Quitting varsity sport mid season

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think so? If the student isn’t recruitable I don’t think the details of sports involvement are that important, especially if she fills the time in other worthwhile ways.

My daughter was a nationally ranked swimmer for years and then shattered her hand in a car accident the spring of sophomore year and was never able to come back from it. So only two years of swimming are going on the application. It is what it is.

You don’t quit a high school team mid season because you are unhappy with playing time. Kid finishes season and then doesn’t go out for team next year.

The question was about college apps not integrity.

People without integrity don't belong in college.

[Anonymous]

I’ve always been the “you don’t quit until the end of the season” type of parent.

But in this situation, I don’t think sacrificing sleep to sit on the sidelines and barely keep up with rigorous classes is worth it.

Since we apparently worship at the altar of youth sports, the only way your kid won’t look “bad” is if he has an injury. Any past injury that can suddenly “flare up”?

[Anonymous]

To answer your question, just don’t list in under the EC section of the common app for this year. That being said, his counselor will write a recommendation for him, as will two teachers, and you want to make sure they do not discuss this as a lack of character and commitment. If you truly want your child to quit mid-season, instead of just not attending practice when he has tests, he needs to go talk to his counselor beforehand and ask their take on it. Okay, now for the morals lesson you do not want to hear, you are teaching your child to quit. Although he is not playing in the games, he is there practicing and the team relies on him being there for practice to field enough kids to scrimmage. His participation is important to the team, whether he plays in the games or not. You are not always going to be the best and you are not always going to get the chance to play, but he should honor his commitment to the team for the rest of the season. Then, please do not let him participate again.

[Anonymous]

You said he's a junior -- did he move up from JV to V this year, and does that account for the lack of playing time? Is this the kind of sport where they need more kids for practice, so they can have two teams playing each other, than can fully participate in the games -- such that he is an essential part of the team, even if he doesn't get playing time in the games, and quitting will actually hurt the team?

The only way it would hurt on college apps is if he decides to include this Fall's inclusion on the team and then is deceptive about it -- ie says he was on the team this Fall even though he quit part way through. If he leaves it off entirely, the only issue would be whether that leaves him without any significant ECs this year.

But if it's a small school or one where the coach is a teacher, and quitting could get back to the counselors or other teachers who might write his LORs next year, it could be an issue -- assuming it's the kind of thing where the coach will be mad, which of course depends on the circumstances

[Anonymous]

Do not encourage your child to quit. If anything you should be encouraging your kid to finish what he started, support the team and show some resilience. All skills that will help him later in life. Don’t play next year if it was so awful BUT FINISH THE SEASON.

[Anonymous]

Two words: Shin splints.

[Anonymous]

Do what you think is right for your kid but this will in no way impact their college application

Just leave the sport off the activities section of the Common App altogether and it never existed as far as college admissions offices know (or care)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate that this qustion isn't about the right thing to do but what will look good on a college application

the tail is wagging the dog

Totally agree

I don’t care one way or the other but there isn’t an objective “right” thing to do here. He isn’t helping the team. They don’t need him.

[Anonymous]

Ha. No. Just don’t list it.

My kids only played freshmen and sophomore year and then just club soccer last two years.

The time sink for HS at their school was ridiculous. One is playing varsity an Ivy this year—not recruited.

[Anonymous]

Yes of course quitting mid year will look bad on college applications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think so? If the student isn’t recruitable I don’t think the details of sports involvement are that important, especially if she fills the time in other worthwhile ways.

My daughter was a nationally ranked swimmer for years and then shattered her hand in a car accident the spring of sophomore year and was never able to come back from it. So only two years of swimming are going on the application. It is what it is.

You don’t quit a high school team mid season because you are unhappy with playing time. Kid finishes season and then doesn’t go out for team next year.

The question was about college apps not integrity.

People without integrity don't belong in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just don’t report the sport as an EC or put as filler at the end with one less year of participation. How will a college know anything about quitting?

My kids' private schools (2 different high schools) put sports on the transcript.

The rest of us don't seem to have that problem

Ours does as well, and follows rhe teacher/coach model so definitely would likely affect kid’s reputation and references of kid quite mid season. I don’t think op’s son will be able to keep this season on his activity list regardless if he quits. Is he really going to add another extracurricular immediately

Surprised this hasn’t come up yet but he likely took a place from another kid to get on the team in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes of course quitting mid year will look bad on college applications.

They would never know

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just don’t report the sport as an EC or put as filler at the end with one less year of participation. How will a college know anything about quitting?

My kids' private schools (2 different high schools) put sports on the transcript.

The rest of us don't seem to have that problem

Ours does as well, and follows rhe teacher/coach model so definitely would likely affect kid’s reputation and references of kid quite mid season. I don’t think op’s son will be able to keep this season on his activity list regardless if he quits. Is he really going to add another extracurricular immediately

Surprised this hasn’t come up yet but he likely took a place from another kid to get on the team in the first place.

If the team and coach is toxic, who cares. Three juniors quit basketball midseason last year at our school and nobody cared because the dynamics were terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you explain it in college app? Why did he stop a long term EC in the middle of the season? Will he pick up another EC, and explain away by saying he found a new passion? I understand that he is not recruitable, but any long term commitment particularly varsity sports reflects very well on his character. I would not suggesting him quitting.

I think you could write a really thoughtful essay about how you had to look at what matters in your life and make hard decisions. It might matter if people are actually counting on this kid to be part of the team - in that case, letting people down isn't a great look. But if they are just sort of there, and it's actually taking away time from things that do matter? I think it's a mature decision to decide that they've had enough.

But yeah I'd want to make sure that the kid leaving won't harm other people - it sounds like it won't