G&T at sport

[darleneconnor]

Has anyone else got a child who shows ability/aptitude at sport (not sure if G&T even covers this)?

DS wants to be a professional sportsman when he grows up. He is very athletic but I've no idea if he is up to the kind of standard to think about professionalism in the future. He goes to sports clubs outside of school 2/3 times a week. I'm trying to introduce him to lots of different sports so he can find his niche, his preferences atm are running, tennis, cycling and football.

His school does no competitive sports at all .

Are there any (would have to be boarding) schools that have a particular focus on sport?

Millfield in Street, Somerset

How old is he?

If you can't find a suitably sporty school for him, he may be picked up as a potential talent through his clubs. There are national-level juniors (and one international) at my children's quite small athletics club, and I know children who are on the books of our local Championship football club and first-class county cricket clubs - scouted through school (sorry) and small local clubs.

Shame not to be able to enjoy some sort of school sport though.

I'd never heard of Millfield before. I looked on their site and the facilities there are amazing. I didn't know anything like that existed anywhere!

Thanks.

Hi, my ds (7) just gone on G&T for swimming and diving - not sure if anything will happen though! They don't swim from school until Y4 so two more years to go. Can't afford private so don't think that will be an option unfortunately ...

Hi harragirl, can I ask how this came about for DS? When did he first show a talent for swimming? I am interested as I have a 3 year old and a 4 year old who have swimming lesssons and are both by far the youngest in their groups by several years.

Sure - he started lessons as total non-swimmer in the September when he was 4 (5 following January) - never went swimming before that, no interest - and could do a width unaided by half term. After a year he got ASA7 at 5 1/2. He got his 800m badge at 6 - have to do breastroke, frontcrawl and backcrawl evenly throughout - couldn't just be one stroke. Then in July 2010 he was seen in the Council pool by a squad instructor and was asked to try out for the squads after the summer holidays (usual starting age 8, he was 6 1/2) and had a trial in September and then started in squads straightaway. He loves squads - swims twice a week for an hour and still has his usual swimming class so he gets technique instruction as well as stamina. He can't compete in competitions until he is 8 but gets to do timetrials once a month with the squad. He turned 7 this a couple of weeks ago. He did beginner's diving course for fun over summer and has been put down to be 'fast-tracked' through diving courses. Council suggested we speak to school and put him on G&T, which we did. Hope this helps - sorry, went on a bit! Good luck with yours - they sound really promising.