All-Star Rule/rubric Changes Hindering Athletes Progression

[alpaca]

My 13yr old plays lacrosse and it's also starting to be taken over by travel teams too, though they've managed to keep the seasons slightly different for now.

Oh boy. Lacrosse is the biggest offender in my area. They literally have soft stick leagues for kids age 3 and 4. Everyone thinks that their kid is going to be a superstar and get a college scholarship. Kids are recruited by colleges in 9th grade. I don't know if this is common in other sports, but there are tournaments specifically for college recruiters to come and watch. You may play for your school, and your regular club league and your recruiting tournament league. Even though the sport has a defined season, you train year round to keep your skills. There is a distinct culture associated with the lacrosse families. I let CP play one spring rec season in 2nd grade. And I refused to be a part of that culture.

 

[Mndl]

Oh boy. Lacrosse is the biggest offender in my area. They literally have soft stick leagues for kids age 3 and 4. Everyone thinks that their kid is going to be a superstar and get a college scholarship. Kids are recruited by colleges in 9th grade. I don't know if this is common in other sports, but there are tournaments specifically for college recruiters to come and watch. You may play for your school, and your regular club league and your recruiting tournament league. Even though the sport has a defined season, you train year round to keep your skills. There is a distinct culture associated with the lacrosse families. I let CP play one spring rec season in 2nd grade. And I refused to be a part of that culture.

Yeah, I have friends whose sons are heavy into the tournament scene, it is its own kind of looney. I think in a few years it will be just as bad, we were just lucky that it hadn't exploded in popularity yet when my boys started to play. When my older son(16) started you had to be in 4th grade to play, now it's kindergarten. My 13yr old is not a year round sports kid, he plays in the spring and that's plenty for him. It's a shame that sports are squeezing out kids like him.

 

[catlady]

There is no space for a "never done this" kid to get started in sideline because if you're trying out for 5th, even the JV team girls have BHS.

They could go the all stars route and sure, all stars do not generally have a tryout (more of an evaluation/placement) but no one wants to make that commitment not knowing if it is something their child will like.

I've told this many times, but because of medical reasons my oldest couldn't do a sport until age 14. She'd walk out of tryout meetings laughing she was a "washed up has been" __________ (insert sport) at 14. I guess it's not too surprising to hear you're a "washed up has been" at age 10 now. :(

I think @123jump4! brings up a valid point in the fact that parents and athletes have greatly varying degrees of what their expectations are. Granted, her cp is much younger than mine, but our kids shared the same coach and our opinions of him are vastly different. He was one of my cp's favorites, her's finds him to be mean, but our expectations are also very different. Perhaps it is a generational thing? I'm older (55) and was taught "fun" was free and for the backyard. Paid instruction was to be taken seriously and firm discipline was just expected. My expectations are, we pay for it, you commit, you practice, you don't complain, your team is counting on you and if you don't like it, we won't sign up for it next year. My reaction to "they're being mean" is/was always "practice, do your job and they won't be mean.... and if you don't like it, we won't sign up for it next year." People now pay for so much recreation that perhaps "fun" is an expectation and my train of thought is becoming, or is, obsolete.

Is fun becoming a priority with younger parents and athletes?

 

[mamabear]

Is fun becoming a priority with younger parents and athletes?

Disclaimer- I am not young - but I can say that fun is not a priority to my youth 2 athlete. She has been doing this for six years now. She thrives when she is on a team where the expectation and commitments are higher. Many of her teammates feel the same way. I don’t think that age automatically dictates how much fun is needed, I think it comes from upbringing too.

CP has been struggling a lot with her health this year. She has only been to school six times this month ( And was sent home on three of the days). I am beginning to realize that cheer might not go as she dreams it will. I was fine with a super slow progression but I am beginning to think that it might stall out before she gets to Worlds level and to be honest that sucks. She is the perfect example for the original discussion. We moved to a gym where there is a team for everyone and she is placed exactly where she should be. We love it there, but I am also becoming realistic that she might not get to her ultimate cheer goals , because they don’t need anyone who doesn’t have the whole package on the elite teams.

This is also the first year where some of the teams are chasing Summit bids but her team is not. There seems to be a commitment level and excitement that comes with year end bids that her team doesn’t have. Her biggest comp is in a couple of weeks and I have heard people refer to mid February being the end of season. What?!?!? We have three more two days Nationals after it!








Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[123jump4!]

My CP does take cheer seriously and she wants to be successful as well as have some fun. Last season (different coach) she had both. The coach was tough but not too mean. CP was mostly happy. They won a comp.

This season she has come out unhappy, scared, in tears too many times for my liking.

Prep is meant to be less intense, an intro to allstar, etc... At least that was the idea from the beginning? But different gyms clearly have their own interpretation.

I wish lower levels and especially prep wasn't so strict and serious but that's just my personal opinion, I realize that. :)

 

[CLynn]

Prep is meant to be less intense, an intro to allstar, etc... At least that was the idea from the beginning? But different gyms clearly have their own interpretation.

Yes, in my opinion it really varies from gym to gym. Some use prep teams as a place for newer athletes and/or those that might not fit on the other teams skillwise but the children/parents signed up for the full experience. Near me half year seems to be the place for less travel and commitment .

 

[123jump4!]

Yes, in my opinion it really varies from gym to gym. Some use prep teams as a place for newer athletes and/or those that might not fit on the other teams skillwise but the children/parents signed up for the full experience. Near me half year seems to be the place for less travel and commitment .

Prep for us is a shorter season, no travel and way less money, that part I like! :)

 

[CLynn]

Prep for us is a shorter season, no travel and way less money, that part I like!

That is half year for us. Prep is basically the same schedule as all the other teams with the exception of one weekend...

 

[123jump4!]

That is half year for us. Prep is basically the same schedule as all the other teams with the exception of one weekend...

At our gym prep and half year is the same. I know other gyms that have full year prep teams.