Anonymous
Post 11/19/2018 20:32     Subject: Middle school boys and sports
My kid (formerly an adequate soccer player on a losing "travel" team) discovered rowing in 8th grade and never looked back. We don't have a high school team so she rows for Baltimore Rowing Club's youth team, and there's a similar club in MoCo called Blair Rowing (open to all with winter practice at Montgomery Blair HS). Maybe something to try?



Anonymous
Post 11/16/2018 12:02     Subject: Middle school boys and sports
On the question of youth sports numbers improving, declining or staying the same - I would note that the numbers are, and always have been, suspect. There really is no good accumulation of participation numbers out there when it comes to youth sports. Take baseball as an example. You might be able to group Little League and Pony League figures, but you are going to be estimating large numbers of community organizations that sponsor and run their own leagues and report to no one and that has always been the case. That goes on across all sports really.

One resource that is pretty consistent, but not perfect, is the NFHS and its participation figures. It does not include all private schools though as private schools in some states elect to form their own organization and not be part of the NFHS. Still -- the numbers date back to 1969, and are always interesting. Looking at Baseball in NFHS high schools in 2017/18 you had 16,196 schools fielding teams and 487,097 participants. In 85/86 that total number was 393,805, and in 95/96 it was 444,476. In 05/06 it was 470,671. So -- slow and steady growth in high school baseball participation.
Anonymous
Post 11/16/2018 11:43     Subject: Middle school boys and sports
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My son plays a travel sport nearly year round. He also plays for his schools tennis team. It is no cut. There are 3 levels of play. Tennis is a great lifetime sport. Though I love watching the advance level of play for his travel sport, tennis is the most practical and relevant. We also have introduced him to golf and go to a few local ski areas in the summer for downhill mountain biking. He will so the mountain biking camp this summer. I can tell you mountain biking is no joke. It is very technical, and very strenuous. All your kid needs is a parent en shape enough to take him out the first few times and to definitely get him lessins.

Also we have friends whose kids is on the ski team for another local (less than 2hrs drive) ski area.


Really? I didn't know this was an option here. What is the team/resort?


Not PP but Liberty, Whitetail, and Roundtop all host ski race teams.

My DC has been on a team for several years and has a blast.
masanutten and Bryce as well. Basically all of them.
Anonymous
Post 11/16/2018 11:16     Subject: Middle school boys and sports
Back to the original post:

Middle school is a traditional weeding out period for sports -- it has been forever. That's not to say that there are no opportunities to keep playing sports. There are, and I would say they currently are stronger for middle school kids than 25 years ago, because the lasts major recession took out lots of middle school sports as school systems made budget cuts. In many areas those sports have not returned at the middle school level.

Still, the middle school years are (and have always been) years when kids begin to focus more on education, and on sports/activities that specifically interest them. School music, theatre, and lots of different clubs can be tried out. And, of course, grades start to become a big focus for kids and families.

From the parent side of things -- you do need to keep up on what is going on with your kid, and you need to be thinking about and planning what they may be doing through their high school years. Do start checking out sports and activities at their likely high school. They will get there far sooner than you can imagine.

I will say though that as a parent you do need to be really flexible and encouraging. My oldest went into high school as a football/baseball kid, and graduated as a music kid. He took choir because it was an easy "no homework" class his sophomore year, and he is now a high school music teacher.
Anonymous
Post 11/15/2018 19:29     Subject: Middle school boys and sports
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Wow...you are angry and super defensive. Participation in youth sports is down across the country...that's a fact. I've read it in several other articles, not just this Atlantic piece, which I thought was well written. I don't really have any skin in this game because my kids are swimmers, and swimming has always been year-round and club focused. But other sports were different. People didn't play baseball, basketball, and soccer year-round when I was a kid. They played in rec leagues during the appropriate season and then in high school. And guess what?? Many kids I grew up with went on to play at the college and professional level.

You say that people don't have to play travel, they can play rec. But rec leagues are dying...especially baseball leagues. I'm sure you're judging everything from your UMC perspective thinking, "we have plenty of rec leagues. Tons of kids play sports, etc." But that is not the reality among less affluent people. Obviously you don't care -- as long as your kid is doing well on his/her travel team, all is good, right?


"Wow...you are angry and super defensive." -- nope. The tone you're not reading is contempt for "fairness" whiners like the guy who wrote this article and apparently also you. There is no need for me to "defend" my kid participating in rec sports, since I don't believe there is any stigma for doing so.

"Participation in youth sports is down across the country...that's a fact." -- no, it isn't. Participation in sports is constant or increasing. Some sports (e.g. football) might be declining but others are increasing.

"People didn't play baseball, basketball, and soccer year-round when I was a kid. They played in rec leagues during the appropriate season and then in high school." -- People didn't even play in rec leagues when I was a kid. It was the school team or nothing.

"Many kids I grew up with went on to play at the college and professional level." -- Bullshit. The number of high school kids who play in college is tiny, and the number of college kids who play pro is also tiny. For you to know "many" kids like that is simply not credible. Name them!

"But rec leagues are dying...especially baseball leagues." -- Wrong again. Your combination of arrogance and ignorance is hilarious.

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2018/04/12/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Baseball.aspx

Participation in baseball has again posted sizable gains, according to new data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Measures for '17 showed baseball participation grew 6% overall and 12.9% for casual participation. That follows 7.7% and 18.4% growth, respectively, in ’16. Over a three-year span -- a period roughly corresponding with the implementation of MLB's Play Ball youth participation effort -- casual play for baseball has grown 49.1%, and baseball has added 2.5 million new participants.


"But that is not the reality among less affluent people." -- Uh huh. And what do you actually know about that? Do you know any poor people? I bet that's complete bullshit like your claim to have grown up with pro athletes.

"Obviously you don't care -- as long as your kid is doing well on his/her travel team, all is good, right?" -- Yeah, pretty much. If you think my kid should have to play rec just because you have the sadz about some "less affluent" kids (that you don't even know) who can't play travel, you have another thing coming.


You are calling me ignorant, and then making claims with no data to back them up. Here are several articles discussing the fact that youth sports participation is declining:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/recruiting-insider/wp/2017/09/06/youth-sports-study-declining-participation-rising-costs-and-unqualified-coaches/?utm_term=.83720a2b3dff
https://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/08/11/american-youth-sports-participation-drop-decline-statistics-study
https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakewilliams3012/2016/06/15/youth-sports-participation-continues-to-decline-and-congress-may-have-a-solution/#6ed498a0177d

The only major sport with rising participation is ice hockey. Baseball, on the other hand, is one of the sports hit the hardest. I am relying on studies/data...what are you relying on?

As for doubting that many of the people I knew in high school played sports in college or professionally, you are wrong. I grew up in Southern California where the sports are in a different league than in this area (especially baseball). I'm not sure why you want me to name those people. You do understand that not everyone who plays sports in college or even professionally becomes famous, right? I mean, the vast majority of people in this country don't even know who Mike Trout is (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/baseballs-dilemma-mike-trout-is-mlbs-ultimate-all-star-and-yet-he-is-not-a-star/2018/07/16/bc17e36c-8490-11e8-8f6c-46cb43e3f306_story.html?utm_term=.d09957fe04ad), so you're certainly not going to recognize any of the names of the people I grew up with who played professional baseball and other sports.


I forgot to say that the article you cite is clearly just saying that participation in 2017 (or 2018, not clear) has grown over the previous year. But that's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about participation now compared to, say, 10, 15, or 20 years ago. The fact that more people are playing baseball this year vs. last year doesn't prove that BB is booming. It only proves that it's suffering a little less than it was a year ago, in large part because of efforts that have been made bc so few kids are playing baseball. Are you starting to understand now?
Anonymous
Post 11/15/2018 19:22     Subject: Middle school boys and sports
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Wow...you are angry and super defensive. Participation in youth sports is down across the country...that's a fact. I've read it in several other articles, not just this Atlantic piece, which I thought was well written. I don't really have any skin in this game because my kids are swimmers, and swimming has always been year-round and club focused. But other sports were different. People didn't play baseball, basketball, and soccer year-round when I was a kid. They played in rec leagues during the appropriate season and then in high school. And guess what?? Many kids I grew up with went on to play at the college and professional level.

You say that people don't have to play travel, they can play rec. But rec leagues are dying...especially baseball leagues. I'm sure you're judging everything from your UMC perspective thinking, "we have plenty of rec leagues. Tons of kids play sports, etc." But that is not the reality among less affluent people. Obviously you don't care -- as long as your kid is doing well on his/her travel team, all is good, right?


"Wow...you are angry and super defensive." -- nope. The tone you're not reading is contempt for "fairness" whiners like the guy who wrote this article and apparently also you. There is no need for me to "defend" my kid participating in rec sports, since I don't believe there is any stigma for doing so.

"Participation in youth sports is down across the country...that's a fact." -- no, it isn't. Participation in sports is constant or increasing. Some sports (e.g. football) might be declining but others are increasing.

"People didn't play baseball, basketball, and soccer year-round when I was a kid. They played in rec leagues during the appropriate season and then in high school." -- People didn't even play in rec leagues when I was a kid. It was the school team or nothing.

"Many kids I grew up with went on to play at the college and professional level." -- Bullshit. The number of high school kids who play in college is tiny, and the number of college kids who play pro is also tiny. For you to know "many" kids like that is simply not credible. Name them!

"But rec leagues are dying...especially baseball leagues." -- Wrong again. Your combination of arrogance and ignorance is hilarious.

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2018/04/12/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Baseball.aspx

Participation in baseball has again posted sizable gains, according to new data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Measures for '17 showed baseball participation grew 6% overall and 12.9% for casual participation. That follows 7.7% and 18.4% growth, respectively, in ’16. Over a three-year span -- a period roughly corresponding with the implementation of MLB's Play Ball youth participation effort -- casual play for baseball has grown 49.1%, and baseball has added 2.5 million new participants.


"But that is not the reality among less affluent people." -- Uh huh. And what do you actually know about that? Do you know any poor people? I bet that's complete bullshit like your claim to have grown up with pro athletes.

"Obviously you don't care -- as long as your kid is doing well on his/her travel team, all is good, right?" -- Yeah, pretty much. If you think my kid should have to play rec just because you have the sadz about some "less affluent" kids (that you don't even know) who can't play travel, you have another thing coming.


You are calling me ignorant, and then making claims with no data to back them up. Here are several articles discussing the fact that youth sports participation is declining:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/recruiting-insider/wp/2017/09/06/youth-sports-study-declining-participation-rising-costs-and-unqualified-coaches/?utm_term=.83720a2b3dff
https://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/08/11/american-youth-sports-participation-drop-decline-statistics-study
https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakewilliams3012/2016/06/15/youth-sports-participation-continues-to-decline-and-congress-may-have-a-solution/#6ed498a0177d

The only major sport with rising participation is ice hockey. Baseball, on the other hand, is one of the sports hit the hardest. I am relying on studies/data...what are you relying on?

As for doubting that many of the people I knew in high school played sports in college or professionally, you are wrong. I grew up in Southern California where the sports are in a different league than in this area (especially baseball). I'm not sure why you want me to name those people. You do understand that not everyone who plays sports in college or even professionally becomes famous, right? I mean, the vast majority of people in this country don't even know who Mike Trout is (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/baseballs-dilemma-mike-trout-is-mlbs-ultimate-all-star-and-yet-he-is-not-a-star/2018/07/16/bc17e36c-8490-11e8-8f6c-46cb43e3f306_story.html?utm_term=.d09957fe04ad), so you're certainly not going to recognize any of the names of the people I grew up with who played professional baseball and other sports.
Anonymous
Post 11/14/2018 15:09     Subject: Re:Middle school boys and sports
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Did/Does your son's work ethic match his goals? If not, what did/do you expect? Do you really think it should be easy and that anyone should be able to make a HS varsity sports team?


NP here. I am 37, and played sports in high school. I feel like sports were open to more kids back then, and honestly, that is the way I think it should be. We had a freshman, JV, and varsity team for most sports. There were still some cuts, but I don't think the cuts were anything like what I glean is the situation is like today (my kids aren't old enough yet). Today I feel like you practically have to be a professional athlete to make the HS team.

To the OP, we are in FCPS and I hear cross country is a no cut sport at our local HS, and I think it is nice that they have at least one no cut option. Idk whether your HS has anything similar.
Another thing I gleaned from parents of older kids is that it's tough if the kids are ONLY doing sports and then their sports option dwindle as they get older. I am trying to make sure my kids are trying out other non-sport things too.
I do feel there are still rec league options for many sports, even for the older kids, too, though.


I’m in my mid-40s, and I had the same experience. I was a good athlete but didn’t start playing organized sports until age 10–and even then, only one organized sport and only one season each year. But I played three varsity sports in high school, two of which I had never previously played in organized fashion outside of gym class.

We had JV and varsity for all teams, and across all of the sports in the school, pretty much every kid who really wanted to be on a team, was competent, and could commit could probably make at least JV of at least one team.

Sports were a huge part of my HS experience, but they didn’t feel super high-stakes; I hadn’t been training my whole life for them, and I didn’t really spend time on them outside their assigned seasons. I had time for other extracurricular activities. The team camaraderie was great, the competition was fun, I was proud to represent my school, and I stayed in great shape. But that’s about it. Sports had appropriate relative weight in my life.

It feels completely different today, with kids starting so young and pushed to commit/specialize so early. It raises the stakes and narrows the field, with the result that HS sports are accessible to a very small portion of a school’s population.
Anonymous
Post 11/14/2018 12:43     Subject: Middle school boys and sports
Anonymous wrote:Just a vent to say how hard it is to live in this area and have a kid who loves sports, but who isn’t good enough to make select/travel/high school teams. Seems like there are so few opportunities to keep playing team sports once they hit middle school if they are not on these elite teams. I know we can explore non-team sports (and we will), but it’s really a hit on self-esteem. Any wisdom from parents who have hit this point with their kids is welcome.


You can easily create your own team through Jelleff basketball or another sport. Ask some of your sons friends and if you don’t have enough for a team expand it and ask more.
Anonymous
Post 11/14/2018 11:35     Subject: Middle school boys and sports
Our local rec league (SYA) seems to offer sports all the way up through high school age.

The local middle schools have after school sports clubs where they can play with friends.