Someone has just told me on the phone

[Riding in Circles]

At my daughters school, blooding on the hockey pitch is still acceptable practice, great school it is, grammar of course, she was offered the opportunity to take three of her GCSE's a year early, she has really risen to the competition encouraged by the school.

 

[Davidc]

I thought that the 'do away with competition' rubbish had died out 20 years ago. It's obviously back again.

A one time good friend of mine was a local councillor, and had a son at the same first school as my my son - as a result of being a councillor he was asked to open the 'sports' day.

He gave a short speech saying how disastrous it was doing away with competition in schools, and especially at a sports day. The head was furious, particularly when the parents gave him a standing ovation. She said after him that the change was because competition was bad for the children's development. She got booed.

That was 1983.

(The kids en masse told their parents off for booing the head!)

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

I was good at sports at School and had a hard time deciding what events to go in for (we were limited to 1 x track, 1 x field event and the relay, IIRC) and so that everyone could participate.

I was good at Javelin and High Jump and could run the 400m, 1500m and sprint quite quickly too, so the relay was also an option.

I chose the High Jump, 1500m and was also in the Relay Team most years as I enjoyed them all. I always (and I mean always) came 2nd at the 1500m as the same kid in School always came first. I kept up with him until about the last 200m and then he just waltzed away with it (git! ). Never did me any harm by "losing" out to him each year - I relished the chance to try again.

Non-competitive Sports Day seems pointless.

By all means we want the kids to enjoy themselves, but healthy competition can get them to give that bit more and perhaps they'll pursue it further as they grow older.

 

[ChrisKH]

I was good at sports at School and had a hard time deciding what events to go in for (we were limited to 1 x track, 1 x field event and the relay, IIRC) and so that everyone could participate.

I was good at Javelin and High Jump and could run the 400m, 1500m and sprint quite quickly too, so the relay was also an option.

I chose the High Jump, 1500m and was also in the Relay Team most years as I enjoyed them all. I always (and I mean always) came 2nd at the 1500m as the same kid in School always came first. I kept up with him until about the last 200m and then he just waltzed away with it (git! ). Never did me any harm by "losing" out to him each year - I relished the chance to try again.

Non-competitive Sports Day seems pointless.

By all means we want the kids to enjoy themselves, but healthy competition can get them to give that bit more and perhaps they'll pursue it further as they grow older.

Would agree to a point, but think there is too much emphasis on track generally and there should be an expansion of field events available at a younger age. That would make 'sports day' truly inclusive. Ditto with adult events; far too little coverage of field events with track dominating.

 

[phaedrus]

I cycle to work most days, and also evenings and weekends for the sheer pleasure of doing it. I enjoy a workout in the gym several times a week. I don't compete with anyone, and I would never be interested in doing so. Does that make it "pointless"?

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Would agree to a point, but think there is too much emphasis on track generally and there should be an expansion of field events available at a younger age. That would make 'sports day' truly inclusive. Ditto with adult events; far too little coverage of field events with track dominating.

We did Javelin, Shot, Discus, Long Jump, Triple Jump and High Jump. For track there was 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m and the Relay so more Field events for us. Is this not the case nowadays?

I really wanted to do the Pole Vault but we didn't have the facilities for it.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

I cycle to work most days, and also evenings and weekends for the sheer pleasure of doing it. I enjoy a workout in the gym several times a week. I don't compete with anyone, and I would never be interested in doing so. Does that make it "pointless"?

Fair point. For me (and kids of my era) Sports Day was all about competition in the School. It was taken quite seriously and helped prepared us for a life where we wouldn't always be the "winner", but that the taking part was important and enjoyable.

Maybe I object to it still being called Sports Day when all they seem to do is throw Bean Bags randomly and get praised for doing so.

 

[BigSteev]

Sport without competitiveness is just exercise.