Saying so long to a travel sport

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe any parent wouldn’t be jumping for joy over a travel sport ending. It means you have your life back. Stop living through yours kids’ sports. Travel parents are the worst.

They are sad people

Or happy people. I can't tell you how many friends, co-workers and family members have told me they miss watching their kids play and the bonding time in the car.

I think it's like childbirth, you forget the actual pain of it.

I don't like early morning or drives, but my kids play my sport (I won way more titles/went farther than them--so no vicarious living) and I really love seeing their joy and watching them compete. I sit by myself and I don't yell at refs or go near screaming parents (the part I hate), but I really truly love watching my kids play. One may be playing at a college not too far away and I'm excited to see home games (which will only be a 10 min drive from the house!).

Yea you’re obsessed all right.

That’s healthy. Some people might love to watch their kid play the cello or take their show dogs to dog shows. For an athlete that played sports, I feel alive at soccer fields and it brings back all kinds of good feelings and memories from my youth—and of my dad and former teammates. I love the sounds smells and those evening practices where I see the same joy I had.

You’re a sad old man

I'm a woman.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I am sad because my son has made a lot of progress in the sport, and really improved over the years, and I am proud of him. However, if he doesn't want to do it any more, dropping it is the right thing for him to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I am sad because my son has made a lot of progress in the sport, and really improved over the years, and I am proud of him. However, if he doesn't want to do it any more, dropping it is the right thing for him to do.

loss of interest/passion, decreased respect of teammates/coach or …?

[Anonymous]

Yes. I am sad because my son has made a lot of progress in the sport, and really improved over the years, and I am proud of him. However, if he doesn't want to do it any more, dropping it is the right thing for him to do.


loss of interest/passion, decreased respect of teammates/coach or …?

Loss of interest/passion, and not really connecting with teammates interpersonally (no major issues, just not close friends). Coach was good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes. I am sad because my son has made a lot of progress in the sport, and really improved over the years, and I am proud of him. However, if he doesn't want to do it any more, dropping it is the right thing for him to do.


loss of interest/passion, decreased respect of teammates/coach or …?

Loss of interest/passion, and not really connecting with teammates interpersonally (no major issues, just not close friends). Coach was good.

Not connecting with teammates is what I see A LOT. They get along OK but really as they get to late ES/MS they are more like frenemies. I say this as someone who was involved with travel teams until recently as a non-parent. The parents dynamics are also fascinating. Some people really get hurt when they realize their and/or their children’s friendships were not as genuine as they believed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes. I am sad because my son has made a lot of progress in the sport, and really improved over the years, and I am proud of him. However, if he doesn't want to do it any more, dropping it is the right thing for him to do.


loss of interest/passion, decreased respect of teammates/coach or …?

Loss of interest/passion, and not really connecting with teammates interpersonally (no major issues, just not close friends). Coach was good.

Not connecting with teammates is what I see A LOT. They get along OK but really as they get to late ES/MS they are more like frenemies. I say this as someone who was involved with travel teams until recently as a non-parent. The parents dynamics are also fascinating. Some people really get hurt when they realize their and/or their children’s friendships were not as genuine as they believed.

+1

I’m seeing the exact same thing (my kids are in 8th and 6th).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes. I am sad because my son has made a lot of progress in the sport, and really improved over the years, and I am proud of him. However, if he doesn't want to do it any more, dropping it is the right thing for him to do.


loss of interest/passion, decreased respect of teammates/coach or …?

Loss of interest/passion, and not really connecting with teammates interpersonally (no major issues, just not close friends). Coach was good.

Not connecting with teammates is what I see A LOT. They get along OK but really as they get to late ES/MS they are more like frenemies. I say this as someone who was involved with travel teams until recently as a non-parent. The parents dynamics are also fascinating. Some people really get hurt when they realize their and/or their children’s friendships were not as genuine as they believed.

My kid was a grade down on a soccer team and the lack of connection is one of the reasons they left. Teams are birth year, but they were the only one in the younger grade and just never connected

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes. I am sad because my son has made a lot of progress in the sport, and really improved over the years, and I am proud of him. However, if he doesn't want to do it any more, dropping it is the right thing for him to do.


loss of interest/passion, decreased respect of teammates/coach or …?

Loss of interest/passion, and not really connecting with teammates interpersonally (no major issues, just not close friends). Coach was good.

Not connecting with teammates is what I see A LOT. They get along OK but really as they get to late ES/MS they are more like frenemies. I say this as someone who was involved with travel teams until recently as a non-parent. The parents dynamics are also fascinating. Some people really get hurt when they realize their and/or their children’s friendships were not as genuine as they believed.

My kid was a grade down on a soccer team and the lack of connection is one of the reasons they left. Teams are birth year, but they were the only one in the younger grade and just never connected

It depends. My older DC had a mixed grade group — most were in the same grade, one/two moved up and down from younger team, 2 moved back and forth between older team, and 3 were in the older grade but same age group as the majority. These kids now in 4 different high schools stay in contact. It is the RARE exception. These kids are truly friends.

I have not seen this with any other teams with my own kids or teams I was involved in as a non-team parent. Maybe one or two kids stay connected.

[Anonymous]

Loss of interest/passion, and not really connecting with teammates interpersonally (no major issues, just not close friends). Coach was good.


Not connecting with teammates is what I see A LOT. They get along OK but really as they get to late ES/MS they are more like frenemies. I say this as someone who was involved with travel teams until recently as a non-parent. The parents dynamics are also fascinating. Some people really get hurt when they realize their and/or their children’s friendships were not as genuine as they believed.

I'm not even sure they cared about each other enough to be frenemies, TBH. Probably the best analogy would be the way you would feel at a forced lunch with coworkers you had little in common with and not that much to talk about with. You don't hate them, but you don't want to be there either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Loss of interest/passion, and not really connecting with teammates interpersonally (no major issues, just not close friends). Coach was good.


Not connecting with teammates is what I see A LOT. They get along OK but really as they get to late ES/MS they are more like frenemies. I say this as someone who was involved with travel teams until recently as a non-parent. The parents dynamics are also fascinating. Some people really get hurt when they realize their and/or their children’s friendships were not as genuine as they believed.

I'm not even sure they cared about each other enough to be frenemies, TBH. Probably the best analogy would be the way you would feel at a forced lunch with coworkers you had little in common with and not that much to talk about with. You don't hate them, but you don't want to be there either.

I had to do a spit-take. I’ve seen plenty of teams like that even pretty young ones.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I actually miss travel baseball and just watching baseball as a sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Loss of interest/passion, and not really connecting with teammates interpersonally (no major issues, just not close friends). Coach was good.


Not connecting with teammates is what I see A LOT. They get along OK but really as they get to late ES/MS they are more like frenemies. I say this as someone who was involved with travel teams until recently as a non-parent. The parents dynamics are also fascinating. Some people really get hurt when they realize their and/or their children’s friendships were not as genuine as they believed.

I'm not even sure they cared about each other enough to be frenemies, TBH. Probably the best analogy would be the way you would feel at a forced lunch with coworkers you had little in common with and not that much to talk about with. You don't hate them, but you don't want to be there either.

This made me think of DS's team at the HS level. Pretty sure this is how he and others think of it, but they are playing together for the common good of improving in the off season to improve and make their HS teams and get playing time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Loss of interest/passion, and not really connecting with teammates interpersonally (no major issues, just not close friends). Coach was good.


Not connecting with teammates is what I see A LOT. They get along OK but really as they get to late ES/MS they are more like frenemies. I say this as someone who was involved with travel teams until recently as a non-parent. The parents dynamics are also fascinating. Some people really get hurt when they realize their and/or their children’s friendships were not as genuine as they believed.

I'm not even sure they cared about each other enough to be frenemies, TBH. Probably the best analogy would be the way you would feel at a forced lunch with coworkers you had little in common with and not that much to talk about with. You don't hate them, but you don't want to be there either.

This made me think of DS's team at the HS level. Pretty sure this is how he and others think of it, but they are playing together for the common good of improving in the off season to improve and make their HS teams and get playing time.

For HS team it isn't really about making the team better so much as the individuals. They really could care less about the HS baseball team. Its how do I translate this experience for college.

[Anonymous]

Several cousins in New England have kids (boys and girls) who played hockey through much of their youth and HS. Sadly, all but one had to drop the sport because the costs and logistics of continuing were formidable. One girl was recruited and played in college!

Now, another cousin and a DMV friend are facing similar situations with their hockey-playing sons and a daughter (in MS and HS). Both are considering moves north for hockey.