after all we all know each other in one aspect or another on an island 3 miles long and a ½ mile wide, right? Anyway, after learning how these ladies played and getting screamed at and kicked in the shins a few times by them, that tiny ounce of competitive spirit I have moved to the forefront and into overdrive. I played half back, which means I was constantly running up and down the field trying to steal the ball from the other team and get it to my forwards.  I remember my coach saying after one of our games, “Wow, you need to get mad more often.” You see, that’s the funny part of my competitiveness; I have to get really ANGRY to be competitive.  It is all tied up together with my emotions, which I guess is normal, but you’d think I would be more competitive since I am a fairly emotional person. Tears come easy to me, but anger, not so much, and I’m okay with that, but don’t ask me to play team sports or games with you unless you are prepared to have a laid back team member on your side who isn’t all that worried about winning or losing.   

Where does your competitive streak lie? Mine’s floating down the river in a tube taking it’s time to come around rather than racing down the river in a speedboat spraying water in everyone’s faces as it passes.