My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

to hate the new style sports days? whatever happened to races?

34 replies

twooter · 09/06/2011 14:57

Had dcs sports day this week. Usual team events - throwing a welly, throwing a bean bag in a hoop etc etc. Absolutely NO way of seeing how well they were doing compared to the other teams - all of it was against the clock, so nothing to inspire them to push themselves. No watching others do their bit, hence no cheering/suppport for their teams. Then at the end, The team placings were given, from last to first. What was the point?

OP posts:
Report
culturemulcher · 09/06/2011 20:37

Agree completely twooter.

Last year, a boy who has severe learning difficulties ran a blinder of a race - it would have been fantastic if he could have been given a medal for coming first and for the other children to be able to recognise one of his achievements for once (in an activity that they all respect).

I also completely agree with the lack of atmosphere, and yes, we all ended up just having a good old chat and almost forgetting about the events going on.

Report
TenthCircle · 09/06/2011 20:26

Yesterday, I loathed the competitive nature of sports day, was at pains to explain that it was not the winning but the taking part that mattered, being a good sport was as important as anything else.

However...today my DS was triumphant and victorious in the sack race of lifetime! I was ridiculously pleased for him. Grin

A combination of team and individual events is ideal though. I went through primary school being fourth last out of 13 girls in almost every race I ran.

Report
upahill · 09/06/2011 20:11

I used to come last at everything as well at sports days but I still hate these team games.
They are not sports!!

Report
controlpantsandgladrags · 09/06/2011 19:19

As the kid who always came last in sports day races, I think I prefer the new way! I hated sports day with a passion.

Report
Riveninside · 09/06/2011 19:16

Dds school does both. Races plus team games. Dd always wins the egg n spoon race cos the egg is wedged between her knees Grin

Report
EndoplasmicReticulum · 09/06/2011 19:14

I've been to boys' sports day today. I think it was great - they did the team beanbag bit but also had some straightforward running races too.
I think the team bit takes away the competitiveness - like previous posters I still remember the humiliation of coming last in every single race. I never got the chance to show off in competitive maths, either. By the end of primary school the teachers had taken pity on me and let me use my maths skills to sort out the scoring instead.

The only competitiveness I saw this afternoon was from one of the Dads, who obviously prepared for the Dads race by turning up in tracksuit and trainers (he won). Obviously a product of old-style sports days and trying to relive his past glories.

Report
TotallyUtterlyDesperate · 09/06/2011 19:07

I hated sports days when I was at school and I think that it coloured how I saw sport in general. My mum was told by a teacher that I was entered into every race because they knew I would come last - and that it was well known that I wouldn't cry when I did! The fact that I felt totally humiliated all of the time didn't matter at all. I have never forgotten that feeling :(

Report
AuntiePickleBottom · 09/06/2011 18:35

i used to hate sports day, as i was always put under so much pressure to do well, i normally came in 1st or 2nd.

i like the new style, the children hopefully can have a good afternoon showing there parents how well the have processed in PE and have fun.

Report
MilaMae · 09/06/2011 18:23

Hmmm I hated sports day as was a crap PE pupil frequently humiliated. I was however pretty good at most academic subjects which I never got the chance to flex my muscles at on a public platform.

I think the new way is fantastic(as do many parents I know). If it was returned to the ritual humiliation of old then I feel there should be public spelling bees,mental maths wipe outs,art shows,public speaking,languages,writing recitals for all children whatever their ability no exclusions a la old style sports day(complete with braying,hollering,parents etc).

If this was to happen people crap at PE would get to show the public their ability in other areas instead of wanting to slink away when simply known as the pupil crap at pretty much all areas of PE.

Report
claig · 09/06/2011 18:07

Did this trend really take off under Noo Labour or was it before that?

Report
twooter · 09/06/2011 17:51

Edustudent - in this one, the only result given was for the final positions. Until then, they didn't have a clue how well they were doing in relation to other teams. I suppose if interim scores had been given out, there could have been a bit more excitement.

OP posts:
Report
twooter · 09/06/2011 17:45

My children are in p1 and 3. They've apparently been having these sports days at the school for at least the last 5 years.

OP posts:
Report
pigsinmud · 09/06/2011 17:19

We have combination of both types. All children in teams and earn points for their team, but you also get a 1st sticker if you win the race, throw the furthest etc.. I think it's good.

Report
Irksome · 09/06/2011 17:19

how old are your kids, OP ?

Report
Greenshadow · 09/06/2011 17:15

I think it is swinging back the other way now, at least to some extent.

DS3s primary school have 2 events - one is team and not open to parents and the other is traditional races - running, obstacle, relay etc. Taken fairly seriously with heats for the running races and a final.
AS far as I can tell, most children seem happy enough with it.

Report
nijinsky · 09/06/2011 17:12

I guess they'll also have to ban the children from watching the Olympics on tv; in case they get traumatised by seeing athletes from all over the world racing and competing against each other.

One things for certain - that school is going to stifle any sporting ability in the children it teaches. Its so important in many sports now to be develop skills at a young age, so the children can be selected for the right coaching, sports academies, etc.. Theres plenty of money and good earnings in sport, so the school really isn't doing its bit to educate the children for life. Plus, in any kind of competitive work environment, unless they learn their skills from elsewhere, they simply aren't going to cope.

Report
upahill · 09/06/2011 17:10

I hate these style sports days. THey came in when DS1 was in about year 3 I think. He is now year 10.
Ok he was rubbish at running and didn't get the idea he had to try and win but hey so what, he had fun. We had winners and losers but it was all good fun.

Report
EduStudent · 09/06/2011 17:00

I agree with xStarGirl

Infants we had 'traditional' sports days and it was bloody boring sat about waiting for your race. Monotonous and mind-numbing.

We were all so excited to move into the Juniors that had team games in a big circuit. The points would be read out every few rounds and it was always frantic by the end, trying to get the points for your team/house to win.

Twooter No fun for anyone? Really? So no-one enjoyed it? At all?

Report
twooter · 09/06/2011 16:33

But xstar, this style sports day is not fun, for anyone. They do the activities, which can hardly be called sport, and it's like a lucky dip as to who wins. There is no challenge to improve themselves, as they have no idea how well they are getting on until the final result is given at the end of the day.

OP posts:
Report
xStarGirl · 09/06/2011 15:21

Uh, don't really see the problem? Confused Hmm

Watching other kids play the games/run the races is boring when you're little. Even I, PE-hater extraordinaire, preferred actually joining in to watching on sports day.

FFS, sports day is supposed to be a bit of FUN. Trying to get kids into sport is the point, isn't it? Without putting pressure on them, which in most cases is what makes children loathe sports, and exercise in general.
If you want your child to be in a more competitive environment, find out what they're good at and put them in competitions there. It's not exactly rocket science.

Report
MrsTerryPratchett · 09/06/2011 15:20

WannabeMusician, if your child is good at maths they will have to wait and excel at life Grin.

Another crap sports person here. I liked sports day and didn't care that I was useless (well, I could throw and jump a bit).

It is like people cancelling Christmas for us (Atheist family). I like Christmas. Don't cancel it on my account!

Report
DoMeDon · 09/06/2011 15:17

But why does everyone need a chance to shine - achievement is it's own reward and all that. Self-respect, pride in your own work, happiness comes from within are much better lessons to teach DC. Can you tell I'm fed up of all this mollycoddlybolleaux!?!

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

claig · 09/06/2011 15:17

'The conditioning system eliminates the need for professional competitiveness; people are literally bred to do their jobs and cannot desire another. There is no competition within castes; each caste member receives the same food, housing, and soma rationing as every other member of that caste.'

From wikipedia's description of the book 'Brave New World'.


In a progressive utopia, competition must be eliminated, standards must decline and dumbing down must be carried out, in order to stop ordinary people competing against the elites. It is progressive conditioning and brainwashing of ordinary people. At Eton, they still have competitive sportsdays.

Report
WannabeMusician · 09/06/2011 15:11

I think part of the problem parents have with it (not the overly precious parents, the sane ones) is that there is often no public forum to excel in other subjects. If your child is excellent at maths, most schools will not have an arena for his/her to be acknowledged and they will always be considered a 'loser' because they are not sporty. I still don't have a problem with sports days being competative, just trying to figure out why some might.

Report
twooter · 09/06/2011 15:09

The best at sports in my dd year are also among the weakest academically, so it completely takes away their chance to shine

OP posts:
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.