High school sports tryouts: who is sweating it out with me?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our HS tennis team is a joke. They took 20 kids knowing only top 6 would play. The ones not in the top 6 sit around and just watch during practice. What is the point of that! Coach should have just chosen top 10-12. I also don't think tennis is taken seriously at our HS. Most players are pretty bad in general, even top 6.

That sucks, knowing how few play, they should take no more than 12 and even that will lead to alot of sitting around. And yes, some teams are just not good. My kids played all four years in HS and there's usually 1-3 kids who are actual tennis players and play in the offseason and do tournaments and the rest are just there for something to do. We had good teams where we competed in regionals and bad teams where we had a losing record. People graduate, not much you can do about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Because you can't have a 50 person tennis team

Or a 40 roster varsity soccer team

Etc.

Why not? It is time to rewrite the so-called rules.

No, kids need ot learn and understand what being better than others means. Should we give everyone the job who submits a resume? Everyone gets to be on the debate team?

[Anonymous]

My son is on JV Soccer. His high school has a twitter page, facebook page and Instagram page for Boys Soccer.
However, only Varsity gets mentioned (practices, pictures,etc) like JV doesn't even exists.

What a joke!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is on JV Soccer. His high school has a twitter page, facebook page and Instagram page for Boys Soccer.
However, only Varsity gets mentioned (practices, pictures,etc) like JV doesn't even exists.

What a joke!

That may be coach dependent. I know my HS also has social media pages for teams - some teams have a varsity social media presence and a jv social media presence. Suggest to the JV coach to start a social media presence for the jv team

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Because you can't have a 50 person tennis team

Or a 40 roster varsity soccer team

Etc.

Why not? It is time to rewrite the so-called rules.

No, kids need ot learn and understand what being better than others means. Should we give everyone the job who submits a resume? Everyone gets to be on the debate team?

If the justification for sports is about it being part of a well rounded education then teams should be no cut. Otherwise, just let kids play club. FWIW, my kids play high school and club, but I think it's hypocritical when schools talk about the value of athletics and then cut the majority of kids who show up for tryouts

[Anonymous]

My 10th grader has final baseball cuts today. He’s up against kids have been playing/training year round for years. Mine played select but not travel. We’ll see what happens......

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Because you can't have a 50 person tennis team

Or a 40 roster varsity soccer team

Etc.

Why not? It is time to rewrite the so-called rules.

No, kids need ot learn and understand what being better than others means. Should we give everyone the job who submits a resume? Everyone gets to be on the debate team?

If the justification for sports is about it being part of a well rounded education then teams should be no cut. Otherwise, just let kids play club. FWIW, my kids play high school and club, but I think it's hypocritical when schools talk about the value of athletics and then cut the majority of kids who show up for tryouts

What about the kids who aren't permitted to take AP and advanced classes? Should they just be allowed to? Should they slow down the teaching and bring down the level of curriculum to accomodate them? Kids all have different strengths, skills. Just once, the kids who excel at academics while others have to work twice as hard can learn a little lesson in humility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Because you can't have a 50 person tennis team

Or a 40 roster varsity soccer team

Etc.

Why not? It is time to rewrite the so-called rules.

No, kids need ot learn and understand what being better than others means. Should we give everyone the job who submits a resume? Everyone gets to be on the debate team?

OMG.

You clearly do not have a clue about the true meaning of equity.

How sad for you.

[Anonymous]

The people who want no-cuts for every sport has never worked with large groups of children or teens, including ones who are unmotivated. Working with kids (especially these days when behaviors are not great) is so much harder the bigger the group.

[Anonymous]

And there is only so much space. One basketball court, two tennis courts, etc. There isn't room for 50 kids to practice tennis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Um, for SO many reasons. Because then some kids will never get the chance to play. Because one or two coaches can only effectively coach/supervise a certain number of kids. Because a school bus for away games can only fit so many kids on it. Because isn't it enough the really sporty kids have to play with the really clumsy kids in gym class? Shouldn't they have the fun of getting to play with kids at a similar level? I could go on and on.

You are right of course. But I’d love to see really popular sports, where there are cuts, have B/C teams that practice and maybe don’t even have games. Just to allow those kids to play, enjoy the sport and maybe improve over the years.

This does exist. It's called club soccer. Or rec soccer.

Oh yeah! My kid plays at a higher level and is objectively a much better player (based on college recruiting) than kids on Varsity while he was on JV (and not even a JV starter)--while he played every minute and started on an area Club team that was top-ranked here and around the US. This HS is BIG on nepotism and politics. The level is nowhere near as high as Club, but it really means a lot to the kids that want to play for their school.

HS coaches can be weird.

HS Coaches are so weird. My son (Sophomore) plays in the top division at his club and made JV, yet some kids (Juniors) made the cut for Varsity and they play at his club in the 2nd and 3rd tier teams. Even a kid (also Junior) that plays Rec. only made Varsity.

Politics

Similar at our HS. And we have a ridiculous amount of 'multiples' --twins, triplets, etc. on all 3 teams that come as a package deal, even when they are not good at all.

Yes! this happens at our school too. One twin is good, the other gets a spot even though he is not as strong. We had two sets like that on the JV basketball team this winter: out of 12-14 kids, two were twin B's who didn't play but took up spots.

I have twins so this is not a slight on twins.

My son's HS soccer team had 3 sets of twins on JV. There are multiples on the Freshmen and Varsity too. One set of twins are god awful, but the older sibling on Varsity is a star. My kid is f$kd because they both play his position.

Wow. Where do you live that there are so many freaking twins? That's insane. 3 sets of twins on one JV team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Um, for SO many reasons. Because then some kids will never get the chance to play. Because one or two coaches can only effectively coach/supervise a certain number of kids. Because a school bus for away games can only fit so many kids on it. Because isn't it enough the really sporty kids have to play with the really clumsy kids in gym class? Shouldn't they have the fun of getting to play with kids at a similar level? I could go on and on.

You are right of course. But I’d love to see really popular sports, where there are cuts, have B/C teams that practice and maybe don’t even have games. Just to allow those kids to play, enjoy the sport and maybe improve over the years.

This does exist. It's called club soccer. Or rec soccer.

In my area, rec ends at high school, and club is cost prohibitive for a lot of families. But I get that there are budget constraints.

Where in the DC area do you live where there are no rec sports in high school? Our rec league offers all the sports through 12th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Because you can't have a 50 person tennis team

Or a 40 roster varsity soccer team

Etc.

Why not? It is time to rewrite the so-called rules.

No, kids need ot learn and understand what being better than others means. Should we give everyone the job who submits a resume? Everyone gets to be on the debate team?

OMG.

You clearly do not have a clue about the true meaning of equity.

How sad for you.

What about a meritocracy?

That's what I like about my kids' sports. Not all sports are objective but many are. You know what the cut off/standards/goals are. You have something to work towards. With all the rec and club out there, you have options. You will always find a place. But, you will not always play on the HS team. So many great lessons there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Um, for SO many reasons. Because then some kids will never get the chance to play. Because one or two coaches can only effectively coach/supervise a certain number of kids. Because a school bus for away games can only fit so many kids on it. Because isn't it enough the really sporty kids have to play with the really clumsy kids in gym class? Shouldn't they have the fun of getting to play with kids at a similar level? I could go on and on.

You are right of course. But I’d love to see really popular sports, where there are cuts, have B/C teams that practice and maybe don’t even have games. Just to allow those kids to play, enjoy the sport and maybe improve over the years.

This does exist. It's called club soccer. Or rec soccer.

Oh yeah! My kid plays at a higher level and is objectively a much better player (based on college recruiting) than kids on Varsity while he was on JV (and not even a JV starter)--while he played every minute and started on an area Club team that was top-ranked here and around the US. This HS is BIG on nepotism and politics. The level is nowhere near as high as Club, but it really means a lot to the kids that want to play for their school.

HS coaches can be weird.

HS Coaches are so weird. My son (Sophomore) plays in the top division at his club and made JV, yet some kids (Juniors) made the cut for Varsity and they play at his club in the 2nd and 3rd tier teams. Even a kid (also Junior) that plays Rec. only made Varsity.

Politics

Similar at our HS. And we have a ridiculous amount of 'multiples' --twins, triplets, etc. on all 3 teams that come as a package deal, even when they are not good at all.

Yes! this happens at our school too. One twin is good, the other gets a spot even though he is not as strong. We had two sets like that on the JV basketball team this winter: out of 12-14 kids, two were twin B's who didn't play but took up spots.

I have twins so this is not a slight on twins.

My son's HS soccer team had 3 sets of twins on JV. There are multiples on the Freshmen and Varsity too. One set of twins are god awful, but the older sibling on Varsity is a star. My kid is f$kd because they both play his position.

Wow. Where do you live that there are so many freaking twins? That's insane. 3 sets of twins on one JV team?

Places where women have children later in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Because you can't have a 50 person tennis team

Or a 40 roster varsity soccer team

Etc.

Why not? It is time to rewrite the so-called rules.

No, kids need ot learn and understand what being better than others means. Should we give everyone the job who submits a resume? Everyone gets to be on the debate team?

If the justification for sports is about it being part of a well rounded education then teams should be no cut. Otherwise, just let kids play club. FWIW, my kids play high school and club, but I think it's hypocritical when schools talk about the value of athletics and then cut the majority of kids who show up for tryouts [/qu.ote]

Or they should add teams. At our school, lots of kids show up for certain sports and then get cut. There are not freshman, JV, and varsity teams (just JV and varsity, and sometimes just varsity). Or OFFER a club sport for those who don't make the school teams. That at least lets the kids get a team feel with kids from their own school.