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As featured in Parentdish

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Team leaders


Do you remember at school when it came to sports and the teacher would make two kids team leaders and tell them to take turns picking their teams? And there was always at least one or kids who were always last picked. 

And do you remember how in school many people hated gym and would do anything to avoid it particularly in secondary?

Has nobody in education ever connected the two?

I could give you lots and lots of statistics about young people losing interest in sport and how secondary schools are trying everything to get pupils interested, but really, you’ve heard it all before. 

I was one of those kids who was last to be picked. And really after quite a few years of that anyone would lose interest in sports. I’ve never been interested in being part of a popularity contest. Once I left school I became interested in sports in its own right. Most kids won’t go down that path though.

Going back to my day I think we can excuse the teachers. I really don’t think they knew any better. But nowadays? Come on guys think about it. 

I expect most PE teachers were good at sport and school and never had to go through the humiliation of always being the last chosen and knowing that nobody wanted you in their team, but class teachers – really, do you not recall this from your school days. Have we learned nothing in thirty years?

If we want to get and keep children interested in sports we need to stop making sports an activity for the popular. 

Oh and in case anyone thinks this is sour grapes because of one of my children being picked last, it’s not. Thank you R, from A. She really appreciated it.