to get annoyed that the same children get picked for all the sports teams?

[onlywhenyouleave]

I am fed up of seeing the same names over and over again on the school newsletter for every sports team - I know the school wants to be competitive and pick the best teams but it is so disheartening for all the other children (and yes, DS1 is one of those who isn't picked).

I know quite a few children who don't even bother trying out now as they don't see the point

YABU selection on ability.
That said, my school puts out 5 teams for some U10 netball games with other neighbouring girls schools.

Ds1 does do sport outside of school (plays for 2 football teams, cricket) so he gets plenty of opportunities. He is absolutely sports-crazy!

I do have gripes about how the footy team was picked but that is a side issue

This isn't really about DS though - it is just general thoughts about how it is the same names on the newsletter all the time!

At my dd's school sports teams are streamed, meaning that the best are in A team and get the most matches, right down until team F. I think this is a very fair, inclusive way of doing things.

What riles me is the children of the PTA/board of governors being in everything/winning all the prizes, regardless of talent/ability.

That's my DD. she is really good and competitive and she goes to all the clubs and shows enthusiasm as well as talent. And although she's good, I think part of the reason her PE teachers and coaches love her is for her attitude.

The only answer must be to have more than one team, because why should my DD not be picked so someone not as good can play?! That's not fair either

My dds don't have sports at school well measley gym ... out of school they both play basketball. On match games first everyone is asked for availability from there they select a group to go. Every child plays and during the season every child is given an opportunity to play. Even the ones that have 2 left feet and couldn't get a basket even if it was at nose level. They have lost games due to this but the team spirit is unbelievable and every child gets a chance.... We have been a part of this team for 3 years and I hope they want to continue.

My DS never got picked for any sports teams at primary school but he did get picked to represent the school in maths and spelling competitions. There was lots of children who didn't stand a chance of being picked to represent the school in maths and spelling.
Schools just choose the children best at things to represent the school, why wouldn't they?

So you'd send the kids who get d/e grades at GCSEs onto university challenge?

I was never picked but I wasn't any good. Teams should have the best if it is competitive. If it isn't competitive it should be turns for all.

My DS2 is very sporty and in two or three teams of "mixed ability" at school. He is completely disheartened. So it works both ways, his skills are not always rewarded. Personally, I think children should be competing in and against teams of similar ability.

I played netball at school, and not very well, so I do feel for the unchosen ones. However, the problem with mixed ability teams is that the strong ones start to resent the weak links, especially when they start playing in leagues. It's difficult. I played in an important match one winter when a few A Team girls were off sick with bad colds, and being largely responsible for a draw (our school should've won easily) didn't do my confidence much good.

Re obesity - There's no need for children to be obese just because they're not adept at school/team sports. That's just an excuse. If they're walking places, playing outside, having swimming lessons, doing a few chores, eating well etc etc they won't be fat.

I was not at all sporty at school - why would you want to be on a competitive sports team if you aren't sporty? I wasn't, so I didn't want to embarrass myself and let down a team by being in a competitive team.

DD is relatively sporty but middle of the road ability wise - gets picked for some things not others (was on the football team for her final year of primary but not basket ball - she's a shorty and also not interested or good at in basketball ...)

DS1 is incredibly sporty - I suspect he was swapped at birth. He is big for his age and strong and won every event he was entered for at his sports day by an embarrassing margin. He was put in for some races with the year above and still won everything. Of course he's on all the sports teams, it would be bloody ridiculous and self sabotaging not to pick him. Also - because he is big for his age and a bit loud and presses too hard when he writes and comes in from break sweaty because he plays football with all his heart and soul and energy for every single second he isn't in the classroom his main class teacher seemed to take a major dislike to him and he had a shitty year at school last year, apart from sport, music and craft where the teachers saw the best in him ...

I think YABU - why would you not pick children who are good at something for the competitive events?

Regular sports classes should be inclusive, but competition outside school hours shouldn't have to be - because it is what it says on the tin - competitive.

"all children get to do the sport in games/PE lessons, not sure any schools are actually banning children from lessons." They do but if you get selected for the team you get extra practice and match practice.

"It's not bollocks. Unless the only sport is fixtures (clue:it won't be)" First off, don't be so patronising. See my point above. Obviously all kids get PE lessons. The children who get picked for the team get extra practice and match practice. That's like the school giving the top set in maths extra opportunities to improve in maths that the other pupils don't get.

"If the school is not putting effort into proper differentiation, and providing competent teaching/coaching fostering both competency and interest - whether maths, PE, science, or any other part of the curriculum - then that's an individual failing of that school/department. Not a reason to decide not to provide appropriate challenge for those strongest in any particular subject." The OP isn't complaining about the strongest having the opportunity to have extra practice and play in matches. She's complaining about kids being EXCLUDED from that opportunity. It's nothing to do with differentiation. Set up a second team, sub kids in and out. How would that have any negative impact on the strongest? It seems utter insanity that there are a group of kids jumping up and down for the opportunity to play netball or whatever outside of PE lessons and they're told not to bother, they're not good enough. Go home and watch the telly, losers. And then we'll scratch our heads and try and find complicated ways to deal with childhood obesity. Doh.

I really hate the argument that competetive sport is a chance for the kids who aren't good at maths etc to shine.

Very few schools have competetive teams in acedemic subjects, why should PE be any different?, unless academic children have equal opportunity to compete outside of lessons why should sporty kids? That's why the top maths set scenario doesn't work, by saying as sporty kid gets to do the team, they're being offered extra sport outside of a normal lesson that the top math set kids isn't getting. If my top maths set child was allowed to be on school teams for fixtures outside of lesson time, I'd be happy for a lower set maths kid to be on a maths team outside of lesson times, except they don't exist!

Some kids are good at academics and PE, or bad at both.

It's often the given that sporting ability and popularity cross over, schools don't help by picking the same kids for every team every time, and should be seeking more oportunitites in other subjects, either that or everyone gets taught by ability in school and all have equal opportunity to represent the school outside of normal lessons.

Yabu. Do you complain because some kids get put in top sets because they are better at subjects.

If your dv wasn't the best at maths, would you be ok with him loaing interest or not trying.

Children are singled out for ability for all sorts of things. Why it's such an issue when it comes to sport, I just don't know.

Dd gets picked for most singing things, because she is good. Her best friend gets picked for sports because she is really good at most. There was an open night at school the other night. The performing arts teacher asked dd to do the singing bit, the PE teacher asked her best friend to represent the PE department. of course. They are showing off the best bits of the school

Iam I have never ever come across maths or spelling competitions in primary schools.

My sons old school enter a few every year but it is an independent school and they have competitions organised between various ISA schools in the region. At least one of the maths competitions was open to all schools though and had mainly state primary schools enter with each school sending 5 children to compete for a maths trophy.

Teachers picking teams to represent the school based on ability is fine, and children tend to understand that people are good at different things, and would expect the best players to be chosen. Far worse to be chosen for the team when you know you're crap and it's just an act of pity. That happened to me at school and it was humiliating!

Also awful is pupils taking turns to choose classmates for teams in PE lessons, I can't believe this still goes on. I still cringe at the memory of "Miss, do we have to have her, we had her last week?" etc etc, and I'm 30 40 oh who am I trying to kid, 50!

And the children who have good singing voices or good speaking voices or are good at dance usually get the best roles in the annual school performance. It's just the way it is.

But the children who are good at academic things get good GCSE results! Like my 2 DS will get. DD won't do as well academically so gets her pleasure from doing well at sports.
At her school, the teams don't get any more practice ; anyone can go to the clubs, but might not get picked to play matches

As I said, it is a self fulfilling prophesy as those that get picked get practice, get to know the coach who will then favour them in other trials ('halo' effect), everyone else stops trying out (even for sports that they might excel at) leaving the 'chosen' ones a clear path for all sports.

Last week, DS tried out for a sports team in a sport that is unusual and no one would have the advantage of having practice outside of school. The coach told them he couldn't choose as there were some children who couldn't make the trials so he put on a further trial this week. These children who didn't attend last week are on the 'chosen' list and, surprise, they got picked for the team.

I honestly believe the coach has 90% of his team selected prior to any trials