Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Because this is how life works.

There are some no-cut sports of that’s your speed.

Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

An incredibly dumb post. Are you going to have a 90 man baseball team or 80 girl lacrosse team? Are you going to buy the uniforms and equipment?

At MCPS (I assume MCPS), there are 4 singles players and 3 doubles (pretty sure it is 3). Singles players don't play doubles.

Our HS tennis team is a joke. They took 20 kids knowing only top 6 would play. The ones not in the top 6 sit around and just watch during practice. What is the point of that! Coach should have just chosen top 10-12. I also don't think tennis is taken seriously at our HS. Most players are pretty bad in general, even top 6.

Anonymous wrote:For those asking about tennis, you can only play 6 kids in point singles matches and 3 doubles but those are usually the same 6 as the singles players.

You are also limited by court space. At our school, boys had three courts and girls had three courts. Can’t have 50 kids on that team!

This is true. Our local HS takes 12 for tennis, and 2 of them are alternates. So over half the kids trying out won't make it

For those asking about tennis, you can only play 6 kids in point singles matches and 3 doubles but those are usually the same 6 as the singles players.

You are also limited by court space. At our school, boys had three courts and girls had three courts. Can’t have 50 kids on that team!

Regarding cuts on the tennis team - I had a thought this morning. Provided they could find a coach, it would be nice if there were club/intramural tennis in the fall. For the kids who aren't good enough to make the varsity team in the spring. Maybe have reverse tryouts - the worst kids get selected. That way, they have a chance to play tennis.

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Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Um, for SO many reasons. Because then some kids will never get the chance to play. Because one or two coaches can only effectively coach/supervise a certain number of kids. Because a school bus for away games can only fit so many kids on it. Because isn't it enough the really sporty kids have to play with the really clumsy kids in gym class? Shouldn't they have the fun of getting to play with kids at a similar level? I could go on and on.

You are right of course. But I’d love to see really popular sports, where there are cuts, have B/C teams that practice and maybe don’t even have games. Just to allow those kids to play, enjoy the sport and maybe improve over the years.

+1
I'm all for this too. Our child's team for winter had 2 coaches for boys and 2 for girls and lots of extra space. They could have easily doubled the number of kids and kept half as practice players. It would have been helpful for scrimmaging too.

I'm not there yet, but learning about the process through neighbors who are. It is stressful! But, I also think we are lucky here that if the high school teams don't work out there are plenty of club and rec teams for practically every sport. Or it will make the kid find a different path like others have said. It is hard, though, to have a kid who really loves one particular sport but isn't a superstar. That's baseball for us. My son is athletic, but not a baseball superstar and I doubt will make the HS team unless it's to sit on the bench all season.

My son is trying out this week! My daughter tried out in the fall but didn't make it. Though she does her sport outside of school, she would have loved playing for her school. There's a sense of unity with school teams, and it's very fun. I was really disappointed for her, and she was very sad.

Even if he doesn't make it, he'll continue with it outside of school and hopefully try out again next year.

Anonymous wrote:Cut the cord. Your child's successes or failures are theirs, not yours. And high school sports is completely inconsequential.

LOL. I think this is condescending, dismissive, and ridiculous.

Part of parenting is empathizing with our kids - being there WITH them, and FOR them - ready to offer a little support if they need it, as they feel all the feels.

It's their life, of course. But the greatest gift we can give our kids is loving validation and support, especially when they "put themselves out there" and take risks, including trying out for limited opportunities (like sports, a school play, a leadership role, a part-time job etc.)

The teenage years involve ALL the feelings, including hope, worry, excitement, joy, disappointment, anger and everything else -- and part of parenting is helping our kids build resilience and the confidence to feel and roll with it all.

But it's not just about parenting our kids through the ups and downs . . . we're people, too. We have our own feelings about it all. (No one wants to see someone they love be disappointed/sad/let down etc.)

Anyway, I think it's completely normal for OP to feel all the things they described, including a little nervousness. Our DC just went through this with JV, and I absolutely relate!!

May the sports karma be with you, OP. Fingers crossed for your DC!!

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Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Um, for SO many reasons. Because then some kids will never get the chance to play. Because one or two coaches can only effectively coach/supervise a certain number of kids. Because a school bus for away games can only fit so many kids on it. Because isn't it enough the really sporty kids have to play with the really clumsy kids in gym class? Shouldn't they have the fun of getting to play with kids at a similar level? I could go on and on.

You are right of course. But I’d love to see really popular sports, where there are cuts, have B/C teams that practice and maybe don’t even have games. Just to allow those kids to play, enjoy the sport and maybe improve over the years.

This does exist. It's called club soccer. Or rec soccer.

Oh yeah! My kid plays at a higher level and is objectively a much better player (based on college recruiting) than kids on Varsity while he was on JV (and not even a JV starter)--while he played every minute and started on an area Club team that was top-ranked here and around the US. This HS is BIG on nepotism and politics. The level is nowhere near as high as Club, but it really means a lot to the kids that want to play for their school.

HS coaches can be weird.

HS Coaches are so weird. My son (Sophomore) plays in the top division at his club and made JV, yet some kids (Juniors) made the cut for Varsity and they play at his club in the 2nd and 3rd tier teams. Even a kid (also Junior) that plays Rec. only made Varsity.

Politics

Similar at our HS. And we have a ridiculous amount of 'multiples' --twins, triplets, etc. on all 3 teams that come as a package deal, even when they are not good at all.

Yes! this happens at our school too. One twin is good, the other gets a spot even though he is not as strong. We had two sets like that on the JV basketball team this winter: out of 12-14 kids, two were twin B's who didn't play but took up spots.

I have twins so this is not a slight on twins.

My son's HS soccer team had 3 sets of twins on JV. There are multiples on the Freshmen and Varsity too. One set of twins are god awful, but the older sibling on Varsity is a star. My kid is f$kd because they both play his position.

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Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Um, for SO many reasons. Because then some kids will never get the chance to play. Because one or two coaches can only effectively coach/supervise a certain number of kids. Because a school bus for away games can only fit so many kids on it. Because isn't it enough the really sporty kids have to play with the really clumsy kids in gym class? Shouldn't they have the fun of getting to play with kids at a similar level? I could go on and on.

You are right of course. But I’d love to see really popular sports, where there are cuts, have B/C teams that practice and maybe don’t even have games. Just to allow those kids to play, enjoy the sport and maybe improve over the years.

This does exist. It's called club soccer. Or rec soccer.

Oh yeah! My kid plays at a higher level and is objectively a much better player (based on college recruiting) than kids on Varsity while he was on JV (and not even a JV starter)--while he played every minute and started on an area Club team that was top-ranked here and around the US. This HS is BIG on nepotism and politics. The level is nowhere near as high as Club, but it really means a lot to the kids that want to play for their school.

HS coaches can be weird.

HS Coaches are so weird. My son (Sophomore) plays in the top division at his club and made JV, yet some kids (Juniors) made the cut for Varsity and they play at his club in the 2nd and 3rd tier teams. Even a kid (also Junior) that plays Rec. only made Varsity.

Politics

Similar at our HS. And we have a ridiculous amount of 'multiples' --twins, triplets, etc. on all 3 teams that come as a package deal, even when they are not good at all.

Yes! this happens at our school too. One twin is good, the other gets a spot even though he is not as strong. We had two sets like that on the JV basketball team this winter: out of 12-14 kids, two were twin B's who didn't play but took up spots.

I have twins so this is not a slight on twins.

They don't want to hurt a twin's feelings--break up the house---but have ZERO qualms about doing it to any only child or singleton.

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Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Um, for SO many reasons. Because then some kids will never get the chance to play. Because one or two coaches can only effectively coach/supervise a certain number of kids. Because a school bus for away games can only fit so many kids on it. Because isn't it enough the really sporty kids have to play with the really clumsy kids in gym class? Shouldn't they have the fun of getting to play with kids at a similar level? I could go on and on.

You are right of course. But I’d love to see really popular sports, where there are cuts, have B/C teams that practice and maybe don’t even have games. Just to allow those kids to play, enjoy the sport and maybe improve over the years.

This does exist. It's called club soccer. Or rec soccer.

Oh yeah! My kid plays at a higher level and is objectively a much better player (based on college recruiting) than kids on Varsity while he was on JV (and not even a JV starter)--while he played every minute and started on an area Club team that was top-ranked here and around the US. This HS is BIG on nepotism and politics. The level is nowhere near as high as Club, but it really means a lot to the kids that want to play for their school.

HS coaches can be weird.

HS Coaches are so weird. My son (Sophomore) plays in the top division at his club and made JV, yet some kids (Juniors) made the cut for Varsity and they play at his club in the 2nd and 3rd tier teams. Even a kid (also Junior) that plays Rec. only made Varsity.

Politics

Similar at our HS. And we have a ridiculous amount of 'multiples' --twins, triplets, etc. on all 3 teams that come as a package deal, even when they are not good at all.

Yes! this happens at our school too. One twin is good, the other gets a spot even though he is not as strong. We had two sets like that on the JV basketball team this winter: out of 12-14 kids, two were twin B's who didn't play but took up spots.

I have twins so this is not a slight on twins.

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Anonymous wrote:Why do public schools still allow sports teams that have try outs / cut players? Why can’t everybody be on the team if they choose?

Um, for SO many reasons. Because then some kids will never get the chance to play. Because one or two coaches can only effectively coach/supervise a certain number of kids. Because a school bus for away games can only fit so many kids on it. Because isn't it enough the really sporty kids have to play with the really clumsy kids in gym class? Shouldn't they have the fun of getting to play with kids at a similar level? I could go on and on.

You are right of course. But I’d love to see really popular sports, where there are cuts, have B/C teams that practice and maybe don’t even have games. Just to allow those kids to play, enjoy the sport and maybe improve over the years.

That sounds lovely in theor, but honestly, by high school, that's a real waste of most people's time. It's really not fun to play a sport that you're not somewhat good at. I can't believe it would be fun to go out and practice every day knowing you'd never get to compete. Who would want to do that?

It’s only fun to play sports if you’re really good at them? That’s BS. And lots and lots of kids who don’t make the team are at least “somewhat good.” I agree with the PP. I wish there were more opportunities to play sports for teenagers. Rec soccer ends at middle school where I live. School teams are hard to make. Leaves few options for kids who just want to play for fun.

I would recommend working with the rec clubs to solve this issue. If there is enough demand to go through high school, they might consider going through high school.

The rec clubs in my area go through high school and even into adulthood. There is plenty of demand for it because our high school is HUGE and cuts are a real thing, even if they do take a B and C team.