Dear Sideliners, sorry, I have not posted much at all lately. Been too busy to even think about sport. But now I have a problem, that only you can solve.
Five loves AFL, more than can be said even in a lengthy blog post. Last year I forked out and signed my son up for Auskick. He was four at the time, and not much good at sport as both his parents are literati couch potato types (his mother’s footy obessions notwithstanding). He liked it, mostly, though less on cold days. The downside was a 45′ drive every Saturday morning and much juggling of weekend family life. The plus side was it gave him was an appreciation for the code, taught him some kicking and catching skills and meant I finally had someone to watch footy with. Also, football at this distant venue was warm and sunny.
Now it’s time to think about signing him up for sport again. The choices are Auskick, at a new venue a bit closer to home, or soccer/football, much closer to home but at a venue that will be cold and misty for much of winter. He said he would like to play closer to home, and that if he doesn’t like soccer he’ll return to footy next year. But I figure he’s going to get soccer at school (which he started this year) and fear that he will forget about my own cherished code. I also think that it’s good to learn hand skills (and, before you ask, rugby league or union are both out of the question).
So, the question for you at Sidelined is, do I force the issue? Or just look wistfully at the game every Saturday and wonder if I’ll ever have someone to play kick to kick with?
And will it be compensation enough to make the P&C invite the Auskick lady to come up and train the kids at school once in a blue moon?
12 responses so far ↓
wrongun // Feb 4, 2007 at 11:40 am
Kids love routine, and if he’s already enjoying Auskick – and it’s warm and sunny – I’d stick to that. This is especially the case if he’s getting soccer at school. Also (wearing ex-PE teacher’s hat here), starting sporting activity of this type young will have the effect of improving his hand-eye-foot coordination out of sight – something that’s very good for kids socially when they go to school. I’m also of the view that AFL does this more effectively than any other code.
Five // Feb 4, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Excellent. That’s a yes … anyone else?
Shaun // Feb 5, 2007 at 8:54 am
I’m not a parent (just over a month to go before I start on that road) but I’ll throw in my 2 cents.
When I was a lad I started off in soccer and hockey before ending up playing league and cricket and it is common for kids (judging from my friends) to try a few different sports before settling down. So I don’t think he’ll end up forgetting AFL and may gravitate to the sport anyway. Especially if you sit him down each weekend to continue his
indoctrinationeducation.I’d let him find his own way. But I’m at least 5-6 years off having to deal with childrens’ sporting choices so I could be asking this very question then.
Five // Feb 5, 2007 at 10:30 pm
I shall preserve this very blog page to taunt you when you are at that juncture Shaun. But seriously, am inclined to agree, and am reassured by the thought he might drift back. Will work on getting the AFL lady up to school – that game works wonders for the naughty high school boys.
Hope the missus is travelling well. The last month is one … of … the …. longest …. months …. of …. your …. life (and when the bub arrives, you will look back on it wistfully).
Can we have a Sidelined Mexican Wave when it’s due, like Zoe’s slow clap only illegal?
Shaun // Feb 6, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Heh. I’m sure I’ll hit this moment in parenting.
Everything is going well and The Beloved is very much over the whole being pregnant thing.
Mexican wave is a cool idea. Watch out for one mid-March. Just don’t tell the coppers.
Club Troppo » Missing Link makes a comeback! // Feb 7, 2007 at 8:20 pm
[...] Xander and Nico are very funny on what happens when you ban something. Said banned thing does not go away quietly. Meanwhile Meredith has discovered the shop where all that stuff you buy at garage sales finishes up. On the humour front, Tim Dunlop gives new meaning to every sheep-shagger joke you’ve ever heard, and ComicStripHero riffs on the non-working-public servant theme. She has her reasons, too! Turning to matters athletic, AFL tragic five needs some sporting advice from other would-be soccer mums, while Born Dancin’ is great on why the 1920s was the Coolest. Decade. EVAH. As a soothing tonic after all the angst it generated, Modia Minotaur offers a heartfelt thanks for BBP2006. [...]
Five // Feb 7, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Well thank you, I am flattered, but one correction – I am so not a would be soccer mum.
More like ‘would rather be anything but a soccer mum’ or, more succinctly, ‘wouldbe AFL mum’.
Though if Anthony LaPaglia was hanging around the club I might think on it.
jo // Feb 7, 2007 at 11:51 pm
Hi Five! Found sidelined via tigtog via LP.
Re your quandary….in a few years you’ll be driving non-stop from one activity to another, with not even a cuppa to keep you going between calls, and then the seasons just blur into each other….
Parents are often the drivers behind their children’s choices in sports and other recreational activities (at least for a few years before the buggers have their own ideas)…so, it’s all up to you and the combination of factors you have already mentioned: the local thang, the friend’s thang, the parental vicarious living thru their kids thang – lastly is whether said sprog wants to or not… but that’s ok – cause they will get you back BIG TIME – so enjoy your years of parental determinism while you can.
Seriously, unless your darling child shows any great skill or great love/interest for any particular activity, it really doesn’t seem to matter what you/they join up to….as long as they doing a sport and having fun at this age.
And you’ll be surprised/dismayed at just how many sports and other activities, kids these days, get to try out or do simultaneously. 3 or 4 boys in my daughter’s AFL Team last year, were playing soccer and AFL on the same day.
We’ll be signing up to either netball or soccer this year after that less than successful AFL season last year. The only girl in the team, and NO nine year old boy kicks a footy to a girl… & most especially if she cant mark or kick…
I’ll be encouraging the girls soccer team, purely cause 8 of her good friends are in the team and that means 8 car pooling opportunities….
Five, in a few years, your son will be telling you exactly what he wants to do, and what he doesn’t want ….and he will have actually put some thought into it– unlike younger kids – who you can pretty easily talk into doing anything. It’s a real milestone when your kids have considered opinions and can provide as many pros and cons as you can…(you still hold both the ace and trump cards until they leave home – so dont worry.)
Anyway, for me, this week it’s been squad swimming, nippers, nipper board training (we live next to the beach – so swimming and nippers are compulsory and it’s only during the summer ) plus choir and jazz ballet…. And the band at school started in Year 4. (Cheap clarinet anyone??)
And we aren’t even trying hard, compared to a lot of families – so before you know it – you’ll be paying for tennis classes and wondering why chess club and robotics are on the same afternoon (both of which you drop after one term.)
Hope this has helped!
Look forward to reading about your obsession. I’ll be at Homebush on 31st March. I would have preferred the re-match a little later in the season myself.
Five // Feb 8, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Helped? Helped?
More like terrified!! I know, there are too many activities for kids to choose from. The only good thing about weekend sport is it’s on the weekend, which makes it much easier on a kindy kid.
31 March is just too hard for me to make – it’s the day my thesis is due in. Anyway, I wanted West Coast to win, and for me the season does not start until my St James Hird runs onto the field (*sob* last season evah *choke*)
jo // Feb 9, 2007 at 9:47 am
five – training is usually midweek and if he’s good at something that can mean more than one training session……& the kids who are really good… then it’s representative district carnivals, then regional, then state, then nationals …..you could buy him a nintendo!
you wanted WC to win! aahhhhh…but I completely agree re: Hird – have always maintained he is the best player I’ve ever seen go around, better than Carey in his heyday – who was the considered the best during the 90’s – due to Hirdy using his brain, and his body in subtle ways, rather than just pure physical strength. That season before his first major foot injury 98?? he was sublime.
jo // Feb 9, 2007 at 9:56 am
ps. good luck with thesis…
and am expecting swans to lose (boo hoo) – they always start the season v. slowly. hope to be proven wrong.
Five // Feb 9, 2007 at 4:33 pm
I HOPE they lose … luckily there is no mid-week training where I live – we are not crowded so we don’t fight for grounds, and it’s too cold in the evenings to contemplate such a thing.