Reducing the academic load to play elite soccer.

[Anonymous]

Most kids aren’t academic superstars anyway. The two kids I’ve known who really excelled in sports and were recruited by division one colleges focused more on their sport than academics. But they also were not going to be in advanced classes even if they had been encouraged to study more.

The first kid was recruited by Stanford to play soccer. He broke his leg freshman year there. He ended up barely making a few assists on the team while at Stanford. He majored in communications and put in bare minimum while he struggled on the field for 4 years. He has done very well by networking and being a very typical soccer bro.

The second kid was recruited by Nebraska to play volleyball. This kid just wasn’t very bright. It didn’t matter if she focused or not. As it was she was being tutored. She squeaked along in classes at Nebraska while doing well on the volleyball court. She graduated with a degree but no skills other than volleyball so she’s spent the last 10 years playing semi pro volleyball around the world and coaching. She is defiantly fumbling in life and has told me she struggles with her identity.

Point is, for both these kids it would not matter if they had focused more on academics. Most kids who are athletically gifted aren’t going to be able to excel in school. But those who can should because even the most gifted athletes I know aren’t that successful. Play your sport. Love it. But don’t make sacrifices for it if you can actually do well in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to cut back on academics go ahead. No one should be surprised that that idea is unpopular on this board. I think that the demographic that has the resources to be playing high end youth sports is the same demographic that values education for the most part. These folks are trying to get their kids on track for college and grad school and professional careers with solid incomes that would enable some financial security. Pulling backs on academics is not going to sell in this demographic.

,

It's not selling in this demographic because nobody posting has a kid in the top 1% of the nation in their sport.

Any kid in a DA program is in the top percent of youth players in the US and are the ones who populate Division 1 schools along with their foreign counterparts. No one here is saying to cut Academics. Only that to play DA, it should be possible to not have to be as extreme academically. Also no one is advocating a professional soccer career. We are talking about how playing DA, and DA only, can actually help kids get in better schools as opposed to carrying a heavy academic load and not playing DA, and DA only. We are ONLY talking about DA here and it’s unique demands on its players. And we are ONLY talking about playing for a Division 1 school, not D2, not D3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Educate your brains people. Why would you skimp on academics for soccer unless you were a professional being paid? That seems really really misguided. Don't do that.

High school is just a way to get to college.

Everybody has different paths.

Some overload APs and some have a talent.

Neither is right or wrong .

Overload with AP’s? What a narrow view. Your kid is in high school to get an education. If they can’t do that while playing a sport they should drop the sport. And yes - getting an education needs to include taking challenging courses otherwise your child will not be successful in college and what is the point of that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to cut back on academics go ahead. No one should be surprised that that idea is unpopular on this board. I think that the demographic that has the resources to be playing high end youth sports is the same demographic that values education for the most part. These folks are trying to get their kids on track for college and grad school and professional careers with solid incomes that would enable some financial security. Pulling backs on academics is not going to sell in this demographic.

,

It's not selling in this demographic because nobody posting has a kid in the top 1% of the nation in their sport.

Any kid in a DA program is in the top percent of youth players in the US and are the ones who populate Division 1 schools along with their foreign counterparts. No one here is saying to cut Academics. Only that to play DA, it should be possible to not have to be as extreme academically. Also no one is advocating a professional soccer career. We are talking about how playing DA, and DA only, can actually help kids get in better schools as opposed to carrying a heavy academic load and not playing DA, and DA only. We are ONLY talking about DA here and it’s unique demands on its players. And we are ONLY talking about playing for a Division 1 school, not D2, not D3.

But what is the point of getting into a top college if your kid can’t successfully complete the classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to cut back on academics go ahead. No one should be surprised that that idea is unpopular on this board. I think that the demographic that has the resources to be playing high end youth sports is the same demographic that values education for the most part. These folks are trying to get their kids on track for college and grad school and professional careers with solid incomes that would enable some financial security. Pulling backs on academics is not going to sell in this demographic.

,

It's not selling in this demographic because nobody posting has a kid in the top 1% of the nation in their sport.

Any kid in a DA program is in the top percent of youth players in the US and are the ones who populate Division 1 schools along with their foreign counterparts. No one here is saying to cut Academics. Only that to play DA, it should be possible to not have to be as extreme academically. Also no one is advocating a professional soccer career. We are talking about how playing DA, and DA only, can actually help kids get in better schools as opposed to carrying a heavy academic load and not playing DA, and DA only. We are ONLY talking about DA here and it’s unique demands on its players. And we are ONLY talking about playing for a Division 1 school, not D2, not D3.

So not carrying a heavy class load or being so extreme academically does not equal cutting athletic in favor of sports?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most kids aren’t academic superstars anyway. The two kids I’ve known who really excelled in sports and were recruited by division one colleges focused more on their sport than academics. But they also were not going to be in advanced classes even if they had been encouraged to study more.

The first kid was recruited by Stanford to play soccer. He broke his leg freshman year there. He ended up barely making a few assists on the team while at Stanford. He majored in communications and put in bare minimum while he struggled on the field for 4 years. He has done very well by networking and being a very typical soccer bro.

The second kid was recruited by Nebraska to play volleyball. This kid just wasn’t very bright. It didn’t matter if she focused or not. As it was she was being tutored. She squeaked along in classes at Nebraska while doing well on the volleyball court. She graduated with a degree but no skills other than volleyball so she’s spent the last 10 years playing semi pro volleyball around the world and coaching. She is defiantly fumbling in life and has told me she struggles with her identity.

Point is, for both these kids it would not matter if they had focused more on academics. Most kids who are athletically gifted aren’t going to be able to excel in school. But those who can should because even the most gifted athletes I know aren’t that successful. Play your sport. Love it. But don’t make sacrifices for it if you can actually do well in school.

Those kids would do better to go to a lower level, easy college where they would fit in.
It’s inappropriate for lower level students to be sent to an ivy college.

One of my friends’ kids was recruited by Yale and Brown for running and her mom said no. Her daughter was an A and B student - but in mostly regular and your typical fake public school honors classes. Her daughter goes to a normal state kind of school and fits in and feels successful in her classes there which is important. She also quit running - it was taking up too much of her time, was too hard on her body and emotionally it just wasn’t that pleasant an experience. She’s just enjoying college and doing well there which is great.

People should not just get ‘stars in their eyes’ and instead think of what is best for their child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Competitive Sports is a great way for younger people to understand how to set goals and achieve them. Working hard for 10 years at a sport has a direct transfer to anything else you want to do in life that requires motivation, commitment, and hard work over a long period of time. Getting out of your comfort zone is something that athletes experience all the time. Sitting in a classroom all its own does not give you that type of life experience.

A quality classroom should be a challenging experience and outside of a students comfort zone at times. Find some better classrooms for your child if you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Met with some DA parents (U17) and several of them noted that they have had to make some "academic sacrifices" for their kids given the elite soccer schedules. "We moved to a different school that was easier" and "we are skipping some AP classes this year" were some comments I heard. I even heard the story of one kid, who is on the national team callup / shortlist has even gone so far as to switch to homeschooling.

Do you think this is common? Are there a lot of DA kids at the tougher academic schools or are there just a few outliers? I've seen DA players get into Harvard / Stanford etc so some are able to balance, but wondering if there are people who have made the choice to dial it back a bit academically so they can purse sporting dreams.

They are getting to these colleges because they are athletes.
Their schedule in college is also modified.
Champion athletes who are in Ivies or any college as a matter of have to train numerous hours a day. Do you actually believe they attend classes and study for exams/do homework just like the rest?

Yes, D1 athletes are going to class, studying for exams, have required study hall time and free tutors.

No amount of tutoring is going to help make up for a lifetime of your child taking fluff classes. It will be too late by that time. You have to emphasize school work early on and have your child develop their own critical thinking and study skills.

[Anonymous]

Listening to a bunch of nerds that never played sports at any level tell people to pull their kids from sports and load them up with AP’s is great. Sports teach their own lessons. Learning to balance academics and athletics will come in handy later in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most kids aren’t academic superstars anyway. The two kids I’ve known who really excelled in sports and were recruited by division one colleges focused more on their sport than academics. But they also were not going to be in advanced classes even if they had been encouraged to study more.

The first kid was recruited by Stanford to play soccer. He broke his leg freshman year there. He ended up barely making a few assists on the team while at Stanford. He majored in communications and put in bare minimum while he struggled on the field for 4 years. He has done very well by networking and being a very typical soccer bro.

The second kid was recruited by Nebraska to play volleyball. This kid just wasn’t very bright. It didn’t matter if she focused or not. As it was she was being tutored. She squeaked along in classes at Nebraska while doing well on the volleyball court. She graduated with a degree but no skills other than volleyball so she’s spent the last 10 years playing semi pro volleyball around the world and coaching. She is defiantly fumbling in life and has told me she struggles with her identity.

Point is, for both these kids it would not matter if they had focused more on academics. Most kids who are athletically gifted aren’t going to be able to excel in school. But those who can should because even the most gifted athletes I know aren’t that successful. Play your sport. Love it. But don’t make sacrifices for it if you can actually do well in school.

Only on DCUM can somebody spin going to Stanford to be a negative thing.

Gurl, you cray cray.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Met with some DA parents (U17) and several of them noted that they have had to make some "academic sacrifices" for their kids given the elite soccer schedules. "We moved to a different school that was easier" and "we are skipping some AP classes this year" were some comments I heard. I even heard the story of one kid, who is on the national team callup / shortlist has even gone so far as to switch to homeschooling.

Do you think this is common? Are there a lot of DA kids at the tougher academic schools or are there just a few outliers? I've seen DA players get into Harvard / Stanford etc so some are able to balance, but wondering if there are people who have made the choice to dial it back a bit academically so they can purse sporting dreams.

They are getting to these colleges because they are athletes.
Their schedule in college is also modified.
Champion athletes who are in Ivies or any college as a matter of have to train numerous hours a day. Do you actually believe they attend classes and study for exams/do homework just like the rest?

Yes, D1 athletes are going to class, studying for exams, have required study hall time and free tutors.

No amount of tutoring is going to help make up for a lifetime of your child taking fluff classes. It will be too late by that time. You have to emphasize school work early on and have your child develop their own critical thinking and study skills.

It's clear you have a chip on your shoulder about athletes. I don't know 1 athlete that is lesser in critical thinking and study skills than a kid that just takes a bunch of APs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Educate your brains people. Why would you skimp on academics for soccer unless you were a professional being paid? That seems really really misguided. Don't do that.

High school is just a way to get to college.

Everybody has different paths.

Some overload APs and some have a talent.

Neither is right or wrong .

Overload with AP’s? What a narrow view. Your kid is in high school to get an education. If they can’t do that while playing a sport they should drop the sport. And yes - getting an education needs to include taking challenging courses otherwise your child will not be successful in college and what is the point of that?

I could give your kid the AP test a year later and they be lucky to pull at 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Met with some DA parents (U17) and several of them noted that they have had to make some "academic sacrifices" for their kids given the elite soccer schedules. "We moved to a different school that was easier" and "we are skipping some AP classes this year" were some comments I heard. I even heard the story of one kid, who is on the national team callup / shortlist has even gone so far as to switch to homeschooling.

Do you think this is common? Are there a lot of DA kids at the tougher academic schools or are there just a few outliers? I've seen DA players get into Harvard / Stanford etc so some are able to balance, but wondering if there are people who have made the choice to dial it back a bit academically so they can purse sporting dreams.

They are getting to these colleges because they are athletes.
Their schedule in college is also modified.
Champion athletes who are in Ivies or any college as a matter of have to train numerous hours a day. Do you actually believe they attend classes and study for exams/do homework just like the rest?

Yes, D1 athletes are going to class, studying for exams, have required study hall time and free tutors.

No amount of tutoring is going to help make up for a lifetime of your child taking fluff classes. It will be too late by that time. You have to emphasize school work early on and have your child develop their own critical thinking and study skills.

To late for what?

Is there a cap on when learning ends? Is there a specific timeline for college?

[Anonymous]

In my extended group, which includes several families with college athletes, the ones who played D1 had to downgrade their HS education to get recruited. They did get into amazing colleges but post-college really struggled, some living at home into their 30s. By downgrade I don't mean taking less APs, but I mean doing homeschooling or going to a HS just for a sport and barely attending classes.

In contrast the D3 athletes didn't downgrade their education in HS though possibly took less time consuming classes (e.g., less APs). Those athletes have done really well: med school, good jobs, etc.

Data points, that's all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my extended group, which includes several families with college athletes, the ones who played D1 had to downgrade their HS education to get recruited. They did get into amazing colleges but post-college really struggled, some living at home into their 30s. By downgrade I don't mean taking less APs, but I mean doing homeschooling or going to a HS just for a sport and barely attending classes.

In contrast the D3 athletes didn't downgrade their education in HS though possibly took less time consuming classes (e.g., less APs). Those athletes have done really well: med school, good jobs, etc.

Data points, that's all.

Anecdotes not data points.