since my parents are 1st generation immigrants, they didn’t have the money to put me into extracurriculars like sports, painting, etc. and now i’m a freshman in highschool who is completely unathletic (5’0 and 92lbs if that helps), and i don’t really know how to get into a sport or what sport i should get into. i tried doing my research on it, and most people recommended track and cross country. however, i think something that is bothering me the most is that i am scared to make mistakes or place last because of my inabilities.. im not necessarily worried about sports for college but because i need credits to graduate, and i rather take a sport than a wellness class. also, a wellness class will take up another class that i might be interested in. i just dont really know what to do or where to start. i just really wish i could shake off this anxiety ive been having. any advice would help (p.s. my parents have the money to get me coaches and camps and classes, so really anything can help).
Running is a great sport to get into - you can improve against yourself and it is a lifetime sport! Another great sport to try just for long term interest and because it’s a very social sport, is tennis. Both are inexpensive to get involved in. If you can’t join JV tennis at your school, many public tennis courts offer inexpensive lessons.
Does your HS offer badminton as a sport?
Cross country and track are great starter sports. They are usually “no cut” sports at most schools, meaning everyone who is interested makes the team. Cross county, in particular, usually has bigger rosters and will allow you to participate in open or JV races. And it doesn’t matter if you aren’t good as only the top 7 runners matter in the team score. And you will be amazed at how much you improve over the course of a season.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
If your school has it, crew team. Your body type sounds perfect for coxswain.
My small and un-athletic kids did tennis, swimming, or cross country.
One tried track for one season, but it wasn’t the best fit.
They liked cross country because you are really running at your own pace.
The swimmer loved swimming, and the tennis player loved tennis. Both continue to swim and play tennis as adults.
Don’t worry about making mistakes. My kids were usually last on the teams they were on, but they still enjoyed the sports.
My kids did take tennis lessons during the summers…just a two week workshop thing. Is there anything like that near you?
One of my daughters was smaller than you entering high school, she ran xc and track, broke a track record for the 400 x4 senior year. She was also a competitive dancer and was blown away and the kindness, and great support she found from these athletes compared to dance where it was cut throat. The last place runners were assured even more cheers than the first. Three of my other kids played varsity soccer and ran track as well, they loved it. My xc/track athlete ran club in college and now runs half marathons in grad school.
This was my first thought too.
Track has many events you can attempt. Pretty much everyone sucks when starting. The cool thing is as time goes on and you improve you will start to see large gains. Just have fun and yes, mess up. Everyone does. Also try any sport. You never know what your good at till you try. Tennis anyone?
My 6’1” 200 pound varsity goalkeeper was not a fast runner, at all, but had wide shoulders and long arms, he was given a discus to throw. How many high school students have tried a pole or high jump? Great time to try new things.
Watch this brief video and take it to heart.
My son did discus and shot put. Never attempted it. Every year he made large gains. He was thrilled with the improvement each year. Both are not easy things to do either. I remember trying pole vaulting when in high school. I was horrible. Then I tried long jump. I was decent. Then the 220/440 solo and relays. That I was great at and fast (who knew) and I was really good at exchanging the batton.
I lived sorta close to our high school and on the mile practice runs (we ran several miles) I would run home with a friend. Get some cookies and run back to school 
.
unfortunately not
My niece is tall, thin, but not particularly “athletic.” She did club swimming for years. During her sophomore year of high school she was asked to try high jump. At first she was pretty bad, but with some coaching she made progress. Now she’s jumping on a D1 track & field team. She’s still not great, but she’s getting better quickly because she’s working out and eating well for the first time. You never know what might happen.
I hope you give yourself grace and be kind in starting something new. You will learn more about yourself and any sport or activity if you let yourself be new, sometimes, awkward, be out of your comfort zone… Good coaches and teammates hopefully will meet you where you are and support your efforts more than measuring how you excel.
Some people are very stressed and not great with hand eye coordination and do not like the many ball sports that they try. Track, running, crew, golf, swimming, cycling, are great options. There are some teams that relish having fun and playing together. My kids choose the vibe and how supportive the coaches are to the whole experience of learning and bonding as a group.. Good luck and hopefully you will find something you love.
“Unathletic” and inexperienced describes 90%+ of the freshman cross country runners at most high schools. Some of them find they actually are athletic. Others just enjoy the sport and the challenge of working to improve.
Nobody cares where you place if you’re not at the varsity level and there’s a very wide range of skill in the sport. For most outside the top levels, the sport is about personal development, relationships, bus rides, etc., less so competitive results.
If still available, I’d consider turning out for track this spring. If we’re talking about fall options, I’d go spend $100 on decent running shoes, then run 20 minutes comfortably 3-4 times a week. If after a few weeks you don’t hate it, go talk to your school’s cross country coach about turning out in the fall and what to do over the summer to prepare.
Everyone has to start somewhere, not just for a school activity but for heath as well. Many have mentioned track and field and cross-country running. They are great options. Generally no cut as others have mentioned but you will also be surprised at how you progress.
You’ve got this, all you need is willpower.
Here in CA, high schools offer their students, who don’t play on teams to register with their local community college and take PE courses, and receive dual enrollment credit through their local community college.
Does your state offer something similar or maybe you’re located in CA?
The CC class here in CA requires the HS student to use their phone to register walks and runs, performed anywhere, via a phone app, which the CC instructor records in their online grade book. One also has to take weekly online quizzes on the subject of health as well.
Public HS teams can be very competitive here, so many students who want to play a sport aren’t able to because they get cut from the team(s).
If you want to fulfill a requirement it obviously needs to be no-cut.
Cross-country is the first sport you can do age-wise at our private middle school, for very good reasons as explained by others–great fitness sport, and no individual pressure unless and until you are one of the top runners.
The other obvious question is whether there is anything you actually like doing, want to try, or so on. If it is available as a no-cut team, then really they cannot possibly be expecting everyone to be competitive right away. But anything you actually enjoy doing is a good idea because it could continue as a healthy, fun activity for you long after it is actually required.
My 95 pound kid wanted to pole vault…but you have to be over 100 pounds to do that or the pole doesn’t bend.
So…she did discus and shot put which actually were pretty funny! Let’s just say…she never placed!