Suck on a piece of candied fruit and nibble on a cracker. And gratitude.
We’ve been writing for quite some time now about the telltale signs of mental dysfunction among the leaders of certain local federations. After all, what kind of mind does it take to ruin—and keep ruining—everything that comes your way? It’s becoming increasingly clear to a growing number of checkers enthusiasts that the leadership of these local federations lacks both brainpower and common sense. Just look at the results….
In the past, many of the strongest athletes tried to compete in the city championship. Winning meant a direct ticket to the finals of the national championship. The city championship offered the bonus of free entry and small prizes. They were laughable, but they were there. And they weren’t candied fruit to suck on or crackers to munch on.
The local federation’s policies have led to adults disappearing from the tournament. In this year’s tournament, there are a mere 7–9 of them. And you can understand why. Who would willingly want to suck on… candied fruit and crackers? Checkers, within a certain context, turns into a “sucking” sport.
Let’s grab a calculator and do the math from a parent’s perspective:
- Average coaching expenses: 100 euros per month, or 1,200 euros per year
- Competitions (European and World Championships) abroad, at least two tournaments per year—1,500 euros each, or 3,000 euros per year
- Entry fees and other expenses, about 20–25 tournaments per year (an average of 40–50 euros per tournament)—about 1,000 euros per year
Total average costs: 5,200 euros per year.
What the child and parents get in return: A couple of kilograms of candied fruit a year to munch on. And gratitude. And no support from the government, let alone the federation.
Question: What’s the point of playing checkers and participating in city championships?
Second question: Name some modern sports in which athletes suck on candied fruit and then, in their spare time, fight to get athletes from other countries disqualified?