Why do kids here in the US spend so much time and effort on sports?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because nobody plays outside anymore.

It’s sick.

Our kids play outdoors and play sports. It’s not that complicated.

[Anonymous]

Competition is an American value.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because nobody plays outside anymore.

It’s sick.

Our kids play outdoors and play sports. It’s not that complicated.[/quote

You're lucky if your kids and their friends aren't too busy to play outside. Most kids these days are

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're doing what you say everyone else is doing but you're confused? Why do you allow your own kids to play sports at that level?

+1 I grew up in the US and my kids have played one rec sport each through elementary school and high school, skipping a few years here and there. Never have our days been consumed by sports. Curious why yours are so over scheduled.

When I was a kid in FCPS in the 90s, you could walk on to some high school sports with very little experience as a freshman. That was a different era. Now for the popular sports, you won’t make the high school team in popular sports without travel/club experience. It’s much more competitive. So the options would be rec up to high school, and then transition into a less popular sport or non sport clubs. For some kids, that would be quite upsetting because they love the sport they are in.

+1

This is especially true if your kids attend Langley, McLean in FCPS or Churchill in MCPS because everyone has $$$ to invest in their kids to be good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of kids on travel teams that just aren't talented and shouldn't play. Their parents continue paying for them to be in travel and it just makes no sense since its a huge time suck. Rec league is a great place for majority of kids, which leaves more time to do other things such as enrichment.

What's the harm if they are having a good time? It actually doesn't suck up that much more than rec.

Seriously? 3 days a week practice and games on Saturday and Sunday in different states is not sucking up a bunch of family time? All for a kid who is good, will never go pro but is "having a good time?" Hah ok.

Not all travel sports have that intense a schedule. For us, it’s generally 3 practices a week and one game, and certainly not always in another state. And it’s not year round - it’s a season. Lastly, a lot of people when they do go to out of state tournaments, are taking their family with them. Just depends - obviously summer tournaments in a beach town will have more whole-family involvement than a fall tournament an hour away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because nobody plays outside anymore.

It’s sick.

Our kids play outdoors and play sports. It’s not that complicated.[/quote

You're lucky if your kids and their friends aren't too busy to play outside. Most kids these days are

My kids play outside regularly (with travel sport teammates, even!).

It’s fine not to be a fan of travel sports, but it’s not as all or nothing as some people seem to think it is. My kids also do music, as do most of their friends. All their choice.

[Anonymous]

Travel sports are for losers is what I gather here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the money maker here. Kids in Northern Europe are much more active-many bike or ski to school, have PE almost daily and enjoy sports after school. They understand that only a few make it to top level. Parents and children are not in lalaland. My ex (American) and DS believed here in US that he could make it. I have no idea who sold it to them.
Back at home government supports many programs. Being active saves money long term in health care and keeping kids out of trouble.
Parents are not milked of their money. The few kids who are really gifted, get sponsored really fast.

I lived in MoCo when they cut middle school sports in public schools. The explosion in club soccer followed pretty soon after.

My middle school in PA still has middle school sports. Kids practice the sport after school 4-5X per week in season. The good athletes play multiple sports in season.

No need to commit for 9 months out of the year like we have here. And a lot of kids are playing/practicing only 3x per week. I would much rather have them play 4-5x per week per season, one sport at a time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Travel sports are for losers is what I gather here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Travel sports are for losers is what I gather here

What gave yiu that idea? Not fir lovers, just insanely time consuming and expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Travel sports are for losers is what I gather here

What gave yiu that idea? Not fir lovers, just insanely time consuming and expensive.

[Anonymous]

I hadn't realized I had so many typos. What makes you think people are saying travel sports are for losers? I don't get the appeal with the time and expense, but I wouldn't say losers.

[Anonymous]

Oh god

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh god

Ok? I literally just said that people who want to do travel sports are too losers. What's the oh God for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh god

Ok? I literally just said that people who want to do travel sports are too losers. What's the oh God for?

No, you are the loser, did your kid not make the cut and you can't afford the fee or something? It's ok, not all kids are athletic, don't project your ego onto your kids and ruin them.