Sussex columnist on why she still loves school sports days

As a competitive type, sports day was always a highlight of the school calendar for me.

And, if I'm being honest, celebrating the sporting achievements of my children and their friends is almost as much fun!

Not to blow my own trumpet (well, maybe just a little bit) but I was always pretty decent at school sports. I often won the running races, played on lots of school sports teams and just generally revelled in the competitive drama of physical pursuits.

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The downside of this is that I perhaps get a bit too involved in my children’s sports days.

Before they go into school on sports days, I’m full of little ‘tips’ to help them realise their full potential – ‘remember to take off your hat so it doesn’t distract you if it falls off’, ‘stick to the inside track for longer races’, ‘eyes forward on your sprints’, ‘maintain a laser focus’...

I’m not sure if I got confused this year and thought I’d ended up in Paris as some kind of Olympics athletics coach, but I just can’t help but take it all quite seriously.

And when the events are on while some parents might clap and cheer politely, I seem to turn into a screaming banshee, calling out my children’s names at the top of my voice to the point I’m hoarse for days afterwards.

There’s just something about hearing the start whistle blow that turns me into a bit of a maniac!

I’m pleased to report that both children came away with first and second place in several races. And, best of all, they seemed to enjoy the whole thing just as much as I always did and still do.

What wasn’t so good was the lack of a parents’ race. Years ago, somewhat embarrassingly, I turned up for my daughter’s first sports day in full sportswear garb, excited to show-off my athletic prowess and hopefully come away with the gold.

I patiently waited through all the children’s activities, looking forward to my moment to shine.

And then, we were being ushered out the school and thanked for coming out to watch.

There was no mention of the parents being required to go head-to-head. No need for me to risk falling flat on my face in front of hundreds of other parents in my desperate quest to be first. Just a polite wave goodbye from the head teacher.

My would-be moment of glory had gone up in smoke. Alas, I have now come to accept each summer that there will be no moment of parent participation.

The running trainers I wore that first year have been replaced by sandals, and I have reluctantly come to accept that my competitive athletics career is probably now over.

But that’s not to say I don’t sit there wishing I could join in with it all.

I’ve often thought that work places should do an annual sports day. How much fun would it all be if we ditched the laptops in favour of bouncing along in a sack race or balancing an egg on a spoon?! I’m so up for it.

Tax cuts, more funding for the NHS, slowing down climate change, a more robust education system and more are all very valid goals for our next government. But bring in a policy to make adult PE a mandatory part of the working day and you’d get me running to the polls to vote for you this week.

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Other than loving all things physical, I also enjoyed being a couch potato at the cinema again this week, this time at The Dome for Inside Out 2 with the family. A real tear-jerker and some important emotional lessons in there for kids.

And to The Connaught for A Quiet Place: Day One (just me and the hubby for this one!). Feel like this franchise is done now. It was just meh for me.

But, as always, both our cinemas were great. We are so lucky with the fantastic and historic cinema provision in this town.