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

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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

[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.

This isn't an issue with projections and plans. The population in Arlington (schools and county overall) has grown significantly in the last 10 years, and the availability of public space has not kept up with it. They literally can't add more classes, leagues, or practices--every public facility is at capacity. Yet people, including families, keep moving to Arlington!

[Anonymous]

And yet there are parents who are happy to build over playing fields because nothing matters more than their kids' schools.

It's sort of like the reclining your seatback debate: My need is greatest!

[Anonymous]

And the county keeps building more housing, but won't give land for schools/rec centers.

[Anonymous]

What league is this? I thought the local youth sports leagues had "house" teams open to all the kids who want to play, and "travel" teams for the more skilled/hard-core players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What league is this? I thought the local youth sports leagues had "house" teams open to all the kids who want to play, and "travel" teams for the more skilled/hard-core players.

There were enough skilled players to create an extra travel league, but not enough facility and coaches to accommodate it. Kids will eventually give up when they've been playing in house league for years and not have the opportunity to play travel. Anyway, the answer that were given for turning away many kids at the tryouts who could otherwise develop better playing skills by competing with a variety of teams outside of APS at the travel level was that practicing facilities were limited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What league is this? I thought the local youth sports leagues had "house" teams open to all the kids who want to play, and "travel" teams for the more skilled/hard-core players.

There were enough skilled players to create an extra travel league, but not enough facility and coaches to accommodate it. Kids will eventually give up when they've been playing in house league for years and not have the opportunity to play travel. Anyway, the answer that were given for turning away many kids at the tryouts who could otherwise develop better playing skills by competing with a variety of teams outside of APS at the travel level was that practicing facilities were limited.

How sad is that that a generation ago no travel teams existed and now children will turn away from a sport because they can't play travel. Maybe if there were more house players and less cost going toward travel, there would be more local money put toward the local recreation infrastructure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What league is this? I thought the local youth sports leagues had "house" teams open to all the kids who want to play, and "travel" teams for the more skilled/hard-core players.

They do. Arlington has basketball for all kids who want to play. OP thinks there aren't enough travel teams.

[Anonymous]

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

The basketball rec. league in Arlington does fill up. My son did it last year in 1st grade. All the 1st grade boys' teams practiced at the same time in the gym at TJ. It was chaos and disorganized. Not sure if things get better in the older grades.

[Anonymous]

APS has bigger issue than capacity or finding enough gym times for travel basketball wannabes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What league is this? I thought the local youth sports leagues had "house" teams open to all the kids who want to play, and "travel" teams for the more skilled/hard-core players.

They do. Arlington has basketball for all kids who want to play. OP thinks there aren't enough travel teams.

Got it - but don't know if this is different from the situation in other jurisdictions. If kids are turned away from travel teams, then the house leagues presumably could get more competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

The basketball rec. league in Arlington does fill up. My son did it last year in 1st grade. All the 1st grade boys' teams practiced at the same time in the gym at TJ. It was chaos and disorganized. Not sure if things get better in the older grades.

I can't think of any basketball practice or game for first graders that wouldn't be chaotic, but were the teams all practicing in an open gym at Jefferson? It's easier when the kids are young if there are no more than two teams practicing at the same time in a smaller gym.

[Anonymous]

OP, you are lame. Your kid could happily play rec league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What league is this? I thought the local youth sports leagues had "house" teams open to all the kids who want to play, and "travel" teams for the more skilled/hard-core players.

There were enough skilled players to create an extra travel league, but not enough facility and coaches to accommodate it. Kids will eventually give up when they've been playing in house league for years and not have the opportunity to play travel. Anyway, the answer that were given for turning away many kids at the tryouts who could otherwise develop better playing skills by competing with a variety of teams outside of APS at the travel level was that practicing facilities were limited.

I don't understand this statement at all.