Anyone else ticked if team practice is held on Memorial Day?

[luvmy3]

My son's coach does. When my son signed on for the senior team, the rules were spelled out in no uncertain terms. When the coach says jump, we all say how high. It's a royal PITA but it's a high level swim team and it's the commitment we have decided to honor in our family.

Unless it is a league rule that a player must bring a note for missing practices than that coach is way out of line. People miss practices, and I thank goodness that my kids coach's don't think they have some authority over why they do.

No Sunday practices here, either.

Our games are on Sundays (even Mother's Day and Father's Day), however we did have Memorial Day off

 

[C.Ann]

Yes - it would bother me - regardless of whether it was to attend church, a cemetery, a parade honoring the Vets, or simply because it's a rare 3-day weekend that a family can spend time together..

 

[Cinerbelle]

I didn't get a chance to read everyones responses... but had to add that my hubby is a high school football coach and they practice on Thanksgiving (if they are still in the play offs). I have only had 2 Thanksgivings that he didn't work in the last 15 years.

 

[Cinderella94]

I'm an assistant coach to a swim team with kids ages 6-18, and all of our practices were cancelled yesterday.

 

[FireDancer]

It's just practice, don't go. If your kid needs a note write a note that says "for personal family reasons my child was unable to attend practice". There doesn't need to be any more detail then that. If he insists advise him that he can go attempt to reproduce with himself.

Growing up we never played anything on Memorial Day or Independence Day. The one league I am in now cancels all games on Memorial Day weekend even though we play on Sundays and cancels games for Independence Day if it falls on Fri, Sat, Sun, or Mon. The other league didn't have any games scheduled for Memorial Day and we play on Mon and Wed. I do still do a race on both holidays in the morning before attending a parade or other festivities, but that is by choice not team mandate and requires just me and not a whole team to make the same decision.

 

[Cinderella94]

If he insists advise him that he can go attempt to reproduce with him/her self.
.

 

[FireDancer]

Of course if you are in the south it should be followed with "bless your heart". You wouldn't want to come off as rude.

 

[disykat]

It's just practice, don't go. If your kid needs a note write a note

I agree with this part. I don't get the big deal. I would actually WRITE that our family was celebrating Memorial Day and he would be unable to attend. How will that message get through that people don't want to practice that day if people don't say it? I am happy to write notes for my kids so the coach/leader/whatever will know they have legitimate reasons for missing. Celebrating a holiday with their family is a legitimate reason.

My experience has also been that very few people "celebrate" Memorial Day. We usually go to a church service at the cemetary that lasts less than an hour and would be free for activities the rest of the day. I would rather have extra practices or whatever on a free day than fitting it into a school day. If we were taking the three day weekend away, then I'd write a note. On Veteran's Day it's usually marching band all day, and those committments are in honor of the day so I would definitely not be excusing them because it's a holiday.

 

[sasywtch]

I think I'm so use to it, it didn't bother me. My daughter played traveling fastpitch for so many years, I don't know what a holiday is in the spring/summer. Traveling fastpitch, you expect touranments/practice on holidays.
****if anyone ever goes to the USSSA Hall of Fame in Kissimmee, can you let me know? I need a pix taken.

 

[golfgal]

Not if I knew about it ahead of time. Having played, coached and parented kids in sports for going on 40 years, sports practices and games over holiday breaks are a way of life.