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Do travel teams really need to travel that much?
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Anonymous
| Do they really need t go overseas to play a game of soccer? Spring training in FL? Even this darn going out of state or out of county on a regular basis is silly. This is HS, not the pros. Am I the only parent who sees it this way? |
Anonymous
| are there any non-travel teams available? |
Anonymous
| Non-travel teams are less competitive. |
Anonymous
|
OP,
It's like this for many high-level youth athletics, basketball, lacrosse, swimming, ice hockey as well as soccer. With international tournaments, not every player is expected to go, and it's for more than one game. Spring training in Florida: That's new to me. How can your child's team afford that and get the entire roster to give up spring break? Plus different schools different breaks. As for games in other venues, well half are home so that's four or five away games a season (not counting State Cup). If your child's in high school you've been doing this for awhile. I love it because it means less time for my child to get into trouble. http://www.revolutioninthebleachers.com/ |
Anonymous
|
It depends on your sport, and it depends on the level of your kids game. My son plays travel soccer and we go no further than Winchester. He is not on the first string team. If he were, our tournaments would take us further. As he ages, he can continue to play in a reasonably competitive league within the DC area. If he gets that much better, he will be traveling further. Soooo ---
Yes, there are compromises between recreation and trips to Florida. Your son doesn't have to play on the elite team. |
Anonymous
| my son's in K so pardon the dumb Q - are travel teams for private school/wealthy families only? |
Anonymous
| 21:36 There are students from private and public schools on my middle schooler's team. |
Anonymous
|
Travel soccer tryouts start as early as 8-9 year olds. Travel at that age is generally things like a Stoddert team in DC playing a variety of MSI or AYSO teams.
I personally am not a fan of subjecting kids this young to that kind of athletic competition. I am happy to keep my kids on the "non-competitive" track. I feel that as long as they are enjoying the sport and hanging with their friends, that should be the point. It is not like any of these kids are going pro, and the likelihood of a college scholarship is pretty slim (the time spent in the car and money on gas from such a young age could probably be invested to pay for college). However, having a well rounded child is important so the competition and teamwork lessons are worth the time. |
Anonymous
| 7:00 I think my story is pretty typical for travel soccer players. My child begged to join a travel team at 8. We waited until 9. So, we were not subjecting DC to anything. DC loves the sport and has made friends from all over the area. It widens DC's world -- and DC's parents. We are not looking to DC playing pro. DC may not even play in college. (It's a brutal commitment.) We are supporting DC's passion with no strategy beyond the next season. DC is well rounded. DC has had AMAZING coaches. DC plays pickup soccer whenever DC travels internationally. Yes it's a bear of a commitment but for us it's worth it. |
Anonymous
K parent again - may i ask what intrigued your child to beg for it? did he have friends on a t/t? was s/he bored by the non-travel games? was it his/her coach's recommendation? btw i think it's awesome he plays pickup soccer internationally. best way to making friends and vacation memories. |
Anonymous
|
I am a band parent and we travel a considerable amount. Usually, one out of town event leads to another and we don't complain. Yet, when we are asked about our local participation, we are almost discouraged to not participate. Case in point...this year's Cherry Blossom's Parade....there was only one DCPS group but four school groups represented Alabama. Don't get me wrong I know that for every bus load of out-of-towners can generate revenue for the city. Thus, it only makes the local-groups of DCPS to apply and accept travel for other cities and countries. I was looking at next-year's plan...it ranges from marching down Constitution Avenue to traveling to Scotland. Yes, the band camp trips this year are scheduled for the following states; Lousiana, South Carolina and Florida.
What is considered traveling that much; is it when it interferes with_______________(fill in the blank)? |
Anonymous
how much would the Scotland trip cost be? |
Anonymous
|
Hi 10:12 Two of DC's classmates joined a travel team, the coach also asked DC to try out but we weren't ready to ramp up the commitment. For a number of years DC played both rec and travel until the rec team disbanded. The social benefits are amazing, friends from DC and Montgomery County, at least a dozen schools are represented, private and public.
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Anonymous
| This is so funny. My friends' kids play travel soccer, go to camps, etc. Then some kid from South/Central America, Africa or the Caribbean who grew up kicking a ball in the street runc circles around them. |
Anonymous
| I'm dreading the discussion at my house regarding travel soccer. My husband and my sister both did it. I say no way, unless my husband wants to do 100% of it. My husband still talks about how much fun it was as a kid. Plus his best friend that stayed with it and got a scholarship to college and then went pro Internationally and then in the US. The friend is a rare example and that will have to be my angle in shooting this down. |