AIBU to want to have a little whinge at school about this?

[teeththief]

DS (year 4) has been going to badminton club after school once a week since Easter. There's a local school tournament coming up and DS was really hoping to be chosen to go. He isn't really into sport but has really enjoyed doing this and has become quite good at it (not fantastic but good!). The ones who started at Easter were told that it would only be children who go to the club who would be chosen to represent the school in the tournament.

However, when I went to pick him up yesterday there appeared to be the usual 'sporting heroes' at the club. The ones who play football, rugby and tennis for the school and are always chosen for the swimming gala etc. It appears that the teacher has brought these children in so that they can go to the tournament instead of the ones who have been going since Easter.

WIBU to mention this to school? I know the school love to be seen to be winning any sporting matches they attend, which is to be expected, but feel it's a bit unfair for them to invite children in to represent the school when they haven't attended the club?

DS isn't upset as such but is a bit knocked down by it.

Just because the"sporting heroes" are the best at football, rugby and tennis, does not mean they will be better at badminton. I work in a school with a very competitive sports coach. This kind of thing happens there, the football team get to play in a golf tournament. YANBU

waffle I'm pretty sure the sporting world is about turning up to training too. I mean it doesn't matter who you are, you won't get selected for your national team if you don't show up to practice. Unless you are Paul McGrath instantly ages self with obscure Irish football reference

Surely the kids who have been showing up to the club and dedicating their time to the sport should be selected (or, at least, the best from among those turning up at the club)

Yanbu at all. What a way to put kids off sport! This would never happen in the school where I teach. Schools are meant to be encouraging kids who are reluctant to participate in sports. This sends a very clear message to your son and the other club members that their loyalty to the club and participation means very little. Yes, I would definitely say something to the school.

It is absolutely about everyone getting a fair turn at this age, Waffle! While they're still growing and developing, sports teachers need to keep an eye on all of them. Today's dud can and does turn into tomorrow's champion.

DS used to attend a school where every single child played for the school at some point and was in a school team for every sport. They had a strong reputation and were champions in some of the inter schools competitions.
Because they had an excellent sports coach who knew his job. Because he insisted they all had a go.

I was at a schools partnership tournament for tennis last week. There were three schools including ours. One school had two teams made up of the best tennis players, the school is right next to the local club and they work very closely together. So 10 of their best players who were all exceptional made up two teams. Our school and the other school had 5 children of a mix of ability and interest. The exceptional school came 2nd and 1st but those children had far less enjoyment than the other two schools. They were like little tennis robots thrashing the other two team. There was very little arousal from them. The other kids despite being thrashed, were working up a sweat, laughing, messing about cheering each other on, showing pride experiencing disappointment and a sense of achievement. It seemed a pointless task for the school who came 1st and 2nd. I suspect if they had mixed it up a bit the competition would have been far more productive for that school.