Gordon Brown says: “You can’t beat the joy of participating in sport.” Yes you can. For some you can’t beat the joy of appearing in the school play, learning to play the oboe, or getting a kick out of physics. Being a sport also-ran can provide the most miserable school experiences. More empathetic sports teachers will help. But where they will come from when we are cutting training places is an interesting question. It also beggars belief that some of our specialist sports colleges (see page 10) are surviving on facilities that were hip when Twiggy was. But for most, sport you can pursue alone is what’s needed. Ramming traditional team sport down reluctant throats will ensure another generation will drop their tracksuits in the bin when they hang up their school uniforms.