Travel sports for elementary school kids worth pursuing?

[Anonymous]

We love travel. Such a sense of commraderie with the team, and my kid has so much fun. These kids have become his very good friends and he feels a sense of pride when they play well together.

At this age, assuming you get the right coach, it can be a great life experience--learning about teamwork, work ethic, fitness, supporting each other, and being a good loser. And, we've made many good friends with the parents. If your kid truly enjoys a sport, I highly recommend.

We are doing it for an 8 year old and I have no regrets whatsoever....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I had it to do over, I would have held off on travel sports and had my elementary children participate on teams that had classmates on them. You know the after school programs such as soccer and boy/girl scouts. Socially they were left out of a lot because their friendships were mostly with travel team kids. I would make a different decision today.

I've found the opposite, travel teams helped a lot w transition to middle school. Kids already knew lots of people bc of travel sports. Also it provided an outlet and time away from the drama that can develop between girls in elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can see if a child is really talented but Even then, why push do hard early? When we were young we didn't even start formal sports until middle school. Now they are playing Football in third grade. Go figure

I grew up in the area and played travel soccer in early eighties in middle school. Started rec in second grade, so your experience wasn't universal.

[Anonymous]

I have two girls, both of whom love sports. But we don't let them do more than one a season, they have to switch it up every season, and we won't try out for travel before at least middle school. With two working parents, we want time as a family in evenings and on weekends. And we are lucky enough that we don't need to pursue scholarships to pay for college. There was a great series int he NYTimes a few years ago about pursuing scholarships, with an article each day from a different perspective (athlete, parent, coaches). The bottom line was many kids burned out, many parents felt they spent as much money to get the scholarship as they would have spent on college if they had simply saved it, most scholarships don't take care of the whole bill, and many college athletes felt as though they had no time for academics.

[Anonymous]

Middle schools around here are so big and there are so few slots on school sports teams (an 1000 kid school and 20 soccer slots, eg). It doesn't make sense to me to plan your whole life on the off chance that your kid might be good enough to play on a school team or would even want to. Most rec leagues go through high school if kids want to play a sport for enjoyment.

[Anonymous]

If the child wants it and it fits him or her, then why not? But be careful of burn-out and injuries!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middle schools around here are so big and there are so few slots on school sports teams (an 1000 kid school and 20 soccer slots, eg). It doesn't make sense to me to plan your whole life on the off chance that your kid might be good enough to play on a school team or would even want to. Most rec leagues go through high school if kids want to play a sport for enjoyment.

For some kids, playing a sport at competitive levels is the enjoyment. That having been said, if you don't have one of those kids, I wouldn't do travel because it's a lot of work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous[b wrote:]It's hard to make a travel team in middle school, though, when you are competing against kids that have had travel experience/instruction for 2-4 years.[/b]

It's not for everyone. Some people love it. There are lots of kids that try out for things like travel soccer a year earlier than they are even supposed to. To each their own.

This is the problem. Generally your kid won't make the travel team in late elementary or middle school if they haven't been playing travel since 3rd grade. If they're not playing travel they also
won't make their middle or high school teams (should they want to do that).
Of course there are athletic phenom outliers but it's generally hard to make up for 5 years of intense practice when you're 12 or 13.

I personally think this all stinks but it is what it is.

This is actually why I wouldn't have my kid take the travel team path so early. Either my kid is a great athlete and they'll make the team in middle school or high school when it's the right time and developmentally appropriate. Or my kid is an average athlete and really why would I want them to spend their whole lives starting from when they're 8 years old playing one sport that they'll mostly never play again after high school. I'd rather have them learn an instrument or do a wider variety of activities. Evidence has shown that a lot of these kids get injuries too from overplaying at one sport too young.

Even a great athlete is unlikely to make a middle school team without travel team experience in certain sports, like lax or soccer.
[u]
But it sounds like sports aren't' that important to your kid. Some kids love the activity, the competition and being on a team. They are on a travel team because they enjoy it. If your kid prefers another activity, they should do that. No guarantee that will continue to do that into adulthood either. I haven't picked up a clarinet since fifth grade or ballet shoes since sixth.

Agree it totally depends on the kid - and the family. But also have come to terms with youth sports are not the same as when I was a kid. Kids really do specialize earlier and don't have the comparable skills as the other very talented kids as they get older if they aren't getting that training starting in elementary. If you don't want to deal with it, and want to do more rec or regular level sports, that's a different track. If you want to give your kid a chance of making a middle or high school team - than it's become the norm. If you aren't concerned about that, don't worry about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous[b wrote:]It's hard to make a travel team in middle school, though, when you are competing against kids that have had travel experience/instruction for 2-4 years.[/b]

It's not for everyone. Some people love it. There are lots of kids that try out for things like travel soccer a year earlier than they are even supposed to. To each their own.

This is the problem. Generally your kid won't make the travel team in late elementary or middle school if they haven't been playing travel since 3rd grade. If they're not playing travel they also
won't make their middle or high school teams (should they want to do that).
Of course there are athletic phenom outliers but it's generally hard to make up for 5 years of intense practice when you're 12 or 13.

I personally think this all stinks but it is what it is.

This is actually why I wouldn't have my kid take the travel team path so early. Either my kid is a great athlete and they'll make the team in middle school or high school when it's the right time and developmentally appropriate. Or my kid is an average athlete and really why would I want them to spend their whole lives starting from when they're 8 years old playing one sport that they'll mostly never play again after high school. I'd rather have them learn an instrument or do a wider variety of activities. Evidence has shown that a lot of these kids get injuries too from overplaying at one sport too young.

Even a great athlete is unlikely to make a middle school team without travel team experience in certain sports, like lax or soccer.
[u]
But it sounds like sports aren't' that important to your kid. Some kids love the activity, the competition and being on a team. They are on a travel team because they enjoy it. If your kid prefers another activity, they should do that. No guarantee that will continue to do that into adulthood either. I haven't picked up a clarinet since fifth grade or ballet shoes since sixth.

Agree it totally depends on the kid - and the family. But also have come to terms with youth sports are not the same as when I was a kid. Kids really do specialize earlier and don't have the comparable skills as the other very talented kids as they get older if they aren't getting that training starting in elementary. If you don't want to deal with it, and want to do more rec or regular level sports, that's a different track. If you want to give your kid a chance of making a middle or high school team - than it's become the norm. If you aren't concerned about that, don't worry about it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The travel sport industrial complex employs a lot of people and gives a lot of adults an identity they very much enjoy. In most cases, I don't think it's good or even always fun for the kids.

But it's not going anywhere.

So true!

My oldest is 9 and we still do rec level. I hate the idea of my kid doing a single sport ALL year. Plus DSs like several sports, so it leaves them time to vary it up.

Like PPs say, we want to preserve family time, a decent bedtime, academic time, etc. So, no travel sports for us. I do agree that it starts too early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous[b wrote:]It's hard to make a travel team in middle school, though, when you are competing against kids that have had travel experience/instruction for 2-4 years.[/b]

It's not for everyone. Some people love it. There are lots of kids that try out for things like travel soccer a year earlier than they are even supposed to. To each their own.

This is the problem. Generally your kid won't make the travel team in late elementary or middle school if they haven't been playing travel since 3rd grade. If they're not playing travel they also
won't make their middle or high school teams (should they want to do that).
Of course there are athletic phenom outliers but it's generally hard to make up for 5 years of intense practice when you're 12 or 13.

I personally think this all stinks but it is what it is.

This is actually why I wouldn't have my kid take the travel team path so early. Either my kid is a great athlete and they'll make the team in middle school or high school when it's the right time and developmentally appropriate. Or my kid is an average athlete and really why would I want them to spend their whole lives starting from when they're 8 years old playing one sport that they'll mostly never play again after high school. I'd rather have them learn an instrument or do a wider variety of activities. Evidence has shown that a lot of these kids get injuries too from overplaying at one sport too young.

Even a great athlete is unlikely to make a middle school team without travel team experience in certain sports, like lax or soccer.
[u]
But it sounds like sports aren't' that important to your kid. Some kids love the activity, the competition and being on a team. They are on a travel team because they enjoy it. If your kid prefers another activity, they should do that. No guarantee that will continue to do that into adulthood either. I haven't picked up a clarinet since fifth grade or ballet shoes since sixth.

Agree it totally depends on the kid - and the family. But also have come to terms with youth sports are not the same as when I was a kid. Kids really do specialize earlier and don't have the comparable skills as the other very talented kids as they get older if they aren't getting that training starting in elementary. If you don't want to deal with it, and want to do more rec or regular level sports, that's a different track. If you want to give your kid a chance of making a middle or high school team - than it's become the norm. If you aren't concerned about that, don't worry about it.

Ditto all of this.