What options do high school kids have if they aren't good enough to make it onto a high school team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but it’s not hard to find other activities for your child to participate in!

I just don't understand why sports have to be more selective than other activites

I don't understand your comment at all. What do you mean "I don't understand why sports have to be more selective than other activities"? Sports are literally "competitive" by nature, and there are only so many teams and spots on teams for the most popular sports. What part of needing to choose who is on teams surprises you or feels bizarre given the competitive nature of sports?

Robotics and debate are generally more accessible than sports, so I don't see why sports have to be super selective when schools should be about academics.

Well, those activities operate a little different.

Robotics typically has a “varsity” team that is actually on the floor driving the robot and allowed into the pit area to make repairs/tweaks between matches, and then there are lots of kids cheering in the stands and doing competitive analysis. The team captain will give those kids things to do during build season, though usually targeted small jobs.

This would be the equivalent of a coach saying everyone can come to practice, but only X kids can actually suit up for the game and the rest of the team should be watching film and providing statistical analysis and cheering.

Not sure how many kids would be happy with “making the team” but only ever serving in those support roles.

Then what extracurriculars in high school are accessible for all students?

No cut sports and non-competitive academic activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but it’s not hard to find other activities for your child to participate in!

I just don't understand why sports have to be more selective than other activites

I don't understand your comment at all. What do you mean "I don't understand why sports have to be more selective than other activities"? Sports are literally "competitive" by nature, and there are only so many teams and spots on teams for the most popular sports. What part of needing to choose who is on teams surprises you or feels bizarre given the competitive nature of sports?

Robotics and debate are generally more accessible than sports, so I don't see why sports have to be super selective when schools should be about academics.

Well, those activities operate a little different.

Robotics typically has a “varsity” team that is actually on the floor driving the robot and allowed into the pit area to make repairs/tweaks between matches, and then there are lots of kids cheering in the stands and doing competitive analysis. The team captain will give those kids things to do during build season, though usually targeted small jobs.

This would be the equivalent of a coach saying everyone can come to practice, but only X kids can actually suit up for the game and the rest of the team should be watching film and providing statistical analysis and cheering.

Not sure how many kids would be happy with “making the team” but only ever serving in those support roles.

Then what extracurriculars in high school are accessible for all students?

Charity clubs like Red Cross and Key Club, Scouting, mental health clubs like Our Minds Matter, Fanquest/Buddies clubs, purely social stuff like anime clubs and the like…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but it’s not hard to find other activities for your child to participate in!

I just don't understand why sports have to be more selective than other activites

I don't understand your comment at all. What do you mean "I don't understand why sports have to be more selective than other activities"? Sports are literally "competitive" by nature, and there are only so many teams and spots on teams for the most popular sports. What part of needing to choose who is on teams surprises you or feels bizarre given the competitive nature of sports?

Robotics and debate are generally more accessible than sports, so I don't see why sports have to be super selective when schools should be about academics.

Well, those activities operate a little different.

Robotics typically has a “varsity” team that is actually on the floor driving the robot and allowed into the pit area to make repairs/tweaks between matches, and then there are lots of kids cheering in the stands and doing competitive analysis. The team captain will give those kids things to do during build season, though usually targeted small jobs.

This would be the equivalent of a coach saying everyone can come to practice, but only X kids can actually suit up for the game and the rest of the team should be watching film and providing statistical analysis and cheering.

Not sure how many kids would be happy with “making the team” but only ever serving in those support roles.

Then what extracurriculars in high school are accessible for all students?

Plenty that don’t enter competitions.

[Anonymous]

MSI has Rec soccer through 12th grade - fun with friends and a bonus, it's not so much $$. My other kid does theatre, and when you don't make the cast, or you are in the ensemble, you can also do tech

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love how people throw XC out as a great option for kids who don’t make xyz team. Cross country is hard, and you have to like running 5ks—or at least tolerate it. DS loves sports but would rather put a pencil through his eye before signing on for the XC team. Unfortunately that puts the make the team stakes higher for the fall but it is what it is. Kid needs to chase a ball…

My kids all hate long distance running also. However: we throw XC out there because not all kids hate running. It is a great option for some, as long as they are willing to put in the work. Not all.

[Anonymous]

Not everything has to happen through the school.

There are also non school sports options: martial arts, dance, equestrian, rock climbing, pickleball league etc. I’m sure I am missing some.

Look into rec or club options (depends on the sport)

Some are able to turn sports background into a PT job (for example, some boys who aren’t able to continue in baseball take umpire classes and officiate little league games).

Volunteer work - various

Part time jobs- various

[Anonymous]

How are parents supposed to prepare kids for the brutality of high school? I just hate high school became like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like there aren't many options if you aren't good enough to play JV. There isn't a rec league for lacrosse or football. Your options are so limited in your teenage years, so basically you are forced out of sports.

Are lacrosse and football the only sports?

Why not pay a popular rec sport like soccer or basketball or tennis?

If you think there are people who want to play lacrosse or football, create a web page, collect signups, and book a field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are parents supposed to prepare kids for the brutality of high school? I just hate high school became like this.

Honestly not all high schools are. In the (smallish) town I grew up in, pretty much anyone can make the high school teams. They may not play much. Same as when I was in high school. Their varsity starters wouldn’t even make JV at a lot of the big urban/suburban high schools.

And private high schools. Obviously it depends on the school and the sport, but many are smaller schools where things are much easier as well.

[Anonymous]

You forgot the other thing that happens in football - they make the team because rosters are huge and never play in games. My son and many friends stopped playing after 9th grade because of this. They didn’t pick up another sport. They still went to the gym and lifted a lot in the spring and in 10th grade. By 11th grade some were really into going to the gym, others got into working and found part time jobs. They keep busy and interests change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how people throw XC out as a great option for kids who don’t make xyz team. Cross country is hard, and you have to like running 5ks—or at least tolerate it. DS loves sports but would rather put a pencil through his eye before signing on for the XC team. Unfortunately that puts the make the team stakes higher for the fall but it is what it is. Kid needs to chase a ball…

My kids all hate long distance running also. However: we throw XC out there because not all kids hate running. It is a great option for some, as long as they are willing to put in the work. Not all.

I always laugh when people are like “do cross country. It is no cut!” It is hard and you have to be athletic. For a girl- running a sub 6 minute mile for a 5k is hard. But you only compete if you are good. Lots of kids can’t run 4-6 miles five days a week!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You forgot the other thing that happens in football - they make the team because rosters are huge and never play in games. My son and many friends stopped playing after 9th grade because of this. They didn’t pick up another sport. They still went to the gym and lifted a lot in the spring and in 10th grade. By 11th grade some were really into going to the gym, others got into working and found part time jobs. They keep busy and interests change.

+1

Making the roster as a freshman is really just the first hurdle. A lot of kids drop off between freshman year and junior year or so. Little or no playing time so they don’t try out again next season, cuts at the JV level and varsity levels, other interests take over (driving, dating, PT jobs, other activities). A lot of the time, kids kind of “see the writing on the wall”, realize they probably aren’t going to be good enough to ever make varsity and actually see playing time, and quit/basically cut themselves.

My DS made JV in his main sport as a freshman, didn’t ever play, and looking around at the competition, realized he realistically didn’t have a path forward so didn’t try out as a soph. Switched to a no cut sport that had more opportunities and also got a PT job. Works out at the gym on his own or with friends.

Sports seemed like a much bigger focus when the kids were freshmen, but by junior year or so a lot of kids aren’t playing school sports anymore and have found other things to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but it’s not hard to find other activities for your child to participate in!

I just don't understand why sports have to be more selective than other activites

I don't understand your comment at all. What do you mean "I don't understand why sports have to be more selective than other activities"? Sports are literally "competitive" by nature, and there are only so many teams and spots on teams for the most popular sports. What part of needing to choose who is on teams surprises you or feels bizarre given the competitive nature of sports?

Robotics and debate are generally more accessible than sports, so I don't see why sports have to be super selective when schools should be about academics.

Well, those activities operate a little different.

Robotics typically has a “varsity” team that is actually on the floor driving the robot and allowed into the pit area to make repairs/tweaks between matches, and then there are lots of kids cheering in the stands and doing competitive analysis. The team captain will give those kids things to do during build season, though usually targeted small jobs.

This would be the equivalent of a coach saying everyone can come to practice, but only X kids can actually suit up for the game and the rest of the team should be watching film and providing statistical analysis and cheering.

Not sure how many kids would be happy with “making the team” but only ever serving in those support roles.

Then what extracurriculars in high school are accessible for all students?

Where did you go to high school and how big was our school? Were there really activities that literally the entire school could show up to want to participate in in the same semester, and they could accomodate everyone? Most US public schools - whether giant or moderately-sized - have limits to how many kids can do any 1 thing in any one semester, because there are staffing and space issues. So not sure how many extracurriculars are accessible for ALL students, but there are plenty in most schools that can accomodate all the students who show up wanting to do it. But when you can only have a limited # of players on a field in a competition at any given time, it's never been "accessible for all students". Not even when you were in school, wherever you were, although maybe games were less structured and there could be endless rotation of players so everyone played?

[Anonymous]

Then why do colleges expect kids to do extracurriculars when most kids can't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but it’s not hard to find other activities for your child to participate in!

I just don't understand why sports have to be more selective than other activites

I don't understand your comment at all. What do you mean "I don't understand why sports have to be more selective than other activities"? Sports are literally "competitive" by nature, and there are only so many teams and spots on teams for the most popular sports. What part of needing to choose who is on teams surprises you or feels bizarre given the competitive nature of sports?

Robotics and debate are generally more accessible than sports, so I don't see why sports have to be super selective when schools should be about academics.

Well, those activities operate a little different.

Robotics typically has a “varsity” team that is actually on the floor driving the robot and allowed into the pit area to make repairs/tweaks between matches, and then there are lots of kids cheering in the stands and doing competitive analysis. The team captain will give those kids things to do during build season, though usually targeted small jobs.

This would be the equivalent of a coach saying everyone can come to practice, but only X kids can actually suit up for the game and the rest of the team should be watching film and providing statistical analysis and cheering.

Not sure how many kids would be happy with “making the team” but only ever serving in those support roles.

Then what extracurriculars in high school are accessible for all students?

Where did you go to high school and how big was our school? Were there really activities that literally the entire school could show up to want to participate in in the same semester, and they could accomodate everyone? Most US public schools - whether giant or moderately-sized - have limits to how many kids can do any 1 thing in any one semester, because there are staffing and space issues. So not sure how many extracurriculars are accessible for ALL students, but there are plenty in most schools that can accomodate all the students who show up wanting to do it. But when you can only have a limited # of players on a field in a competition at any given time, it's never been "accessible for all students". Not even when you were in school, wherever you were, although maybe games were less structured and there could be endless rotation of players so everyone played?

+1 If you want accessible to all, pay 40K$ for some private school that is small and lets everyone participate. Public schools are bigger and more resource challenged, so there's more competition.