Getting picked last for teams at school?

Question

I was usually picked last *sniff*. Hated PE.

I don't think it's right though. PE is supposed to be teaching teamwork, and working in teams doesn't necessarily mean you get to work with who you want to. It also has the psychological effect.

Also academic subjects (btw PE isn't) don't have these ridiculous teams where the cleverest are picked first ... if there were any I would've rocked!

My question is two-fold.
1) Were you picked last?
2) Do you agree with this aspect of teaching?

Proverbs and others giving me advice:
I'm 24 now. I appreciate your concern but Proverbs spotted the correct situation; I'm asking for opinions, not advice.

Thanks anyway.

PE is supposed to be about teamwork, but I had trouble distinguishing it from an extended breaktime o_0 since the teaching was so bad (and this was at a private school). As those of you in jobs know, teamwork is highly valued by employers and I don't see how picking helps us in anyway. I volunteer for charity and at times I'm lumped with a stranger, which is a good thing.

Answer 1

1. Always (I was always picked 1st for any type of Trivia team though.)
2. I agree. I hated PE and sports for years because of bad experiences with PE. Getting picked last all the time is really hard on someone's self esteem. They should either assign teams or do different types of activities. It would be nice if schools actually valued the smart kids and not just the jocks.

Answer 2

I actually lucked out because there were a few others that were worse than me, I guess I was the best out of the worst. Of course there was the odd day I was picked last.

Yes, because that's just the way it has always been, don't forget it probably increases te good players confindence in being picked first, and they need it as they probably play sport outside of PE. At my school they did also give you numbers depending on where you were in the line so that was fair, and I liked it when they mixed it up and let the players picked last, be captains.

Remember, at GCSE they split up the groups into the good ones, and the bad ones. Might seem insulting at first, but then when all the best players are taken away, and all the average and low level players are left, you get a better chance to play and I certainly enjoyed PE a lot more.

If the old cliche' is true, you will go on to be a rich success, and they will work the sports shop in your home town.

Good luck mate, I hope you start to enjoy PE soon.

Answer 3

How old are you now? Your question appears to be past tense. In PE teams are generally picked in a way that the best players get chosen first and the least effective players last. I'll be honest that's the way almost EVERYTHING in life is. For the life of me I can't understand why it wasn't done that way in, say, Chem Lab or Biology Lab. I guess because in a game where time is of the essence the bigger the lead a team can get on the opponents the better the chance of winning. In a lab setting the correct answer is the goal, thus being first is generally not the goal. I do have simpathy for you. However, in the game called life you are actually better qualified to do battle if you are smarter in school than those who were chosen first in football.

Answer 4

I was always picked last. Or nearly last (usually before the fat kids!)

I guess when I was very little maybe I felt left out but as far back as I can remember clearly I wasnt bothered 2bh, I didnt really want to be on a team at all cuz I hated sports and I got no competitive spirit at all. Then when I was about 13/14 I stopped going to PE classes at all and just didnt show up. Got in trouble sometimes but usually hardly noticed.

Answer 5

I don't go to public schools. But whenever I play sports with friends or whoever, I'm usually one of the first few to get picked. I've rarely ever been one of the last people to get picked, and that was when I was younger and less athletic.

I don't really agree with that aspect of teaching.
Even though I was rarely ever the last to be picked, I still felt like it was wrong to pick and choose, only to leave the less athletic feeling worthless. But then I'm reminded that certain people are good at certain things. Most of the kids who were picked last in sports were picked first when it came to getting a job. So you win some, you lose some.

Answer 6

well...... despite the Adhd LOL.... i was usually picked first! i was pretty decent at physcial activities SO, even though i'm a girl..... i very rarely got picked last.

There was a few times, in PE when i was in grade school, i got picked last, or just about. Because there were mostly boys in my class. So all the girls were picked last! But yeah, a few times it was only me and the nerdy kid with all the allergies! ROFL and HE was picked before me! WTF! So, yeah, it kinda sucked. BUT i'd just forget about the fact that it sucked, get my game on and outshine even some of the boys.
after a few times of this..... i was never picked last again.
(as i got older though, i was still somewhat athletic, so i was rarely picked last. it was pretty much standard i'd give 110% despite the game or challenge!)

Example: In grade school: I once beat three boys in a rope climbing contest ..... run to the rope, climb all the way to the top, grab the flag, and back down the rope and run back to the line. *grins* yes, i ran and climbed my little heart out. After that, i was the FIRST girl that was picked, AND even picked before some of the boys!

I do not shrink from a physical challenge, even when i know my limitations! ROFL.

as for the style of teaching... well, i think depending on your mentatlity, it will push you to suceed, and be at the top of your game; AS well as, teach others not to judge by appearances!
I don't think it's a bad style at all. Though it does kind of suck when you're always picked last. But in that case, work harder!
♥♥♥

ROFL... i'm an 'old lady' now...but......Rock on!

Answer 7

This is some classic, age-old stuff! I was subjected to this type of grammar school cruelty. It happened long enough to set the stage for my future opinions regarding sports and coaches. I had coaches who closed a blind eye to bully behavior out on the field all the time. (by the way, I'm a grandpa now) To this day I avoid sports and I can't stand those who cheat to get ahead in the games! This includes steroid users. These are character's who deny ever using the stuff after building enough muscles in a couple seasons, to end up looking like that fictitious character from Marvel Magazine "The Hulk" I hope you haven't been the victim of this type of non-sportsman like behavior. Best Regards!

Answer 8

I was picked last and I don't agree with this aspect of teaching- it was really humiliating. I also don't agree with putting desks into twos so that you poor person in the class (usually me) who didn't have a best friend had to sit by myself (again really humiliating) and PE was always something I dreaded because I never had a partner so I always had to form a threesome with another partner (again very humiliating experience) classes should never be an odd number as there will always be that odd one out.

Answer 9

I wasn't picked last, but certainly not first.

No, I think it's wrong for teachers to promote this idea. That's why I thought dodge ball was fun...EXCEPT that the bullies would always single out the shyest, mousiest girl and go out of their way to hurt her. I mean HURT her. That's just crap. I hate that they've taken away things like dodge ball, and tag and anything even remotely dangerous because kids NEED to play like that, but it doesn't promote that sense of teamwork when the teacher doesn't put an immediate halt to the bullying behaviour, or to the constant degredation of kids who may not BE the quarterback or cheerleader.

Answer 10

I have a disability so was picked nearly always last, however to balance things up what our school did the teacher always let the best 5 or 6 seprate tyhem to make it fair (or anybody who played for the school) there were some people who always use to skip P.E