Comments on: I Hate Sport

By: Peter N.

Peter N. — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 10:08:46 +0000

I used to enjoy watching sports with my father. Then I grew up, moved to Australia and I learned to hate all organized sport events with my whole heart…

By: Natalie

Natalie — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:28:55 +0000

My problem with sports wasn’t with the teachers or coaches, but the other students. They were allowed to take their prejudices into the class with them, screech and bully all the kids that weren’t good at sport and just ruin the whole ‘teamwork’ lesson. I was the kid who was picked on or excluded all the time, and as it was even more ‘allowed’ in sport class, I associated all sports with this nastiness. Maybe if the teachers stopped this a little more avidly, or gave the less adept kids better help on improving, I would have enjoyed the classes more, but it might be a little unfair to put even more pressure on teachers today. Also, my very smart and physically adept brother was so good at sport I didn’t want to try and ‘compete’ because I was so untalented- my parents wouldn’t have supported me. Why bother if the ‘better’ child was always going to win?
A lot of this lead to problems with trusting other people, which made even simple swimming classes impossible as I was so ‘abnormal’ I was sure I would have drowned. It took me a long time to get over it, and it’s hard to find non-competitive adult sports with other people. I think the main lessons should be that you play for fun first, fitness second, competition third and respect for everyone must be maintained at all times.
Also, there should be more recognition for sports like dance, martial arts and yoga- the ‘professionalism’ suits shy or untrusting children more and they will end up talking to the other kids and coaches and make friends that way. I wish it was more easily accessible.

By: Amelia

Amelia — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:54:28 +0000

Unluckily I have to do an oral exam on university about the role of sport in society. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you. I wanted an idea of other people’s perceptions and all these ideas have been very interesting.

By: lightening

lightening — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:07:41 +0000

Stuffy - I find that fact kind of scary actually.

Horse - you always crack me up!!! Well, most of the time anyway.

Colin - I don’t know what it is but Port Power seem to attract a certain “type” of follower. I do know a few “nice” people that follow them but they seem to be the exception to the rule.

By: Colin Campbell

Colin Campbell — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:56:17 +0000

I hated sport and PE as a kid, but was forced to endure. My kids like it and both participate. They were very bummed when the PE teacher gave them an average grade. Who is he to know? Both are keen. What does it take to get a good grade in primary sport? Silly. Apparently he marked a lot of kids down and the Principal noticed.

I will come back since you are not a Power Fan. I hate them with a passion and I have only been here for a few years. Funny how parochial sport is and how you can make judgements on who you support. It was very easy for me to support the Crows. No idea why. My kids are split between the two teams.

So I like sports and am only a little bit fanatical on an intermittent basis.

By: Horse

Horse — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:57:44 +0000

This is an interesting question you pose here…

No doubt our competitiveness drives us to take up sports sometimes; and we all want to feel that we are superior.

Myself ….. as a kid i was very competitive- maybe it had something to do with wanting to be seen a s sporty and cool. Now as an adult playing recreational sport its all about the fun…. and winning

By: StillKindaStuffy

StillKindaStuffy — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:58:51 +0000

It is when you consider that many pro-sportsmen will get more compensation in a year than most winners of the nobel prize for medicine get in a lifetime.

By: lightening

lightening — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:18:27 +0000

Bettina - wonder if I’m too old to join Little Athletics? LOL. I guess the bonus of Athletics is it’s more individual and therefore your play doesn’t affect others quite the same.

Dina - you took PE in college???? I gave it up as soon as school would let me (year 11).

Marita - that’s a good point. And I suspect that competitiveness (to a point) is probably inbuilt in our human-ness.

Gemisht - I think that’s my struggle. Competing against myself without being too hard on myself for not meeting my own expectations.

Jenn - what an inspirational story. Fear of failure is a hugely limiting factor for many of us isn’t it. I know it’s something I really struggle with.

Jeanie - netball probably isn’t the sport for you then - not great for knees OR running.

Stuffy - so true and the amount of money involved is obscene. Couldn’t that money be better spent elsewhere too?

By: StillKindaStuffy

StillKindaStuffy — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:04:33 +0000

The emphasis that is placed on sport in our culture is obscene. A third of our news bulletins are about sport but in the scheme of things that time could be used to inform us about more important things than what the coach of Collingwood said at a press briefing. Most people can name the captain of the football team they support, but would be hard pressed to name their local mayor, their local state or federal member.

By: jeanie

jeanie — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:39:00 +0000

I always thought PE and sports were completely different things!

I hated PE because I was always the girl who got to see everyone else cross the line before me.

I loved sport because, being a small school, we were all integral parts of every team. We were fairly competitive, but luckily we won a lot so it wasn’t an issue!!!

I think there is an element of competition that is good to seek and instil, but it doesn’t have to be a no holds barred approach, and the goal should be more to reach further for ourselves than our comfort zone.

If I knew I would have fun, I wouldn’t be required to do too much running (knee and “lady” issues) and I wouldn’t have to rely on dumping my child on my partner all the time, I would love to be involved in some form of sport.