Travel soccer and missing practice
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Anonymous
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Are kids in travel soccer (middles school level) expected to go to all the practices? So, DS wants to be in travel soccer. But this year he has been missing some of his rec soccer practices because of school work. (In the past he would never miss.). He really wants to be in travel soccer, and I'm thinking it would be a bad idea.
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Anonymous
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Most coaches will be fine with you missing practice on occasion for school events, for homework????
Most of your travel/club level players are really good students who have good time management skills so if it is a habit I would say not to play that level. |
Anonymous
| Yes, they are expected to attend all practices although very occasional absents are understood. My son missed one practice due to illness, and I would say that most of his team has only missed 1 or 2 practices, if any. There is a huge focus on learning to play as a team at the MS level so missing practice is not only detrimental to your son's development but also the team's. Most travel clubs I know have practice 3X a week, with the possibility of an additional voluntary session for specialized training. Plus games. In other words, it is a lot. This is our first year and it definitely has required adjustment and we really do have to stay on top of homework, be proactive, and get as much of the bigger stuff (studying for tests, working on projects) and weekly stuff (X minutes of online math, etc.) done during the weekend. If you feel you cannot do this and may have to miss practice for homework, then I agree travel is probably not for you. |
Anonymous
| I don't think many coaches would give the OK for a kid to regularly miss practice at that level. It is fine if is a few times a season, but if it's one practice every week or two then that's probably not going to fly. It will also result in diminished playing time in matches. It just sounds like rec is a better option. |
Anonymous
| All kids have homework and travel soccer requires commitment. Missing practice leads to missing key points of preparation and development. Middle School age is already very competitive. Unless sick or very important school event, practice can't be missed. Coaches plan training on everyone being there. They can adapt with 1 or 2 missing due to excusable absence or last minute emergencies but half of the team calling in for homework is not beneficial to anyone especially those who make the effort to be there and coach. How about the other parents who leave work early just to get kids to practice and find out you didn't make it because of Math homework. |
Anonymous
| They are expected to make most practices. A kid might miss one or two in a season due to homework or illness. |
Anonymous
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This is a good way to get them to learn time management.
Student athletes learn this early. At least the educated sports where they don't stand a chance of million $ contracts 
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Anonymous
| We skip travel soccer practice if DS has a test the next day and needs to study -- that's pretty much the only exception for us. Coach hasn't complained. I'd guess DS missed @3 practices this fall season. DS really wants to play soccer though so on practice days he's very focused on getting his homework done. |
Anonymous
| Agree with everyone else. I have/had four travel soccer players. We miss for things like a school concert (if they are a participant), or special event, but not for homework. We have missed for homework a few times at the high school level, but not at middle school. And even with the high schoolers, it's been VERY infrequent. |
Anonymous
| DS almost always misses one of three weekly practices to go to Hebrew School. It's been OK so far, but he is only U12. I wouldn't have him skip just for homework/studying. |
Anonymous
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Yea. I grew up playing for an incredibly competitive travel team with extensive travel. I was also a straight A honors student, class officer, etc. I never missed practice for homework.
It's called time management. |
Anonymous
| In my DS team, you miss practice, you don't start the game. You have to earn the starting positions, so most kid never miss practice. |
Anonymous
Why sign up for a sport knowing in advance that your son would miss ONE THIRD of all practices? That's a huge amount and is unfair to your son's teammates. |
Anonymous
| Op here. Thanks all, you're confirming what I thought. It's hard, DS wants to do it all, and I don't think he understands the level of commitment for travel. |
Anonymous
We did not know in advance that practices would conflict. Last year they didn't. We didn't know fall practice days/times til late August. We still don't know practice days and times for winter. |