Sports day

[alicedj22]

It was my ds sports day today. I've noticed a lot more negativity around it this year. Lots of upset kids who aren't sporty and parents moaning about it and saying it shouldn't be a thing anymore. But my ds is sporty and does enjoy it. He won some races today and was really proud of himself. He isn't the most academic so this is really where he shines and feels like he's achieved something. I can't imagine the academic kids and their parents being too happy if we dismissed their achievements because not everyone is as clever so it shouldn't count. Aibu?

Primary or secondary?

I’ve noticed with primary school that every kid cheers everyone else on, and they all look like they are having fun.

Secondary however, is when people like me realised how much I hated sports and therefore hated sports day

I loved my daughter's Sports Day this year. People were clapping and being really supportive for all the kids and the the kids could pick their races. It was a really nice atmosphere. My daughter is no Olympic athlete, but she had a brilliant time and even raced the boys in the 800m race because no girl in the whole achool wanted to do 800m. 😂 It was all very relaxed and friendly.

Primary. Year 4. So still pretty young. I get that it's not for everyone but it just feels like ds achievements are being undermined a bit.

I’m a big fan of sports day if it’s well run and inclusive. DD’s (Y5) have a morning of events run in classes, with a combination of an obstacle course, throwing things, jumping onto crash mats etc and a whole year tug of war. Then they put on a sprint final for the sporty kids, who ‘qualify’ depending on times in PE lessons the week before. Everyone brings a picnic lunch and sits on the field at lunchtime. It’s a great atmosphere and everyone seems to enjoy it. Super competitive sports days, which single out children who aren’t terribly athletic, I’m not such a fan of - they have one of those at the Senior school, but it’s very much optional for those who want to take part. For the kids that didn’t, they played ‘quidditch’ that afternoon instead 😁

@edwinbear my DS school does the same. We are told it's a "sports celebration" and everything will be very relaxed but there is a sprint race at the end split into year groups, then split down again into ability.

We haven't had a sports day yet (Y2), covid obviously put pay to them the last two years, so I don't know how parents behave! I hope ours is not like yours! I am sorry for your DS, I hope he didn't pick up on the atmosphere and enjoyed the day!

My DS is autistic and is very good at running, but struggles so much academically. It will be so nice for him to be in the top group for something in school!

I'm a supply teacher, so I have actually been to three sports days this year 🤣 In my experience the kids that like sport were really into it and loved it. And the kids that are not sporty just didn't seem to care either way But we're just happy to be off lessons for the day. Win for both

I like a competitive sports day. Let the athletic kids have their moment in the spotlight.

And I was that child who came last. By a long way, not a second or two.I suffered from severe arthritis at that point so had restricted mobility. The one girl I could beat was allowed to stay at home by her parents on sports day.

I knew I was going to lose every time but my parents believed in resilience and made me run. It was mildly embarrassing but my parents were really proud that the parents told them how they loved it that I came last (by a bloody mile) but still had a big smile on my face. Possibly more of a grimace but they were right, being able to fail and lose is character building. And did me no harm.

I do agree with you OP about sporty children having a chance to shine. In my DD's primary class the sporty children were definitely not the academic ones, and it was really nice to see them win. In my DS's primary class, it happened that the sporty children were the same as the ones who were best at lessons, so it was just another chance for them to excel.

I still think sports day is a fun day though. My DC's primary tried to make it more inclusive by having some 'unusual' races so it wasn't always the fastest who won.

Primary sports day should stay. Secondary should be outlawed, you can guarantee the majority of kids hate it and will spend all day hiding on the field trying to avoid it. Maybe it should be optional then only those who genuinely enjoy it have to sign up.

Err... no. Not at my daughter's secondary school. It was fun and the kids definitely enjoyed it. It was a great atmosphere and really relaxed and supportive. The very sporty kids got to shine but the rest definitely had a good day. They could pick what races they wanted to do though and for some of the very popular races there were heats, so only those who made it to the finals ran.

Well that sounds better than at my dc school xelam Mine, and their friends, hated it with a passion. Six hours of sports activities in front of the whole school when you're not sporty in the slightest is hell to some kids.

imo sports day should be indicative of the PE kids do all year
the teachers should know from said PE classes what events/types of races will suit their class

When run well, Sports Day can be fun.

But if four kids are in a race, giving prizes to the top three isn't fun.

Still slightly bitter about what happened to DD three years ago... (she was left on the finishing line alone while her friends were taken to the special prize area...)

@alicedj22 im not being goady or anything I’m genuinely curious how does your sons school publicly acknowledge the academic kids achievements? Do they give out awards? I’m just wondering because every school is different.
What about the arty kids and musical kids?

Yanbu. Its one day. Tbh, most kids just shouted their friends on, when mine were at school. No tears or drama, just glad to be out the classroom doing sonething different.

They did a lot of relays at mine so everything felt team led. It was more inclusive but a bit dull.

my dc have sports day without parents.
it's more like a day of fun games.
this year it was on the beach and they did things like skate boarding, 'rescue the teacher' (from hip hight water), build a sandcastle with prizes for height, imagination and decoration.

then they had a sports demonstration day for parents where there were performances of school clubs and races for which pupils could volunteer.

secondary school.

I'm still waiting for my child's award for being the best reader.... She was crying Tuesday night at the thought of being the slowest in her class in front of everyone. She sobbed to me that "sports day was about winning even if you find it easy but people that aren't even clever get all the awards for English and maths for trying their hardest". I'm not complaining, she needs to do stuff she finds difficult as well as the things she excels in that's just life and children should be celebrated for excelling in sports. However, if DD feels like that at 6 maybe we need to evaluate how everyone's talents are equally recognised.

My son has dysgraphia and adhd. He is 10. Every single day of the academic year is hugely challenging for him. He feels stupid. He feels he doesn't meet expectations. He lives for sport. It is the ONE day a year he gets to shine. It means the world to him. We go to a very inclusive school and all the teachers (as well as some parents) cheer for him like he is their own. They know how much he struggles year round. He won all his races this year (he tends to) and every single medal he won he gave to a little boy with downs syndrome in the year above him. The little boy stood by the finishing line clapping for him and my son ran up to hug him and hive him his medal every time. It was beautiful. I cried. The head teacher cried. The little boys mum cried.
Just a beautiful day.

It's one day out of the whole year. If it was anything like my kids, it's 90 minutes of waiting around and watching both your children running for the combined grand total of 10 minutes. I had to book the afternoon off work for that. If I have to take my precious time off to sit on grass and endure that, my kids can flipping well put on their PE kit and pretend to enjoy it.

It's our role as parents to remind our kids that there are parts of life we don't particularly enjoy, but we still need to show up and take part. It's also our job to remind our kids that we can't be good at everything and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. There's too much projection onto kids from the parents own insecurities.

My school has sports leaders judging the races. These children gave up many break and lunchtimes to learn how each event works and organise the day. We had parents shouting at them on the day because they didn't agree with their judgements. Grown, angry men shouting at 11 year old girls because they didn't place their child 1st. Absolutely disgusting. I thought the sports day this year would be lovely as the first one our school has had since covid but apparently even adults have forgotten to behave. Maybe it should go back to being parent free to reduce all kinds of negativity.

Yabu It's the public humiliation element that is unfair.

Academic kids get to shine in maths classes, sporty kids get to shine in PE classes.

But if you come last in Maths no-one parades that fact in front of 300 parents and other kids. The difference is obvious.

Our school gives out special mentions and head teachers awards at assemblies in school these can be for arts, music, sports, academics or because you're trying your best. The house with the most points (combination of good behaviour, academic and sporting achievements win the house cup). There's an annual award that goes to the very best student in the school (trust set up in the name of a deceased student).

What a brilliant idea 😊

@SalmonEile yes lots of awards and endless assemblies to celebrate the academic achievements.