Locked out of a sport if you don't do travel by 13?
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Anonymous
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As a parent of a fairly athletic child who is currently interested only in the classic American sports (football, baseball, and basketball), I'm noticing that there is a push to specialize kids earlier and earlier. I'm wondering if any coaches or trainers reading this might comment on whether a kid who doesn't play a sport intensively by age 12/13 gets locked out of that sport forever?
For example, my 10-year old DS currently has no interest in lacrosse, soccer, or tennis. If he doesn't start one of these other sport by 12, does that mean he can't play them in his teens, except on a recreational basis? |
Anonymous
| Getting the popcorn out for this one. |
Anonymous
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The best athletes all played multiple sports and do through high school the kids who "used" to play, put all their eggs in one basket and didn't make it when they had to try out for school teams or clubs etc.
Most players in those sports that are good at that age probably will top out soon because that is all they do. relax, get your kid involved and have fun and don't become one of those crazy parents, enjoy it, my last kid is winding down their sports as they head off to school and I really enjoyed it, Now on to college to play a sport but never locked into one sport. |
Anonymous
| I am by no means an expert since my oldest is only 12 but it certainly seems to be the case--especially in soccer and basketball. I've heard of kids picking up lacrosse later. Not at all familiar with baseball. And here is why I think it's the case--it appears to be easier to make the "Travel" team when it is first offered to that age group. After that, you're up against a team that has already trained and played together so you would need to be exceptional in Rec. to get offered a spot. |
Anonymous
Define "locked out". In this area you can play almost any sport at the "rec" level. |
Anonymous
Yes, those kids might have played multiple sports, but when did they start? I do think it's very hard to start a sport at age 12, and make a HS team or travel team. As kids get older, there is a level or commitment that is needed to play these sports on those teams and it requires more than just athleticism. Although, if the child is a really good athlete and is extremely motivated, they might naturally just pick up the sport. As an example, my own son played travel baseball from 9U-11U and then got burnt out from a bad coach. He's played rec since then, but with COVID hasn't played much and he's trying to decide whether to try out for the baseball team in HS as an 8th grader. I honestly don't think he'll make it. Everyone who is trying out currently plays travel, practices in summer and winter, etc, etc. Even though he's a good athlete, he doesn't really have the motvation to do all that again. Sports are no longer a one season thing - at least not in this area. |
Anonymous
PP again. I do think playing rec. is always an option. But travel and HS, not so much. |
Anonymous
some kids are playing travel in multiple sports or are playing travel in one sport and rec in two or three others. Don't assume that a kid has specialized just because they play travel (parent of two daughters one of whom is travel in two sports and rec in a third and another who is travel in one and rec in two) |
Anonymous
| I wouldn't put tennis in the same category. The difference is that it's an individual sport so you're not depending on a team or confined to a playing season. If a kid is quick and athletic, there's no reason they can't catch up quickly on the technical side. It just takes working with a coach with private lessons, which takes $$. |
Anonymous
| People have raised some good points about travel sports being year round, players training together, high costs and a big time committment. The gap between rec and travels players can be significant and obvious within 1-2 seasons. But, the answer it really depends on the sport and your son's phycial atributes and athletic ability. He's probably already out of basketball, unless he's super tall in the next year or two. He's also not going to make the top soccer teams, but there are a lot of clubs in this area, and multiple teams per age group. As long as thee's demand, clubs will find a way to take your money. Baseball kids have been playing all winter, even at the rec level. HS teams are competitive and most coaches already know the players. The difference in arm strength and hitting between freshman and seniors is obvious so an eighth grader would need to really shine. Go to the green day practices and see how he stacks up. His success will ultimately depend on his efforts and skills, and on the level of play at his HS. |
Anonymous
For competitive sports, there are many levels of "travel" teams, and only kids playing at the top level will make HS teams. For basketball specifically, there are multiple schools in this area that are perennially in the USA Today top 25 in the country. You typically don't make varsity at those schools unless you are playing for a top travel team, and I have trouble imagining a kid who starts at 12 getting there by high school. Kids can play rec, lower level travel or even Freshman or JV at those schools (or varsit at a less competitive school) with less experience. |
Anonymous
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I think a lot of team sports would be difficult to jump into at that age with no previous experience. Swimming would also be difficult.
But there are a bunch of sports you can pick up late: Track and XC, cycling, triathlon are the ones that spring to mind but I am sure there are loads more. |
Anonymous
| People have raised some good points about travel sports being year round, players training together, high costs and a big time committment. The gap between rec and travels players can be significant and obvious within 1-2 seasons. But, the answer it really depends on the sport and your son's phycial atributes and athletic ability. He's probably already out of basketball, unless he's super tall in the next year or two. He's also not going to make the top soccer teams, but there are a lot of clubs in this area, and multiple teams per age group. As long as thee's demand, clubs will find a way to take your money. Baseball kids have been playing all winter, even at the rec level. HS teams are competitive and most coaches already know the players. The difference in arm strength and hitting between freshman and seniors is obvious so an eighth grader would need to really shine. Go to the green day practices and see how he stacks up. His success will ultimately depend on his efforts and skills, and on the level of play at his HS. |
Anonymous
OP here. I did say that I known play is possible but I was specifically thinking of high school teams. DS is already travel in basketball, but I worry about burnout and yes I know the competition in this area on bball is tremendous. I worry that if he burns out on it or decides at some point he wants to try out a new sport, it will be too late for him to be able to play that sport in HS. Sounds like people are saying yes that’s true. |
Anonymous
| Trying to say I know rec play is possible. |