Locked out of a sport if you don't do travel by 13?

[Anonymous]

Its not uncommon for kids to make a switch from certain sports. A good friends daughter went from travel soccer to starting on the field hockey team in high school. She had never played before that.

[Anonymous]

I’ll play devil’s advocate here. I have see kids that are athletic and playing one team sport seriously pick up another in middle school and become good enough to play in high school. Soccer and football players picking up lax for example, or soccer kids switching to football. Maybe hard to switch to soccer or baseball or basketball. One of my kids did not pick up volleyball until 8th grade and is on varsity as a sophomore. I know lots of kids who ply basketball or lax also pick up volleyball late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't put tennis in the same category. The difference is that it's an individual sport so you're not depending on a team or confined to a playing season. If a kid is quick and athletic, there's no reason they can't catch up quickly on the technical side. It just takes working with a coach with private lessons, which takes $$.

Lol wrong

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a fairly athletic child who is currently interested only in the classic American sports (football, baseball, and basketball), I'm noticing that there is a push to specialize kids earlier and earlier. I'm wondering if any coaches or trainers reading this might comment on whether a kid who doesn't play a sport intensively by age 12/13 gets locked out of that sport forever?

For example, my 10-year old DS currently has no interest in lacrosse, soccer, or tennis. If he doesn't start one of these other sport by 12, does that mean he can't play them in his teens, except on a recreational basis?

What level does he want to get to With these other sports? Of course Rec is fine

[Anonymous]

If a kid is quick and athletic, there's no reason they can't catch up quickly on the technical side. It just takes working with a coach with private lessons, which takes $$.


Lol wrong

Tennis is hard. My travel soccer player is working to pick it up as a second sport, and even with private lessons, it takes a lot of work and time.

[Anonymous]

Most pro athletes played multiple sports before high school. There are tons of articles about it.

[Anonymous]

I’ll add that a lot of kids change for the better or worse after puberty. A lot of former superstars aren’t as fast or strong compared to other kids as they were at younger ages. Of course, some superstars stay superstars.

[Anonymous]

Its rare, but look at Alex Morgan who didn't initially make her club team. She kept training though and paid off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If a kid is quick and athletic, there's no reason they can't catch up quickly on the technical side. It just takes working with a coach with private lessons, which takes $$.


Lol wrong

Tennis is hard. My travel soccer player is working to pick it up as a second sport, and even with private lessons, it takes a lot of work and time.

Yes it is, but it's entirely on the kid to do the work, they don't have to get picked for a travel team in order to get the right level of training. If they start at age 12 coming from another sport and want to live and breath tennis for a few years and enter as many tournaments as they can, and if their parents have the funds to pay for the coaching, it's possible to improve enough to play in high school.

I have a tennis player, I know it's possible for some kids to improve so drastically in just a year that you'd think they'd been playing since they learned to walk.

[Anonymous]

Well, you mentioned football, basketball, and baseball.

Football and basketball absolutely not. Especially football. Those sports depend a great deal on size and natural athleticism.

Baseball probably yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most pro athletes played multiple sports before high school. There are tons of articles about it.

And many of them argue against cutting back to one prior to college.

[Anonymous]

If they start at age 12 coming from another sport and want to live and breath tennis for a few years and enter as many tournaments as they can, and if their parents have the funds to pay for the coaching, it's possible to improve enough to play in high school

What an uplifting story. "Rich athletic kid gives up other activities, parents pour tons of money into tennis, makes high tennis school team." They should make a movie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If a kid is quick and athletic, there's no reason they can't catch up quickly on the technical side. It just takes working with a coach with private lessons, which takes $$.


Lol wrong

Tennis is hard. My travel soccer player is working to pick it up as a second sport, and even with private lessons, it takes a lot of work and time.

Yes it is, but it's entirely on the kid to do the work, they don't have to get picked for a travel team in order to get the right level of training. If they start at age 12 coming from another sport and want to live and breath tennis for a few years and enter as many tournaments as they can, and if their parents have the funds to pay for the coaching, it's possible to improve enough to play in high school.

I have a tennis player, I know it's possible for some kids to improve so drastically in just a year that you'd think they'd been playing since they learned to walk.

Wow high school? Lmao

[Anonymous]

DS started football at 12. He’s not NFL material and isn’t sure he even wants to play in college. For now, he loves it so it’s certainly possibly to start at 12 and play in high school. He tried lots of sports when he was young and never did travel anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, you mentioned football, basketball, and baseball.

Football and basketball absolutely not. Especially football. Those sports depend a great deal on size and natural athleticism.

Baseball probably yes.

Football requires size, yes, but not necessarily a lot of athleticism. Have you seen how many fat football players there are in the NFL? Some positions, yes, but the defensive positions require bulk mostly.