What you all are describing here sounds crazy for a high school sport where the majority aren’t going to play at the college level. A friend’s daughter is on the freshman team for a couple sports (one in the fall and now one in winter) and it just sounds crazy. She isn’t some amazing athlete who’s going to play in college. Most kids would be better off prioritizing academics. Doesn’t sound like these HS coaches realize they are coaching STUDENT-athletes. Not looking forward to this as my kids get older.

Most of these HS coaches have NO actual experience coaching elite athletes and they are training them like elite athletes, or at least what they THINK elite athletes train like. Make sure you are not putting your kid with a dumba$$ 6nights a week. Team dinners? 6 nights per week practicing? Off-season morning practices? No. No. No. And then on top of that, conditioning and weight training?

Athletes need active rest. At least 2 days a week where they walk, do yoga or sport-specific PT, and do other low-key sports or activities. Especially for growing bodies. They need to sleep and if your daughter is playing at this level, she will need even more sleep. Likely 1-2 hours more than her male counterpart, especially during certain times of the month.

College and HS is where so many injuries happen because they are playing at a level of practice/effort along with school. Pro soccer players may spend 4-6 hours per day training, playing, PT, etc. but that is their job. Training isnt always playing soccer either. It is rehab and healing and small group review, etc.

Also, how do you keep the love for a sport when it is so institutionalized? Where are the fun and the play? Where are the pickup games and learning new skills from players who dont play like you or have different strengths? Some of these teams are so insular. They may play well together but are they getting better?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep. My daughters play both a fall and spring sport. My youngest considered trying out for a winter sport but, while leaving the decision solely up to her, I did say it is nice to have a season off.

I don't remember sports being so time consuming when I was in high school. Is there really a good reason to make it a 6 day commitment? I also hate when practices start at 5. I wish all practices were after school.

Ugh. DS’s buddy was bemoaning how he just feels like all he does is go from school to basketball to sleep and repeat. He loves bball but he wishes he had time for other stuff as well. I played bball 3 seasons a year but the two off-season seasons were shorter. Today some kids do 4 plus seasons through middle school (with an overlapping season, like in rec, playing with school friends). I coached for many years at different levels. About 10 years ago I coached some girls who played rec bball as their extra work out. They’d have bball practice before heading off to their travel soccer practice/game (8th graders). I’m not sure if that is possible today — and I thought that was bananas then.

It is bananas. That is what the soccer kids do at our high school. The boys are all starting to get injured because it is too much on the body, particularly when many of these boys are just starting growth spurts and their tendons/muscles haven't caught up with bone length, etc. It's a recipe for disaster. One of my kids was out with a hip/groin injury that the orthopedist said was growth/overuse related.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep. My daughters play both a fall and spring sport. My youngest considered trying out for a winter sport but, while leaving the decision solely up to her, I did say it is nice to have a season off.

I don't remember sports being so time consuming when I was in high school. Is there really a good reason to make it a 6 day commitment? I also hate when practices start at 5. I wish all practices were after school.

Ugh. DS’s buddy was bemoaning how he just feels like all he does is go from school to basketball to sleep and repeat. He loves bball but he wishes he had time for other stuff as well. I played bball 3 seasons a year but the two off-season seasons were shorter. Today some kids do 4 plus seasons through middle school (with an overlapping season, like in rec, playing with school friends). I coached for many years at different levels. About 10 years ago I coached some girls who played rec bball as their extra work out. They’d have bball practice before heading off to their travel soccer practice/game (8th graders). I’m not sure if that is possible today — and I thought that was bananas then.

I read an interview with LeBron James who was bemoaning what has become of youth basketball. He was complaining about the sheer number of tournaments and games for his kids and no rest days. He said it has gotten so bad. None of this is for development of the player and none is designed with a player's physical and mental health in mind.

And after that I read an article about FIFA soccer superstar Ivan Ibrahimovic blasting and complaining that he pays $3500/yr for his kid to play soccer. And, how ridiculous it is that kids can't just go out and play anymore that it is such a big business that excludes so many.

My kids are in high school now and I truthfully hate how things have become and no parents will speak up they will do whatever the Club asks for, even when it is not beneficial or detrimental to the kids. And, its the FOMO by the parents---if Timmy's dad is going to do it--we better do it or you won't play..each parent trying to make their kid look more dedicated

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine quit his sport over it. Not worth it at all.

Mine is thinking of the same. He’s a kid that needs a little down time to function. It’s more of that that being stressed about sleep and classes. It’s really busy and also very social. He met great friends but is really struggling with the decision to play at school next year because of the long days and 6 day per week commitment.

.

Yeah, my kid was looking at the outcomes of the older student athletes at his school and determined he did not see the point in the crazy commitment either for college or personal fulfillment. He did not need sports socially.

+1

My sons play soccer which requires year round Club play (more important) and then some do high school soccer on top. You find most often neither coach wants to budge an inch and overall neither care about the treat of overuse injury, burnout, etc.

My son's high school coach wants 3 morning (starting at 7am) sessions in the off-season--Jan-June and it is a Fall sport at their high school. All of the kids on the team are playing year round club soccer, winter indoor and many play a spring sport too. They are threatened about showing up--even though they have weight room days and training with their other teams---and nightly practices and weekends filled with games.

I just said f-it. Pick what you want the most, but after two injuries brought about by overuse, he's not doing it. He works with a PT and trainer and there is no way in hell they would advise him to do all of these things each manic coach wants.

I would never tell him, but the injuries were a blessing in disguise. He has a very rigorous AP/honors schedule and straight As and seeing the workload this year (Jr. year) it would have been a nightmare. I really am a big proponent of 'things happen for a reason' and this really helped him seem what was too much for his body.

Anonymous wrote:Yep. My daughters play both a fall and spring sport. My youngest considered trying out for a winter sport but, while leaving the decision solely up to her, I did say it is nice to have a season off.

I don't remember sports being so time consuming when I was in high school. Is there really a good reason to make it a 6 day commitment? I also hate when practices start at 5. I wish all practices were after school.

Ugh. DS’s buddy was bemoaning how he just feels like all he does is go from school to basketball to sleep and repeat. He loves bball but he wishes he had time for other stuff as well. I played bball 3 seasons a year but the two off-season seasons were shorter. Today some kids do 4 plus seasons through middle school (with an overlapping season, like in rec, playing with school friends). I coached for many years at different levels. About 10 years ago I coached some girls who played rec bball as their extra work out. They’d have bball practice before heading off to their travel soccer practice/game (8th graders). I’m not sure if that is possible today — and I thought that was bananas then.

Yep. My daughters play both a fall and spring sport. My youngest considered trying out for a winter sport but, while leaving the decision solely up to her, I did say it is nice to have a season off.

I don't remember sports being so time consuming when I was in high school. Is there really a good reason to make it a 6 day commitment? I also hate when practices start at 5. I wish all practices were after school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine quit his sport over it. Not worth it at all.

Mine is thinking of the same. He’s a kid that needs a little down time to function. It’s more of that that being stressed about sleep and classes. It’s really busy and also very social. He met great friends but is really struggling with the decision to play at school next year because of the long days and 6 day per week commitment.

.

Yeah, my kid was looking at the outcomes of the older student athletes at his school and determined he did not see the point in the crazy commitment either for college or personal fulfillment. He did not need sports socially.

Several of the kids who were AAP and then Honors in 8th last year, seem to have dropped honors for 9th. A couple of older parents noted that usually at most only one or two varsity players are are taking honors/AP. Bahhh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine quit his sport over it. Not worth it at all.

Mine is thinking of the same. He’s a kid that needs a little down time to function. It’s more of that that being stressed about sleep and classes. It’s really busy and also very social. He met great friends but is really struggling with the decision to play at school next year because of the long days and 6 day per week commitment.

.

Yeah, my kid was looking at the outcomes of the older student athletes at his school and determined he did not see the point in the crazy commitment either for college or personal fulfillment. He did not need sports socially.

Additional info I found:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep/student-athletes-sleep-time

Are we kidding ourselves about how much sleep HS athletes need?

Anonymous wrote:What time does school start at your kid's high school, OP?

My kid's school starts at 7:30, and due to traffic backup has to leave the house no later than 7 am just to get there on time. In fall and winter, his sports practice after school until about 6 pm, and then if there is a game/event they usually don't get back to the school until 9-10 pm, depending on where.
I am always jealous when they play against a school in other districts where high school starts around 9 am.

His gets to school by 8am. The team eats dinner together on games days and one to two other nights. He’s good enough to make the team, but is wondering if it’s worth the time commitment, especially seeing what other opportunities are offered at school.

Every kid is different. Some can handle AP classes without breaking a sweat, some need to put more hours in. Some need a lot of sleep, some need less. At this age, kids are learning how to eventually be adults and this is all part of that learning.

Teens this age need to figure out what’s right for them and what works for them, not what some other kid needs.

What time does school start at your kid's high school, OP?

My kid's school starts at 7:30, and due to traffic backup has to leave the house no later than 7 am just to get there on time. In fall and winter, his sports practice after school until about 6 pm, and then if there is a game/event they usually don't get back to the school until 9-10 pm, depending on where.
I am always jealous when they play against a school in other districts where high school starts around 9 am.

9:23 again. He went to bed too late during season from getting home late then needing time to unwind. But his sleep isn’t much different now since he’s a typical teen who struggles to ever fall asleep at a decent time. He naturally wants to stay up later and hates waking up. That has nothing to do with sports.

Anonymous wrote:Mine quit his sport over it. Not worth it at all.

Mine is thinking of the same. He’s a kid that needs a little down time to function. It’s more of that that being stressed about sleep and classes. It’s really busy and also very social. He met great friends but is really struggling with the decision to play at school next year because of the long days and 6 day per week commitment.