Help! Tough decision for DD. Update-Interview over!

[shirleyb]

The interview. If this is what she wants to do with her life, it's definitely more important, and congratulations to your DD for making it this far. My DS wants to go to Annapolis, he is a junior now, we'll be going through all of this next year.

 

[Independent]

He feels that she is putting herself before the team if she chooses to attend the interview.

And the coach is putting his selfish needs before the team. If he were any kind of coach, he would be encouraging his players to be the best they could be, on and off the field.

But he just wants to win and doesn't care about the ramifications it has on his players.

This shouldn't even be a question for your daughter. While she may be disappointed in missing the game, it is just a game. West Point is a bright and promising future. She should not give that up for a game, unless she is 100% sure she can make it as a professional soccer player or has another career goal that is just as important to her. Because as the other poster who deals with admissions said, if she skips this interview, she has basically made it next to impossible for herself to go to West Point or the other military schools. Basically, she would be telling the senator that she is not 100% committed to this goal.

A huge congratulations to your daughter for securing the conditional appointment! That is quite an accomplishment. You and your daughter should be very, very proud.

 

[Bob Slydell]

I have to agree with the others. She needs to go to the interview and hope that the coach will allow her to remain on the roster if they win on Saturday.

Good luck to your DD and good luck to the Lady Bears on Saturday. My neighbor's son is on the boys' varsity team this year and they're still pretty bummed out about losing in OT this year in the playoffs.

 

[Skatermom23]

Of course the interview is more important! I would also say a few words to the head of the athletic department about getting their priorities in order! What kind of message is this sending to the kids?

 

[Ziva]

Easy choice, the interview.

 

[RadioFanatic]

There is absolutely no question in my mind - the interview. And the coach already deserted her by dropping her to second string and then keeping her there. West Point is the future.

Is this a school soccer team? If so, the education administrator for the school may find it interesting that a team coach is holding back a student from pursuing her future education. Most schools pride themselves on what colleges, etc. their students attend after graduation and West Point would definitely be a feather in their bonnet, so to speak. I don't think the school would appreciate the coach hindering that process.

 

[allison443]

As a parent of a serious high school athlete, I say, she absolutely needs to go to the interview for West Point. Good luck to her!

 

[agnes!]

If this were a poll, the results would be staggering...100% vote for The Interview.

Also, I agree with the pps...the coach is an absloute putz (and that's the polite term). This bullying tactic, this threat needs to be taken up with the club Board or the school administration. Your DD is a STUDENT first and an ATHLETE second.

Btw, congrats on her getting the conditional appointment, that is quite an accomplishment. Your DD must be very special.

agnes!

 

[r3ngels]

One more... the interview.

West Point WOW we aren't talking an interview for Boonville Community College.

If the soccer coach doesn't play her, he really is a jerk and your daughter should know it-- he should not make her feel guilty.

 

[Saphire]

Wow, congratulations to your daughter for getting so far in the process of being appointed to West Point...what an honor! If the coach 'punishes' her for going to that interview, I would go to the authority above him and explain. He is displaying poor character and judgement, and should be reprimanded.

 

[momof2inPA]

She should go to the interview and drive down to see how much of the game she can catch. They might get started late.

You could call one of the other parents and see how much time is left.

 

[tkd lisa]

The interview! Unless the coach wants to foot her bill for 4 years of equivalent college!

 

[Hedy]

1. Congratulations to your daughter.
2. Were it anything else (even a "normal" college interview) I'd say your daughter's duty is to the team, but I'd say here, she should go for it. And I second reporting the coach.

 

[Hedy]

I'm presuming DD is a Senior, but I don't know these things-if she's concerned about not being able to put soccer on her resume, I'd tell her not to sweat it.

 

[mickeyfan2]

This one is easy. The interview.

 

[salmoneous]

Alternative answer: Skip the interview - play soccer.

It seems to me that the only people who are going to succeed at West Point are those people for whom it is a burning, all-consuming passion. If there is even the slightest bit of doubt in your daughter's mind about whether to skip her interview to sit on the bench at a soccer game, West Point might not be right for her.

Note: Hope this didn't come across as a knock on your daughter. If she got this far she must be very impressive. Congratulations.

 

[Royalbear]

Wow, thanks for all of your responses and kind words.

Momof2: the game location is 2 hours away from interview, so it's not likely we'll get there. Even if we did, playoff rules prohibit anyone not on roster to play and the coach is taking her off the roster for that game so he can put another player on the bench.

Salmoneous: Good point, but as my dd says, being in the Army is like being on the team, and the team always comes first. Will the interviewers think less of her because she chose to interview (self-interest) over the team (team player)?

My dh (a man of action, not angst like me) is going to call the coach and discuss with him (calmly, I hope) the possible ramifications of permanently removing my dd from the roster. (We are totally OK with him taking her off the roster for this game--maybe he can bring someone up who can kick great PK's or something) Thanks for the ideas about the AD and principal. We'll be contacting them if the coach can't be persuaded.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

She has a choice between her future and her past. I would choose the future. And shame on the soccer coach for making her feel bad about it!

I agree...what a great coach, NOT! Sounds like he thinks this is a great opportunity to get rid of her.

 

[mickeyboat]

I say definitely the interview. No question.

But while I think the coach is being less than understanding, I can see the point in taking your DD off the roster. For the one game in question, he would like to include someone else for the bench. That makes a lot of sense. For the rest of the season, it makes some sense, too. He would be asking another girl to change her plans, practice with the team and attend one game. Maybe after she has invested that time, and the team has, too, the "substitute" deserves to be on the team for the rest of the season. This is especially true if your daughter is in fact injured and can't play in the game anyway.

Maybe this would be the best choice for the team - and maybe it is a good way to explain it to the Army, and to her conscience.

Denae

 

[parrothead365]

As a coach myself I would send her to the interview with best wishes. I don't care if she was the first string keeper. Her future is more important than any game.