marauders map of sports avoidance

My Illustration Friday entry for 'sport'.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I haven't raised a sweat since compulsory sport at high school, but when I read this weeks theme was "Sport", I immediately thought of ways we tried to avoid it.

Every Wednesday afternoon the entire school turned into a war-zone of sports. Rackets slashing, balls flying, crowds running, ground thumping, people yelling, whistles blowing, dust rising and sweat spraying. For those of us who just wouldn't be seen without black tights and boots, our mission on sport sign-up day was to dash, with at least two friends, to the front of the ping-pong queue; the only sport which didn't involve sweat, sunburn or sneakers.

Occasionally a smart faculty member would cotton on and force us to do tennis or basketball, though most of our efforts went into ways of avoiding it altogether. Usually this was as simple of nicking off through the bush to the clearing by the tracks, to hang out at the log. Sitting on the log may not have been recognised as an official sport, though skill and a keen sense of alertness was required to make it there without being spotted, and also hide from the passing bushwalking club. Much like chess at the Olympics, we liked to think of it as a demonstration sport. Stay tuned for the IOC's announcement's, "log lingering" may make it yet.