Shropshire Magazine

Bouncing with joy.

Stopwatch at the ready, egg firmly glued to spoon, Vanessa prepares for school sports day

Vanessa Lloyd Thomas.

Summer time and the living is easy . . . barbecues, beaches and bike rides, Wimbledon, strawberries and cream.  And that seasonal favourite that divides folk even more than whether they think Andy Murray is our greatest sporting hope or a thoroughly unpleasant chap who dared to wish ill on the England footie team: roll up, roll up for the school sports day! 

We’ve already seen the smattering of ‘right on’ schools, parents and head teachers hitting the headlines with their decisions to outlaw competitive sports day and replace it with something more uniting – a huge group hug maybe? 

Critics claim the annual event causes too much stress and upset for children who aren’t naturally athletic. “For every winner there are too many losers!” they cry. 

Wake up and smell the barley water folks. The simple truth is that life is a competition. Every one of us is good at some things, average at others and a complete disaster at the remainder. 

Matter-of-fact

There is no shame in this. Children are remarkably matter-of-fact and there is no need to wrap them in a cloak of illusion that they are fabulous at everything. You only have to watch a TV talent show audition to see the spectacular crash landings that overpampered and overpraised children suffer when they finally meet someone who tells them the truth.

I was to track-and-field events what Gordon Brown has been to openness in politics but I can’t remember losing any sleep over an impending sports day. Instead it was a day to look forward to, a day out of the classroom, sat in the sun, cheering on friends . . . in other words a right skive!

Of course, there are parents who take the competition a tad too far, setting up training camps in the garden and practising flying starts with their offspring, or standing at the finish line bellowing encouragement so loudly it scares the other children into slowing down, but these are by far the minority. 

At our village school, a very dedicated sports teacher arranges a super day of traditional races, plus some great team events where everyone gets to take part. As usual the cheers for the competitors finishing last were as loud as for the winner and all the children had a lovely time. 

No, in my experience, the only stress experienced on sports day is by the parents who struggle valiantly to get there in time to cheer on their child as they balance an egg on a spoon, bounce in a sack or wrap a skipping rope around their ears. 

It is a cruel rule of life that this must-see event will land on a day that for working parents contains a vital team meeting or a shift that can’t be changed. If it doesn’t at first, then rain will ensure it is rescheduled to do so.

Too many times I’ve arrived late, had to park almost a village away, hitched up my skirt and sprinted faster than I ever did at my own sports days to try to avoid being told off by my sons. 

Frowned

Mind you, the two elder are now at secondary school where actually attending sports day is as frowned upon as missing it was when they were at junior school. 

“You can come if you want but you’ll be the only parent there,” middle son warns. “And if you do come don’t wear those big sunglasses and don’t speak to me,” they both beg. 

Winners and losers indeed! It’s parents who simply can’t win!