Travel soccer plus little league

[Anonymous]

DS will be new to travel soccer (U9) in the fall. I understand that it is generally expected to be DS' first priority in terms of sports commitments. Do some kids at this age still play little league baseball in addition to travel soccer? If so, how does that work in your experience? If there are conflicts, do you just always go to soccer? DS will be on the top team in soccer to the extent it matters in terms of expectations.

[Anonymous]

We did baseball with travel soccer at u9. Still do. Soccer just always has to take priority. My son misses a lot of baseball games but it’s rec and the team has enough players so it’s been ok. However he is now older and wants to play a higher level of baseball. I think one of his coaches will always be mad because he can’t make both top priority.

[Anonymous]

We have done it and it is okay because we are upfront at the beginning about priorities. Soccer trumps baseball for games, of course, but my son might miss a soccer practice for a baseball game. Coaches have been okay with that.

It gets to be more of a drag as the kids get older because baseball games are longer, there are more practices, batting practice before games, etc. Even at the rec level, baseball is a big time commitment.

[Anonymous]

I could have written this post OP. I’m concerned about it as well and I think it depends on the soccer coach as to how understanding they will be. A baseball teammate of my son’s who is a year older did travel soccer all season and they were not very forgiving about missing anything. He was probably at half our baseball games and never attended a practice so I don’t see that he missed all that much soccer.

I gusss we will just see how it goes.

[Anonymous]

It pisses me off that kids have to choose a sport at age 8, 9, even 10. It should be soccer in the fall and baseball in the spring, none of this year round for every sport crap. It's better for the kids to try a bunch of different stuff and specialize in high school if at all. That is something that really, really bothers me about this area.

My 6 year old shouldn't have to miss out on trying soccer or other sports because he likes baseball and will fall behind if he doesn't play fall ball.

/high horse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I could have written this post OP. I’m concerned about it as well and I think it depends on the soccer coach as to how understanding they will be. A baseball teammate of my son’s who is a year older did travel soccer all season and they were not very forgiving about missing anything. He was probably at half our baseball games and never attended a practice so I don’t see that he missed all that much soccer.

I gusss we will just see how it goes.

I don't care how good of an athlete the kid is or how rec the baseball team is, that is utterly unfair to the kids who are making the baseball team a priority

The soccer kid who misses all the practices should be the bench warmer who gets the one required at bat only, with even the weakest player getting more at bats and fielding rotations than him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could have written this post OP. I’m concerned about it as well and I think it depends on the soccer coach as to how understanding they will be. A baseball teammate of my son’s who is a year older did travel soccer all season and they were not very forgiving about missing anything. He was probably at half our baseball games and never attended a practice so I don’t see that he missed all that much soccer.

I gusss we will just see how it goes.

I don't care how good of an athlete the kid is or how rec the baseball team is, that is utterly unfair to the kids who are making the baseball team a priority

The soccer kid who misses all the practices should be the bench warmer who gets the one required at bat only, with even the weakest player getting more at bats and fielding rotations than him.

At 8 years old nothing needs to be a "priority". The only priority is to your child not a team. Let them play both without unnecessary pressure of worrying about the team. They should be more focused on learning and being exposed to as many different sports and opportunities as possible without fear of retribution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could have written this post OP. I’m concerned about it as well and I think it depends on the soccer coach as to how understanding they will be. A baseball teammate of my son’s who is a year older did travel soccer all season and they were not very forgiving about missing anything. He was probably at half our baseball games and never attended a practice so I don’t see that he missed all that much soccer.

I gusss we will just see how it goes.

I don't care how good of an athlete the kid is or how rec the baseball team is, that is utterly unfair to the kids who are making the baseball team a priority

The soccer kid who misses all the practices should be the bench warmer who gets the one required at bat only, with even the weakest player getting more at bats and fielding rotations than him.

At 8 years old nothing needs to be a "priority". The only priority is to your child not a team. Let them play both without unnecessary pressure of worrying about the team. They should be more focused on learning and being exposed to as many different sports and opportunities as possible without fear of retribution.

You are wrong.

If every other kid is there for practices, including the kids that are not very good, why should a kid who has not attended a single practice get to jump in with the same playing time?

That is unfair, even if the baseball team is very recreational and even if the soccer player is a stellar athlete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could have written this post OP. I’m concerned about it as well and I think it depends on the soccer coach as to how understanding they will be. A baseball teammate of my son’s who is a year older did travel soccer all season and they were not very forgiving about missing anything. He was probably at half our baseball games and never attended a practice so I don’t see that he missed all that much soccer.

I gusss we will just see how it goes.

I don't care how good of an athlete the kid is or how rec the baseball team is, that is utterly unfair to the kids who are making the baseball team a priority

The soccer kid who misses all the practices should be the bench warmer who gets the one required at bat only, with even the weakest player getting more at bats and fielding rotations than him.

At 8 years old nothing needs to be a "priority". The only priority is to your child not a team. Let them play both without unnecessary pressure of worrying about the team. They should be more focused on learning and being exposed to as many different sports and opportunities as possible without fear of retribution.

It is not retribution to play the kids who have been working hard all season and committed to their teammates over the kid who has clearly established that the team is an afterthought.

The low ability kids who show up and try are the ones who are treated unfairly when the non committed kid gets the same or more playing time when he happens to show up. just because he is more naturally athletic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It pisses me off that kids have to choose a sport at age 8, 9, even 10. It should be soccer in the fall and baseball in the spring, none of this year round for every sport crap. It's better for the kids to try a bunch of different stuff and specialize in high school if at all. That is something that really, really bothers me about this area.

My 6 year old shouldn't have to miss out on trying soccer or other sports because he likes baseball and will fall behind if he doesn't play fall ball.

/high horse.

My mind was blown recently to learn soccer is a SPRING HS sport here (Fairfax).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It pisses me off that kids have to choose a sport at age 8, 9, even 10. It should be soccer in the fall and baseball in the spring, none of this year round for every sport crap. It's better for the kids to try a bunch of different stuff and specialize in high school if at all. That is something that really, really bothers me about this area.

My 6 year old shouldn't have to miss out on trying soccer or other sports because he likes baseball and will fall behind if he doesn't play fall ball.

/high horse.

I agree totally. Like who are these soccer coaches that say "you MUST make it a priority over other sports!" to 7 year old kids? The hubris is astounding. It's a great way to turn off some potentially great players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could have written this post OP. I’m concerned about it as well and I think it depends on the soccer coach as to how understanding they will be. A baseball teammate of my son’s who is a year older did travel soccer all season and they were not very forgiving about missing anything. He was probably at half our baseball games and never attended a practice so I don’t see that he missed all that much soccer.

I gusss we will just see how it goes.

I don't care how good of an athlete the kid is or how rec the baseball team is, that is utterly unfair to the kids who are making the baseball team a priority

The soccer kid who misses all the practices should be the bench warmer who gets the one required at bat only, with even the weakest player getting more at bats and fielding rotations than him.

At 8 years old nothing needs to be a "priority". The only priority is to your child not a team. Let them play both without unnecessary pressure of worrying about the team. They should be more focused on learning and being exposed to as many different sports and opportunities as possible without fear of retribution.

You are wrong.

If every other kid is there for practices, including the kids that are not very good, why should a kid who has not attended a single practice get to jump in with the same playing time?

That is unfair, even if the baseball team is very recreational and even if the soccer player is a stellar athlete.

So what do you suggest? No one plays more than one sport after age 6?

[Anonymous]

Does the ball team have more than 9 kids? IMO it’s not an issue if they have enough kids to play the full field if your son misses. With my 6 y/o, the kids didn’t like having to sit an inning in the dugout when fielding when all 12 kids were there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could have written this post OP. I’m concerned about it as well and I think it depends on the soccer coach as to how understanding they will be. A baseball teammate of my son’s who is a year older did travel soccer all season and they were not very forgiving about missing anything. He was probably at half our baseball games and never attended a practice so I don’t see that he missed all that much soccer.

I gusss we will just see how it goes.

I don't care how good of an athlete the kid is or how rec the baseball team is, that is utterly unfair to the kids who are making the baseball team a priority

The soccer kid who misses all the practices should be the bench warmer who gets the one required at bat only, with even the weakest player getting more at bats and fielding rotations than him.

At 8 years old nothing needs to be a "priority". The only priority is to your child not a team. Let them play both without unnecessary pressure of worrying about the team. They should be more focused on learning and being exposed to as many different sports and opportunities as possible without fear of retribution.

It is not retribution to play the kids who have been working hard all season and committed to their teammates over the kid who has clearly established that the team is an afterthought.

The low ability kids who show up and try are the ones who are treated unfairly when the non committed kid gets the same or more playing time when he happens to show up. just because he is more naturally athletic.

That's life, especially in sports. It's hypocritical to say that it HAS to be a priority and also that the best players shouldn't get the most playing time. Do you take it seriously, or don't you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could have written this post OP. I’m concerned about it as well and I think it depends on the soccer coach as to how understanding they will be. A baseball teammate of my son’s who is a year older did travel soccer all season and they were not very forgiving about missing anything. He was probably at half our baseball games and never attended a practice so I don’t see that he missed all that much soccer.

I gusss we will just see how it goes.

I don't care how good of an athlete the kid is or how rec the baseball team is, that is utterly unfair to the kids who are making the baseball team a priority

The soccer kid who misses all the practices should be the bench warmer who gets the one required at bat only, with even the weakest player getting more at bats and fielding rotations than him.

At 8 years old nothing needs to be a "priority". The only priority is to your child not a team. Let them play both without unnecessary pressure of worrying about the team. They should be more focused on learning and being exposed to as many different sports and opportunities as possible without fear of retribution.

You are wrong.

If every other kid is there for practices, including the kids that are not very good, why should a kid who has not attended a single practice get to jump in with the same playing time?

That is unfair, even if the baseball team is very recreational and even if the soccer player is a stellar athlete.

Because the kid is 8 years old and you are an adult. Playing time at 8 years old, in a learning environment is not merit based anyway. The primary goal at this age is to have kids fall in love with the game and trying to punish a 8 year old kid because of you think it is unfair is what is wrong.