How many sports do your kids play/compete in?

[Anonymous]

Trying to figure out what is too much. My kid is pushing for more and not sure what the balance might be, I personally think that kids specialize too early and play too many organized sports, but am looking for perspective.

So at what is your kids gender/age, number of sports played (the season they play them), multiple sports in the same season, number of practices a week and games. If you want to add what you did at differing age points what your kid(s) were doing that might be helpful as well.

[Anonymous]

My kid is 14, going into 9th grade. In middle school (when they were in person, at least!) he ran cross country, played basketball, and played baseball. He decided to drop cross country this year and just do basketball and baseball. He will do both for his high school and also plays baseball on a travel team. He has four travel baseball commitments a week in the fall, then very few in winter when he'll have 5 day a week basketball. then 5 day a week baseball. Summer is baseball a few days a week. At his age I did a whole lot of nothing, but by sophomore year of high school I was a three season athlete in two sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is 14, going into 9th grade. In middle school (when they were in person, at least!) he ran cross country, played basketball, and played baseball. He decided to drop cross country this year and just do basketball and baseball. He will do both for his high school and also plays baseball on a travel team. He has four travel baseball commitments a week in the fall, then very few in winter when he'll have 5 day a week basketball. then 5 day a week baseball. Summer is baseball a few days a week. At his age I did a whole lot of nothing, but by sophomore year of high school I was a three season athlete in two sports.[/quote]


Aren't most sports one season? (I am also new to this)

[Anonymous]

I have two kids - 5th and 6th grade.

Summer they do swim - six days a week of practice and two meets a week for six weeks.

They swim one day a week, year round to keep their skills.

They both run track and cross country. They have two practices a week and then meets every other week or so.

Winter they play basketball. They practice two days a week and a game every weekend.

Spring they do nothing but swim one day a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is 14, going into 9th grade. In middle school (when they were in person, at least!) he ran cross country, played basketball, and played baseball. He decided to drop cross country this year and just do basketball and baseball. He will do both for his high school and also plays baseball on a travel team. He has four travel baseball commitments a week in the fall, then very few in winter when he'll have 5 day a week basketball. then 5 day a week baseball. Summer is baseball a few days a week. At his age I did a whole lot of nothing, but by sophomore year of high school I was a three season athlete in two sports.[/quote]


Aren't most sports one season? (I am also new to this)

Most are, yes, but not all. I was (am still!) a rower, and there is a spring sprint season and a fall "head" season which is long races. Sort of like fall cross country and spring track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is 14, going into 9th grade. In middle school (when they were in person, at least!) he ran cross country, played basketball, and played baseball. He decided to drop cross country this year and just do basketball and baseball. He will do both for his high school and also plays baseball on a travel team. He has four travel baseball commitments a week in the fall, then very few in winter when he'll have 5 day a week basketball. then 5 day a week baseball. Summer is baseball a few days a week. At his age I did a whole lot of nothing, but by sophomore year of high school I was a three season athlete in two sports.

Aren't most sports one season? (I am also new to this)

No, some travel sports (baseball, soccer, etc) are year long.

[Anonymous]

2 per season

[Anonymous]

Mine played a lot throughout elementary school. We usually let them pick one or two per season (only two if the second was a low key rec sport like flag football or golf). It kept them busy and they could try out a lot of different sports before specializing.

All of them (now older teens) primarily focused on baseball; however, they each also had a fall sport for high school (golf, soccer, x-c). As elementary school kids, the one who played golf knew early that he wasn't a runner. He didn't like soccer or track, so he picked golf to focus on throughout middle school. Two currently play rec basketball as they love it still but aren't good enough to make the high school team.

It was difficult driving everyone everywhere but they loved it and it gave them a well-rounded vision of which sports they excelled at and liked.

[Anonymous]

I have two boys (12 & 9) that play baseball and swim - each to varying degrees. During the summer they play tennis at the local pool as well. They may or may not play basketball this winter - it’s not a sport of focus for either but sometimes they like playing rec with friends.

I have a 6 year old daughter who does pre-team gymnastics & one dance class & takes swim lessons.

We did tell one of our kids to do two v 3 days of club swim this year and that we thought travel baseball was too much to add at this time (9 y/o). I do think 3 days of gymnastics is a lot for age 6 - but at the same time it seems she has to do that now or never - whereas our middle one was pretty good with swimming one day a week during the winter last year & two days is already an increase. So really it depends on the sport, the kid, & how they and the family can juggle all of the activities.

I didn’t join the track team until HS and then ran in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine played a lot throughout elementary school. We usually let them pick one or two per season (only two if the second was a low key rec sport like flag football or golf). It kept them busy and they could try out a lot of different sports before specializing.

All of them (now older teens) primarily focused on baseball; however, they each also had a fall sport for high school (golf, soccer, x-c). As elementary school kids, the one who played golf knew early that he wasn't a runner. He didn't like soccer or track, so he picked golf to focus on throughout middle school. Two currently play rec basketball as they love it still but aren't good enough to make the high school team.

It was difficult driving everyone everywhere but they loved it and it gave them a well-rounded vision of which sports they excelled at and liked.

Oh. I should add. They all did/do travel baseball and we specifically chose clubs that would allow for other sports during the off-seasons (fall, winter). They only play baseball in the spring and summer.

[Anonymous]

My high school kid plays one sport in a rec league and one travel sport. We tried both travel one year and it was miserable for everyone. We made him pick one for the more serious time commitment and he did and it was so much better.

He also works very part time and is in one club at school. It's definitely enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two boys (12 & 9) that play baseball and swim - each to varying degrees. During the summer they play tennis at the local pool as well. They may or may not play basketball this winter - it’s not a sport of focus for either but sometimes they like playing rec with friends.

I have a 6 year old daughter who does pre-team gymnastics & one dance class & takes swim lessons.

We did tell one of our kids to do two v 3 days of club swim this year and that we thought travel baseball was too much to add at this time (9 y/o). I do think 3 days of gymnastics is a lot for age 6 - but at the same time it seems she has to do that now or never - whereas our middle one was pretty good with swimming one day a week during the winter last year & two days is already an increase. So really it depends on the sport, the kid, & how they and the family can juggle all of the activities.

I didn’t join the track team until HS and then ran in college.

Track is completely different. If you're fast, you're fast. You don't need to learn skills, make yourself into a specific position player, or get on the "right team."

[Anonymous]

It depends on if they’re in a travel program. Some travel programs like baseball also require you to play rec in the same season. I’m fine with my kids playing one travel and one rec sport at a time.

[Anonymous]

My kid is 9 going into 4th. She does swim and jiu jitsu year round. Twice a week each for 45/60 mins. She also does soccer seasonally which honestly makes it a bit much big it’s only for like 6 weeks that it’s crazy with 3 things.

[Anonymous]

I have a 8 and 9 year old. They both swim summer (5 days a week/ 2 meets a week/ 6 weeks) My younger one also does dive - 5 day a week.

Your round they club swim 2-3 days a week.

They both play on two baseball teams (2 practices a week/1 game) in the fall and spring.

One plays football as well.