Sports Redux

[2chatter]

Per mommyatty’s suggestion — put your latest sports stuff here.

[2chatter]

Mine - last night DD’s 4th grade team played 6th graders and lost. SO good for them. I was kind of hard core with DD before the game - she is tentative sometimes when she is outsized.

It worked. She stole the ball from a girl that looked like a grown up. DD came to just above her waist. She also dribbled around another tall girl, fed the ball up in a great pass and her team scored off of it. I pushed the whole experience on the way home because sometimes fear just overwhelmed her on the field and I want her to remember she has solid skills that enable her to defeat players that weigh literally double what she does. I snapped a pic of her steal and when I showed DD she laughed with real joy.

Meanwhile, I was kind of stressed the whole game because there were a lot of fouls and it seemed potentially dangerous. Razors edge of sports parenting, y’all.

[2chatter]

Can I just keep going? I need to vent. Oldest DD has at least three medical appointments every week lately. This week it’s PT x 2 and the ortho - who I hope releases her. I am dying at all of these appointments. This weekend paddling she had to stop (leaving me to paddle across an entire lake) as her shoulder hurt. So I know she’s not healed yet from the sublux but I really need her to be close.

We start braces ASAP too. I’m drowning in medical appointments and DH doesn’t get why I am stressed. Hello, working all day, running her to an appointment and rushing home to relieve the sitter then getting everyone to practices and games and events is a LOT. Then working at night because I am down a resource. I need DD to have a healthy month so we only do braces appointments for a month.

[mae0111]

DD1 is not an athlete, but we are pushing sports because if she doesn't have something organized, she will be a sloth. She has played soccer for 3 seasons, and has finally admitted that she hates it, so we won't make her play. Basketball kind of clicked by the end of the season, so that was nice to see. But I took her to a hitting clinic for softball on Saturday and holy crap - she was knocking the stitching off the ball. She was hitting it harder and further than kids twice her size. Unfortunately, her awful behavior got her punished, and now I can't take her to the clinic tonight. We are both disappointed.

DD2 played in her very first soccer game on Saturday. She's on a team with kids 1-2 years older than her and twice her size, and nothing stopped her. I love her confidence. I'm doing what I can to encourage it.

I wasn't an athlete, but I loved sports. I'm hoping to find that in my kids. They don't have to love the same sports as me (OMG do I HATE soccer, and DD2 loves it, so soccer it is), but I want them to be active and happy.

[mommyatty]

DH is coaching kindergarten tee ball with a bunch of other dads and may be coaching bubba ball for our 3 year old. I’m already tired of it and the first practice isn’t until Thursday. We have 10 traffic cones (to be used as practice tees) and two boxes of balls in our entry way. But both kids seem really excited, so yay? I guess?

[kimberlybb]

DD is taking taekwondo and loves it. I think it is really good for her since it gives her an opportunity to practice listening and following instructions and they really stress respect. The kids also do swim lessons. I would love if they decided to do swim team when they get older since I swam for many years. The culture here is select teams by second grade for club sports and people get so crazy about it. I wish there were more recreation league opportunities but they seem to be only for kids in kindergarten and younger.

[2chatter]

I just can’t with bat sports - the seasons are long, the games are tedious (especially at the younger ages) and baking on red dirt doesn’t seem fun.

I need to let Middle DD and DS try them. Give me upsides, please. The traffic cones for practice are cute!

[covergirl82]

2chatter, related to dangerous fouls... At DS's basketball game a few weeks ago, he got tripped and pushed (supposedly unintentionally) by a couple players on the other team, and the ref didn't even call a foul. And the reason the ref didn't call a foul is because he was mad at DS's coach (and some of the parents on our team) for vocalizing a bad call he made. Thankfully DS wasn't hurt, and we talked to him about how refs are human and don't see everything, and also how refs might also not always be neutral or have integrity.

DD isn't super athletic, but she is in a gymnastics class and really enjoys it. Not sure if she'll ever do competitions or be on the high school team (which is still a ways off), but it keeps her active and she's happy (as mae0111 mentioned) and so I'm glad about that.

I'm not really into sports, but I was on my school's swim team in middle school and freshman year of high school. I disliked the high school coach so I didn't go back sophomore year, but I kind of regret it because my school got a new women's swim coach that year and I heard she was a lot better. (I got mad freshman year because the coach didn't let us swim our best events consistently. I was a sprinter and best in freestyle and butterfly. I'm all for trying an event I'm not great at, but we never won a single meet, and I feel like if we had been able to swim our best events all the time, we would have won at least a couple.) I'm hoping I can take my experience and maybe use it as an example of not to give up?

[mustardseed2007]

DD does ballet at school and gymnastics at a gym. She did soccer but we took her out b/c she wasn't participating. We also had taken her out of the little tumbling class they have at school b/c it really wasn't much and I thought she was mostly just goofing off. But today she put on her gymnastics shirt from the class and asked if it was gymnastics day...and then cried when we said it wasn't. So we may sign her up again. It's relatively cheap and I got a refund from soccer so why not. That's enough right now for a PreK 3 kid in my opinion. Next year we'll start with the church league stuff and see how it goes.

DS does mixed martial arts although it's mostly tae kwon do right now. He adores it and he's good at it. He follows instructions, he loves all the rules, it's making him better at basic things like jumping and balance. He also watches the older kids do weapons training and is fascinated.

Baseball so far has been good but not awesome for DS. He doesn't like that he's the worst one - and he is the worst one - but the other kids are nice and the coaches are really good. The other parents are telling me he's really going to improve...I dunno I hope this isn't going to be a mistake.

I feel like they should both really be in swimming but with Karate there is zero time.

Ok so seriously ... any tips on helping a kid who can't swing a bat? It's like it's too heavy or too big for him but it's an aluminum bat, smallest size they make as far as I can tell. : /

[phdmomma]

DS decided that he wanted to play soccer two days after the cutoff for team registration. Maybe next year. Both kids have expressed an interest in floor hockey, so I need to take a look at that.

[mustardseed2007]

I wish there was more hockey kind of things around here - that sounds so fun.

You know what part of the thing too is - there is an intense pressure in our neighborhood for boys to play sports and for them to all play on this certain league. There are 5 boy teams made up solely from kids zoned to our public elementary school. And when you aren't good at that stuff or don't like it, it's kind of isolating.

[erinshelley21]

mustardseed2007, is he choking up on the bat at all? Have him start holding it more towards the barrel of the bat at the top of the handle part. If he is already doing that, try finding one of the foam ones that you would see in the outdoor toys section. (I'll try to find one in a minute) and just work on swinging that and then hitting a ball with it. A hollow wiffle ball bat would be too light, unless you cut the top off and put some weight in it somehow, like a bag of rice maybe. That feels like a lot of work though.

[mustardseed2007]

Mar 6, 2018 11:27:05 GMT -5 erinshelley21 said:

mustardseed2007 , is he choking up on the bat at all? Have him start holding it more towards the barrel of the bat at the top of the handle part. If he is already doing that, try finding one of the foam ones that you would see in the outdoor toys section. (I'll try to find one in a minute) and just work on swinging that and then hitting a ball with it. A hollow wiffle ball bat would be too light, unless you cut the top off and put some weight in it somehow, like a bag of rice maybe. That feels like a lot of work though.

I'll look at his hands. This is a good point. And we'll get a foam bat, I think I know what you mean. We have a hollow one with a big barrel that I got because i just thought it might raise his confidence if he can hit with that one and then move on to a thin one. But you're right, its' very light. 

[traveltheworld]

mustardseed2007 , we are really big into hockey here, and I've been holding off having DS get into hockey. It's 2 practices and a game each week. Practices tend to start at 6 or 7 a.m., for 5 year olds!!! However, since all of DS's friends are into hockey, he's been asking so I think we'll have to put him in next year. I shudder at the thought.

Right now DS does swimming, soccer, and skating. He is with a swim club and is the worst by far. We console ourselves with the fact that he is physically the smallest kid in the club, but it's a little discouraging when he is usually still only half way through his lap when all the other kids are finished. My parents are really into swimming so they take him to the pool twice a week (in addition to his 2 practices), so it's not like he is not getting a lot of practice in. I'm also a bit stressed that the other parents are going to complain soon as the coach always has to wait for him. He is not going to be able to advance to the next level, so I'm hoping that a new season will bring some smaller kids so he won't seem as out of place.

Ultimately I just want him to be active and have fun with his friends. But since sports is so competitive these days, I worry that he won't be able to play with his friends if his skills don't keep up. We did soccer for 2 seasons, and this coming season all his friends are going into club teams. I've signed him up for the same club team, but am now worried that he will consistently be the worst one on the team. I've already told DH he has to carve out time in his day to practice with him.

[erinshelley21]

mustardseed2007, something like this. It's 12oz, which is 2oz lighter than most tee ball bats. But same thing with this, he can start by choking up on this, then work his way down to the end of the bat.
www.amazon.com/US-Games-1040227-US-GAMES-FOAM/dp/B0000BYRPU/ref=lp_2376551011_1_3_sspa?s=team-sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1520353697&sr=1-3-spons&psc=1

[katrine05]

DD is currently in gymnastics (been doing it for 3 years), she's really good and I'm kinda (but kinda not) hoping she wants to go on the pre-competitive team next year. Her gym has a competition next weekend, I was thinking of volunteering and bringing her along to see what it's all about, see how she feels about it.

She's signed up for spring soccer, she wasn't super keen to start but I think it will be a good way to meet some more neighborhood kids and families. It's only for 7 or 8 weeks.

She really wants to do skating and maybe hockey, so we're doing a spring skating session.

Need to put her in swimming as well, but the logistics of swim lessons are a pain. It's 30 minutes each way to the pool from home, for a 30 minute lesson, it really doesn't seem worth it.

DS is only 17 months but he's already obsessed with hockey. He plays floor hockey with DH every day. DH can't wait to be a hockey dad. He played pretty high level and loved it. Hockey is huge here.

[erinshelley21]

Mar 6, 2018 11:28:58 GMT -5 mustardseed2007 said:

Mar 6, 2018 11:27:05 GMT -5 erinshelley21 said:

mustardseed2007 , is he choking up on the bat at all? Have him start holding it more towards the barrel of the bat at the top of the handle part. If he is already doing that, try finding one of the foam ones that you would see in the outdoor toys section. (I'll try to find one in a minute) and just work on swinging that and then hitting a ball with it. A hollow wiffle ball bat would be too light, unless you cut the top off and put some weight in it somehow, like a bag of rice maybe. That feels like a lot of work though.

I'll look at his hands. This is a good point. And we'll get a foam bat, I think I know what you mean. We have a hollow one with a big barrel that I got because i just thought it might raise his confidence if he can hit with that one and then move on to a thin one. But you're right, its' very light. 

I know what you mean by wanting to raise his confidence. Baseball/softball is such a mental game. I would work on getting his swing to a stronger point and instead of doing a bigger barreled bat with a baseball, use the tee ball bat and a softball sized ball. Get him making contact so he can learn what it feels like. That will help him work on his hand eye coordination too so that when he is hitting that bigger ball consistently, he won't have as much trouble moving to a baseball. 

[186momx]

mustardseed2007, try and find the lightest aluminum bat around. This was a big issue last year on DD's t-ball team. They required each kid to bring their own bat but all the bats were super heavy and the smaller kids had a lot of issues so the coach was having all the kids use her daughters tiny/ultra light pink bat which the boys hated uses because it was pink.

[186momx]

DD wasn't able to move up from Hot Shots to Express in December because she didn't have a consistent pull over on the bars and didn't have a back bend. Fast forward 3 months to now she is the only oldie in the group with new girls being added each month. They have worked on back bends once since the other girls moved up as the new kids in Hot Shots aren't ready for them. They get to work on the bars once a week for about 15 minutes. She can do her pull over 75% of the time.

Now the problem. She won't be able to move up until June (preschool class to team style class) so stricter move up schedules. DD is bored out of her mind in class, has developed an attitude problem and just has lost all her confidence. She used to practice daily at home and now doesn't want to because she sucks. We go to open Friday nights and she can't keep up with her friends that moved up as they are doing skills that aren't even taught in her class. I feel bad and she is really stuck but she loves gymnastics and just at a hump. One parent last night who has a daughter on team suggest adding privates to give her 1 on 1 to really master the skills she needs help and to learn some of the next step to keep her motivated until June.

Do I become that parent who does privates to push her ahead or let things continue as is?

[ilovelucyvv]

Mar 6, 2018 9:57:54 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

DH is coaching kindergarten tee ball with a bunch of other dads and may be coaching bubba ball for our 3 year old. I’m already tired of it and the first practice isn’t until Thursday. We have 10 traffic cones (to be used as practice tees) and two boxes of balls in our entry way. But both kids seem really excited, so yay? I guess?

What is bubba ball mommyatty?  Is it like tee ball for even younger kids?

[ilovelucyvv]

This spring is DD's 4th season of soccer. She just did indoor soccer skills training this past winter. She is not a great athlete, I would say okay/average at best, but she really enjoys it and she has come a long way since her first season. She is also a very emotional child and that does not bode well for sports.

I feel like I need to get DS involved in some activity when he turns 3 since DD was already doing soccer and ballet by then, but he doesn't seem interested in soccer and other sports such as tee ball and karate don't start until age 4 around here.

I might sign them up for swimming lessons this summer, as that is something neither kid has done yet. We'll see.

[covergirl82]

186momx, I would definitely check into private lessons to keep her motivated and interested until June. Hopefully she could learn some of the higher level skills her friends are learning too.

[mommyatty]

Mar 6, 2018 12:16:24 GMT -5 ilovelucyvv said:

Mar 6, 2018 9:57:54 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

DH is coaching kindergarten tee ball with a bunch of other dads and may be coaching bubba ball for our 3 year old. I’m already tired of it and the first practice isn’t until Thursday. We have 10 traffic cones (to be used as practice tees) and two boxes of balls in our entry way. But both kids seem really excited, so yay? I guess?

What is bubba ball mommyatty?  Is it like tee ball for even younger kids?

Yes. It’s played with a big plastic bat and a big ball that doesn’t hurt if it hits someone. I think they only run to first base, so there is constant motion and activity. Not a lot of standing around. It sounds super cute, so I’m glad we are doing it.

[2chatter]

So at least here, the club kids aren’t all better than the rec kids because there are so many clubs. So far, lots of kids play both club and rec so they can play with all of their friends. We only do rec so this works for us. Next year (9th grade) DD and her friends are putting a coed sand team together, too.

We tried club and because it wasn’t better, we dropped it. DDs are developing as players in their games, are being active and enjoying it. I can’t get my head around 6-8 travel tournaments (75% requiring flights) and working. But I still feel marginally guilty about that.

[leap]

Last spring DD1 was desperate to join a competitive dance team. I said no. We compromised by letting her take more dance this year and promising to re-visit the idea of team in a year. This year she is taking 4 different classes and she has been working really hard. She is more engaged in class and her dancing has really improved. Pretty soon we will have to make a decision about team. I still don't really want her to do it. It's a huge time and financial commitment. But I feel like I would be going back on a promise if I don't let her try. She also swims one night a week and does ice skating on Saturdays. If she decides to do dance team, she will not be able to do those activities anymore. I also don't want her to pick an activity at age 8 and then regret it at 13, kwim?

[waverly]

3rd to last basketball game but who's counting?

Pray hard for me that DS gets a basket and doesn't cry today. I don't think I can take the tears anymore. So sad.

[traveltheworld]

186momx, I'd get her private lessons. If she truly enjoys the sport and needs a little help, I see no harm in it. I mean, it's not like you are going all out crazy with the coaching.

[mae0111]

mustardseed2007, I love hockey. I don't follow pro like I used to, but for a long time, I worked in the industry and was a rabid fan. I think it's the greatest sport to watch live - totally captivating. But hockey is a lifestyle choice. Around here, it is HUGE, and it is year round. Ice times can be 5am through 10pm. We had an 8th grade babysitter for a while that would turn us down because she had a 9:45pm hockey game.

My niece plays. She started late (at 12). She is a tremendous athlete, but she needed to catch up. So now there's private skating coaches and power skating and team workouts and games and different teams... and she plays 2 other sports.

DD2 asked if she could play. I hate the idea of buying all of the equipment (skates, pads, special gloves, pants so that the falls on the butt don't hurt, helmet, neck guard so that she doesn't get her throat slashed by a skate blade, mouth guard, sticks, etc.) and having her say she doesn't like it. So I am changing the subject every time it comes up.

[mommyatty]

“Competitive dance” is an oxymoron to me. I hate that we’ve made dancing competitive. And can I say that if DD ever decides she wants to do that, I’m having costume veto power? Because a little girl in her class is on a competitive dance team, and pics from her first competition of the year were just posted, and she looks like a 6 year old hooker. I’m not prude, but OMG! I was horrified. I don’t think putting 6 year olds in black frilly daisy dukes with black sheer tights and black shirts that expose 4 inches of their bellies is at all appropriate.

[mae0111]

Mar 6, 2018 13:41:22 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

“Competitive dance” is an oxymoron to me. I hate that we’ve made dancing competitive. And can I say that if DD ever decides she wants to do that, I’m having costume veto power? Because a little girl in her class is on a competitive dance team, and pics from her first competition of the year were just posted, and she looks like a 6 year old hooker. I’m not prude, but OMG! I was horrified. I don’t think putting 6 year olds in black frilly daisy dukes with black sheer tights and black shirts that expose 4 inches of their bellies is at all appropriate.

Preach sister.  DD1 did dance for exactly one year.  Her costume made her look like she belonged at the Moulin Rouge.  That was our last year of dance.