9 years of travel socce for DC, I regret it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look at high school athletics from the perspective that it keeps them BUSY. No time for playing endless video games or getting into trouble. Often, a busy athlete is a better student because they learn to organize their academic life. Bonus: they stay in shape too. Think positive OP.

It's funny that this is so many people's attitudes. I was not a busy kid (teen). But, I also wasn't a trouble maker or a couch potato.

My siblings and I all played travel soccer year round and our father coached it so I knew what I was getting into, but also knew it was a marathon but a sprint and avoided the teams with excess tournaments and travel until they were much older, focusing on different developmental training experiments in the preteen and younger years. It’s why I didn’t lose my mind.

My kids love playing HS now and they don’t do Club the same season it balances with a heavy AP course load. I know there are other ways to stay on college radar. Spring season is enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look at high school athletics from the perspective that it keeps them BUSY. No time for playing endless video games or getting into trouble. Often, a busy athlete is a better student because they learn to organize their academic life. Bonus: they stay in shape too. Think positive OP.

It's funny that this is so many people's attitudes. I was not a busy kid (teen). But, I also wasn't a trouble maker or a couch potato.

100%. The only thing that kept me off drugs in HS was that I had soccer practice. No joke, sports saved me. I have a curious and mischievous mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, thanks for this post. My DS is early in the travel journey and we're debating whether this is a good decision or not. We already plan so much time around his sports' schedule that I can't imagine what it'll be like heading to SC/NC for weekends, too. At present, the kids all do well academically so I'd like to focus on that. Even if DS is good enough to play D3, what's the point in that? He'd spend so much time in practice and games that he'd miss out on the academics of college.

I think our kids would gain just as much athleticism and love of team sports playing on a lower tier team with less commitment as playing travel. I'm planning to get out while we still can and spend that extra time and money on academics and family time.

How he spends his time in college is really up to him.

While kids activities should not be indulged beyond the families financial or real logistical or time constraints but purposely holding a kid back from their potential only closes opportunities later. I don't know if your son can play D3, D2 or D1 and it may not even matter to him but it is best to let him drive his ambition within the boundaries of what your family can reasonably accommodate.

This comment negates all the other comments of all the good things kids/adults get from playing sports, as if playing professionally is the only good outcome. Played D3 sports, stayed in amazing shape, had a great group of built-in friends. So much positive from playing for the joy of playing, and remained Dean's List and have done very well profressionally. I find this comment so odd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think listening to a kid and not just dismmising their thoughts and desires is important. But , ultimately it is up to the parents. For me, I'd say not to travel or high intensity sports, not just for the money, but for time. And not just mine, but our family's and my kids. I don't want them to lose their childhood.

What childhood do you think they are losing by playing team sports?

One that most here can't even imagine that doesn't include every minute of a child's life being scheduled.

[Anonymous]

Your post is very honest and one most people don't want to admit too. So much time, money, families pulled between travel sites on weekends. I feel like travel sports in general have become major money makers for so many people. Great if it works for a family or specific kids, but the pressure to do it is intense and I feel has become as business more than fun. Too many people at tryouts screaming "my kid better make it based on how much money I've invested so he/she can play in college" is not normal behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who else feels like this?

Spent $30k on club, team fees, training alone

Spent 3,000 hours alone on practices and matches

My DC has not made long term friendships on any of the teams

The coaches never seemed to be interested enough

My other kids have had to keep some of their activities to a minimum because of the oldest. I don't blame anyone but myself for this, though.

My DC loves soccer, but he is not good enough to play past high school or maybe D2/D3, but those colleges aren't good academically anyway.

This season DC is on the top team of his club, ECNL-RL though but like I said if he were to make an ECNL team, he would not get much game time. The coach is really interested in my DC as a player as my child now says that after practice and matches he makes comments about child's playing style and what he could improve upon. My DC on this team plays with confidence and attempts 1v1 moves. My DC now is more friendly with other players.

I like that both of us are enjoying the experience right now, but hate that it took so long to finally find a place that was right for him.

I have decided this year will be the last one for him. He will be junior in HS next year and made the HS soccer team last year.

For those of you that have had 4-5 years in travel soccer, what has your experience been like so far? Enjoyed it, or miserably looking at next year and hoping your son will not want to do it?

What do you mean you have decided? What about him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look at high school athletics from the perspective that it keeps them BUSY. No time for playing endless video games or getting into trouble. Often, a busy athlete is a better student because they learn to organize their academic life. Bonus: they stay in shape too. Think positive OP.

It's funny that this is so many people's attitudes. I was not a busy kid (teen). But, I also wasn't a trouble maker or a couch potato.

I agree...this is a newish concept that you need to keep the kids "busy", and that the only option is video games or drugs. god forbid kids have time to read, chill, be creative etc. It's easier to parent with set schedules with sports set by other people. Been there done that, and we had to fight hard against people saying "but you HAVE to do travel or HS sports". No, you don't.

Thank you for posting this. Not many people agree with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look at high school athletics from the perspective that it keeps them BUSY. No time for playing endless video games or getting into trouble. Often, a busy athlete is a better student because they learn to organize their academic life. Bonus: they stay in shape too. Think positive OP.

It's funny that this is so many people's attitudes. I was not a busy kid (teen). But, I also wasn't a trouble maker or a couch potato.

100%. The only thing that kept me off drugs in HS was that I had soccer practice. No joke, sports saved me. I have a curious and mischievous mind.

I'm glad to see you went down a better path, but what did sports do? To me, I would think if a kid wants to experiment with drugs they're going to no matter if they are busy or not.

[Anonymous]

made the HS soccer team last year.

I would put all aside and start with a clean, fresh outlook. It would have been nice if travel soccer didn't make the difference between making the HS or not, but you'll never know. Good years ahead! Enjoy all that awaits! thks for your prospective though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this discussion is flawed. It is discussing each child who plays travel sports as if they are all the same when they are not. You may have a child who loves to play baseball and your neighbor may have a child who loves[b] to play baseball. Your neighbor's kid may be that kid who can't wait to get to practice, comes home from practice and asks to throw the ball so more on the front lawn, watches the sport on tv every day, laments that it is raining and his game is canceled. Your neighbor is in a different position than you are. You have the ability to gently guide your child to another activity. Other kids would feel that loss so much deeper. It really depends on what type of child you have.

Yeah, this discussion is foreign to me. My kid on his own goes into the backyard and practices hours every day. I am the one telling him he has to stop, not pushing him. He lives and breathes his sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look at high school athletics from the perspective that it keeps them BUSY. No time for playing endless video games or getting into trouble. Often, a busy athlete is a better student because they learn to organize their academic life. Bonus: they stay in shape too. Think positive OP.

It's funny that this is so many people's attitudes. I was not a busy kid (teen). But, I also wasn't a trouble maker or a couch potato.

100%. The only thing that kept me off drugs in HS was that I had soccer practice. No joke, sports saved me. I have a curious and mischievous mind.

I'm glad to see you went down a better path, but what did sports do? To me, I would think if a kid wants to experiment with drugs they're going to no matter if they are busy or not.

Not true. Ever heard the saying "An idle mind is the devil's workshop"?

[Anonymous]

Yeah I've heard of the saying. All I'm saying is that some kids, if they want to do something bad enough they'll find a way. Maybe some of the kids who didn't experimenting in their teens really didn't want to anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

made the HS soccer team last year.

I would put all aside and start with a clean, fresh outlook. It would have been nice if travel soccer didn't make the difference between making the HS or not, but you'll never know. Good years ahead! Enjoy all that awaits! thks for your prospective though.

Agree. It definitely did at our HS. Not a single non-travel HS player made the team and many travel players did not make the team. It's very competitive, with over 70 players cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is incorrect that D3 schools aren’t good academically. Here are some D3 schools:

MIT
Amherst
Williams
Swarthmore
Middlebury
CalTech
Tufts

These are schools with single digit admission rates. And basically every SLAC is D3. If your child wants to play in college it can be a huge admissions hook to great schools.

HAHAHA

[Anonymous]

OP I agree with you partially.

The part I disagree with is you saying your DC can not play after junior year. Should be their decision not yours. Same with the college they want to apply for Div 2 or 3 let them take care of everything.