The differences between Australians and Americans: school sport.  School Sport played on Saturdays versus during the week in America.  How does America approach school sport compared to Australia? An It Started in LA investigation.

School sport in Australia …

Sport is an important part of extra-curricular activities for us as a family—and especially to Australians. Not only does sport give kids an outlet and keeps them active and healthy but it teaches them about teamwork, sportsmanship and—most importantly—winning and losing.

At school in Australia both my son’s school and my daughter’s school were pretty clear about the role of sport at school.

At my son’s school sport is compulsory—you had to choose a sport each term and were expected to attend each game every week. Compulsory. End of story. It’s as important as attending class. If you needed to miss a game you not only need an extraordinary reason but we, as parents, have to make a request in writing to the headmaster.  (If you’re interested in finding out more here’s a link).

When you commit to the school you commit to that way of life.

At my daughter’s school sport also plays a huge role with the only difference between they must play two out of four terms in a sport representing the school. My daughter never opted for two terms and always played four.  (If you’re interested in finding out more here’s another link).

It’s a way of life indoctrinated in our culture. Sport is played on a Saturday with training either before, after and during school—or a combination of the three. And, as much as we bemoan it we actually love it. It’s a great way to get the parents to come together as a sub community. A great match done the right way has a fundraising BBQ with egg and bacon rolls or sausage rolls (that’s sausage in a roll rather than the popular Aussie meal staple the sausage roll), there’s always a coffee van (with proper coffee) and a tuckshop for chips, drinks and lollies (candy).

Families are often known to juggle their schedules and hope that the matches are scheduled so that you can either get to both games or the parents split themselves up to see one game each. I’m addicted to watching my kids play sport so I hoped for the well-spaced out games.

 

School sport in America …

In the US sports is also an important part of life. The importance of club sport seems to be more widely spread especially in LA where Lower School and Middle School sport isn’t deemed as important as High School Sport.

At my kids school sport is encourage as one of four pillars in education. However there are all these rules associated creating an impression that it’s a privilege to play in a team. By that I mean if the academics aren’t up to scratch then you don’t get to play on a team.  (Having said that I haven’t seen–or heard about it–actually enforced).

I can imagine my US counterparts cringing and shaking their heads yelling “you can’t make me bring my kid to school on a Saturday, you can’t tell me to do that, it’s my right to have my weekends off”.

But the sports schedule here in the US is all over the place. Take, for example, my daughter’s tennis games–one game is on a Friday, the next week there’s no game, then there’s one the following Monday, then not until the next Friday, then the following Wednesday.

How on earth can you have regular activities like piano or guitar lessons or even after-school training when your sport isn’t on the same day each week? And how can you do two pick-ups after school if you’re at a game miles away? Then how can parents who actually work see their kids play?

I know … I know we’re all different. And isn’t it great?

So what system do you prefer? Do you prefer the one you were indoctrinated in or can you see the benefit of doing it the “other way”?

 

xx It Started in LA xx