17 Reasons Mums Hated Sport With A Passion. But Now They’re Encouraging Their Own Daughters To Take It Up. Why?
PE at school for girls in the 1980s or 90s seems a bit of a marmite topic — you either loved it or hated it. We asked some of our Mum friends about their memories of their schooldays. The replies came back thick and fast, not altogether positive, but often accompanied with good excuses to get out of PE!*
Why did you dislike PE at school?
- Being picked last for a team
- Competitiveness
- Petrified of being injured
- The ordeal of the freezing showers
- The lack of showers
- Hated coming last
- Hated the pain from doing sport — blisters, sore muscles, stitches
- Hated the cold
- Lack of self-esteem
- Being too tall
- Being too small
- Military style PE teachers
13. PE teachers only friendly with the sporty girls
14. Tiny gym skirt and/or huge elasticated coloured gym knickers
15. Felt self-conscious in the changing rooms
16. Short sightedness
17. Being forced to do sports you didn’t like — no choice
Things have thankfully moved on since then but these comments backed up our thoughts when we set up Sisters n Sport (or Skills n Sport as it was) three years ago. Which is why we pride ourselves on being fun and friendly (and of course, fabulous) before everything else at our term-time weekend netball skills schools and holiday netball camps.
Yes, that’s right. Having fun and learning come above competitiveness and winning. We’ve had sweets as target practices, benchball, giggly passing the balls over our heads or through our legs, dressing up netballers and balls, 30 second Crazy Catch and shooting challenges, Mums & Dads taking on our coaches in the odd game…..
We love boosting individuals’ confidence by gently encouraging the girls to try something new or tricky. And of course, making new friends and having a good laugh while keeping fit.
Oh yes. Keeping fit and healthy.
That’s where our Mums come back in. They know how little exercise kids get these days. They know the mental and physical benefits of playing team sports. They know they want sports coached in a more nurturing, positive way in a safe, friendly environment. They know that being fit when you’re young is essential to long-term health.
As one of the Mums said to us: “I just want my daughter to play sport, to be fit and healthy and have fun along the way.”
· Not all was lost for these Mums sports-wise. The majority overcame their school PE terrors in later life and “found their fit selves” by taking up yoga, tennis, pilates, running and gym classes. Some even admitted to enjoying sport and some have even taken up netball courtesy of the @England_Netball“Back to Netball” campaign!
Sisters n Sport run term-time weekend Netball Skills Schools from School Year 2 upwards in Putney, Kingston, Reigate, Cobham and Surbiton plus Netball Camps during the school holidays.
For more information, please visit:
sistersnsport.com/
@sistersnsport on Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/sistersnsport on Facebook
https://www.instagram.com/sisters_n_sport/ on Instagram
Written by Sarah Bennett @sarahbennettco