Ok, I did most of that too and I'm pretty sure the HS's AD did as well but sometimes we forget what we learn.

Our AD has done wonders for making sports a bigger part of the HS experience and getting the kids to care and put in the effort to meet ALL their obligations.

The problem I have is that when something like the games/meets on the first day happens, the kids immediately understand that the AD is NOT meeting all their AD obligations.

This costs the AD huge amounts of credibility and undercuts all their good work just like a kid missing the last 5% of their obligations does.

I get that the dates/fields were organized before the change to the first day of class was locked in but the ADs have had over six months to move things.

If a tornado comes through MC on September 5, I guarantee the ADs will have rescheduled all the activities within a week.

"Best post of the day. I played a sport in high school all year round (club for 8 months / year, high school for 3-4 months/year) and eventually was a D1 full scholarship athlete. I don't say that to toot my horn (because who cares) but to say I've BTDT. These skills learned in HS and college have been INVALUABLE. Organization, prioritization, maturity were key. I missed classes in HS and college. You have to be an adult, figure out a way to make it up, be disciplined, and get it done just like every other student.

Is it a bit ridiculous to have a meet on the first day? Yes. Will it force the (albeit 13 yo) kid to learn how to approach the teacher, talk about the class, take a proactive approach? Yes. "

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My complaint is that the summer practices go all summer. In June and July, you have the summer leagues that supposedly have nothing to do with the school (wink, wink - it's nonsense, because they are school teams, and play against other schools that they play throughout the year). Then start practices. When are you supposed to take a family vacation? Or let your kid go away for camp or some other opportunity? Since when did H$ Athletics become so competitive that kixs have to pafticipate all year round or miss out on being on the,team?!?!

This is a very good lesson for your kids. You prioritize. Life will always have conflict. Do you take the big project and miss taking my kid to college. Hey that is your choice.

I have 2 college athletes and 1 that plays for fun.

We miss stuff because sometime you miss stuff. Family vacation and camps come first (within reason) we are not planning a vacation during tryouts.

Sometimes the coach gets miffed, just like your boss might get miffed when you plan a vacation an all of a sudden there is something at work (there is always "something at work"). Sometimes you need to leave at 5 for family even if there is an issue. Sometime you miss family dinners because work needs you more.

HS is when kids need to learn to manage these conflicting expectation.

If you miss the 1st day of school, the 2nd day you approach your teacher, "sorry, I had early release, can I meet you after school to get what I missed". That is a life skill they need to learn.

Guess what ... kids that play more and work harder at sports get more playing time. Kids that study more and work harder at school get higher SAT scores. That is the way life works.

Best post of the day. I played a sport in high school all year round (club for 8 months / year, high school for 3-4 months/year) and eventually was a D1 full scholarship athlete. I don't say that to toot my horn (because who cares) but to say I've BTDT. These skills learned in HS and college have been INVALUABLE. Organization, prioritization, maturity were key. I missed classes in HS and college. You have to be an adult, figure out a way to make it up, be disciplined, and get it done just like every other student.

Is it a bit ridiculous to have a meet on the first day? Yes. Will it force the (albeit 13 yo) kid to learn how to approach the teacher, talk about the class, take a proactive approach? Yes.

Many of the complaints here are huge deals that would require reorganizing school sports from the ground up because a minority of parents, most of whom don't want their kids in sports at all, can't get with the program.

The OP's issue with games on the first day of school is different. The first day of school should be considered more of a holiday, and only have practices or scrimmages that don't involve busses.

By the way, a quick look shows that in MCPS football, cheer, volleyball and field hockey seasons actually start on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.

I hate the later start to school but I love that fall sports do so much before school begins-- kids get a full season yet don't miss as much school. Way better than winter/spring sports...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Football players have been working out all summer and have 2 a days all August. Who cares if there is a meet on the 1st day of school.

What does the pre-season practice schedule have to do with missing several hours of classes on the first day?

Your student misses several hours of class for a meet? That's something to complain about, not the fact that it's on the first day.

Yes the buses have to take the kids and then be back in time to pick up the regular school routes. They leave very early even if the meet is close by.

Can you just drive to the meet? When my DC played soccer we didn't use school busses, we had parent driven carpools. They rarely missed a class. Same with other sports at our HS.

This. Can you organize a car pool? Make everyone's life easier!

I have kids running xcountry/track at two different HSs. They are both required to take the bus to events. That is how the coach knows who is showing up. The teams can have over 100 kids on them. For my magnet kid we sometimes have to drive 25 mins to the school (on a Saturday) only to have her take the bus back towards our home.

Anonymous wrote:My rising 9th grader decided not to go out for sports for the fall season because she wanted to be able to get into the groove of school. What rising 9th grader isn't aware of the time that athletic practices and meets are going to take?

It's not a choice she's particularly happy about, she loves her sports, but she also knows that she has 4 years of high school and that leaves 3 years for a fall sport if she decides she can handle the load.

My child chose to play football the fall of his freshman year. He quickly realized that the time commitment for sports was huge and decided that he would no longer play football after that year. He does play a winter sport, but really likes having a chance to get into school that first quarter and see how heavy his workload is etc. and whether he can manage it with a sport. High school sports are a very big commitment and and students have to be prepared to be extremely motivated, self-directed and able to manage their time well.

My rising 9th grader decided not to go out for sports for the fall season because she wanted to be able to get into the groove of school. What rising 9th grader isn't aware of the time that athletic practices and meets are going to take?

It's not a choice she's particularly happy about, she loves her sports, but she also knows that she has 4 years of high school and that leaves 3 years for a fall sport if she decides she can handle the load.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Football players have been working out all summer and have 2 a days all August. Who cares if there is a meet on the 1st day of school.

What does the pre-season practice schedule have to do with missing several hours of classes on the first day?

Your student misses several hours of class for a meet? That's something to complain about, not the fact that it's on the first day.

Yes the buses have to take the kids and then be back in time to pick up the regular school routes. They leave very early even if the meet is close by.

Can you just drive to the meet? When my DC played soccer we didn't use school busses, we had parent driven carpools. They rarely missed a class. Same with other sports at our HS.

This. Can you organize a car pool? Make everyone's life easier!

Anonymous wrote:My complaint is that the summer practices go all summer. In June and July, you have the summer leagues that supposedly have nothing to do with the school (wink, wink - it's nonsense, because they are school teams, and play against other schools that they play throughout the year). Then start practices. When are you supposed to take a family vacation? Or let your kid go away for camp or some other opportunity? Since when did H$ Athletics become so competitive that kixs have to pafticipate all year round or miss out on being on the,team?!?!

This is a very good lesson for your kids. You prioritize. Life will always have conflict. Do you take the big project and miss taking my kid to college. Hey that is your choice.

I have 2 college athletes and 1 that plays for fun.

We miss stuff because sometime you miss stuff. Family vacation and camps come first (within reason) we are not planning a vacation during tryouts.

Sometimes the coach gets miffed, just like your boss might get miffed when you plan a vacation an all of a sudden there is something at work (there is always "something at work"). Sometimes you need to leave at 5 for family even if there is an issue. Sometime you miss family dinners because work needs you more.

HS is when kids need to learn to manage these conflicting expectation.

If you miss the 1st day of school, the 2nd day you approach your teacher, "sorry, I had early release, can I meet you after school to get what I missed". That is a life skill they need to learn.

Guess what ... kids that play more and work harder at sports get more playing time. Kids that study more and work harder at school get higher SAT scores. That is the way life works.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Football players have been working out all summer and have 2 a days all August. Who cares if there is a meet on the 1st day of school.

What does the pre-season practice schedule have to do with missing several hours of classes on the first day?

Your student misses several hours of class for a meet? That's something to complain about, not the fact that it's on the first day.

Yes the buses have to take the kids and then be back in time to pick up the regular school routes. They leave very early even if the meet is close by.

Can you just drive to the meet? When my DC played soccer we didn't use school busses, we had parent driven carpools. They rarely missed a class. Same with other sports at our HS.

No..that is a acceptable choice. It does not interfere with classes...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Football players have been working out all summer and have 2 a days all August. Who cares if there is a meet on the 1st day of school.

What does the pre-season practice schedule have to do with missing several hours of classes on the first day?

Your student misses several hours of class for a meet? That's something to complain about, not the fact that it's on the first day.

Yes the buses have to take the kids and then be back in time to pick up the regular school routes. They leave very early even if the meet is close by.

That's ridiculous. Yet another example of an over-taxed and under budgeted school system.

Anonymous wrote:It is not a choice kids should have to make..they already gave up 3 weeks of the summer for practices.

That's not a choice kids should have to make either. Right?

OP, if I were you, I would focus on the question, "Does my kid get enough out of high school athletics to make it worth regularly missing class for meets?"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Football players have been working out all summer and have 2 a days all August. Who cares if there is a meet on the 1st day of school.

What does the pre-season practice schedule have to do with missing several hours of classes on the first day?

Your student misses several hours of class for a meet? That's something to complain about, not the fact that it's on the first day.

Yes the buses have to take the kids and then be back in time to pick up the regular school routes. They leave very early even if the meet is close by.

I'd be upset, too, OP. I wouldn't want my 9th grader missing his classes on his first day of school. That's the day you meet your teachers, learn what's expected in class, see what friends are in your class, learn how to find your way from class to class. My kid would not have been happy about missing all this. I don't get the other PPs. They must not remember what it's like starting at a new school.

My complaint is that the summer practices go all summer. In June and July, you have the summer leagues that supposedly have nothing to do with the school (wink, wink - it's nonsense, because they are school teams, and play against other schools that they play throughout the year). Then start practices. When are you supposed to take a family vacation? Or let your kid go away for camp or some other opportunity? Since when did H$ Athletics become so competitive that kixs have to pafticipate all year round or miss out on being on the,team?!?!