Children and sport

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fteale
fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
in Chit-Chat
Do you think children should be made to play set team sports at school, or should they be allowed to choose their own form of exercise from a variety of options? I think as long as they are getting regular exercise, they shouldn't be pushed into sports they have no interest in or even actively dislike. That would put them off sport for life, as it did me!

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  • Tisha247
    Tisha247 Posts: 849 Member
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    This is an interesting topic. I can understand what your saying but I think the lessons learned in team sports is important. It's not so much about the actual sport but learning how to function in a team that's the focus.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    This is an interesting topic. I can understand what your saying but I think the lessons learned in team sports is important. It's not so much about the actual sport but learning how to function in a team that's the focus.

    I understand that is the reasoning behind it, but after 5 years of being made to play team sports at school, I was no closer to developing any team spirit whatsoever, I actively resented it, and still hate all team sports 18 years on, to the extent I wouldn't have married a man who watched sport on tv. I think schools should be accommodating of children like that. Especially if pushing those sports is at the expense of things the child actively wants to do, like dance or martial arts. I feel that pushing a child into a sport they hate will make them feel ostracised if they aren't good at it, rather than focusing on what a child is actually good at. And what about the children who can't play for medical reasons? Why should they be left out, rather than have the option of a sport they are able to do?

    I am having this problem with my son at the moment, so it is a rather hot topic in this household!
  • leynak
    leynak Posts: 963 Member
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    I don't think kids should be forced into team sports. As a child I did not care for team sports but I got along fine with other kids & work well in groups for classes. I just hated the sports. Even when I was forced to participate in games in gym class I did whatever I could to get as little playing time as possible. But, I loved swimming & had the school I went to had swimming I would have done that. I think there are plenty of other activities that children can do that don't include teams.
  • _beachgirl_
    _beachgirl_ Posts: 3,865 Member
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    No child should be forced to participate in sports if they don't want to for many reasons, safety being a major reason. I've seen too many uninterested kids who don't pay attention but are there for Daddy get hurt because they are not where they are supposed to be!
  • Enforcer25
    Enforcer25 Posts: 350 Member
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    We had our kids they different sports, if they didn't like it, they finished thecseason and didn't have to go again. My son now plays soccer and my daughter does tumbling/ cheerleading. You can tell the kids that are out there for mom and dad, not because they want to, it is to bad when parents do that.
  • skittybang
    skittybang Posts: 1,525 Member
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    I don't think they should be forced but the parents can assist in the decision. When I was a kid I excelled in swimming. Always doing good in the classes. My parents suggested I try it as a sport and I fell in love with it. Wouldn't have thought to do it on my own when I was 6 & glad I didn't wait until I was older to really commit to it ... I've accomplished so much in that sport and am glad they helped me find it.
  • maab_connor
    maab_connor Posts: 3,927 Member
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    i preface this by saying that i have no children and have no intention of having children, but i used to be one, so i think i'm ok to chime in:

    i don't think that parents or schools should force kids into any one frame at all. children are not catagories, they are individuals. there are plenty of ways to keep kids active from rugby to yoga. i say find what works for them and let them be themselves. have an artistic kid? try dance or yoga or rock climbing or surfing, if you're near a coast. have a kid with constant energy, try soccer or lacrosse or tennis or swimming to get that energy OUT. let them try everything even if that's hockey one year and gymnastics the next - childhood is about figuring out who you are when there are still no limits.

    i have seen the reprocussions of forcing a child into a niche that YOU want them in, rather than letting them figure it out. and it's not pretty.
  • Random_Name
    Random_Name Posts: 77
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    Definitely thought this topic was going another direction. Like...A Modest Proposal direction.

    Never read Jonathan Swift?
  • Iamfit4life
    Iamfit4life Posts: 3,095 Member
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    They shouldn't be forced into anything.

    let them find what they want. My daughter is begging for ballet. Now, at present time I cannot afford it. But I will be ablet to soon.
    At that time I'll let her try it.

    I'll probably put my son in soccer and baseball and let him pick which he wants.

    I really want them to feel like they are making their life decisions on a small scale, so they're confident they can do so when they're older.
  • Vegan_Chick
    Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
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    I tell my children I do not care what activity they pick, as long as they have fun and there is exercising involved. My daughter picked soccer and my son picked Kung Fu. If you force your kids to do something they hate, it will backfire at the end. It's their life, not yours and they should have the right to chose for themselves to an extent.
  • Vegan_Chick
    Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
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    They shouldn't be forced into anything.

    I really want them to feel like they are making their life decisions on a small scale, so they're confident they can do so when they're older.
    Agreed
  • scarletleavy
    scarletleavy Posts: 841 Member
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    As someone who was pushed into sports as a child, I strongly strongly disagree with it. My mother was the quintessential soccer mom and pushed my brother and I into competitive soccer at an early age. We both started playing at age 4 or 5, I actually only started soccer because I got kicked out of ballet school at age 4. My mom was a ballerina and I guess wanted me to follow in her footsteps, so when ballet didn't work out she turned to soccer. I can't speak for my brother, but I know that she pushed me too hard. I was playing competitive travel soccer by the time I was 11, playing internationally at 15, I wanted to quit so many times, but was always told no, I had to keep playing. Both my brother and I ended up with multiple serious injuries. I tore multiple ligaments in my ankle, broke my knee cap, severe tendonitis in both knees, broken elbow and my brother tore his MCL and meniscus.

    So here I am at 24 and finally re-discovering my love of sports after years of actively avoiding them. If you push kids too much when they're young, you can really destroy their natural love of sports, being active, not to mention cause serious permanent injury. Also, another thing is some kids just aren't cut out for team sports. I know that I would have done much better in an individual sport. I never really liked the concept that someone else can lose a game for you
  • coatsie79
    coatsie79 Posts: 187 Member
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    Do you think children should be made to play set team sports at school, or should they be allowed to choose their own form of exercise from a variety of options? I think as long as they are getting regular exercise, they shouldn't be pushed into sports they have no interest in or even actively dislike. That would put them off sport for life, as it did me!

    The reason team sports are pushed in schools is because the resources are not there to support each child in their individial preference.

    There are hundreds of sports out there, what if each child wanted to do something different? There are not enough resources to supervise them.

    If it was an English Literature class the kids wouldn't all get to choose whatever book they wanted to read, they have to follow the curriculum. It shouldn't be any different for sports. You would never say it doesn't matter what the child reads as long as they are ready something, but people are too quick to say it doesn't matter what sport the child does as long as they are getting some exercise.
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    Our children have to be involved in some type of physical activity. PE in school is not enough. They can choose the sport, but they have to do something. If they choose a sport and end up not liking it, they need to finish out the season. We have found that laziness will sometimes drive them to want to quit, but if they're truly not enjoying the sport, they can find another one after the season ends.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    My issue is that at my son's school, the boys have to do football one term, rugby another and cricket in the summer. No options, no flexibility. My older son is not remotely interested in team sports or ball skills. He does 2 ballet classes a week, and tap, and wants to start modern dance and yoga. He is incredibly strong and fit and a very good dancer, he just hates traditional "boy" sports.

    I am strongly considering moving schools as I don't want him pushed into a mould that isn't him. I know what I was like as a child, I hated being made to conform and still resent it and hate almost all sports to this day. I always thought I was useless as sport, and wasn't happy until I was allowed to start rowing, once I did that I got very fit very quickly and was very good at it. I think children should be free to find out what sport they are good at, not made to feel terrible at all sport just because they don't like the very limited options the school insists on.


    My younger son is very sporty and loves team sports, but only has one kidney, so he won't be allowed to play contact sports, and I worry he will feel left out when all his friends do.


    edited to add - All the schools round here do PE and swimming as standard, so I am talking about extra curricular sport on top of that.
  • coatsie79
    coatsie79 Posts: 187 Member
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    My issue is that at my son's school, the boys have to do football one term, rugby another and cricket in the summer. No options, no flexibility. My older son is not remotely interested in team sports or ball skills. He does 2 ballet classes a week, and tap, and wants to start modern dance and yoga. He is incredibly strong and fit and a very good dancer, he just hates traditional "boy" sports.

    I am strongly considering moving schools as I don't want him pushed into a mould that isn't him. I know what I was like as a child, I hated being made to conform and still resent it and hate almost all sports to this day. I always thought I was useless as sport, and wasn't happy until I was allowed to start rowing, once I did that I got very fit very quickly and was very good at it. I think children should be free to find out what sport they are good at, not made to feel terrible at all sport just because they don't like the very limited options the school insists on.


    My younger son is very sporty and loves team sports, but only has one kidney, so he won't be allowed to play contact sports, and I worry he will feel left out when all his friends do.


    edited to add - All the schools round here do PE and swimming as standard, so I am talking about extra curricular sport on top of that.

    Unfortunately options are limited for a reason. Schools can't be expected to cater for every individual child's preference. It's not practical and the resource just isn't there. A school is never going to be able to hire 30 PE teachers to teach and supervise so that the kids can do whatever sport they want.

    Some kids don't like French or German, but they still have to choose one to study.
    Some kids don't like Maths, but they still have to study algebra.
    Some kids don't like Geography or History, but they still have to choose one to study.

    Life is sometimes about doing what we don't want or like to do.

    Have a good wekend everyone :wink:
  • mamabearr
    mamabearr Posts: 304
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    I would never force my daughter to do any sport she didn't want to do. But I do plan on at least having her try it out before deciding she hates it.
  • Froggy1976
    Froggy1976 Posts: 472
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    My kids both showed interest in team sports at an early age. My older one played soccer and baseball and even tried football but broke his arm in the first two weeks of practice. After that he played another season of baseball but now he really has no interest so I don't push him. He is in the marching band and gets plenty of exercise with practice 4 times a week and a show on friday. He loves it! My younger one loves sports and plays football. If there is ever a time when he doesn't want to play anymore I will suggest other sports but will not make him participate.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    My issue is that at my son's school, the boys have to do football one term, rugby another and cricket in the summer. No options, no flexibility. My older son is not remotely interested in team sports or ball skills. He does 2 ballet classes a week, and tap, and wants to start modern dance and yoga. He is incredibly strong and fit and a very good dancer, he just hates traditional "boy" sports.

    I am strongly considering moving schools as I don't want him pushed into a mould that isn't him. I know what I was like as a child, I hated being made to conform and still resent it and hate almost all sports to this day. I always thought I was useless as sport, and wasn't happy until I was allowed to start rowing, once I did that I got very fit very quickly and was very good at it. I think children should be free to find out what sport they are good at, not made to feel terrible at all sport just because they don't like the very limited options the school insists on.


    My younger son is very sporty and loves team sports, but only has one kidney, so he won't be allowed to play contact sports, and I worry he will feel left out when all his friends do.


    edited to add - All the schools round here do PE and swimming as standard, so I am talking about extra curricular sport on top of that.

    Unfortunately options are limited for a reason. Schools can't be expected to cater for every individual child's preference. It's not practical and the resource just isn't there. A school is never going to be able to hire 30 PE teachers to teach and supervise so that the kids can do whatever sport they want.

    Some kids don't like French or German, but they still have to choose one to study.
    Some kids don't like Maths, but they still have to study algebra.
    Some kids don't like Geography or History, but they still have to choose one to study.

    Life is sometimes about doing what we don't want or like to do.

    Have a good wekend everyone :wink:

    I disagree. I think parents should have the option to let their child do other sports, outside of school if necessary, rather than forcing all children to participate in team sports they may hate.

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