School Sports Day

c68zapdsm5i1ru · 29-06-2016 01:43PM #1

I've just seen an interesting discussion about school sports days on another forum. Some people think they're a good idea as it's often the only occasion a non academic child might get to shine. Others are pointing out that non academic children aren't asked to stand up in front of the entire school and their parents and show how crap they are at working out a maths equation or translating a sentence into French.

I'm with the latter group and think participating in races etc should be voluntary, and the non sporty kids should have the option of just standing on the sidelines cheering on the other children if they prefer.

Boom_Bap · 29-06-2016 01:47PM

So an acedemic child cannot be a good athlete.

El Weirdo · 29-06-2016 01:47PM

Autumn Prehistoric Kettle wrote: »

I've just seen an interesting discussion about school sports days on another forum. Some people think they're a good idea as it's often the only occasion a non academic child might get to shine. Others are pointing out that non academic children aren't asked to stand up in front of the entire school and their parents and show how crap they are at working out a maths equation or translating a sentence into French.

I'm with the latter group and think participating in races etc should be voluntary, and the non sporty kids should have the option of just standing on the sidelines cheering on the other children if they prefer.

You really should stay away from mumsnet. Nothing good ever comes from there.

c68zapdsm5i1ru · 29-06-2016 01:48PM

Boom_Bap wrote: »

So an acedemic child cannot be a good athlete.

I think some parents were making the point that their child was non academic and the only time of the school year they got to feel good about themselves was on sports day.

29-06-2016 01:48PM

School sports days are good craic.

c68zapdsm5i1ru · 29-06-2016 01:48PM

El Weirdo wrote: »

You really should stay away from mumsnet. Nothing good ever comes from there.

Some great threads though, and some utterly daft parents.

beach_walker · 29-06-2016 01:49PM

boards.ie should have a sports day.

Winterlong · 29-06-2016 01:49PM

Never really bothered me.

Then again I always told my teachers I could not participate in sports day due to having my period.
Teachers were more than happy to excuse me on this basis.

And that was grand, especially as I am male.

biko · 29-06-2016 01:50PM

Make the little feckers run. It isn't going to kill them and considering their diets nowadays they probably need it..

smash · 29-06-2016 01:50PM

Parents race = yummy mummy's in jogging pants. Sports days are great!

DontThankMe · 29-06-2016 01:50PM

While i do agree that it should be voluntary and children shouldn't be forced into participating. I believe it would be of benefit of all children to participate especially if sports are outside their comfort zone. It will prepare them for any situations in the future that may require them to step out of their comfort zone, and if they have participated in the sports day they may look back on that event their life which could give them the confidence they need to do it again in the future.

mfceiling · 29-06-2016 01:52PM

smash wrote: »

Parents race = yummy mummy's in jogging pants. Sports days are great!

Pervert.

Where and when does this race take part so I can definitely avoid it.

Boom_Bap · 29-06-2016 01:52PM

Autumn Prehistoric Kettle wrote: »

I think some parents were making the point that their child was non academic and the only time of the school year they got to feel good about themselves was on sports day.

There are other things in the school curiculum and calendar to allow all children to develop.

El Weirdo · 29-06-2016 01:52PM

Autumn Prehistoric Kettle wrote: »

Some great threads though, and some utterly daft parents.

Ah, I suppose at first, then it just gets depressing when you realise that these loons have actually procreated.

Pac1Man · 29-06-2016 01:53PM

These type of threads are coming quick and fast lately!

Remember kids, if you don't feel up to the task, don't try. You might hurt yourself or your feelings.

Toto Wolfcastle · 29-06-2016 01:54PM

I've always been rubbish at sport and I was the slowest runner in my class but I really loved the sports day. It was good fun and everyone had a good chance of winning the novelty races so there was always a chance of a medal. It was a day away from the classroom too. I heard of a sports day on a Sunday recently and thought it was a bit sh1te that they didn't get to miss school. Maybe that's pretty common though.

Butters1979 · 29-06-2016 01:58PM

From what I recall from school, I, and others, were regularly up in front of the class to do a math problem or translate something.

Snowflake generation crap. You don't have to come first to enjoy something. And if you keep coming last, maybe you should do it more rather than less to correct that.

And as boom_bap has said, there isn't two types of students, academic and athletic (jocks and nerds). It's possible to have proficiency in both and it's healthy to have some balance. And being good at one is not an excuse to neglect the other.

The Backwards Man · 29-06-2016 01:59PM

Load of balls.

I won the egg and spoon race (back when it still used an egg) in second class and I got an A1 in geography in my LC.

What does that tell you?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 29-06-2016 02:00PM

Autumn Prehistoric Kettle wrote: »

I've just seen an interesting discussion about school sports days on another forum. Some people think they're a good idea as it's often the only occasion a non academic child might get to shine. Others are pointing out that non academic children aren't asked to stand up in front of the entire school and their parents and show how crap they are at working out a maths equation or translating a sentence into French.

I'm with the latter group and think participating in races etc should be voluntary, and the non sporty kids should have the option of just standing on the sidelines cheering on the other children if they prefer.

If the academic kids were forced to complete in races, then yes - I'd agree.

I'm all for sports day, but one of my pet hates (in any branch of schoool) is compulsory participation in competitive events. You;re there to learn and be educated, not compete with other kids.

Boom_Bap · 29-06-2016 02:02PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Load of balls.

I won the egg and spoon race (back when it still used an egg) in second class and I got an A1 in geography in my LC.

What does that tell you?

If there was ever a recipe for turf cutting, I think we've found it. :pac:

beach_walker · 29-06-2016 02:02PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I won the egg and spoon race (back when it still used an egg) in second class and I got an A1 in geography in my LC.

What does that tell you?

If you're so smart then tell me wtf are they using instead of an egg, when did this change and why do they still call it such?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 29-06-2016 02:03PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Load of balls.

I won the egg and spoon race (back when it still used an egg) in second class and I got an A1 in geography in my LC.

What does that tell you?

That you care too much about trivial things!

Butters1979 · 29-06-2016 02:05PM

From what I recall from school, I, and others, were regularly up in front of the class to do a math problem or translate something.

Snowflake generation crap. You don't have to come first to enjoy something. And if you keep coming last, maybe you should do it more rather than less to correct that.

And as boom_bap has said, there isn't two types of students, academic and athletic (jocks and nerds). It's possible to have proficiency in both and it's healthy to have some balance. And being good at one is not an excuse to neglect the other.

c68zapdsm5i1ru · 29-06-2016 02:06PM

I think it's the public humiliation aspect that jars. If a child who was tone deaf was forced to sing a solo in the school play, or a child who couldn't spell was forced to stand up in the assembly hall in front of fellow pupils and parents and display his lack of ability it wouldn't be tolerated.

Traditionally, though, kids who are bad at sport are expected to display their lack of ability very publicly at least once a year.

Maybe if parents weren't invited, or fun/novelty events were included it would make a less humiliating experience all around.

The Backwards Man · 29-06-2016 02:06PM

beach_walker wrote: »

If you're so smart then tell me wtf are they using instead of an egg, when did this change and why do they still call it such?

They use a potato now, no yoke.

Toto Wolfcastle · 29-06-2016 02:07PM

Butters1979 wrote: »

From what I recall from school, I, and others, were regularly up in front of the class to do a math problem or translate something.

Yeah we used to do head-to-head maths questions in front of the class every Friday. I wasn't exactly great at maths but I never dreaded that either. It was just one of those things.

Butters1979 · 29-06-2016 02:10PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

They use a potato now, no yoke.

Ok, I know I'm going to regret this but;
Why do they use a patato now?

Sapphire · 29-06-2016 02:10PM

smash wrote: »

Parents race = yummy mummy's in jogging pants. Sports days are great!

Maybe for you. My memories of most of the mammies on sports day they mostly looked like this.

The Backwards Man · 29-06-2016 02:13PM

Butters1979 wrote: »

Ok, I know I'm going to regret this but;
Why do they use a patato now?

A wain can't get clattered in potato, not unless it's dauphinoised or something, which is very unlikely to happen in an Irish primary school.

andekwarhola · 29-06-2016 02:13PM

Any sports day I've been to with my kids is non-serious. Joke stuff like sack races. Do they even have them after national school these days?

Also never get the people moaning about participation medals either. I can understand that it's tough work consistently mining rant material in here with a daily quota of Thanks to be harvested and all that, but do people honestly believe that 9 year old kids go away thinking they're going to be future Olympians because they get a die-cast medal for trying their best and having a go?

Permabear · 29-06-2016 02:15PM

This post has been deleted.

School Sports Day

Comments