February Sports & Activities

[waverly]

It's February!  

[waverly]

I have a sports question for you.

In our rec Winter program, Soccer was listed going to age 12, so I registered DS and it accepted it. In the Spring program, it lists soccer as going to age 11.  This is for the Spring Soccer Rec league.  

My options are club soccer, but typically they try out in May and games are September, so starting for the Spring season is kind of starting in the middle of everything.

Middle school soccer, but last year only two 6th graders made it, and it goes 6,7,8 for the soccer team.

Or stay with the Rec soccer, but all the kids will likely be younger than him. He does OK with younger kids. It's just more that he is aging out, and it isn't 100% age appropriate. Also, other parents might complain, and the PD would have to explain how he got registered (their mistake). He's tall for his age too.

I did email the rec league and ask for clarification on the age. 

[madringal]

I am an anxious wreck over here. DD1 has her HS swim sectional meet this week. Prelims on Thursday, finals on Saturday. She is seeded 3rd in the both of her events (200 and 500). I think she will come out 4th and 3rd, respectively. I will surely perish from nerves during the 200. She dropped 5+ seconds at conference (untapered). I cannot imagine how she has more time to drop, but her coach is predicting another 3 seconds! She is feeling the pressure and, well, it's a lot!

[sdlaura]

waverly, here our rec soccer goes through grade 12, and we also have an arena soccer league at the YMCA for all ages. I agree that other parents usually don't take too kindly to a kid who is above the age limit playing on a team, so it was a good idea to email to ask.

[sdlaura]

I'm annoyed that DD's competitive softball coach has an all day event on the SportsEngine team page for the girls to play a triple-header 45 minutes away on Sunday, but hasn't told us what times the games are yet. I texted him last night and haven't heard anything back yet. Both DD and DS1 have their last day of winter basketball on Sunday, so two games for each of them. I need to tell DD's basketball coach ASAP if she's going to miss either of the games, since she's one of their stronger players. She could play softball till 2 pm and still make the basketball games, so hopefully softball starts in the morning.

We're a bit overloaded with sports this spring. Oh well, the kids wanted to do everything and we'll make it work. I actually enjoy spending most of my weekends on sports since the kids play with a lot of their friends and the parents are DH's and my friends now, too. Also, with the exception of the one competitive softball team, everything is very close to our house and we have good carpools set up.

DD is on both a rec and competitive softball team, a flag football team, arena soccer team, and basketball team. The winter basketball league ends this weekend, but then she's trying out Tuesday for her school basketball team. Basketball is the only sport that her elementary school has a team for, just for 5th and 6th graders. Arena soccer has no practices and somehow there are a ton of kids on her team, so no big deal if we ever have to miss it. I see it as like an hour-long playdate with good exercise each Saturday afternoon.

DS1 is on a baseball team, a flag football team, rec winter league soccer team, and basketball team. But both his basketball and soccer are done in the next couple weeks, so then he'll just be left with the two sports, which I think is the right number for him.

And DS2 is playing his first real sport this spring - t-ball. Fingers crossed that he likes it.

I'd love to sign both little boys up for gymnastics and DS1 and DS2 up for some skateboarding lessons. Plus we want to sign all the kids up for piano lessons (we're on the waitlist for the good teacher in our neighborhood). But I'm not going to add anything to the list for now. We can make sure that gymnastics and skateboarding are on the list for summer camps.

[waverly]

Feb 1, 2023 13:10:11 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

waverly , here our rec soccer goes through grade 12, and we also have an arena soccer league at the YMCA for all ages. I agree that other parents usually don't take too kindly to a kid who is above the age limit playing on a team, so it was a good idea to email to ask.

I emailed and asked and she told me I have permission and to show them this email upon registering.  But, we did already register because it was already listed in the winter book.  But whatever, I was allowed to register because they had it listed as age 12, and have additional permission.  I can't do anything else.  I'll print the email and show anyone that asks ha ha.  

[mae0111]

waverly, if he's interested in club, and you can find the right club, there's really no issue with joining now/in the spring. DD2 has played club for 3 years now and there are always kids that join for the spring season. They always mesh with the team quickly. But she doesn't play at a high level, and all of the kids are there for fun. That's why I say that you'd have to find the right club.

[waverly]

mae0111, He knows what club he wants to join, and they do have rolling try outs. Maybe, I'll let him know he might be the only 12 year old, and ask if he wants me to reach out.

[pinkly]

Feb 1, 2023 15:30:07 GMT -5 waverly said:

mae0111, He knows what club he wants to join, and they do have rolling try outs. Maybe, I'll let him know he might be the only 12 year old, and ask if he wants me to reach out.

Just make sure to ask where they are in the uniform cycle! If they are set to get new ones in the fall, you’d be buying uniforms now and then again in July or so.

[186momx]

DD has a meet over at the coast Friday night. Her and I are staying all weekend for a fun girl's trip. We are watching some of her friends competed Saturday and then Sunday we are going to the OSU Marine institute and the Harry Potter themed cafe. I told her the whole weekend is just us having fun. So much pressure at the gym from Cranky Coach right now. She told Coach Jon his job this week was helping her stay out of her head.

[vasc]

It’s Girl Scout cookie season and I’m the troop and service unit cookie manager. I’ve got 400 cases of cookies being delivered to my garage on Monday.

[sdlaura]

vasc my Mom was the cookie mom growing up. My sister and I had the best time making forts and mazes out of the big cookie boxes in the living room!

[waverly]

My mom was cookie mom one year but luckily we didn’t have a ton in our house. I’m not sure why? But maybe she delivered the cookies to the meeting maybe.

I got all my orders delivered already so I’m excited to be done.

[madringal]

**sighs of temporary relief**

DD crushed it at her sectional prelim meet - finishing 3rd in both her events. She dropped just under a second in her 200 free to bring her under 2:00!! Watching her see 1:59 on that wall is a memory I will never forget. She has dropped 11+ seconds in this event since the season started in October. Her coaches lost it, her teammates lost it. Ahh! It was amazing to see. She will have a new "fast" suit on Saturday. Her goal is 1:57, and somehow, eek out a 2nd place finish. The time is going to hurt, but doable, the placing will be tough. These girls are fast!

500 was just as awesome. Finished 3rd and drop 2+ seconds. She's dropped 18 seconds in this event. Goal here is to finish 3rd and break 5:20. Both totally doable!

And as a bonus, he coach put her in the 200 free relay, and she dropped her fastest 50 free time/split ever. This relay should be sectional champs and even if she doesn't swim in the final, she will go to state with them as an alternate. But she put up such a fast time, there is a chance now he can put her in and have her swim at finals which would mean a chance to swim at state. We'll see!

Overall - she's having a killer freshman year! Finals are Saturday!

[mommyatty]

My kids start their acting class today. It’s at a regional theater that’s pretty well-known around here. I’m excited for DD and worried about DS. I hope they both love it and DD makes some friends who are fellow theater nerds.

[186momx]

DD had a really good meet Friday night. She had no falls on the 3 events she competed! Still had to scratch bars though. She got a 9.0 on beam and took 4th place in her age group. Her team also placed 4th.

madringal, those are amazing times. I hope she gets to go to state on at least the relay. If anything, it is great exposure.

[madringal]

Well, it was a good sectional meet but not great. No time drop in the 200 at finals (added .05), and she came in 4th over all. Dropped another 1+ seconds in the 500 and also came in 4th over all. She didn't get to swim the relays, but was chosen to be the alternate for the 200 and 400 relays at state - so she's happy with that.

186momx, I am glad your daughter had a good meet!

[twinmomma]

The girls have officially stopped parkour. They enjoyed it, but didn't love it. It runs in ten week sessions, so when the session wrapped up last week, we didn't sign up for the next one. I think all of us thought Sunday afternoons would be a great time for an activity because it wouldn't add to after school stress. But it turns out, it kind of just killed our chance for plans on Sundays and was actually sort of a hassle to have to account for a 1 hour block smack dab in the middle of the day. Once a week also made it feel like they never made much real progress on anything.

I'm not worried about them taking a break from activities for now. They'll do Girls on the Run this spring and we have a lot of different activities lined up for summer camps already.

[mae0111]

twinmomma , as tough as DD2's 7am soccer games and 8am basketball games are in the winter, they're SO MUCH BETTER than DD1's 2pm basketball games. It ruins the whole day. She hasn't seen many of her friends this winter because they have morning and/or evening sports/activities, and she has middle of the day basketball. Only a few more weeks left...

[mommyatty]

Both kids loved their acting class and can’t wait to go back. DD said for the first exercise they had to do something to introduce themselves. DS asked if he had to. They said no. So then (because he wasn’t being forced), he happily participated in everything else and had an amazing time.

[marie]

Feb 1, 2023 15:24:01 GMT -5 mae0111 said:

waverly , if he's interested in club, and you can find the right club, there's really no issue with joining now/in the spring. DD2 has played club for 3 years now and there are always kids that join for the spring season. They always mesh with the team quickly. But she doesn't play at a high level, and all of the kids are there for fun. That's why I say that you'd have to find the right club.

I agree with this... our club has 3 teams in DD's age group.  Essentially an A, B and C team.  They register and play in the leagues that are appropriate for the team's skills.  It works out so well.  There can be movement to the higher teams as well throughout the year if players improve.  All I want out of soccer is for them to be in a league that matches their skill set.  It is not fun to win every game by 10 goals, and it is definitely not fun to lose by 10 goals.  I know there are a lot of club horror stories, but we feel lucky to have landed where we did.

I agree with the comment on the uniform though!  They are not cheap and I would not want to buy one for just one season!

[mae0111]

DD1 had a game tonight. Before the game, she said hi to a kid on the other team. She said quietly, to me, “She goes to my (sleep away) camp. She’s never been nice to me.” I didn’t notice who she was.

The other team is the best in the league, beats everyone by 40+ points. We fully expected to lose.

DD1 was having a great game. Scored the only points in the first quarter. Strong defense. The best I’ve seen her play.

She got subbed out just before half-time. As she was jogging to the bench, a kid on the other team deliberately stepped in her path (DD1 was almost at the bench - the kid had no reason to approach dd1)) and tripped her. DD1 fell so hard, directly on her elbow. The girl started to laugh. She got off the court and I took her out of the gym, and she said, “that’s the kid from camp. She’s so mean to everyone.”

We went to the ER, but it was so over saturated with flu and COVID that we gave up. So I wrapped it for tonight and I will call an ortho tomorrow. I think it’s broken.

I did not handle the situation calmly. I told the other coaches that their kids weren’t nice kids, and they needed to get a handle on it. I told them I knew we were going to lose, they’re a good team, but they’re not good people. Good people don’t injure other players and laugh. One coach yelled back at me, and the other apologized and said he would address it. The yelling coach approached me at the end of the game to “talk”, but I was not in the right headspace to have that conversation. It wouldn’t have been productive.

And after that, the other player approached dd1… I could see dd1 tensing up and backing away, so I told the other player to walk away and ushered dd1 out of there.

[mommyatty]

Omg, mae0111, I swear I would sue. I would sue the kid’s parents, the other coaches, the league. The fact that shit like this happens to your DD every freaking week and none of those adults do anything about it goes beyond mere negligence.

[mustardseed2007]

Good for you for going up to the coaches mae0111! I would at least go to the league! Especially if its broken! If your kid got a broken bone for an intentional whatever that was off the court, that kid should be OUT!

[mae0111]

mommyatty - it’s been a crazy season for sure! And it’s a Catholic Schools league!! Not a very Catholic way to behave. Some of the teams have been great. And I think, by and large, this team was mostly good kids and good players. It was just this one.

But some of the stuff has been nuts. The kid that trashed our bathroom apparently did it again at another school and was thrown off her team. The kids that told our PG to “go back to Switzerland” is currently in last place. It’s been eye opening for sure!!

[twinmomma]

mae0111, I hope your DD is ok and it doesn't end up broken! That is NUTS and I'd be escalating and documenting all of that to the league.

[mustardseed2007]

To continue the bad juju in activities, DD (the same kid from my post about the kid who hates to loose) has been taking drums and had an awful lesson yesterday.

She was trying to learn a riff and didn't get it right immediately (of course), so got frustrated. Her teacher really surprised me when he then got frustrated with her and abruptly stood up and stormed out saying something like "whatever, I'm going to get a drink of water, I don't believe this". I was really surprised.

When he walked back in he wasn't much cooler and she was not acting any more determined or cooperative (I don't think that would surprise many parents) and as they went through the lesson he made comments here and there like - you're not trying, I have 5 year olds who try harder. She did tell him he was the meanest teacher ever and he said now you're just being rude. I intervened and we cut the lesson short. Replaying it in my mind I think she was trying to quit before she started because the riff wasn't easy for her, but also like...it wasn't to an unusual extent in that instance until he lost his mind.

We take lessons at the same place where DS does voice lessons and musical theater and I'm debating if I should say something to the owner, quietly quit. Going back for one more lesson after trying to coach DD to buck up occurred to me because she totally was quitting before she started, but I'm pretty sure putting her back in a room with a guy who can't handle that is going to be good for anyone.

DS has been in piano and voice and DD has been in piano for a while and I've never seen a teacher act like that with them. It was so weird.

[mae0111]

mommyatty and mustardseed2007 - thank you for your words. I was literally up all night replaying it in my head, wondering if I overreacted, could I have handled it better. I was literally shaking for an hour after the game.

One of the other coaches from our team missed the game last night and she just texted me to check in. Oddly enough, the coach that was there coaching with me, has not. Which made me wonder if I was more out of control than I imagined. But I really don’t think I was.

I’m emailing the heads of her camp today to let them know what happened, and that I want measures taken to ensure that they are not together at all this summer.

[mustardseed2007]

You were probably behaving really hot, but you witnessed your kid being pushed down intentionally and someone laughing at her and had to take her to the ER. It makes sense to react, someone has to stick up for our kids! And also it doesn't sound like you cussed at him, so that's good!

ETA: Like I'm thinking about the lesson my dd had yesterday and I am afraid I under reacted, but I was a little concerned about what his reaction would be if I got to confrontational about it since we were alone with him in a lesson room and his behavior already seemed so out of the norm for other music teachers we have had. I kind of wish I had just blatantly said something to him about needing to calm down and his behavior wasn't productive or appropriate.

[mae0111]

Aaaaand the player is claiming that I used “inappropriate language” with her last night. She/her coaches reported me to the league. All I said was that she needed to walk away from dd1.

Super.