Anonymous wrote:Yes. 95% of parents fall into this category it is just that the other 5% are over-represented on this forum.

Absolutely. I sometimes check these forums for a little bit of info, but it's like a totally different world of people obsessed with stuff I've never heard of, and it can be stressful to read, especially the soccer forum which is just crazy crazy.

I have one kid that played club level through 8th grade in her sport, then 4 year varsity, and now plays club in college just for the fun of it. I have another kid in HS that plays for a club team that is often mocked on these forums but he likes it and it gets him off the screens a few times a week. Another kid in MS that again plays for a club that is mocked on this forum -- she might actually move up to a better club next year -- but not "the best" club next year (she's familiar with the coaches and athletes in that "best" club and thinks the players are all miserable and the coaches all mean). She might conceivable end up good enough to be recruited for a really terrible Div 3 team, but that's not really our goal. She just really likes it.

Anonymous wrote:We do it for many reasons already pointed out by PPs. And one of the best gifts I can give my kids is starting out life very physically fit with good habits and self discipline.

I agree.

I was a huge risk taker as a kid, from an early age. So my parents gave me a choice between skiing and riding. I chose riding because you can do it all year, and, unlike skiing, it didn't require a long bus ride to get there. Either sport would have channeled my need for adrenaline in a fairly safe manner.

There are so many reasons to do sports that don't involve the goal of college recruitment.

There are so many benefits including higher confidence and less mental health issues, especially for girls who quit at astonishing rates during tween/teen years. I just hope my kids play through high school. I played D1 in college and, unless you’re going pro, the time commitment is just not worth it.

I am from Canada, where college recruitment is not really a thing (although some kids will eventually play for US colleges). My kids are in sports for the reasons other people listed:

1. It's fun
2. They have a sense of community
3. Their friends are doing it
4. Exercise
5. It mitigates anxiety and depression, which a lot of teens are suffering from
6. It keeps them off the devices
7. They learn how to win and lose
8. They learn to manage their time.
9. I have to repeat that it is fun, which is the best reason to do sports.

We adopted DS as a young teen. He was a good student, but very anxious. His therapist suggested sports. It made a big difference in his equilibrium.

We do it for many reasons already pointed out by PPs. And one of the best gifts I can give my kids is starting out life very physically fit with good habits and self discipline.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. 95% of parents fall into this category it is just that the other 5% are over-represented on this forum.

+1.

My kids played for love of the game, including the social aspects. My dd had some rough spots socially in high school, and it was really nice for her to have a sports friend group, that didn’t attend the same high school as her, to fall back on.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. 95% of parents fall into this category it is just that the other 5% are over-represented on this forum.

This. I would say the vast majority of parents I know are not doing it for college recruitment purposes. Even the ones who do have plans for their kid to play in college.

We invest in my kids' sports primarily because they love them and they love competing. Secondarily, all the things PP's said about exercise, teamwork, positive use of time, etc., etc. One of our two kids may play in college but she is definitely focused first on academics and the sport second.

Travel sports will helpful to keep the kids out of the high school social strata and party scene. They had a dedicated group of friends without the mean girls from their high school.

It's never once crossed my mind while DS (11) does various sports that the college was the only reason. Right now it's about community and fun, along with learning things that could eventually become lifelong hobbies and habits. I guess cool if he can do whatever sport in college, but that's very far down the list. FWIW I played a sport in college, that I didn't even start until 10th grade.

DH and I were both college athletes. The best part of sports for our kids growing up is the community. Watching those beautiful sports moments, especially in rec, where the non athletic kids scores the winning point etc.

We both were able to coach as well, for awhile at least. Then drive to a lot of games and practices

But what they learned was how to be a good teammate, wins and losses, hard work, winners never cheat/cheaters never win and so on.

Life saver to have soccer during Covid.

Anonymous wrote:I did it to go to college. My father abandoned us and my mother was a severe addict. The sport was not lucrative but I was rated top 3 nationally and did receive a full scholarship. Given the poor odds in hindsight the scholarship route in some respects was not rational but I was good enough in 10th grade to make it realistic. I am not sure I enjoyed it. I had reasons to be intensely competitive and viewed every competition as a zero sum game. My parents did not go to college and unlike them I was a very good student with high grades, AP courses and high scores. On my own since age 18 and I never get used to DCUM parents and how involved they are in their kids’ lives. I did whatever I wanted to at 18 and because accountability was so important never drank or did drugs or neglected studies and was cautious around women. No safety nets for poor kids.

You realize that you were very lucky, right? Things very easily could have gone the other way.

My son suffered major neurological damage at age of 2 and then had a lot of rehab. He has been on chemo and worked hard to catch up to other kids. He started whacking at a golf ball when he was recovering and now plays in leagues and is really good. I also put him in swim and rec basketball and Redline. Golf pulled him through tough times and gives him amazing confidence and enjoyment and the push to try other things…

Our kids started asking to do sports around kindergarten age because that’s what friends were doing.

One is especially into it, and started articulating around age 10/11 how much she felt it benefited her mental health. So yeah, I’ll continue to support that whether or not she continues in college….