If your son is more of a one-to-one kind of guy and not that much into groups of people should you insist that he plays a team sport? Do you get sucked into the vortex that is Saturday sport? Because it seems like a vortex when your child just isn't as interested as the other kids; and the other kids (and their parents) all seem so "Gung-Ho" by comparison.
Our Padawan Learner loves to kick the footy, pass the rugger ball and hit tennis balls up against the wall. At home. With Dad. That's cool. He has always said he wants to be a scientist and a Wallaby* when he grows up.
He likes going to training because they play lots of fun games and the canteen sells sausage rolls. But he just hates the games on a Saturday. He doesn't like the competition, the rules, the overwhelming number of kids. When all the other kids are grappling for the ball he's staring into space down the other end of the field.
So why do we do it? Why did we register him for the U8s Junior Rugby (union) today? I guess we just think that, one day, if he ever decided to give it a real go he'll at least know what to do and where to line up. And maybe, just maybe, he'll learn a thing or two about being part of a team.
*Aussie Rugby Union team
4 comments:
I know this dilemma.
The being part of a team argument? I reckon it is a winner. From observing WIll standing with his tongue out catching raindrops whilst the game swirled around him to now being a reasonably together player (pretty ordinary player really) but who understands what it is to be a team player.
Joe will be joining PL in the Wallabies.
PL is just learning early that team sport is not to be enjoyed it is to be endured. Apparently it is character-building.
I did the whole cricket/footie nightmare with Jack and Jordan. Jack didn't mind it, but Jord hated it. I hated it with a passion. When you work full time and you're on your own, it's such a huge chunk of time on the precious weekend that gets sucked up. I really needed to be using that time for other things. But I bit my lip and said nothing. And was so glad when the guys gave it away.
Now they all do music. And they play in bands. Both the big school band type and the rock variety. They jam with each other and it's all good. Jack sings and plays guitar. Jordan is piano and sax. Brennan is giutar and double bass. Connor will be taking up percussion next year when he hoits high school. (Apparently they need a drummer.) So music is another option. A band member is definitely a team player.
If a child isn't sporty, they can get horribly bullied on the field. And that spills over into normal school hours if the child is particularly hideous at the game. Not saying that's going to happen here, but keep an eye out just in case...
Adding to what FD said ... I have fantastic hand/eye co-ordination. I can shoot a hoop and hit a ball hard, and with accuracy.
But who am I scoring the goal for ?( hint: maybe the wrong team ), and if i'm in the outfield, i'm dreaming. I also have no patience for complex rules and learning them. They're boring.
So, I don't know, as there was none of this 'after-school' stuff when I was young. Perhaps some early training may have helped me hone my skills and be less of a sporting leper later on ?
I will still shun any team sport, even now. I know I will let people down and get laughed at, or scolded. No fun in that.
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