Were you picked first or last for the sports team?

[KotOD]

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I had a Sociology of Sport class that taught us it is better to have even teams than to have one team blow-out the other and drafting (normally) creates the best opportunity to make the most even teams. Basically it is better to be picked last and play in a competitive game than to be shoved on a team and get killed.

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Yeah, I can see this. And I think you're all correct about it being the best way to do it. The thing that really bummed me out was that I went to a school that used sport as a means to grade general excellence, but only those who were naturally talented. If you weren't naturally gifted then you were left behind. I only realised this when I changed schools and had a few great coaches and suddenly I was in the first teams for all the sports that I played.

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There are plenty of American schools with Math teams, business competitions, debate teams, science competitions, mock trials, trivia teams and more. There were so many other ways to excel and be recognized for mental acuity.

When it came time for chem lab partners, you certainly weren't picking a partner based on their athletic skill. When it came time to do math projects, you didn't get picked based on your ability to pass or set. [I was always picked last in math class. People avoided me and the teacher had to find me a partner.] The mock trial team wasn't based on the ability to jump. There are plenty of opportunities to excel, and if you weren't good enough in athletics, it smacks more of jealousy than anything else.

I was a very good student, except I was awful in math. I never got it, I still don't get it. I was basically a 7 subject A student and 1 subject C/D student. When it came time for math class, I didn't weep because I was crappy at math and got picked last.