Collectively, A Thread To Celebrate Our Kids Athletic Accomplishments (1 Viewer)

[Chadstroma]

I can shed a tiny bit of light on the D1 issue, at least in cross country and track. Schools get 12.6 scholarships for men and 18 for women. What surprised me is that not all schools fund all the available scholarship space. My son has been on two official visits and that is one of the questions I ask, are they fully funded? Also, if the school signs international students, a lot of money usually goes to those students since their tuition and fees are so high. At least at one school there was a rift between the US kids and the internationals since most of the money went to the intl kids even if the US kids were faster.
Also, scholarship offers are negotiable. If a coach can get you for cheap, he/she will get you for cheap. You can find out how much they want you if you ask for more and they say, nah. Many athletes also use other school's offers as leverage - you can also find out how badly a coach wants you that way. Also learned that some athletes say they will sign for $X, but if they run certain times they will get $X+. It is all a game within a game.

Excellent point about the funding…I was not aware of that scenario until a buddy of mine who is an AD at a D1 school explained it to me a few years ago…I was asking him about his opinion on certain schools for my kid and he was very blunt about one saying they only use about 4 scholarships when they can use 12 which is why they are not good and never will be good…they are not committed to it and are putting their teams in a position to fail right from the get go…until he told me that I just assumed all schools at the D1 and D2 level used all of that $ but they don’t.

One other thing I would add…do your research on the Coaches and the culture of the team…there are a lot more bad college coaches out there than people realize…they all seem great during the recruiting process but a lot of that is for show and not real…while 99.9% of the kids are not going pro it will be the last time they play competitively so you don’t want it spent in a toxic environment…that will leave a mark.

That makes sense if you think about it... some schools are healthier financially than others... or maybe they don't want to dip into the pool of money for the administrators to carve up

Or they just aren’t committed to athletics…there is a lot of agendas on college campuses…each situation is a little different.

Or give more money to one sport over the others. A couple schools he is looking at do not have a football program, that frees up a lot of money, although they do not get the potential revenue. Another school just has a long distance program, so they don't fully fund their scholarships because they do not need to give money to jumpers, throwers or sprinters. Lot of reasons and I keep leaning new information every damn day.

You are doing the right thing by having an open-mind and getting as much info as possible...it really is a learning experience and there are a lot of people out there who think they know the process but really don't or know it from one angle/level/sport but not another...I have a son and a daughter (she is younger) and the recruiting process was really different between the two...between Title 9 and the basic supply and demand issue (there is just less of a talent pool on the girl's side in some sports) there is a lot more $ floating around in the non-revenue sports for women...I was a little blown away when we started getting offers for her and she will now be paying less to go to a somewhat pricey school than he does to a state school where he actually got decent academic $...it was a real eye-opener as I went into her process with the same mindset as his but that quickly changed.

I will offer one more observation (for anyone who cares)...if your kid can play at the college level aim low...what I mean by that is if they are borderline D1 go D2 or if they are borderline D2 go D3...that will go a long way towards them having a career where they see the field and are rewarded for their hard work...outside of the academics/overall school fit playing time (and a good Coach/culture) is the most important thing...there will always be those kids just happy to be on a D1 team but for most kids it is a far better experience if they are actually playing and contributing...it's the old big fish/little pond theory.

I dunno, it might works out for some to aim high.... Mat Ishbia was a benchwarming walk on at MSU, went to a couple of final fours and won a championship.... oh, and is now a billionaire.

Definitely...especially if you are realistic with what your chances are, what your goals are and just how hard you are willing to work and sacrifice...but for a good majority that are on the fence with what level they are it does not work out...I will add with how the transfer portal now works and the fact there is zero stigma transferring these days it is much easier to aim high and go to another school if the first choice does not work out...or to transfer to a higher level if you feel you can handle it after a year or two where you originally ended up...that aspect of things has really changed dramatically recently....back in my day transferring was a very big deal/decision that you did not see too much and now it is very common.

I really was unsure how I felt about the transfer portal but I think it is good for the kids. I mean, before, if they got sold on empty promises, it was, as you put it, a big thing to get out of the school and go elsewhere. It was a big decision. Now, coaches promise you to start and you don't- you can go somewhere else or if things just aren't a good fit- sport wise or not, they can make a change. It should force the coaches to be more upfront, honest and transparent across the board where I suspect that hasn't always been the case.

It's kind of an odd thing because it now goes deeper than that...some kids are now transferring even if they are happy with the Coach/program and getting playing time...they simply may want to go to a warmer school, go to school where their girlfriend is or just want to try something different whether it is a bigger or smaller school...it is a much different dynamic than it used to be...one of the negatives to the portal is there are kids who are in line for playing time that get blindsided when a transfer shows up and takes their position/playing time...like anything else in life there are positives and negatives.

Yea, I mean, pretty much everything in life has good and bad.

Another angle to this is coaching changes. Like Deon going from JSU to CU. Before, it kind of sucked that the coaching staff went out and sold players on coming to play with the coaching staff along with the school etc and then they get a new gig and leave the kids behind. I don't like how Deon did it (though I am generally a fan of him) but the kids from JSU can go to CU if they want and Deon wants or go elsewhere if they want to leave and Deon doesn't want them... and similarily, the kids at CU are not stuck without options with Deon coming in. If he isn't their cup of tea then they can hit the eject button as Deon not so gently suggested and go somewhere where they are wanted.

As for making choices because of warmer weather, girlfriends, etc I mean.... some of those would be standard of living decisions that I am ok with and some may end up being superficial or even bad decisions and certainly not what they wanted from the portal but those are the decisions these kids need to start making for themselves.

 

[ex-ghost]

I can shed a tiny bit of light on the D1 issue, at least in cross country and track. Schools get 12.6 scholarships for men and 18 for women. What surprised me is that not all schools fund all the available scholarship space. My son has been on two official visits and that is one of the questions I ask, are they fully funded? Also, if the school signs international students, a lot of money usually goes to those students since their tuition and fees are so high. At least at one school there was a rift between the US kids and the internationals since most of the money went to the intl kids even if the US kids were faster.
Also, scholarship offers are negotiable. If a coach can get you for cheap, he/she will get you for cheap. You can find out how much they want you if you ask for more and they say, nah. Many athletes also use other school's offers as leverage - you can also find out how badly a coach wants you that way. Also learned that some athletes say they will sign for $X, but if they run certain times they will get $X+. It is all a game within a game.

Excellent point about the funding…I was not aware of that scenario until a buddy of mine who is an AD at a D1 school explained it to me a few years ago…I was asking him about his opinion on certain schools for my kid and he was very blunt about one saying they only use about 4 scholarships when they can use 12 which is why they are not good and never will be good…they are not committed to it and are putting their teams in a position to fail right from the get go…until he told me that I just assumed all schools at the D1 and D2 level used all of that $ but they don’t.

One other thing I would add…do your research on the Coaches and the culture of the team…there are a lot more bad college coaches out there than people realize…they all seem great during the recruiting process but a lot of that is for show and not real…while 99.9% of the kids are not going pro it will be the last time they play competitively so you don’t want it spent in a toxic environment…that will leave a mark.

That makes sense if you think about it... some schools are healthier financially than others... or maybe they don't want to dip into the pool of money for the administrators to carve up

Or they just aren’t committed to athletics…there is a lot of agendas on college campuses…each situation is a little different.

Or give more money to one sport over the others. A couple schools he is looking at do not have a football program, that frees up a lot of money, although they do not get the potential revenue. Another school just has a long distance program, so they don't fully fund their scholarships because they do not need to give money to jumpers, throwers or sprinters. Lot of reasons and I keep leaning new information every damn day.

You are doing the right thing by having an open-mind and getting as much info as possible...it really is a learning experience and there are a lot of people out there who think they know the process but really don't or know it from one angle/level/sport but not another...I have a son and a daughter (she is younger) and the recruiting process was really different between the two...between Title 9 and the basic supply and demand issue (there is just less of a talent pool on the girl's side in some sports) there is a lot more $ floating around in the non-revenue sports for women...I was a little blown away when we started getting offers for her and she will now be paying less to go to a somewhat pricey school than he does to a state school where he actually got decent academic $...it was a real eye-opener as I went into her process with the same mindset as his but that quickly changed.

I will offer one more observation (for anyone who cares)...if your kid can play at the college level aim low...what I mean by that is if they are borderline D1 go D2 or if they are borderline D2 go D3...that will go a long way towards them having a career where they see the field and are rewarded for their hard work...outside of the academics/overall school fit playing time (and a good Coach/culture) is the most important thing...there will always be those kids just happy to be on a D1 team but for most kids it is a far better experience if they are actually playing and contributing...it's the old big fish/little pond theory.

I dunno, it might works out for some to aim high.... Mat Ishbia was a benchwarming walk on at MSU, went to a couple of final fours and won a championship.... oh, and is now a billionaire.

Definitely...especially if you are realistic with what your chances are, what your goals are and just how hard you are willing to work and sacrifice...but for a good majority that are on the fence with what level they are it does not work out...I will add with how the transfer portal now works and the fact there is zero stigma transferring these days it is much easier to aim high and go to another school if the first choice does not work out...or to transfer to a higher level if you feel you can handle it after a year or two where you originally ended up...that aspect of things has really changed dramatically recently....back in my day transferring was a very big deal/decision that you did not see too much and now it is very common.

I really was unsure how I felt about the transfer portal but I think it is good for the kids. I mean, before, if they got sold on empty promises, it was, as you put it, a big thing to get out of the school and go elsewhere. It was a big decision. Now, coaches promise you to start and you don't- you can go somewhere else or if things just aren't a good fit- sport wise or not, they can make a change. It should force the coaches to be more upfront, honest and transparent across the board where I suspect that hasn't always been the case.

It's kind of an odd thing because it now goes deeper than that...some kids are now transferring even if they are happy with the Coach/program and getting playing time...they simply may want to go to a warmer school, go to school where their girlfriend is or just want to try something different whether it is a bigger or smaller school...it is a much different dynamic than it used to be...one of the negatives to the portal is there are kids who are in line for playing time that get blindsided when a transfer shows up and takes their position/playing time...like anything else in life there are positives and negatives.

You all are probably sick of me talking about running, but looking at schools there are some that are known as big transfer schools - especially a kid that redshirted his first year and in his 5th decides to go to grad school. These are the kids that are transferring to go to grad school and they show up as a well-trained 22-23 year old. That can be tough on the 18-year-old who shows up expecting to be a contributor and then is not bc of the much more physically talented older kid who knows how to run in a college system.

 

[acarey50]

If anyone has any insight, experience, knowledge etc about the whole HS private school on all of that, I would be interested in reading.

Move to California, NIL for high schoolers is legal here... or you can try "participating" in campus beautification on weekends to help offset tuition to private schools.

NIL is also one way now that D3s, Ivy leagues who also so not do athletic scholarships and really also D1, D2, NAIA and even some JCs work around the limitations on athletic scholarships.

 

[Chadstroma]

If anyone has any insight, experience, knowledge etc about the whole HS private school on all of that, I would be interested in reading.

Move to California, NIL for high schoolers is legal here... or you can try "participating" in campus beautification on weekends to help offset tuition to private schools.

NIL is also one way now that D3s, Ivy leagues who also so not do athletic scholarships and really also D1, D2, NAIA and even some JCs work around the limitations on athletic scholarships.

That is crazy. It is funny... you can't give athletic scholarships but you can do NIL. Don't the people who make up the rules have any idea how ridiculous this stuff is getting?

 

[Chadstroma]

I can shed a tiny bit of light on the D1 issue, at least in cross country and track. Schools get 12.6 scholarships for men and 18 for women. What surprised me is that not all schools fund all the available scholarship space. My son has been on two official visits and that is one of the questions I ask, are they fully funded? Also, if the school signs international students, a lot of money usually goes to those students since their tuition and fees are so high. At least at one school there was a rift between the US kids and the internationals since most of the money went to the intl kids even if the US kids were faster.
Also, scholarship offers are negotiable. If a coach can get you for cheap, he/she will get you for cheap. You can find out how much they want you if you ask for more and they say, nah. Many athletes also use other school's offers as leverage - you can also find out how badly a coach wants you that way. Also learned that some athletes say they will sign for $X, but if they run certain times they will get $X+. It is all a game within a game.

Excellent point about the funding…I was not aware of that scenario until a buddy of mine who is an AD at a D1 school explained it to me a few years ago…I was asking him about his opinion on certain schools for my kid and he was very blunt about one saying they only use about 4 scholarships when they can use 12 which is why they are not good and never will be good…they are not committed to it and are putting their teams in a position to fail right from the get go…until he told me that I just assumed all schools at the D1 and D2 level used all of that $ but they don’t.

One other thing I would add…do your research on the Coaches and the culture of the team…there are a lot more bad college coaches out there than people realize…they all seem great during the recruiting process but a lot of that is for show and not real…while 99.9% of the kids are not going pro it will be the last time they play competitively so you don’t want it spent in a toxic environment…that will leave a mark.

That makes sense if you think about it... some schools are healthier financially than others... or maybe they don't want to dip into the pool of money for the administrators to carve up

Or they just aren’t committed to athletics…there is a lot of agendas on college campuses…each situation is a little different.

Or give more money to one sport over the others. A couple schools he is looking at do not have a football program, that frees up a lot of money, although they do not get the potential revenue. Another school just has a long distance program, so they don't fully fund their scholarships because they do not need to give money to jumpers, throwers or sprinters. Lot of reasons and I keep leaning new information every damn day.

You are doing the right thing by having an open-mind and getting as much info as possible...it really is a learning experience and there are a lot of people out there who think they know the process but really don't or know it from one angle/level/sport but not another...I have a son and a daughter (she is younger) and the recruiting process was really different between the two...between Title 9 and the basic supply and demand issue (there is just less of a talent pool on the girl's side in some sports) there is a lot more $ floating around in the non-revenue sports for women...I was a little blown away when we started getting offers for her and she will now be paying less to go to a somewhat pricey school than he does to a state school where he actually got decent academic $...it was a real eye-opener as I went into her process with the same mindset as his but that quickly changed.

I will offer one more observation (for anyone who cares)...if your kid can play at the college level aim low...what I mean by that is if they are borderline D1 go D2 or if they are borderline D2 go D3...that will go a long way towards them having a career where they see the field and are rewarded for their hard work...outside of the academics/overall school fit playing time (and a good Coach/culture) is the most important thing...there will always be those kids just happy to be on a D1 team but for most kids it is a far better experience if they are actually playing and contributing...it's the old big fish/little pond theory.

I dunno, it might works out for some to aim high.... Mat Ishbia was a benchwarming walk on at MSU, went to a couple of final fours and won a championship.... oh, and is now a billionaire.

Definitely...especially if you are realistic with what your chances are, what your goals are and just how hard you are willing to work and sacrifice...but for a good majority that are on the fence with what level they are it does not work out...I will add with how the transfer portal now works and the fact there is zero stigma transferring these days it is much easier to aim high and go to another school if the first choice does not work out...or to transfer to a higher level if you feel you can handle it after a year or two where you originally ended up...that aspect of things has really changed dramatically recently....back in my day transferring was a very big deal/decision that you did not see too much and now it is very common.

I really was unsure how I felt about the transfer portal but I think it is good for the kids. I mean, before, if they got sold on empty promises, it was, as you put it, a big thing to get out of the school and go elsewhere. It was a big decision. Now, coaches promise you to start and you don't- you can go somewhere else or if things just aren't a good fit- sport wise or not, they can make a change. It should force the coaches to be more upfront, honest and transparent across the board where I suspect that hasn't always been the case.

It's kind of an odd thing because it now goes deeper than that...some kids are now transferring even if they are happy with the Coach/program and getting playing time...they simply may want to go to a warmer school, go to school where their girlfriend is or just want to try something different whether it is a bigger or smaller school...it is a much different dynamic than it used to be...one of the negatives to the portal is there are kids who are in line for playing time that get blindsided when a transfer shows up and takes their position/playing time...like anything else in life there are positives and negatives.

You all are probably sick of me talking about running, but looking at schools there are some that are known as big transfer schools - especially a kid that redshirted his first year and in his 5th decides to go to grad school. These are the kids that are transferring to go to grad school and they show up as a well-trained 22-23 year old. That can be tough on the 18-year-old who shows up expecting to be a contributor and then is not bc of the much more physically talented older kid who knows how to run in a college system.

No, I find all of this fascinating. Different things for different schools, states, sports, coaches etc

 

[acarey50]

If anyone has any insight, experience, knowledge etc about the whole HS private school on all of that, I would be interested in reading.

Move to California, NIL for high schoolers is legal here... or you can try "participating" in campus beautification on weekends to help offset tuition to private schools.

NIL is also one way now that D3s, Ivy leagues who also so not do athletic scholarships and really also D1, D2, NAIA and even some JCs work around the limitations on athletic scholarships.

That is crazy. It is funny... you can't give athletic scholarships but you can do NIL. Don't the people who make up the rules have any idea how ridiculous this stuff is getting?

NIL technically isn't through the school, it's through boosters, local businesses, big businesses, etc.

 

[Gally]

NIL technically isn't through the school, it's through boosters, local businesses, big businesses, etc.

Which makes it even fishier

ETA: I really miss the days of kids going to the high school they are supposed to go to and fostering school rivalries. School of choice has killed the competitiveness of high school sports and really hurt school/community pride. Having a kid in high school right now it is very disappointing on how the system as changed and become all about getting to the next level (which most kids won't do) rather than playing a sport, building a team comradery, and having school/community pride.

 

[belljr]

NIL technically isn't through the school, it's through boosters, local businesses, big businesses, etc.

Which makes it even fishier

ETA: I really miss the days of kids going to the high school they are supposed to go to and fostering school rivalries. School of choice has killed the competitiveness of high school sports and really hurt school/community pride. Having a kid in high school right now it is very disappointing on how the system as changed and become all about getting to the next level (which most kids won't do) rather than playing a sport, building a team comradery, and having school/community pride.

I think this is a "where you live" type deal......

 

[ex-ghost]

NIL technically isn't through the school, it's through boosters, local businesses, big businesses, etc.

Which makes it even fishier

ETA: I really miss the days of kids going to the high school they are supposed to go to and fostering school rivalries. School of choice has killed the competitiveness of high school sports and really hurt school/community pride. Having a kid in high school right now it is very disappointing on how the system as changed and become all about getting to the next level (which most kids won't do) rather than playing a sport, building a team comradery, and having school/community pride.

Agreed. Lots of kids in this area that skip playing high school sports because of the concern of injury and the lack of competition due to kids playing on club teams. One friend of mine has a soccer player who did not play senior year of high school since there were so many low level players that might injure him based on their hacking style.

 

[Chadstroma]

If anyone has any insight, experience, knowledge etc about the whole HS private school on all of that, I would be interested in reading.

Move to California, NIL for high schoolers is legal here... or you can try "participating" in campus beautification on weekends to help offset tuition to private schools.

NIL is also one way now that D3s, Ivy leagues who also so not do athletic scholarships and really also D1, D2, NAIA and even some JCs work around the limitations on athletic scholarships.

That is crazy. It is funny... you can't give athletic scholarships but you can do NIL. Don't the people who make up the rules have any idea how ridiculous this stuff is getting?

NIL technically isn't through the school, it's through boosters, local businesses, big businesses, etc.

I know but it is basically legalizing the booster payoffs that were the biggest no no ever in school sports. I just saw a girl in Cali on a HS football team got a NIL.
The point I was making is that it is just plain stupid to not allow athletic scholarships but then allow a NIL. (I did more digging into this and more states do not allow NIL than do apparently... at least for now, I expect all other states to follow suit)

 

[Gally]

I think this is a "where you live" type deal......

I have no doubt there are some areas where this isn't an issue. Unfortunately it is a big issue where I live. Kids think the grass is greener so they are transferring every other year to be with the "best" team. By moving they have to miss 30 days of the season if they played varsity in that sport of another school the year before. That's puts them behind for play time and missing a chunk of the season. Plus you are now going to the "better" team so they theoretically have better players making it harder for you to crack the lineup - especially when you have to miss a month.

I coached a kid all through travel ball that went to my sons high school (where he was supposed to go geographically). He played varsity as a sophomore and was the #1 pitcher on the team as a sophomore. He even beat the cross town rival with his best pitching performance of the year. The teams are very similar talent wise but the other coach had been recruiting (illegally as they can't technically recruit) so he decided to jump ship. By the time he sat out his 30 days he ended up being behind and out of the rotation. He could have stayed and worked off his great sophomore season and played every inning of every game at his original school. Instead he barely played and had a terrible year. All because that school is "better". Just frustrates the hell out of me to see kids wasting a year of HS because of this.

Of the 11 kids we coached in travel ball (we started the team when they were 10 as all of them were supposed to go to the same HS and they were a good core group) to get them ready together for HS. However, once high school got near the "rival" coach started being the personal coach to half the kids to try and recruit them to his school. It worked on about a third of them. Two started at the school they were supposed to go to and then transferred (losing eligibility). Both would have been starters playing every inning if they stayed. Instead they changed lost time and then never recovered and played sparingly. Both schools finished with similar records and split when they played each other. So it wasn't like they were going to some powerhouse. Now there is only 3 of the 11 kids going to where they should be going and those three are excelling. All league players playing every inning and having fun. The other kids are bitching about the coach, playing time, etc and have regressed all because they wanted to go the "better" team.

Granted this is an isolated example but in general kids being able to change high schools on a whim whenever they feel like is going to ruin HS sports more than it already is. It is saddening.

 

[belljr]

I think this is a "where you live" type deal......

I have no doubt there are some areas where this isn't an issue. Unfortunately it is a big issue where I live. Kids think the grass is greener so they are transferring every other year to be with the "best" team. By moving they have to miss 30 days of the season if they played varsity in that sport of another school the year before. That's puts them behind for play time and missing a chunk of the season. Plus you are now going to the "better" team so they theoretically have better players making it harder for you to crack the lineup - especially when you have to miss a month.

I coached a kid all through travel ball that went to my sons high school (where he was supposed to go geographically). He played varsity as a sophomore and was the #1 pitcher on the team as a sophomore. He even beat the cross town rival with his best pitching performance of the year. The teams are very similar talent wise but the other coach had been recruiting (illegally as they can't technically recruit) so he decided to jump ship. By the time he sat out his 30 days he ended up being behind and out of the rotation. He could have stayed and worked off his great sophomore season and played every inning of every game at his original school. Instead he barely played and had a terrible year. All because that school is "better". Just frustrates the hell out of me to see kids wasting a year of HS because of this.

Of the 11 kids we coached in travel ball (we started the team when they were 10 as all of them were supposed to go to the same HS and they were a good core group) to get them ready together for HS. However, once high school got near the "rival" coach started being the personal coach to half the kids to try and recruit them to his school. It worked on about a third of them. Two started at the school they were supposed to go to and then transferred (losing eligibility). Both would have been starters playing every inning if they stayed. Instead they changed lost time and then never recovered and played sparingly. Both schools finished with similar records and split when they played each other. So it wasn't like they were going to some powerhouse. Now there is only 3 of the 11 kids going to where they should be going and those three are excelling. All league players playing every inning and having fun. The other kids are bitching about the coach, playing time, etc and have regressed all because they wanted to go the "better" team.

Granted this is an isolated example but in general kids being able to change high schools on a whim whenever they feel like is going to ruin HS sports more than it already is. It is saddening.

We are rated like top 3 in the country for our public school system so we don't deal with a lot of these private school issues. Yes we have them but its not a big thing overall

 

[Chadstroma]

NIL technically isn't through the school, it's through boosters, local businesses, big businesses, etc.

Which makes it even fishier

ETA: I really miss the days of kids going to the high school they are supposed to go to and fostering school rivalries. School of choice has killed the competitiveness of high school sports and really hurt school/community pride. Having a kid in high school right now it is very disappointing on how the system as changed and become all about getting to the next level (which most kids won't do) rather than playing a sport, building a team comradery, and having school/community pride.

I think this is a "where you live" type deal......

It is funny how things can be very different from one part of the country to another. I was talking with a friend I grew up with in So Cal that moved to Texas. In Cali and Illinois, though there are certainly powerhouse public school programs, if your kid was really good at football then you got them to a private school like De La Salle, Mater Dei, Chaminade, or Oaks Christian in Cali or Loyola, Montini, or Joliet Catholic in IL. In Texas, he was saying the public school teams are the powerhouses and where the top athletes are while the private schools aren't as competitive. I saw his sons schools stadium, which looked bigger and better than most D3 schools stadiums and they have a ridiculous number of kids in their football program. His kid is doing pretty well as a QB and has some scholarship offers already and D1 schools are even starting to show interest (big schools like ND and others- which is delicious to me as an Irish fan and my friend is a Trojan fan, I so badly want his son to go to ND!). If they were still in CA, he likely would be at a private school but in TX it would hurt his football chances to leave the public school.

 

[Gally]

We are rated like top 3 in the country for our public school system so we don't deal with a lot of these private school issues. Yes we have them but its not a big thing overall

I am not talking about private schools. These are both public schools. That is what makes it even worse. California has gone to "school of choice" which means you can choose to go to whatever public school you want to go regardless of what school you are supposed to go to geographically.

ETA: and these schools are not powerhouses. They are very mediocre. It's ridiculous.

 

[Chadstroma]

NIL technically isn't through the school, it's through boosters, local businesses, big businesses, etc.

Which makes it even fishier

ETA: I really miss the days of kids going to the high school they are supposed to go to and fostering school rivalries. School of choice has killed the competitiveness of high school sports and really hurt school/community pride. Having a kid in high school right now it is very disappointing on how the system as changed and become all about getting to the next level (which most kids won't do) rather than playing a sport, building a team comradery, and having school/community pride.

Agreed. Lots of kids in this area that skip playing high school sports because of the concern of injury and the lack of competition due to kids playing on club teams. One friend of mine has a soccer player who did not play senior year of high school since there were so many low level players that might injure him based on their hacking style.

That is another thing that is so weird to me now. When did that shift happen? It wasn't like that growing up. Club teams were basically ways to build to playing HS school sports for the most part or extra time to play outside of the sport.

 

[skol asylum]

My 10 year old daughter has been playing tball then softball since she was 3. She's in 10u fast pitch now and is a catcher. She's not the star player but she focuses, tries hard, and has a great attitude.

Here's a clip of a triple she hit this past season. I think she had a good chance of making it home but they held her at third.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ARhkXPkRN2L2qssY7

Wow. So little there. Just got done with her first stint of 12U club ball over the past 6 or so months. In search of a 14U club team as she has to move up in January. Her numbers over 55 games:

113 PA
90 AB
.400/.522/.522
36 Hits (28,5,3,0)
40 RBIs
30 Runs
22 BB
15 SO

Not bad at all. They stuck her in the outfield. Hopefully more infield action on her next team.

 

[belljr]

We are rated like top 3 in the country for our public school system so we don't deal with a lot of these private school issues. Yes we have them but its not a big thing overall

I am not talking about private schools. These are both public schools. That is what makes it even worse. California has gone to "school of choice" which means you can choose to go to whatever public school you want to go regardless of what school you are supposed to go to geographically.

Gotcha - pretty sure we cant do that.

Just looked it up - very recently the state has allowed school choice but each district sets whether they will participate in school choice. Right now 122 out of ~ 600 participate

 

[Gally]

That is another thing that is so weird to me now. When did that shift happen? It wasn't like that growing up. Club teams were basically ways to build to playing HS school sports for the most part or extra time to play outside of the sport.

It's because kids aren't being allowed to be kids anymore. Sports are being used as a ticket to college and most parents think their kids are better than they are so they push them to do club and not risk injury by playing high school. This is also what they are being told by their club coaches who are also trying to make a living so it's a money grab for them as well. Big business in youth sports and everyone is trying to get their piece instead of just letting kids play a game, have fun, and then see if it leads somewhere.

 

[belljr]

NIL technically isn't through the school, it's through boosters, local businesses, big businesses, etc.

Which makes it even fishier

ETA: I really miss the days of kids going to the high school they are supposed to go to and fostering school rivalries. School of choice has killed the competitiveness of high school sports and really hurt school/community pride. Having a kid in high school right now it is very disappointing on how the system as changed and become all about getting to the next level (which most kids won't do) rather than playing a sport, building a team comradery, and having school/community pride.

Agreed. Lots of kids in this area that skip playing high school sports because of the concern of injury and the lack of competition due to kids playing on club teams. One friend of mine has a soccer player who did not play senior year of high school since there were so many low level players that might injure him based on their hacking style.

That is another thing that is so weird to me now. When did that shift happen? It wasn't like that growing up. Club teams were basically ways to build to playing HS school sports for the most part or extra time to play outside of the sport.

pending on sport - club teams are where you get recruited here not HS but for us most kids do both. Our club teams shut down during HS season - minus a work out here and there

 

[Chadstroma]

I think this is a "where you live" type deal......

I have no doubt there are some areas where this isn't an issue. Unfortunately it is a big issue where I live. Kids think the grass is greener so they are transferring every other year to be with the "best" team. By moving they have to miss 30 days of the season if they played varsity in that sport of another school the year before. That's puts them behind for play time and missing a chunk of the season. Plus you are now going to the "better" team so they theoretically have better players making it harder for you to crack the lineup - especially when you have to miss a month.

I coached a kid all through travel ball that went to my sons high school (where he was supposed to go geographically). He played varsity as a sophomore and was the #1 pitcher on the team as a sophomore. He even beat the cross town rival with his best pitching performance of the year. The teams are very similar talent wise but the other coach had been recruiting (illegally as they can't technically recruit) so he decided to jump ship. By the time he sat out his 30 days he ended up being behind and out of the rotation. He could have stayed and worked off his great sophomore season and played every inning of every game at his original school. Instead he barely played and had a terrible year. All because that school is "better". Just frustrates the hell out of me to see kids wasting a year of HS because of this.

Of the 11 kids we coached in travel ball (we started the team when they were 10 as all of them were supposed to go to the same HS and they were a good core group) to get them ready together for HS. However, once high school got near the "rival" coach started being the personal coach to half the kids to try and recruit them to his school. It worked on about a third of them. Two started at the school they were supposed to go to and then transferred (losing eligibility). Both would have been starters playing every inning if they stayed. Instead they changed lost time and then never recovered and played sparingly. Both schools finished with similar records and split when they played each other. So it wasn't like they were going to some powerhouse. Now there is only 3 of the 11 kids going to where they should be going and those three are excelling. All league players playing every inning and having fun. The other kids are bitching about the coach, playing time, etc and have regressed all because they wanted to go the "better" team.

Granted this is an isolated example but in general kids being able to change high schools on a whim whenever they feel like is going to ruin HS sports more than it already is. It is saddening.

We are rated like top 3 in the country for our public school system so we don't deal with a lot of these private school issues. Yes we have them but its not a big thing overall

That didn't sound like a private vs public school thing. Also, you can be in a great public school system and that doesn't mean the kids aren't going to go private school either for better academics or athletic opportunities, though again, this seems to be a regional thing.

We live in an area with a highly ranked public school system and HS (not top 3 in the nation but top 10 or so in the state) and I don't think I have to think about it- if the opportunity to go to a private school is there, my kids will go. If not, it isn't the end of the world and they can go to the public school and not have a dramatic decline in academic drop off... depending on the sport they are doing, it may be a decline athletically or about the same.

 

[Chadstroma]

That is another thing that is so weird to me now. When did that shift happen? It wasn't like that growing up. Club teams were basically ways to build to playing HS school sports for the most part or extra time to play outside of the sport.

It's because kids aren't being allowed to be kids anymore. Sports are being used as a ticket to college and most parents think their kids are better than they are so they push them to do club and not risk injury by playing high school. This is also what they are being told by their club coaches who are also trying to make a living so it's a money grab for them as well. Big business in youth sports and everyone is trying to get their piece instead of just letting kids play a game, have fun, and then see if it leads somewhere.

I understand the dynamics of it all that has created it... I am just wondering when this shift happened. I obviously wasn't paying attention between the many years I was HS age to now having kids a few years off from entering HS.

 

[Chadstroma]

NIL technically isn't through the school, it's through boosters, local businesses, big businesses, etc.

Which makes it even fishier

ETA: I really miss the days of kids going to the high school they are supposed to go to and fostering school rivalries. School of choice has killed the competitiveness of high school sports and really hurt school/community pride. Having a kid in high school right now it is very disappointing on how the system as changed and become all about getting to the next level (which most kids won't do) rather than playing a sport, building a team comradery, and having school/community pride.

Agreed. Lots of kids in this area that skip playing high school sports because of the concern of injury and the lack of competition due to kids playing on club teams. One friend of mine has a soccer player who did not play senior year of high school since there were so many low level players that might injure him based on their hacking style.

That is another thing that is so weird to me now. When did that shift happen? It wasn't like that growing up. Club teams were basically ways to build to playing HS school sports for the most part or extra time to play outside of the sport.

pending on sport - club teams are where you get recruited here not HS but for us most kids do both. Our club teams shut down during HS season - minus a work out here and there

In swim, the clubs are associated closely with the HS's. They kind of act as feeder programs it seems and extra training/meets when you get to HS level. I have no idea how college recruiting works for swim but at least around here it seems the clubs/HS have a very symbiotic relationship built up.

We are just starting club vball with my daughter so it will be interesting to see that world as well.

All the other sports experience have been school or camp/clinic stuff so I haven't seen much about the whole club vs HS dynamic otherwise.

 

[Anarchy99]

I don't have much to contribute to this thread anymore these days, but this is why we have kids.

 

[Boston]

That is another thing that is so weird to me now. When did that shift happen? It wasn't like that growing up. Club teams were basically ways to build to playing HS school sports for the most part or extra time to play outside of the sport.

It's because kids aren't being allowed to be kids anymore. Sports are being used as a ticket to college and most parents think their kids are better than they are so they push them to do club and not risk injury by playing high school. This is also what they are being told by their club coaches who are also trying to make a living so it's a money grab for them as well. Big business in youth sports and everyone is trying to get their piece instead of just letting kids play a game, have fun, and then see if it leads somewhere.

I understand the dynamics of it all that has created it... I am just wondering when this shift happened. I obviously wasn't paying attention between the many years I was HS age to now having kids a few years off from entering HS.

In hockey it was ballpark about 25 years ago...hockey culture with regard to this stuff is the absolute worse for many reasons and the utter cluelessness of parents and kids with regard to how high the level of play in college (both D1 and D3) is, is both comical and sad as many of these kids have a better chance being President then they do ever sniffing a college roster...and I am not kidding about that (there is no more wasted $ in youth sports then in hockey)...in lax the club season does not infringe on the high school season and the public schools are still high end...the sport is in a very good place right now as it reminds me of hockey in its heyday in New England in the early 80's...I pray to the Sports Gods it stays that way in lax but once big $ and arrogant parents are involved the removal of a sports soul is soon to follow.

 

[ex-ghost]

NIL technically isn't through the school, it's through boosters, local businesses, big businesses, etc.

Which makes it even fishier

ETA: I really miss the days of kids going to the high school they are supposed to go to and fostering school rivalries. School of choice has killed the competitiveness of high school sports and really hurt school/community pride. Having a kid in high school right now it is very disappointing on how the system as changed and become all about getting to the next level (which most kids won't do) rather than playing a sport, building a team comradery, and having school/community pride.

Agreed. Lots of kids in this area that skip playing high school sports because of the concern of injury and the lack of competition due to kids playing on club teams. One friend of mine has a soccer player who did not play senior year of high school since there were so many low level players that might injure him based on their hacking style.

That is another thing that is so weird to me now. When did that shift happen? It wasn't like that growing up. Club teams were basically ways to build to playing HS school sports for the most part or extra time to play outside of the sport.

pending on sport - club teams are where you get recruited here not HS but for us most kids do both. Our club teams shut down during HS season - minus a work out here and there

This is the way it is supposed to work, but now club coaches are becoming "private coaches" for the kids once they start their HS season. These private coaches talk to their athletes before the event, outside the stadium and then watch them compete. The kids always come into the stands after the race to talk to their private coaches. This, of course, drives the HS coaches crazy bc the kids will want to do different workouts than the time bc their private coach told them so.

My son has seen this and for awhile was pissed that he did not have a private coach. I will say that it has worked out for him and his coach is very thankful that we did not rain down hell on the HS program.

 

[acarey50]

@Chadstroma - For the Texas thing, I've had this conversation many times here in California - the public schools have an advantage there (Texas) because the high schools are separated public/private in their state playoffs, etc., so there is a lot of pride in playing for your community, where the public school championships are played in Cowboy stadium. I have a close friend that is in coaching, originally from the Texas/Oklahoma area and when looking at job postings there, the high school coach is also responsible for establishing the program at the junior highs and elementary schools that feed into the high school, really developing that sense of community pride. From a young age they are given this sense of working up to playing for their high school and representing their community.

In California, the public and private schools are intermixed, and I don't see that changing anytime soon unfortunately. Too much money in the TV contracts to see a Mater Dei - St. John Bosco play each other. I would like to see this changed to have public and private separated but I'm not holding my breath.

@Gally - I think school of choice is still a district by district think. In our district, you can't just choose to go to your non-home school, but you can apply to go to a different one, plus a lot of the schools have unique programs that you can go into to facilitate the transfer if your home school does not have that program. Some districts such as Newport-Mesa are a lot more strict about allowing it. I'm sure others are a lot looser. Supposed to be a 30 day sit for your first transfer then a full year sit if you transfer a second time, but these schools have mastered the loopholes that are written into the rules to minimize that.

One thing I can say with pride is that our high school, a public high school, was the preseason #1 basketball team in Orange County, the first time in 30 years that someone other than Mater Dei opened at #1 in the rankings. And furthering that pride, every single kid on our varsity team started at our high school as a freshman, we have no transfers, which sadly nowadays is the exception, not the norm.

 

[Anarchy99]

I guess I do have something to add after all. I forgot my basketball playing son plays in the intramural league at school. His team made it to the finals out of over 40 teams. I think he said he averaged 30 ppg this season. Which makes for an interesting question. He's having fun playing in a mostly competitive league (most of the kids played school or AAU ball). He has friends that are on college teams that barely play yet have to practice all the time. Sure, they get scholarship dollars, but I wonder how much they enjoy the experience.

He also gives me hope for humanity and this generation. As I mentioned previously, he tutors athletes, kids in his program, and is also a teaching assistant for 2 professors. He maxed out how much he could get paid in the semester, but he kept tutoring the kids anyway. So many kids needed help for exams that he was working 8-10 hours a day for the past 2+ weeks (all for no pay because the kids needed help). He did this all while giving up his own study time (but still had a 4.0 this semester).

One of the kids he tutors just got picked third overall in the MLS draft tonight. That was somewhat exciting.

 

[belljr]

I guess I do have something to add after all. I forgot my basketball playing son plays in the intramural league at school. His team made it to the finals out of over 40 teams. I think he said he averaged 30 ppg this season. Which makes for an interesting question. He's having fun playing in a mostly competitive league (most of the kids played school or AAU ball). He has friends that are on college teams that barely play yet have to practice all the time. Sure, they get scholarship dollars, but I wonder how much they enjoy the experience.

He also gives me hope for humanity and this generation. As I mentioned previously, he tutors athletes, kids in his program, and is also a teaching assistant for 2 professors. He maxed out how much he could get paid in the semester, but he kept tutoring the kids anyway. So many kids needed help for exams that he was working 8-10 hours a day for the past 2+ weeks (all for no pay because the kids needed help). He did this all while giving up his own study time (but still had a 4.0 this semester).

One of the kids he tutors just got picked third overall in the MLS draft tonight. That was somewhat exciting.

He sounds terrible

That's awesome

 

[Kuz]

I guess I do have something to add after all. I forgot my basketball playing son plays in the intramural league at school. His team made it to the finals out of over 40 teams. I think he said he averaged 30 ppg this season. Which makes for an interesting question. He's having fun playing in a mostly competitive league (most of the kids played school or AAU ball). He has friends that are on college teams that barely play yet have to practice all the time. Sure, they get scholarship dollars, but I wonder how much they enjoy the experience.

He also gives me hope for humanity and this generation. As I mentioned previously, he tutors athletes, kids in his program, and is also a teaching assistant for 2 professors. He maxed out how much he could get paid in the semester, but he kept tutoring the kids anyway. So many kids needed help for exams that he was working 8-10 hours a day for the past 2+ weeks (all for no pay because the kids needed help). He did this all while giving up his own study time (but still had a 4.0 this semester).

One of the kids he tutors just got picked third overall in the MLS draft tonight. That was somewhat exciting.

What a great kid

 

[glvsav37]

Has anyone done or have examples of highlight reels or recruitment videos for your kid?
making one for my son now b/c we may be changing organizations, but want to see others first to see how they are set up.

 

[belljr]

Has anyone done or have examples of highlight reels or recruitment videos for your kid?
making one for my son now b/c we may be changing organizations, but want to see others first to see how they are set up.

Pm sent

The link has highlights and a skills video

 

[Chadstroma]

My son had a swim meet tonight.

4 events:
200 Medley Relay, 100 Free, 100 IM and 200 Free Relay

1st place in the 10U relays with his team. They have a good team and usually do well. On the medley, my son swims the fly and then he pulls third in line on the free relay.

He also landed 1st place in the IM. It was a beautiful race, it was a field of 4 but it was really him against another swimmer. He really needs improvement on his starts so the other kid starts ahead of him at first but fly is his second strongest stroke and by the end of the first leg my son takes the lead. The turn and into the back stroke... which he dislikes and though it could be a strong stroke for him because he dislikes it thus it ends up being a weak stroke. He loses the lead and it trailing by about a body length. Gets to the turn on the breast and he makes up just a little bit of time and then right into the free which is his strongest. He immediately starts making some time up but maybe not enough length for him to catch up. I was on the far side of the pool so I could not see the ending and then .28 difference he took 1st. Dropped 7.79 off his time from last week.

And then he was placed in the 14U 100 Free. I knew when I told him that he would whine and moan about it because he knew he wouldn't have a shot in it. I tried to explain to him that this was a big compliment because the coaches thought so highly of him that they knew he could handle it and they wanted to get him experience that would pay off later. He ended 8th in a field of 10 beating a 12 and 9 yr old and other than the 14 yr old who blew the field out of the water, had a respectable time against the rest of the 11-13 yr olds.

He was energized by it- this season has been rough on him going from the 8U last season to the 10U this season and not winning heats/events. On the way home he was very talkative and brought up some things I had talked about before this season such as him asking why swimming was so good at helping him get better at other sports etc. It was a good night for him.

 

[belljr]

my daughter is a senior and she was running winter track to keep in shape for softball.

Well this year - they needed another shot putter. I said sure go ahead you will lift weights and we can work on sprints later.

For someone that has never done it before she is doing quite well. She is the top on her team now. She can't compete with the better kids in the area but for never doing it before she is doing well and improving each week. She was "mad" saying why didnt i do this before!@#! lol... oh well live and learn

 

[Anarchy99]

I bumped into some people I hadn't seen in a while, and we had a discussion on what were some of the most impressive performances by kids in our local area (now that all of them have grown up and moved on). One of the most memorable ones for me was one from our son's best friends, who was insanely good at lacrosse. His shot was clocked at over 100 mph as a teen.

The brief back story was our son and his friends played on one of the top club lacrosse teams in the country for a while. That team was insane. They won national tournaments, and IIRC, at one point they were ranked #1 in the country for their age group. I remember one championship game when the team was down 4 goals with 2:30 left in the game. In sports, the greatest players shine brightest in the clutchest of moments. Everyone in attendance knew this kid was going to get the ball . . . the players, coaches, refs, announcers, and fans. The coaching staff essentially had other players do anything in their power to get him the ball, screen defenders, and get him a glimpse at the goal. And I mean the slightest of windows.

Never before or after have I witnessed the surgical dismantling of a team in any sport in such a big moment. Goal #1 was off a curl and screen about 10 seconds after a faceoff. The goalie literally didn't see the shot coming as it rifled past his ear. Next, they won the faceoff, and he made a run down the sideline. Everyone expected him to send a cross to the front of the net, but instead he shot another missile from an angle I have never seen anyone shoot from before for Goal #2, a top corner goal on an impossible angle. Still down 2 goals with 90 seconds to go. The coaches of the other team shouted encouragement to their team. "No need to panic. We got this. Take a deep breath. Just play your game."

The other team won the faceoff and fully intended to kill as much clock as they could. Except they got lazy on a pass, and our hero blitzed the intended receiver to regain possession. At that point, he was running in circles near the sideline, hemmed in with nowhere to go, trying not to get mugged, and looking to pass. Players were running all over the place, and having no other options or time to spare, he unleashed a low wrist shot that I had never seen before. He intentionally shot the ball low IN FRONT of a group of players that bounced and somehow managed to get through multiple players and sticks, then BOUNCED AGAIN to short hop the goalie and find the back of the net for Goal #3. I was right behind him on the sideline, directly in line with the goal, and there was no way he could even see the goal. Was this momentous comeback actually going to happen . . . now only down one?

By now, our team had a collective jolt of energy and surge of momentum. The other team was collapsing and scared out of their minds. It was down to a one goal game with 45 seconds left. Our team had a wave of pressure and got possession, got our hero the ball, and got out of the way. He went on a run to the front of the net, got checked to knock him off his spot, and while spinning and falling at the same time slammed the ball into the ground and it again bounced up on the short hop into the top of the net for Goal #4. The place was in pandemonium.

With the score tied and about 20 seconds left, both coaches told their teams to settle down, get a quick breather for the last few seconds, and prepare for overtime. But there was still time on the clock. After winning the faceoff, our star player led another assault on the goal. The other team was basically instructed by this point to tackle him, cross check him, or otherwise debilitate him to stop the bleeding. He started a run right up the middle of the field and saw defenders coming at him from both sides. He stopped on a dime, and the players crashed into each other. A quick spin later and he was right in front of the goal. He faked a shot, faked a pass to someone streaking in from the flank, and while running past the goal, shot behind his back to an open net after the goal ie bit on one of the other fakes and was out of possession. He just waltzed right in before the buzzer went off. It was straight out of Hollywood and a Disney movie.

Sadly, there isn't a happy ending. He got recruited by a ton of colleges and had multiple scholarship offers. While moving into his dorm before his freshman year, he felt exhausted for no reason and collapsed walking upstairs to his room. He had leukemia and never got to play again. With the onset of COVID and being extremely immuno-compromised, he's spent the last 3 years trapped in his house around the corner from us. The good news is he pulled through and the cancer has gone into remission. Not sure what his prognosis is or what he will end up doing. Every time our son flies in, he spends most of his time with his friend. Life just isn't fair.

 

[Gally]

I bumped into some people I hadn't seen in a while, and we had a discussion on what were some of the most impressive performances by kids in our local area (now that all of them have grown up and moved on). One of the most memorable ones for me was one from our son's best friends, who was insanely good at lacrosse. His shot was clocked at over 100 mph as a teen.

The brief back story was our son and his friends played on one of the top club lacrosse teams in the country for a while. That team was insane. They won national tournaments, and IIRC, at one point they were ranked #1 in the country for their age group. I remember one championship game when the team was down 4 goals with 2:30 left in the game. In sports, the greatest players shine brightest in the clutchest of moments. Everyone in attendance knew this kid was going to get the ball . . . the players, coaches, refs, announcers, and fans. The coaching staff essentially had other players do anything in their power to get him the ball, screen defenders, and get him a glimpse at the goal. And I mean the slightest of windows.

Never before or after have I witnessed the surgical dismantling of a team in any sport in such a big moment. Goal #1 was off a curl and screen about 10 seconds after a faceoff. The goalie literally didn't see the shot coming as it rifled past his ear. Next, they won the faceoff, and he made a run down the sideline. Everyone expected him to send a cross to the front of the net, but instead he shot another missile from an angle I have never seen anyone shoot from before for Goal #2, a top corner goal on an impossible angle. Still down 2 goals with 90 seconds to go. The coaches of the other team shouted encouragement to their team. "No need to panic. We got this. Take a deep breath. Just play your game."

The other team won the faceoff and fully intended to kill as much clock as they could. Except they got lazy on a pass, and our hero blitzed the intended receiver to regain possession. At that point, he was running in circles near the sideline, hemmed in with nowhere to go, trying not to get mugged, and looking to pass. Players were running all over the place, and having no other options or time to spare, he unleashed a low wrist shot that I had never seen before. He intentionally shot the ball low IN FRONT of a group of players that bounced and somehow managed to get through multiple players and sticks, then BOUNCED AGAIN to short hop the goalie and find the back of the net for Goal #3. I was right behind him on the sideline, directly in line with the goal, and there was no way he could even see the goal. Was this momentous comeback actually going to happen . . . now only down one?

By now, our team had a collective jolt of energy and surge of momentum. The other team was collapsing and scared out of their minds. It was down to a one goal game with 45 seconds left. Our team had a wave of pressure and got possession, got our hero the ball, and got out of the way. He went on a run to the front of the net, got checked to knock him off his spot, and while spinning and falling at the same time slammed the ball into the ground and it again bounced up on the short hop into the top of the net for Goal #4. The place was in pandemonium.

With the score tied and about 20 seconds left, both coaches told their teams to settle down, get a quick breather for the last few seconds, and prepare for overtime. But there was still time on the clock. After winning the faceoff, our star player led another assault on the goal. The other team was basically instructed by this point to tackle him, cross check him, or otherwise debilitate him to stop the bleeding. He started a run right up the middle of the field and saw defenders coming at him from both sides. He stopped on a dime, and the players crashed into each other. A quick spin later and he was right in front of the goal. He faked a shot, faked a pass to someone streaking in from the flank, and while running past the goal, shot behind his back to an open net after the goal ie bit on one of the other fakes and was out of possession. He just waltzed right in before the buzzer went off. It was straight out of Hollywood and a Disney movie.

Sadly, there isn't a happy ending. He got recruited by a ton of colleges and had multiple scholarship offers. While moving into his dorm before his freshman year, he felt exhausted for no reason and collapsed walking upstairs to his room. He had leukemia and never got to play again. With the onset of COVID and being extremely immuno-compromised, he's spent the last 3 years trapped in his house around the corner from us. The good news is he pulled through and the cancer has gone into remission. Not sure what his prognosis is or what he will end up doing. Every time our son flies in, he spends most of his time with his friend. Life just isn't fair.

My question is: WHERE THE HELL WAS HE FOR THE FIRST 98% OF THE GAME? Was he at a singing competition going after a girl?


(Sucks about his health but good that he has gotten through a lot of it)

 

[Anarchy99]

My question is: WHERE THE HELL WAS HE FOR THE FIRST 98% OF THE GAME? Was he at a singing competition going after a girl?

He scored multiple other goals earlier in the game, but the rest of the team struggled, mostly on defense and committing dumb penalties. The other team got the better of it in terms of possession, pace of play, shots on goal, etc. As a team, they didn't play great up until the end, and they had been outplayed, outhustled, and out just about everything else. They deserved the deficit they dug themselves into. I think he ended up with 8 goals.

The team being behind at all was a bit shocking. I was used to them getting 20 goals and being told not to score anymore because they were so much better than other teams. In youth lacrosse, they have good sportsmanship rules, and refs and officials will tell teams not to score anymore and if you run up the score, you can get penalized and face suspensions if you don't comply. The rules change when a team gets up by 12 goals.

 

[acarey50]

My question is: WHERE THE HELL WAS HE FOR THE FIRST 98% OF THE GAME? Was he at a singing competition going after a girl?


(Sucks about his health but good that he has gotten through a lot of it)

Would have been easier to settle for Stifler's mom

 

[Chadstroma]

I bumped into some people I hadn't seen in a while, and we had a discussion on what were some of the most impressive performances by kids in our local area (now that all of them have grown up and moved on). One of the most memorable ones for me was one from our son's best friends, who was insanely good at lacrosse. His shot was clocked at over 100 mph as a teen.

The brief back story was our son and his friends played on one of the top club lacrosse teams in the country for a while. That team was insane. They won national tournaments, and IIRC, at one point they were ranked #1 in the country for their age group. I remember one championship game when the team was down 4 goals with 2:30 left in the game. In sports, the greatest players shine brightest in the clutchest of moments. Everyone in attendance knew this kid was going to get the ball . . . the players, coaches, refs, announcers, and fans. The coaching staff essentially had other players do anything in their power to get him the ball, screen defenders, and get him a glimpse at the goal. And I mean the slightest of windows.

Never before or after have I witnessed the surgical dismantling of a team in any sport in such a big moment. Goal #1 was off a curl and screen about 10 seconds after a faceoff. The goalie literally didn't see the shot coming as it rifled past his ear. Next, they won the faceoff, and he made a run down the sideline. Everyone expected him to send a cross to the front of the net, but instead he shot another missile from an angle I have never seen anyone shoot from before for Goal #2, a top corner goal on an impossible angle. Still down 2 goals with 90 seconds to go. The coaches of the other team shouted encouragement to their team. "No need to panic. We got this. Take a deep breath. Just play your game."

The other team won the faceoff and fully intended to kill as much clock as they could. Except they got lazy on a pass, and our hero blitzed the intended receiver to regain possession. At that point, he was running in circles near the sideline, hemmed in with nowhere to go, trying not to get mugged, and looking to pass. Players were running all over the place, and having no other options or time to spare, he unleashed a low wrist shot that I had never seen before. He intentionally shot the ball low IN FRONT of a group of players that bounced and somehow managed to get through multiple players and sticks, then BOUNCED AGAIN to short hop the goalie and find the back of the net for Goal #3. I was right behind him on the sideline, directly in line with the goal, and there was no way he could even see the goal. Was this momentous comeback actually going to happen . . . now only down one?

By now, our team had a collective jolt of energy and surge of momentum. The other team was collapsing and scared out of their minds. It was down to a one goal game with 45 seconds left. Our team had a wave of pressure and got possession, got our hero the ball, and got out of the way. He went on a run to the front of the net, got checked to knock him off his spot, and while spinning and falling at the same time slammed the ball into the ground and it again bounced up on the short hop into the top of the net for Goal #4. The place was in pandemonium.

With the score tied and about 20 seconds left, both coaches told their teams to settle down, get a quick breather for the last few seconds, and prepare for overtime. But there was still time on the clock. After winning the faceoff, our star player led another assault on the goal. The other team was basically instructed by this point to tackle him, cross check him, or otherwise debilitate him to stop the bleeding. He started a run right up the middle of the field and saw defenders coming at him from both sides. He stopped on a dime, and the players crashed into each other. A quick spin later and he was right in front of the goal. He faked a shot, faked a pass to someone streaking in from the flank, and while running past the goal, shot behind his back to an open net after the goal ie bit on one of the other fakes and was out of possession. He just waltzed right in before the buzzer went off. It was straight out of Hollywood and a Disney movie.

Sadly, there isn't a happy ending. He got recruited by a ton of colleges and had multiple scholarship offers. While moving into his dorm before his freshman year, he felt exhausted for no reason and collapsed walking upstairs to his room. He had leukemia and never got to play again. With the onset of COVID and being extremely immuno-compromised, he's spent the last 3 years trapped in his house around the corner from us. The good news is he pulled through and the cancer has gone into remission. Not sure what his prognosis is or what he will end up doing. Every time our son flies in, he spends most of his time with his friend. Life just isn't fair.

My question is: WHERE THE HELL WAS HE FOR THE FIRST 98% OF THE GAME? Was he at a singing competition going after a girl?


(Sucks about his health but good that he has gotten through a lot of it)

Sometimes players mentality is that they need something to set them off. Not that they played bad before but they need that trigger to set them off into spectacular mode. I mean, there are countless stories about Jordan where he is playing normal Jordan game and then someone says or does something that he took as a slight and then he just turns into something inhuman and there would be nothing anyone could do to stop him. Horry was a good basketball player but basically if you had 2 seconds in the playoffs and needed a three, Horry would hit that 100% of the time. Being slighted, big games, being behind, clutch moments, etc... some athletes get that switch turned on for them and they take it to different levels.

 

[acarey50]

@Anarchy99 @Chadstroma you guys do realize that @Gally was making a reference to the American Pie movies right, and not actually commenting on the actual story?

 

[Anarchy99]

@Anarchy99 @Chadstroma you guys do realize that @Gally was making a reference to the American Pie movies right, and not actually commenting on the actual story?

Yeah, I got the movie reference (the singing girl part).

 

[Chadstroma]

@Anarchy99 @Chadstroma you guys do realize that @Gally was making a reference to the American Pie movies right, and not actually commenting on the actual story?

Nope. I never saw the whole movie so I didn't get the reference. I only cared about one scene (Shannon Elizabeth) and maybe picked up a couple of other scenes other than that. So it went over my head.

 

[Gally]

@Anarchy99 @Chadstroma you guys do realize that @Gally was making a reference to the American Pie movies right, and not actually commenting on the actual story?

It was mostly the opportunity to use the reference since it fit so perfectly......but where was the guy for all but two minutes? Yes, I understand that sometimes exceptional players get bored and need a trigger but seems like a guy that dominant should have had an impact prior to the last two minutes. Also, youth games can get a little odd so understand that fact. This was just a probably not even believed in a Disney movie comeback level.

ETA: Ok so maybe it was just to get the reference out there....hahahaha

 

[ex-ghost]

Recruitment update: It is down to two schools, Montana State and Gonzaga. He is going on his official visit to Gonzaga tomorrow and that will round out the visits. Montana State has offered him a $8k scholarship that can go up if he runs faster this spring (4:09 1600 and sub 1:53 800). That scholarship plus some academic money gets the cost down to about a state school cost here in WA. Gonzaga is a different story - they don't admit until late Feb so we won't know if he is in and what the academic award is ($70k/year total cost). They have offered him a $16k scholarship, but not sure if they will up it for faster times like Montana State did.

My wife and I really want him to go to Gonzaga. Closer to home and a better academic school. We will know more after he returns from the visit on Saturday.

 

[Boston]

I bumped into some people I hadn't seen in a while, and we had a discussion on what were some of the most impressive performances by kids in our local area (now that all of them have grown up and moved on). One of the most memorable ones for me was one from our son's best friends, who was insanely good at lacrosse. His shot was clocked at over 100 mph as a teen.

The brief back story was our son and his friends played on one of the top club lacrosse teams in the country for a while. That team was insane. They won national tournaments, and IIRC, at one point they were ranked #1 in the country for their age group. I remember one championship game when the team was down 4 goals with 2:30 left in the game. In sports, the greatest players shine brightest in the clutchest of moments. Everyone in attendance knew this kid was going to get the ball . . . the players, coaches, refs, announcers, and fans. The coaching staff essentially had other players do anything in their power to get him the ball, screen defenders, and get him a glimpse at the goal. And I mean the slightest of windows.

Never before or after have I witnessed the surgical dismantling of a team in any sport in such a big moment. Goal #1 was off a curl and screen about 10 seconds after a faceoff. The goalie literally didn't see the shot coming as it rifled past his ear. Next, they won the faceoff, and he made a run down the sideline. Everyone expected him to send a cross to the front of the net, but instead he shot another missile from an angle I have never seen anyone shoot from before for Goal #2, a top corner goal on an impossible angle. Still down 2 goals with 90 seconds to go. The coaches of the other team shouted encouragement to their team. "No need to panic. We got this. Take a deep breath. Just play your game."

The other team won the faceoff and fully intended to kill as much clock as they could. Except they got lazy on a pass, and our hero blitzed the intended receiver to regain possession. At that point, he was running in circles near the sideline, hemmed in with nowhere to go, trying not to get mugged, and looking to pass. Players were running all over the place, and having no other options or time to spare, he unleashed a low wrist shot that I had never seen before. He intentionally shot the ball low IN FRONT of a group of players that bounced and somehow managed to get through multiple players and sticks, then BOUNCED AGAIN to short hop the goalie and find the back of the net for Goal #3. I was right behind him on the sideline, directly in line with the goal, and there was no way he could even see the goal. Was this momentous comeback actually going to happen . . . now only down one?

By now, our team had a collective jolt of energy and surge of momentum. The other team was collapsing and scared out of their minds. It was down to a one goal game with 45 seconds left. Our team had a wave of pressure and got possession, got our hero the ball, and got out of the way. He went on a run to the front of the net, got checked to knock him off his spot, and while spinning and falling at the same time slammed the ball into the ground and it again bounced up on the short hop into the top of the net for Goal #4. The place was in pandemonium.

With the score tied and about 20 seconds left, both coaches told their teams to settle down, get a quick breather for the last few seconds, and prepare for overtime. But there was still time on the clock. After winning the faceoff, our star player led another assault on the goal. The other team was basically instructed by this point to tackle him, cross check him, or otherwise debilitate him to stop the bleeding. He started a run right up the middle of the field and saw defenders coming at him from both sides. He stopped on a dime, and the players crashed into each other. A quick spin later and he was right in front of the goal. He faked a shot, faked a pass to someone streaking in from the flank, and while running past the goal, shot behind his back to an open net after the goal ie bit on one of the other fakes and was out of possession. He just waltzed right in before the buzzer went off. It was straight out of Hollywood and a Disney movie.

Sadly, there isn't a happy ending. He got recruited by a ton of colleges and had multiple scholarship offers. While moving into his dorm before his freshman year, he felt exhausted for no reason and collapsed walking upstairs to his room. He had leukemia and never got to play again. With the onset of COVID and being extremely immuno-compromised, he's spent the last 3 years trapped in his house around the corner from us. The good news is he pulled through and the cancer has gone into remission. Not sure what his prognosis is or what he will end up doing. Every time our son flies in, he spends most of his time with his friend. Life just isn't fair.

Since you are in NH, I will assume the team colors are purple and gold.

 

[Ilov80s]

my daughter is a senior and she was running winter track to keep in shape for softball.

Well this year - they needed another shot putter. I said sure go ahead you will lift weights and we can work on sprints later.

For someone that has never done it before she is doing quite well. She is the top on her team now. She can't compete with the better kids in the area but for never doing it before she is doing well and improving each week. She was "mad" saying why didnt i do this before!@#! lol... oh well live and learn

I always have to wonder how many people miss out on being successful at a sport because they never tried it or tried it too late. I am surprised there isn't some kind of evaluation that young kids who are athletic can get which will identify the sports that are most physically and athletically inclined for. I suppose they would still need a passion for it and access to it in order to be successful but people usually end up liking the things they are good at. It might only be for the well to do but it's an interesting angle IMO.

 

[belljr]

my daughter is a senior and she was running winter track to keep in shape for softball.

Well this year - they needed another shot putter. I said sure go ahead you will lift weights and we can work on sprints later.

For someone that has never done it before she is doing quite well. She is the top on her team now. She can't compete with the better kids in the area but for never doing it before she is doing well and improving each week. She was "mad" saying why didnt i do this before!@#! lol... oh well live and learn

I always have to wonder how many people miss out on being successful at a sport because they never tried it or tried it too late. I am surprised there isn't some kind of evaluation that young kids who are athletic can get which will identify the sports that are most physically and athletically inclined for. I suppose they would still need a passion for it and access to it in order to be successful but people usually end up liking the things they are good at. It might only be for the well to do but it's an interesting angle IMO.

Well, she isn't a track as a main sport kid, it really is to keep in shape for spring softball and she was holding her own as a sprinter for the past 3.5 years. Not top tier but mid tier usually top 20 out of 50/60.

But she is stronger and has gained a couple pounds in muscle, she's not track fast but softball fast. So it's not like she was misplaced to start.

But I do understand and agree with your overall point

 

[Ilov80s]

Well, she isn't a track as a main sport kid, it really is to keep in shape for spring softball and she was holding her own as a sprinter. Not top tier but mid tier usually top 20 out of 50/60.

But she is stronger and has gained a couple pounds in muscle, she's not track fast but softball fast. So it's not like she was misplaced to start.

But I do understand and agree with your overall point

Yeah, totally get that. I feel like that is 1/2 of most HS track teams. I just wonder how many kids totally miss out on what would have been their best sport because they never think to try it. Good basketball players would could been great swimmers or how few kids get the opportunity to compete in something like rowing when they might have had potential to be quite good at it. There have to be certain physical traits and basic skills like hand eye coordination, balance, foot speed, endurance, etc. that could produce the sports a person is most ideally suited for.

 

[Boston]

my daughter is a senior and she was running winter track to keep in shape for softball.

Well this year - they needed another shot putter. I said sure go ahead you will lift weights and we can work on sprints later.

For someone that has never done it before she is doing quite well. She is the top on her team now. She can't compete with the better kids in the area but for never doing it before she is doing well and improving each week. She was "mad" saying why didnt i do this before!@#! lol... oh well live and learn

I always have to wonder how many people miss out on being successful at a sport because they never tried it or tried it too late. I am surprised there isn't some kind of evaluation that young kids who are athletic can get which will identify the sports that are most physically and athletically inclined for. I suppose they would still need a passion for it and access to it in order to be successful but people usually end up liking the things they are good at. It might only be for the well to do but it's an interesting angle IMO.

Many times it is because that sport doesn't have a good youth program in the town the kid grows up in...if one of the parents didn't play a particular sport and that sport doesn't have a strong youth program it is easy to miss out on it...I know in my neck of the woods track does not have good youth programs compared to sports like hockey, baseball, football, lax and wrestling.

 

[Chadstroma]

my daughter is a senior and she was running winter track to keep in shape for softball.

Well this year - they needed another shot putter. I said sure go ahead you will lift weights and we can work on sprints later.

For someone that has never done it before she is doing quite well. She is the top on her team now. She can't compete with the better kids in the area but for never doing it before she is doing well and improving each week. She was "mad" saying why didnt i do this before!@#! lol... oh well live and learn

I always have to wonder how many people miss out on being successful at a sport because they never tried it or tried it too late. I am surprised there isn't some kind of evaluation that young kids who are athletic can get which will identify the sports that are most physically and athletically inclined for. I suppose they would still need a passion for it and access to it in order to be successful but people usually end up liking the things they are good at. It might only be for the well to do but it's an interesting angle IMO.

I think that is an interesting and complicated question. Something to ponder. Who would test? Is there a business somewhere in that thought? Would you pay for it? I am not sure I would pay for testing to say "your kid should try this and that sport". I have tried hard to get my kids exposed to different sports and let them figure out things. Between the city rec stuff and their school - they have had a taste of many sports. There is a point that it is just too much. Earlier this year after football practice, which he was missing swim practice for, he brought me a flyer for wrestling. He hasn't had any time with it but I had to shoot that down quickly because it was just too much. He wasn't overly interested so it wasn't a big deal... if he was, maybe I would figure out a way to have him try it out and then decide if there was something he wanted to drop to do it.

Then what tests would you do? And how many of those can translate to a zillion sports... being 'fast' translates to a whole bunch of different sports and being tall or athletic or fast doesn't always translate to the sport as well. How many sports would be very hard to test for?

But just being good at something doesn't mean they will like it either. My daughter would have done very well in swim- better than she does at volleyball and basketball but she has no interest in doing it. I overheard a conversation two groups of parents were having about one of the kids having had tried a ton of other sports and it wasn't that he was bad at them or anything, he just didn't like them but then did swim and loves it. The other parents were talking about how their son had done swimming for a while and for a long time just didn't seem interested. They were like, "I will show you old video of him, it looks like he is just going for a nice leisurely swim." and now apparently their boys are two of the better kids on the other team.

My daughter is another example. The only reason she did volleyball and basketball last year was because her friends were doing it. She liked volleyball and not so much basketball. Then over the summer, I had her in a bunch of volleyball camps, clinics, etc and some basketball too. She improved in basketball a lot and enjoyed it much more this year.

Then there is accessibility. Some sports cost more than others and some areas of the country are more focused on particular sports than others. We all know Texas is football crazy... I am not sure how big their hockey leagues are though (I could be wrong but I am pretty confident not nearly as big as their football leagues). I had my kids do a city rec archery class to get them exposed to it. They really enjoyed it and would easily have done more but the only decent place I could find isn't exactly a short drive... not too long but long enough to be a factor. Add in them being involved in other sports etc and I just didn't pursue it more for them. Archery would be a good sport to ask how do you test for it? Even if you have them actually try it, the first attempts are universally bad.

 

[Ilov80s]

I think that is an interesting and complicated question. Something to ponder. Who would test? Is there a business somewhere in that thought? Would you pay for it? I am not sure I would pay for testing to say "your kid should try this and that sport". I have tried hard to get my kids exposed to different sports and let them figure out things. Between the city rec stuff and their school - they have had a taste of many sports. There is a point that it is just too much. Earlier this year after football practice, which he was missing swim practice for, he brought me a flyer for wrestling. He hasn't had any time with it but I had to shoot that down quickly because it was just too much. He wasn't overly interested so it wasn't a big deal... if he was, maybe I would figure out a way to have him try it out and then decide if there was something he wanted to drop to do it.

I think it would almost certainly have to be a private business catering to people with money. If you think about how much parents will spend on travel hockey, private gymnastics instructors, QB camps or how early they will get up day after day to get their kid to swim practice, then I can imagine there is almost no limit to what many parents are willing to spend or do. I think many parents also have the hope that all the time and effort spent will be rewarded with an athletic scholarship for college. Testing might be able to point them in the right sport to maximize their kid's abilities.

Then what tests would you do? And how many of those can translate to a zillion sports... being 'fast' translates to a whole bunch of different sports and being tall or athletic or fast doesn't always translate to the sport as well. How many sports would be very hard to test for?

I have no idea. That would be something that a team of data scientists and kinesiologists would have to determine. No way it would ever be a perfect prediction. You would need more than speed for sure. Things like body composition (not just weight but weight distribution), slow twitch vs fast twitch muscle analysis, hand eye coordination, foot speed, decision making speed and some kind of body imaging.

But just being good at something doesn't mean they will like it either. My daughter would have done very well in swim- better than she does at volleyball and basketball but she has no interest in doing it. I overheard a conversation two groups of parents were having about one of the kids having had tried a ton of other sports and it wasn't that he was bad at them or anything, he just didn't like them but then did swim and loves it. The other parents were talking about how their son had done swimming for a while and for a long time just didn't seem interested. They were like, "I will show you old video of him, it looks like he is just going for a nice leisurely swim." and now apparently their boys are two of the better kids on the other team.

I would say it should also include some kind of interest test to. What types of exercises and activities would also pique the interest of the child. Solo vs team? High contact vs low contact? Fast paced vs slow paced? Maybe even have a set-up where kids can try a myriad of sports- even ones that they might not typically think of like rowing or archery.

My daughter is another example. The only reason she did volleyball and basketball last year was because her friends were doing it. She liked volleyball and not so much basketball. Then over the summer, I had her in a bunch of volleyball camps, clinics, etc and some basketball too. She improved in basketball a lot and enjoyed it much more this year.

Then there is accessibility. Some sports cost more than others and some areas of the country are more focused on particular sports than others. We all know Texas is football crazy... I am not sure how big their hockey leagues are though (I could be wrong but I am pretty confident not nearly as big as their football leagues). I had my kids do a city rec archery class to get them exposed to it. They really enjoyed it and would easily have done more but the only decent place I could find isn't exactly a short drive... not too long but long enough to be a factor. Add in them being involved in other sports etc and I just didn't pursue it more for them. Archery would be a good sport to ask how do you test for it? Even if you have them actually try it, the first attempts are universally bad.

Yes accessibility is a major issue. Tough to find a rowing club Albuquerque. Again, I would imagine this is mostly for the well to do. Really it's probably more like a Soviet era project that they would force every kid into. Obviously, I don't support that use. Just something I've thought about for awhile that I am surprised doesn't exist (that I am aware of). It seems like there are always new industries coming up to make money off of youth sports. Seems like an avenue untapped.