What do travel sports obsessed parents do after the youngest kid goes off to college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We know a husband and wife whose youngest is off to college this fall. He will not play college sports. This couple's entire and I mean entire identity for the past like fifteen years has been carting their kids to practices, training, camps, and out of town tournaments. Every waking moment it seems. They're only in their late 40s. Do travel sports couples like this struggle with their departure from that sporty orbit and all of their newfound free time?

If they aren't playing in college or going pro what was the point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know a husband and wife whose youngest is off to college this fall. He will not play college sports. This couple's entire and I mean entire identity for the past like fifteen years has been carting their kids to practices, training, camps, and out of town tournaments. Every waking moment it seems. They're only in their late 40s. Do travel sports couples like this struggle with their departure from that sporty orbit and all of their newfound free time?

If they aren't playing in college or going pro what was the point?

So baffled by this outlook. I assume any kid who doesn’t plan to attend Julliard and play for the NSO should skip music lessons?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The pissy responses to this post are interesting to me. Why so defensive. It’s a legitimate question framed fine.

When OP says, "entire, and I mean entire..." How is this a legitimate question. Why does OP think she knows anything about somebody else's existence? It was jealousy disguised as judgment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know a husband and wife whose youngest is off to college this fall. He will not play college sports. This couple's entire and I mean entire identity for the past like fifteen years has been carting their kids to practices, training, camps, and out of town tournaments. Every waking moment it seems. They're only in their late 40s. Do travel sports couples like this struggle with their departure from that sporty orbit and all of their newfound free time?

If they aren't playing in college or going pro what was the point?

Is this a serious comment? Fitness. Enjoyment. A social outlet. An extracurricular they love. Learning teamwork. Stress release that isn’t an academic activity. So many reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know a husband and wife whose youngest is off to college this fall. He will not play college sports. This couple's entire and I mean entire identity for the past like fifteen years has been carting their kids to practices, training, camps, and out of town tournaments. Every waking moment it seems. They're only in their late 40s. Do travel sports couples like this struggle with their departure from that sporty orbit and all of their newfound free time?

If they aren't playing in college or going pro what was the point?

Is this a serious comment? Fitness. Enjoyment. A social outlet. An extracurricular they love. Learning teamwork. Stress release that isn’t an academic activity. So many reasons.

We’re at a basketball tournament now. My son’s friends are home gaming (texting him to join). Nope too busy this weekend!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pissy responses to this post are interesting to me. Why so defensive. It’s a legitimate question framed fine.

Lol, if you reread the OP, this was pretty clearly an opinion framed in the form of a question.

You're projecting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would encourage people to referee at club and HS level. It’s fun and there is a shortage, especially of good ones. I ref volleyball and travel to tournaments this time of year.

That's really good advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I watch my D1 kid play her sport most weekends in the fall season. Enjoy being an empty nester while I focus on work. Anymore questions?

I have one. What are you going to do when she graduates college and stops playing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know a husband and wife whose youngest is off to college this fall. He will not play college sports. This couple's entire and I mean entire identity for the past like fifteen years has been carting their kids to practices, training, camps, and out of town tournaments. Every waking moment it seems. They're only in their late 40s. Do travel sports couples like this struggle with their departure from that sporty orbit and all of their newfound free time?

If they aren't playing in college or going pro what was the point?

If you want your average good not great sporty kid to play in college you have to cough up D2 or D3 private college tuition (which many parents don't have or the kid wants to go to a college more of their friends are headed) and/or many kids are just over it and don't have interest in playing anymore.

[Anonymous]

OP struck a nerve by posting the question on this forum instead of, say, the relationship forum. This is a forum for sports enthusiasts. Some on it are obsessed with their kids’ sports and are going to get defensive.

[Anonymous]

Usually divorced within 3 years.

[Anonymous]

Travel parents really vary. I have 2 on travel teams and consider the whole thing a nuisance- but a necessary evil if a kid wants to play their sport in high school. Neither of mine has any chance to play or desire to play in college. Just high school. We aren’t “into it” as parents at all- often don’t even attend in town games, & we take turns taking them to out of town tournaments. We are polite to the other parents and make an appearance at “social stuff” once in awhile and don’t stay long. We have other kids and other things to do. I’d say 1/3 to 1/2 of the other parents are like us.

The rest- yes- are obsessed and make it into their family lifestyle and the center of their social world. Whole family attends every game and tournament, lots of parent socialization, usually a ton of drinking etc. I find it a bit unhealthy TBH (and often feel really sorry for the siblings of the players- maybe they’d like to do something else once in awhile?? ) but to each their own. I would imagine the parents in this group will have a hard time transition after travel sports end, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP struck a nerve by posting the question on this forum instead of, say, the relationship forum. This is a forum for sports enthusiasts. Some on it are obsessed with their kids’ sports and are going to get defensive.

This. Some people this is in fact their entire life and I’m sure it’s hard after it’s done. So what. Defensive much? Is it the word obsessed that’s triggering you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Travel parents really vary. I have 2 on travel teams and consider the whole thing a nuisance- but a necessary evil if a kid wants to play their sport in high school. Neither of mine has any chance to play or desire to play in college. Just high school. We aren’t “into it” as parents at all- often don’t even attend in town games, & we take turns taking them to out of town tournaments. We are polite to the other parents and make an appearance at “social stuff” once in awhile and don’t stay long. We have other kids and other things to do. I’d say 1/3 to 1/2 of the other parents are like us.

The rest- yes- are obsessed and make it into their family lifestyle and the center of their social world. Whole family attends every game and tournament, lots of parent socialization, usually a ton of drinking etc. I find it a bit unhealthy TBH (and often feel really sorry for the siblings of the players- maybe they’d like to do something else once in awhile?? ) but to each their own. I would imagine the parents in this group will have a hard time transition after travel sports end, yes.

Yes. Some people are really into it. A lot of partying and drinking with other families and I also feel bad for the siblings or sometimes I’ve seen it’s always one parent with the kid who is very enmeshed and then sibling and other parents are just home a lot.

I hated it and couldn’t wait for it to end. So no hard time transitioning for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know a husband and wife whose youngest is off to college this fall. He will not play college sports. This couple's entire and I mean entire identity for the past like fifteen years has been carting their kids to practices, training, camps, and out of town tournaments. Every waking moment it seems. They're only in their late 40s. Do travel sports couples like this struggle with their departure from that sporty orbit and all of their newfound free time?

If they aren't playing in college or going pro what was the point?

If you want your average good not great sporty kid to play in college you have to cough up D2 or D3 private college tuition (which many parents don't have or the kid wants to go to a college more of their friends are headed) and/or many kids are just over it and don't have interest in playing anymore.

Or they can just play Intramural sports and get to know more friends and have fun.
But really I don't know why they'd keep fit if they're not planning to be supermodels or why they'd make friends if they don't plan to run for office. I guess the parents just waste away and end up getting eaten by their cats. It happens all the time, so tragic it feels like you hear about it every week.