School sports days - agree or disagree

My boys primary school gave a demonstration of sports skills; no competition, no winners or losers.
Just hours of watching children fiddling about with hulahoops and stuff.
Boring!

I dont remember much about primary school ones ans secondary school had them on Saturdays so it was easy not to go!. I wasn't at all sporty and don't remember being made to enter anything at all unless I wanted to - which I didn't.

DD has been limbering up all night for Sports Day number 2. She can't possibly let the side down again, only 1st place will do.
Joking apart, I can't see why KS1 and KS2 have to have separate days, it's only a small school and parents have work commitments. (There was no way I was going to offer to go in her place incase I had to run.)

I always remember Peter Ustinov talking about schooldays at his obviously very posh school - they had a chauffeurs race!

I was a bright child but useless at sports. But although you could be laughed at and mocked for coming last or missing a catch woe betide anyone who laughed at someone who came bottom in spelling or fluffed reading out loud. It seemed really unfair and I used to beg to stay at home on sports day. Was made to go though and I don't think it taught me anything but how biased some teachers could be.

At my school we had a teachers race. As the oldest member of staff I usually came last, much to everyone’s amusement as I was the head. We all had a good laugh about it and I think it taught everyone that it didn’t matter if you didn’t win, it’s the taking part that counts.

Well said. As the mother of a very intelligent child, now an MA, I agree and made the same singing comparison to her PE teacher at the time.

most kids would end up doing something for their House during the school year and it was considered a good thing to at least make an effort.
Yes, making an effort even if it's not something you're good at.
One of life's lessons.
Not everyone can be a winner at everything.

Pantglas2

In Wales we had school eisteddfod as well where all who sing, recite, act, play instruments, compose strict metre prose etc so there was a chance for the non sporty kids to shine for their House.

There would usually be an art and craft section to be judged as - most kids would end up doing something for their House during the school year and it was considered a good thing to at least make an effort.

Oh yes, February half-term taken over by cutting, gluing, painting, photography, violin practice, poems in Welsh, researching famous Welsh people, making Welsh cakes ? ....... ???????

In Wales we had school eisteddfod as well where all who sing, recite, act, play instruments, compose strict metre prose etc so there was a chance for the non sporty kids to shine for their House.

There would usually be an art and craft section to be judged as - most kids would end up doing something for their House during the school year and it was considered a good thing to at least make an effort.

I m sure you didn’t Growstuff but it’s one day a year and teaches you that maybe sometimes you have to do stuff you may not want to do, or may be afraid of, or are uncomfortable with surely you don’t disagree with that do you ?

Juicylucy

I feel it’s team event and all children should go even if it’s to cheer on the others. Another case of snowflake era we live in.

Your first sentence is a valid comment. The second is just plain stupid, imo.

Joseanne

I think the assumption made that it was primary school was because the parent was "keeping the child home". (Most teenagers make their own minds up!)
The humiliating bit still worries me, (yes, overthinking it, I know!). It can't be the child's peers, because surely they already know who is good at sports and who is likely to win. It most certainly wouldn't be the teachers. So are we to assume it's the other parents who are making a child feel humiliated, or is it the child themself who has an issue,?

No, it was the references to egg and spoon races and pupils having fun.

BlueBelle

Gosh I never came anywhere on sports day never got any badges or cups but I loved it ….it was a fun day I wasn’t a winner in or out the classroom so are we going to abolish exams because some of us don’t ever come top !!! What s the difference !
It’s one day a year it teaches you to be a winner or a loser both need grace and good manners

Absolutely spot on fanny
Love that idea Callistemom

If sports were voluntary so should all the lessons be if you hate science why can’t it be optional if you’re not good at maths and come bottom of the class week on week let’s make it optional!!!
One day a year let your child experience it all good and bad surely that’s what gives us backbone and character

Sorry! I didn't get my backbone from Sports Day .

What usually happens is that each form group decides who's going to run in each race. Fortunately, there are a handful of pupils who enjoy running, but there are always some gaps. The 1500 metres isn't usually popular, so the pupils put the shyest pupil (the one who doesn't have the courage to object) on to it.

I recognise the avoidant wandering about the school site, the patrols (crown control) to stop it happening and attempts to stop pupils going home early and/or nipping off for a quick ciggie.

FannyCornforth

Growstuff I’ve experienced both.
I can’t say that I have found them much different.
The secondary ones involve more indecipherable bellowing through loud hailers; forbidden crop tops and sharing of lip balm; and plenty of avoidant wandering about the school site (both students and staff)

I've never been to a primary school sports day (apart from when I was a child) because I was always working. Therefore, I can't comment on what they're like.

In my experience, only a very tiny number of parents and grandparents turn up to secondary school sports day - and I've sat through dozens of them. I don't recognise some of the descriptions of sports day by some posters.

And the child should be told that most people won't be looking at him/her - the most important lesson of all.

At 6stone at the age of six I wasn’t at all sporty - but I remember one race in which we ran so far and put something on then another and so on. Predictably I was last, but I carried on, oblivious and when I finished everyone clapped ME!

I feel it’s team event and all children should go even if it’s to cheer on the others. Another case of snowflake era we live in.

Gosh I never came anywhere on sports day never got any badges or cups but I loved it ….it was a fun day I wasn’t a winner in or out the classroom so are we going to abolish exams because some of us don’t ever come top !!! What s the difference !
It’s one day a year it teaches you to be a winner or a loser both need grace and good manners

Absolutely spot on fanny
Love that idea Callistemom

If sports were voluntary so should all the lessons be if you hate science why can’t it be optional if you’re not good at maths and come bottom of the class week on week let’s make it optional!!!
One day a year let your child experience it all good and bad surely that’s what gives us backbone and character

My daughter and son are definitely NOT sporty ….just like there dad. Great disappointment to me as I was very sporty . But I soon got over that. But I would never, ever give a ‘not well enough for P.E. today’ note. I feel proud that they always tried…. they did their best. And that’s what it’s all about. Trying. There was no teasing….. no discrimination ….. no bother at all. Lots of other kids are sporty ( most of their friends in fact) but it never mattered. My best friend at school was hopeless… couldn’t throw or catch a ball…tripped over her feet if she ran anywhere! But she was still my ‘bestie’. It’s the taking part that matters… the inclusivity of it all. Sports day is about more than just winning and losing!

We used to have House Sports and the competitors were chosen by the children to represent their House. So if you were no good at running you never had to compete. As a result the "field" was much smaller, usually only 2 entrants from each House, and of similar ability. I was not very sporty but could swim so when I was chosen to represent my House in a swimming event I was over the moon. The House Sports Day was not open to parents so any question of humiliation was remote.
Recently my DGD, who is extremely sporty, and another pupil from her class, were asked by the PE teacher if they would mind joining another House to help boost their points. I thought they were very noble to agree and risk the "wrath" of their fellow House members.
In discussions like this one I note that parents do not come out well.

I was in the netball team and loved playing but I hated sports day!

Oh, FannyCornforth, how I enjoyed your description of a secondary school sports day?