Would you put your dc in a different h.s. because it had better sports program?

[Imzadi]

It has been widely researched and accepted that there are many different "intelligences" and different ways of learning other than the academic "book" learning in schools, which rely mainly on visual and audio skills.

A chef's intelligence, appitude & talent are gastronomic & smell related. They also have to be good with their hands. If they create their own recipes from scratch, they use their analytical abilites in terms of taste and combining ingredients.

One of your DD's intelligence and appitudes obviously is with her physical body. If you look at the greater picture beyond high school and continue to help her develop these skills, even if she never goes into any type of pro ball situation, she may likely move into a physically oriented career: teaching sports, physical therapy (especially if she is temporarily sidelined with an injury and realizes how important rehabilitation is,) mind/body centered therapies, martial arts teacher, rape counselor - focused on helping women reclaim their body image, empowerment coach, etc.

She is also learning the mental & social aspects of teamwork & commaraderie. Lessons of discipline and follow-thru with a goal and have wins. Lessons of defeat and picking oneself up again. She is also learning her actions affect others. She will also be among teammates who are her equal and will challenge her to grow. She will not be the the big (best) fish in a small pond. And again, if she is injured, she will learn patience & limitations. All these skills will empower her for a lifetime.

There is so much more to life and learning than book academics. If the school is on par academically, and there is no real hardship to the family, I say go for it!

As for the argument PP brought up as to whether DD will like her new school and make friends, I say that's not really valid. Most children grow up in a certain school district and don't get to pick their schools. Liking their school is irrelevent. They don't have a choice.

If DD is able to make friends at her old school. Then she has the skill to make new one. Children who move and are forced to go to a new school are forced to do the same.

Lastly, if she is physically sidelined or drops out, she will learn her actions and decisions have consequences. She chose that school. Life and the sport threw her a curve ball. Most of the time, you have to deal with what you were thrown and work with what you have. I wouldn't switch her back out unless it looks like she is really never likely to play anymore and it's better for all to switch her back.

 

[clovergirl5]

I'm not sure if you're using the term Travel Team interchangably with AAU.

But if not, then I would consider having your DD play on an AAU Girls Softball team. Most teams have probably had tryouts and formed teams already, but there may still be a few spots open that she could try out for. (Pitching ability is very desirable.)

Personally, I'd take that route before changing schools. She will get the level of play she desires and you won't have to make the sacrifices involved in such a drastic change. Best of both worlds. (You will still be traveling a lot.)

http://www.aauofmichigan.com/Sport_pages/Girls_Softball/GIRLS_SOFTBALL.htm

What exactly is this? I checked out the link but it really doesn't explain what it is. I have never heard of it. Thank you

 

[Uuaww]

And dont talk about not getting potential scholarships becaus ethe rest of the team is not up to par. If your daughter is good enough for a scholarship...they will find her.

Completely true, we were 0-10 my senior year and I was recruited for football. Granted I was the punter and got a lot of opportunities to play haha.

 

[clovergirl5]

On the friends issue at the new school, she already has at least 6 friends there now--her travel teammates. A couple of her coaches, coach volleyball too and that is another sport she plays.

I see everyones points and ideas and new info that I wasn't aware of. Its alot to think about and make a decision. Its exciting but scary too. dd is very excited just to play ball. She really wants to be able to be competitive with it. She gets talked up alot from her 3 coaches and the rec ball through her school now, those parents that have seen her play and improve so much in the last year. They want her when/if they start this new travel team. Also the parents from her travel team now. It has really boosted her self esteem, not that she had a problem with it, just its always nice to be recognized from someone other than your parents for a good job at something lol.
Well see...don't know what we are going to do. It was joked about a few weeks ago between me and her coaches and on Sat. her coaches were serious when they talked to dh about it, so its something that was just brought to us, we haven't given it alot of thought yet. Alot of stuff to consider and I appreciate all the imput. to everyone!

 

[luvsJack]

When DS was in hs we considered changing schools because of baseball. It wasn't about one team being better than the other but about the coach being more established and better connected. We chose not to, but other parents did choose to change schools. It was a hardship for these families (an out of district tuition had to be paid to the school he went to) and none of them ended up with a scholarship or even playing ball in college at all.

Now, neither ds nor any of his teammates played on any travel teams or elite teams or any thing else other than Dixie Youth/Boys/Majors All Stars each year. No one at his hs played on any type of team but these either. BUT, we had recruiters all the time. Several colleges and two pro teams sent recruiters out to watch our games and we were in no way a great hs ball team (bad coaching but had very talented players). Their names got out there because of summer league and local coaches knowing their names and abilities. So it is not entirely true that you have to play on elite, costly teams for your child to be seen. If there is enough talent, they will come to an out of the way ball field beside a cow pasture in south Mississippi--we are living proof of that!!

OP, every situation is going to be different and you have to make the best decision for your family. I don't think I would do it if it meant making any of my other kids sacrifice anything--that just wouldn't be fair. But, with all other things being equal, I would change a child's school for a better sports program.

 

[disney1990]

A little background...dd13 has been playing softball since she was 5 on rec teams through our school district. Last year when she was 12, she tried out for a travel team that is out of a city 1/2 hour away from us. She made it and has is going on her second year with them. She is a fastpitch pitcher and centerfield.

I take her every weekend to a 2-3 hr practice at the h.s. of the city thats 1/2 hr away. No big deal. There are 5 girls from this school district on the same travel team as dd, so they will all be playing jv or varsity ball together once they all reach h.s. (they are currently a year behind dd).

The school district that dd is in right now, is trying to organize a travel team. The girls are dd's schoolmates but do not play year round and are not up to the same level of play that dd is. The guys trying to put together the team keeps asking for dd to be part of it, but for her, we feel it would be taking a step backwards in the level of play. She is already in her 2nd year of travel ball which is tournaments and practice year round, not just rec in the summer.

She starts h.s. next year and we have heard our h.s. softball teams aren't good at all. 2 games won out of 20.

Dh and I are considering switching dd to the other city's school district where 5 of her teammates are already. Once they all get to h.s. and are on the same school team, they will be very good and hopefully state championships and scholarships.

Dd is for the switch too. But that means one dd in a different school district than other 4 dc. Or we could just switch them all over. But then I would have to bring everybody to and from school everyday again. Just to mention, dd9 is also on the 10u travel team for the same city and team as dd13, so I drive her to and from practice in that city every weekend too.

Has anyone experienced something like this or heard of anyone that has? Its a big step.

Please keep it nice, thanks in advance.

Where we live, you child can only go to their ASSIGNED school.

 

[castleview]

On the friends issue at the new school, she already has at least 6 friends there now--her travel teammates. A couple of her coaches, coach volleyball too and that is another sport she plays.

I see everyones points and ideas and new info that I wasn't aware of. Its alot to think about and make a decision. Its exciting but scary too. dd is very excited just to play ball. She really wants to be able to be competitive with it. She gets talked up alot from her 3 coaches and the rec ball through her school now, those parents that have seen her play and improve so much in the last year. They want her when/if they start this new travel team. Also the parents from her travel team now. It has really boosted her self esteem, not that she had a problem with it, just its always nice to be recognized from someone other than your parents for a good job at something lol.
Well see...don't know what we are going to do. It was joked about a few weeks ago between me and her coaches and on Sat. her coaches were serious when they talked to dh about it, so its something that was just brought to us, we haven't given it alot of thought yet. Alot of stuff to consider and I appreciate all the imput. to everyone!

OP, I judge high school gymnastics and I always see girls who are way better than their teammates (yes in high school, even gymnastics is a team event). These girls still compete at the JO or AAU level while competing for their high school team. This is their chance to be a leader and standout player. I would take Pea-n-Me's advice and find another program to keep boosting your daughter's level of play while letting her be a star at her high school.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Short answer? Yes.

My DS doesn't play sports. He plays drums and does theater.
He is in 8th grade. His assigned high school does NOT have a strong drum line OR a strong drama program. Would we consider switching him to another school? YOU BET!

He is going to audition for the Arts magnet high school for Theater. If he gets in I will be THRILLED!!! It is a smaller campus with MUCH higher test scores, academics, graduation rates, etc. In ALL areas it makes our assigned school look pretty sad.

If he doesn't get in would we consider moving? YOU BET! There is another school not too far from us with an OUTSTANDING drum line. But it is in another district. We would absolutely move to the other district so he could go to that school. The academics are no worse than our assigned school, and the music program is much stronger.

If my DS played sports I would come at it from the same angle. But he is our only child, so we don't have any other children to consider when we make these decisions.

 

[clovergirl5]

When DS was in hs we considered changing schools because of baseball. It wasn't about one team being better than the other but about the coach being more established and better connected. We chose not to, but other parents did choose to change schools. It was a hardship for these families (an out of district tuition had to be paid to the school he went to) and none of them ended up with a scholarship or even playing ball in college at all.

Now, neither ds nor any of his teammates played on any travel teams or elite teams or any thing else other than Dixie Youth/Boys/Majors All Stars each year. No one at his hs played on any type of team but these either. BUT, we had recruiters all the time. Several colleges and two pro teams sent recruiters out to watch our games and we were in no way a great hs ball team (bad coaching but had very talented players). Their names got out there because of summer league and local coaches knowing their names and abilities. So it is not entirely true that you have to play on elite, costly teams for your child to be seen. If there is enough talent, they will come to an out of the way ball field beside a cow pasture in south Mississippi--we are living proof of that!!
OP, every situation is going to be different and you have to make the best decision for your family. I don't think I would do it if it meant making any of my other kids sacrifice anything--that just wouldn't be fair. But, with all other things being equal, I would change a child's school for a better sports program.

Thats funny!
Im starting to kinda lean towards her staying where she's at because like you and a few other pp have said, she will be seen whether its in travel or h.s. games. It would be great for many of her travel teammates to play together for h.s. but as so many pointed out, there are other things to think about to. She is pretty easy going about the whole thing. She wants to do whatever dh and I want to do. Right now she is the top pitcher in her school among all the girls that play sb in her age group. And she is the only one out of all those girls to be playing year round. So she is in a good position where she is at now. People are saying that she will probably make the varsity team as a freshman next year.

You don't know how much I appreciate all the poster for the different scenerios and problems to think about. It really helps to see alot of different peoples take on things and ways of looking at things differently than you. It puts things into perspective a little better. again everyone.

 

[clovergirl5]

OP, I judge high school gymnastics and I always see girls who are way better than their teammates (yes in high school, even gymnastics is a team event). These girls still compete at the JO or AAU level while competing for their high school team. This is their chance to be a leader and standout player. I would take Pea-n-Me's advice and find another program to keep boosting your daughter's level of play while letting her be a star at her high school.

Thank you, thats kinda what Im starting to think too. I think I can convince dh of this. Im sure he hasn't thought of all these different things to contend with.

 

[clovergirl5]

Short answer? Yes.

My DS doesn't play sports. He plays drums and does theater.
He is in 8th grade. His assigned high school does NOT have a strong drum line OR a strong drama program. Would we consider switching him to another school? YOU BET!

He is going to audition for the Arts magnet high school for Theater. If he gets in I will be THRILLED!!! It is a smaller campus with MUCH higher test scores, academics, graduation rates, etc. In ALL areas it makes our assigned school look pretty sad.

If he doesn't get in would we consider moving? YOU BET! There is another school not too far from us with an OUTSTANDING drum line. But it is in another district. We would absolutely move to the other district so he could go to that school. The academics are no worse than our assigned school, and the music program is much stronger.If my DS played sports I would come at it from the same angle. But he is our only child, so we don't have any other children to consider when we make these decisions.

Thats great! Good luck to him...both fingers crossed

 

[golfgal]

Completely true, we were 0-10 my senior year and I was recruited for football. Granted I was the punter and got a lot of opportunities to play haha.

We have had several girls get DI soccer scholarships from our school the past few years and they have only won a few games each year. One girl NEVER played on ANY elite teams, played on a local "travel" team but that means they traveled locally, not nationally--their long trip was 30 miles away. She is the DD of some good friends of ours. Another girl played locally as well and got invited to play for the US National Team last year as a sophomore in high school. Word gets around, she is being HIGHLY recruited this year (as they can't start recruiting until the end of your junior season). Don't let anyone tell you you NEED to compete nationally to get recruited.

We just had a girl from our high school swim team sign a DI scholarship for swimming--again, swims locally but not on any elite teams.

We had an athlete that was on our basketball team several years ago that got recruited by a lot of MAJOR DI Volleyball programs like Duke, NC and about a dozen others. She ended up playing in Missouri and was the DI rookie of the year, player of the year a few times and Sport Illustrated Player of the year one year. She got recruited after playing in the state tournament. The high school she came from has a tradition of winning and produces several scholarship athletes every year so coaches around the country pay attention to this team.

Our DD is only in 9th grade, never played on a national anything, yet when we are at various high school or summer golf tournaments all of the college coaches that are there watching know who she is, what school she goes to and when she graduates. They can't talk to her yet but they will talk to us. I was playing in a tournament and got paired up with a college golf coach. We got to talking and found out I lived where were do. She asked me if I happened to know this 8th grader they have on the high school golf team--I laughed and said that she was my DD. Trust me, if they are looking, they will find the talent they want.

If your high school coach does a good job marketing his/her athletes they WILL get noticed.

 

[AristocatFan]

Nope. Sports are short term. Education sets their career path for the rest of their lives. Plus teenagers are fickle. It just takes one fight with a friend or one coach they don't like for them not to want to play anymore.

 

[DisnyMama]

I know of two different families who took their HS sons out of their home school and transferred them to popular high achieving schools with great baseball teams. Both these boys are now playing college baseball.....Community College Baseball!

 

[shortbun]

First check eligibility rules for transfers. Then, if all else is equal and your child is willing, why not? These days, extra activities and succeeding in them together with good grades is the ticket to many colleges' acceptance. My friend's son was a B-C student but a stellar pitcher and a starter in basketball. Those two things, his personality and decent test scores got him admitted and pursued by three small but good colleges. I say the key to high school is keeping a child happy, balanced and turning their work in. Any smart parent can add to the academics with travel, current events, parental involvement and love. Do what is best for your daughter.

 

[KAMLEM]

I would take Pea-n-Me's advice and find another program to keep boosting your daughter's level of play while letting her be a star at her high school.

I don't know about softball, but with soccer you cannot play for a club team while you are playing for the high school team, it's not allowed. You can play off season, but not during the season.

 

[jrmasm]

I don't know about softball, but with soccer you cannot play for a club team while you are playing for the high school team, it's not allowed. You can play off season, but not during the season.

That is not the rule here and it leads to some major conflicts!

 

[clovergirl5]

I don't know about softball, but with soccer you cannot play for a club team while you are playing for the high school team, it's not allowed. You can play off season, but not during the season.

Yes, I mentioned that in pp. She would be able to play but not during h.s. softball season.

Just wanted to add that with "travel" ball that she is in, we travel out of state and coach plans on taking them to nationals next year. We don't just travel locally. We have 2 overnights coming up in Feb. in another state. I heard an all nighter tournament coming up too. That should be fun

 

[castleview]

I don't know about softball, but with soccer you cannot play for a club team while you are playing for the high school team, it's not allowed. You can play off season, but not during the season.

I know what you mean and most gymnasts either don't compete JO during hs season or they allow themselves only two meets a week. I know that won't work with other sports. Still, high school season only lasts a few months. OP's DD has the rest of the year to play "higher level" softball.

My concerns would be that her only friends at this school would be teammates. If OP's daughter were to stop playing for whatever reason, she would have no connection to the new school.

 

[bgirl29]

I didn't realize that...Another thing is I guess when they play on a h.s. team, they can't play for a travel team. They can only practice with the travel team. The only time they can play in a game for a travel team is when it isn't softball season. I beleive I was told March starts the h.s. practices. Once h.s. softball season is done, girls can start up travel again. Don't know how well thats gonna work out.

I also live in southwest MI. Have you thought about a private school for your DD. I know many soccer players that go to christian schools here and they are allowed to play for their travel team at the same time as their school team. My DD goes to public school and we have friends whose children are at christian schools and they comment about how well the private schools girls are doing and in my head I am always thinking, well if we could play year round too it would even the playing field. Just thought that could be another option for you.