The Ulladulla factor

You might be wondering what on earth is Sue on about now, what is an Ulladulla factor? I'll enlighten you...

My brother, Robert, lives on the south coast of NSW in a rural town called Ulladulla. He coined this term and now I will steal it from him and embellish it a little

He has often spoken of people in his small town getting very excited about their children's accomplishments in sport (nothing wrong with that to a degree), with the belief that their child is destined for sporting fame, if they are successful in their country town. He often speaks of how kids from Sydney might visit his town , say for a tennis comp, and the country child prodigy then gets smashed by the city sider, and everone is left perplexed and heart broken.

My kids are swimmers and coming from Sydney they, and I, know what sort of competition is out there, so we are lucky . However, I can't help but feel sorry for all these great kids doing well at their sport, here in country Victoria, and bewildered when the family and friends get over excited about it. Perhaps it has something to do with the enormous celebrations and chanting before the swim meet begins? I feel like I am a rebel breakaway in a scientology cult.

Its a big, big world out there and I see other parents looking at Greg and I, perplexed at our lack of excitement at our kids recent achievements at the Country Swim Championships, when they are in tears when their child medals in a relay. Don't get me wrong, any kid participating in sport is fantastic in my view, but I refer to the sporting parent who believes their child will be the next Michael Phelps for winning gold at a local meet and booking their tickets for the London 2012 games....The Ulladulla factor.

Its not just us avoiding the Ulladulla factor but a cultural difference .You see here they are mad AFL fans (yes I know I am too) but the mad cheering you see on the TV isn't just reserved for the AFL but for basically anything! Yep, anything. Even the smallest of achievements gets a grandstand full of parents screaming and cheering like its the AFL grandfinal. I am convinced if there were 2 flies walking up a handrail the crowd would start baracking and cheering on one or the other to make it to the top first. Some even had mega phones,no lie, to cheer their child on from the bleechers! This is nice... I think?... In fact to be honest I am not sure. I dont know if I am just the big city reserved type or if I am just more realistic and aware of the big world out there so reluctant to get too excited.

Anyway I can finally relate to what my brother has been bewidered about for ages. You defiantly see the world as much bigger when you move from city to country. I just hope the bubbles don't burst too soon and they enjoy it while it lasts.