Sharing Athletes During Soccer Season

how many of yall share soccer players with track coaches, basketball, or club teams? Is this a problem for yall? How do you handle this situation?

This has been going on for years and years and years.. Not sure if there is a specific solution or a fix. Athletes are going to be athletes and play multiple sports. If they are serious about attaining an athletic scholarship, their chances are greater to play multiple sports.. That's if they are an exceptional athlete.

how about coaches that tell the kids NO, you cannot play another sport because we need you here for out sport?

What age are we talking about?

high school kids

Yeah, I went thru it in HS as well. The pressure from the coach to play another sport. I didnt know any better but was afraid of the coaches will punish me later.. When I look back at it, please don't buy into pressure. If your kids wants to play another sport, do so. You should have that talk with the coach that giving you kids issues.

It's very difficult at that age. The varsity volleyball coach wanted my DD her sophomore year, but told her she would have to give up club soccer, something she had been in since 5th grade. We chose soccer, so my kid didn't get to play anymore volleyball in school.

Unfortunately, the school coaches hold all the cards. You can usually find a club coach that will work around things. I don't really understand the specialization a lot of coaches demand these days. It's not like 99.9% of these kids will be playing professionally.

starting to see lots of injuries take place due to kids wearing themselves out

Well injuries, thats another topic.. LOL

true but you see what i mean right? at some point dont you think as a coach you should tell the kid, hey this is the playoffs so dont go to track today.

yes or no or how do you handle that

Yes, thats a good point.. If you are in the playoffs, I would believe the other coaches from the other sports should understand.. I wouldn't go out to track until I finish with the other sport. Thats just me..

i agree PDUB, i wish that happend here but it doesnt, i hope that the coaches from other sports will understand that a playoff game is more important than a track meet

Didn't track just start? Playoff means the end of the season.. Track goes thru end of April for some. Im sure missing a track meet will not DQ her for rest of track season.. Good Luck..

your right, there will be a district track meet during soccer playoffs..........ughhh

Gunner9 wrote:It's very difficult at that age. The varsity volleyball coach wanted my DD her sophomore year, but told her she would have to give up club soccer, something she had been in since 5th grade. We chose soccer, so my kid didn't get to play anymore volleyball in school.

Unfortunately, the school coaches hold all the cards. You can usually find a club coach that will work around things. I don't really understand the specialization a lot of coaches demand these days. It's not like 99.9% of these kids will be playing professionally.

I agree, but its all about winning the gold (championship). If you have that exceptional athlete other coaches will be requesting his or her services to play the sport they coach. Hate to say it, but its about what you have (athlete) that I need (coach) for the betterment of my sport..

4MVP wrote:your right, there will be a district track meet during soccer playoffs..........ughhh

If you are talking about a school's district track meet versus a soccer playoff game, that's an entirely different scenario. The district track meet determines who advances to regionals, just as a soccer playoff game determines who advances to the next level. That's a decision that should be made by the athlete and her family. They should decide which one is more important to her, and be willing to accept any outcome.

My view is, you spell out very clearly with all coaches and teams what your priorities are before you join the team. If there is a conflict of schedules everyone should understand ahead of time what decisions will be made. If a coach won't accept that, so be it. I don't think it's possible to be 100% committed to multiple teams at the same time. If a coach won't allow some leeway then you have to make a choice. The coach has the right to decide what is best for the team. The parent, together with the child, have the right to decide what is best for the child. That's how I see it.

how about a little honesty and looking at whats best for the kid. I know a coach that did tell the boy that while he was a great player and main striker on the team, he wasn't sure that his future lies in his feet but rather with his legs. He suggested he make his track event because it was better for him

4MVP wrote:starting to see lots of injuries take place due to kids wearing themselves out

I've read a couple of articles recently that have attributed the rise in injuries to sports specialization. In short they stated that 20 years ago a kid would play multiple sports and go from one sport to another depending on the season. The different sports would require different skills and focus on different parts of the body, thus allowing other parts to recover. Now due to specialization it seems that kids are playing the same sport year round, and their bodies are not getting the rest that another sport would afford. So alot of injuries are coming from repetition and overuse. I had never thought of it that way but it did make sense. So I encourage my daughter to play what makes her happy.