Homeschoolers Not Welcome at Spur MTB League

[Lexx]

oooooh anyone see the latest comment on the fb page?

***runs to find some popcorn****

He sounds like a troll... How can you degrade a homeschooler like that. He's a real @sshole.

[Danger Dassie]

Sad to see how this has denigrated. No good can come of it, yet such a good opportunity presenting itself.

[Paddaman]

Extremely sad, slightly off topic. My son was playing soccer and cricket, and if I must say myself was very talented. He played for Santos when they were still here, thoroughly enjoyed it, and then moved on to Ajax Cape Town juniors, which he also loved. Along the way he started playing cricket, started at primroses which was great, but he wanted more in terms of coaching and games, so we joined him at WPCC, and I will say that was a massive mistake. I should of left him at primroses. WPCC messed him up so bad, he no longer has a love for team sports. 

I find it pathetic that adults get in the way of kids enjoying themselves, extremely shelfish!!!

Well anyway, he decided he is gonna play golf after I introduced him to it. Just a pity that the drought has put a hold on most tournaments this year.

The real challenge of any parent is knowing how and when to strike a balance between supporting your kids sport and getting too involved.

 

I try to NOT coach or serve on a committee of any sport where my children are active.  I have experienced too many  cases where parents involvement in sport is driven by the love of their child and not due to the love of the sport.  I have seen team selections skewed to include "parent" choices,  I have seen development plans sabotaged to "protect" upcoming stars, I have seen resources misdirected in the name of specialist training. ext.  I have seen better people than me being tempted to "assist" their darlings.   As a result I will always recuse myself when my child's selection interests are being weighed up.  (If I have a serous problem with selection I as a parent have the formal appeals process to fall back on)

 

As a parent I will mom's taxi my sons to sport events, scout events and music competitions.  I will support then when they lose and praise them when the win.  I will read the rules and assist them to understand  them and  how to use the rules and selection criteria to their advantage.  I will help them plan their training.  I will encourage and cajoul them to practice and train.  I will lavish them with equipment.     I will support any coach or tutor they have (Iam paying for this specialist skill set after all).  However, at the start line when the gun goes, they are on their own until they cross the finish line.  They race is theirs.

[Hairy]

Now a bunch of dis-organised mom's and dad's representing just their own Little Johnny interests are demanding to be allowed on board.  They are not bringing an established sport organisation/infrastructure, they do not have a sustainable sports programme and they cannot be encouraged to include a "representativity" element (which is standard in most schools these days).  So what are they actually bringing to the party?  Just little Johny....

 

wow .... just wow.

[PygaSchmyga]

He sounds like a troll... How can you degrade a homeschooler like that. He's a real @sshole.

no question that fellow's comments are incendiary, but hell man, did you see how many home schoolers are baying for Spur blood?  Its equally outrageous.

[PygaSchmyga]

wow .... just wow.

what's wrong with that?  Why are statement's of facts these days so hard to deal?

[dave303e]

How does homeschooling work? Where do you play rugby, cricket, athletics etc?

 

A lot play sports for smaller private schools, bit of a win win, the schools get extra numbers for sports and the Homeschool kids get some sports and interaction.

[GaryvdM]

no question that fellow's comments are incendiary, but hell man, did you see how many home schoolers are baying for Spur blood?  Its equally outrageous.

 

I have to agree. My brother kids are home schooled. And up until today I have had a neutral opinion of home schooling. But reading the comments and reviews on the Leages's Facebook page, I've come to learn the home school community is a whiny bunch.

[Hairy]

what's wrong with that?  Why are statement's of facts these days so hard to deal?

I know of HS parents locally in CT who are certainly not fitting in that description, and the only reason they were home schooling was because of financial issues.

 

what's wrong with that?  Why are statement's of facts these days so hard to deal?

the tone of that post was really so K@K@ that my response was WOW, just WOW....

 

all I see between the lines of the posts I have read, and I have not read all, is that the only losers here are the kids.

 

let the kids race, let them grow their skills in a competitive environment and as per my previous post, pass on the points to the kids in "real schools" if it is so important.

 

what's with all the hate on home schoolers?

 

do they also state that private schools may not enter as these school will mostly have more income that will allow them to buy better coaches and the parents will more than likely have more income and thereby have more disposable than a basic government school...and with this income they can afford better nutrition, equipment and whatever!

 

I have gone to watch some Spur racing locally ... and all the kids want to do is race, just let them do this.

[DC-Diesel]

I think you're confusing the word "sponsor" with the word "team". 

Not at all, Myles.

In my example of Ferrari, the team is named after the sponsor. However, there is a long and muddied history. We’ll leave that for another day.

The point I’m trying to make is that “inclusive” participation for “children” would be in the interests of the sponsor. Although there are teams, the nature of the sport is that it is an individual event, participated by individuals.

Another poster mentioned the merits of a point system for the teams, and another for the riders. I would agree that, as a solution, it would be stellar and the schools would benefit from their representation, and individuals will be allowed to grow and shine, regardless of the team they represent.

[coppi]

I have to agree. My brother kids are home schooled. And up until today I have had a neutral opinion of home schooling. But reading the comments and reviews on the Leages's Facebook page, I've come to learn the home school community is a whiny bunch.

Howzit Gary, good to see you on the bikehub again ( from a cresta-wheeler )

Exactly, otherwise they would send their kids to normal school like everybody else !

[Jewbacca]

A good friend of mine's kids are home schooled because their mom has stage 4 cancer and is dying, so she wants to spend productive time with her kids teaching them manners, morals, her outlook and allowing them to spend enough time with her to remember her and feel as though she played a worthwhile part in their lives while they are young.

 

A lot of other kids are in similar situations.

 

Gauteng are the only province that doesn't allow these kids to race, so the other organisers have made provision.

 

I really don't agree with all the Spur bashing, but I do see a great opportunity for the interested parties to sit down and solve this as adults.

 

Had the Gauteng league said 'Shaun, if you guys put a home school team together we can treat them like we do a smaller school in the league. These are the stipulations...' to which Shaun can then say, 'Thanks guys, I will go away and chat to some people to sort this out'... 

 

Instead there is just a door, which is shut. 1 door, in 1 province. With no wiggle room.

 

I really can't understand how people can justify that AND get aggressive about it.

 

We should be opening doors to these kids. Keira Duncan is home schooled so he can nurture his talent and BOY does he have talent. Nurturing that talent and a love for the sport should come up trumps here.

[Swim.Bike.Run]

How does homeschooling work? Where do you play rugby, cricket, athletics etc?

Clubs mostly.  The club scene is expanding rapidly with schoolkids also using clubs to extend the season of their chosen sport(s)

[Paddaman]

Interestingly enough in Gauteng there are a number of CSA affiliated cycling unions that host XCO leagues totally independently of the Spur High School league.  Furthermore they accommodate:

 

under 1 (Nippers)

11&12 years (Sprogs)

Sub Juniors (13&14)

Youth (15 and 16)

Juniors

ext ext

 

As an added bonus, if you race and place in this league you get individual provincial colours (wow- awesome)

 

Also Nissan trail seeker has a league running as well which also has a shorter distance for high school aged kids.

 

So why is it that people want to participate in a league that was not designed, developed or presented for them?  Especially when there are CSA sanctioned leagues which will reward you with provincial colours if you win as an individual?

[Jewbacca]

Interestingly enough in Gauteng there are a number of CSA affiliated cycling unions that host XCO leagues totally independently of the Spur High School league.  Furthermore they accommodate:

 

under 1 (Nippers)

11&12 years (Sprogs)

Sub Juniors (13&14)

Youth (15 and 16)

Juniors

ext ext

 

As an added bonus, if you race and place in this league you get individual provincial colours (wow- awesome)

 

Also Nissan trail seeker has a league running as well which also has a shorter distance for high school aged kids.

 

So why is it that people want to participate in a league that was not designed, developed or presented for them?  Especially when there are CSA sanctioned leagues which will reward you with provincial colours if you win as an individual?

This has been covered.

 

I'm out. You guys are disgraceful

[PygaSchmyga]

I know of HS parents locally in CT who are certainly not fitting in that description, and the only reason they were home schooling was because of financial issues.

 

the tone of that post was really so K@K@ that my response was WOW, just WOW....

 

all I see between the lines of the posts I have read, and I have not read all, is that the only losers here are the kids.

 

let the kids race, let them grow their skills in a competitive environment and as per my previous post, pass on the points to the kids in "real schools" if it is so important.

 

what's with all the hate on home schoolers?

 

do they also state that private schools may not enter as these school will mostly have more income that will allow them to buy better coaches and the parents will more than likely have more income and thereby have more disposable than a basic government school...and with this income they can afford better nutrition, equipment and whatever!

 

I have gone to watch some Spur racing locally ... and all the kids want to do is race, just let them do this.

I don't think there has been any hating on HS.  People have pointed out why home schooling does not fit into the Spur structure, and sure, there have been a few good natured prods, but hating?  I am not sure.

 

What I have seen, however, is a very aggressively defensive position from those on the home schooling side.  Maybe they get gears about the whole thing, but hubbers have actually been pretty decent. 

 

But I'm sorry, if you find yourself in an alternative lifestyle group, and yes, some have the choice thrust upon them, why SHOULD you get to demand the same benefits that the mainstream majority get?  I doubt people are being intentionally targeted - it is the home-schoolers who are making it hard on themselves