4-H Club Management

IMPLEMENTING 4-H PROJECT EXPERIENCES:

MANAGING COMPETITION
Activity Plan Wisconsin 4-H Leader Training Series ACTcc022

Intended Audience:
BACKGROUND
Competition can be defined as any activity or event in which individuals or teams
4-H youth and adult
contend for recognition as the best. Recognition may take the form of ribbons and
project leaders
trophies, jackets, monetary awards, or other prizes. Competition may serve to foster
Learning Objectives: learning and often provides members with opportunities to practice their skills and to
Project leaders will: compare what they know or can do with the knowledge and skills of others in the
Understand how peer same project. However, many youth enter competition with winning as their primary
competition may impact goal and equate not winning with losing and failure. In addition, parents or leaders
participants of different may pressure youth to win, even if winning comes at the expense of others. In this
ages lesson we will learn about the potential impacts of competition on youth and explore
ways to manage competition so that it supports the 4-H programs primary goal of
Understand how to
positive youth development.
manage competitive
activities to maximize
their positive impact on
youth
Understand the
importance of preparing
youth for competition
and the role of the coach
at competitive activities.

Target Essential
Elements:
Participating in WHAT TO DO
competitions helps members Introduction
develop and practice a Among the many roles of a 4-H project leader is that of coach. Leaders serve in this
mastery of project-related role as they help members prepare for and do their best in a variety of project-related
knowledge and skills. competitions, such as horse or dog shows, project quiz bowls or skillathons, project
completion judging at the fair or other event, or other competitive events.
VRKC Taxonomy:
Activity: Winning Isnt Everything
Volunteers will increase
Select four team captains. Ask each to take turns picking members for their team.
their expertise in
When everyone is on a team, give each team a bag of Legos or similar building pieces
educational design and
and game rules. Prepare the bags and rules as described in the Winning Isnt
delivery as they develop
Everything Activity Preparation handout. Play the game as described in the handout.
skills in implementing
learning opportunities that
Process the activity by asking the leaders how the competition made them feel. You
effectively promote positive
may hear any or all of the following comments:
personal development.
It wasnt fair
Time: 30-40 minutes The rules were different for different groups
We couldnt win because we didnt have enough pieces
Supplies Needed: We couldnt win because we had too many pieces
Picking teams that way was bad; it made the people who were picked last feel
Winning Isnt Everything bad
Activity I didnt want to play
Bags of Legos or similar I hate playing with Legos
building pieces, with Shouting when we won was stupid
rules, prepared in They cheated
advance We cheated
Prizes for the winning The prize wasnt so special
team or for all Our team failed
participants Our team is better than everyone elses
Handouts Agree with the leaders. In fact, the competition wasnt fair, you didnt ask them if
Winning Isnt they wanted to play, but made them play anyway, etc.
Everything Activity
Preparation In many ways, this game is typical of 4-H and other youth program competitions.
Bill of Rights for Young Although its often said that competition is part of the American way of life,
People in 4-H participating in competitions that arent fair, for which we arent prepared, or in which
Competitive Events we dont choose to participate can be damaging, especially to younger youth.
Evaluation
Discussion
Do Ahead: Lets take a look at competition and its effects on youth. It should be noted that much
Have supplies and of the research regarding youth competition comes from the field of youth sports, but
handouts ready. many of the findings can be generalized and applied to 4-H.
Prepare supplies for
Winning Isnt What Youth Believe
Everything activity as A Youth Sports Institute survey found that three of the top 10 reasons for dropping
directed on handout. out of a youth sports program are:
It was no longer fun
Sources: There was too much pressure
Developed by Carolyn L. There was too much emphasis on winning
Belczyk, 4-H Youth
Development Educator, Sound familiar? Another survey found that youth ranked to have fun as the number
UW-Extension 4-H one reason for participating in youth sports. They ranked to win as number 12. In
Youth Development general, youth believe:
Program. Competition is fun for the winners
Claudia Mincemoyer, Some winners do not have fun
Cooperation, They enjoy cooperative learning more
Competition, and Kids, Friendships and fun are first
a learn-at-home series
for volunteers, parents, Competition as an Educational Tool
coaches, and anyone Competition can be an effective educational tool. It may motivate some youth, and it
who works with youth, may provide opportunities to practice and perfect project-related skills and
Penn State College of knowledge. To maximize the positive value of competition:
Agricultural Sciences- Accentuate the skill component
Cooperative Extension at Minimize the reward component
http://pa4h.cas.psu.edu/1 Minimize the competition during learning
66.htm.
Give youth feedback on skills
4-H Memos, pp. 4-5,
Help youth identify personal goals
June 2004, University of
Allow for individual differences
California Cooperative
Extension San Diego Strive for clarity and fairness
County, Maximize the self-directed component
http://cesandiego.ucdavis
.edu/newsletterfiles/4-H_ Skills to teach through competition include:
Memos_Newsletter5516. Learning to play fair
pdf. Being a good winner and loser
Enjoyment of the competition win or lose
Not to over-generalize the results

Competition Not for All Ages

Competition is not equally appropriate for youth of all ages. Youth under age 8, such
as Cloverbuds, are concrete thinkers who like to accomplish a task. Theyre
enthusiastic learners who enjoy playing and learning. They are not ready to handle
winning or losing and should not be involved in any competitive activity, as this
would not be considered developmentally-appropriate. Review national and state
polices regarding the Cloverbud program for additional information regarding
Cloverbuds and competition.

Eight-12 year old youth drop out of unhealthy competitions. They seek recognition
and approval. Youth who are 12-14 years of age will also drop out of unhealthy
competition, especially when competing is no longer fun. Older youth are better
equipped to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of competition and are better
able to strike a healthy balance.
 The Role of Leader as Coach
You wouldnt send youth out to play competitive sports without first getting them into
shape, teaching them the fundamentals of the game, and working with them on game-
related skills. Most sports teams practice frequently and continue to work on the
basics even after the competitive season gets underway.

The same steps need to be taken to prepare youth for participation in 4-H
competitions. Distribute the handout, Bill of Rights for Young People in 4-H
Competitive Events, and ask leaders to read through it. Lead a discussion on the
implications of the bill of rights for programming in your county or area.

Closing
Remind leaders that competition can have both positive and negative impacts on
youth. Leaders serve in the role of coach when preparing youth for competition.
Encourage them to respect the principles in the Bill of Rights for Young People in
4-H Competitive Events and to work hard to prepare youth for age and skill
appropriate competitions, to focus on the positive, and to provide honest feedback on
the members performance in order to maximize the positive youth development
aspects of 4-H competitive activities.

TALK IT OVER
Reflect:
Can you think of an example of a 4-H competition in this county that reflects the
principles in the Bill of Rights for Young People in 4-H Competitive Events?
What about an example of one that is more like the competition in our first
activity? What changes could we make to that competition that would make it a
better situation for our members?

Apply:
Have you ever seen adults behave inappropriately at a 4-H competition? What
can be done to encourage them to behave in a more supportive, positive manner?
Are all 4-H members in the county expected to participate in competitive events?
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

ENHANCE/SIMPLIFY
Enhance:
Introduce Cooperative Learning as an alternative to peer competition. Planning
activities in which youth cooperate to achieve a goal helps young people learn
many important life skillscooperation, teamwork, communication, problem-
solving, goal-setting, and more. Five characteristics of cooperative situations
have been identified. They are:
o Goals all members of the group agree on the same goal.
o Rewards when a group cooperates, all members receive equal rewards.
o All members do their share to succeed everyone must pull his or her
share of the load. Cooperative learning is a sink or swim situation.
Each person is responsible for the other person. Groups should be made
up of youth with different skills and abilities to take advantage of each
persons uniqueness and strengths.
o Activities are coordinated plans must be made, work assigned and
completed.
o Leadership is shared someone may act as a leader and coordinate the
groups efforts; however, shared leadership allows each person to have
some responsibility for leading the group.

Competition is learned. So is cooperation. Parents and professionals who work

with youth have a unique opportunity to teach children how to work
cooperatively rather than competitively. Check out the many games in
Teamwork &Teamplay by Jim Cain and Barry Jollif, available at
http://www.teamworkandteamplay.com/books.html, or try playing the following
version of musical chairs to illustrate the point:
 As always, start with one less chair than you have people playing. After
the music stops at the end of each round, instead of eliminating the
person who did not find a chair, everyone remains in and tries to fit on
the chairs that remain a task that becomes harder and more fun as the
game goes on and additional chairs are removed. The result is a group of
giggling players all trying to fit on a single chair!

Simplify:
Omit Winning Isnt Everything activity. Instead, discuss competition and its
potential impact on youth, and review and discuss the Bill of Rights for Young
People in 4-H Competitive Events handout.

EVALUATION
It is important to use an evaluation that is consistent with your teaching objectives.
The short evaluation provided at the end of this lesson plan can be modified to meet
your needs. An option to a written evaluation is to record the Reflection question
discussion. Recruit someone ahead of time to take notes while you are leading the
discussion.

ADDITIONAL WEB LINKS

4-H Recognition Model at
http://www.national4-Hheadquarters.gov/library/4h_recmo.pdf.
Recognizing Your 4-Hers Achievements, New Jersey 4-H Leader Training
Series, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, at
http://www.rcre.rutgers.edu/pubs/pdfs/4h/e148/421-424.pdf.

Finalized by the Strengthening the Vitality of 4-H Community Clubs Work Team,
March 2007.

An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and

programming, including Title IX and American with Disabilities (ADA) requirements. 2007 by the Board of
Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Developed by the Wisconsin 4-H Office, 431 Lowell Hall, 610
Langdon St., Madison, WI 53703. The 4-H name and emblem are federally protected under Title 18 US Code 707.
Handout

Winning Isnt Everything Activity Preparation

Set out five identical sets of 15-20 pieces of Legos or similar interlocking building pieces. Use a
number of different colors and shapes, but make sure all five sets are identical.

Connect the pieces of the first set in a random fashion to form a three-dimensional object. This is
the model.

Number each of four lock-top sandwich bags, 1-4. Place a set of the pieces in each bag. Take a
single piece from Bag 3 and add it to Bag 4.

Place a set of the rules in each of the corresponding bags, as follows:

Bag 1, 3, and 4: Rules for Winning Isnt Everything activity:

Rules for Winning Isnt Everything

1. This is a competition. Only one team can win. Members of the winning team will get a
fabulous prize.
2. To win, your team must be the first to build an exact duplicate of the model.
3. You must use all of the pieces in your bag.
4. Only one person from your group may examine the model at a time. This person is the
observer.
5. Team members may ask the observer questions as needed, and the observer may help with
the building.
6. Each of the teams members may take a turn at being the observer.
7. No team member may examine the model a second time until every team member has
examined it once.
8. When your team has successfully finished building a duplicate of the model, stand up and
shout as a team, By George, I think weve got it!

Bag 2: Rules for Winning Isnt Everything activity:

Rules for Winning Isnt Everything

1. This is a competition. Only one team can win. Members of the winning team will get a
fabulous prize.
2. To win, your team must be the first to build an exact duplicate of the model.
3. You must use all of the pieces in your bag.
4. Only one person from your group may examine the model at a time. This person is the
observer.
5. Team members may ask the observer questions as needed, and the observer may answer
them.
6. Once a person has observed, s/he may no longer touch any of the pieces until the contest has
ended.
7. Each of the teams members may take one and only one turn at being the observer.
Remember, however, that once a member has observed, s/he may no longer touch the
pieces.
8. When your team has successfully finished building a duplicate of the model, stand up and
shout as a team, By George, I think weve got it!
To play:

Place the model inside a large box, shielded from the teams or on a table outside the room. Ask each
team to build an exact duplicate of the model, following the game rules in their bag. Remind them
that this is a competition.

The team that finishes first, constructing an exact duplicate of the model, using all the pieces, and
standing and shouting By George, I think weve got it! is the winning team. Give the captain of
that team a special prize, and give each team member a smaller prize. You may continue play and
award second or third place prizes if time permits.

Note: Generally, the team with Bag 1 will win. They have standard rules, know theyre competing
for fabulous prizes, and have just enough pieces in their bag to duplicate the model.

The team with Bag 2 has different rules. Their task is harder and will take longer; in fact, they may
not be able to succeed, because each member can only observe the model once and because its
against the rules to touch the pieces once theyve been the observer.

The teams with Bags 3 and 4 have the same rules as the team with Bag 1, but they will need to work
together if they are to succeed, because Bag 3 is missing a piece and Bag 4 has an extra piece. In a
competitive situation such as this, most teams wont be tuned into cooperating with another team,
especially since the rules indicate that only one team can win.
Handout

Bill of Rights for Young People

in 4-H Competitive Events
Young people participating in 4-H competitive events have a:

1. Right to decide if they will participate.

2. Right to participate at a level commensurate with their maturity and

ability.

3. Right to appropriate preparation before participating in 4-H

competitive experiences.

4. Right to have appropriate guidance by parents, qualified 4-H

volunteers, and professional staff.

5. Right to have informative evaluative feedback.

6. Right to compete as a young person and not as an adult.

7. Right to share in the leadership and decision-making for the

competitive learning experience.

8. Right to compete in a safe and healthy environment.

9. Right to equal opportunity to strive for success.

10. Right to be treated with dignity.

11. Right to have fun while competing in 4-H.

From Competition in 4-H, a National USDA/ES Task Force Report, November 1, 1989. Adapted from A Bill of Rights
for Young Athletes in Guidelines in Childrens Sports, R. Martens and V. Seefeldt; American Alliance for Health,
Physical Education, and Recreation.
Handout

Implementing the 4-H Project Experiences: Managing Competition

Evaluation
1. Please rate the following: How useful will this information be in helping you prepare youth to
participate in 4-H competitive events?

Very Useful Somewhat Useful Not Sure Not Useful

2. Please answer the following: Do you feel better prepared to manage competition in 4-H as a
result of this program?

Yes No

3. What will you do as a result of this program?