What do you think about picking teams in gym class?

[Wishing on a star]

.... double post ....

 

[Klayfish]

Unfortunately nobody learns how to put together a winning team by doing so in school. Most of the time the kids simply pick their friends. Sure they may look for who they think are the better players first, but nobody looks for role players or diamonds in the rough among the less athletically inclined.

Not sure what area of the country you are in, but I can say for sure that wasn't true when I was a kid and definitely isn't true in my kids' schools today. They absolutely do pick kids that will help them try to win. Sure, friendship plays a big role too, but they all want to win.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Not sure what area of the country you are in, but I can say for sure that wasn't true when I was a kid and definitely isn't true in my kids' schools today. They absolutely do pick kids that will help them try to win. Sure, friendship plays a big role too, but they all want to win.

Who looks for role players when picking school teams. Who looks for people that do all the little things you need to do to win. Nobody. And often times they really don't know who is good at what. So they revert to stereotypical picks or friends. They'll pick a bunch of inside players for a basketball team and forget to pick any guards. They'll forget to pick anyone that is a decent goal tender for soccer etc etc.

 

[Hikergirl]

Unfortunately nobody learns how to put together a winning team by doing so in school. Most of the time the kids simply pick their friends. Sure they may look for who they think are the better players first, but nobody looks for role players or diamonds in the rough among the less athletically inclined.

I suppose, but I'm ok with that happening too.

 

[Alesia]

No. Its not the same. It is not about failing or succeeding at the task. For a middle school kid or younger its about "no one likes me" The activity ahead does not matter. The not getting picked matters.

As someone who was always picked last, I could not disagree more. I was always fully aware that I was going to be picked last because I sucked at sports.

 

[design_mom]

And here's what you're not getting... it doesn't matter WHEN they're picked... that light is going to shine on them as soon as they spectacularly fail at whatever task (physical or mental).

I'm not sure it's the "picking" that is the problem so much, as the mentality that seems to go along with picking. Sure, everyone has different talents, and some kids are going to be better than others. I was definitely better at the academic stuff than the athletic stuff. While I wasn't ALWAYS picked last, I was usually picked near the end, and whenever I was picked, I silently prayed no one would comment on it. (There was the picker: "I guess we're stuck with Kim." or kids who'd already been picked. "Aw, man... why'd you pick her? She sucks!" I appreciated it when the teacher just assigned teams. For what it's worth, I didn't like being the captain/picker either.

I remember competing on teams in academic classes -- and sometimes for an actual "prize" like a bonus point or a homework pass -- but I don't remember ever choosing teams like you often do in gym class. The teams were usually teacher-assigned. And, yeah, there were some people I'd rather have on my team than others.

But here's the difference from where I stand:
it would have NEVER been acceptable in the classroom to say "Aw, man... we got stuck with Kevin. He's dumb!" or "Jeez, Billy! Even an idiot like you should be able to answer that!" or "Our chemistry lab would have gone fine if Jennifer wasn't such a dunce."

Yet in the gym, all bets are off. I have definitely heard "I guess we're stuck with Kevin. He sucks!" or "C'mon Billy! It was wide open! Jeeze! Ugh!!!" or "We would have won, but we were stuck with Jennifer on our team." And those comments somehow seem to be acceptable and are either not mentioned at all or merely get a "now, now... be nice."

Being picked last sucks... sure... but you're right pretty much everyone who's picked last already knows their skill level. It's the comments (or the potential for comments) that are the worst and somehow, in gym class, they happen.

 

[luvsJack]

As someone who was always picked last, I could not disagree more. I was always fully aware that I was going to be picked last because I sucked at sports.

Ok, but that isn't usually the case. For most in middle school, being athletic and being popular tend to go hand in hand.

 

[Klayfish]

Who looks for role players when picking school teams. Who looks for people that do all the little things you need to do to win. Nobody. And often times they really don't know who is good at what. So they revert to stereotypical picks or friends. They'll pick a bunch of inside players for a basketball team and forget to pick any guards. They'll forget to pick anyone that is a decent goal tender for soccer etc etc.

That's getting into nuances of a game that children simply don't understand at their age. We're not talking about winning the Super Bowl, we're talking about a game of kick ball or flag football. They certainly wouldn't know anything about "role players", but they darn sure know what kid is fast, or can kick the ball far, or can catch. They also know what kids can't. Picks go accordingly.

ETA: Friends and popularity are often associated with athletic talent, as outlined by luvsJack above.

 

[pweyl36]

While I usually subscribe to this in this particular case I have to disagree. It is one thing to not be as good at something and work on it. It is quite another to be publicly humiliated about it. Picking teams like that is publicly humiliating. It's like getting weighed in front of your co-workers. You might be very well aware that you need to lose weight and are trying but that doesn't mean you want your weight pointed out in front of everyone.

so due you get upset and humiliated when your boss doesn't pick you for something?

 

[Lilacs4Me]

Yeah, I've seen that too. However I'd argue that doing this is actually worse than just letting the process play out. Now instead of one kid who is last, you've got 4 who are going to have that "last kid picked" feeling. IMO, either pick the teams all the way through (the method I'd support) or have the teacher pick the entire team from the start.

for the lesser of two evils, at that age, it's ALWAYS better to be one of 4 than 1 of 1

I'd rather the teacher just pick, to be honest. Saves the kids from the whole process altogether. Because then we can get into the rest of the scenarios:

1. girl A is mad at girl B so she picks girl C instead
2. Boy 3 is mad because Boy 4 beat him in basketball last night, so he avoids picking him and tells the captain of the other team (who he is friends with) not to pick him either.
3. Any variation of the above.

Middle school pretty much stinks as a kid no matter what, why add unneeded drama to it!

 

[Sandeep1]

Not sure what area of the country you are in, but I can say for sure that wasn't true when I was a kid and definitely isn't true in my kids' schools today. They absolutely do pick kids that will help them try to win. Sure, friendship plays a big role too, but they all want to win.

No I agree with the PP. Take me for example. I was actually really athletic and gave 100% in gym class like I was at war. My teams usually won.

That being said, I wasn't in with the super popular kids. So I was usually taken in the middle, eventhough on a pure athletic basis I should have been picked much sooner.

 

[sam_gordon]

Wow....
Really???


Not being athletically inclined is a spectacular failure...
There are NO words.

Wow...
Really???

I never said not being athletically inclined is a spectacular failure. Go back and read again.

 

[pweyl36]

Well I will tell you when I was in grade school our gym teacher had a foam bat. He would chase us around the Gym and hit us with it. We had
a wonderful time with Mr Hayman. He would come up with wonderful fun in Gym. but now he would of been fired. These parents are raising soft kids now.
why cant parents let them fall on there own? They will be fine.

 

[Sandeep1]

Wow...
Really???

I never said not being athletically inclined is a spectacular failure. Go back and read again.

Yup, pp totally misread what you posted.

 

[pweyl36]

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.

I have 3 kids, and when my kids would complain stating this and that isn't fair. my response would always be life isn't fair.
and they got over it. Nobody gets every thing they want or do you?

 

[mummabear]

Those of you who think it is fair to pick teams this way: do you also think it is fair for the other teachers to post all the students' grades in a public area for all students to see? If the kids who are picked last have to be humiliated, why don't we put everybody's test grades up in the classroom with their names? This is just about the same thing.

When I was a kid, 3 kids everyday had to do their times tables over the schoolwide intercom from the principal's office.

 

[pweyl36]

So, if the school required all the parents to come in to play on a team and the parents were all picked this same way, you would be OK with it? You would be OK being one of the last ones picked in front of all the other parents b/c you were overweight,underweight, short, unpopular, dressed in heels, not dressed well enough, dressed in mouse ears or thought to be too nerdy to play sports b/c you were a scientist? You would stand there and think, oh well, this is a good lesson for me to know that I just don't have the best body or I am just not well liked or everybody knows that I have a PhD in chemistry and can't play kickball. It doesn't bother me at all. Come on, give me a break. You would be so humiliated!

you must of had a very disappointing childhood. first of all I am to old to worry about what people think about me. And no I would not be humiliated.
Do you even have Kids?

 

[sam_gordon]

Those of you who think it is fair to pick teams this way: do you also think it is fair for the other teachers to post all the students' grades in a public area for all students to see? If the kids who are picked last have to be humiliated, why don't we put everybody's test grades up in the classroom with their names? This is just about the same thing.

That actually already happens in gym class. The posted grades just show how everyone did at a certain skill. In PE, you see that during the sports.

 

[pweyl36]

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.

Honey didn't your parents tell you that you will be fine. Seriously have you talked to anyone about not maintaining a healthy life? Gym class did not do this to you.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Team building... by middle schoolers picking teams in mandatory PE???
That is some major grasping for straws.
Bwahhhh-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!!!!
Hahahahahaha!!!!!!