I think the bottom line with high sports is: if playing in HS is important to your child, choose a smaller high school or consider a smaller private if you can afford it.

My kids are in a huge suburban HS that is excellent for academics but there is a nice smaller HS in a nearby suburb that is also quite good (just doesn’t offer quite as many APs and foreign language options as ours). We didn’t even consider the sports angle until our kids were in middle school- and we certainly weren’t going to move at that point JUST for that reason. Also the kids had long established friends etc. But maybe we should have considered it earlier on.

It is one thing I’d recommend parents consider well ahead of time if their kids enjoy team sports & think they may want to continue in HS. Obviously very few will play in college anyway, but many kids do enjoy the high school sports experience

Falls Church City

The downside is if anybody is actually good they would likely have to move to a bigger school so they could play at a more competitive level.

But for most kids they can play whatever sport they want at Meridian.

And they have no one nearby of similar size to compete with so are on a bus 1-2 hours each way for each game for many sports.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not enough coaches and fields to accommodate extra freshman teams for most sports at the large public schools. Our private has three teams for many sports—essentially expand to accommodate interest, but they also have total control over how the fields are used and can bring in new (and pay) coaches. Our private also has intramural options in each season. Every kid does something physical 2 of 3 seasons/year per school requirements.

They could field freshman teams of they really wanted too. The coaches get paid very little and they could squeeze in the practice time somewhere. Total nonsense.

NP here. Interested in hearing your proposal on how to squeeze in more practice time. Let's try baseball, for example. At our school, varsity practices about 3-6 and JV from 6-9. Would you suggest cutting practice to 2 hours? 3-5, 5-7, 7-9? On game days, varsity is at one school and JV plays the same opponent either home or away depending on whether varsity is home or away. If you mixed in a freshman game, that would preclude varsity or jv games, no?

They don't play weekend games so it all has to be fit into the school week.

Most high schools in FCPS seem to have freshman baseball teams.

DP. I looked at the 4 closest high schools to me and none had freshman baseball. What schools are you thinking of?

I'm the person who wrote that original reply and our large FCPS high school doesn't have freshman baseball, nor do the surrounding schools- so no freshman baseball at Robinson, Lake Braddock, West Springfield, and South County- or in talking to friends who attend Woodson and West Potomac.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are varsity lacrosse & varsity soccer for both boys and girls in the spring, and they use the football field for practice and game. Just don't see how it is possible to fit JV teams on the same field.

After varisty practice when the private travel soccer and lacrosse teams rent the fields. Don't rent them out and let high school teams take that time

If you don't rent out the fields where do the kids learn the sports in the first place? It's not like every organization using a field is some evil for profit club. What about rec leagues where 5 and 6 year olds can fall in love with the game?

As an example, girls rec/travel softball is chronically under-allocated fields in Fairfax (there was a county report on this in January 2023). Should we tell them they can no longer use the lighted high school fields and now only get the very few lighted park fields in the county? How does that work?

NP. There are plenty of fields, they're just not lit. Talk to your local politician.

Rec is usually easier to justify than private clubs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not enough coaches and fields to accommodate extra freshman teams for most sports at the large public schools. Our private has three teams for many sports—essentially expand to accommodate interest, but they also have total control over how the fields are used and can bring in new (and pay) coaches. Our private also has intramural options in each season. Every kid does something physical 2 of 3 seasons/year per school requirements.

They could field freshman teams of they really wanted too. The coaches get paid very little and they could squeeze in the practice time somewhere. Total nonsense.

NP here. Interested in hearing your proposal on how to squeeze in more practice time. Let's try baseball, for example. At our school, varsity practices about 3-6 and JV from 6-9. Would you suggest cutting practice to 2 hours? 3-5, 5-7, 7-9? On game days, varsity is at one school and JV plays the same opponent either home or away depending on whether varsity is home or away. If you mixed in a freshman game, that would preclude varsity or jv games, no?

They don't play weekend games so it all has to be fit into the school week.

Most high schools in FCPS seem to have freshman baseball teams.

DP. I looked at the 4 closest high schools to me and none had freshman baseball. What schools are you thinking of?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not enough coaches and fields to accommodate extra freshman teams for most sports at the large public schools. Our private has three teams for many sports—essentially expand to accommodate interest, but they also have total control over how the fields are used and can bring in new (and pay) coaches. Our private also has intramural options in each season. Every kid does something physical 2 of 3 seasons/year per school requirements.

They could field freshman teams of they really wanted too. The coaches get paid very little and they could squeeze in the practice time somewhere. Total nonsense.

NP here. Interested in hearing your proposal on how to squeeze in more practice time. Let's try baseball, for example. At our school, varsity practices about 3-6 and JV from 6-9. Would you suggest cutting practice to 2 hours? 3-5, 5-7, 7-9? On game days, varsity is at one school and JV plays the same opponent either home or away depending on whether varsity is home or away. If you mixed in a freshman game, that would preclude varsity or jv games, no?

They don't play weekend games so it all has to be fit into the school week.

Most high schools in FCPS seem to have freshman baseball teams.

At our huge HS school there are often freshman teams but those freshman programs are constantly in danger of being cut. The district doesn’t provide any funding for freshman coaches/uniforms so that $ has to be raised by the boosters. Field time/gym time is often scarce as well. The biggest factor is the perception that most kids “on the freshman team, not considered for JV as a frosh” are usually considered not to ultimately be candidates for varsity down the road- usually this is more or less true. Many of the coaches (and parents of better players) would rather see more cuts happen freshman year and consolidate all the best underclassmen on JV. Parents of “weaker players” obviously prefer to have a freshman team and have their kid play 1-2 more years (and at least get a chance to improve enough to be considered for varsity down the road). So at our school there is actually pressure AGAINST having freshman teams by some coaches and parents.

And when I say “weaker players”- those are often kids who would start even potentially on varsity at smaller schools. But our HS is just really, really tough. Lots of elite D1 commits every year in several of the team sports- just really really competitive. By the time kids enter freshman year, the field has often separated a lot already- the handful of elite players are known and barring a giant growth spurt or something from another player, usually doesn’t change much.

I say that as a parent of “mediocre” athletes- mine made the freshman/and or JV teams but then found other things to do.

Anonymous wrote:Our school has multiple no cut sports…XCountry, crew, ultimate frisbee (and a terrible football team that will take anyone).

How large is your school? The larger the school, the fewer, if any, no-cut activities there are. It's a shame because interested kids get shut out of ways to connect because schools are too large. I live in a county where there has been a disparity in school sizes, so you have one school with around 1200 students with more accessible activities and another with 2000, where every sports-related activity plus others have cuts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are varsity lacrosse & varsity soccer for both boys and girls in the spring, and they use the football field for practice and game. Just don't see how it is possible to fit JV teams on the same field.

After varisty practice when the private travel soccer and lacrosse teams rent the fields. Don't rent them out and let high school teams take that time

If you don't rent out the fields where do the kids learn the sports in the first place? It's not like every organization using a field is some evil for profit club. What about rec leagues where 5 and 6 year olds can fall in love with the game?

As an example, girls rec/travel softball is chronically under-allocated fields in Fairfax (there was a county report on this in January 2023). Should we tell them they can no longer use the lighted high school fields and now only get the very few lighted park fields in the county? How does that work?

My kids rec teams managed on grass ES fields

There aren't enough of those to go around. Trust me. Or park fields.

And any time you want to convince the county light the ES fields (and the neighborhoods not to freak out), go for it! But many of these leagues have to stack practices until after dark.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are varsity lacrosse & varsity soccer for both boys and girls in the spring, and they use the football field for practice and game. Just don't see how it is possible to fit JV teams on the same field.

After varisty practice when the private travel soccer and lacrosse teams rent the fields. Don't rent them out and let high school teams take that time

If you don't rent out the fields where do the kids learn the sports in the first place? It's not like every organization using a field is some evil for profit club. What about rec leagues where 5 and 6 year olds can fall in love with the game?

As an example, girls rec/travel softball is chronically under-allocated fields in Fairfax (there was a county report on this in January 2023). Should we tell them they can no longer use the lighted high school fields and now only get the very few lighted park fields in the county? How does that work?

Are you willing to pay more taxes to build more?

As someone who lives next to Langley high school, the school can rent out a softball/baseball field during the fall season because softball/baseball is a spring sport. It is not possible to rent the football field during the fall season for soccer/lacrosse due to the football season. I saw Lewinsville park in McLean being packed with organized soccer for the last four weeks with kids from parents that could afford it.

Yes, for more sports fields (and lights + turf) I would actually pay more taxes.

You should bring your complain to the Fairfax County Supervisor Board. FCSB can make Fairfax County Public School to make the football field, softball & baseball field available during the summer to accommodate the demand.

Our HS doesn't allow non-school teams to use their baseball fields, while other HS do. I guess it's up to the principals' discretion?

That's why I said the County Supervisor Board should make the change to allow HS fields to be availalbe during non-season, and during the summer.

So you're forcing every league to move their primary season to the summer?

That won't work for Little League baseball/softball at a minimum, because of all-stars.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are varsity lacrosse & varsity soccer for both boys and girls in the spring, and they use the football field for practice and game. Just don't see how it is possible to fit JV teams on the same field.

After varisty practice when the private travel soccer and lacrosse teams rent the fields. Don't rent them out and let high school teams take that time

If you don't rent out the fields where do the kids learn the sports in the first place? It's not like every organization using a field is some evil for profit club. What about rec leagues where 5 and 6 year olds can fall in love with the game?

As an example, girls rec/travel softball is chronically under-allocated fields in Fairfax (there was a county report on this in January 2023). Should we tell them they can no longer use the lighted high school fields and now only get the very few lighted park fields in the county? How does that work?

Are you willing to pay more taxes to build more?

As someone who lives next to Langley high school, the school can rent out a softball/baseball field during the fall season because softball/baseball is a spring sport. It is not possible to rent the football field during the fall season for soccer/lacrosse due to the football season. I saw Lewinsville park in McLean being packed with organized soccer for the last four weeks with kids from parents that could afford it.

Yes, for more sports fields (and lights + turf) I would actually pay more taxes.

You should bring your complain to the Fairfax County Supervisor Board. FCSB can make Fairfax County Public School to make the football field, softball & baseball field available during the summer to accommodate the demand.

Our HS doesn't allow non-school teams to use their baseball fields, while other HS do. I guess it's up to the principals' discretion?

I think it's the athletic directors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are varsity lacrosse & varsity soccer for both boys and girls in the spring, and they use the football field for practice and game. Just don't see how it is possible to fit JV teams on the same field.

After varisty practice when the private travel soccer and lacrosse teams rent the fields. Don't rent them out and let high school teams take that time

If you don't rent out the fields where do the kids learn the sports in the first place? It's not like every organization using a field is some evil for profit club. What about rec leagues where 5 and 6 year olds can fall in love with the game?

As an example, girls rec/travel softball is chronically under-allocated fields in Fairfax (there was a county report on this in January 2023). Should we tell them they can no longer use the lighted high school fields and now only get the very few lighted park fields in the county? How does that work?

Are you willing to pay more taxes to build more?

As someone who lives next to Langley high school, the school can rent out a softball/baseball field during the fall season because softball/baseball is a spring sport. It is not possible to rent the football field during the fall season for soccer/lacrosse due to the football season. I saw Lewinsville park in McLean being packed with organized soccer for the last four weeks with kids from parents that could afford it.

Yes, for more sports fields (and lights + turf) I would actually pay more taxes.

You should bring your complain to the Fairfax County Supervisor Board. FCSB can make Fairfax County Public School to make the football field, softball & baseball field available during the summer to accommodate the demand.

Our HS doesn't allow non-school teams to use their baseball fields, while other HS do. I guess it's up to the principals' discretion?

That's why I said the County Supervisor Board should make the change to allow HS fields to be availalbe during non-season, and during the summer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are varsity lacrosse & varsity soccer for both boys and girls in the spring, and they use the football field for practice and game. Just don't see how it is possible to fit JV teams on the same field.

After varisty practice when the private travel soccer and lacrosse teams rent the fields. Don't rent them out and let high school teams take that time

If you don't rent out the fields where do the kids learn the sports in the first place? It's not like every organization using a field is some evil for profit club. What about rec leagues where 5 and 6 year olds can fall in love with the game?

As an example, girls rec/travel softball is chronically under-allocated fields in Fairfax (there was a county report on this in January 2023). Should we tell them they can no longer use the lighted high school fields and now only get the very few lighted park fields in the county? How does that work?

Are you willing to pay more taxes to build more?

As someone who lives next to Langley high school, the school can rent out a softball/baseball field during the fall season because softball/baseball is a spring sport. It is not possible to rent the football field during the fall season for soccer/lacrosse due to the football season. I saw Lewinsville park in McLean being packed with organized soccer for the last four weeks with kids from parents that could afford it.

Yes, for more sports fields (and lights + turf) I would actually pay more taxes.

You should bring your complain to the Fairfax County Supervisor Board. FCSB can make Fairfax County Public School to make the football field, softball & baseball field available during the summer to accommodate the demand.

Our HS doesn't allow non-school teams to use their baseball fields, while other HS do. I guess it's up to the principals' discretion?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are varsity lacrosse & varsity soccer for both boys and girls in the spring, and they use the football field for practice and game. Just don't see how it is possible to fit JV teams on the same field.

After varisty practice when the private travel soccer and lacrosse teams rent the fields. Don't rent them out and let high school teams take that time

If you don't rent out the fields where do the kids learn the sports in the first place? It's not like every organization using a field is some evil for profit club. What about rec leagues where 5 and 6 year olds can fall in love with the game?

As an example, girls rec/travel softball is chronically under-allocated fields in Fairfax (there was a county report on this in January 2023). Should we tell them they can no longer use the lighted high school fields and now only get the very few lighted park fields in the county? How does that work?

Are you willing to pay more taxes to build more?

As someone who lives next to Langley high school, the school can rent out a softball/baseball field during the fall season because softball/baseball is a spring sport. It is not possible to rent the football field during the fall season for soccer/lacrosse due to the football season. I saw Lewinsville park in McLean being packed with organized soccer for the last four weeks with kids from parents that could afford it.

Yes, for more sports fields (and lights + turf) I would actually pay more taxes.

You should bring your complain to the Fairfax County Supervisor Board. FCSB can make Fairfax County Public School to make the football field, softball & baseball field available during the summer to accommodate the demand.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are varsity lacrosse & varsity soccer for both boys and girls in the spring, and they use the football field for practice and game. Just don't see how it is possible to fit JV teams on the same field.

After varisty practice when the private travel soccer and lacrosse teams rent the fields. Don't rent them out and let high school teams take that time

If you don't rent out the fields where do the kids learn the sports in the first place? It's not like every organization using a field is some evil for profit club. What about rec leagues where 5 and 6 year olds can fall in love with the game?

As an example, girls rec/travel softball is chronically under-allocated fields in Fairfax (there was a county report on this in January 2023). Should we tell them they can no longer use the lighted high school fields and now only get the very few lighted park fields in the county? How does that work?

My kids rec teams managed on grass ES fields