Anonymous wrote:When and where did picking teams happen? I grew up in the Midwest in the 80s and 90s and never experienced this.

NYC in the 90s.

I was solidly middle of the pack. I HATED most team sports and didn't play on any of the teams the "athletes" did, but I did go to Jr Olympics for swimming. I played to the extent of my ability and interest but could never are much beyond that base level. It's been the same throughout life; just can't care.

I have a physical disability and grew up in a town of about 350. Picked last for everything, sports or not.

Well, it happened on the East Coast in the 80s. And in middle school gym class, they taught us styles of dance like cha cha, waltz, and we had to pick partners! It was an epic mess of anxiety and hurt feelings.

I was an 80s girl who was picked last for sports. I also grew up athletic. Never really great at team sports, but great at track/cross country. I was uncoordinated and anxious as a child. Now as a grownup, I find myself fairly well coordinated, with quick physical response times, which is opposite of how I felt about myself as a kid.

AND HERE IS THE THING: I was emotionally and physically abused. I eventually read that abuse can literally make children clumsy, it's a disconnect between halves of the brain. It's of course intuitive that abuse makes children have anxiety. So anxious plus clumsy, despite inherent athletic gifts, and then compound this with social shame of getting picked last. Abuse is gift that keeps on giving! Thanks mom and dad, for the genes, I guess!

I am now mom to a super confident, athletically gifted child.

When and where did picking teams happen? I grew up in the Midwest in the 80s and 90s and never experienced this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never. I was the girl that beat all of the boys in the 600 race during the Presidential Physical fitness test in 6th grade.

I played travel soccer as a girl when travel soccer was a new concept in the late 70s/80s. We were national champions. We used to be made to run until we threw up in practice and it was very competitive and intense...so I was always a top pick in anything athletic.

Where did you grow up? Are you sorry now?

Lol I meant sporty now.

Anonymous wrote:Never. I was the girl that beat all of the boys in the 600 race during the Presidential Physical fitness test in 6th grade.

I played travel soccer as a girl when travel soccer was a new concept in the late 70s/80s. We were national champions. We used to be made to run until we threw up in practice and it was very competitive and intense...so I was always a top pick in anything athletic.

Where did you grow up? Are you sorry now?

I was usually picked last. Not athletic then. Still not athletic now. No interest in organized sports. Collegiate athletics are the worst - detest that whole scene. If there were an alternate universe where team sports didn’t exist, I’d move there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, because everyone hated me. Sometimes they would refuse to pick me and the teacher or coach had to demand they do it, and then often they'd physically block me from playing. Too bad - I'm a natural athlete.

why did everyone hate you?

Pick a reason: I was dressed weird. My hair was weird. I was told social cues by my parents that were wrong, so I was weird socially. I had purposely untreated ADHD. I had a bunch of undiagnosed severe learning disabilities. My mother (who was a substitute teacher so known in the school district) was weird AND mean.

Anonymous wrote:Mine was last selected for group projects. Yeeek

Ugh I hated those group projects with a passion!

Hmm I was taller than most so at each new school I was assumed to be athletic and picked first until they learned better.


Being picked last hasn't stuck with me.

The gym class hero who yelled in my face because I missed the ball has. Quite the gentleman

Mine was last selected for group projects. Yeeek

Anonymous wrote:Never. I was the girl that beat all of the boys in the 600 race during the Presidential Physical fitness test in 6th grade.

I played travel soccer as a girl when travel soccer was a new concept in the late 70s/80s. We were national champions. We used to be made to run until we threw up in practice and it was very competitive and intense...so I was always a top pick in anything athletic.

Thanks for sharing.

Never. I was the girl that beat all of the boys in the 600 race during the Presidential Physical fitness test in 6th grade.

I played travel soccer as a girl when travel soccer was a new concept in the late 70s/80s. We were national champions. We used to be made to run until we threw up in practice and it was very competitive and intense...so I was always a top pick in anything athletic.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Didn’t care then don’t care now as I have never cared about sports.

Same. I was not athletic and overweight. But I had a lot of friends. I was picked close to last because I really was one of the worst players in pe and was not interested in the game. I’m glad they stopped the process in gym glass because it could be humiliating for some.

As an adult, I’m still not into sports or working out but I try to walk for exercise. My kids are athletic. After seeing them, I don’t think it’s something you can force. They are very different than me and enjoy sports.

This thread is more about self confidence and feeling humiliated as a kid than it is about sports. Every kid feels that way at some point. Time to let it go.

Yes. Didn’t care then don’t care now as I have never cared about sports.