Investing more time/money/energy in sports than academics?

“Are they training to become professional athletes?”

My European friend – who spends his summers in Old Saybrook – asked with genuine curiosity.

We were discussing some of his other Shoreline, CT friends.  He was perplexed.

“They spend their weekends driving to other states.  They must spend a fortune.”

“I love sports.

But he was right.  The combination of travel team costs beyond even the high cost of joining the team are exorbitant.  Travel costs alone – hotels/eating at restaurants/gas – can set parents back $5-10,000 in a year.

The time/energy required also comes at a cost.  Whatever time/energy your child/family “invest” in becoming a good player is time/energy not spent elsewhere.

In my career counseling work, I see the result: unemployed/underemployed young adults.   Most did not focus on high school.  Most did not have meaningful college choices and/or were not ready for college.

The work world is now global.  Doesn’t it make more sense to train your children to be ready for financial independence?

What about athletic recruitment?

In my observation of the Connecticut suburbs, parent pride becomes parent delusional.  Connecticut is a small state.  Towns such as Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Essex et al are small towns.  

Some time ago, I worked with a student who was one of the top soccer players that ever played in his small Connecticut town.   His parents firmly believed that he would receive a Division I scholarship.  I did not want to be the one to burst their bubble.  He was a smart kid.  I had worked with him while he was in middle school.  We then reconnected for college counseling.  His subpar grades came in part because his skills in academics had not been developed.  He lacked math foundations and his reading comprehension ability was seemingly the same as when I met him a few years ago.  He was not recruited. His parents both noted: we should have been investing in his education instead of his soccer.