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Original poster

Swimming Gala..{or sports day}......Which do you think is fair???

31 replies

RTKangaMummy · 08/07/2005 21:21

Kangaboy has his swimming Gala next friday

There are 4 lanes in the pool

So therefore only a maximum of 4 children in each race

When the children get to the end 1st, 2nd and 3rd get given a card to take to the score lady

So they get:

1st = 30 points

2nd = 20 points

3rd = 10 points

So all the points are put into the points table under whichever house the child belongs to

{Each child belongs to one of the school houses A,B,C, and D}

NOW I THINK THAT THE 4th PLACE CHILD SHOULD GET GIVEN A CARD SAYING 4th AND THEREFORE GET 5 points FOR THEIR HOUSE

EACH CHILD SWIMS 3 RACES and so may come in 4th place in each race and not get any points for their house.

Anyway wrote to the teacher in charge of swimming today suggesting this idea

We got a phone call from the Head this afternoon saying that Mrs F had passed the letter on to her and basically she says that in proper races there is never a prize for coming 4th

I know that already it is just that it does seem rather disappointing for the child who comes 4th in each race they are in, to feel when they finish that there is no one there to give them a card or that they can't earn any points for their house.

I know that if there are lots of children in a race you can't have 5th, 6th, 7th etc if there are lots of children

BUT the swimming pool only has 4 lanes

What do you think?

.

OP posts:
hercules · 08/07/2005 21:22

I agree with you. It's not the olympics.

helsi · 08/07/2005 21:32

I agree and at the end of the day they are children. How demotivating!!

Willow2 · 08/07/2005 21:34

To be honest, not winning a race never did my friends or I any harm.

fishfinger · 08/07/2005 21:36

is it a private school?
sounds it tbh

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 08/07/2005 21:43

I really thought that if I suggested it in a friendly way they may take it as a good idea

There are teachers or TA to give cards out to 1st 2nd and 3rd and when 4th gets to the end and then out there is no one to give them a card

It isn't helped by the fact that Kangaboy's house team have been last every year so far

Everybody cheers for the 4th child as well and I think they may have tried the hardest to finish the race ie be poorer swimmers but they can't contribute to the house team total.

I know that all races have winners and losers but just think they should be able to get a card and 5 points.

OP posts:
Gobbledigook · 08/07/2005 21:45

Erm, I think it does nobody any harm to learn to lose. However, in this situation, I'd also see no harm in awarding 5 points so the 'loser' feels they've at least contributed something for their efforts.

LIke you say, there are only 4 swimming so seems a bit mean. If there were 7 swimming and only 1-3 got points that would be different.

Hulababy · 08/07/2005 21:45

Swimming galas aren't restricted to private schools though - the state school I worked at had swimming gala. Was a great day; well if nice weather it was!

This was secondary. Think it was 1 point to 4th place, 2 to 3rd plce, 3 to 2nd and 4 to 1st.

Hulababy · 08/07/2005 21:46

We also only had 4 swimming at a time (size of pool) - 1 per house.

QueenOfQuotes · 08/07/2005 21:49

I agree that if it was a larger number swimming it should only be 1st, 2nd, 3rd - however I do think that in this situation it's very unfair on the poor child that comes fourth.

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 08/07/2005 21:49

no it is a church of england primary

And is a very good school

I know that loosing doesn't do them any harm

I realise that someone always has to come last

But why can't they be given a card with 4th on and 5 points???

Kangaboy's friends in his house are used to their house coming last so they expect it really

I know that you could say that some children are good at sports and some are good acedemically

but some are not at either

OP posts:
Milliways · 08/07/2005 21:49

DS competed in the Reading schools gala finals last week. We told him if he came last at least he made the finals! He did well in the diving but 2 of the boys were amazing, belong to a competitive club etc. Thats life, at least he took part (came 4th btw)

Milliways · 08/07/2005 21:50

Sorry - meant to say,if only 4 lanes & for house points, should be something for 4th place.

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 08/07/2005 21:52

Yes I completly agree that if there were more than 4 swimming it would be silly to have 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc

There is a pool at the school which is outside but is heated

OP posts:
Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 08/07/2005 21:55

they can't really have one lane per house cos they put the children in a race against those of simular standard

ie there may be 2 or 3 from one house in a race if they were all really good or 2 or 3 together if the same standard but not so good

IYSWIM

OP posts:
Yorkiegirl · 08/07/2005 21:59

Message withdrawn

Hulababy · 08/07/2005 22:03

YG - I found that. Swimming gala was a great day. Used to love it. We used to have bunting all over; the kids would be painted in house colours, the sound system was out - the neighbours to school would complain - and it was a fab time for all. Who wo n and who lost didn't seem too matter.

My last year the upper school got into loads of trouble over the diving comp. They all did dive bombs instead and just had a laugh. PE staff were not amused!!!

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 08/07/2005 22:04

Congrats to your DS milliways

Kangaboy doesn't seem to mind loosing

I just say to him that if he tries his best and has funfunfun then that is the main thing

I just thought it would be such a simple little change that they could make, but are not willing to change their ideas

OP posts:
Tanzie · 08/07/2005 22:06

Milliways - I swam in the Reading Schools gala!

Milliways · 08/07/2005 22:27

What year Tanzie?

Tanzie · 08/07/2005 22:45

in the seventies...

snailspace · 08/07/2005 22:47

Message withdrawn

Milliways · 08/07/2005 22:48

Tanzie - where did you go to school?

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 08/07/2005 22:58

Thanks snailspace

That is all I was suggesting really given that the maximum is 4 it just seemed a bit hard for the one who comes in 4th to have not earnt anything for their house total

OP posts:
snailspace · 09/07/2005 09:23

Message withdrawn

Surfermum · 09/07/2005 09:37

I was a competitive swimmer. If it was, say a club or county championships, then yes, only 1st, 2nd and 3rd got medals, but if it was a club v club type gala, then there were points for all 6/8 swimmers in the race. It's the same in athletics AFAIK, Grand Prix and surf lifesaving (yes that is a sport!), and I'm sure lots of other sports.

I do think it's a shame that if you come 4th you get nothing, whereas 5 points towards your team's total means at least you are doing something for the team. I still take part in some lifeguard competitions (very funny to see my lardy backside on a surfboard these days, or my wobbly boobs bouncing up the beach) but I enter because I get the team a point. We have won or lost Championships by a point before now, so that one point does make a difference, and my efforts were not pointless even though I came last. I wouldn't have had the same motivation to take part if I came last and got no points to boot.

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