Petalviolet Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Apart from the tiny precious ballet fairy sitting on my shoulder whispering in my ear (What if she twists an ankle..? What if some gallumping kid treads on those dainty feet? These people just don't understand the consequences...OH GET OVER YOURSELF PV) etc. Also: Why oh why does balletic prowess not translate to the sports field? Is your DC a sporty AND balletic type? All sprinting and good at throwing? DD does not mind a sports day. In fact Sports Day DD quite enjoys a lot of chuffing and puffing and hesitating and meandering and gazing and dropping and scoffing. Yet out of the realms of ballet not even her balance or concentration or general high tolerance to barked indistinguishable instructions results in much glory and if in the past, she might have attained a first in some bean bag carrying egg and spoon related activity there might have been....considerable cheating too. I hate sports day with the white hot burning intensity of a billion stars. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 I always hated it for our dds, Petalviolet. It was mandatory at every school they went to and they weren't talented in that way so we were always fraught with worry about possible injuries. Ugh! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 I feel your pain PV. I'm not a sports day fan either and always go to some lengths to ensure that I am wearing clothing or footwear that will render it quite impossible for me to participate in the parents' races! It's a long while since my DD was at that stage, but at primary school she was reasonably good at most sports. Less so at secondary, though I suspect lack of enthusiasm for "traditional" sports had more to do with it than lack of ability. Higher up the school when they did a wider variety of different activities in PE she found her dance training very useful. She left everyone for dead in aerobics, could do more sit ups etc than anyone in the senior rugby team, and there was a curious reluctance to partner her when they did kick boxing...... 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMoo2 Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Yep, for some reason DS loses all coordination on sports day and is as speedy as a snail at the 1500m. He hates the competitive nature of it and begs for a sick letter!! Put him in a ballet class and he concentrates as if his life depends on it. An audition and he relishes competition! Same in his academic classes, reports say he is a "daydreamer" and needs to "apply himself" more! Yet he can sit in a theatre for 3 hours wide eyed and not budge. I firmly believe the UK school system is seriously lacking when it comes to harnessing talent in the arts...??? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 Pups your DD sounds like the classic dark horse we all want to be at sports day. Discounted as a fragile ballerina then takes them down like the ballet boss she is. Respect. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 The parents race was cancelled at our school today. Apparently too many parents were breaking bones? I'm not joking. Actual reason. I can't roll my eyes enough. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margarite Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 DD had her sports day today. She was definitely the most graceful in the skipping race, but unfortunately the slowest ? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 That's very sweet. I'm glad I'm not the only one with a child who prefers to butterfly up the track rather than blaze a burning trail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 DD's PE teacher really hit the nail on the head a few years ago, when he said no wonder she wasn't a fast runner as she'd spent years training her legs to go sideways 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueLou Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Advise your dcs to try long jump! Initially I was amazed that dd was winning at a sport, then I realised it was basically a modified dance leap. Jumping is definitely playing to their strengths 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrancingMum Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 DD does rather fine grande jetes over the hurdles and some jazz kick over the high jump but never quite makes the medals - okay, nowhere near to be honest! Last year someone landed on her foot at the start of the middle distance - she did a good job of finishing just out of the medals but too stressful for me the week before a dance exam! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 High jump and hurdles are definitely events where ballet dancers shine! DD is also a sprinter although it does make me laugh that she runs on the balls of her feet in very balletic fashion - her physio commented on this too. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingboy65 Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Ds seems to be good at sports (another thing like the dancing he doesn't get from me!) High jump, long jump and triple jump seem to be the best atm, even though he's not quite got the technique right and is "jumping like a dancer" ? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccolo Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 I find the best solution with sports day is to have a good reason to phone school and have dd marked as absent for sports day. Simple. This year it was a no brainier as she had a ballet exam the next day. I have to say, I found dd's ice skating obsession a few years ago a bit stressful. Our Saturday morning routine at the time was the ice rink for an early morning lesson, whilst I sat in the freezing cold, then on to JA's (as you do!). Of course, I was always wondering if we'd be going on to A&E, instead of JA's, but what can you do when you've outlined the risks and potential consequences, and the reaction is 'mum, I'll be fine.' I was relieved when she eventually had to make a choice between the two, and continued with ballet. It is quite stressful watching a 10 / 11 yr old ballet child flying around on ice! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowblythe Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 My favourite ever sports day quote ... after the father's race, a friend stood up and at a volume Lady Bracknell would be proud of, announced, "see, I've been telling my friends for years you are no good in the sack .." surprisingly they are still together .. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MumToTu Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Sports day is the highlight of my dds acedemic year. She even wants to go back to watch her old primary schools sports day this year. She came first in her year at high jump the other day, and loves athletics, any sport really even the ones she's bad at! Her idea of "fun" is watching football on tv, she has an obsession with sports and I even had to tell her off for joining a football forum, she literally knows everything about every player it's crazy. She does not get this from me, I was always the child told off for purposely forgetting my PE kit at school, watching team sports to me is like watching paint dry..! She has often injured herself at sport, a broken arm at gymnastics falling off the beam, badly sprained ankle playing basketball at school, after she got really stuck in tackling a boy and got knocked flying, injured knee somersaulting into a vault at gymnastics, and sprained knee being accidentally kicked playing football, requiring me to pay for her physio!! I think I can safely say she's a bit of a tomboy...! You'd never think it to look at her in a ballet class though...! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueLou Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 21 minutes ago, Snowflake said: badly sprained ankle playing basketball at school, after she got really stuck in tackling a boy and got knocked flying, I’m sure that's not meant to happen in basketball! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MumToTu Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 1 minute ago, BlueLou said: I’m sure that's not meant to happen in basketball! Yes, I was not happy with her! and had to carry her into A & E, thankfully after primary school age children are banned from playing against the opposite sex well at least while they are in primary school league competitions anyway. Some of the boys were huge on the opposite team and played as a hobby and she was terrible at basketball, but far to feisty and trying so hard to win. I had told her too I didn't want her playing in the school team, but she begged and cried, I think it finally taught her a lesson, if she wants to dance, she can't play contact sports and she's never asked again to join a team strangely enough! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 37 minutes ago, Snowflake said: ! I think I can safely say she's a bit of a tomboy...! You'd never think it to look at her in a ballet class though...! presentation and identification are not necessarily the same ! i know some very femme women who are complete tomboys in what they do and where their interests lay but in every day life and their demeanour and choice of clothing for 'normal' situations they are very femme , equally i know some very butch presenting women and some 'normal' men that are completely into very stereotypically femme activities ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MumToTu Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 9 minutes ago, mph said: presentation and identification are not necessarily the same ! i know some very femme women who are complete tomboys in what they do and where their interests lay but in every day life and their demeanour and choice of clothing for 'normal' situations they are very femme , equally i know some very butch presenting women and some 'normal' men that are completely into very stereotypically femme activities ... Yes, you can't always judge a book by its cover ! I love the fact she's feisty. I should really rephrase the tacking for trying to get the ball, I am getting mixed up with football, I knew very little about basketball. Also, we live in the centre of Manchester and sometimes the more boisterous boys on sports teams can *ahem* play a bit on the rough side ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 Another one here who hated sports day for her DDs. Always the worry of injury. DD1 proved good at the long jump and the high jump but as a 'just ballet' girl always got the events the sporty girls in her class did not want. DD2 was naturally sporty - fast, strong, flexible and full of energy. Normally got hurdles and long jump but as sports captain for her form did get an element of choice. We always found it quite amusing that she was form sports captain throughout high school (teacher decision but with pupil vote also) as she did not do any sport at school outside of class, no time or inclination for practice sessions or matches. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 Great thread ladies - well done!! ??? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 I've never been much of a fan of sports days, not when I was at school myself, and not when dd's school had them either. Standing about trying to look at least half-interested for what seems like an eternity in the boiling heat, or sitting on an uncomfortable chair in a stiff breeze watching your dc for two minutes and other people's kids for three hours... not my idea of time well spent I'm afraid! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 25 minutes ago, taxi4ballet said: I've never been much of a fan of sports days, not when I was at school myself, and not when dd's school had them either. Standing about trying to look at least half-interested for what seems like an eternity in the boiling heat, or sitting on an uncomfortable chair in a stiff breeze watching your dc for two minutes and other people's kids for three hours... not my idea of time well spent I'm afraid! I have to confess to becoming slightly demob happy as my youngest child approaches the end of primary school. I thought that I would be sad when it came to the "last" events, but actually I'm thinking "Oh thank goodness, that's the last time I have to do that" and feeling quite excited at no longer having to pretend to be interested in various things that actually bore me stupid. Last sports day coming up next week! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 Had my last one today pups_mum!! I'm with you ???? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixiewoo Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 (edited) DD left primary last year ... I thought I was done! Today she tells me it's sports day tomorrow ... my heart sank (ds never mentioned them till after the event!!!) ... but then she told me I wasn't 'allowed' to go! ... discovered parents can go, but most don't! However ... as a childminder and nanny, I've clocked up over 25 years worth of sports days and probably many more to come! Unless they are rained off like they are currently as it's a bit miserable up here in the north! I can't say I enjoy them, but I find them easier to watch when not having to worry about DD injuring herself etc! Edited July 5, 2017 by Pixiewoo Spelling 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletbean Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Senior school sports days are a completely different event altogether. The advantage is that students tend to be allowed to choose their sport of choice. Hurdles, highjump are certainly off the list incl discus and shot put. DD has fortunately always avoided injury even though I am a rather paranoid mother when it comes to sports day. Didn't give the school walk much thought, silly me. 6 huge painful blisters later did not go well with Pointe Shoes! However, it does show the dancers determination and hard work ethic instilled with her dance school. All the pupils that completed the 28 mile school walk in temperatures of 32 degrees turned up for their regular lessons later on that evening! Oh to be young again lol 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confuddled Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 (edited) I have one of those dds whose grace in dancing turns into an inability to run except in first position. Which is not speedy, And looks silly. I have to say, I'm not entirely sad that Sports Day always falls on one of my working days. I'm prepared to leave early for concerts, go in late for Assemblies etc, but I'm quite happy to have a reason not to spend a whole morning on the grass watching my child wait for her turn to come last. Edited July 6, 2017 by Confuddled Typo 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyLou Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 I hate sports day, my youngest dd just about to leave junior school and hers was cancelled due to rain.....such a shame. She is a fantastic sprinter and easily out runs the boys in the 100m. School enrolled her on the athletics team last year and she was listed for 1500m race........distance runner she is not, she found it to be torture. Shes also fantastic at jumps and often underestimated as she's the size of an 8 year old. My eldest dd is an extremely classical, graceful dancer: loses all her co-ordination when it comes to sports though. Shes 14 and given up on ever been able to run. Shes exactly like Pheobe from friends when it comes to running ? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 13 minutes ago, Sarah2203 said: She is a fantastic sprinter and easily out runs the boys in the 100m. School enrolled her on the athletics team last year and she was listed for 1500m race........distance runner she is not, she found it to be torture. A sprinter and they put her in the 1500m? How daft of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyLou Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 1 minute ago, taxi4ballet said: A sprinter and they put her in the 1500m? How daft of them. It was more desperation I think. They had very few kids that agreed to participate so thought because my dd dances she'd have great stamina (which she does). She finds any distance running extremely boring though, she came back in a great mood.........school came second overall for all events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cara in NZ Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 Oh yes, to all this. DD hopeless at all sports, but a good little swimmer... HOWEVER, at annual school swimming sports she goes for elegant technique over speed every time. Invariably comes fourth, when only the first three go on to represent the school at the next level. I THINK she likes it that way though? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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