Do people do club sports in elementary school?

[Anonymous]

I’m interested in some of the replies about “club” sports. In my area most kids do club sports in elementary school in at least one sport if they are sportier kids who play a few sports. Clubs are common for swim, basketball, lax, baseball, soccer and competitive cheer. Most of the tournaments are local and most kids make the team.

[Anonymous]

Uh, you answered your own question -- you know people do club sports in elementary.

Are you asking just about the DC area, do you not live here? Yes elementary kids in the DC area do club sports. This would be easy to discern from just a cursory look at the sports forums on here, where people extensively discuss year-round swim, travel teams, etc.

[Anonymous]

A lot do. I'm not sure if it's "most," but my kid is not super sporty, so we don't know the sporty kids as well.

[Anonymous]

I was going to say not everybody, but then realized I can't think of any sporty 9 year old boys in our neighborhood who don't besides DS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m interested in some of the replies about “club” sports. In my area most kids do club sports in elementary school in at least one sport if they are sportier kids who play a few sports. Clubs are common for swim, basketball, lax, baseball, soccer and competitive cheer. Most of the tournaments are local and most kids make the team.

Yeah, OP, you answered your question. If your kid is sporty and wants to prioritize a sport, lots do a club in ES. The other thread was about a family that couldn't fit a club-sport schedule around a music-related commitment. It sounds like they wanted to prioritize a youth orchestra or something of that nature. Kind of like a club sport for a musical kid. shrug.

[Anonymous]

Is it no longer the case that being a generalist is good for sports up until, I dont know, about 12-13 years old? I'm a fan of having DS try whatever he likes and continue to play on rec teams. But am I setting him up to fail to make a single sport team in 7th grade and high school? Right now he rotates through soccer rec team, basketball clinics, pre-team swim, and he just told me he wants to do spring rec lax and summer golf lessons.

[Anonymous]

At our school in Arlington, some kids do club/travel, but many do not. Some of the “sporty” kids do rec level in multiple sports and play together on the same soccer/football/basketball/baseball teams instead of committing to one intense travel sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uh, you answered your own question -- you know people do club sports in elementary.

Are you asking just about the DC area, do you not live here? Yes elementary kids in the DC area do club sports. This would be easy to discern from just a cursory look at the sports forums on here, where people extensively discuss year-round swim, travel teams, etc.

Many people are commenting saying it’s crazy and ridiculous but it seems to be the norm in my local area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our school in Arlington, some kids do club/travel, but many do not. Some of the “sporty” kids do rec level in multiple sports and play together on the same soccer/football/basketball/baseball teams instead of committing to one intense travel sport.

Does club necessary equal travel? I thought club just meant a higher standard and expectations. Travel could just mean pay to play, like joining travel hockey to be able to play other teams and go to tournaments since there aren't as many local hockey teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it no longer the case that being a generalist is good for sports up until, I dont know, about 12-13 years old? I'm a fan of having DS try whatever he likes and continue to play on rec teams. But am I setting him up to fail to make a single sport team in 7th grade and high school? Right now he rotates through soccer rec team, basketball clinics, pre-team swim, and he just told me he wants to do spring rec lax and summer golf lessons.

We do multiple sports but also one club sport.

We mix between swim team, lax, basketball, football, tennis and water polo. Definitely not specializing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, you answered your own question -- you know people do club sports in elementary.

Are you asking just about the DC area, do you not live here? Yes elementary kids in the DC area do club sports. This would be easy to discern from just a cursory look at the sports forums on here, where people extensively discuss year-round swim, travel teams, etc.

Many people are commenting saying it’s crazy and ridiculous but it seems to be the norm in my local area.

Both things can be true. I think it's ridiculous and wish it weren't the case, but it's also very much the norm. We've opted out for now, but I'm sure the time is coming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school in Arlington, some kids do club/travel, but many do not. Some of the “sporty” kids do rec level in multiple sports and play together on the same soccer/football/basketball/baseball teams instead of committing to one intense travel sport.

Does club necessary equal travel? I thought club just meant a higher standard and expectations. Travel could just mean pay to play, like joining travel hockey to be able to play other teams and go to tournaments since there aren't as many local hockey teams.

It’s usually more expensive than a rec team and does tournaments. Ours is club but travels locally with one out of town event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, you answered your own question -- you know people do club sports in elementary.

Are you asking just about the DC area, do you not live here? Yes elementary kids in the DC area do club sports. This would be easy to discern from just a cursory look at the sports forums on here, where people extensively discuss year-round swim, travel teams, etc.

Many people are commenting saying it’s crazy and ridiculous but it seems to be the norm in my local area.

Both things can be true. I think it's ridiculous and wish it weren't the case, but it's also very much the norm. We've opted out for now, but I'm sure the time is coming.

Yah, I agree I wish it wasn’t a thing mostly due to the expense but it’s hard because the kids want to do it and if they are interested and staying active I tend to allow it.

[Anonymous]

I am in Arlington.

Many kids don't do it in elementary. It's like anything it's a self-selecting bubble. Of course if your kid's friends do it, then they are more likely to do it. If you hang with a crowd that does it, you think it's normal, etc.

Swim and soccer are a bit different because you can do club at a pretty low level and really anyone can sign up. And there is no winter swim that's not club. Some summer teams have a winter program 1x a week but many don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Uh, you answered your own question -- you know people do club sports in elementary.

Are you asking just about the DC area, do you not live here? Yes elementary kids in the DC area do club sports. This would be easy to discern from just a cursory look at the sports forums on here, where people extensively discuss year-round swim, travel teams, etc.

Many people are commenting saying it’s crazy and ridiculous but it seems to be the norm in my local area.

Doesn’t mean that the norm in your area isn’t made up of parents who haven’t got a clue for healthy schedules. 75% of these kids will walk away from sports. True athletes who can play every sport well are rare. Smart parents will work with child on how to choose what they would like to play. Sports that can’t fit in their schedule but the child really enjoys it can be played informally at a gym or with some local kids.

Parents who overdo it in elementary school will regret it.