For the whole of my time at school, sport and P.E. were the bane of my life ---- because I was absolutely dreadful at it. I was unco-ordinated, self-conscious, uninterested and, much 0f the time, terrified: terrified of the humiliation, shame, teasing.
One of the most terrifying days in the school sports calendar was Sports Day. Here was the chance for all my inadequacies to be highlighted in front of all my peers, teachers and colleagues' parents. Here was the opportunity to turn up the heat of competition and thrusting need to be first when I hated all competition (even in the areas of schooling where I was good).
35 years later and nothing has changed. I still hate sport, hate competition and dread the time when I might be asked to perform any sort of physical task infront of others; though the M.E. is now the perfect excuse to decline any such invitation ---hurrah ! I've found a positive attribute of having M.E.. I claim my £5 (ha, bloody ha)
35 years later my daughter is also 'rubbish' (as is the current vernacular) at sports and apporoaches it with the same dread and fear. Unfortunately, since a change of Headteacher at her school, sport has become very important since 'Mrs K.' loves all sport and especially hockey. She has adopted the modern approach of making everyone feel included, shuns and abhors teasing and comparisons of physical ability, but lets slip her true colours when it comes to Sports Day which must take place at all costs.
This cheery annual event was to have taken place last Friday. There have been many hours of placating, soothing and empathy in this house for nearly 3 weeks as we have tried to comfort our daughter. Secretly she must have been doing rain dances and chanting special rain magic in her bedroom because by the fateful day it had rained so much that the school playing field was water logged and ducks were actually swimming on its surface.
One of the most terrifying days in the school sports calendar was Sports Day. Here was the chance for all my inadequacies to be highlighted in front of all my peers, teachers and colleagues' parents. Here was the opportunity to turn up the heat of competition and thrusting need to be first when I hated all competition (even in the areas of schooling where I was good).
35 years later and nothing has changed. I still hate sport, hate competition and dread the time when I might be asked to perform any sort of physical task infront of others; though the M.E. is now the perfect excuse to decline any such invitation ---hurrah ! I've found a positive attribute of having M.E.. I claim my £5 (ha, bloody ha)
35 years later my daughter is also 'rubbish' (as is the current vernacular) at sports and apporoaches it with the same dread and fear. Unfortunately, since a change of Headteacher at her school, sport has become very important since 'Mrs K.' loves all sport and especially hockey. She has adopted the modern approach of making everyone feel included, shuns and abhors teasing and comparisons of physical ability, but lets slip her true colours when it comes to Sports Day which must take place at all costs.
This cheery annual event was to have taken place last Friday. There have been many hours of placating, soothing and empathy in this house for nearly 3 weeks as we have tried to comfort our daughter. Secretly she must have been doing rain dances and chanting special rain magic in her bedroom because by the fateful day it had rained so much that the school playing field was water logged and ducks were actually swimming on its surface.
We thought we were saved. No such luck. A dry weekend has increased the possibility that the 'alternative day' may make Sports Day (Plan B) a viable option: ' Unless there is Heavy Rain this afternoon Sports Day will take place staring at 1 p.m. ' declares a notice outside the gates this morning ..........and so my poor daughter has to dawdle into school, the very picture of reluctance and fear, trailing her yellow outfit behind her.
I appreciate that it must be lovely to be good at sport. In my next life I'd appreciate it if The Divine One could spill even a little soupcon of physical co-ordination and ability in my mixing bowl, but why oh why do sporty people have to be so bloody passionate and why do those of us who are no good at it have to feel so ashamed and made to parade our lack of ability to a crowd. After all if I was dysliexic would it not be seen as unkind to force me to take part in a public spelling bee ? If I was completely tone deaf, would it not be seen as cruel to make me take part in the school's performance of Carmen ? If I could not draw a straight line, would you make me take part in a public display of 'Works by Cusp' ? ---- I think not. So why make me and my daughter and all the other unfortunate little souls who cannot run fast, cannot kick a ball, cannot swim etc etc display their lack of ability in front of everyone who knows them once every year, come hell or high water ?!
Answers on a postcard to Cusp please. Your prize of a signed football by all the team members of Ipswich Football Club, plus life membership to the gym of your choice will be posted to the lucky winner asap. :-)
7 comments:
I feel your pain. Sports day was just about the most horrendous thing. At my school it was a chance for the less academic to shine, and I see the importance of that. But it takes an almost sinister turn when in order for some to shine others have to lag behind, panting and sweating in the most unflattering outfit, pitied by parents and jeered by peers.
What got me is that there was no attempt to help the less sporty. In all other subjects, if the less able were ignored there'd be outcry. But in sport everything is geared towards those who already can. If only one of my teachers had said 'it's ok if you can't do cross country immediately, let's start with a brisk walk and build up from there' instead of watching me flail about at the back.
Truckloads of empathy coming your way from one who has always detested and feared sport. I won't even compete in a game of tiddly winks and feel as though I'm the only one on the planet who doesn't "get" or watch Wimbledon. Even at the Steiner school I attended for 2 years as a child, we had to play ghastly games of hockey in the mud and take part in annual "Olympics".
Both my kids enjoyed sport. Had they not, the most helpful thing I might have been able to say is, Rather you than me, kid. Don't worry, you'll grow up and nobody will be able to make you do this ever again.
Oh i so understood where you were coming from here. I was utterly useless at sports at school, and most other things as well. Definately a late developer.
Although in a fit of madness I did once come third in the mothers race when my eldest was at infant school a never to be repeated triumph!!
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I can definitely relate to this post, Cusp. I also was the clumsy, uncoordinated, and unathletic girl in school. And I loathed sports and participating in such. We did not have sports day -- thank God for that! But we did have gym (physical education) every day and I feigned illness as often as I could get away with it!
Sport's day should be optional and I can definitely sympathize with your daughter. And I agree with you, forcing the non-athletic kid to participate in a sport's day is akin to forcing a dyslexic to participate in a spelling bee! Good comparison!
Well, I never knew such a post would bring such a like-minded response. It's good to know that there is warmth and understanding about such issues. So pleased I decided to 'share with the group' ;-)
Oh yes!I relate to this whole heartedly! Both my husband and I were hopeless at sport and would do anything to avoid attending sports days when we were at school. Here in Australia, not loving sport and not being good at it are considered close to heretical!
My husband tells stories of being made to lie on his back on the ground and have the whole class walk over the top of him, as penance for coming last (again) in the regular run around the oval which inevitably started each class.
Even worse than Sports Day in my opinion, was the Annual Swimming Carnival. I can remember floundering along, swallowing mouthful after mouthful of highly chlorinated water. Maybe that even explains my CFS???? Funny thing is, once I left school and the competitive environment that accompanied any sport, I grew to love the water and swimming, and now miss it greatly....
Hi Amanda. I like swimming too -- can't do it now: too much effort and the chlorine makes me feel ill, but at school I loved it.
However, learning to swim was a different matter. At age 8, Mrs Mullis, was my form teacher and my swimming teacher. She and her whole family were swimming crazy and when she asked us to put our heads under the water I couldn't do it ( I'd nearly drowned at the seaside when I was 4 so going under was slightly scary).
Mrs Mullis would have none of it, so, since she was walking on the edge of the pool and I was in the water, she put her foot on my head ad pushed: lovely woman !
I suffered having her for a whole year and we hated each other. To her I was a wimp and to me she was a bully.
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