I have at least 5 players who have the talent (and most importantly the money) to play fo GB Juniors. They are aged between 15 and 18. I would like to send them to GB training and they would very much like to attend. There are two main problems. Firstly, the distance they have to travel from Exeter (parents aren't too keen on sending them on their own especially if there are no contact details/firm arrangements in place). Also, the booze culture that sometimes surrounds events like this put parents off.
It's ok for 18 year olds but not so good for 15 year olds, paricularly as I am in a difficult position as their teacher trying to convince the parents to let them go. I did send a couple of kids from my school a few years ago and they came back from the world champs in Germany with tales of drinking etc which sounded great fun, but you can see the position it puts me in as their P.E teacher.
I love teaching Ultimate to kids and we enjoy a great deal of success and produce some excellent players. I would always encourage them to go to GB training and I'm sure they would go if the sessions were regionalised so that they were more accessable for us. Also if the parents were assured that they were being supervised by responsible, contactable, police-checked adults who did not tolerate underage drinking.
In my view, this is the way forward for junior ultimate. Not to think of all juniors as 18 year old adults, but to recognise some of them as children whom we have a responsibilty to look after. A clean, fun, booze free culture that parents and school teachers alike would be happy to encourage and promote.
I would also like to recognise and thank those who do put so much time and effort into youth Ultimate as I beleive that this game is perfect for kids (and adults who still belive they are kids).
Still spreading the word ...a school teachers perspective...
Paul (Airbadgers)
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