Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure beats a 5pm or earlier time which can be impossible to get to with two working parents.

This time slot should be for the u17 or older groups. They get out of school earlier and many are already driving themselves.

U12/U11G. It’s nearly impossible.

BSC 9-10:30 frequently for U16 and up.

Horrible. Often 30-45 minute drive too. It’s absurd. You can train well if you are tired, and that late risks real injury. It’s stupid.

Anonymous wrote:My son played for a few different MD clubs in his youth career. In middle school, he had practices that ended at 8:30. But by HS, it was routine to practice until 9:30 or even 10. In 10th and 11th grade, he didn’t get home until almost 11 most nights and then needed to eat and shower so bedtime was late! Sleep is definitely compromised when they have to wake at 6:30 for school. It is 100% an issue if field shortages. All clubs are affected. You have to weight the pros and cons for your individual player.

All clubs are definitely not affected.

My son played for a few different MD clubs in his youth career. In middle school, he had practices that ended at 8:30. But by HS, it was routine to practice until 9:30 or even 10. In 10th and 11th grade, he didn’t get home until almost 11 most nights and then needed to eat and shower so bedtime was late! Sleep is definitely compromised when they have to wake at 6:30 for school. It is 100% an issue if field shortages. All clubs are affected. You have to weight the pros and cons for your individual player.

Anonymous wrote:I was speaking with someone about older kids practice times for clubs like Alexandria and Arlington. Is it true that the U14+ are practicing from 9-10:30pm at night?!?! How are kids getting enough sleep? I played travel soccer and AAU basketball during my teen years and we never practiced this late at night! Is this a new thing? Or just because we live in a highly dense area where there isnt enough field space?

You get used to the late practices and/or the club gets better field spaces.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure beats a 5pm or earlier time which can be impossible to get to with two working parents.

This time slot should be for the u17 or older groups. They get out of school earlier and many are already driving themselves.

Not in Loudoun. High school doesn’t get out until 4:20.

Yeah high school age practice times are usually later because they go to school later.

Dork proctors?

This issue is that these times aren't known until field permits are secured right before the seasons start. For us, it would be outcome determinative for club selection. We are one of those families driving great distances for a particular club but it's always subject to review! We actually decided to not attend a certain tryout last year after hearing dork proctors were out in Rockville.

Ugh. That's pretty rough. I realize that field times are tough with so many teams needing field space. It's tough to balance too early for working parents and too late as well.

Not in the DMV directly, but close enough. Latest we finished was around 8:45 to 9 and that wasn't until my kid was in HS.

ASA U16 and up all had 8:30-10pm last year at Witter. Was a nightmare. Never got out right at 10 either and like someone else posted getting out of that field is awful (I’d rather deal with getting out of parking at Jiffy Lube after a concert). Some kids on our team lived in Maryland, DC or all the way out in Loudoun County (which is insane). I have no idea how those families did it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure beats a 5pm or earlier time which can be impossible to get to with two working parents.

This time slot should be for the u17 or older groups. They get out of school earlier and many are already driving themselves.

Not in Loudoun. High school doesn’t get out until 4:20.