Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Not into sports.

I think the important thing is... he's doing OTHER things. Who cares if it's chess club, or something else instead of actual aport sports! That alone will provide the same thing a sports team would so..... don't sweat it. He is plenty well-rounded from doing those and I don't see anything wrong with that! Why not just have him do swimming instead of the team if that money is a concern?

Knute974, that is similar to our Ds' experiences with cross country ski racing. They really enjoyed skiing for pleasure with our family and youth ski classes, but neither one really liked ski racing at all. The older one stuck with it for 4 years (even elected team captain her soph year in high school, but she turned it down because she planned to quit the sport at the end of the season). The younger one stuck out one season (quite unhappily), and now it is hard to coax her out to ski for fun. She is finally venturing out again, but it took a couple of years. So an opportunity to try a few sessions without a full season committment also might be a good idea.

I think there is a very good point being made about the difference between engaging in a sport and competing in a sport. I can't imagine telling a child (or teenager) they had to compete - I could see how that might take all of the fun of it away.

Great points everyone! I could see this ringing true with my son as well. He loves to play soccer; he just doesn't like having to compete against other people. He just likes to get out and play and have fun. He doesn't enjoy the structure of team sports, or the repetition of practice. I'm afraid he'll feel the same way about swim team. I'd be happy with him just swimming in the pool at our local YMCA, at my parents' house, at the lake in our back yard, or in the ocean when we are staying at the beach. I just want him to have the opportunity to do that with other kids. I feel like he is so isolated sometimes being an only child. Maybe this will be the summer he learns to surf (he gets better every summer), and once he's hooked on surfing, we'll never have to worry about him getting enough exercise again!