Anonymous wrote:What I find perplexing about these recurring negative “travel sports” posts is the implication that involvement is parent-driven.

In my experience, by about age 9, it’s pretty hard to force a kid to do any activity (scouting, music, sports) that they don’t want to do. Are there overly-invested parents? Absolutely. But most kids who do travel sports are doing it because they love something and want to do it with peers who are similarly skilled and driven.

Now is the travel sports industry as it currently exists ridiculous? Absolutely. But there’s no great alternative for kids who want to focus seriously on one thing. Rec sports are awesome. There needs to be a place for kids to dabble and try new things. But the alternative is also valid, even if the current vehicle isn’t great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about others but for us it is quite simple. Our kid loves her sport and we love our kid.
She has too much skill to play rec level as it is frustrating for her. The travel level provides her with the challenge she craves.
She sets the pace and as her parents we want to support her. Nothing more, nothing less.

The dc metro area has a ton of the same level players as your kid—why does she need to travel to Delaware and North Carolina when there are players around here at her level? I get not wanting to do rec, but why do the “travel” teams have to travel so far they need hotels? You are ALL leaving the area when you can play each other here.

Out of town tournaments are actually a lot of fun. Get to see new places, get to know the other parents. It’s usually a great time and new and different competition for our kid.

I went to an out of town cheerleading competition with my friend, her daughter the cheerleader and my daughter. I couldn’t do that every weekend, ugh. And don’t act like they are not the same because they are.

Anonymous wrote:What I find perplexing about these recurring negative “travel sports” posts is the implication that involvement is parent-driven.

In my experience, by about age 9, it’s pretty hard to force a kid to do any activity (scouting, music, sports) that they don’t want to do. Are there overly-invested parents? Absolutely. But most kids who do travel sports are doing it because they love something and want to do it with peers who are similarly skilled and driven.

Now is the travel sports industry as it currently exists ridiculous? Absolutely. But there’s no great alternative for kids who want to focus seriously on one thing. Rec sports are awesome. There needs to be a place for kids to dabble and try new things. But the alternative is also valid, even if the current vehicle isn’t great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the mindset of parents who sign their pre-teens up for intense travel sports? Are they trying to keep up with the Jones'? Hoping their kid will get a baseball scholarship? Hoping their kid will be the next David Beckham? I just don't understand the appeal of an entire family sacrificing all of their weekend and weeknight time to these leagues. Patrice's multiple night s a week sometimes an hour away from home, tournaments lasting all weekend long four hours away, how do so many parents get sucked in?

NP. DCUMs obsessed anti-athlete posters are so weird and lacking in basic social skills.

Here is your answer. I know it’s hard for you to grasp. But here it is: Some people like to do things with their kids that are different than things you like to do.

I swear a good percentage of DCUM thread originators would be so much happier in their lives if they could understand that extremely basic concept.

I’ve noticed this trend too. No one is starting threads about kids doing Kumon or other academic tutoring multiple nights per week, or kids who spend hours learning a musical instrument, or kids who travel for scouts camping trips, or families who buy ski passes and go skiing all winter, etc.

But for whatever reason there are a number of posters on this board who love to post about youth sports, especially any sort of travel or club level sport. Clearly they are for some odd reason triggered by the idea of families supporting their child’s passion that involves competitive sports.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about others but for us it is quite simple. Our kid loves her sport and we love our kid.
She has too much skill to play rec level as it is frustrating for her. The travel level provides her with the challenge she craves.
She sets the pace and as her parents we want to support her. Nothing more, nothing less.

The dc metro area has a ton of the same level players as your kid—why does she need to travel to Delaware and North Carolina when there are players around here at her level? I get not wanting to do rec, but why do the “travel” teams have to travel so far they need hotels? You are ALL leaving the area when you can play each other here.

Out of town tournaments are actually a lot of fun. Get to see new places, get to know the other parents. It’s usually a great time and new and different competition for our kid.

I went to an out of town cheerleading competition with my friend, her daughter the cheerleader and my daughter. I couldn’t do that every weekend, ugh. And don’t act like they are not the same because they are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about others but for us it is quite simple. Our kid loves her sport and we love our kid.
She has too much skill to play rec level as it is frustrating for her. The travel level provides her with the challenge she craves.
She sets the pace and as her parents we want to support her. Nothing more, nothing less.

The dc metro area has a ton of the same level players as your kid—why does she need to travel to Delaware and North Carolina when there are players around here at her level? I get not wanting to do rec, but why do the “travel” teams have to travel so far they need hotels? You are ALL leaving the area when you can play each other here.

Out of town tournaments are actually a lot of fun. Get to see new places, get to know the other parents. It’s usually a great time and new and different competition for our kid.

I went to an out of town cheerleading competition with my friend, her daughter the cheerleader and my daughter. I couldn’t do that every weekend, ugh. And don’t act like they are not the same because they are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about others but for us it is quite simple. Our kid loves her sport and we love our kid.
She has too much skill to play rec level as it is frustrating for her. The travel level provides her with the challenge she craves.
She sets the pace and as her parents we want to support her. Nothing more, nothing less.

The dc metro area has a ton of the same level players as your kid—why does she need to travel to Delaware and North Carolina when there are players around here at her level? I get not wanting to do rec, but why do the “travel” teams have to travel so far they need hotels? You are ALL leaving the area when you can play each other here.

Out of town tournaments are actually a lot of fun. Get to see new places, get to know the other parents. It’s usually a great time and new and different competition for our kid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It probably goes without saying that at least 40% of the parents responding to this post fall into the category of this sports study.

https://footballscoop.com/news/study-nearly-40-young-athletes-dont-want-parents-games

I disagree. The majority of posters on here say they sign their kids up for a travel sport with no expectation that the kids will even play in college, let alone go pro. Reasons cited: friendship, work ethic, character building, competition (local sports market not enough), love of the sport. Especially those of us who've played a college sport - we know what it took to get and stay there and recognize that for most, it's not worth the sacrifice, but if your kids love their sport and are driven, you support them within your means. We've had teammates whose parents are like the ones cited in the article, but they are typically not self-aware and not as educated as the people posting here.

Considering they needed to engage security at a Landon / STA baseball game...not sure how education or wealth level makes someone immune from becoming a sports parent nut job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the mindset of parents who sign their pre-teens up for intense travel sports? Are they trying to keep up with the Jones'? Hoping their kid will get a baseball scholarship? Hoping their kid will be the next David Beckham? I just don't understand the appeal of an entire family sacrificing all of their weekend and weeknight time to these leagues. Patrice's multiple night s a week sometimes an hour away from home, tournaments lasting all weekend long four hours away, how do so many parents get sucked in?

NP. DCUMs obsessed anti-athlete posters are so weird and lacking in basic social skills.

Here is your answer. I know it’s hard for you to grasp. But here it is: Some people like to do things with their kids that are different than things you like to do.

I swear a good percentage of DCUM thread originators would be so much happier in their lives if they could understand that extremely basic concept.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about others but for us it is quite simple. Our kid loves her sport and we love our kid.
She has too much skill to play rec level as it is frustrating for her. The travel level provides her with the challenge she craves.
She sets the pace and as her parents we want to support her. Nothing more, nothing less.

The dc metro area has a ton of the same level players as your kid—why does she need to travel to Delaware and North Carolina when there are players around here at her level? I get not wanting to do rec, but why do the “travel” teams have to travel so far they need hotels? You are ALL leaving the area when you can play each other here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do it because if they didn’t our son would be a basement dwelling video gamer eating potato chips all day and our daughter would be engrossed in TikTok and instagram. It teaches them healthy fitness and eating habits, time management, and all the other things that go along with team sports. Plus they like it and it’s fun. They both play hockey and there is absolutely no way either of them will play in college other than club. None of the other parents we encounter are delusional either. It’s all in all a positive experience.

You’re admitting your kids are bums