Why do kids here in the US spend so much time and effort on sports?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's another thing I hate about these travel sports. Kids age out of rec. Why? Why does a certain age mean that you can no longer play a sports just for enjoyment and fun?

It doesn't. Many local rec league sports go all the way through high school in Fairfax County--which is nice because it is basically impossible to make the high school teams.

All the parents I know just want their kid to be able to play in high school. No one has delusions beyond that. I feel bad for the boys who have only played popular rec sports showing up for tryouts and being shocked that they are cut the first night--no one told them they had to do years of travel to even have a shot.

Is the bolded true? Is it really so hard to make the hs team that, unless you've done years of travel teams, there's almost no chance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's another thing I hate about these travel sports. Kids age out of rec. Why? Why does a certain age mean that you can no longer play a sports just for enjoyment and fun?

It doesn't. Many local rec league sports go all the way through high school in Fairfax County--which is nice because it is basically impossible to make the high school teams.

All the parents I know just want their kid to be able to play in high school. No one has delusions beyond that. I feel bad for the boys who have only played popular rec sports showing up for tryouts and being shocked that they are cut the first night--no one told them they had to do years of travel to even have a shot.

Is the bolded true? Is it really so hard to make the hs team that, unless you've done years of travel teams, there's almost no chance?

If you’re naturally very athletic, you have a shot. In popular sport at a large schools, if you’re in the vast group of normal kids whose skills improve with more practice, you probably don’t. If your kid goes to a WCAC school and plays a popular sport, there is a chance that most of the team is recruited

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My issue is not what people choose to pursue as hobbies. My problem is that there is an inherent belief that sports are better than other hobbies. I have teens and they are made well aware that unless they do a sport, they are part of the less popular crowd. I am thankful they don't careas much, but there are many kids who probably do care.

Where is your evidence to backup that claim?  I am sure a lot more women want to date Shawn Mendes than some random athletes.

Just ask your teens. I am sure there is rare exceptions but the sport star is always seemingly the popular ones at school.

then explain to me why women would prefer to date Shawn Mendes than some US soccer athletes?

That is a straw man because no one knows that. And I think most women would prefer to date a hot football QB than a hot pop singer, yes.

If Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey, US men soccer superstars, walk into a Giant grocery store, probably 99% of shoppers in the store would neither recognize them nor do they care. If Justin Beiber or Post Malone walk into the same Giant grocery store, the police would be called in within minutes to restore order because a lot of young women want to be there and touch them.

That’s because no Americans care about professional soccer. If Tom Brady were walking down the cereal aisle, it would be a different story

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's another thing I hate about these travel sports. Kids age out of rec. Why? Why does a certain age mean that you can no longer play a sports just for enjoyment and fun?

It doesn't. Many local rec league sports go all the way through high school in Fairfax County--which is nice because it is basically impossible to make the high school teams.

All the parents I know just want their kid to be able to play in high school. No one has delusions beyond that. I feel bad for the boys who have only played popular rec sports showing up for tryouts and being shocked that they are cut the first night--no one told them they had to do years of travel to even have a shot.

+1
DD swims year round and has since she was in 3rd grade. For many years her main goal - beyond the fact that she enjoyed it - was to make the HS team. She has no intention of trying to swim for a college.

These ginormous HSs here make it really hard to make a HS team. It’s ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My issue is not what people choose to pursue as hobbies. My problem is that there is an inherent belief that sports are better than other hobbies. I have teens and they are made well aware that unless they do a sport, they are part of the less popular crowd. I am thankful they don't careas much, but there are many kids who probably do care.

Where is your evidence to backup that claim?  I am sure a lot more women want to date Shawn Mendes than some random athletes.

Just ask your teens. I am sure there is rare exceptions but the sport star is always seemingly the popular ones at school.

then explain to me why women would prefer to date Shawn Mendes than some US soccer athletes?

That is a straw man because no one knows that. And I think most women would prefer to date a hot football QB than a hot pop singer, yes.

If Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey, US men soccer superstars, walk into a Giant grocery store, probably 99% of shoppers in the store would neither recognize them nor do they care. If Justin Beiber or Post Malone walk into the same Giant grocery store, the police would be called in within minutes to restore order because a lot of young women want to be there and touch them.

That’s because no Americans care about professional soccer. If Tom Brady were walking down the cereal aisle, it would be a different story

Lol, my kid doesn’t give two effs about Brady, but would be all over Mbappe or Pulisic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My issue is not what people choose to pursue as hobbies. My problem is that there is an inherent belief that sports are better than other hobbies. I have teens and they are made well aware that unless they do a sport, they are part of the less popular crowd. I am thankful they don't careas much, but there are many kids who probably do care.

Where is your evidence to backup that claim?  I am sure a lot more women want to date Shawn Mendes than some random athletes.

Just ask your teens. I am sure there is rare exceptions but the sport star is always seemingly the popular ones at school.

then explain to me why women would prefer to date Shawn Mendes than some US soccer athletes?

That is a straw man because no one knows that. And I think most women would prefer to date a hot football QB than a hot pop singer, yes.

If Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey, US men soccer superstars, walk into a Giant grocery store, probably 99% of shoppers in the store would neither recognize them nor do they care. If Justin Beiber or Post Malone walk into the same Giant grocery store, the police would be called in within minutes to restore order because a lot of young women want to be there and touch them.

That’s because no Americans care about professional soccer. If Tom Brady were walking down the cereal aisle, it would be a different story

You dumb

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's another thing I hate about these travel sports. Kids age out of rec. Why? Why does a certain age mean that you can no longer play a sports just for enjoyment and fun?

It doesn't. Many local rec league sports go all the way through high school in Fairfax County--which is nice because it is basically impossible to make the high school teams.

All the parents I know just want their kid to be able to play in high school. No one has delusions beyond that. I feel bad for the boys who have only played popular rec sports showing up for tryouts and being shocked that they are cut the first night--no one told them they had to do years of travel to even have a shot.

Is the bolded true? Is it really so hard to make the hs team that, unless you've done years of travel teams, there's almost no chance?

True in my school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's another thing I hate about these travel sports. Kids age out of rec. Why? Why does a certain age mean that you can no longer play a sports just for enjoyment and fun?

It doesn't. Many local rec league sports go all the way through high school in Fairfax County--which is nice because it is basically impossible to make the high school teams.

All the parents I know just want their kid to be able to play in high school. No one has delusions beyond that. I feel bad for the boys who have only played popular rec sports showing up for tryouts and being shocked that they are cut the first night--no one told them they had to do years of travel to even have a shot.

Is the bolded true? Is it really so hard to make the hs team that, unless you've done years of travel teams, there's almost no chance?

Definitely true for our school district. Even some travel kids won’t make teams. Any exceptions would be incredibly rare.

[Anonymous]

What percent of the high school teams are made up of held back kids? They are unjustly taking spots away from the one's that are not cheating the system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What percent of the high school teams are made up of held back kids? They are unjustly taking spots away from the one's that are not cheating the system.

I think it is most common in basketball, a sport with one of the smallest teams.

[Anonymous]

People can earn millions from sports - Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, Tom Brady, Lionel Messi...

It is worthwhile for kids to pay attention to sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What percent of the high school teams are made up of held back kids? They are unjustly taking spots away from the one's that are not cheating the system.

A lot. It shouldn’t make much of a difference by junior/senior year as most (not all) of the kids are mostly full grown by then. However, it can make a big difference at younger ages and those kids end up being starters and getting more reps early on. (Middle school, freshman, JV ages etc). Travel, however, is by age rather than grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What percent of the high school teams are made up of held back kids? They are unjustly taking spots away from the one's that are not cheating the system.

Held back is part of the system, it’s not cheating anything. But I don’t see a large number making up the team - there aren’t a huge number in the grade anyway and then they are spread out among the various sports in terms of what they all play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What percent of the high school teams are made up of held back kids? They are unjustly taking spots away from the one's that are not cheating the system.

A lot. It shouldn’t make much of a difference by junior/senior year as most (not all) of the kids are mostly full grown by then. However, it can make a big difference at younger ages and those kids end up being starters and getting more reps early on. (Middle school, freshman, JV ages etc). Travel, however, is by age rather than grade.

Depends on the sport. Lacrosse goes by grad year for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What percent of the high school teams are made up of held back kids? They are unjustly taking spots away from the one's that are not cheating the system.

Held back is part of the system, it’s not cheating anything. But I don’t see a large number making up the team - there aren’t a huge number in the grade anyway and then they are spread out among the various sports in terms of what they all play.

Tons in my kid’s sport (baseball). However: most are summer birthdays or born near the cutoff. That amount of age difference is not really a difference maker in the vast majority of cases (this is something parents use to make excuses IMHO).