Before we win, we first have to play

Chile's Cristian Garin reacts during his third-round French Open match against Russia's Andrey Rublev. PHOTO: REUTERS
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Before you win, you have to play. Not play to win but first for the joy of it. Play to sweat, to scrap and to skin the knees. Play at whatever level and however badly. Play to hang with your buddies and feel the wind of a run down the wing.

The open field is an open book of its own. Parents should endorse this and so must teachers. Not just to the seemingly talented but even the nerd. An Olympic champion I know was overweight as a kid. Everything starts with play.

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