September sports?

[dglvrk2]

What are your schedules? Or rather kids' schedules?
Are you able to carve out any time for exercise yourselves?

This summer, a few other moms and I would ride during our kids' mountain bike practices, which allowed me to have at least one 1:30+ ride a week.  Now that mountain biking has ended and the days are getting shorter, carving out time to ride will be less of a given   I'm going to prioritize a long ride or run each weekend.  (I was great at this when the kids were younger, but it's been more challenging recently...)

DD2 now has soccer 2-3 times a week.  She plays in the rec league.  She loves it, but has no desire to play up in the more competitive league.  Totally fine with me. The more competitive league requires a a lot of weekend travel and practices 20-30 miles away from our house.  She's also taking a martial arts class.  It conflicts with soccer many times and she's choosing soccer over martial arts.  The martial arts sensei is really supportive, so I hate missing classes.  However, the structure is a bit loose and the classes go all year whereas soccer is only eight weeks.  Likewise, if DD doesn't show up for soccer, she knows her team looses a player, so....

DD1 is officially on the Gold team for gymnastics.  She's been working hard all summer and it's paid off. She now has three three-hour practices a week and they go until 8:30 at night.  Practices are 25 miles from home, so we carpool with another family.  In terms of exercise for myself, I'm riding or running on my nights to drive while she's at practice. I'll either meet up with friends or find a quiet place to work to fill the rest of the time she's at practice. 

In general, I like where I live, but there are no organized sports close to our home, so I'm living with long commutes for sports (and work). 

[sdlaura]

This is our week when the fall sports start to overlap.

Mondays two of the kids have soccer practice.

Tuesdays DD has softball then we take her to the second half of football practice.

Wednesday 3 kids have soccer practice and DD has to leave hers early to go to softball.

Thursdays DD has a hitting lesson.

Fridays DD flag football game.

Saturdays 3 soccer games and sometimes a softball tournament.

Sundays sometimes softball games and DS1 baseball game (I don’t know if there are going to be any practices for fall baseball).

We’re super lucky that everything except for the softball games are within 10 minutes of our house, some walking distance.

I do find time to work out everyday because I’m kind of a nut about it and don’t feel like myself if I don’t get that. I usually do Orangetheory 3x a week, run 2x and Peloton 2x. I look at every week’s schedule for work and home and plan out my workouts. Usually if all else fails I can fit them in early in the morning, but this week I have work travel on Thursday with a 7 am flight. And getting together with my book club that night so can’t just run or peloton after the kids go to bed. So I’ll be fitting it in somehow between landing back home and book club.

[waverly]

DD has Tues Thurs and DS has Mon Wed soccer practices. It is a problem though because they slapped a make up practice on Thursday and I scheduled a haircut. So not sure what I am doing with that.

No one will tell me when band is so… I’m kind of fed up with that and it hasn’t even started yet.

[campermom]

Mondays Dd has field hockey and DS has karate. I can drop her off but I’ll need to find a ride for her to get home. I work out while he does karate.

Tuesday nothing rn

Wed she has hockey, I run around the park and DS rides his scooter.

Thurs he has karate, I lift.

She has games sundays.

Oldest DS has baseball workouts coming up and I have no idea when they are or how I will get him to/from if there’s overlap. Chances are likely, his coach will help me.

[vasc]

DD10 started YMCA soccer this week with practices Tues and Thursday for 1 hour.

DS6 does a weekly walk-in kid yoga class.

I joined the yoga studio when it opened in January and have been attending regularly! At least two classes a week but often more.

[twinmomma]

DD1 signed up for color guard! I'm really excited for her to try it. It's so totally outside her comfort zone but it's run by the band teacher who she loves and she's been talking about it since last year when the middle school kids went to the elementary school to talk about what it's like. And, even more importantly, this is the first activity where the girls aren't doing to together! So I'm even more proud of her for trying something new without her sister there.

DD2 isn't doing any sports, but she's in chorus, creative writing club, and Dungeons and Dragons club.

DS is still doing taekwondo. He's also recently discovered tennis. Supposedly his mom is going to sign him up for lessons, but we'll believe that when we see it. In the meantime, he's been playing with DH and MIL. They've both played tennis their whole lives, so they are good teachers. They even got me to play for the first time yesterday. It was really fun! I could totally see it being a fun family sport for us to play together.

As for me, DH and I have made a deal with each other to get back into the Peloton routine. We're both going to do at least 3 rides a week, plus 2 strength classes a week of some kind. This is our initial goal and then we'll work up to 4 times a week, then hopefully 5 times a week.

[madringal]

September is nuts, but yes, DH and I can each make time to exercise ourselves.

DD1 - HS season begins now so she has practice every day afterschool and then a few mornings a week. DH is now one of her swim coaches, so thankfully I don't have to worry about getting her to and from practice. On the days that she doesn't have morning practice he either goes to the pool himself to swim or goes to the gym.

DD2 - MS gymnastics team season has begun. Practice 2-3 days week and then meets start next week, usually at least one a week. Season is short and is over by middle of Oct. She has a teammate 2 houses down that we carpool with and their practices are across the hall from the pool where DH is, so that helps with pick up/drop off. She may have to kill some time at the pool occasionally, but she's used to that as a swim sibling.

DD3 - softball practice/clinic with the B&G club is one night a week, and then swim team practice 3 nights a week. Her 2 BFFS live on our street and also swim, so we have a nice little carpool for swim practice.

I just got the all clear to start working out again, and since I work from home and have a very flexible schedule, I have been getting on the treadmill once my kids have all left for school for the day. I am hoping to add boot camp back in in a few months as I get stronger/if I can get my central line removed.

[mae0111]

UGH I still don't have all of the fall schedules!

DD1 is playing field hockey for school. Practices are M-F immediately after school, and she just walks over to the field with the team. But there are 2 teams and I don't know where she will be placed - A team because she's an 8th grader and that's where the other 8th graders will be? Or B team because she's really never played more than a clinic a couple of years ago? The game schedules will depend on that.

DD2 is playing rec soccer, club soccer, and soccer for the school team. Rec practices are Wednesdays at 430, which will be tight since she doesn't get home until 4. She knows one kid on that team, and the kid won't talk to DD2. Tomorrow is first day of school at a new school and first practice and it will be 92 degrees. She's not going. That's a team where we show up if we can. Games are on Saturday mornings. We're skipping the first one in favor of one last hurrah at the beach house.

Club soccer practices are Tues/Thurs, but I don't know what time or where. I have the game schedules - mostly Sunday afternoons starting in a couple of weeks.

School soccer is right after school, same time as DD1, and she'll also just walk over to the field with her team. But again, I don't know which team she'll be on, so I don't have the game schedule. I assume B team as she's only a 5th grader, and it doesn't look like they'll have a C team. I have no idea of the talent at the school, and I would be pretty surprised/disappointed if she wound up on the A team this year. There's a big size difference between an 10 year old and a 14 year old.

As far as my own exercising, my hope is to try to get myself moving before the kids have to get up, and possibly walk during DD2's Tues/Thurs club practices and her Wed rec practice if she goes.

There's also weekly therapy appointments and piano lessons to work in there somewhere. Goodness.

[cjcouple]

Oh so busy here. Last week was so long.
DS1 had football every day. He had a scrimmage Thursday. They lost but it was a gorgeous day

DS2 had his last 2 karate demo performances and he has cross country practice after school plus he had another 3 karate classes as well last week.

But we all had yesterday off so that was nice.

The next few weeks will be similar

Football after school and game on Friday nights or Sat Mornings. (6 days a week)

DS 2 will have Cross country practice or meets after school and sometimes sat mornings as well. (also 6 days) plus 3 nights of karate each week.

Surprisingly, even thoighbtheyvar ebusier than ever, I gave more free time. lol

Having 2 high schoolers and most of their stuff being directly after-school. I'm just home alone most days.

I did pick up. second job so that's taken away some me time but it's needed right now.

I walk the dog every morning and at lunch. I started a full body stretch video as well.

[polecat8]

DD, DS1 and I still do taekwondo. DS1 has moved up to black belt prep and has classes on Mon, Wed while DD and I are still in regular classes which are on Tues, Thur. I also am training to be an instructor and those classes are on Mon, Wed.
Since we are down to one car for the month and I teach a class at the local university on Wed, DS1 and I go to our Mon classes and skip the Wed ones. We go to the Sat family class and we work together to review the class material so we don't fall behind.
DD is loving taekwondo and her friend just signed up. Her favorite is weapons and we are going to a seminar in November.
DS1 is having a tough time because the material is getting more difficult. I don't want him to give up just because it is hard but I don't want him to be miserable. We are learning a really difficult kick and form right now so I am trying to be gentle and break it down into manageable chunks for him. It is a fine line to walk.
I love the mental and physical challenges of martial arts and I love teaching. This weekend I had to make the tough decision to not compete in a tournament next week. I know I am stretching myself thin with everything and I didn't feel comfortable walking into a tournament with a mediocre form. My practice on that form was seriously lacking because of life getting loud. It was tough to admit that defeat to myself. Nothing to do now except to refocus and try to get the training done for the next tournament which is in a month.

[186momx]

DD has gymnastics practice 4:30-7:30 Tu/Th/Fri. We hope to continue to do a 1-1 lesson but we need to figure out a day and time that works with our schedule and the coaches schedule since she also is a teacher and getting her masters.

DD is riding basically every weekend but that isn't set in stone.

DH makes fun of me when I do yoga or pilates at home or if I go out for a walk he says I'm slow. I try and do something when he is golfing on Tuesdays.

[dglvrk2]

Sept 5, 2023 12:11:36 GMT -5 186momx said:

DD has gymnastics practice 4:30-7:30 Tu/Th/Fri. We hope to continue to do a 1-1 lesson but we need to figure out a day and time that works with our schedule and the coaches schedule since she also is a teacher and getting her masters.

DD is riding basically every weekend but that isn't set in stone.

DH makes fun of me when I do yoga or pilates at home or if I go out for a walk he says I'm slow. I try and do something when he is golfing on Tuesdays.

I do Barre workouts at home about once a week or whenever the weather is not conducive to exercising outside.  H and DDs totally make fun of me....At least for 45 minutes, I'm working out and they're all agreeing on something! (That Mom's a dork.)

[librarychica]

Sept 5, 2023 18:28:00 GMT -5 dglvrk2 said:

Sept 5, 2023 12:11:36 GMT -5 186momx said:

DD has gymnastics practice 4:30-7:30 Tu/Th/Fri. We hope to continue to do a 1-1 lesson but we need to figure out a day and time that works with our schedule and the coaches schedule since she also is a teacher and getting her masters.

DD is riding basically every weekend but that isn't set in stone.

DH makes fun of me when I do yoga or pilates at home or if I go out for a walk he says I'm slow. I try and do something when he is golfing on Tuesdays.

I do Barre workouts at home about once a week or whenever the weather is not conducive to exercising outside.  H and DDs totally make fun of me....At least for 45 minutes, I'm working out and they're all agreeing on something! (That Mom's a dork.)

I used to love going to bar method until they closed near us. How do you do it at home?

[librarychica]

We have a pretty chill schedule right now. DD1 had dance but that’s mostly done at/after school, DD2 is signed up for volleyball but that doesn’t start for another month. I am trying to get back in the habit of exercising before work with limited success. It’s hit or miss at this point.

[dglvrk2]

Sept 5, 2023 19:51:46 GMT -5 librarychica said:

Sept 5, 2023 18:28:00 GMT -5 dglvrk2 said:

I do Barre workouts at home about once a week or whenever the weather is not conducive to exercising outside.  H and DDs totally make fun of me....At least for 45 minutes, I'm working out and they're all agreeing on something! (That Mom's a dork.)

I used to love going to bar method until they closed near us. How do you do it at home?

Online workouts at www.barre3.com/.



I LOVE this!! It's $29.99/month for unlimited workouts. You can get knock-off equipment (blocks, ball, bands etc) on Amazon for reasonable prices. There are hundreds of workouts with a variety of times, types etc. PM me if you'd like more details. I can recommend instructors too. (They're all Portland-based and overall excellent.)

[mae0111]

Does anyone have any experience with field hockey?

DD1 wants to play. I assume soccer cleats would work for footwear, but Dick’s Sporting Goods is showing me turf shoes.

Anyone know if there are rules against cleats??

As an aside, I SWORE I ordered cleats 2 weeks ago. I did not. Practice starts Monday. Awesome.

[mommyatty]

mae0111, ask the coach! As an aside, DD loved field hockey when they tried it last year but hated the coach. The coach left the school, so now she’s thinking she wants to try it! I’m so glad.

[librarychica]

It is so funny what different sports are popular in different areas. I. genuinely did not know what field hockey was until I was 25.

I’m still unsure about lacrosse.

[k3am]

librarychica, DS thinks its hilarious and weird that field hockey, lacrosse and water polo were sports I'd never heard of until I moved here after college. And honestly, until you mentioned them as separate sports, I've always assumed that field hockey and lacrosse were the same thing... I didn't learn about rugby until college.

DS has soccer T/F/Sat. DD has sync Thursdays, two group classes Friday, and a private lesson on Saturdays. DS's is great since it's close, but very peopley and I need to socialize, which is getting easier. DD's is far away, but less peopley, I can work while I'm there, and is indoors, so temperature controlled.

When the kids were much smaller, I used to run in the afternoons, but that's gone by the wayside. I've been running in the morning, but it's now still dark at 6am, so that's a bust and I'm trying to figure out what I'll do now and coming up with blanks.

[waverly]

mae0111, the only experience that we have is indoors in a gym, so that would be regular gym shoes or indoor turf shoes depending on the type of floor that they have, not soccer cleats. So I too would check with the coach especially if they may be inside part of the time.

[mae0111]

Thank you!

I honestly have no idea about any of the rules of field hockey. Lacrosse is totally confusing. I went to prep school in New England (kids started at my alma mater today), and we had field hockey and lacrosse teams. "Preppy" girls didn't play softball in spring - they played lax. As a softball player, that pissed me off and I joined the track team. My sister played lacrosse from 6th grade through college, and no matter how many games I watched, I never figured out the rules. Both of my kids seem to dislike lacrosse. I'm hoping that sticks ;-)

They will be playing on turf and grass. DD2 wears cleats on turf for soccer, so I'm just going to assume that soccer cleats work for field hockey.

[186momx]

We just found out that we made $385 for DD's account team account from working the two BBQs. This was a huge surprise because we normally make about $180 for the two events. This will cover about 4 meets!

[sdlaura]

That’s great 186momx!

S/O sports costs, when DD joined her new travel softball team, we were told there was a football squares fundraiser and each team was responsible for selling/buying 100 squares total, so 8 per girl for our team. They’re $50 each and then yesterday suddenly was the deadline. I only feel comfortable asking 3 people to buy them (my parents, my sister - who asked for a donation for my nephew’s travel baseball fundraiser in exchange - and one friend here). So that cost us $250. On top of the $245 a month dues and $125 one time org fee I just paid last week. So I’ve spent over $600 for travel softball this month. That’s only one of my kids’ many sports.

This is the first month in 10 years that I haven’t been paying for two kids in full time daycare now that my third kid went to kindergarten, and I feel like I’ve just transferred that savings over to kids’ activities.

[waverly]

Our coach has told us that each team needs to raise 5K but this is through a sponsorship think local businesses. So I honestly have no idea what he is talking about and not sure how our team is supposed to find a 5K sponsorship, but I plan to do nothing and am not writing any additional checks because that is not in our contract, so I sort of assumed that he was talking pie in the sky and not reality.

It was the worst sports orientation that I have ever been to which I really haven't been to many, but it was awful.  But maybe one of the parents owns their own business and wants to sponsor?  

[k3am]

We found out DD is moving up a level in ice skating, which means I get my Friday nights back! (Freestyle 4 is Fridays, Freestyle 5 is Wednesdays). We'll see how Freestyle 5 goes - most of the girls she is friends with did not move up. Her coach originally said she didn't think she'd move up since her spins need improvement, but after evaluations, they decided that even with her spins lacking, her jumps are strong enough that they want to progress her.

Soccer continues to be a growth season. Our boys have spirit at least, and the loudest cheering section possible. I stopped keeping score before halftime at the last game, and we were down by at least 10. Weirdly, I love to see how they lose - these kids all have such positive outlooks.

[mae0111]

Day 2 of school sports - DD1 is LOVING field hockey! She is the only 8th grader on the B team, made up of 5th, 6th, and 7th graders, and she doesn't care even a little bit. And one of her coaches was my JV basketball coach my sophomore year of HS. My 30th reunion is in a couple of weeks. That makes me and her both OLD :-)

DD2 is having a little trouble getting into the swing of things with soccer. She's not doing the drills correctly because she doesn't want to. She is convinced that she is "too slow". She's not. She's extremely quick - but slow dribbling, which I've been encouraging her to work on since she complains about it so much. It is very frustrating to hear your talented, skilled kid say that they stink in one area, but also hear them repeatedly refuse to practice.

She is also fighting me about club practice. I told her it would be a lot to do school, club, and rec soccer, but I was SO DUMB and she would be FINE. Tonight is her first club practice of the school year because they canceled last week due to heat. She is already trying to scheme her way out of it. No ma'am. I paid a LOT of money for you to play with this club. YOU SHALL PLAY.

And one last annoying thing... I was told that DD2's club accepted 16 kids onto the roster for a 9v9 season. That's a lot, but the kids all have a ton of other obligations. So kids miss games all the time, and they rarely had a full roster when they had 15 kids for 7v7 last year. THEN I was told that they took on 4 more kids to "practice with the team", and be pulled up to play if they were short players. NOW it sounds like EVERYONE is on the roster and they have TWENTY kids on a 9v9 team. We are paying close to $2K for this. It's insane and I'm really frustrated. But they can't kick the kids off now...

[mommyatty]

mae0111- so the club is making around $40,000 for a 9v9 short season? Great work if you can get it!

[waverly]

DS’s club also has 20 members for the team but I think they might be 11v11. So they rotated most of the field every quarter. We are in full size fields now. I’ll count next time I’m at a game.

Question: DS is doing club soccer and has a tutor. Club soccer has nothing to do with the school. Would you ask him to join a club with school to stay connected with the school or leave it alone? When I read the list he mentioned Stem or Journalism but he doesn’t want to be overcommitted and has something already 3 nights a week.

Last year he did basketball through the school and he says he does not want to try out because it will be too much with soccer. He also is quitting rec basketball. I think it’s sad that he’s quitting his second sport. He also doesn’t want to do the soccer team at school.

[mae0111]

Sept 12, 2023 16:28:08 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

mae0111- so the club is making around $40,000 for a 9v9 short season? Great work if you can get it!

It’s a full year - 8 games and 2x weekly practices in the fall, same in the spring. 1x week winter training. 3-4 tournaments that we pay extra for (usually $100 or less). I know that it’s still a lot of learning right now, but it’s a bummer that her playing time will be reduced because they overextended. I don’t begrudge them the fees - the coaches put in a lot of time and should be paid. But they seem to be getting greedy.

[186momx]

waverly, last year DD did 2 school clubs. Harry Potter club was during lunch and chess was afterschool on Thursday. She also had 3 days of gymnastics and did riding when we could fit it in. It was a lot and Thursdays she wasn't home from 7:30am-7:45pm. She decided to not do any school clubs this year. She says she needs the quiet time after school to decompress. I'm not pushing it because it was a lot last year.