Girls Soccer vs. Boys Soccer Parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, it might have to do with having a clear top league in BDA. With girls, it’s not clear in our area and some parents will make themselves feel better about their decision by putting down others.
Ridiculous, yes. But I think this will continue until we see a definite winner. I think that’s why the scrimmage scores between GDA and ECNL are bringing out such bad behavior.

I definitely think this is part of the issue. If you are a boy's parent, the path is pretty clear. Your kid works to get on a DA team, then they work to do well there, and if they succeed, they will have a lot of good college options at a minimum. Not to mention the boys' DA is cheaper than regular travel soccer, and in some cases (not here, sadly) free. There's no real reason to second guess playing for DA if your kid is enjoying it, so there is nothing to fret about or feel insecure about.

Agree with this one. Also, if a boy makes a DA in this area he is a solid player. With the dilution of girls DA and ECNL, and the Spirit specifically (yes, now metro united or whatever it is), making a girls DA doesn’t necessarily mean the girl is a quality player.

Guessing your DD is on a local ECNL club.

[Anonymous]

I can't speak to soccer, but lax parents of boys or girls are equally crazy -- even when the kids play in college. These are people who are sublimating their uber-competitive instincts. In a group, it gets pretty weird, but one-on-one they can approach normalcy.

[Anonymous]

The fact that any parent treats their kid's sports activities as anything other than a simple opportunity for their kids to learn teamwork, respond to coaching, build their athleticism and have fun is pretty damning.

[Anonymous]

I don't think these observations can be isolated to a boys vs girls player. Here is my observation, the parents that have been there done that are way more relaxed. Parents that had older kids go through this or have been in competitive sports in their youth as either a former highschool/college/pro player. Is is the overweight parent that has obviously been out of shape since birth that appears to be the over the top sports parent. Overly committed to the team, cheers on nonsense during the game, and thinks their kid is best ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The fact that any parent treats their kid's sports activities as anything other than a simple opportunity for their kids to learn teamwork, respond to coaching, build their athleticism and have fun is pretty damning.

This is a bit simplistic, no? What if your kid is getting all these things from a sport, but it becomes clear as the years go on that the kid has the talent, desire and drive for more, whether it’s playing in college or going pro? That should never be a consideration at the start of youth sports, but it becomes a reality for many kids and families down the line. At that point you do need to consider how best to support them in their goals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fact that any parent treats their kid's sports activities as anything other than a simple opportunity for their kids to learn teamwork, respond to coaching, build their athleticism and have fun is pretty damning.

This is a bit simplistic, no? What if your kid is getting all these things from a sport, but it becomes clear as the years go on that the kid has the talent, desire and drive for more, whether it’s playing in college or going pro? That should never be a consideration at the start of youth sports, but it becomes a reality for many kids and families down the line. At that point you do need to consider how best to support them in their goals.

And they want to be movie stars and astronauts too. So dismayed by this constant drumbeat of college sports. Cant talented driven kids just enjoy youth sports and then move on to college and other more important things? Yes - lots of kids could play college soccer - it does not mean they should. They are giving up other things and opportunities with all the time ans energy they have to devote to college sports. I did it myself and dont advise my kid to play in college. Go ahead if you must but the carrying on about college soccer is too much and is overly influential on talented kids that will have to move on to other endeavors in in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fact that any parent treats their kid's sports activities as anything other than a simple opportunity for their kids to learn teamwork, respond to coaching, build their athleticism and have fun is pretty damning.

This is a bit simplistic, no? What if your kid is getting all these things from a sport, but it becomes clear as the years go on that the kid has the talent, desire and drive for more, whether it’s playing in college or going pro? That should never be a consideration at the start of youth sports, but it becomes a reality for many kids and families down the line. At that point you do need to consider how best to support them in their goals.

And they want to be movie stars and astronauts too. So dismayed by this constant drumbeat of college sports. Cant talented driven kids just enjoy youth sports and then move on to college and other more important things? Yes - lots of kids could play college soccer - it does not mean they should. They are giving up other things and opportunities with all the time ans energy they have to devote to college sports. I did it myself and dont advise my kid to play in college. Go ahead if you must but the carrying on about college soccer is too much and is overly influential on talented kids that will have to move on to other endeavors in in college.

It’s really only a “constant drumbeat” if you happen to wander into an internet thread that is discussing ECNL and DA or other top leagues. If you go to the school or college forums here, you will will find posters talking about a much broader range of topics, and many of those posters disdain athletics entirely.

I’m not too worried about college athletes not focusing on other things in college. I imagine that the vast majority of them are well aware they won’t have careers as professional athletes and balance their sport and academic time accordingly. For those who don’t, balancing school and other activities might be a challenge no matter what.

[Anonymous]

And you thought soccer parents were crazy ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/05/13/search-an-edge-elite-basketball-prospects-are-repeating-grade-middle-school/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And you thought soccer parents were crazy ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/05/13/search-an-edge-elite-basketball-prospects-are-repeating-grade-middle-school/

This is also done on the academic side before kids begin first grade to give kids alleged intellectual and social advantages. As somebody who started first grade at five, I am shocked to meet these 7-year-old first graders. But such is our world. In basketball, I suspect this is substantially more prevalent once top recruits have been identified and precisely because height and speed are more directly relevant in basketball recruiting at a time when growth rates can vary significantly. I don’t think this is nuts if your kid is a serious D1 prospect in basketball. Or football. Especially if many others are doing it.

[Anonymous]

how many times are you allowed to do this? then we can have 21-year 11th graders...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And you thought soccer parents were crazy ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/05/13/search-an-edge-elite-basketball-prospects-are-repeating-grade-middle-school/

Wow. This is crazy. I am glad soccer uses age and not school grade level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:how many times are you allowed to do this? then we can have 21-year 11th graders...

Perhaps but is it any less crazy that redshirting is common in collegiate sports even when the prospect has no chance of going pro?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And you thought soccer parents were crazy ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/05/13/search-an-edge-elite-basketball-prospects-are-repeating-grade-middle-school/

Wow. This is crazy. I am glad soccer uses age and not school grade level.

I agree. One benefit of the birth year change for HS and college players for the kids that got screwed over in the birth year change and are playing with Club players a grade ahead is that they actually have the advantage of being amongst oldest in grade for HS and in recruiting class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And you thought soccer parents were crazy ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/05/13/search-an-edge-elite-basketball-prospects-are-repeating-grade-middle-school/

Wow. This is crazy. I am glad soccer uses age and not school grade level.

I agree. One benefit of the birth year change for HS and college players for the kids that got screwed over in the birth year change and are playing with Club players a grade ahead is that they actually have the advantage of being amongst oldest in grade for HS and in recruiting class.

They always had that advantage. They just don't have it in soccer anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fact that any parent treats their kid's sports activities as anything other than a simple opportunity for their kids to learn teamwork, respond to coaching, build their athleticism and have fun is pretty damning.

This is a bit simplistic, no? What if your kid is getting all these things from a sport, but it becomes clear as the years go on that the kid has the talent, desire and drive for more, whether it’s playing in college or going pro? That should never be a consideration at the start of youth sports, but it becomes a reality for many kids and families down the line. At that point you do need to consider how best to support them in their goals.

And they want to be movie stars and astronauts too. So dismayed by this constant drumbeat of college sports. Cant talented driven kids just enjoy youth sports and then move on to college and other more important things? Yes - lots of kids could play college soccer - it does not mean they should. They are giving up other things and opportunities with all the time ans energy they have to devote to college sports. I did it myself and dont advise my kid to play in college. Go ahead if you must but the carrying on about college soccer is too much and is overly influential on talented kids that will have to move on to other endeavors in in college.

That is why it is being discussed in the soccer forum. On gda and ecnl team there is an big focus in college soccer. I just don't discuss the idea of moving on to other pursuits in college to myself as if is a wet blanket concept to so many on these ecnl or gda teams. But I do have to push back in the idea with my player who like many teens, is influenced by what she sees other kid athletes doing. These players spend a lot of non academic time with athletes so they don't have exposure to as many alternative approaches to college and how to make the most of it.