More of a wwyd, when your child is bad at something?

[Theowlthecatandthemoon]

Don't want to give too much detail as I know some of the other parents are mumsnetters.

My 9 year old absolutely loves a certain sport, lives and breathes it, I can't put into words how much they love it, but, and it's a big but, has never been naturally good at it.

I have tried getting them involved in different activities related to their chosen sport, but it's quite clear they stick out like a sore thumb.

I know how horrible that must sound, and I've never and would never say this to my child, but it's just clear to see.

Anyhow, by some miracle a friend of a friend has let my child join a club they run, playing this sport, I think they were desperate for committed people and could see mine had the enthusiasm. The thing is they look the part and have the right build for this sport, and talk as if they'd be great with bags of enthusiasm.

It's early days but it's not going great.

I don't know how long I give it or how honest I should be. It's almost like when those people go in X factor and everyone thinks they are going to be really good then can't sing, and everyone wonders why their family didn't stop them.

Honestly I know how awful I sound, and I have been nothing but kind and encouraging to my child.

I'm all for the sport for enjoyment, exercise and all of that but where do you draw the line with team sports if you're letting the side down?

Parents are not the best judges of these things, often. My parents decided I was shit at both art and ballet. They were wrong on both counts. It was all about the (frankly pretty sketchy) idea of natural talent for them - you either have it or you don't. In the same vein, because I was obviously musical and was making progress just by attending music lessons, to them it didn't matter either way if I practised. Also bollocks! With my kids i make sure I encourage commitment to targeted practice regardless of talent or otherwise. That's what gets you places! Is there something in particular your ds could be focussing on practising with his sport in order to improve? Throwing? Fitness? Coordination? If he wants to improve, he can do that regardless of starting point.

Neither of my children play team sports becuase they have no interest in them BUT they both do karate and trampolining as well as DD doing dance and DS running wiht me.
Both of them have an ASC and both of them have the physical issues with coordination that can often run alongside this. This means that both of them are, frankly, rubbish.
DD felt this very keenly whne she went to a dance competition. Her teacher said it was an experience, no pressure etc but DD realised she would never match up (dodgy ankles mean turned in toes no matter how hard she works) so now she takes lessons and dances with great enthusiasm at displays and shows.
Both of them love the things they do and I sometimes stand at the back of Kata (because I'm a volunteer at their club and learning myself) and cringe at how uncoordinated they are but they bring enthusiasm by the bucket load.
I am the child of proffessional musicians. I had one lesson on the recorder and one on the clarianet before both my parents declared it wasn't worht me learning as I would never be any good. I still yearn to learn to this day. Same with acting. I was passably good as a child but my Dad didn't feel I had 'it' and so it was never pursued.
If your child is enjoying their sport then that should be enough. DD was gutted when she realised she'd never win but we talked about how she enjoyed dancing and how it was a shame to give that up just because she wouldn't win a shiny medal. She has handled it with more resilience than I gave her credit for.
I never want to do to my children what my parents did to me. If peope comment then ignore.