We recently had a school sports day. My son, J, is slim and about average height, but he isn’t a natural athlete. I work hard at encouraging him to push himself physically, as he is inclined to be cautious and lacks confidence in this field. I also insist that he does a weekly swimming class plus another weekly physical activity outside of school. His father isn’t a natural sportsman either, but I was reasonably sporty at school and I’m physically active now.
It started with a sprint. J was second last in this, with only the slowest boy in the class ( a good friend of his) behind him. They moved onto the obstacle race and the same thing happened: J narrowly beat the same boy and the pair of them were miles behind everyone else.
Last up in the school sports day was the relay. J was in a team with the same boy, plus the slowest girl in the class and another boy (faster, but no sprint star). It was a disaster. The little girl running the final leg was running on her own for practically the whole way. The parent of J’s friend wasn’t happy about the relay term makeup and I’m inclined to agree. It was an exercise in humiliation. Thankfully, J took it all very philosophically, but it certainly wasn’t a physical confidence builder. The teacher knew their capabilities because they’d done a lot of practising.
I’m not sure what the intention was. Surely though they could have rejigged the sports day teams once the problem became apparent. The team was half of the ‘top’ table in the class and these children are amongst the brightest in their year. This seemed to be how the teams had been put together through the whole class. Was it deliberate? Was it accidental? Was it an attempt to allow the children who are less academically bright to shine? If so, it succeeded, but at the risk of damaging the physical self esteem of the brightest. J seems to have brushed it off for now, but it may come back to haunt later. I feel sorry for the other child and his mother though, as their situation is even worse as her child came last in every race he took part in.
I know it’s the taking part and doing your best that’s important, but it would be nice to be doing that without having your nose rubbed in it that you are the slowest.