I am wrestling with what to do about this.
My ten y/o DS is sporty and does quite a few school sports clubs plus a few others out of school. He has over the last year become friends with a small group of nice boys who love football and also hockey, similar to him. There is often ‘drama’ amongst two in the group who are ultra competitive. He started going to school football club last year and was a bit upset to be placed in the B team and them in the A. DS said that made him feel “really not great.“ But he stuck out the term of the club. These boys all play for the same out of school club and have been asking for him to join. I know there has been similar drama at this club in terms of the less good one of the group getting aggro from the others. They all play at school break together too. Things have been mostly fine with these boys at out of school hockey club which he is really good at.
DS obviously wants to play football at this club with his mates, understandable… and I do feel like he might feel the odd one out if he doesn’t. Equally, he is also keen to do other clubs out of school eg rugby. I am wary about him starting football and it being another sports club with the same set of ultra competitive aggro boys. I don’t want him to start, realise he is not as good as them, get grief for it, and have him down on himself every weekend. He is well rounded in terms of being a good sport/good loser etc and does some other sports he isn’t particularly good at because he enjoys playing them. The ultra competitives only want to do clubs they can be the best at. I don’t want to knock him back by explaining why I am not sure football club will be great for him. And I don’t want to give him the idea that you only do clubs you can excel at.
What to do? Could let him try it but feel I need to give him a face-saving exit ramp.