Anonymous wrote:As my kid got older it was never over. There was about a week off in November, then winter practice started up - outside. They did either an indoor or outdoor winter league (outdoors was a treat early on a Sunday in January). That went right to the Feb/March tournaments, and then the spring season. At one point he was playing more in the winter than in the season (some of that by choice as he was doing an extra indoor league with his HS team).

This is me. My sons travel team doesn't really take a winter break. Practice is continuing and we will probably get a few weeks in December off but that's it. Oh and we also have a tournament in December. Also he does ODP which goes through winter and he likes to do an indoor league in the winter. So it's pretty much year 'round for us. And I also have a younger son whose team is continuing to practice even though the season is over, probably because they have a tournament in a few weeks.

Soccer is never over!

Oh yeah: I watch games. I don't watch practice. I read a book, or catch up with friends.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, why do you have to stand there and watch them? Surely they can carpool and have the parents rotate this miserable chore??

Sounds like your kids are a chore to you. I always wonder why people complain about something positive their kids are doing. Look around. Plenty of kids with problems. enjoy the fact that you can do something with them that they love.

+1. We carpooled for practices, but it meant the world to me (and still does) that my parents came to every game. I was by no means spoiled in other ways, just this show of support.

OP here. I was just announcing I will enjoy the slow season. Points raised.

1. You do your best to carpool, but your kid doesn't always choose an activity that has a ready-made carpool with kids from around the block. This becomes increasingly true if your kid exhibits some skill because distances are farther. No one likes a crowed beltway. However, you take the good with the bad. And yes, I carpool.

2. Stand there and watch: because I love seeing my kid excel and I love watching him show his best self. Sometimes it is cold. Again, you take the good with the bad.

3. "travel sports are a lifestyle choice": Your point? I suspect snark. Again, love watching my kid excel and grow. Love that his coach brings out the best in him, and lets me see the man my son will one day be. Hate the driving.

Anonymous wrote:Wait, why do you have to stand there and watch them? Surely they can carpool and have the parents rotate this miserable chore??

Well, I don't stand there and watch them, that is a little creepy.

With travel soccer you are lucky to find somebody that lives near you.

I read a book, go for a run, run to the store, mail a package, check email, etc. I have met some very interesting parents (who generally talk during practice but don't during games). Soccer is pretty international, we have made friends with people who have lived all over the world... Peru, England, El Salvadore, West Africa, Holland, France, Egypt, etc.

I don't really make this type of connection with parents of school mates as much.

The ride to and from is a great time to connect. Sometimes we will carpool, certainly there are families with schedules that conflict so we help each other out. It is also fun to hear what teens have to say in the back of the car, like I am not even there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, why do you have to stand there and watch them? Surely they can carpool and have the parents rotate this miserable chore??

Sounds like your kids are a chore to you. I always wonder why people complain about something positive their kids are doing. Look around. Plenty of kids with problems. enjoy the fact that you can do something with them that they love.

My kids are little - but the point is, if it's so rough to drive them around, why don't people carpool??

Anonymous wrote:Wait, why do you have to stand there and watch them? Surely they can carpool and have the parents rotate this miserable chore??

Sounds like your kids are a chore to you. I always wonder why people complain about something positive their kids are doing. Look around. Plenty of kids with problems. enjoy the fact that you can do something with them that they love.

9:20 here - We are now done with travel soccer, but looking back I don't regret it at all. As PP noted it was a great opportunity to connect with my kids. The structured time and commitment was a good learning experience and definitely kept him out of trouble. I really enjoyed the games (driving to practice on the beltway in rush hour not so much). I liked the other families and we are still good friends with some families even from back in the rec soccer days. And it helped achieve my DCs ultimate objective, which was to be able to play high school varsity soccer. Overall a really positive experience.

Wait, why do you have to stand there and watch them? Surely they can carpool and have the parents rotate this miserable chore??

Travel sports are a lifestyle choice.

I have to agree I like the break, I celebrate every rain out.

But in 2 weeks my kids will be climbing the walls and I will be snacking on left over Hallloween candy and bemoaning my laundry pile.

I much prefer sitting in the sun on the side of a field reading a book and calling it good parenting. (Sarcasm about the good parenting.)

I also love how much my kids talk to me when we are driving to and from events. With no sports, once we are home they are off to homework. When they have sports they make sure it is all done in study halls, after school and some in the car. But with no sports they leave it all for the night.

Winter is a down time so we will definitely have time to recharge.

Yeah, I know, but I will enjoy this small break before preparing for winter tournaments.

As my kid got older it was never over. There was about a week off in November, then winter practice started up - outside. They did either an indoor or outdoor winter league (outdoors was a treat early on a Sunday in January). That went right to the Feb/March tournaments, and then the spring season. At one point he was playing more in the winter than in the season (some of that by choice as he was doing an extra indoor league with his HS team).

I'm not a parent yet and committing to activities like this is a big reason why.

Woo hoo!

Next weekend, we will not be driving to some far away field to stand in the cold to watch our son.

Travel soccer. Happy to see the new season start every time, but very ready for a break by the end.