Do your kids have sports games on holidays?

[limabean]

My DS isn't even 3, but for some reason I've always had some (probably irrational) anxiety over this issue. DH wants to put DS in soccer in a couple of years, and I'm fine with that, except that I know that lots of soccer leagues (and I'm terribly ignorant on what city leagues versus school leagues, etc. are like) have games on major holidays like Thanksgiving.

To me, that's a day to visit with extended family at home, not a day to be hussling around town (or even out of town) for a soccer game.

So I guess my question is -- is there a way to be involved in soccer or other sports and not have it dominate life to the extent that it interferes with family holidays?

I'm sorry if I sound totally ignorant or selfish here -- my brother only played soccer for a couple of years and I never did, so I'm sort of clueless about this, and I definitely need time (years, apparently, since I'm asking this question so early ) to adjust (I almost wrote "grieve," but I guess that's a little dramatic) if I'm going to have to start spending my Thanksgivings in some hotel instead of gathered around the table with extended family.

[oldgirl,newtricks]

Little kids games and seasons are pretty short. I can't image why you would end up in some hotel room over a holiday? Especially for soccer for a littly guy. Why don't you call up your local sports programs and see what their schedules are in your area?

We have Sat. morning soccer available in the winter and in the summer it usually lasts for six weeks or so. Families which get really serious and spend huge bucks on sports may end up traveling, but those aren't the recreational leagues.

Pick up the phone and see what's happening in your area.

[sevenkids]

We've never had a game scheduled on a holiday in 8 years of sports.

[<~*MamaRose*~>]

Originally Posted by sevenkids

We've never had a game scheduled on a holiday in 8 years of sports.

:

[limabean]

Oldgirl,newtricks: Sorry, I wasn't very clear in my OP -- I'm worried about when he's an older kid/teen (that's why I posted in this forum), not the toddler/little kid leagues -- I figured those wouldn't travel much.

My younger SIL seemed to have a rather intense soccer schedule when she in high school, that involved out-of-state travel, holiday games, etc. It freaked me out, thinking that's what having a kid in sports is like. Good to know that's not always the case.

[<~*MamaRose*~>]

Limabean~ Your concerns are valid LOL, I didn't enroll either of the boys in hockey to avoid a potentially crazy practice times and game schedules not to mention cost.

Also, who knows maybe your son won't even be interested in later year sports anyway. I'd enroll in the soccer when the time comes and just see where it goes but honestly the only craziness I've heard of really kicks in in the later years.

[tnrsmom]

My son's have both played rec soccer for a number of years. We never had anything scheduled other than weekly games for 8 weeks (spring and fall). They have moved up to select and premier this year and will have a much higher chance of being at tournaments now. My oldest son's coach does not like playing on holidays though so I have gotten lucky there.

[CarrieMF]

Here Hockey is often played on some holidays. It is nothing for them to be using some of their christmas holidays travelling for games & tournaments. Now there is no games on the 24th, 25th, 26th, but the other days can be scheduled. Our Thanksgiving(oct) is a little early but there have been tournaments. Over Easter they're often gone for tournaments.

Judo is another one where they have been.

The rest usually aren't.

Anything we did that was through the school never had stuff going on during holidays. If the school was on break, so was the sport.

[smillerhouse]

Travel teams do. My daughter , age14 hAD A VOLLEYBALL GAME LAST eASTER IN aTLANTA. I chose to have her wait til sh was 8.5 to start doing rec sports and 13.5 to do travel. There are options. My so nplayed travel soccer fo r3 years, age 11-13. I liked that with rec. they could try diferent sports. We did travel as a family,with this past club vball season it meant greater expense so we could get suites to accomodate 16 year old son who I was not comfortable leaving alone. The scoohls here di dnot get middle school sports till last year. I chose for her not to do these (we homeschool) and she will do JV August 13. It is a lot of disruption to family. This week she has spent 32 hours at a vball camp.
I will choose a trvel team that does not require as much out of town trvel.Her team had 11tourneys -all involved at least one night in hotel. There are teams thati tis gone for the day.It depends on the goal-Cara wants to get a schlorship to divison2 school(college) If she makes the ultra competitve team -itould mean outof statetrvel butshe will be 15 by then. To me, highschool is the age to be doing this. Anotherthin abit yhe elite sports, all involve extra workng out-this means gym membershipand transportatin to gym3 saysa week. Practices are nearly everyday. I am insisting a several family vacations a year. Sallie

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by limabean

My younger SIL seemed to have a rather intense soccer schedule when she in high school, that involved out-of-state travel, holiday games, etc. It freaked me out, thinking that's what having a kid in sports is like. Good to know that's not always the case.

There are many, many options in any sport. My kids are swimmers, and are on a competive, traveling swim team. Because swimming is primarily an individual sport, we can decide to attend, or not, any meet. A true team sport where you team mates are counting on you to attend would be different.

We went to a meet July 4th weekend, and we really enjoyed it. Being supportive of our kids activities is what we are about right now. We are spending time together as a family while we go to swim meets.

We could do swimming strictly locally, if we wanted to, but the travel is fun for my kids.

With things like soccer, you can get all the information about the team before signing up. Any place other than a VERY small town will have multiple options. The more serious the team, the more likely it is to have travel, to cost more money, and take up more time. So part of it really comes down to if your child wants to play intensly at a high level (not all kids do), and if you want to be supportive of your child playing intensly at a high level.

[Alkenny]

Never had any games, from kindergarten on up, on a holiday.