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

[castleview]

Am I old-fashioned? DH is a track coach, but not the man in charge this year so he has no control over the practice schedule. He had practice yesterday morning right during the time we go to a parade that honors the fallen and the surprising amount of veterans still alive in my town. I was a little miffed because I see it as an indifference to the reason we have Memorial Day. Ah, maybe I'm just cranky. What do you think?

 

[Scurvy]

It would bother me for two reasons. One, it does seem disrepectful to ignore Memorial Day that way. Many people like to have the option to attend parades or other ceremonies to honor veterans or those who gave their lives to protect our freedoms. Second, my family gets very few holidays each year when we are all off of work and school. In fact Memorial Day is my husband's first holiday off each year. I would resent losing the option of going somewhere for a family vacation on that long weekend just because someone had the bright idea to schedule a practice that day.

 

[SaraJayne]

My DS had Babe Ruth practice scheduled yesterday. He wasn't there.

We attended a memorial service at the cemetery FIL is buried at and then spent the day with DH's family ~ out of town.

And seeing as how this is the first weekend of "summer", I'm wondering how many kids showed up at practice. lol

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

I'm a HS coach...of sorts...and some years, I have had to schedule practices on Memorial day or other holidays. I teach high school colorguards for Marching band. I really try to avoid it but sometimes it is inevitable. What I usually say is, if you are going to an activity to honor that holiday, you are excused from practice with a note from your parent. If you are sitting on the couch, enjoying a day with no school....get your rear to practice.

I've found that MOST teens don't actually do anything related to the holiday, so why should they just loaf around all day.

 

[SaraJayne]

I'm a HS coach...of sorts...and some years, I have had to schedule practices on Memorial day or other holidays. I teach high school colorguards for Marching band. I really try to avoid it but sometimes it is inevitable. What I usually say is, if you are going to an activity to honor that holiday, you are excused from practice with a note from your parent. If you are sitting on the couch, enjoying a day with no school....get your rear to practice.

I've found that MOST teens don't actually do anything related to the holiday, so why should they just loaf around all day.

If I ever had a coach tell my son he needed a parents note for an excuse, I'd politely tell that coach where to stick it.

You as the coach don't get to determine what *my* child does on his/her day off...and if that means they are sitting on the couch all day, or enjoying the day with their family/friends, so be it.

eta: My DS's coach gets a phone call letting him know when DS will miss practice, and that's all he needs. A quick "DS will not be at practice, because we will be out of town/have other plans, etc" is sufficient.

 

[cepmom]

DD's travel soccer team had a game yesterday afternoon. We didn't have plans so it was no big deal for us to go, but I'd be annoyed if we had plans to go to a Memorial service or something though.

 

[SandrA9810]

if you live in a smaller community where they always hold a parade and such, i think it's stupid of them to schedule the practice at that time. I wouldn't see it being an issue later in the afternoon... But use a little common sense. He as a coach should've just told the kids to come later and enjoy your community's activities.

Sarahjayne: you as parent is still notifying the coach of your child's absence from pratice.
Once kids get to high school they feel they can do whatever they want. So maybe they don't tell mom that there is practice on a holiday just because they want to be lazy. Now if the parent wants them to be lazy that day.... Then that's the parent's choice.

 

[Scurvy]

I've found that MOST teens don't actually do anything related to the holiday, so why should they just loaf around all day.

Because it's a holiday?

As a family, we usually do something to mark Memorial Day. We always spent the day with my father, who was a veteran. This was our first Memorial Day without him and I really thought it would be too hard for me to sit through the ceremonies and such this year. So instead, we mostly loafed around all day. My son has band camp this week but fortunately his director realized it would be unreasonable for it to be held on Memorial Day, which is a fairly significant national holiday. If I'd had to send a note to excuse him from camp because his director didn't see why kids should have the holiday off I would have sent the note, but I would have thought less of the director. Most families don't get very many holidays off together. It really isn't up to a coach or director to determine if what we're doing is worthy of missing practice for.

 

[allison443]

Am I old-fashioned? DH is a track coach, but not the man in charge this year so he has no control over the practice schedule. He had practice yesterday morning right during the time we go to a parade that honors the fallen and the surprising amount of veterans still alive in my town. I was a little miffed because I see it as an indifference to the reason we have Memorial Day. Ah, maybe I'm just cranky. What do you think?

Did your dh go to the practice?

You don't say what level you are referring to. My dd ran high school track for four years and a few of the top meets/championships are coming up in the next week or so (school ends mid-June). So yes, there was practice on Memorial Day.

I'm sure you realize that unfortunately many people do not attend commemorations for the real reason for Memorial Day. I guess the coach figured why not have the practice?

 

[castleview]

Did your dh go to the practice?

You don't say what level you are referring to. My dd ran high school track for four years and a few of the top meets/championships are coming up in the next week or so (school ends mid-June). So yes, there was practice on Memorial Day.

I'm sure you realize that unfortunately many people do not attend commemorations for the real reason for Memorial Day. I guess the coach figured why not have the practice?

It is championship season, but still I think it's disrespectful. DH went because he found out too late before he could give his input. We went to church for a sort of "drop-in" prayer time. It was nice, but still not the same as cheering on the local vets. Just because many people don't commemorate Memorial Day doesn't mean the head coach should feed into it.

 

[Planogirl]

I agree with those who said that practice on a holiday is a bad idea. It doesn't matter what the family plans are either.

DS is in sports and if he wants to go to a scheduled practice and we have no activities planned then I won't stop him. But if we have other plans then he won't go. His coach kept scheduling practice the couple of days after Thanksgiving and the school told him to stop. I never said anything but apparently someone did!

 

[MELSMICE]

I agree also that practice on the Memorial Day Holiday is in poor taste.

People just don't respect holidays like Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, etc. any more.

Seriously........men & woman sacrifice their lives for our country & it's citizens. The least we can do is show respect for them on those holidays & "sacrifice" a day of sports practice. A few hours is not going to make one bit of difference in the next game & if it does, then the team is not as prepared as it should be.

 

[agnes!]

Personally, I think of Memorial Day as a true holy day, and not the generic reference of 'holiday'/day-off/store-sales.

And NUTHIN' better interfere with my family going to the local National Cemetery to pay our respects.

agnes!

 

[kydisneyfans]

I am an assistant coach with a 9-12 year old boys baseball team, we did not have practice yesterday, but those 13 and up all had games to play.

Half of the make up games scheduled for this weekend were forfeited as the teams did not have enough players to play the games.

I would think there would be better dates than a holiday weekend for young kids to play baseball.

 

[mhsjax]

I'm a HS coach...of sorts...and some years, I have had to schedule practices on Memorial day or other holidays. I teach high school colorguards for Marching band. I really try to avoid it but sometimes it is inevitable. What I usually say is, if you are going to an activity to honor that holiday, you are excused from practice with a note from your parent. If you are sitting on the couch, enjoying a day with no school....get your rear to practice.

I've found that MOST teens don't actually do anything related to the holiday, so why should they just loaf around all day.

Because it is a holiday, that is why. Good thing you aren't my child's coach.
WE almost never miss a practice,unless sick, but when practices are over a holiday weekend. Sorry isn't happening, that is family time and we do what WE want, not what the coaches want.

 

[Kathi OD]

I wouldn't necessarily call you old-fashioned... My kids have been out of school for a very long time and they always had either practice or games on holiday weekends. The only day I ever remember being off-limits was Mother's Day, when they were in T-ball. Other than that, anything went.

If it was practice that was scheduled and we had plans, they missed it. If it was a game, we changed our plans and they went to the game, especially when they were playing on travel teams.

 

[castleview]

I agree also that practice on the Memorial Day Holiday is in poor taste.

People just don't respect holidays like Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, etc. any more.

Seriously........men & woman sacrifice their lives for our country & it's citizens. The least we can do is show respect for them on those holidays & "sacrifice" a day of sports practice. A few hours is not going to make one bit of difference in the next game & if it does, then the team is not as prepared as it should be.

DH's school system took away Veteran's Day as a day off a few years ago. Their logic was that no one does anything so come to school and the teachers will say a few words about Veteran's Day. Few do. One year after my DGM died we found letters my uncle wrote her home from Vietnam. DH took a few and read them to his class. Word got around and he ended up doing it for the teachers who had nothing planned.

 

[MELSMICE]

DH's school system took away Veteran's Day as a day off a few years ago. Their logic was that no one does anything so come to school and the teachers will say a few words about Veteran's Day. Few do. One year after my DGM died we found letters my uncle wrote her home from Vietnam. DH took a few and read them to his class. Word got around and he ended up doing it for the teachers who had nothing planned.

That is really sad & so disrespectful.

It begins with small things to make a change...........coaches not having practice, schools recognizing these important holidays more, towns recognizing the holiday by having more parades, etc. on that day.

Maybe if one "big box" store stood up & said, "In honor of all service men & woman that have served previously or are currently serving, we will not be open on Memorial Day so families can spend time together & remember their loved ones & others that have served our country", others would follow suit.

Of course, I know I'm dreaming & that would never happen. Bottom line of making more money & winning is more important.

 

[Mkrop]

I am an assistant coach with a 9-12 year old boys baseball team, we did not have practice yesterday, but those 13 and up all had games to play.

Half of the make up games scheduled for this weekend were forfeited as the teams did not have enough players to play the games.

I would think there would be better dates than a holiday weekend for young kids to play baseball.

I think our Little League gave up trying to schedule games over Memorial Day weekend.

 

[jrmasm]

Am I old-fashioned? DH is a track coach, but not the man in charge this year so he has no control over the practice schedule. He had practice yesterday morning right during the time we go to a parade that honors the fallen and the surprising amount of veterans still alive in my town. I was a little miffed because I see it as an indifference to the reason we have Memorial Day. Ah, maybe I'm just cranky. What do you think?

Well practice would have been much better for my daughter than the game she had that was 2.5 hours away. Guess we're just used to it.

Did you still go to the parade? Sometimes kids have to miss stuff because of their committments, but that doesn't mean the entire family has to miss out.