Just Curious - does your Middle School cut?

[Lilacs4Me]

Just curious - does your kids's middle school hold tryouts for sports, and do they cut?

Ours does, and it's a relatively small school - about 350 kids for 6th/7th/8th. I never thought anything of it until I was talking to my sister. Both my kids have been cut - DS15, in 8th grade, for a sport that he never played before but thought it would be fun (so I wasn't holding out hope he'd make it anyway LOL), and DD was cut this past winter for a sport that she is familiar with, but does a different version of, competition-wise. No big shakes - she didn't seem very bothered by being cut.

So, I was telling my sister this, and she expressed great surprise that a middle school would cut kids from a team. Her kids' middle school will take anyone interested, then plans teams accordingly. I was kind of surprised at that....cuts have always happened here. And it makes sense for some sports like basketball and cheerleading, where there are only so many players on the court/etc at a time, and only so many uniforms.

But today I look at DD's snnouncements (they send them in an email blast a few times a week in efforts to save paper) and there is an announcement for track and field tryouts. Now, DS15 did track last year in high school and I know for a fact that they took every kid or he would not have made it! LOL He is a defensive end/o-lineman for the football team - linemen are never track stars! But in MIDDLE SCHOOL, the kids have to try out for track??!! Track seemed to always be the last holdout as a "no-cut" sport, for some reason.

So, thoughts? Is it GOOD for kids to get cut from teams in 6th grade, or should they all get a chance to try new sports before high school? Or is that "old-school" thinking now that sports specialization starts at such a young age?

 

[pryncess527]

I don't have kids in Middle school, but when I was a kid in Middle School our teams did not cut. That was reserved for high school. Middle school gave everyone a chance to explore and see what they liked and were good at without the pressure of cutting. I think that made sense. I'm not a fan of the "everybody gets a trophy" mentality that people hate around here so much, but I also think too much emphasis on competition at an early age is unhealthy.
Sports specialization does start earlier -- with some families -- but there are still a ton who don't get involved in rec leagues and middle school is the first exposure.

I'll also add that, even with no-cut, the stars rose to the top with more playing time. Being guaranteed a spot on the team did not mean you'd be guaranteed play time at a game, but you would get practice, skill development, and exposure to the sport.

 

[georgina]

Yep, my kids' middle school cut. DD tried out for softball in both 7th and 8th grade and was cut both times. The 7th grade one bothered me, as they had 21 kids try out and cut 4. She would have been happy to be able to practice with the team and improve, even if she didn't get to play in games. Gotta admire her persistence; she tried out in 9th grade for the HS team (they have JV and Varsity) and was cut again. Thankfully she switched to field hockey, which was a brand new sport for our school so no cuts!

 

[Disneylover99]

Middle school here is grades 7 and 8. Yes, kids get cut.

Elementary school is grades 1-6. Kids in all grades try out for track and field, but only a few make it. Sports teams where there are cuts occur in grades 4-6.

 

[Jdbsfw]

Football-no, we had an "A" and "B" team in 8th and 9th grade, 7th grade we had 4 teams, 2 teams were for players over 100lbs and 2 teams for less than 100lbs, regardless of talent level.
Basketball and track were tryout sports, if you didn't make the team you competed in cross country during basketball and "off season football" instead of track.
No such thing in Texas as playing baseball for a Jr high or middle school team (at least not 20 years ago) and I'm not sure about the girl's but Volleyball, track, and basketball were likely all "tryout" sports for them

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

No cuts at our Middle School. My ds14 is a freshman, so just out of middle school. When ds was in 7th grade, he decided he wanted to play basketball after never having played it as an organized sport (even though we asked him EVERY year since 3rd grade if he wanted to play and our dd10-5th grade has been playing since 3rd grade.) He's an athletic kid (baseball and cross country are his main sports,) so he did pretty well and enjoyed it, but decided it wasn't his thing. I'm glad they don't cut or he wouldn't have had that opportunity to try it out. That's what middle school sports kind of allow for - kids to try them out if they haven't before. Like someone else said upthread, they may have an A and B team, but at least they all get to try!

 

[Vernie822]

Our school was 7th-8th, maybe 800-900 kids. We did get cut from teams.

Cheerleading always cut girls unfortunately because like you said, not enough uniforms! I remember not making it in 2nd grade, HOW do you even judge at that point!? Lol.

 

[aprilchem]

I don't know about middle school, but my 11 year old nephew was on our local Parks and Rec basketball team this year and they had BOTH a draft and cuts. I was shocked. He is in the 5th grade.

 

[lillygator]

my daughter is in middle school and it used to only by 7th and 8th could try out, this year they opened it up to 6th as well. She tried out for the track team along with like 75 kids and only 30 something made it (she made it) and they have cuts for volleyball and basketball as well. now for rec leagues like her softball, they take everyone and then place them as they see fit, same with all star cheerleading.

 

[lillygator]

I don't believe in the everyone should make the team, everyone gets a trophy mentality.

 

[pumpkinmomma]

Ours does, depending on the sport. They used to try to have A & B teams when they could, but they no longer have the budgets to support extra teams.

 

[jen0610]

For our school, football and track were the only two that weren't cut sports. For football, it was due to the number of players they wanted to carry on the team, a sub for every position, you may make the team, but your playing time, unless you are very talented, is limited to minimal and riding the bench.

Now with track, due to the shear number of options open - long jump, high jump, shot putt, discus, all the different distance races, then the relays, then hurdles, the coaches said they could find a fit for any kid that wanted to participate. My tall skinny kid HATES running, but he was pretty awesome at high jump. His one and only thing in track that he wanted to do and was good at.

But for everything team activity - including show choir, dance team, and cheerleading - you try out and when wait for the list of those that made it.

 

[luvsJack]

I don't believe in everyone gets a trophy but I do think that middle school should be a time to let kids try different sports without the worry of being cut. It helps build their confidence for high school when cuts are made.

Not all kids get to play sports before they start playing in school so they need to be able to start somewhere.

 

[Disneylover99]

I don't believe in the everyone should make the team, everyone gets a trophy mentality.

Agreed. My son is in grade seven and has tried out for every sports team offered since grade four. I think he made it onto one team. But he enjoys trying out and there are a variety of other clubs he can and does join.

 

[jrmasm]

Depends on the sport. Soccer yes, track no.

 

[Hikergirl]

Yes, our middle school cuts. My ds made it through the first round of cuts for soccer but not the last. The coach told him what to improve on and if he did he'd make the team next year for sure.
He is trying out for track this month, I don't think he'll get cut but who knows.
I do like how the soccer coach handled the cuts, my ds didn't really care that he didn't make the team but he plays travel soccer so he knows there is always a chance at not making the team. The coach gave him some advice and I know he'll work on what he needs too if he wants on the team bad enough.
There were a few boys leaving in tears, I wonder if they have never tried out for a team before.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

Yes, our middle school cuts. My ds made it through the first round of cuts for soccer but not the last. The coach told him what to improve on and if he did he'd make the team next year for sure.
He is trying out for track this month, I don't think he'll get cut but who knows.
I do like how the soccer coach handled the cuts, my ds didn't really care that he didn't make the team but he plays travel soccer so he knows there is always a chance at not making the team. The coach gave him some advice and I know he'll work on what he needs too if he wants on the team bad enough.
There were a few boys leaving in tears, I wonder if they have never tried out for a team before.

Some people cry when they don't make things, even if they have done a lot of trying out for teams. It's not really a big deal. They were disappointed, and probably got really excited about the prospect of being on a team.

 

[Neesy228]

I don't believe in everyone gets a trophy but I do think that middle school should be a time to let kids try different sports without the worry of being cut. It helps build their confidence for high school when cuts are made.

Not all kids get to play sports before they start playing in school so they need to be able to start somewhere.

I agree 100%.

Our middle school (6th thru 8th grades) do cut for sports teams and I find it frustrating. Some of these kids just want to learn to play the game or get better at the game. Then they run into the adults that are sending the "you're not good enough" message. I don't see any reason why they couldn't let all of the kids that try out for the team at least practice with the team. Not everyone has to play in every (or any) game and not everyone has to get a trophy, but I do believe that everyone should at least be able to learn! Especially at this age.

 

[Hikergirl]

Some people cry when they don't make things, even if they have done a lot of trying out for teams. It's not really a big deal. They were disappointed, and probably got really excited about the prospect of being on a team.

True, but I still wonder, its a valid question.

 

[shoney]

Yes they do cut. My son was cut from the track team in 8th grade. Even though he played travel soccer (B) league, he knew he would never make the team so he didn't even try.