APS capacity issues is affecting kids quality of life in other areas too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So let me get this straight. Arlington travel basketball takes over 1/3 of it's pool of kids into travel, yet the remaining children are still upset that they might have to play with some kids who are worse than them? God, what an entitled generation of kids that are being raised. How do you think they'll cope as adults never believing they should have to interact with anyone whose beneath their level on any skill? How about instead of complaining, you encourage your child to rise to the top of house basketball so he or she can make travel another year.

same mentality of those against boundary shift. oh the horror of mingling with the masses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know everyone has been talking about sports but another way the capacity issue affects quality of life is meal time. I learned at one school's open house last spring that some kids have to eat their lunch before 11am to squeeze in all the lunch sessions! That seems too early to me...

We are in McLean and my kids had 10:30am lunches in ES 10 years ago. It isn't new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So let me get this straight. Arlington travel basketball takes over 1/3 of it's pool of kids into travel, yet the remaining children are still upset that they might have to play with some kids who are worse than them? God, what an entitled generation of kids that are being raised. How do you think they'll cope as adults never believing they should have to interact with anyone whose beneath their level on any skill? How about instead of complaining, you encourage your child to rise to the top of house basketball so he or she can make travel another year.

same mentality of those against boundary shift. oh the horror of mingling with the masses.

Give me a break. By the time a kid is playing travel they've put in a lot of hours into the sport. Sure they don't want to play with players with less skill set who may not be as committed to the sport. Who instead is doing it for the fun but not to test the limits and capabilities. How is that going to improve the better skilled player, who's parents have probably already invested a small fortune on trainers and camps to get them there. The travel level can be a nail biting experience and quite fun for all involve. Why bother playing with people who just doing to fill in the time which is often how it is at the rec level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just had basketball tryouts. My kid made a team but several, but the equivalent of at least 4 teams were turned away or didn't 'qualify' to join a team. The number of players trying out increased this year by 15 - 20% according to county official I spoke to. I asked why they didn't create more teams to give what I thought were decent players a chance to play at the travel level? I was told it was because they didn't have enough facilities to accommodate practices and games. Last year I was told the turnout was unexpectedly high, this year the same thing happened again. I just find it frustrating that the county keeps getting the population projections wrong. These kids sweat it out for 5 days/2 hours of tryouts just to be turned away for a lack of resources.

I know this lack of resources affect soccer, baseball and other sports as well. When will they get the projections right and plan accordingly.

On the brighter side they can take the street car in south arlington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So let me get this straight. Arlington travel basketball takes over 1/3 of it's pool of kids into travel, yet the remaining children are still upset that they might have to play with some kids who are worse than them? God, what an entitled generation of kids that are being raised. How do you think they'll cope as adults never believing they should have to interact with anyone whose beneath their level on any skill? How about instead of complaining, you encourage your child to rise to the top of house basketball so he or she can make travel another year.

same mentality of those against boundary shift. oh the horror of mingling with the masses.

Give me a break. By the time a kid is playing travel they've put in a lot of hours into the sport. Sure they don't want to play with players with less skill set who may not be as committed to the sport. Who instead is doing it for the fun but not to test the limits and capabilities. How is that going to improve the better skilled player, who's parents have probably already invested a small fortune on trainers and camps to get them there. The travel level can be a nail biting experience and quite fun for all involve. Why bother playing with people who just doing to fill in the time which is often how it is at the rec level.

Why would you assume that the kids playing rec basketball are just there for a play date? Isn't it just as likely that they are the kids you're talking about that are capable of playing travel basketball but got turned away?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know everyone has been talking about sports but another way the capacity issue affects quality of life is meal time. I learned at one school's open house last spring that some kids have to eat their lunch before 11am to squeeze in all the lunch sessions! That seems too early to me...

We are in McLean and my kids had 10:30am lunches in ES 10 years ago. It isn't new.

But that doesn't make it good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There isn't rec basketball in Arlington? Our local rec league (in Fairfax) never turns kids away.

Yes--there is Rec. Signed my kids up no problem.

This person is talking about 'travel' basketball. Only so many kids can make it.

Travel soccer takes 45 kids out of about 120. There is a 'developmental league' after that which is also tryout...then there is Rec which anyone can compete in. Yes--it is super competitive. The plus side--if your child is a top player they are training and playing with top notch kids. This is not unique to Arlington--this is true in a major city area.

Rec Basketball is wait listing for 2nd grade boys. It was wait listing the first day of registration, so there isn't enough capacity even for Rec in Arlington

just checked it's still open for all grades. nowhere on the website said spaces are limited. you might want to check again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So let me get this straight. Arlington travel basketball takes over 1/3 of it's pool of kids into travel, yet the remaining children are still upset that they might have to play with some kids who are worse than them? God, what an entitled generation of kids that are being raised. How do you think they'll cope as adults never believing they should have to interact with anyone whose beneath their level on any skill? How about instead of complaining, you encourage your child to rise to the top of house basketball so he or she can make travel another year.

same mentality of those against boundary shift. oh the horror of mingling with the masses.

Give me a break. By the time a kid is playing travel they've put in a lot of hours into the sport. Sure they don't want to play with players with less skill set who may not be as committed to the sport. Who instead is doing it for the fun but not to test the limits and capabilities. How is that going to improve the better skilled player, who's parents have probably already invested a small fortune on trainers and camps to get them there. The travel level can be a nail biting experience and quite fun for all involve. Why bother playing with people who just doing to fill in the time which is often how it is at the rec level.

Why would you assume that the kids playing rec basketball are just there for a play date? Isn't it just as likely that they are the kids you're talking about that are capable of playing travel basketball but got turned away?

Those kids put in a good effort and they deserve to have an opportunity to play with better players to get better. At the rec level however, it is usually kids putting in lethargic level at playing their game, constantly missing practices because they are not as committed. Some kids just need a change to play at travel to transform their game.

[Anonymous]

LOL, there is a sucker $$$$ born every minute. ^

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So let me get this straight. Arlington travel basketball takes over 1/3 of it's pool of kids into travel, yet the remaining children are still upset that they might have to play with some kids who are worse than them? God, what an entitled generation of kids that are being raised. How do you think they'll cope as adults never believing they should have to interact with anyone whose beneath their level on any skill? How about instead of complaining, you encourage your child to rise to the top of house basketball so he or she can make travel another year.

same mentality of those against boundary shift. oh the horror of mingling with the masses.

Give me a break. By the time a kid is playing travel they've put in a lot of hours into the sport. Sure they don't want to play with players with less skill set who may not be as committed to the sport. Who instead is doing it for the fun but not to test the limits and capabilities. How is that going to improve the better skilled player, who's parents have probably already invested a small fortune on trainers and camps to get them there. The travel level can be a nail biting experience and quite fun for all involve. Why bother playing with people who just doing to fill in the time which is often how it is at the rec level.

Why would you assume that the kids playing rec basketball are just there for a play date? Isn't it just as likely that they are the kids you're talking about that are capable of playing travel basketball but got turned away?

Those kids put in a good effort and they deserve to have an opportunity to play with better players to get better. At the rec level however, it is usually kids putting in lethargic level at playing their game, constantly missing practices because they are not as committed. Some kids just need a change to play at travel to transform their game.

There are so many opportunities in this area for sports at all levels. If you have the money, opportunities abound. It's a transient area and there's always room for another travel player the next year if a child gets really good. By the time a child is midway through elementary, few children sign up for a team just for the sake of a playdate or babysitting. They may have different levels of skills, but they enjoy playing and want to improve. It's true, some may miss a practice or two for another commitment at times, but that's been the case for us with travel players also doing a 2nd sport too. I have yet to see a player looking lethargic on the court. OP, I think you have some misconceptions about what rec play is like. I have noticed when towns take a large percentage of kids onto travel teams, the amount of coaches available for rec tends to go down. Our town has this problem with soccer, but with baseball and basketball, there are fewer travel teams and most of the kids even if they play travel play rec too so there are plenty of dedicated rec coaches.

[Anonymous]

I think it's funny APS parents want more segregation for their youth sports, but then bash FCPS parents for wanting their kids segregated for advanced academics.

[Anonymous]

16:25 again. A lot of travel soccer players play rec bball for something different in the winter. These aren't poor athletes at all although they do sometimes miss practices.

[Anonymous]

11:11 - it's true. The kindergarteners and first-graders at my daughter's school eat lunch at 10:45. (school starts at 8:30.)

The downside is she's usually really hungry when I pick her up, and I feel rushed to make her dinner. The upside is that I'm not that worried if she picks at her breakfast because she'll be eating again in 3 hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know everyone has been talking about sports but another way the capacity issue affects quality of life is meal time. I learned at one school's open house last spring that some kids have to eat their lunch before 11am to squeeze in all the lunch sessions! That seems too early to me...

We are in McLean and my kids had 10:30am lunches in ES 10 years ago. It isn't new.

But that doesn't make it good.

granted, but it also doesn't mean it will change anytime soon. They tend to put on additional classrooms but not expand the gyms or lunch rooms- so those become hard to schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's funny APS parents want more segregation for their youth sports, but then bash FCPS parents for wanting their kids segregated for advanced academics.

Aren't we talking about ONE parent here who wants more segregation in sports?

FWIW, as a parent whose kids aren't interested in travel, I wish your kid got on a travel team, too.