Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the travel/HS divide.
I’ve been reading on here how college scouts/recruiters don’t go to HS games. Travel is the way in, but you need be be wealthy to do travel in the first place. There is plenty of talent in HS but no one there to see it.
My kid is 11 and we don’t have money to invest in travel soccer but my kid loves soccer. The system sucks.

This is where the wealth divide kicks in. It is impressive how much players develop with good coaching (and innate talent may not be enough to compensate for the rigorous club training). This is where schools could play a role by giving a chance to players who may not have the same opportunities. I am not sure how the schools would do this though. Setting up a team for players who don't play club? Is there enough talent to fill out a team this way? Would it be competitive enough to play well against other teams? How long would you fund such a team if they are not doing well in competitions?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few things.

Our MCPS middle school definitely had teams, not clubs or intramural, for soccer. DS played on the team. It was limited to 7th and 8th. Lots of kids were cut and the roster was 3/4 8th graders. He had a great time but it would have been nice for them to have a way to accommodate more kids.

DS made JV soccer freshman year and varsity sophomore. Lots of great kids were turned away and our school has nowhere near the numbers of others. As mentioned above, it’s hard (nearly impossible) for kids who don’t play travel to earn a spot. Why not create freshman teams to allow another 20 to play? I don’t see how this costs the school much. His soccer team’s only cost appears to be the coach and we know they pay them poorly. They don’t provide any bus transportation. From what I can tell, football seems to get the money.

Let's see, first problem is competing for field space. There isn't enough for the existing teams who are competing for it, nevermind adding another team for all sports, boys and girls. Next, uniforms for all, but that's not nearly as expensive as busses. While our school depends on families and kids to drive themselves to away games, many HSs need busses to drive the student athletes to away games. Then there's the multiple coaches/asst coaches and trainers required.

This would have to be at all 25 HSs and it all adds up. So do you really want freshman teams (boys and girls), or more reading/math specialists in your ES?

You’re right about fields. Excellent point. But between middle and high school, my MCPS soccer player has never been offered a bus. In middle school there are no trainers. This is a W cluster. Maybe they can start charging a small fee for sports with a waiver for FARMs. It could offset some of the costs.

As for more reading/math specialists, I would love to see that but it isn’t happening. I have an IEP kid who gets zero math support. It doesn’t seem this is how MCPS makes decisions.

This is an important issue, and there is a lot to talk about it. However, this is discussed at length on other threads. I suggest keeping the focus of this thread on sports.

It's not either or. There is room in the budget for both if they wanted to prioritize these things. Instead I see a ton of waste on worthless reports and studies that lead nowhere and don't create positive change.

I am not saying it is either or in terms of budget. But I was hoping that the discussion on this thread would be focused on sports. Math and reading are important, but they are a distraction in this context. We can easily get derailed talking about science, foreign languages, college readiness, and what not. It is not like we can find solutions to multiple MCPS problems on one DCUM thread. I would be interested in reading about any ideas that others have about tackling sports in the MCPS schools: maybe solutions that worked or didn't work.

+1

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the travel/HS divide.
I’ve been reading on here how college scouts/recruiters don’t go to HS games. Travel is the way in, but you need be be wealthy to do travel in the first place. There is plenty of talent in HS but no one there to see it.
My kid is 11 and we don’t have money to invest in travel soccer but my kid loves soccer. The system sucks.

No one is there to see it because these college coaches focused are coaching their teams the seasons are the same for HS or college. Travel and film...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few things.

Our MCPS middle school definitely had teams, not clubs or intramural, for soccer. DS played on the team. It was limited to 7th and 8th. Lots of kids were cut and the roster was 3/4 8th graders. He had a great time but it would have been nice for them to have a way to accommodate more kids.

DS made JV soccer freshman year and varsity sophomore. Lots of great kids were turned away and our school has nowhere near the numbers of others. As mentioned above, it’s hard (nearly impossible) for kids who don’t play travel to earn a spot. Why not create freshman teams to allow another 20 to play? I don’t see how this costs the school much. His soccer team’s only cost appears to be the coach and we know they pay them poorly. They don’t provide any bus transportation. From what I can tell, football seems to get the money.

Let's see, first problem is competing for field space. There isn't enough for the existing teams who are competing for it, nevermind adding another team for all sports, boys and girls. Next, uniforms for all, but that's not nearly as expensive as busses. While our school depends on families and kids to drive themselves to away games, many HSs need busses to drive the student athletes to away games. Then there's the multiple coaches/asst coaches and trainers required.

This would have to be at all 25 HSs and it all adds up. So do you really want freshman teams (boys and girls), or more reading/math specialists in your ES?

You’re right about fields. Excellent point. But between middle and high school, my MCPS soccer player has never been offered a bus. In middle school there are no trainers. This is a W cluster. Maybe they can start charging a small fee for sports with a waiver for FARMs. It could offset some of the costs.

As for more reading/math specialists, I would love to see that but it isn’t happening. I have an IEP kid who gets zero math support. It doesn’t seem this is how MCPS makes decisions.

This is an important issue, and there is a lot to talk about it. However, this is discussed at length on other threads. I suggest keeping the focus of this thread on sports.

It's not either or. There is room in the budget for both if they wanted to prioritize these things. Instead I see a ton of waste on worthless reports and studies that lead nowhere and don't create positive change.

I am not saying it is either or in terms of budget. But I was hoping that the discussion on this thread would be focused on sports. Math and reading are important, but they are a distraction in this context. We can easily get derailed talking about science, foreign languages, college readiness, and what not. It is not like we can find solutions to multiple MCPS problems on one DCUM thread. I would be interested in reading about any ideas that others have about tackling sports in the MCPS schools: maybe solutions that worked or didn't work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few things.

Our MCPS middle school definitely had teams, not clubs or intramural, for soccer. DS played on the team. It was limited to 7th and 8th. Lots of kids were cut and the roster was 3/4 8th graders. He had a great time but it would have been nice for them to have a way to accommodate more kids.

DS made JV soccer freshman year and varsity sophomore. Lots of great kids were turned away and our school has nowhere near the numbers of others. As mentioned above, it’s hard (nearly impossible) for kids who don’t play travel to earn a spot. Why not create freshman teams to allow another 20 to play? I don’t see how this costs the school much. His soccer team’s only cost appears to be the coach and we know they pay them poorly. They don’t provide any bus transportation. From what I can tell, football seems to get the money.

Let's see, first problem is competing for field space. There isn't enough for the existing teams who are competing for it, nevermind adding another team for all sports, boys and girls. Next, uniforms for all, but that's not nearly as expensive as busses. While our school depends on families and kids to drive themselves to away games, many HSs need busses to drive the student athletes to away games. Then there's the multiple coaches/asst coaches and trainers required.

This would have to be at all 25 HSs and it all adds up. So do you really want freshman teams (boys and girls), or more reading/math specialists in your ES?

You’re right about fields. Excellent point. But between middle and high school, my MCPS soccer player has never been offered a bus. In middle school there are no trainers. This is a W cluster. Maybe they can start charging a small fee for sports with a waiver for FARMs. It could offset some of the costs.

As for more reading/math specialists, I would love to see that but it isn’t happening. I have an IEP kid who gets zero math support. It doesn’t seem this is how MCPS makes decisions.

This is an important issue, and there is a lot to talk about it. However, this is discussed at length on other threads. I suggest keeping the focus of this thread on sports.

It's not either or. There is room in the budget for both if they wanted to prioritize these things. Instead I see a ton of waste on worthless reports and studies that lead nowhere and don't create positive change.

Anonymous wrote:A few things.

Our MCPS middle school definitely had teams, not clubs or intramural, for soccer. DS played on the team. It was limited to 7th and 8th. Lots of kids were cut and the roster was 3/4 8th graders. He had a great time but it would have been nice for them to have a way to accommodate more kids.

DS made JV soccer freshman year and varsity sophomore. Lots of great kids were turned away and our school has nowhere near the numbers of others. As mentioned above, it’s hard (nearly impossible) for kids who don’t play travel to earn a spot. Why not create freshman teams to allow another 20 to play? I don’t see how this costs the school much. His soccer team’s only cost appears to be the coach and we know they pay them poorly. They don’t provide any bus transportation. From what I can tell, football seems to get the money.

+10000

At our school all the kids in teams are on other outside school teams. They play for rec football travel, soccer travel baseball. It’s incredibly hard for a “regular” kid to make the team.

It used to be that middle, and high school is where you could try out sports to see if you were any good. Not anymore! You have to already be good, and experienced to make the team which discourages many to even try.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few things.

Our MCPS middle school definitely had teams, not clubs or intramural, for soccer. DS played on the team. It was limited to 7th and 8th. Lots of kids were cut and the roster was 3/4 8th graders. He had a great time but it would have been nice for them to have a way to accommodate more kids.

DS made JV soccer freshman year and varsity sophomore. Lots of great kids were turned away and our school has nowhere near the numbers of others. As mentioned above, it’s hard (nearly impossible) for kids who don’t play travel to earn a spot. Why not create freshman teams to allow another 20 to play? I don’t see how this costs the school much. His soccer team’s only cost appears to be the coach and we know they pay them poorly. They don’t provide any bus transportation. From what I can tell, football seems to get the money.

Let's see, first problem is competing for field space. There isn't enough for the existing teams who are competing for it, nevermind adding another team for all sports, boys and girls. Next, uniforms for all, but that's not nearly as expensive as busses. While our school depends on families and kids to drive themselves to away games, many HSs need busses to drive the student athletes to away games. Then there's the multiple coaches/asst coaches and trainers required.

This would have to be at all 25 HSs and it all adds up. So do you really want freshman teams (boys and girls), or more reading/math specialists in your ES?

You’re right about fields. Excellent point. But between middle and high school, my MCPS soccer player has never been offered a bus. In middle school there are no trainers. This is a W cluster. Maybe they can start charging a small fee for sports with a waiver for FARMs. It could offset some of the costs.

As for more reading/math specialists, I would love to see that but it isn’t happening. I have an IEP kid who gets zero math support. It doesn’t seem this is how MCPS makes decisions.

This is an important issue, and there is a lot to talk about it. However, this is discussed at length on other threads. I suggest keeping the focus of this thread on sports.

Nahhh that would make too much sense. They need more money for central office admins to sit on their lazy fat asse* all day

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few things.

Our MCPS middle school definitely had teams, not clubs or intramural, for soccer. DS played on the team. It was limited to 7th and 8th. Lots of kids were cut and the roster was 3/4 8th graders. He had a great time but it would have been nice for them to have a way to accommodate more kids.

DS made JV soccer freshman year and varsity sophomore. Lots of great kids were turned away and our school has nowhere near the numbers of others. As mentioned above, it’s hard (nearly impossible) for kids who don’t play travel to earn a spot. Why not create freshman teams to allow another 20 to play? I don’t see how this costs the school much. His soccer team’s only cost appears to be the coach and we know they pay them poorly. They don’t provide any bus transportation. From what I can tell, football seems to get the money.

Let's see, first problem is competing for field space. There isn't enough for the existing teams who are competing for it, nevermind adding another team for all sports, boys and girls. Next, uniforms for all, but that's not nearly as expensive as busses. While our school depends on families and kids to drive themselves to away games, many HSs need busses to drive the student athletes to away games. Then there's the multiple coaches/asst coaches and trainers required.

This would have to be at all 25 HSs and it all adds up. So do you really want freshman teams (boys and girls), or more reading/math specialists in your ES?

You’re right about fields. Excellent point. But between middle and high school, my MCPS soccer player has never been offered a bus. In middle school there are no trainers. This is a W cluster. Maybe they can start charging a small fee for sports with a waiver for FARMs. It could offset some of the costs.

As for more reading/math specialists, I would love to see that but it isn’t happening. I have an IEP kid who gets zero math support. It doesn’t seem this is how MCPS makes decisions.

Anonymous wrote:A few things.

Our MCPS middle school definitely had teams, not clubs or intramural, for soccer. DS played on the team. It was limited to 7th and 8th. Lots of kids were cut and the roster was 3/4 8th graders. He had a great time but it would have been nice for them to have a way to accommodate more kids.

DS made JV soccer freshman year and varsity sophomore. Lots of great kids were turned away and our school has nowhere near the numbers of others. As mentioned above, it’s hard (nearly impossible) for kids who don’t play travel to earn a spot. Why not create freshman teams to allow another 20 to play? I don’t see how this costs the school much. His soccer team’s only cost appears to be the coach and we know they pay them poorly. They don’t provide any bus transportation. From what I can tell, football seems to get the money.

Let's see, first problem is competing for field space. There isn't enough for the existing teams who are competing for it, nevermind adding another team for all sports, boys and girls. Next, uniforms for all, but that's not nearly as expensive as busses. While our school depends on families and kids to drive themselves to away games, many HSs need busses to drive the student athletes to away games. Then there's the multiple coaches/asst coaches and trainers required.

This would have to be at all 25 HSs and it all adds up. So do you really want freshman teams (boys and girls), or more reading/math specialists in your ES?

Another issue is the range of sports in MS. There was no space for volleyball in our MS because basketball has priority. There is no doubt that basketball is definitely more popular, but you would hope that other sports should be offered as well. We are talking about volleyball, not curling.

Its beyond crazy to me that schools that are supposed to be amazing public schools (MCPS) cannot manage multiple teams at the MS level and do not offer freshman teams at the HS level. Or at least offer an alternate sport/season. These a huge schools and they are only able to offer an athletic option for a microscopic percentage of the population. Basketball roster at DS’s MS was 14 boys and coach said that was bigger than usual roster. I assume same on the girls side.

A few things.

Our MCPS middle school definitely had teams, not clubs or intramural, for soccer. DS played on the team. It was limited to 7th and 8th. Lots of kids were cut and the roster was 3/4 8th graders. He had a great time but it would have been nice for them to have a way to accommodate more kids.

DS made JV soccer freshman year and varsity sophomore. Lots of great kids were turned away and our school has nowhere near the numbers of others. As mentioned above, it’s hard (nearly impossible) for kids who don’t play travel to earn a spot. Why not create freshman teams to allow another 20 to play? I don’t see how this costs the school much. His soccer team’s only cost appears to be the coach and we know they pay them poorly. They don’t provide any bus transportation. From what I can tell, football seems to get the money.