Why do travel sports parents ignore academics?

[Anonymous]

The kids were always just as dumb as their parents. Genetics and class. There are some travel sports parents who do place greater emphasis on academics. Again, genetics and class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you assuming travel sports parents ignore academics? My kids play travel sports and make excellent grades.

Because they think that if soccer Larla says she’s going to a “mediocre” college, it MUST be because larla had terrible test scores in easy classes. Nevermind that I can name dozens of kids who went to small d3 schools because of excellent merit aid, small class sizes, and close-knit community, but DCUM prefers to judge from afar.

And, keep in mind that Larla perhaps could have spent her time at piano lessons instead and still ended up at the same mediocre college. Maybe that’s the best fit for her.

[Anonymous]

There are a few parents on DCUM who are deeply resentful that many athletes have enormous drive and discipline. It comes out in weird ways.

[Anonymous]

Is it just sports OP? What about performing arts like dance? Or scouts? Are only academic extracurriculars acceptable? Both my husband and I were nerds. Honestly I wish I had another outlet growing up. We have two kids; one interested in performing arts and another one who is very athletic. I’m not expecting either to become professionals in their areas of interest. But I love that they have made friends, built confidence, learned that hard work pays off, etc.

[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.

I was a competitive soccer player (girl) and finished #8 out of a high school class of 567. I traveled and trained constantly for the sport. I ended up in a STEM field with few women at the time. I attribute the confidence, discipline and drive to soccer and a team sport.

Throughout my life, I have exercised 6 days per week, run marathons, lifted weights, etc. I was never shy in a weight room when there were few women in the free weight section.

I have a very successful 25 year career and still was with my kids every day after school.

The time I spent with my dad in the car to faraway games, tournaments and talking about the sport enhanced our relationship greatly. He was my best friend. I learned so much from him with all of that uninterrupted time to talk. I’m finding the same with my boys...and so does my husband. The conversations in the car are priceless.

[Anonymous]

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a few parents on DCUM who are deeply resentful that many athletes have enormous drive and discipline. It comes out in weird ways.

Nobody is resentful of you living through your mediocre athlete child. We recognize you’re delusional and even if your kid plays in college, 99% chance it’s a crappy college and they quit after freshman year. THAT’S almost alwaya how this ends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a few parents on DCUM who are deeply resentful that many athletes have enormous drive and discipline. It comes out in weird ways.

THis. The hate about sports in college is weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The time I spent with my dad in the car to faraway games, tournaments and talking about the sport enhanced our relationship greatly. He was my best friend. I learned so much from him with all of that uninterrupted time to talk. I’m finding the same with my boys...and so does my husband. The conversations in the car are priceless.

the long drives are great for conversation- I'm starting audible with my dd too. The hour each way was something we dreaded going in, but it ends up being priceless

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a few parents on DCUM who are deeply resentful that many athletes have enormous drive and discipline. It comes out in weird ways.

Nobody is resentful of you living through your mediocre athlete child. We recognize you’re delusional and even if your kid plays in college, 99% chance it’s a crappy college and they quit after freshman year. THAT’S almost alwaya how this ends.

do people really think that most travel parent expect their kids to play in college?

[Anonymous]

" Do people really think that most travel parent expect their kids to play in college? "

Or even in high school? You can't buy your way onto a high school team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a few parents on DCUM who are deeply resentful that many athletes have enormous drive and discipline. It comes out in weird ways.

Nobody is resentful of you living through your mediocre athlete child. We recognize you’re delusional and even if your kid plays in college, 99% chance it’s a crappy college and they quit after freshman year. THAT’S almost always how this ends.

do people really think that most travel parent expect their kids to play in college?

Yes, they brag constantly about their kid going onto play "at the next level." They even take fake "visits" (tours) to prestigious colleges acting as if they're being recruited. There's a 20 page thread about this in the College Forum:

Sporty families bragging about offers and committing to awful colleges in the middle of nowhere?
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/855306.page

[Anonymous]

Bill Simmons, who has the most popular sports podcast in the U.S. and was just given $200 million for his podcast company, is always talking about his teen daughter's travel soccer schedule and carting her across the state every weekend.

In addition to being filthy rich, Simmons is a NE boarding school alum and went to Holy Cross, so it's not just dumb lower class parents caught up in this. His daughter goes to the most prestigious day school in Los Angeles, costs $45,000 a year. She plays on the school team too and they're not very good, yet she still doesn't have any stats, so she's clearly a mediocre player. Yet when you here him talk, it's as if she has some huge super intense soccer career. So even filthy rich parents are susceptible to these same delusions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a few parents on DCUM who are deeply resentful that many athletes have enormous drive and discipline. It comes out in weird ways.

Nobody is resentful of you living through your mediocre athlete child. We recognize you’re delusional and even if your kid plays in college, 99% chance it’s a crappy college and they quit after freshman year. THAT’S almost always how this ends.

do people really think that most travel parent expect their kids to play in college?

Yes, they brag constantly about their kid going onto play "at the next level." They even take fake "visits" (tours) to prestigious colleges acting as if they're being recruited. There's a 20 page thread about this in the College Forum:

Sporty families bragging about offers and committing to awful colleges in the middle of nowhere?
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/855306.page

seems like the same kind of crap in that thread as this thread- sorry your kid like sitting in the basement all day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a few parents on DCUM who are deeply resentful that many athletes have enormous drive and discipline. It comes out in weird ways.

Nobody is resentful of you living through your mediocre athlete child. We recognize you’re delusional and even if your kid plays in college, 99% chance it’s a crappy college and they quit after freshman year. THAT’S almost alwaya how this ends.

I don't have a mediocre athlete child. I only read these threads because I find people like OP and you to have entertainment value. I mean it's pretty easy to see your seething resentment. It's not like you hide it.