I went to an all girls private school. Talk about sadistic! Those nuns were brutal. Our uniform was actually "bullet-proof poly" unitard shorts. How can ANYONE look good in that? Not to mention sweating like a pig no matter the temp. I HATED PE. I just wasn't good at it.
However, my parents found things that I enjoyed (largely to get us girls out of my mom's hair over summer break!) I took tennis lessons, went to summer camp and became a ribbon winning horsewoman (horsegirl I guess ) I was a ballet student for eight years. People still comment on my flexibilty for my age.
I loved swimming so I was on the neighborhood swim team, diving team and water ballet lessons. I also got to be a certified life guard. I think it's important for kids to learn to get over a fear of water (though I completely understand genetic phobias as heights are not my favorite).
My mom was always afraid of water and I admire her bravery for not passing that along. My brother-in-law is scared of water and has overcome his fear to show my neice not to be afraid. I'm happy in the knowledge that if my five year old neice got pushed into a pool or fell into a body of water, she'd survive. I think that is a life saving issue. Playing a "sport" isn't.
I agree that physical activity is important but in these days when arts programs are being slashed, it infuriates me that football is rarely a casualty of cutbacks. I think they are equally important because kids that thrive in art may not in sports and vice versa. And the ones that benefit from both? What's wrong with that?
Claudia