HS Sports requirement good or bad?

[Anonymous]

DS is looking at sports with requirements and schools without. Prep, Landon, St. John's, Sidwell, Potomac, STA. How different does that make the experience? Overall are you happy your school has one or does not have one?

[Anonymous]

Very happy. High school sport are way better vs travel teams. Also this is the last time the majority of kid will ever play team sports in a competitive level.

[Anonymous]

We are deciding between 2 equally rigorous and academically intense schools, and one of the factors we strongly dislike about one of the schools is the sports requirement (including a season of team sports - which appear to require a lot of travel; are parents actually assumed to go get their kids from the competitions all over the region (travel to the school itself is via public transportation)? And on competition days, with the commute, the kid would be out of the house for 12+ hours, much of it spent on something he does not like. Sooo much time spent on sports at this school, more than any other subject by far.) I am very curious what people think - especially for their nonathletic kids (the athletic kids can get the requirement waived if they have a significant outside sport, but my kid who has significant outside interests that are nonathletic would have to quit or drastically curtail that activity. Doesn't seem fair.).

[Anonymous]

We enjoyed sports at the private school. Games were fun to watch and everyone was really supportive, especially of the seniors who ran practices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are deciding between 2 equally rigorous and academically intense schools, and one of the factors we strongly dislike about one of the schools is the sports requirement (including a season of team sports - which appear to require a lot of travel; are parents actually assumed to go get their kids from the competitions all over the region (travel to the school itself is via public transportation)? And on competition days, with the commute, the kid would be out of the house for 12+ hours, much of it spent on something he does not like. Sooo much time spent on sports at this school, more than any other subject by far.) I am very curious what people think - especially for their nonathletic kids (the athletic kids can get the requirement waived if they have a significant outside sport, but my kid who has significant outside interests that are nonathletic would have to quit or drastically curtail that activity. Doesn't seem fair.).

Well, I think it sounds like it should be very clear to you - pick the one w/o the sports requirement! With obesity in this country at an all time high, I personally view this as good but can completely understand why you and your family feel differently. But, for the long term health of your child, you should make sure that they engage routinely in some sort of sport or physical activity regardless of what you decide to do.

[Anonymous]

^There are other factors, so not that easy. Very different schools in many ways. Curious what others have to say, especially about the team sports competition requirement.

[Anonymous]

Pp should definitely pick the one without the sports requirement. If you find it this off putting now, it’ll be worse when you are living it. Kid has a bunch of homework and they are busing from a game to get the metro to go home.

I don’t mind PE requirements or one sport a year - and yes a great outlet. But every - or almost every season in high school seems absurd.

It basically eats up the whole afternoon and leaves time for little else but homework. And people do have other interests they could pursue or maybe they could just hang out a bit. Just a thought.

I coach middle school rec teams and at a certain point it’s pretty clear this isn’t for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^There are other factors, so not that easy. Very different schools in many ways. Curious what others have to say, especially about the team sports competition requirement.

What are we supposed to say about the team sport requirement? Tahr schools requirements are what they are, and if you don’t like them you don’t go there. If there are significant drawbacks to the other school then yes, you have to weigh the two negatives and try to determine what’s worse. But only you can decide that.

I can say that athletic requirements were a significant factor in our decision because my DC hates most team sports and isn’t athletically inclined so even ones DC likes, making a team was unlikely. Fulfilling the team sport requirement by serving as an equipment manager (which was an option at one school) was not appealing.

[Anonymous]

Are they required to do one sport per year? DS is at a school that has a requirement, but it’s only one sport for one year.
In addition, there is an option to join a gym/lifting program instead.

[Anonymous]

When our child joined the new private, the sports requirement became a great avenue to make friends. The school is k-12, and yes, many new kids in 9th (when she started attending), but the team is where she made friends

[Anonymous]

So glad we’re at a school that only requires sports one of the three seasons. It’s a big help, especially since the commute is long.

[Anonymous]

My understanding with GS now is that their heir phys ed requirement may now be met by playing a sport or being in the musical. Great recognition that not all kids are athletes and the time, energy and dedication for high school drama programs

[Anonymous]

OOOPPSSS sorry for the types -- should have been GZ -- My understanding with now with GZ is that their phys ed requirement may now be met by playing a sport or being in the musical. Great recognition that not all kids are athletes and the time, energy and dedication for high school drama programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are deciding between 2 equally rigorous and academically intense schools, and one of the factors we strongly dislike about one of the schools is the sports requirement (including a season of team sports - which appear to require a lot of travel; are parents actually assumed to go get their kids from the competitions all over the region (travel to the school itself is via public transportation)? And on competition days, with the commute, the kid would be out of the house for 12+ hours, much of it spent on something he does not like. Sooo much time spent on sports at this school, more than any other subject by far.) I am very curious what people think - especially for their nonathletic kids (the athletic kids can get the requirement waived if they have a significant outside sport, but my kid who has significant outside interests that are nonathletic would have to quit or drastically curtail that activity. Doesn't seem fair.).

Don't do the sports requirement school PP. It takes up a huge amount of time and even for our child who loves all sorts of sports it is really difficult. This is without any significant commitments outside of school. I can imagine for a child who does not like it it and has other intense activities it would be really stressful and basically ruin the high school experience.

[Anonymous]

When does your child fit in homework with the sports requirement?!