Youth coach shocked to find competition banned in school PE classes

A youth sports advisor was stunned to learn during a school placement that competition was prohibited in physical education classes, as he believed it motivated children to engage in sports.

Vini Aarnikko, a sports counselor, began a practical training stint at a lower secondary school with enthusiasm, only to be told on his first PE lesson that competition was not allowed, he told Yle.

“When I wanted to get the students moving and sweating, I was told that competition was no longer permitted at the school. It was, frankly, a shock,” Aarnikko said.

He argued that competition is precisely what inspires and encourages children and young people to participate in sports. Ultimately, the ban was not enforced, and Aarnikko organized competitive activities for the students.

“Isn’t the purpose of a PE class to get children moving and teach them what sport is?” he asked.

According to Aarnikko, the ability to organize competitions in PE classes reflects a teacher’s skills. He emphasized that it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure every student feels safe and comfortable.

Josefiina Koski, a board member of the Association of Physical Education and Health Teachers, clarified that competition itself is not banned, but PE classes must be physically, psychologically, and socially safe for all students.

“Competition is not prohibited, but PE classes must be safe,” Koski said. She noted that teachers know their students and can choose appropriate activities for each group.

“We are all different when it comes to physical activity. Some are motivated by achieving results, while for others, it may be more important to do fun things with friends during PE,” she added.

Koski explained that while competitions can be held, results are rarely recorded these days, and they do not affect students’ grades, in line with the national curriculum.

She stressed that much depends on how results are handled. Teachers should be able to organize competitions in various ways to avoid the same students always winning or losing.

“In athletics, for example, you can compete to see who can run two laps in the most similar time,” Koski said.

PE classes also provide an opportunity to teach emotional skills, such as learning from losses and coping with disappointment, she said.

“PE classes are wonderful places for processing emotions. If you miss the ball in pesäpallo, frustration is part of it. PE class should be a safe place to learn emotional control,” Koski said.

However, on one point she was firm: “You must definitely break a sweat in PE class. And preferably with a smile,” she concluded.