Why do travel sports parents ignore academics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Who. Cares. Seriously. Do you have nothing better to do?

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind that a kid can care about academics and work hard yet still not come close to getting straight As or being an NMSF.

[Anonymous]

There's a direct correlation between women who rise to leadership level in business and participation in sports- I guess that's irrelevant. The people talking about jocks as idiots would probably be surprised to see the test scores and grades that these 'idiots' manage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a direct correlation between women who rise to leadership level in business and participation in sports- I guess that's irrelevant. The people talking about jocks as idiots would probably be surprised to see the test scores and grades that these 'idiots' manage.

PPs think they can guess someone’s test scores somehow

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Who. Cares. Seriously. Do you have nothing better to do?

Poster is bitter their child didn’t get into Ivies bc their child had nothing to make them stand out from the other 1000 of 4.0 GPA and high test scores.

[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.

your kids a loser, eh?

You wish. My kid will own the company that employs your kid. Oh, well. At least he'll/she'll have the glory of high school sports success to remember.

You realize you aren't so different than the PP you are criticizing right? You come across as a parent who still sees her kid as an extension of herself/get validation and sense of self from whatever your kid is doing. You sound as insufferable as (if not more than) the crazy sports parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a direct correlation between women who rise to leadership level in business and participation in sports- I guess that's irrelevant. The people talking about jocks as idiots would probably be surprised to see the test scores and grades that these 'idiots' manage.

This is outdated. Sure, many ex jock boomers and to an extent gen Xers who played sportball at an Ivy or big state U make good money. But how is that applicable to now? All the modern tech zillionaires and tech execs are wicked smart nerds, ideally with polished social skills. Dumb jocks in 2020 are selling cars, insurance and pushing medical devices on doctors. The nerds who control everything actually despise dumb jocks. Find me a young dumb jock in a high-powered position and I'll bet you find a very rich dad or grandpa behind him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a direct correlation between women who rise to leadership level in business and participation in sports- I guess that's irrelevant. The people talking about jocks as idiots would probably be surprised to see the test scores and grades that these 'idiots' manage.

This is outdated. Sure, many ex jock boomers and to an extent gen Xers who played sportball at an Ivy or big state U make good money. But how is that applicable to now? All the modern tech zillionaires and tech execs are wicked smart nerds, ideally with polished social skills. Dumb jocks in 2020 are selling cars, insurance and pushing medical devices on doctors. The nerds who control everything actually despise dumb jocks. Find me a young dumb jock in a high-powered position and I'll bet you find a very rich dad or grandpa behind him.

why do you assume dumb? Do you know what the average SAT score for the girls' lax team at your kids' school is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Brown alumna here and "legitimate smart student" - Brown's football team had separate recruiting visits for banking and Zak Deossie is at GS now. Heath Mayo was a baseball recruit, national merit finalist, and went to Yale Law. Lauren Gibbs won a silver medal at the 2018 winter Olympics. I know plenty of former ice hockey guys who went to med and dental schools and Wall Street is packed with former lacrosse bros. The dumb ones are the celebrities' kids and legacies, not the athletes. These guys were up at 5 AM for practice, so they know determination, hard work, and teamwork and they are so competitive so they always end up with the juicy job offers. Trust me, they are treated very well and are popular on campus, I married one

https://www.businessinsider.com/athletes-on-wall-street-2013-3#tim-fallon-7

[Anonymous]

Do people think that swimmers who have had practice starting before down from ES and then a full day of school and then other activities are really going to have trouble prioritizing and developing study habits?

[Anonymous]

There’s a difference between travel obsessed parents who are riding on their kids’ shot at college level athletics and parents who have their kids join sports. What an odd thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s a difference between travel obsessed parents who are riding on their kids’ shot at college level athletics and parents who have their kids join sports. What an odd thread.

I have kids who do travel sports. I think sports have been great for their confidence and fitness. I think they've also taught them a lot about success and failure on the individual and team levels. They won't be getting scholarships. They love sports they play and are competitive as hell, maybe they will play club level in college. That seems to be the overwhelming majority of kids who do sports- contrary to what some people may think, parents and kids aren't delusional about their prospects, still for some reason their is this perception that all sports have an end goal of a college scholarship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Brown alumna here and "legitimate smart student" - Brown's football team had separate recruiting visits for banking and Zak Deossie is at GS now. Heath Mayo was a baseball recruit, national merit finalist, and went to Yale Law. Lauren Gibbs won a silver medal at the 2018 winter Olympics. I know plenty of former ice hockey guys who went to med and dental schools and Wall Street is packed with former lacrosse bros. The dumb ones are the celebrities' kids and legacies, not the athletes. These guys were up at 5 AM for practice, so they know determination, hard work, and teamwork and they are so competitive so they always end up with the juicy job offers. Trust me, they are treated very well and are popular on campus, I married one

https://www.businessinsider.com/athletes-on-wall-street-2013-3#tim-fallon-7

You did not go to Brown. Overall jock athletes are treated like idiots at every Ivy — there are exceptions, of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I couldn’t read all of the replies but we fit OPs description. We think academics are important but we have always had their evening and weekends filled with sports and not academic enrichment or tutoring. It’s because this is what makes them happy and emotionally balanced. They need the physical activity and social benefits from being on a team. We never cared about scholarships. Neither care about going to medical school and we aren’t pressuring them to only look at the most prestigious universities. Sports make them happy and have given them and my family wonderful memories of childhood.

Yes! This, plus sports teaches you other stuff, perseverance teamwork, and soooo much about yourself and time management etc. I have one very strong student and one not so strong student. My stronger student could have put up higher academic marks and SAT scores if he had done less sports but he’s trilled with his college choice (committed for next Fall); my other student is an better natural athlete, school is harder. We get him a lot of support for academics but we sure as hell aren’t going to take him out of sports, it would be detrimental to his well being.

[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).


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.


Brown alumna here and "legitimate smart student" - Brown's football team had separate recruiting visits for banking and Zak Deossie is at GS now. Heath Mayo was a baseball recruit, national merit finalist, and went to Yale Law. Lauren Gibbs won a silver medal at the 2018 winter Olympics. I know plenty of former ice hockey guys who went to med and dental schools and Wall Street is packed with former lacrosse bros. The dumb ones are the celebrities' kids and legacies, not the athletes. These guys were up at 5 AM for practice, so they know determination, hard work, and teamwork and they are so competitive so they always end up with the juicy job offers. Trust me, they are treated very well and are popular on campus, I married one

The PP who assumes that athletes are the idiots on campus if they used athletics as an admissions hook is the real idiot. There are lots of “legitimately smart” athletes at Ivy and other top schools who are as smart or smarter than their classmates. Some kids are great athletes and great students, and just because they used their sport as an admissions hook does not mean their academic stats are not equivalent to their classmates. I have three kids who have played Ivy sports. They had “real” majors (science, math) and two graduated with jobs at top Wall Street forms, one went to a top 10 law school. They weren’t dumb athletes that got into Ivy schools, they were smart athletes who leveraged their talent to put themselves in the best academic situation, and then they worked hard and took advantage of the opportunities afforded them by a great education. But keep telling yourself that all athletes are dumb because it makes you feel better.