Kid's sports are outrageous these days.

[Drama Queen]

My daughter is on a 7th-8th grade track team and it's treated by their coaches as a introductory type thing... no intensive technique training, etc.

Anyway, a couple of parents also send their kids to train with HS coaches. They talk about scholarship money and all of that intense stuff. WTF? They are in middle school.

I asked some of the parents if they signed up for the FL college prepay plan (affordable and from all appearances, they can afford it) and the answers... no. It's like these parents are ... balls to the wall for a scholarship or bust. That pressure probably gets passed on to the kids.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/when-a-volleyball-player-was-benched-her-parents-sued/ar-AAahXzw

[Bardy]

It is what it is . . .

We have boys lax players in my town with college commitments already - they are freshman and got the commitment without even playing a single HS game yet. Not talking about crappy programs either - Top 10 LAX programs.

Welcome to the new world of youth sports.

[Drama Queen]

The commitments include scholarships, too?

[Bardy]

Yup. It's insane. The son of my good friend is a freshman and is being "recruited" by every program out there already - apparently even the IVY's.

I think it's nuts, but it's definitelty out there.

We have a freshman boy and girl both with full commitments to U of Denver for boys/girls lax.

[Drama Queen]

I just called IMG academy in Bradenton! My daughter is all signed up! Wait until she gets back from school today. Can't wait tosee the surprise on her face!!

[nor'easter]

Don't get me started...

Because LAX is the new 'it' sport, there's a lot of college programs that are starting up in the Midwest and West and parents are definitely seeing it as an avenue to scholarship and financial aid money. There are also the lacrosse clubs sprouting up, much like the soccer clubs, that for a $1000 in fees and travel to weekend events tell parents that's where their kids will get 'discovered.'

What disgusts me is some of these club and high school coaches basically want their star players to commit to just the one sport year 'round. Then we wonder why 23 year olds need Tommy John surgery and the number of girls ACL injuries is off the charts. There's no cross training, they are playing and practicing constantly and I believe it's interfering with bone and muscle growth.

but hey, what's a blown ACL or Achilles when you can join Chip's Blue Cross/Blue Shield All Stars.

Thanks, rant over.

[Big Little]

My fiancee coaches 13 y/o club volleyball, it is insane how these parents act. I would not be surprised to see one of those crazy 'rents sue about their daughters not getting playing time.

However she was on a full ride to a private college for volleyball, got an MBA and zero debt so I understand why parents are acting they way they are, it is the new golden ticket.

For some it pays off, my cousin has just committed to UNC for baseball, as a lefty with a 94 mph fastball!

Nice write up on him in Philly.com

http://mobile.philly.com/sports/high_school/?wss=/philly/sports/high_school/pennsylvania/&id=297825931

[Bardy]

I just called IMG academy in Bradenton! My daughter is all signed up! Wait until she gets back from school today. Can't wait tosee the surprise on her face!!

You joke, but two lax boys from my town are repeating 8th grade at IMG right now before they come back as redshirts for high school.

Weirdest part as most of these kids come from wealthy families and don't need the scholarship anyway. It's as much about ego as it is money.

[Drama Queen]

IMG use to be just about tennis. Its crazy to see what it has evolved into...

Red shirted 8th graders? How crazy is that?

[Drama Queen]

Many spend "college money" for travel teams and get no scholarships. Lot of it is parent's egos and reliving their youth. It's fun to go to the tack events... I can see how parents get sucked in.

[Mt Iggle]

Thanks for that info.
I had no idea this was happening. Very interesting.
It is different living in a Blue Collar world.

[Drama Queen]

Yeah, it use to be NY and NJ kids getting scholarships to the few LAX schools in the mid Atlantic and NE colleges 25 years ago. People caught on...

[Susquehanna Birder]

Back in the late 70s, a bunch of guys in my HS formed an unofficial lacrosse club. They competed with other schools' unofficial clubs, and they had a blast. The funny thing is they did it partly because they enjoyed being out of the mainstream, sports wise.

[txeaglefan]

My niece was a highly rated tennis player. As a youngster, she traveled across the nation playing in all of the top tournaments. Luckily for her, she came from a family that could afford to send her to the best coaches and training facilities.

She eventually was awarded a full tennis scholarship to a D-1 school. However, she gave up the scholarship in her sophomore year. Her reason? She said she was tired of the pressures, the NCAA restrictions and was burnt out. Tennis was no longer fun for her

[McCarthy12]

That's insane. It used to be you'd do a PG year at Peddie or Lawrencville if you were really good but needed to wait a year.

The head coach at Westfield (I think he is still there) was a client of mine. Really good guy. Glad the program is doing well. It's still not Summit, but...