Letting the kids pick their own team

[Rotayjay]

Here in Adelaide it's a two-team town, and I've heard some talk of parents letting their children choose whether they support the Crows or Port. To me, after generations of hating the Port Adelaide Footy Club as Sturt supporters, that idea is ludicrous.

Furthermore, I believe people miss out on a lot of precious family memories if they don't barrack for the same side as their parents. You don't really share in the joy of a flag with your father, grandfather, son or grandson.

Do you let your children choose which club they go for, or did you indoctrinate?

 

[Hamingja]

Crows/Port would be weird. If it was Crows/Pies or something, whatever.

I'm glad it wasn't passed down in my family. My grandad was a Saints supporter.

 

[99cents]

My kids don't support the same teams as me. What are you going to do- spend your life being a hard arse?
Many champion players end of bveing two or even three club players, and the elite go into coaching. All clubs are great.
Personally, I support three clubs and have been a member of all three at diffrent times. Let the kid choose- even if it's Essendon or whatever.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Here in Adelaide it's a two-team town, and I've heard some talk of parents letting their children choose whether they support the Crows or Port. To me, after generations of hating the Port Adelaide Footy Club as Sturt supporters, that idea is ludicrous.

Furthermore, I believe people miss out on a lot of precious family memories if they don't barrack for the same side as their parents. You don't really share in the joy of a flag with your father, grandfather, son or grandson.

Do you let your children choose which club they go for, or did you indoctrinate?

I've been steering my 4 year old daughter towards Freo since she was 3 months old. It was working well....
Until she opened an AFL Yowie and it was wearing a West Coast jersey. Now I just pray I can save her soul before it's too late

 

[BigLefty]

It was pretty simple in my house.

You can barrack for Port, but you'll never go to a game.

Go Crows.

 

[kreuze_missile]

Pick another team in my house and you'll also be picking other parents.

 

[Billy ray]

My great grandfather was a SUNS supporter
My grandfather was a SUNS supporter
My dad was a SUNS supporter
Im a SUNS supporter
My kids are SUNS supporters…
And dangnamit my grandkids will be SUNS supporters.

 

[Schauermann]

Have no kids. But over here they would most likely pick some soccer team anyway...

 

[Cursed Cat]

Genuinely surprised to see the way this poll is shaping up.

Personally, no, my kids ain't picking their own team. It's a non-negotiable.

And yet, like a Gen X-wannabe-Boomer, I myself was allowed to choose my own team unmolested as a youngster.

It's been a mixed blessing; it was the 80's, and the rest of my family supported Hawthorn. My Mum, my Sister, my Brother, all got to share in the Bonds of Flags, while I had to wait a good chunk of my life to see one Premiership.

Those familial split allegiances have absolutely caused a great deal of genuine friction throughout my family over the years, and if I wasn't so stubborn my life might have turned out a lot differently (... I have another Sister, too, who took my path and refused to support Hawthorn as a kid; she turned to Melbourne, and had to wait even longer than me for vindication).

But as I am a goddamn hypocrite, I have forced my own kids to pledge allegiance to the Cats. The oldest and the youngest genuinely could not give Shite #1, but the middle kid? She is obsessed, and will well and truly carry the flame forward after I'm gone. And that's what it's all about, isn't it?

 

[radiojake]

I honestly thought this thread was going to be about players only drafted in the past two seasons being able to pick the side's 23 and what that was likely to look like

 

[BallaratBulldog]

My family followed the Saints but I didn’t.

In the end i’m the one who saw a flag.

 

[NetworkNerd]

My wife has drummed Carlton into my 4yo daughter... I tell her look at your 24 yo cousin she hasn't even seen her team in a grand final but nope she likes Carlton.

Despite my wife's best efforts my 2yo son doesn't really care. I'll prob bring him to Hawks games until he decides what to do.

That's why I signed up my kids to AFL membership... So by the time they are 30 they might be gold.

 

[maskmcgee]

I'd be pretty disappointed if they didn't

 

[Outtatym]

I'd be pretty disappointed if they didn't

Disappointed? I'd put them up for adoption.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I saw the title of this thread and thought it was about match committees saying "**** it, we're not naming a side, sort yourselves out". Which, to be fair, might not be a bad strategy for some teams.

 

[Muddiemoose]

Here in Adelaide it's a two-team town, and I've heard some talk of parents letting their children choose whether they support the Crows or Port. To me, after generations of hating the Port Adelaide Footy Club as Sturt supporters, that idea is ludicrous.

Furthermore, I believe people miss out on a lot of precious family memories if they don't barrack for the same side as their parents. You don't really share in the joy of a flag with your father, grandfather, son or grandson.

Do you let your children choose which club they go for, or did you indoctrinate?

I assume your better half is also a crows supporter?
Was that a factor in vetting process of the relationship?
Would you have converted your partner into supporting your club if they didn’t already?

My family was a two team family my dads side all mad Richmond and mums was the doggies
Obviously over time I picked Richmond but I was just curious to your solution if a child had parents who supported two different clubs?

Funnily enough my better half comes from a mad cats family and after we got together she eventually saw the light and became a Richmond fan and now a 10 year paid member for the tigs

It’s something I enjoy bringing up with them any chance I get

 

[Gough]

My parents barely knew what footy was when I first took an interest.

 

[thistimeforsure]

Split right down the middle my extended family the old lady added them up and it’s like 12/14 WC’s way with a few VFL weirdos

I think it’s best , derbies are great fun even though the games are usually shit

That game GAGF belted Brayshaw it was nearly on in the front yard lol


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[iameviljez]

Look, if my hypothetical kids are mad about another side, I will live with it.

But honestly, indoctrination will be full swing because it is such a great family experience. My Nan and Pop were mad Geelong. So is Dad, so was my maternal Grandma. Watching the footy together as a family is fantastic.

 

[Blackhawk42]

My 4 year old son hasn't fully embraced footy yet, but we have been to a Hawks game (against GWS in Canberra this year). He'd had enough by three quarter time so my wife came and got him. He still thinks we won by 28 points that day, which is nice.

Basically the way I've navigated it to this point is to not mention other clubs by name. We're Hawthorn, then there are 'the other teams'.

He starts school next year, so that may be the challenge if he makes friends who are in to other teams.

Hoping that a good season on-field for the Hawks next year gets him interested.

 

[Rotayjay]

I assume your better half is also a crows supporter?
Was that a factor in vetting process of the relationship?
Would you have converted your partner into supporting your club if they didn’t already?

She is, but we would still have gotten together even had she supported Port. Had she been, I may have managed to convert her since her interest in football is very limited.

 

[Rotayjay]

My 4 year old son hasn't fully embraced footy yet, but we have been to a Hawks game (against GWS in Canberra this year). He'd had enough by three quarter time so my wife came and got him. He still thinks we won by 28 points that day, which is nice.

Basically the way I've navigated it to this point is to not mention other clubs by name. We're Hawthorn, then there are 'the other teams'.

He starts school next year, so that may be the challenge if he makes friends who are in to other teams.

Hoping that a good season on-field for the Hawks next year gets him interested.

Show him premiership DVDs/Youtube, sing the Hawks song often and make it unquestionable.

 

[piesaregreat]

But what if your child wanted to support Carlton?
Are exorcisms even legal?

 

[Rotayjay]

Indoctrinate early and strongly enough, and supporting a different club shouldn't even come into the equation. Granted that might be easier in a city that has only two AFL clubs as opposed to Melbourne where kids attend school with all sorts of supporters.

 

[Tiger Snake]

my kids and grandchildren are born Magpies... I failed somehow because none of them are in to footy...