School sports days - agree or disagree

Elizabeth27

It is not a good lesson to opt out of what you do not excel at, it is teaching her that nothing is done for the sheer enjoyment of it and if she doesn’t want to do something she doesn’t have to.

The child is not being allowed opt out of PE classes. Would it be ok to force a child who struggled to read to take part in a public spelling bee in front of other parents?

I’d have thought most schools would by now have come up with a format that means non-sporty children aren’t humiliated, even if it means they don’t have to participate and can just be there to cheer others on if they are genuinely so stressed about it. But surely keeping a child at home is just going to make them stand out and lead to comments from other pupils?

I was hopeless at school sports events but can’t remember ever feeling this way - there were plenty of us in the same boat! Everyone really just focussed on the ones at the front and it was their day to shine.

This child may enjoy some other physical activity - why are people assuming this young person does nothing physical.
She may enjoy swimming/trampolining/ice skating/horseriding etc.

These are never part of a school sports day.

Please don't assume people who don't want to be humiliated in school races are just lazy or inactive.

Grandma70s

I can’t swim or ride a bike. I chose not to, and neither has ever inconvenienced me. Music, on the other hand, is breath of life to me.

I don’t remember hating school sports days. I think I just didn’t care about them. They were for the boring ‘gamesy’ people!

Did you encourage your own DC to swim/ride a bike/take part in sport Grandma70?

We are too near a canal and river for me not to make sure mine all had swimming lessons. To some of them it was a boring chore but others swam for a club.

I don't know what format the school follows on sports day, but I don't remember my children (or myself) being compelled to enter races/events unless they wanted to.
What age of child are we talking about?
Does the whole year group compete in (say) the 100 meter sprint and the cross country and the hurdles? The high jump, the long jump, the sack race?
I just didn't enter myself for any sports. I stood at the side and cheered.
Sports Days must have changed.

They must be exhausted.

I think your friend is right Vintagejazz. We can't all be good at everything and this child's mother IMO is reinforcing her D's feeling of humiliation by keeping her away from sports day.

Mamardoit

Grandma70s

I can’t swim or ride a bike. I chose not to, and neither has ever inconvenienced me. Music, on the other hand, is breath of life to me.

I don’t remember hating school sports days. I think I just didn’t care about them. They were for the boring ‘gamesy’ people!

Did you encourage your own DC to swim/ride a bike/take part in sport Grandma70?

We are too near a canal and river for me not to make sure mine all had swimming lessons. To some of them it was a boring chore but others swam for a club.

They did swimming at school, so no option there. Thank goodness we didn’t.

They did ride bikes, because they enjoyed it. I didn’t encourage them to take part in sports, and neither was particularly interested.

I had lots of exercise in my youth, because I did ballet. I could see the point of that, and of course it involved music. It wasn’t competitive, unless you went in for festivals,

Vintagejazz

Elizabeth27

It is not a good lesson to opt out of what you do not excel at, it is teaching her that nothing is done for the sheer enjoyment of it and if she doesn’t want to do something she doesn’t have to.

The child is not being allowed opt out of PE classes. Would it be ok to force a child who struggled to read to take part in a public spelling bee in front of other parents?

Vintagejazz ????

I've seen all sorts of Sports Days from the very competitive, badges and even a cup!!!through "activity days" when children move round and skip, throw balls etc. To all inclusive when no prizes were given but everyone got a lolly (some of the parents complained bitterly about this, because their child would have won). My last school we had 3 heats for running races (fast, slower, slowest) so everyone could compete and some things like obstacle races for fun. I still think you just need a nice day and while the energetic run and compete the rest sprawl on the grass and make daisy chains.

My lasting image of my first birthday at DD’s school was of a selection of parents who took the mummy and daddy’s races far too seriously! They’d obviously done some serious training, stripped off to proper running gear behind the pavilion and watching them limbering up and stretching their muscles was exhausting! I seem to remember getting a second bowl of strawberries and cream to watch the antics.
DD2 came last in the crab race.

Birthday??? Sports Day of course!

My DGS is a very kind Lad, but also quite cunning. He is useless at any type of running but excels at his own chosen out of school sports. So....... it is school sports day and we get to the 3 legged race. DGS partners up with a smaller boy who has a physical disability and more or less carries him to the finishing line. They are last to complete the race but cross the line to enormous cheers and are both awarded medals.

My mom broke her ankle at my children's sport day ... no not in a race but slipped on the wet grass bless her !!!

Saying that ... I always thought it was the child's choice if they actually wanted to take part, others just sat cheering their team on

Mamardoit

Luckygirl3

Joseanne

If it's on the school calendar I think all people should do it. And the teachers are pretty skilful at dealing with any reluctant customers.

Let's go back a stage and take it off the school calendar - it is just a hang over from the public schools.

Or let's get all the unmusical children to stand up in front of the entire school and parents and make idiots of themselves trying to blow a note on a clarinet.

Sports day is ritual humiliation and should be ended. For the unsporty it is hell.

Thankfully many schools are beginning to realise this and have adapted theirs to try and create a fun day outside.

I would say sport in school is slightly different.

Sport/physically activity is important for everyone. Especially those who find it difficult. Everyone needs to learn to swim and ride a bike IMO. We all needs to keep fit and learn to fail at something. My boys never excelled at sports day but they did in team sports when they were older juniors.

Music is an extra. A lovely extra for those that enjoy it. DC can learn a lot from it but it's not necessary. I always wished I had learnt to read music but I have lived a full and happy life without. It never stopped me enjoying listening to others perform. I did make sure all six DC had the chance to learn music. School did a bit but not much so it had to be an out of school activity.

I can't swim or ride a bike and its never affected me in any way. DH and I used to take boating holidays on the Thames and I wore a self inflatable life jacket....never needed it....and his job was in the merchant navy, I have travelled thousands of miles onbships, swimming is no help there belive me!

On the subject of sports day, did you see the video of this mother in the parent race? It has gone viral worldwide. poor thing!
uk.news.yahoo.com/mother-falls-sports-day-race-092758888.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKt_aTBzQ45NWidaNkCDj_PeAmoeaCJgF6gKY_V9E8mBrH9_SG7RY034Qw3gZT8bDItD5A2gW-Il3e0r0_ZbXt7f5DPU8YVX6-lAWRg8PI-PTHEl15bNSlAjkjpUBtdSMMtOQAbP0Z3pUz3W2bgpyVbFPsB-Wh8bAuF286nqiLMz

As a child I was academically bright and always top of the class in several subjects. I was around the middle of the bunch in others. So I accepted realistically that no one can be good at everything.

However I absolutely loathed sports and was no good at any aspect of it. I always hated the way in which the games mistress would select two "captains" and allow them alternate picks of their teams.

You can guess who was left standing there humiliated at the end! The other kids (who were jealous of my being a swot) used to take their petty revenge by giggling. It was a different matter when they needed help with an essay.

When I was 14 and had learned the sort of power that being the "headmaster's pet" gave me the following conversation took place:-

Sports teacher: I noticed you were off ill yesterday on sports day. Your not interested in sport are you Biglouis?

Me: No miss, Im no good at it and I dont see the point. I cant be top in everything.

Sports teacher: You cant go through life avoiding the things you dont like just because your not good at them.

Me: Look miss, Im top of the class in 5 academic subjects and its those I will be taking for GCE and putting down on application forms when Im looking for a job. Ill be going into the civil service or one of the professions. Im not looking for a job as a sports teacher.

Sports teacher: your a cheeky girl Biglouis

Me: No miss, you asked me a question and I answered.

I would never force a child of mine to go to school sports day of they didnt want to.

Is it a primary school?

At the DGC's primary school in the UK, a variety of sports are undertaken, including circuits which include things like hop, skip, jump, throwing a bean bag etc. It's fun and they all seem to enjoy the day.

My friend's daughter is keeping her non sporty child at home this Friday because she gets so upset at being humiliated every sports day by trailing in last at everything and in front of all the pupils and parents. My friend disagrees with this approach saying her GD is bright academically and has to learn you can't be good at everything
That's one way to learn that she can't be top in everything, surely?

I don't agree with your friend's approach.
So should all the not so bright bottom of the class children be kept home on spelling test day, reading to the class day, verbal maths day? Precisely.

DGC's sports day in Australia was very competitive but they are all encouraged to participate in everything. I remember DGS's friend, who is extremely overweight, puffing in last and everyone cheering him; he's a very popular boy and a great trier. DGS was better at jumping than running - we all have our strengths and weaknesses but it doesn't mean we shouldn't have a go.

I doubt that teachers, other children and parents will be publically humiliating this child so her mother must be over-protective.

greenlady102

Mamardoit

Luckygirl3

Joseanne

If it's on the school calendar I think all people should do it. And the teachers are pretty skilful at dealing with any reluctant customers.

Let's go back a stage and take it off the school calendar - it is just a hang over from the public schools.

Or let's get all the unmusical children to stand up in front of the entire school and parents and make idiots of themselves trying to blow a note on a clarinet.

Sports day is ritual humiliation and should be ended. For the unsporty it is hell.

Thankfully many schools are beginning to realise this and have adapted theirs to try and create a fun day outside.

I would say sport in school is slightly different.

Sport/physically activity is important for everyone. Especially those who find it difficult. Everyone needs to learn to swim and ride a bike IMO. We all needs to keep fit and learn to fail at something. My boys never excelled at sports day but they did in team sports when they were older juniors.

Music is an extra. A lovely extra for those that enjoy it. DC can learn a lot from it but it's not necessary. I always wished I had learnt to read music but I have lived a full and happy life without. It never stopped me enjoying listening to others perform. I did make sure all six DC had the chance to learn music. School did a bit but not much so it had to be an out of school activity.

I can't swim or ride a bike and its never affected me in any way. DH and I used to take boating holidays on the Thames and I wore a self inflatable life jacket....never needed it....and his job was in the merchant navy, I have travelled thousands of miles onbships, swimming is no help there belive me!

Not a chance I was prepared to take with my DC. At a suitable age they were allowed to roam free with friends. Water was close by and it will always attract children.

You are correct it is of little use out at sea. Strangely even though I can swim I never felt it necessary to dive overboard mid English Channel.

Our junior sports days are better since KS2 introduced activities voted for by the children and didn’t all involve being the fastest runner. Dribbling a football, throwing hoops over a target pole, passing a ball down the team, over head under legs, lobbing water filled balloons and welly -wanging, a version of Pétanque, and several others. You aren't obliged to take part, but most children sign up for at least one activity.
Those who don’t are marshalls, collecting and setting out equipment, which is often more arduous than actual races.
Personally I hated sports day, but with legs in plaster, I often wasn’t allowed to take part, never mind compelled.

Mollygo I think anything that encourages children to be active and outdoors is a good idea.

School sports seem to be far more inclusive of all abilities these days; it's not just athletics. They even had grannies trying to score penalties last time I went to one.

I hope there’s still room for those who are the fastest runners to show what they can do though. Mollygo. Sports Day is often their only chance to do it.

Grannies scoring penalties? Now you’re talking! I’ve had enough practice with DGS1 in the front garden lately to know how to chip one in!

I was reasonably sporty in all but running, or more accurately, running fast. In a 100m race, I would always be last, despite giving it my all. I could hold my own in cross country, or even 800m, probably because I was fitter than many of the others, and that plus my determination eoukd see me through a longer distance.

Luckily, in secondary school anyway, we could choose what sports we competed in. That led to what I still fondly think of as my finest hour - winning the high jump one year, and not only that, but beating my nemesis, a girl who had been nasty to me since the first time we met in primary school as six year olds.

To force a child to participate in a competitive race against their will, on sports day, in front of an audience, knowing that they will always do so badly that they will be humiliated, is cruel. It's bad enough during the normal PE classes, but there at least I agree with the argument that 'we all have to do things we're not good at / don't like', and is quite different from a compulsory competition.

nanna8

On sports day most schools pick the students who are good at sport or at least interested to participate. The rest go as a kind of cheer squad depending on school houses and year levels and I can’t see the problem with that. No bullying or belittling whatsoever.

This was the normal procedure when I was at junior school. Being quite a fast runner, even ran for the county, I was always in the teams. The teams thought no less of their classmates for not being selected, and it was always a great turnout by parents .