Skipping School for Soccer?

[Anonymous]

How many of these tournaments are there? For instance, if your son is with Bethesda soccer club, how many missed Fridays are we usually talking about each year?

[Anonymous]

It's rare. One year my u10 was in an alexandria or Arlington tournament and the game was between 3-5pm on a Friday so he had to leave school a little early for that with evening traffic. All local tournaments try and put local teams games on Friday if needed instead of out of town teams.

[Anonymous]

There is an easy way to resolve this. Instead of playing 3 x 90 minute showcase games over three days, just play 4 x 50 minutes over two days. They are showcases, so not like it matters what the teams' records are, or what the score is. More games, more opponents, less school time missed. At 3:30PM on the third day of a showcase that is 7 hours from home, I don't give a damn who wins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's rare. One year my u10 was in an alexandria or Arlington tournament and the game was between 3-5pm on a Friday so he had to leave school a little early for that with evening traffic. All local tournaments try and put local teams games on Friday if needed instead of out of town teams.

U10?????

Try high school recruiting years on ECNL and MLSNext level teams. My 17-year old is headed to Phoenix for the first week in December. Missing this Friday for a 10am game. Had a showcase in Atlanta early January.

The younger one is missing a Friday for a Charlotte showcase in 2 weeks and then it’s 4-5 other days for a showcase in Florida and a couple trips to NC & SC with Friday travel days.

The higher the level team and age—the more travel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's rare. One year my u10 was in an alexandria or Arlington tournament and the game was between 3-5pm on a Friday so he had to leave school a little early for that with evening traffic. All local tournaments try and put local teams games on Friday if needed instead of out of town teams.

U10?????

Try high school recruiting years on ECNL and MLSNext level teams. My 17-year old is headed to Phoenix for the first week in December. Missing this Friday for a 10am game. Had a showcase in Atlanta early January.

The younger one is missing a Friday for a Charlotte showcase in 2 weeks and then it’s 4-5 other days for a showcase in Florida and a couple trips to NC & SC with Friday travel days.

The higher the level team and age—the more travel.

This is 100% accurate. That's been our experience on ECNL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's rare. One year my u10 was in an alexandria or Arlington tournament and the game was between 3-5pm on a Friday so he had to leave school a little early for that with evening traffic. All local tournaments try and put local teams games on Friday if needed instead of out of town teams.

U10?????

Try high school recruiting years on ECNL and MLSNext level teams. My 17-year old is headed to Phoenix for the first week in December. Missing this Friday for a 10am game. Had a showcase in Atlanta early January.

The younger one is missing a Friday for a Charlotte showcase in 2 weeks and then it’s 4-5 other days for a showcase in Florida and a couple trips to NC & SC with Friday travel days.

The higher the level team and age—the more travel.

Sounds quite expensive 🤔
Is that a high risk investment or just lots of disposable recreational cash?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's rare. One year my u10 was in an alexandria or Arlington tournament and the game was between 3-5pm on a Friday so he had to leave school a little early for that with evening traffic. All local tournaments try and put local teams games on Friday if needed instead of out of town teams.

U10?????

Try high school recruiting years on ECNL and MLSNext level teams. My 17-year old is headed to Phoenix for the first week in December. Missing this Friday for a 10am game. Had a showcase in Atlanta early January.

The younger one is missing a Friday for a Charlotte showcase in 2 weeks and then it’s 4-5 other days for a showcase in Florida and a couple trips to NC & SC with Friday travel days.

The higher the level team and age—the more travel.

Sounds quite expensive 🤔
Is that a high risk investment or just lots of disposable recreational cash?

We waited until late HS to let them join the expensive league. It’s recreational. There became a big difference in speed of play and soccer IQ just one level down at the older ages. Oldest really wants to play in college, talking to a few schools- but even if it were to pan out I’m not expecting any $.

But like most youth sports, dance, etc., it is r cheap. There are worse things they could be doing after school and they love it. So there you go.

All 3 of my siblings and I played travel in the 80s and my parents never would have been able to afford any of this- even the lower team’s fees. It is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

^ isn’t cheap.

[Anonymous]

if it is FCPS- this year you need to tell the school your kid is sick- travel is no longer an excused absence.

[Anonymous]

if it is FCPS- this year you need to tell the school your kid is sick- travel is no longer an excused absence.

I think that's true for Montgomery County schools, too, or it is for at least my kid's. I'm not inclined to let my kid leave school unless it's just one class. And honestly, I know I shouldn't even do that - I don't think it's a good idea to model telling white lies like this. I don't think the soccer clubs should put parents in that uncomfortable position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

if it is FCPS- this year you need to tell the school your kid is sick- travel is no longer an excused absence.

I think that's true for Montgomery County schools, too, or it is for at least my kid's. I'm not inclined to let my kid leave school unless it's just one class. And honestly, I know I shouldn't even do that - I don't think it's a good idea to model telling white lies like this. I don't think the soccer clubs should put parents in that uncomfortable position.

100% agree!

[Anonymous]

My high schooler missed days for soccer. The school would not excuse them, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

if it is FCPS- this year you need to tell the school your kid is sick- travel is no longer an excused absence.

I think that's true for Montgomery County schools, too, or it is for at least my kid's. I'm not inclined to let my kid leave school unless it's just one class. And honestly, I know I shouldn't even do that - I don't think it's a good idea to model telling white lies like this. I don't think the soccer clubs should put parents in that uncomfortable position.

Play recreational soccer.

[Anonymous]

My kid, when in HS, missed about 1-2 days a school year for soccer tournaments.

[Anonymous]

My son is missing the first week in December for showcase in Phoenix. It's kind of nuts.