What do you think about picking teams in gym class?

[kidshop]

Are they rotating the kids who get to be captain? I wonder if the kid who is always picked last picks the 'good' kids for his/her team when they are captain?

Sometimes you are last, someone HAS to be last. The sooner kids learn this, the better. And gym is not life, so it really won't matter in the long run. that's what I would tell my kids. That and get over it.

 

[Auggietina]

Maybe it's the drama part -- my DD is similar and frakly she totally makes a goof of herself & she doesn't care. Some of the things she tells me she has done at school, I'm pretty sure would have gotten her labelled "freak/weirdo" back when I was in school but she thinks it's funny when she gets the occassional random weird look (but she does like to mess with people's minds like that, so..).

They sound just the same! I am sure the drama part has A LOT to do with it. My dd is happy with who she is and has a lot of friends. She can't play basketball, no big deal.

 

[wdwfan16]

Are there any others that are reading this thread and wondering if there is some weird connection between being picked last in gym class and a love of Disney??? I've never seen so many people post about being pick last in gym in my entire life.

I have loved Disney since before I was 1 and I was never picked last in Gym class. Does that make me a Disney Freak!

 

[MiniGirl]

I'm really curious to this question- those of you who think it's OK to pick teams in gym this way and think that the ones who are picked last should just get over it- do you have school aged kids? I'm guessing most of you do not. It's different when it is your own kid. It just is and there is no other way to explain it.

As I said earlier, I was one of the people always picked last or near the end, and yes, I have school-aged children. My oldest is a wonderful swimmer but very slow and uncoordinated out of the water and yes, often gets picked last. However, she is often picked first or among the first for academic/review type games. Athletics just is not her strength. She realizes that and knows that not getting picked first doesn't mean the kids don't like her personally. Really, even at 10, she just lets it slide right off her back.

So, I do have kids and it really hasn't changed my opinion on the subject.

 

[starrzone]

I'm sorry you made the choice you made but to use getting picked last in gym class as an excuse for life is a bit much. You know who else used to get picked last for gym class? Bill Gates. He just concentrated on what he was good at and managed to do alright for himself.

This is exactly what I did as a kid. I was insecure and horrible at team sports and knew it, so getting picked last never bothered me in the least. However, I got really good marks, so I used my strengths to help other kids with their work, or to help myself by focusing on what I could do.

I actually still loathe team sports, but I absolutely love going to the gym and participating in group classes and martial arts. I also enjoy walking and hiking. A huge pet peeve of mine is that I get the sense that participating in group/team sports is seen as a big part in making you a "team" player; if you never played basketball or soccer, it means you don't get along well with others and that you're a loner. This has been my impression, anyway, but I'm not going to be taking up any of those sports any time soon! I'm happy with who I am, and know my strengths and weaknesses (this has not come easily since I've suffered with anxiety and depression as a child, which only compounded my dislike of group sports).

 

[DBL101]

When you are choosing teams to play each other in a sport, you want even teams. If they are not somewhat evenly matched, the games are no fun for anyone. I think the participants themselves can usually do this better than the teacher. They have more to gain by choosing the best team they can. As I was reading through this thread it occurred to me that the best soloution, as it often is, might be a compromise. Have captains choose the first half of the team to make sure they are competitive and then line up the other half of the class and have them count off.
As for me, I was usually among the first. The only exception was when we moved to a new city while I was in high school. Since no one knew me and I was one of the smallest kids, I was one of the last choosen. That lasted one day. Kids learn fast and will choose the players that help them win.

 

[asta]

If you're 50 and still have painful memories of these types of situations, then I have to agree that this is a bit much.

I was picked last for many things growing up. While it was humiliating at the time, I certainly don't feel humiliated now. I learned how to get over it and move on. Perhaps that's a lesson that hasn't been taught for 30 or so years and people have forgotten how to do it?

I'm 45 so we're fairly close in age. I'm sorry but I can honestly say that I don't have any compassion for someone older than me who's still feeling bad because they were picked last for gym some 40 odd years ago.

Thank you for telling me what I should be able to remember and have feelings about. At 45 years of age I would hope that you would have an understanding of what others go through and how all of your life experiences add up to make you what you are today. I have been very successful in other areas but this does not invalidate my feelings in other areas. Maybe a 50 year old isn't entitled to feel things. I don't set around everyday thinking of how bad the humiliation made me feel but these type of things did hurt. And my main point is that humiliation has no part in education other than teaching others how to make others feel bad. I think some of you have learned this lesson well. Let me remind you that we are not talking about team sports or giving anyone a trophy for performing badly. I would never expect to be rewarded for poor performance but I know my lack of coordination was never improved by public embarrassment. We are talking about using humiliation in an educational setting. Humiliation discouraged me from learning and developing physical skills that would have been very helpful in maintaining a healthy life style. That is just wrong.

 

[luvsJack]

Okay then, maybe they should do away with any and all competition then. How about get rid of drama and music since some kids will be picked for chorus and the play and others may be humiliated and emabarrassed if they aren't. Get rid of your AP classes because some kids aren't good enough students to make it and they maye be embarrassed and humilitated. Its not the schools job to make sure kids don't feel humiliated by being different, its the job of every parent

Let's see:

Chorus and all sports: Kids try out for these things because they want to do them and know going in they may not make it. They are not forced to do it and if they know they aren't any good, chances are they are not going to try out.

AP classes: Kids are not left standing in front of the entire class knowing no one wants them in the class.



So, by your opinion I should have told the second grader that came back from PE crying like her heart was breaking, asking me why no one liked her, to just suck it up and get over it?

Nope, that is absolutely not what happened. The classroom teacher talked to the PE teacher and he changed the way the teams were chosen. And a happy little girl went to gym and played the game with the other kids. Problem easily solved. No one hurt, no one sacrificed. She still couldn't play basketball to save her life, but she didn't want to be good at the game, she just wanted to sit on the bench with the other kids and not be treated like a leper.

What you all are not understanding is that doing things this way is all fine and good when you have well rounded kids that are going to get picked for other things; but there are kids that don't get picked for anything. Why can't this one little bit of embarrassment be removed? Its not like its going to change PE class.

 

[jrmasm]

Are they rotating the kids who get to be captain? I wonder if the kid who is always picked last picks the 'good' kids for his/her team when they are captain?

Back when I was in school, that is exactly what happened. Didn't matter who the captains were, kids were still picked in the same order. Everyone wanted to win!

Remind me to pick you last for my spelling team!

You better watch out if you're not on my team for dodgeball!! You'll regret not wanting my crappy spelling self on your team.

 

[luvmy3]

For those of you who feel this is way too humiliating, what do you do when your kids are playing with their friends and their friends don't pick them to be on their team or just to "play with"? When kids are left to their own devices this is how they will choose, this is how it is.

 

[wdwfan16]

I can't spell. I want spelling bees eliminated. I was always out first.

I probably was the next person out. I am a horrible speller but put me in a math competion and I could take down then entire class. I was very popular in the math class where the teacher gave the winning team candy on Friday. I was ALWAYS picked first and my team ALWAYS won. I was happy to get candy every Friday!

I could also bake at a young age. My grandmother was a great cook and baker and I loved to bake with her. Guess what I had all the popular boys waiting for me to carry my books when I left home ec. Dumb boys. All I made were chocolate chip cookies. Oh so easy.

Who cares now? I never dated those boys, not my type, I can still bake but the waistline says NO. I am still a lousy speller but my math skills aided me in my college and career.

 

[luvsJack]

When you are choosing teams to play each other in a sport, you want even teams. If they are not somewhat evenly matched, the games are no fun for anyone. I think the participants themselves can usually do this better than the teacher. They have more to gain by choosing the best team they can. As I was reading through this thread it occurred to me that the best soloution, as it often is, might be a compromise. Have captains choose the first half of the team to make sure they are competitive and then line up the other half of the class and have them count off.
As for me, I was usually among the first. The only exception was when we moved to a new city while I was in high school. Since no one knew me and I was one of the smallest kids, I was one of the last choosen. That lasted one day. Kids learn fast and will choose the players that help them win.

PE class is not supposed to be about teaching kids to be good at a sport and to be competitive, we have team sports for that.

PE is supposed to encourage kids to be active, get exercise and be healthy.

The kids not being chosen are only going to learn not to take the chance to do anything physical.

 

[FergieTCat]

You better watch out if you're not on my team for dodgeball!! You'll regret not wanting my crappy spelling self on your team.

LOL! I can still remember that red ball coming towards me!

I was, and still am, the most uncoordinated person ever to grace a gymnasium. I have no hand-to-eye coordination. I would have picked me last.

Sure, I feel bad for any kid that feels humiliated. But seriously, even if teams were assigned randomly, wouldn't that same kid still be the one striking out/missing the volleyball/wandering around aimlessly with a hockey stick? Everyone is bad at something.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

All I know is that I would have been more humiliated by my mommy coming to school complaining than I would have been by being picked last for dodgeball.

And the same goes for my kids.

 

[luvsJack]

For those of you who feel this is way too humiliating, what do you do when your kids are playing with their friends and their friends don't pick them to be on their team or just to "play with"? When kids are left to their own devices this is how they will choose, this is how it is.

And if they are out in the yard that is between the kids. The PE teacher is initiating it, there is a difference.

Most of the kids around here don't "pick" teams anyway. If they decide to play baseball, for instance, they just divide up. X# head over to home plate to hit and X# head to the field. The only thing they may do is switch around to make it even.

 

[Alesia]

LOL! I can still remember that red ball coming towards me!

I was, and still am, the most uncoordinated person ever to grace a gymnasium. I have no hand-to-eye coordination. I would have picked me last.

Sure, I feel bad for any kid that feels humiliated. But seriously, even if teams were assigned randomly, wouldn't that same kid still be the one striking out/missing the volleyball/wandering around aimlessly with a hockey stick? Everyone is bad at something.

Exactly. Even with teams being randomly assigned, it's pretty easy to figure out who's good at sports and who isn't.

 

[wdwfan16]

LOL! I can still remember that red ball coming towards me!

I was, and still am, the most uncoordinated person ever to grace a gymnasium. I have no hand-to-eye coordination. I would have picked me last.

Sure, I feel bad for any kid that feels humiliated. But seriously, even if teams were assigned randomly, wouldn't that same kid still be the one striking out/missing the volleyball/wandering around aimlessly with a hockey stick? Everyone is bad at something.

I remember dodge ball. I had a great arm (helps to have mostly male cousins and play sports with them), could catch and was slight faster than average. The poor kids who did not get the ball and could not catch would just stand against the back wall waiting to get hit. Then they could sit down.

Guess what, it did not matter who the teams were, the same set of kids were always sitting. They actually liked it since they could talk to their friends.


For the person who asked, we always changed the captains and the result was the same. The captain wanted to win so the first few picks were made to solifiy the team and then one could do a compasion pick or two.

 

[jrmasm]

LOL! I can still remember that red ball coming towards me!
I was, and still am, the most uncoordinated person ever to grace a gymnasium. I have no hand-to-eye coordination. I would have picked me last.

Sure, I feel bad for any kid that feels humiliated. But seriously, even if teams were assigned randomly, wouldn't that same kid still be the one striking out/missing the volleyball/wandering around aimlessly with a hockey stick? Everyone is bad at something.

Such a sweet, sweet sound. *Ploink*

I need to get a playground ball and start pegging my kids.

 

[MiniGirl]

I am truly surprised at how many of you see this as a form of public humiliation. Even when I was in the midst of it and still waiting to be picked, I didn't see it as humiliating. I mean it all happened among my classmates. My friends knew I wasn't good at sports and they still liked me. The people that I wasn't friends with knew I wasn't good at sports and I just didn't care if they picked me or not.

So, OP, you've gotten quite few responses. Some who agree with you and some who don't. What, if anything, do you plan on saying to the guidance counselor? You've heard many reasons why people feel it is no big deal. You should be well prepared to make your case.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

PE class is not supposed to be about teaching kids to be good at a sport and to be competitive, we have team sports for that.

PE is supposed to encourage kids to be active, get exercise and be healthy.

The kids not being chosen are only going to learn not to take the chance to do anything physical.

See I wouldn't say that. I stunk up the gym something fierce so I deserved to be picked last.

When I got to high school I joined the track team and found out I was good-so good I set records.

So the statement bolded above isn't completely accurate.