Does anyone have a son that is not interested in/not good at sports?

[CanBeGrumpy]

Thanks everyone for all the replies. I forgot to mention in my original post that my son does enjoy swimming and we are going to have him take lessons again this summer. My son definitely has the body of a track star (stick thin with really long legs) but his coordination issues make him a not-so-fast runner. I hope he does eventually like running, since that is what I used to do before I became busy and lazy at the same time! LOL!! (I was a slow runner, so maybe he just got my genes!) It is good to know that there are plenty of boys not interested in team sports--I wish some of your sons lived around here so my son could pal around with them!!! Thanks again!!

 

[meandtheguys2]

Playing every day, you are blessed! I have pool mom duties during the summer...it is a tough life! You are right, it is stop and go. It is just great to me that this is a sport that I can play with my 73 yr old MIL as well as my DS5!

 

[golfgal]

Playing every day, you are blessed! I have pool mom duties during the summer...it is a tough life! You are right, it is stop and go. It is just great to me that this is a sport that I can play with my 73 yr old MIL as well as my DS5!

Yes, we are lucky that we can play so much. We belong to the course in town, it is a nice course and they are really good about letting the kids play. DD wanted me to take her out of school today so we could golf, NOT HAPPENING, but we will play after school.


OP, just because your son isn't fast doesn't mean he can't run. Cross Country would be a great idea for him when he is old enough. Everyone gets to participate and while there are team scores, it is the individual accomplishments that make the team successful. It is the one sport where the sucess of the 5th best runner is more important then that of the 1st runner. DS had great fun in CC this past fall. Our boys CC team is one of the best teams in the nation, placed 7th at the national meet even, yet there were kids on the team that couldn't run 2 miles in less then 20 minutes, yet, everyone was at the finish line chearing for them as much if not more then they did for the guy that finished first. It is a great sport.

 

[Disney Gator]

I know that kids can be mean and make fun of other kids, but I played lots of team sports (football, soccer, baseball) and I never made fun of kids who didn't, or weren't very good at them. Stereotypes can work both ways people. Implying that kids who play team sports act like they are better and that they all make fun of the kids who don't play is just as bad as them thinking kids who don't play as weird or as "losers".

As with anything it's usually one or two kids who are like that. I never acted that way and I don't remember too many of my teammates who did either. I remember trying to help out the kids who maybe weren't as good, showing them how to be better. That's what being on a team is about. The kids who don't try to help their teammates, but instead make fun of them, are not team players. They are individuals playing a team sport.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I don't have time to copy and post right now, but in a little while I will post the letter that my 11yo son's baseball coach sent out today for the parents to read and then printout and have the kids read and sign. It very clearly spells out the expectations for the attitudes and expectations for these young men. High expectations for the 11/12yo's? Yes! But if all coaches and parents expected the same from the kids and didn't put up with the bad, negative behavior towards each other perhaps more kids would stick with organized sports. This is a select team, but the same expectations should be in place for all teams, all ages, no excuses.

We've been on teams where the parents yelled out negative comments, where the teammates cussed at each other, at the ump, etc, the coach said nasty things, etc, and things went from bad to worse on those teams.

Ok, now that I've said all this I need to just take the time to copy and paste.

T&B

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Here's the e-mail that one of our coaches sent to us today.

Be sure to come ready to play with only good, positive attitudes that are going to help us give 110% in the effort department. Show up with your head straight. No excuses. After all ...... Who is it that decides what kind of mood we are in at our games?.......... Remember that our goal is to do the best we can.... If we win cool ! If we don't ........ so what ....... as long as each and everyone of us does his very best. If we do our best every time we hit the field, we will get better every game ...... the better we get .... the more we win. Simple.... Or is it?

Only positive comments to your fellow teammates .... lots of high fives ........ and whether you are on the bench .... in the dugout to hit .... whatever .... you have a job to do. DO IT THE BEST YOU POSSIBLY CAN. We all contribute regardless of how "many innings we play", "where we hit in the lineup" or "how we do on the field"....... As long as we give 110%....... You guys are all Gamers ....... Let's be sure it shows to everyone watching.

Finally ....... When the last pitch is thrown ....... Whether we are in the field or at the plate ....... Every player on this team needs to HUSTLE over to the Umpires .... both of them .... and shake their hand and thank them for umping the game. "Good game blue" "Thanks for coming out tonight blue" "Thanks for the game blue" "Good job today blue" ..... I don't care what you say as long as it is along those lines. Without the umps, we have no game. As soon as we are done thanking the umpires ...... head straight over and line up with your opponents. Gamers like us play hard ........ win with humility .... and lose with dignity. That means we do not brag or rub it in when we win .... and we do not cry .... or cop attitudes .... or do anything but, smile and congratulate the teams that beat us. We will get them next time........ and we really will get them next time ....... B* players ALWAYS give 110% effort and ALWAYS behave like GENTLEMEN!

Do yourselves proud. Lookout for your teammates and have FUN!!! I know you will. See you all there.

Mom's and Dad's ..Your responsibility in this exercise is to please print this email out and hand it to your son to read completely .................... The boy's are to take the copy and write their number on it and also to write "I promise to do my best tonight coach !!!!" It is the boy's responsibility to bring it to the game with them and hand it to me. Thank you for your help.

 

[Disney Gator]

That is a great letter. That's what team sports is all about, everyone working together. A letter like that should be for every team in the league, and every league in the country. All coaches and parents should provide a good example of everything in that letter also.

Kids playing team sports don't automatically act in a disrespectful manner, they learn it from their parents and coaches. I refereed youth league soccer for a number of years and rarely had a problem with the players, it was the coaches and the parents who caused most of the trouble.