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Were you popular and sporty in school?

(131 Posts)
biglouis Tue 12-Apr-22 01:07:46

I was a swotty kid and hated sport. There were other subjects I did not particularly enjoy (maths, science. housecraft) but was around the middle of the bunch in my class. I was always slow and clumsy at sport.

I especially hated the way the two most sporty girls were named team captains and had to pick their teams turn and turn about.

Yes - I was always the one left standing at the end.

In contrast my sister was good at sport but not academic. Her life was made difficult because she was not top of the class.

When I was 14 the following conversation took place:-

Sports teacher: your not interested in sport are you Biglouis?

Me: No miss, Im not good at it and I dont see the point

Sports teacher: You cant go through life ignoring the things you dont like Biglouis

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

Sports teacher: youve got an answer for everything Biglouis. Your a cheeky girl.

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

In spite of being top of the class and always representing my house in various competitions (and mostly winning) I was never chosen as a prefect. I suspect that not being "popular and sporty" had something to do with that.

GagaJo Tue 12-Apr-22 10:08:09

I was a total failure at school, due to a chaotic home life. Although I was clever I chose to truant. I tormented my PE teachers and was a pain in the a**e.

Did all my learning as an adult when my life was more stable (although impoverished).

henetha Tue 12-Apr-22 10:07:57

No. Not popular and definitely not sporty. But I did make one or two friendships which lasted well after I left school.

timetogo2016 Tue 12-Apr-22 10:07:49

Not really to both.
I hated school even though i got on well with most of my teachers,and i disliked sports but i was always picked for running every sports day.
I left with 5 o-levels so i must have been a little academic.

NotTooOld Tue 12-Apr-22 10:04:35

I was quiet and introverted at school and kept well under the radar. In fact, I don't think anyone noticed me much at all. We only plated netball in the summer and I didn't mind that although not particularly good at it. In the winter we only played hockey which I absolutely hated, partly because I was asthmatic. At age 25 I discovered badminton which I absolutely loved and at 78 I am still playing it.

glammanana Tue 12-Apr-22 09:57:51

I enjoyed netball and played for the school team for 2 yrs when going to away matches it meant finishing school an hour earlier so we could travel by mini bus to the school we where playing.
I wasn't over popular really but had a small circle of friends who stayed together as friends until we left school one of those friends I still see on occasions.

luluaugust Tue 12-Apr-22 09:57:46

I was slightly underweight and small for my age so was never picked for any of the school teams, couldn't walk on the bars or jump over a horse so hated the whole thing. Funny that I was really good at cricket when my brother and his friends dragged me in to make up the numbers! I had friends to sit with and talk to but never enjoyed school at all.

annodomini Tue 12-Apr-22 09:49:29

Always a bit overweight and usually near the top of the class in the subjects I liked - not Maths, unfortunately. But, I loved playing hockey, could make up a four for tennis, though not specially skilled. Was I popular? Not with everyone, but I had plenty of friends and never short of company to go for a swim or a bike ride. In my experience, many of the girls (can't speak for the boys) who were clever were also good at games. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Nannarose Tue 12-Apr-22 09:46:43

Wanted to add - well done Oopsadaisy! It's one thing to be 'popular' but another to have that sort of recognition from your peers.

Nannarose Tue 12-Apr-22 09:45:29

Interested that you put those 2 attributes together - as my answers are; yes & no.
I too am very unco-ordinated and useless at all sports except swimming.
Yes, there was the sporty group, but popularity wasn't confined to them. Oddly, I seem to have spent my life being myself, not conforming to trends, but still seem to always have plenty of friends, and would describe myself still as 'popular' wherever I have lived and worked.

I have a very great friend of many years' standing - but we were not at school together - who I have found out always felt the 'outsider' at school. Our friendship has been tested when I have seen her attempt to court popularity with what she thinks are the 'in-crowd' (they're not!)

AGAA4 Tue 12-Apr-22 09:44:59

I hated hockey but was fine with netball and gymnastics. Overall not very sporty. Much happier academically.
I was quiet so just had a few good friends and was a never prefect or head girl.

Cherrytree59 Tue 12-Apr-22 09:44:42

Sadily did not enjoy school sport or P.E
Rope climbing in the gym was the bane of my life.

However I enjoyed swimming at school and outside of school.
I also went to judo twice a week.

I think it was unfortunate that schools only focused on a particular types of Gym and team sports which mainly catered for the school sporting elite.

After the third year of senior school, we were allowed out to do cross country running by ourselves without a teacher.

We would run out the school gates up to a small village shop, buy penny sweets, trot up to a stream , plonk ourselves down. On hot days we would dip our feet into the stream and chew our sweets.
Keeping an eye on the time, we would jog back until we were in sight of school gates, then it was a quick sprint with a lot of huffing and puffing! ?‍♀️

Redhead56 Tue 12-Apr-22 09:43:55

I was skinny and body conscious especially in those navy knickers. I was quite popular at school shy in junior school but going to senior school I knew that had to change. I didn’t mind sport I liked the long jump running rounders and cricket. I didn’t like Lacrosse thought it was pointless. Hated football thought it was for boys and I hated netball I was always wing defence. I didn’t like indoor P E negotiating that horse thing or rope climbing I never liked heights.

lixy Tue 12-Apr-22 09:33:05

Loved PE and played a lot of different sports, netball my favourite at school.
Very middle of the road otherwise.

Coastpath Tue 12-Apr-22 09:29:04

I was a fat, bespectacled, introverted book worm with braces on my teeth and my head filled with animals and the countryside. I had no inclination towards any kind of team sport,so no and no.

That said I was happy in my own cosy little world and still am. The only difference now is that I don't have the braces - I've swopped those out for bunions.

crazyH Tue 12-Apr-22 09:26:04

I was not sporty at all. I shied away from all physical activity.(still do). More of a bookworm really . I was ‘teacher’s pet’, so I doubt I was popular.

Grandma70s Tue 12-Apr-22 09:19:55

I loathed and despised sports, but I was good at arty things like acting and music, ballet, editing the school magazine etc. I suppose I was ignored by the sporty ones (no loss!), but reasonably popular with the arty ones. I had good friends.

Oopsadaisy1 Tue 12-Apr-22 09:19:24

LittleMissOops, has no coordination and is hopeless at anything sporty, it’s always commented on in her reports, but if the school did Badminton she would have loved it, we played it in the garden every time they came to stay.
I think it’s about finding the one sport that clicks.
However, she is brilliant at her school work, straight As and A*s has a heart condition and has Asperger’s.
So we are pleased that she enjoys her lessons, we can’t be all good at everything. She was relieved to go to Sixth Form, no sports….

FlexibleFriend Tue 12-Apr-22 09:18:42

I was always good at sport and really enjoyed it, I carried it on long after school. I was also always in the top 5 in class with very little effort. My mum became very ill when I was 12 and died when I was 14 so I put very little effort into my school work, just enough to stay under the radar.

Charleygirl5 Tue 12-Apr-22 09:14:18

I was a Prefect but never Head Girl and although I hated PE indoors I enjoyed tennis, netball and hockey but I loathed cricket. I was on the hockey and netball teams.

It was a boarding school so we did sport 7 days a week which I loved although I was not quite so keen when it was frosty or there was a light covering of snow.

Oopsadaisy1 Tue 12-Apr-22 09:13:40

Rubbish at sports, hated PE, shy, always had my head in a book.

Totally unknowing, I walked into a crowded Hall wondering what everyone was doing, as I approached my class mates someone whispered ‘here she is is’ grabbed my arm and stuck my hand up, something was said by the teachers at the front of the Hall on the stage and then everyone (well it seemed like everyone) stuck their hands up.
Seems I was voted in as a prefect.
If I’d had my glasses on I would have seen the Prefect Election notice on the Hall door, only 2 prefects were voted in, the rest were chosen by the teachers. It was a real confidence boost.
Still got my badge!

snowberryZ Tue 12-Apr-22 09:11:42

I not U

snowberryZ Tue 12-Apr-22 09:11:33

Oh. And U wasn't one of the popular onesbut wasn't unpopular either. F that makes sense
Middle of the road I suppose

snowberryZ Tue 12-Apr-22 09:09:05

I wasn't very sporty but was a very active child and absolutely loved P.E.
Never could understand all the hate for it.confused

Jaxjacky Tue 12-Apr-22 09:02:34

Reasonably popular and ok at sport, but I was naughty, I knew the detention room well. I took A levels at night school, when I wanted to.

Blondiescot Tue 12-Apr-22 08:05:34

No and no here too! I was hopeless at sports - I'm a sloth by nature and also quite unco-ordinated, so I was also one of the last to be picked for any teams. I was far more academically minded, but quite introverted and always felt like a bit of a misfit, to be honest.