Mindset of Travel Sport Parents

[Anonymous]

My kid is going pro and will make millions to support my extravagant lifestyle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It probably goes without saying that at least 40% of the parents responding to this post fall into the category of this sports study.

https://footballscoop.com/news/study-nearly-40-young-athletes-dont-want-parents-games

I disagree. The majority of posters on here say they sign their kids up for a travel sport with no expectation that the kids will even play in college, let alone go pro. Reasons cited: friendship, work ethic, character building, competition (local sports market not enough), love of the sport. Especially those of us who've played a college sport - we know what it took to get and stay there and recognize that for most, it's not worth the sacrifice, but if your kids love their sport and are driven, you support them within your means. We've had teammates whose parents are like the ones cited in the article, but they are typically not self-aware and not as educated as the people posting here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the mindset of parents who sign their pre-teens up for intense travel sports? Are they trying to keep up with the Jones'? Hoping their kid will get a baseball scholarship? Hoping their kid will be the next David Beckham? I just don't understand the appeal of an entire family sacrificing all of their weekend and weeknight time to these leagues. Patrice's multiple night s a week sometimes an hour away from home, tournaments lasting all weekend long four hours away, how do so many parents get sucked in?

Without reading any posts after this one and getting sucked into flame wars, OP I will say that the main reason people do this is because they really truly believe their kid has a shot at becoming a pro athlete or an Olympian. At least that has been my experience with friends and my kids' friends. I don't think people do it to keep up with the Joneses because most of the Joneses don't do travel sports. I agree that for 99% of families it's not a good investment of their time or money, but some people don't put a price on dreams or their kids' happiness. It's not my business.

Your friends are not typical. Most absolutely are keeping up with the Joneses so their kid has some social capital and so they have a shot at making a HS team. Most do not believe their kid will go pro or be an Olympian.

My current friends who do travel sports and intense private coaching are probably not typical. Some even homeschool to put sports first. I admire their dedication and their optimism, but I think it's a gamble, and with my own kids I don't put all my eggs in the sports basket.

I don't really associate with a lot of keeping up with the Joneses type people any more. I found they add nothing to my life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the mindset of parents who sign their pre-teens up for intense travel sports? Are they trying to keep up with the Jones'? Hoping their kid will get a baseball scholarship? Hoping their kid will be the next David Beckham? I just don't understand the appeal of an entire family sacrificing all of their weekend and weeknight time to these leagues. Patrice's multiple night s a week sometimes an hour away from home, tournaments lasting all weekend long four hours away, how do so many parents get sucked in?

Without reading any posts after this one and getting sucked into flame wars, OP I will say that the main reason people do this is because they really truly believe their kid has a shot at becoming a pro athlete or an Olympian. At least that has been my experience with friends and my kids' friends. I don't think people do it to keep up with the Joneses because most of the Joneses don't do travel sports. I agree that for 99% of families it's not a good investment of their time or money, but some people don't put a price on dreams or their kids' happiness. It's not my business.

Your friends are not typical. Most absolutely are keeping up with the Joneses so their kid has some social capital and so they have a shot at making a HS team. Most do not believe their kid will go pro or be an Olympian.

My current friends who do travel sports and intense private coaching are probably not typical. Some even homeschool to put sports first. I admire their dedication and their optimism, but I think it's a gamble, and with my own kids I don't put all my eggs in the sports basket.

I don't really associate with a lot of keeping up with the Joneses type people any more. I found they add nothing to my life.

My friend's daughter did online middle and high school while figure skating competitively. Although she didn't make it to the Olympics, she was nationally competitive and did some collegiate skating. She still got into her first-choice college and is now applying for an advanced degree. I don't think she negatively views the years she trained and did online school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not OP, but wouldn't it be better for the future of the country if instead of encouraging your kids to compete and use all of their energy for something that is highly probable to be nothing more than a hobby in their lives, you have them learn to be aggressive and competitive academics and voracious readers? Just saying, studying is a learned skill. A PP asked how we use our weekends if not travel sports...um, our kid in elementary school is learning a second language, going to museums, reading...things that will make a difference to them and to our country.

This refrain is really weird to me too. I've seen on other threads people put their kids on a heavy year round sports schedule because they don't want their kids to play video games, or smoke pot, or whatever vice they are afraid of. There are many other things kids can do that cost less and don't put them at risk of serious injuries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the mindset of parents who sign their pre-teens up for intense travel sports? Are they trying to keep up with the Jones'? Hoping their kid will get a baseball scholarship? Hoping their kid will be the next David Beckham? I just don't understand the appeal of an entire family sacrificing all of their weekend and weeknight time to these leagues. Patrice's multiple night s a week sometimes an hour away from home, tournaments lasting all weekend long four hours away, how do so many parents get sucked in?

Without reading any posts after this one and getting sucked into flame wars, OP I will say that the main reason people do this is because they really truly believe their kid has a shot at becoming a pro athlete or an Olympian. At least that has been my experience with friends and my kids' friends. I don't think people do it to keep up with the Joneses because most of the Joneses don't do travel sports. I agree that for 99% of families it's not a good investment of their time or money, but some people don't put a price on dreams or their kids' happiness. It's not my business.

Your friends are not typical. Most absolutely are keeping up with the Joneses so their kid has some social capital and so they have a shot at making a HS team. Most do not believe their kid will go pro or be an Olympian.

My current friends who do travel sports and intense private coaching are probably not typical. Some even homeschool to put sports first. I admire their dedication and their optimism, but I think it's a gamble, and with my own kids I don't put all my eggs in the sports basket.

I don't really associate with a lot of keeping up with the Joneses type people any more. I found they add nothing to my life.

My friend's daughter did online middle and high school while figure skating competitively. Although she didn't make it to the Olympics, she was nationally competitive and did some collegiate skating. She still got into her first-choice college and is now applying for an advanced degree. I don't think she negatively views the years she trained and did online school.

I don't see how you can necessarily come to that conclusion. Andre Agassi absolutely detested his upbringing and the life of a kid that wants to become a pro tennis player.

He detested it so much that he basically forbid his kids (BTW, these are Stephie Graff's kids as well) from pursuing tennis competitively and directed them to true team sports like soccer and baseball. His kid may still play (but may have graduated) for the USC baseball team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It probably goes without saying that at least 40% of the parents responding to this post fall into the category of this sports study.

https://footballscoop.com/news/study-nearly-40-young-athletes-dont-want-parents-games

I disagree. The majority of posters on here say they sign their kids up for a travel sport with no expectation that the kids will even play in college, let alone go pro. Reasons cited: friendship, work ethic, character building, competition (local sports market not enough), love of the sport. Especially those of us who've played a college sport - we know what it took to get and stay there and recognize that for most, it's not worth the sacrifice, but if your kids love their sport and are driven, you support them within your means. We've had teammates whose parents are like the ones cited in the article, but they are typically not self-aware and not as educated as the people posting here.

Considering they needed to engage security at a Landon / STA baseball game...not sure how education or wealth level makes someone immune from becoming a sports parent nut job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It probably goes without saying that at least 40% of the parents responding to this post fall into the category of this sports study.

https://footballscoop.com/news/study-nearly-40-young-athletes-dont-want-parents-games

I disagree. The majority of posters on here say they sign their kids up for a travel sport with no expectation that the kids will even play in college, let alone go pro. Reasons cited: friendship, work ethic, character building, competition (local sports market not enough), love of the sport. Especially those of us who've played a college sport - we know what it took to get and stay there and recognize that for most, it's not worth the sacrifice, but if your kids love their sport and are driven, you support them within your means. We've had teammates whose parents are like the ones cited in the article, but they are typically not self-aware and not as educated as the people posting here.

Considering they needed to engage security at a Landon / STA baseball game...not sure how education or wealth level makes someone immune from becoming a sports parent nut job.

I'm sorry, I thought this was America

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the mindset of parents who sign their pre-teens up for intense travel sports? Are they trying to keep up with the Jones'? Hoping their kid will get a baseball scholarship? Hoping their kid will be the next David Beckham? I just don't understand the appeal of an entire family sacrificing all of their weekend and weeknight time to these leagues. Patrice's multiple night s a week sometimes an hour away from home, tournaments lasting all weekend long four hours away, how do so many parents get sucked in?

Without reading any posts after this one and getting sucked into flame wars, OP I will say that the main reason people do this is because they really truly believe their kid has a shot at becoming a pro athlete or an Olympian. At least that has been my experience with friends and my kids' friends. I don't think people do it to keep up with the Joneses because most of the Joneses don't do travel sports. I agree that for 99% of families it's not a good investment of their time or money, but some people don't put a price on dreams or their kids' happiness. It's not my business.

Your friends are not typical. Most absolutely are keeping up with the Joneses so their kid has some social capital and so they have a shot at making a HS team. Most do not believe their kid will go pro or be an Olympian.

My current friends who do travel sports and intense private coaching are probably not typical. Some even homeschool to put sports first. I admire their dedication and their optimism, but I think it's a gamble, and with my own kids I don't put all my eggs in the sports basket.

I don't really associate with a lot of keeping up with the Joneses type people any more. I found they add nothing to my life.

My friend's daughter did online middle and high school while figure skating competitively. Although she didn't make it to the Olympics, she was nationally competitive and did some collegiate skating. She still got into her first-choice college and is now applying for an advanced degree. I don't think she negatively views the years she trained and did online school.

I don't see how you can necessarily come to that conclusion. Andre Agassi absolutely detested his upbringing and the life of a kid that wants to become a pro tennis player.

He detested it so much that he basically forbid his kids (BTW, these are Stephie Graff's kids as well) from pursuing tennis competitively and directed them to true team sports like soccer and baseball. His kid may still play (but may have graduated) for the USC baseball team.

I'm just speculating, but the fact that she still shows up for a freestyle on summer breaks, teaches a bit and occasionally competes in college suggests she still loves the sport even though she's no longer trying to qualify for national/international competitions. I concede that there are probably more Andre Agassi stories than stories like my friend's daughter. Unlike Andre Agessi's parents, my friend and her husband were level-headed parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP, but wouldn't it be better for the future of the country if instead of encouraging your kids to compete and use all of their energy for something that is highly probable to be nothing more than a hobby in their lives, you have them learn to be aggressive and competitive academics and voracious readers? Just saying, studying is a learned skill. A PP asked how we use our weekends if not travel sports...um, our kid in elementary school is learning a second language, going to museums, reading...things that will make a difference to them and to our country.

This refrain is really weird to me too. I've seen on other threads people put their kids on a heavy year round sports schedule because they don't want their kids to play video games, or smoke pot, or whatever vice they are afraid of. There are many other things kids can do that cost less and don't put them at risk of serious injuries.

It's very easy to limit screen time and just because kids have free time does not mean they'll be trouble makers. I hate when ppl give these scenarios as valid reasons to overschedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It probably goes without saying that at least 40% of the parents responding to this post fall into the category of this sports study.

https://footballscoop.com/news/study-nearly-40-young-athletes-dont-want-parents-games

I disagree. The majority of posters on here say they sign their kids up for a travel sport with no expectation that the kids will even play in college, let alone go pro. Reasons cited: friendship, work ethic, character building, competition (local sports market not enough), love of the sport. Especially those of us who've played a college sport - we know what it took to get and stay there and recognize that for most, it's not worth the sacrifice, but if your kids love their sport and are driven, you support them within your means. We've had teammates whose parents are like the ones cited in the article, but they are typically not self-aware and not as educated as the people posting here.

+1

In fact, in my experience, rec dads are WAY worse that travel dads.

Most travel dads get "it." They see enough of the other competition to know where their kid falls. The rec dads are the glory dads that think their kid is amazing bc they have the only kid that can hit it to the outfield grass.

[Anonymous]

H O T T O G O

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It probably goes without saying that at least 40% of the parents responding to this post fall into the category of this sports study.

https://footballscoop.com/news/study-nearly-40-young-athletes-dont-want-parents-games

I disagree. The majority of posters on here say they sign their kids up for a travel sport with no expectation that the kids will even play in college, let alone go pro. Reasons cited: friendship, work ethic, character building, competition (local sports market not enough), love of the sport. Especially those of us who've played a college sport - we know what it took to get and stay there and recognize that for most, it's not worth the sacrifice, but if your kids love their sport and are driven, you support them within your means. We've had teammates whose parents are like the ones cited in the article, but they are typically not self-aware and not as educated as the people posting here.

+1

In fact, in my experience, rec dads are WAY worse that travel dads.

Most travel dads get "it." They see enough of the other competition to know where their kid falls. The rec dads are the glory dads that think their kid is amazing bc they have the only kid that can hit it to the outfield grass.

+2

I agree with this. And the parents who have played a sport at a high level (more knowledgeable), are also more likely to get “it”. My kids play or have played travel sports, and until age 14-15 or so, any talk regarding the future is about making HIGH SCHOOL teams and clubs. Certainly not college or beyond. Things do move/change very quickly after that age 14-15 age point, sure. But with younger kids and young teens, I have very rarely heard anyone seriously talking about their kid playing in college or beyond. Usually the very few parents who do are totally delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It probably goes without saying that at least 40% of the parents responding to this post fall into the category of this sports study.

https://footballscoop.com/news/study-nearly-40-young-athletes-dont-want-parents-games

I disagree. The majority of posters on here say they sign their kids up for a travel sport with no expectation that the kids will even play in college, let alone go pro. Reasons cited: friendship, work ethic, character building, competition (local sports market not enough), love of the sport. Especially those of us who've played a college sport - we know what it took to get and stay there and recognize that for most, it's not worth the sacrifice, but if your kids love their sport and are driven, you support them within your means. We've had teammates whose parents are like the ones cited in the article, but they are typically not self-aware and not as educated as the people posting here.

The article says that 40% of all kids don’t want their parents attending their sporting events…the example of the horrible parents in the article were travel parents.

Not sure why people are saying it’s the rec parents that are terrible…they are everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Yeah WTH travel sports parents are the ones with the pipe dreams. GTFOH