Doesn't this sound too much for a 6yr old?

[sms]

My DS started flag football practice last night. His coach wants them to go to practice 2 hours(5-7) 4 days a week???!!! The other teams are not practicing this much. It was so hot yesterday. That just seems like a lot for a 6 year old. And for me!! Makes it hard to work, plan for dinner, do homework, take a bath...Leaves no time for anything else. He didn't even want to go back tonight! What do you guys think about this?

 

[Magic Mom]

My DS played tackle football when he was 7 and had pretty much the same schedule. FL in September in full pads. It was hard, but they had fun. What does your son think about it?

 

[laughinplace199]

I think that is crazy for 6 yr olds. My oldest kids are 10 & 8 and I wouldn't let them do that much after school. What do the other parents think? When my kids were that age, we allowed them to do 1-2 after school activities. They're still so little and they need time to well, just play.

 

[Kimmumum]

Our league starts August 1. The flaggers practice Tues, Thurs (6-8)and Saturday(9-11). The boys in tackle practice Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs (6-8)and Saturday (9-11)with games on Sunday. Full pads even when it is 105 degrees. They either love it or leave it

 

[brockash]

When my DS played flag last year it was through parks and rec and in Colorado. This year he's 7, plays tackle through the school and we're in Oklahoma. With flag, we only practiced twice a week, and then 1 game a week and all was only an hr. for each. This year is a whole different story. They're practicing 5 times a week for what's suppose to be 2 hrs. (5:30-7:30) but usually lasts until almost 8. I think it's totally nuts. My DS goes back and forth on liking it and having fun and not, so we'll see how things turn out, but yes I think that's a lot for a 6 year old, especially with flag, but I guess if your kiddo is happy and you can swing it I just keep counting down the weeks until the seasons over.

 

[Cinderella94]

My brother is 11 & on a football team; our school board (I believe it's the school board) only allows them to practice 6 hours a week.

(My mom will probably come find this thread and correct me if I'm wrong .)

 

[Tinijocaro]

My DS started flag football practice last night. His coach wants them to go to practice 2 hours(5-7) 4 days a week???!!! The other teams are not practicing this much. It was so hot yesterday. That just seems like a lot for a 6 year old. And for me!! Makes it hard to work, plan for dinner, do homework, take a bath...Leaves no time for anything else. He didn't even want to go back tonight! What do you guys think about this?[/QUOTE


Are these boys planning on going pro?

 

[Stacerita]

That sounds typical of the football programs in this area.

 

[java]

My DS started flag football practice last night. His coach wants them to go to practice 2 hours(5-7) 4 days a week???!!! The other teams are not practicing this much. It was so hot yesterday. That just seems like a lot for a 6 year old. And for me!! Makes it hard to work, plan for dinner, do homework, take a bath...Leaves no time for anything else. He didn't even want to go back tonight! What do you guys think about this?

So don't. My 6 year old wouldn't want to do that at this point. And I wouldn't make him. Especially if you don't like it either. Maybe he's not a football guy.

 

[FoundMyPrince]

DS7 began flag football practice last week. They practiced 3 times last week for 1 hour each, then another 2 times this week, one hour each. And, their first game is this Saturday! I'm not sure how much they'll practice after their first game.

Two hours/night sounds a little excessive to me. DS is tired after one hour.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

Wow, I didn't realize flag football was so hardcore. Our six year olds in the rec programs are lucky if they even get out on the field sometimes! Yes, that's excessive, IMO.
My nephew is in a youth league and they practice those hours, but he is 9 and in the 5th grade, so that is a big age difference! He's also one of the best players, and trust me, at 6 he didn't practice for two hours a night!

 

[AndyLL]

I'm not sure we practiced that much in middle school competitive football back in the 70s.

Our 6 year old flag football league allows 2 one hour practices a week or 1 one hour practice and 1 one hour volunteer practice on weeks where their is a game.

Flag football in our area is to learn fundamentals of the sport and to build an understanding of team sports. There is a competitive tackle league that takes 6 year olds for those parents ready to groom their kids for the pros.

I am a 4 sport varsity starter throughout middle/high school and played on a college tennis team and I hope my son enjoys/participates in sports like I did.

That said I would never let him play for a coach like that.

In a 6/7 year old league it is easy for a coach to create a team that always wins.

In our first game when most of our players were still trying to figure out the difference between offense and defense the opposing team opened with an empty backfield and trips right.

Their 2 good players managed to be either QB, HB or receiver every play and of course scored a lot.

We have 2 players that if given the ball every play would score more often then not. They do not get the ball any more then my son who when faced with a wall of defenders turned around and ran the other way during the game.

At this age sports are about teamwork and fundamentals. There is time for competitive winning as they become older.

That said.. it is important that kids understand that only through practice do they become better. It is up to the parents to spend time with their kids outside of the formal practices to help their kids become better at sports in ways that will not turn their kids off of sports.

Andy

 

[Boo'sMom]

Sounds about right for our area too....
but if it's not fun, don't do it.

 

[ohiomom28]

Thats a lot for flag I think. My boy plays tackle and he is 9. They start out at 5 days a week 6-8. ONce school starts, it is 3 days a week, 6-7:30.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Did your son want to play football?

I know some kids that do it live, eat and breathe it, so they would rather practice than do homework & take a bath.

I guess if he was the one who wanted to play then I would sit and talk with him and come up with a "deal" and probably a way out if he hates it.

It sounds excessive, however sports are a committment and that part will never change. It will mess with your "schedule" and you can count on that.

 

[ICF]

imo, practing that much at 6 ( or 7, 8, 9) is too much. Jr High or highschool....sure, but not in grade school.

No sport should be meeting 4 days a week, with kids that young, during the school year.....and this is coming from someone that is very much in favor of youth sports.

 

[RunningGirl]

My DS started flag football practice last night. His coach wants them to go to practice 2 hours(5-7) 4 days a week???!!! The other teams are not practicing this much. It was so hot yesterday. That just seems like a lot for a 6 year old. And for me!! Makes it hard to work, plan for dinner, do homework, take a bath...Leaves no time for anything else. He didn't even want to go back tonight! What do you guys think about this?

Way too much. My DS plays classic soccer and he only practices 3x a week and he's 12. I've always told him when it quits being fun it's time to step back. He still wants to go to practice every day. See bolded in your OP; that answers your concerns. It may not be too much for everyone, but it's too much for him.

 

[mjkacmom]

My ds6, this season, plays flag, soccer, and takes gymnastics once a week, tae kwon do twice a week, and yes, I think that is too much. Around here, flag football practice has maybe one hour practice a week, and even that ends when the time changes. At this age, sports have no more than one hour practice a week (and my boys are very into sports, and play most of them). I can't imagine turning them off so soon - I have never had a child not want to go to something.

 

[sms]

Thanks for all your replies. DS did not go back last night but said he wanted to give it another shot. I told him he didn't have to if he didn't want to. He played T-ball last year and loved it. We will try another practice and see how it goes. I'll let you know what happens!

 

[RadioNate]

My DS8 plays Flag Football. It is truly a recreational league.

The practice one night a week and about 1/2 hour before their game.