How important is it that DS plays a sport?

[NormaSnorks]

DS - v. academic/ musical, but pretty disinterested (and useless) at sport.

Has just gone to senior school, where compulsory sport is now limited to one afternoon a week.

He has been choosing clubs for this term, and has not chosen any sport. We knew he wouldn't do football, but he has also opted out of rugby ("what's the point - I'll just be in the 'C' team" (he's right) ). We thought he might do swimming but apparently it's "too competitive" and just for the swimming squad.

He just really isn't into competitive sports. He's not a laddish/sporty/muddy type of boy!

He will be doing other clubs (orchestra/ chess club/ science etc) and does Scouts outside of school.
He also walks about 2 miles a day - to/from school.

Will it matter if he doesn't do any organised sport?

It won't matter unless he puts on weight easily.

Not in the slightest so long as he is getting exercise in other ways, and I'd guess 2 miles a day plus scouts is probably plenty. Orchestra will give him as much practice at team-work and discipline as any team sport would do.

Does his school offer any other sports - our one does, badminton, squash, trampolining & table tennis - much more fun than the norm.

Yes - I think there are things like table tennis and badminton, which he might do if he can find a geeky like-minded friend to go with.

He's tall & thin, and no weight problems to date thank goodness. I tend to agree that competitive sport isn't that attractive for some kids (it wasn't for me!) but when you hear some of the other mums you'd think your child was about to become a social leper if they weren't down the sports field every weekend!

I'm hoping DS will find his 'home' in the music block or science labs etc, as I think that is what will he will enjoy most.

See what other less popular sports are offered. Ds is academic and loves theatre and music but hates sport and this wasn't helped by the fact his tutor was head of sport so his Head of House suggested he tried something more unusual and he signed up for clay shooting which he really enjoys and he is already a member of the school team so without having to do anything particuarly athletic (though he tells me it is excellent for his core muscles!)he has become 'sporty' at school .

He won't have any social problems from not doing a sport. If he wasn't planning to do any activities where he'd be interacting with others I might worry, but he'll find like-minded souls in music, chess, and science.

dd2 has asthma and finds lots of physical exercise difficult. This means she doesn't do the cross country/hockey/netball clubs at school, but she swims and does ballet and jazz dance every week, plus does the games classes at school. I think it is very important that children stay fit, it is good for their mind AND body.

Hmm - we've already been through Tae Kwon Doe, Tennis.... neither of those stuck!

My dc's are like this - bit like me and dh!

They're just not into competitive sport, though they do swimming/bash a ball round a court with mates. And I reckon that is absolutely fine as they also have long walks to/from sec school.

Don't worry about 'having' to find a sport - so long as they get sensible amount of exercise in other ways it's all OK. (And we also tend to avoid rugger bugger fanatics like the plague too

I think the chess, orchestra and scouts will cover the 'team spirit' aspect of things easily. Let him off if his health is fine.

What about the running club? Or do they have a cycling club or a rowing club? (both enjoyed by a tall skinny academic boy I know!)

no cycling, and rowing not until Year9 I think...

Funnily enough, he enjoys both of those (we have a rowing machine at home)

I have a 15 year old DS who is the original sports jock and his 13 year old brother ...who isn't. A disastrous introduction to the vicariously run horror of 7 year old football put DS2 off sport for life.
I have tried to little avail to encourage him to try sports because he does tend to put weight on.

It has not affected his ability to make friends. As DS1 would agree the more academic or musical boys tend not to be very sporty anyway. DS2 has a group of friends with similar interests, just not sport.

Oh, and he recently discovered table tennis and perhaps because his supremely competitive older brother doesn't play he is enjoying it. We do have a ping pong table at home.

What about sailing?

Ds1 and DS2 both enjoy their sailing - lots of fresh air, and sailing tends to appeal to more academic children. Once the basics have been mastered, the racing can be very tactical. My dc have meet lots of really good friends through sailing too.

My non-sporty son does Squash for purely practical reasons

-they have to walk to the squash club and back-15 mins each way so less time for squash!
-there are only 4 squash courts and 10 children in the group so two are always rotated out, great opportunity to "let someone else have a go first!"
-the PE teacher has to sort everyone else out first and doesn't usually arrive until half way through the session
-it is apparently very easy to distract the PE teacher if you strike up a conversation about the football that was on last night!

Result; Minimum exertion required