First, let me say that I am all for kids dealing with hard situations because they teach you great life lessons and teaches the kids to learn from not making a team and get better, but man, when did youth sports turn into a money grab / backstabbing/ icky thing?
My daughter has gotten so much better, starts on the JV lacrosse team as a 7th grader and starts on her Tavel team (that makes cuts), but just got on the wait list for an all star team that plays one weekend up north. Girls from FL to VA tried out. Girls got placed on it who parents scoffed at having their girls try out (like it was below them). Look, my daughter is a great defender, but she needs to become more well rounded, but the ickyness of back room antics is nuts.
Same for my son who is 10: he made his club soccer team again last week and so exited because they are moving up a division for competition and we love the parents and coaches, but they cut at least three kids that were on his team. They were solid and we loved the parents. The families are devastated. A new player who came from another team who’s dad “has a hand” in things basically got him on the team. Every dad from the old team has said the kid is worse than those that were cut.
Again, all about making the team and what not, but what happened to straight rec? I am 44 and we had AAU for basketball and baseball after the regular seasons in high school, but we did not have a single travel team in any sport in MTP for kids below high school.
I guess I am complaining and sad at things, but this feels like a money grab. They say you get better coaching, but I assure you, that is not always the case.
My daughter has gotten so much better, starts on the JV lacrosse team as a 7th grader and starts on her Tavel team (that makes cuts), but just got on the wait list for an all star team that plays one weekend up north. Girls from FL to VA tried out. Girls got placed on it who parents scoffed at having their girls try out (like it was below them). Look, my daughter is a great defender, but she needs to become more well rounded, but the ickyness of back room antics is nuts.
Same for my son who is 10: he made his club soccer team again last week and so exited because they are moving up a division for competition and we love the parents and coaches, but they cut at least three kids that were on his team. They were solid and we loved the parents. The families are devastated. A new player who came from another team who’s dad “has a hand” in things basically got him on the team. Every dad from the old team has said the kid is worse than those that were cut.
Again, all about making the team and what not, but what happened to straight rec? I am 44 and we had AAU for basketball and baseball after the regular seasons in high school, but we did not have a single travel team in any sport in MTP for kids below high school.
I guess I am complaining and sad at things, but this feels like a money grab. They say you get better coaching, but I assure you, that is not always the case.
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