Not selected for P.E team

This has happened to my DD. She's in a competitive swim squad, has lots of galas under her belt and is very fit. Still in the lowest PE set despite taking part in London Youth Games with her club, but was not chosen to represent the school in a once in a blue moon swimming fixture. The teachers beloved group of 4 went who could barely swim. Only my DD and one other girl in her year are on a swimming team. Go figure.

I think picking the same favourite kids is common. My DS plays sport at least 1-2 hours a day. But never gets picked for teams as a rule

Some schools are funny about those who compete for a club outside school representing the school. I know that one of the boys in Ds's rowing club doesn't get picked for competition crews at school because of that.

Could they be concerned that school training and matches or competitions could conflict with club commitments? The boy (or girl) can't be in two places at once.

DS competes in his sport at national level (its a sport that requires a high level of athletic ability not a sport like bowls etc), he wasn't even allowed to be involved in Sports Day because he "wasn't sporty".

Our school does this. Very annoying. Same old girls picked for all things sporty despite my dc having official recorded times as faster than the others in certain teams for their sport.
Happened when I went to school. For our tennis lessons if we weren't good enough we had to sit at the side of the court and watch and only those on the tennis team were picked to go on an annual trip to Wimbledon. If schools can do anything to put dc off sport this is the kind of thing that works. I thought myself useless at sport as a result.

Nothing worse than your dc being the only one left behind at school whilst the others all go on a fixture.
So they couldn't even take them as a sub?
All it did was instil a lifelong hatred of PE and sport. I did complain at the time.
Another dc tries very hard in sports even though they don't find it easy. They are confused as to why some
badly behaved dc are always picked for the sports teams...
In your case op that is even more ridiculous- why would you take someone who plays the sport to a high level outside of school?!

I confess I laughed a great deal when the PE teacher at DS1’s school (who had never selected him for anything, including cricket) had to congratulate him for making the county squad. DS1 had been quite confused as to why he was never once selected…turns out our experience is not unique and this chap likes to select the children of people he knows from the football team he runs in the village. Grrrrr…

Can’t be that niche if the sport is played in school.

Oh yes we have this. Always picking favourites

Some schools are funny about those who compete for a club outside school representing the school. I know that one of the boys in Ds's rowing club doesn't get picked for competition crews at school because of that

There’s no harm in asking. Sounds a bit like when I was at School - favoured ‘sporty’ ones got picked for all sports even if others were better in specific ones.

I had that at primary with DD. My child was the only one who played that sport & to a high level. Not picked.
I am pretty sure DS about to have the same. Disgrace

Some sports like rowing/crew and lacrosse are only played at some schools and so in some regions would be relatively unusual.

How is it a niche sport if it’s played in school

That doesn’t sound fair. What’s the sport?

I am in the USA so they have public tryouts for every sport so it’s almost always obvious who is the best and they have different levels such as Varsity, Junior Varsity etc. How old is your child and is there a process for choosing who represents the school? Is there a coach/teacher specific to that sport that you could approac?