Why do travel sports parents ignore academics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the kids I know who are high level athletes are also outstanding students.

Same here. It seems the ones most into sports are the ones who must manage their time best. No time to waste on tv or video games, etc

I know this will come as a shock, but kids can have interests other than sports that take time so that the child must learn to manage his or her time wisely. Sports are not the be all and end all. There are other activities in life.

That is what sport parents are saying, why do you care that sports kids have actives that make them plan their time wisely.

Nobody ever posts, why do parents that require piano lessons at a high level ignore academics.

People are bitter about athletes for some reason.

I think the difference is that if you don't like sports, people act as if there is something wrong with you, as if there is some requirement to play sports. People can be healthy and well rounded without team sports. It's ridiculous that it is discussed so much here. There are kids who play sports who are well rounded and there are kids who don't play sports who at also well rounded. There is room for both! In the work world, no one I've encountered ever asked or cared if I played sports in elementary through high school.

The problme is that people who don't play sports felt left out as a child because sports is a way people build friendships.

They felt judged and left out, they were not judged and left out it was just their perception. They were not as good of friends because plying a team sport builds a bond, they confuse that with being left out.

Now as a dulls they judge athletic kids as cliquey.

That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Absolutely ridiculous. These "sports parents" who live vicariously through their kids, talk about how "we" have a game this weekend are so hilariously myopic.

Kids are not sad loners without sports. People "build friendships" through any group activity, including but not limited to theatre, choir, band, orchestra and countless other group activities.

Our kids don't do sports and we have to put limits on the amount of time spent with their friends, because they're constantly being invited to do things and we also want them to also prioritize their schoolwork. I did theatre growing up. We ran in a pack and spent hours socializing outside of school together every week. I'm still in contact with and friends with kids from my theatre group in high school. One of our kids fit in instantly in a brand new school thanks to the community of marching band.

Sports are just one of many options for "building community." Playing sports makes you 0% better or more interesting than anyone else.

Athlete here. This is an excellent point. Your pack is your pack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are all getting athletic scholarships! No - seriously I have coached both soccer and basketball teams and I have noticed this trend for multiple reasons: They think it is the easiest way to get a scholarship, want their child to playba sport in HS and not be nerdy, parents enjoy the entertainment and socializing, the erroneously think their kid needs to play a sport to get into a good college, they ignore academics falling for the line that their is a college for everyone and they like the status. The stories I could tell!

I think it has a lot to do with inability to delay gratification. As in, it's super exciting to watch your kid win some dumb game every other weekend from age 5 to 17 ... or they can study, do some interesting clubs, etc. from age 5 to 17 and get into an unbelievable college. Simpleton parents choose the short-term highs over the long game.

+1. That's exactly what it is. The average parent just sees inflated A and B grades on the report card and does not care or realize their athlete kid is actually testing several years behind smart peers and has developed no study skills or writing ability. 50% of all 12th graders in the U.S. have an A average GPA. It's very rare to see sports-obsessed families brag about Official AP Scores and SAT/ACT score – but they're very quick to spam social media with sports crap and inflated GPAs.

Stop worrying about other peoples’ kids.

+1

And living vicariously. I will speak for myself, since this is anonymous. Kids get into better schools than they would have if they were not an athlete (ie: Division I).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the kids I know who are high level athletes are also outstanding students.

Same here. It seems the ones most into sports are the ones who must manage their time best. No time to waste on tv or video games, etc

I know this will come as a shock, but kids can have interests other than sports that take time so that the child must learn to manage his or her time wisely. Sports are not the be all and end all. There are other activities in life.

That is what sport parents are saying, why do you care that sports kids have actives that make them plan their time wisely.

Nobody ever posts, why do parents that require piano lessons at a high level ignore academics.

People are bitter about athletes for some reason.

Actually if it weren’t for my kids elite sport she would have been miserable in middle school. She had zero friends except through her sports team. It was

I think the difference is that if you don't like sports, people act as if there is something wrong with you, as if there is some requirement to play sports. People can be healthy and well rounded without team sports. It's ridiculous that it is discussed so much here. There are kids who play sports who are well rounded and there are kids who don't play sports who at also well rounded. There is room for both! In the work world, no one I've encountered ever asked or cared if I played sports in elementary through high school.

The problme is that people who don't play sports felt left out as a child because sports is a way people build friendships.

They felt judged and left out, they were not judged and left out it was just their perception. They were not as good of friends because plying a team sport builds a bond, they confuse that with being left out.

Now as a dulls they judge athletic kids as cliquey.

That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Absolutely ridiculous. These "sports parents" who live vicariously through their kids, talk about how "we" have a game this weekend are so hilariously myopic.

Kids are not sad loners without sports. People "build friendships" through any group activity, including but not limited to theatre, choir, band, orchestra and countless other group activities.

Our kids don't do sports and we have to put limits on the amount of time spent with their friends, because they're constantly being invited to do things and we also want them to also prioritize their schoolwork. I did theatre growing up. We ran in a pack and spent hours socializing outside of school together every week. I'm still in contact with and friends with kids from my theatre group in high school. One of our kids fit in instantly in a brand new school thanks to the community of marching band.

Sports are just one of many options for "building community." Playing sports makes you 0% better or more interesting than anyone else.

Strongly disagree. If it weren’t for my kids’ elite sport team she would have been miserable without any friends in middle school. Every day she went to practice or compete we were thankful for that team bc she was excluded from school friend groups.

[Anonymous]

I just don't want my kids to be fat

[Anonymous]

Why are you assuming travel sports parents ignore academics? My kids play travel sports and make excellent grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the kids I know who are high level athletes are also outstanding students.

Same here. It seems the ones most into sports are the ones who must manage their time best. No time to waste on tv or video games, etc

I know this will come as a shock, but kids can have interests other than sports that take time so that the child must learn to manage his or her time wisely. Sports are not the be all and end all. There are other activities in life.

That is what sport parents are saying, why do you care that sports kids have actives that make them plan their time wisely.

Nobody ever posts, why do parents that require piano lessons at a high level ignore academics.

People are bitter about athletes for some reason.

Actually if it weren’t for my kids elite sport she would have been miserable in middle school. She had zero friends except through her sports team. It was

I think the difference is that if you don't like sports, people act as if there is something wrong with you, as if there is some requirement to play sports. People can be healthy and well rounded without team sports. It's ridiculous that it is discussed so much here. There are kids who play sports who are well rounded and there are kids who don't play sports who at also well rounded. There is room for both! In the work world, no one I've encountered ever asked or cared if I played sports in elementary through high school.

The problme is that people who don't play sports felt left out as a child because sports is a way people build friendships.

They felt judged and left out, they were not judged and left out it was just their perception. They were not as good of friends because plying a team sport builds a bond, they confuse that with being left out.

Now as a dulls they judge athletic kids as cliquey.

That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Absolutely ridiculous. These "sports parents" who live vicariously through their kids, talk about how "we" have a game this weekend are so hilariously myopic.

Kids are not sad loners without sports. People "build friendships" through any group activity, including but not limited to theatre, choir, band, orchestra and countless other group activities.

Our kids don't do sports and we have to put limits on the amount of time spent with their friends, because they're constantly being invited to do things and we also want them to also prioritize their schoolwork. I did theatre growing up. We ran in a pack and spent hours socializing outside of school together every week. I'm still in contact with and friends with kids from my theatre group in high school. One of our kids fit in instantly in a brand new school thanks to the community of marching band.

Sports are just one of many options for "building community." Playing sports makes you 0% better or more interesting than anyone else.

Strongly disagree. If it weren’t for my kids’ elite sport team she would have been miserable without any friends in middle school. Every day she went to practice or compete we were thankful for that team bc she was excluded from school friend groups.

Every travel sport parent thinks their kid is on an “elite team.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just don't want my kids to be fat

You don’t need expensive travel sports to be active and healthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you assuming travel sports parents ignore academics? My kids play travel sports and make excellent grades.

Because they think that if soccer Larla says she’s going to a “mediocre” college, it MUST be because larla had terrible test scores in easy classes. Nevermind that I can name dozens of kids who went to small d3 schools because of excellent merit aid, small class sizes, and close-knit community, but DCUM prefers to judge from afar.

[Anonymous]

The premise of this thread is ridiculous. There are plenty of travel athletes that are also outstanding students. My DD has a friend who plays soccer, was a NMSF and went to an Ivy to play - along with 25% of her travel team who also went to Ivy schools. My DS was valedictorian, a National Merit finalist and plays his sport at an Ivy. My DD also played her sport at an Ivy and had the test scores and grades to attend without her sport (though we all know getting in without the athletic commitment was not guaranteed).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you assuming travel sports parents ignore academics? My kids play travel sports and make excellent grades.

Because they think that if soccer Larla says she’s going to a “mediocre” college, it MUST be because larla had terrible test scores in easy classes. Nevermind that I can name dozens of kids who went to small d3 schools because of excellent merit aid, small class sizes, and close-knit community, but DCUM prefers to judge from afar.

Oh yeah, after 12 years of obsessive travel sports, who doesn't dream of the big payoff of playing in front of 6 people at an insolvent podunk college in nobodyville, USA. And those kids always quit after one year. Once they leave their helicopter travel sports parents they get bf/gfs, they party, they don't want to practice anymore and piss away weekends traveling to other podunk colleges for meaningless games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you assuming travel sports parents ignore academics? My kids play travel sports and make excellent grades.

Because they think that if soccer Larla says she’s going to a “mediocre” college, it MUST be because larla had terrible test scores in easy classes. Nevermind that I can name dozens of kids who went to small d3 schools because of excellent merit aid, small class sizes, and close-knit community, but DCUM prefers to judge from afar.

Oh yeah, after 12 years of obsessive travel sports, who doesn't dream of the big payoff of playing in front of 6 people at an insolvent podunk college in nobodyville, USA. And those kids always quit after one year. Once they leave their helicopter travel sports parents they get bf/gfs, they party, they don't want to practice anymore and piss away weekends traveling to other podunk colleges for meaningless games.

Your kid is not the celebrity you think they are. MYOB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the kids I know who are high level athletes are also outstanding students.

Same here. It seems the ones most into sports are the ones who must manage their time best. No time to waste on tv or video games, etc

I know this will come as a shock, but kids can have interests other than sports that take time so that the child must learn to manage his or her time wisely. Sports are not the be all and end all. There are other activities in life.

That is what sport parents are saying, why do you care that sports kids have actives that make them plan their time wisely.

Nobody ever posts, why do parents that require piano lessons at a high level ignore academics.

People are bitter about athletes for some reason.

Actually if it weren’t for my kids elite sport she would have been miserable in middle school. She had zero friends except through her sports team. It was

I think the difference is that if you don't like sports, people act as if there is something wrong with you, as if there is some requirement to play sports. People can be healthy and well rounded without team sports. It's ridiculous that it is discussed so much here. There are kids who play sports who are well rounded and there are kids who don't play sports who at also well rounded. There is room for both! In the work world, no one I've encountered ever asked or cared if I played sports in elementary through high school.

The problme is that people who don't play sports felt left out as a child because sports is a way people build friendships.

They felt judged and left out, they were not judged and left out it was just their perception. They were not as good of friends because plying a team sport builds a bond, they confuse that with being left out.

Now as a dulls they judge athletic kids as cliquey.

That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Absolutely ridiculous. These "sports parents" who live vicariously through their kids, talk about how "we" have a game this weekend are so hilariously myopic.

Kids are not sad loners without sports. People "build friendships" through any group activity, including but not limited to theatre, choir, band, orchestra and countless other group activities.

Our kids don't do sports and we have to put limits on the amount of time spent with their friends, because they're constantly being invited to do things and we also want them to also prioritize their schoolwork. I did theatre growing up. We ran in a pack and spent hours socializing outside of school together every week. I'm still in contact with and friends with kids from my theatre group in high school. One of our kids fit in instantly in a brand new school thanks to the community of marching band.

Sports are just one of many options for "building community." Playing sports makes you 0% better or more interesting than anyone else.

Strongly disagree. If it weren’t for my kids’ elite sport team she would have been miserable without any friends in middle school. Every day she went to practice or compete we were thankful for that team bc she was excluded from school friend groups.

Every travel sport parent thinks their kid is on an “elite team.”

Uh..I can assure you she is.. national and international completion level. But you do you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The premise of this thread is ridiculous. There are plenty of travel athletes that are also outstanding students. My DD has a friend who plays soccer, was a NMSF and went to an Ivy to play - along with 25% of her travel team who also went to Ivy schools. My DS was valedictorian, a National Merit finalist and plays his sport at an Ivy. My DD also played her sport at an Ivy and had the test scores and grades to attend without her sport (though we all know getting in without the athletic commitment was not guaranteed).

Every sap clings to the outliers who go onto play at an Ivy or UVA ... while ignoring the 99% who never play in college or end up at a no name regional D2 or D3 school. And if the sport helps them get into a more prestigious school, you're admitting they're going to be the dumbest on campus. In other words, too dumb to take advantage of the opportunity (read: easiest major, below average GPA, and treated like a dumbbell by their legitimately smart classmates). It's not like just because your dumb athlete gets into Brown they're fit to get into medical school or a shoo in to be recruited by Goldman Sachs IBD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you assuming travel sports parents ignore academics? My kids play travel sports and make excellent grades.

Because they think that if soccer Larla says she’s going to a “mediocre” college, it MUST be because larla had terrible test scores in easy classes. Nevermind that I can name dozens of kids who went to small d3 schools because of excellent merit aid, small class sizes, and close-knit community, but DCUM prefers to judge from afar.

It's because: i) Larla is merely a dime a dozen above average athlete.
ii) had crummy test scores.
iii) her parents were unable to give up their dream and had to have her play "at the next level" even if it's on a no cut college team at a joke college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you assuming travel sports parents ignore academics? My kids play travel sports and make excellent grades.

Because they think that if soccer Larla says she’s going to a “mediocre” college, it MUST be because larla had terrible test scores in easy classes. Nevermind that I can name dozens of kids who went to small d3 schools because of excellent merit aid, small class sizes, and close-knit community, but DCUM prefers to judge from afar.

It's because: i) Larla is merely a dime a dozen above average athlete.
ii) had crummy test scores.
iii) her parents were unable to give up their dream and had to have her play "at the next level" even if it's on a no cut college team at a joke college.

It’s not, but whatever.