Non Competative Sports Days. I hate them

[castrolgtx]

Everyday the same children come out of school with certificates for good writing/reading/maths etc, but sports day can't be competative in case children are upset when they loose.
At the mum of two sports mad sons it drives me mad as it's their one chance to shine.
Anyone else agree?

Our school had certificates cups etc, like a whole class one a cup or something. I couldn't quite hear the teacher though she needs to get a megaphone thingy.

Our sports day is brilliant. The house teams are split into mixed-age groups. They do 12 activities round the field and whichever house has the most points at the end, wins the House Cup (very HP)!

From Year 3 up, they have competitive races. The heats are held during PE and only the finals, girls & boys for Year 3/4 & 5/6 (4 runners in each race) are run on the day.

I like competitive sport, I think it's important to learn what you're good at, what your limitations are and sometimes we have to do things we don't enjoy. Running races or doing your self-assessment tax, you may as well get used to it.

Academic children have an easy ride during class - they get praise, all the parents go on about them all the time and their work is held up as an example to everyone else. Those who excel at music get to do recitals at plays & assemblies. The artists get their work displayed at exhibitions, parents evening etc. It would be bloody unfair to deny the sporty children their chance.

People yak on and on about how life is like sport. Like fuck it is. All this winners and losers bollocks.
What about cooperation? Understanding? Doing your best without worrying about being a 'winner', challenging yourself without the need to 'beat' anyone else. Now, that's what I call a healthy attitude likely to lead to happiness.

Er, you don't have to 'get used' to running races like doing your tax return? What sentient adult would do running races? How infantile would that be?

So when artists have their exhibitions, I assume they also have the worst artist, the least talented also forced to exhibit, only with a big 'this is crap because this child can't paint properly' label on their work?

castrolgtx I understand where you are coming from. My ds is in reception and not the most acidemically gifted in his class, just Mr average. He has had some issues with behaviour and his teacher has been coming down on him quite firmly, he's not had a fab time of it tbh in this first year. I see other kids coming out with super pupil awards, good stickers and gold stars etc. My ds does not ghet these, it makes him feel sad. It is my job to deal with his sadness and explein why. In essence the reading scheme of different levels highlights different reading abilities and some mums re forever harping on about what level their kids are on.

Put my ds outside with a football, or a tennis ball or a big field to run around and he excels. He loves it. He's popular, he's a team player, and he's fast as lightening!

It would be good if his talents in this area could be praised. They have sports day in July, not sure if it will be competetive or not, though I guess probably not.

Some people are good at reading, some are good at maths and some are good at running whilst others are not. Is it not our job to tell our kids this, to prepare them? Because in the real world they will discover this for themselves and what then?

I do think as a country we do not do sport well, and I think that is why as a nation we fall behind with amazing sporting heroes.

Yeah, because kids could never realise they are poor at running without coming LAST in public, in front of their entire school, family and peers, could they

I know Northerner, your kid can have stickers saying 'worst in the class at reading' if you want my kid to take part in running races, fair deal? I think not!

'running races' is an example of something at school you may not enjoy but usually have to.

'self-assessment tax' is an example of something I hate but still have to do, year in year out.

Don't deliberately misunderstand my post just so you can rude and aggressive. You hate competitive sport. Fine. I happen to agree with the OP.

But Aloha op sports people get to the top of their game because of a desire to win, because of hard work and determination. You can still be a pillar of society, understand and caring with a bloody desire to win you know. Tiger Woods springs to mind.

Not as aggressive as all of you who love seeing the ritual public humiliation of other children, I think. Because that is EXACTLY what a competitive sports day means for plenty of kids.

Running silly races and doing tax returns are not remotely comparable.

So how do we as a nation find our potential sporting heroes if we never give them an opportunity to compete? Take away the competetion take away the will and desire some would say.

Yes, Tiger woods is very good at hitting a small ball with a bigger stick. It isn't exactly curing malaria. But fine if he wants to do it, and other people want to play the silly game.
If your kids want to run races, then they should do so against people who want to join in. What pisses me off is that people want to force other people's children to join in - presumably so they can 'win'.

And why on earth do you want 'sporting heroes'? they aren't heroes to me.

Yes, they're not as much fun for the kids either.

At my last school, the kids did the usual running races, hurdles etc and then in teams, they did less sporty events like the 3-legged, egg & spoon etc. Was great fun for all.

I don't think by not having a competitive sports day sporty kids have to be denied- recognise their acheivements in the way other achievements are recognised- starts, certificates etc- and indeed the concept of a fun sports day sounded fab- but these methods don't involve someone very visibly coming last do they?

I understand you can get pride fro other activites- despite my typing (LOL) I used to get 10 / 10 every week for spelling and ythat amsde me rpud. Not all kids have a talent though- DS3 has a development age around 18 months behind his actual- there just isn't anything he can do on a par with his peers,a nd I don't feel ist appropriate for him to have to demonstrate that in public.

Now, what i would do would be something absed on an arts day they have at our school- lots of different sporting games and events, where kids AND parents can go round and have a fun time of it. Encouragement, aprticipation, enjoyment without the public issues.

DS1 is good a t sport, good enough to have been tipped for a national level (and then give it up immediately ) in a few things, however I dont want him thinking he's better than other kids because of his sportiness and I know that can prevail- trust me, a day with some of the sports studies students at Uni teaches you that!

The public humiliation thing I get. Losing in public is hard for kids to bear. Are you oppsed to only sports days with parents present?

How would you feel about running races/cross country running as part of PE? Cause that happens in secondry school when they tackle athletics.

only read the op

yes as the mother of a sporty but not particularly academic child I do enjoy sports day and I would hate a completely non-competitive sports day.

However, I also agree with non-sporty children having fun and doing something they enjoy - which may not necessarily be competitive.

The best sports days have a mixture of 'classic' running races and things like egg and spoon or 'dressing up ' races where IME the slow runners do extremely well!

My middle child is not particularly sporty yet (she is only 4) and came second last in the sprint at her sports day. but she didnt seem in the least bit bothered and went on to come second in the beanbag race

God yes, sport & sportiness is absolutely worshipped. I have no idea why. the idea that kids who are good at sport have no way to express this unless children who are disabled or unable to beat them are forced to compete against them is hilarious.

Cross country running is a lot of arse. I will happily protect my kids from this sort of nonsense.

I don't know any children who are gutted by coming last yet (maybe they are all too young and dont give a toss )

aloha you are mad about this

dd1 has to do spellings every week (which she is crap at and others are extremely good at)

sports day is one day a year - yay! she is a star for the morning.

fgs get over it

you haven't met my ds yet enid

So do they tell the whole class who came last and did least well? nd invite all the parents to see? I bet not.
I hate all this revolting competitiveness. It is totally unecessary.

Sportspeople are all such utter freaks anyway.

"whats the point of playing sport if there's no competativeness" asks a poster further down (sorry to pick on that one)

well

1. fun

2. to promote lifetime love of sport

3. exercise for its own sake

I really do think that this "everyone must compete" business in school sports is partly to blame for the appalling lack of exercise among kids today.

bascially, if you are good at sport-you're not the one needing encourangement now, are you? you're not going to be a 15 stone 12 year old