Monday, March 16, 2009

For the Athletically Challenged

When I was in elementary school, we played games like kick ball, football, and floor hockey. Those were the good old days before schools created games to make less athletic kids feel included. Back then, if you couldn't kick, hit, or throw a ball, then you had the bad luck of being picked last when teams were chosen. It wasn't fair but neither is life. 

Enter a kinder, gentler era where kids are randomly assigned to teams and cup stacking is a sport. Yes, cup stacking, also known as Sport Stacking. Sport Stacking requires participants to stack cups in a certain fashion (e.g. three stacks of three cups). The opponent is time and the stacker with the fastest time wins. It is an utterly stupid concept - it is not a freaking sport -designed to make non-athletes feel better about their genetic weaknesses. 

Sport Stacking even has it's own association that hosts international events. Several of our local schools have cup stacking clubs. The general public validates it so maybe we should all just accept that cup stacking is here to stay. Wrong. 

Last week, Olie, a kid who needs lots of daily exercise, was forced to do Sport Stacking as her P.E. activity. We both agreed it was a stupid way to spend P.E. because there is nothing physical about cup stacking. 

It's no wonder fifth-grade kids at her school do not know how to throw a baseball or shoot a basketball; ten-year-old kids do not learn basic sports skills but they can stack nine cups in three seconds. Oh boy!

The "everyone is a winner/should be included" trend, of which Sport Stacking is part of, is annoying. I am that parent who refuses to accept the trophies my daughter receives at the end of every sports season because kids don't need trophies simply for participating. Trophies should be reserved for excellence.  The "reward" my child gets from participating is improved health, camaraderie, and competition. 

She doesn't need a trophy to validate or encourage her participation in sports and schools shouldn't force kids to do Sport Stacking just so other, less athletic kids, feel included. It's ridiculous. 

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hahahaha You are completely right.

I was one of the kids picked last and it wasn't that big of a deal. Had I been more interested in sports I would have cared.

I don't agree with the "everyone is a winner" although I do admit I was afraid as a child during dodgeball.