Private school sports

[Turquoiseisblue]

Just wondering if anyone knows how easy it might be to get DS out of playing endless weekend sports if should go to private school? He's in year 6 and is blessed with the twin traits of being tall, fast and rather good at almost any sport he put his mind to but also a deep hatred of cold wet fields! He's aware he'll have to participate to a certain extent but the idea of giving up his Saturdays is too much for him. Most of the schools state that extracurricular activities are optional - but also that they are expected to represent the school when required.
We don't like to ask directly for fear of it being a black mark against his application but it's actually putting him off his otherwise favourite choice.
He does love cricket (warmer in the summer) which will at least mean one term is ok but also means he can't pretend he can't catch for the rugby selection
Has anyone got any advice or experience?

Thanks!

[roguedad]

We looked around a lot for a school that was big enough and sensible enough that it was able to offer boys a choice from a wide range of options. As it happens, we found somewhere where about half the boys play competitive team rugby in term 1, but just over half are in the pool, doing fencing, martial arts etc. It's big enough that despite that latitude at least four highly competitive rugby teams are fielded in each age group. We feel that is the job of the sports department to offer options and let the boys choose something they are really motivated to do. We would not go near a school that insisted that certain games (esp rugby) were compulsory for all pupils, though not because you have to play in the wet and cold (that's not a good reason IMHO) but because it carries some non-trivial risks of serious injury. Such things, along with boxing and horse-riding etc, should always be an informed choice. If you are dealing with a Director of Sports who thinks otherwise then either look for another school or take him/her on honestly, perhaps armed with a copy of Allyson Pollock's book on rugby injuries. Above all remember that you are the paying customer and it is therefore you who should set the agenda for what extra-curricular activity should be a priority.

[Taz1212]

We feel that is the job of the sports department to offer options and let the boys choose something they are really motivated to do.

That was our view as well. One of the main reasons we went private was so that our children would have a vast range of sports and other extracurricular activities to choose from. For us, this is the easiest time in their lives to be able to try out all sorts of different activities and find out what they really enjoy doing. I don't see any point in having DS be miserable on a cold wet playing field, playing a sport he doesn't enjoy, when there are so many other options. As it turns out, DS likes water not mud.

[Thereshallbeaspirin]

Whatever you do, do NOT raise it before he gets an offer as it will count against him. Schools don't mind whether boys are good at sports or not, but they do mind whether the children have a 'get stuck in, do your best, fit In with the team' ethos.

You can raise it again if he gets a place, although to be honest, far better to let him go with the flow when he gets there. Peer admiration and peer pressure will probably change his mind if he is talented, and he won't get a look-in if he isn't.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

We just say that ds (&dd when she went there ) are unavailable on Saturdays.

Dds Saturdsys were always taken up by dance/drama classes.

Ds goes to his grandparents on Saturdays whilst I work/dh takes dd to her school (she's at a specialist dance school now with compulsory sat am classes)