Student Grades

[Unregistered]

If everyone should be above average, why do they have letter grades? Why not just say you have to know X, pass if you do, fail if you don't. Sorry, but not everyone is the special snowflake. Some are the yellow snow and some are the melty mush. Trying to make kids something they aren't instead of getting them into a nice paying blue collar union job is why we have a bunch of depressed maniacs overburdened by worthless student loan debt that can't get a job while thousands of skilled jobs go unfilled.

ps. College soccer is rec ball that might pay for school. If you ain't pro by 15, you ain't going pro.

May be you are right, but...
Didier Drogba joined a soccer team at the age of 15........

[Unregistered]

The reason why we have a bunch of depressed maniacs overburdened by worthless student loan debt can be attributable to several factors. One being not focusing on school and therefore not being eligible for a scholarship. And another is the "I showed up so I deserve something." The reason why there are letter grades is so that aspiring kids can better themselves and distinguish themselves from those that just want to coast or expect something because they simply showed up.

But granted, you have to know your kid to know what they are capable of but the first step of that is not setting the bar low but high.

There will always be students with a C, if every student earned an A than we increase what is required to earn that A.

[Unregistered]

If everyone should be above average, why do they have letter grades? Why not just say you have to know X, pass if you do, fail if you don't. Sorry, but not everyone is the special snowflake. Some are the yellow snow and some are the melty mush. Trying to make kids something they aren't instead of getting them into a nice paying blue collar union job is why we have a bunch of depressed maniacs overburdened by worthless student loan debt that can't get a job while thousands of skilled jobs go unfilled.

ps. College soccer is rec ball that might pay for school. If you ain't pro by 15, you ain't going pro.

I agree that college soccer sucks and is low quality...I also agree that not everyone should go to college. not everyone is smart. its a bell curve... if your kid passes the fcat, that doesn't mean anything. your kid is likely average.

But, dude, your concept of being pro by 15 is ridiculous. if the standard for kids is Europe by 15 or bust, you'd have like 20 kids playing in the entire state. plus, just getting signed doesn't mean anything...a very common experience is to play in Europe in your teens and return to florida to find a job as a soccer coach...there is a lot to be said about playing soccer in college (scholarship or not) and earning an advanced degree in a area that will actually result in jobs (sorry, non humanities)...plus, you have to view this sport as a great way to obtain discipline and competitiveness, understand teamwork, values that translate no matter where your kids go and what they do.. that's what this sport is about ..
last, if you are one of those parents that has an 11 year old training to 9 pm 3 or 4 times a day, your priorities are warped.. find a lower intensity program and concentrate on your kids grades. once your kid hits 9th grade you will regret not instilling solid study habits early on ..

[Unregistered]

The question is why can't a child be capable of earning a 3.0 GPA. Most of the times, and I emphasize most of the times, it is because of attitudes like the one you are professing that keep kids from doing so (it's okay Johnny we know you are not smart or you can't get a B average in school). Does the child focus on academics as much as he does soccer? Is he hitting the books as often as kicking a soccer ball?

If you expect little you will receive little.

Sorry, but I was not professing any attitude, merely stating facts that were followed by my opinion.

Facts: There are children who have less than average IQs, do not have the ability to obtain a GPA equal to that which is supposed to be reserved for the top 25% of students and those children will not be attending college. Nonetheless, many of those children have other talents and a few of those children will become professional soccer players.

Opinion: No youth soccer club or coach should require any player to divulge his or her GPA unless that player is seeking assistance in the college soccer recruiting process.

The facts are not disputable and, because it can't possibly result in hurt feelings, I could care less what any other person thinks of my opinion.

[Unregistered]

Sorry, but I was not professing any attitude, merely stating facts that were followed by my opinion.

Facts: There are children who have less than average IQs, do not have the ability to obtain a GPA equal to that which is supposed to be reserved for the top 25% of students and those children will not be attending college. Nonetheless, many of those children have other talents and a few of those children will become professional soccer players.

Opinion: No youth soccer club or coach should require any player to divulge his or her GPA unless that player is seeking assistance in the college soccer recruiting process.

The facts are not disputable and, because it can't possibly result in hurt feelings, I could care less what any other person thinks of my opinion.

I'm with you. There needs to be a divide between school and club soccer/outside school activities. If school soccer I could see the need to maintain and show a 2.0, the same needed to get a diploma in HS. Kids are not playing soccer only to be a pro or for the college scholarship but because they love the game. Added benefits of soccer can be stress relief, social time, health and helping the brain study better.

[Unregistered]

There will always be students with a C, if every student earned an A than we increase what is required to earn that A.

Guess you've never heard of grade inflation. We're soccer parents. All of our kids are above average.

Right?

right?

[Unregistered]

Raise the Discourse!

Opinion: No youth soccer club or coach should require any player to divulge his or her GPA unless that player is seeking assistance in the college soccer recruiting process.

Thanks for the reasoned post.

Only word I have argument with is "unless." That to me establishes a timeline. Problem is that student's have a "cumulative" gpa. That 1st .5 credit in 9th gr has just as much weight as every .5 credit thereafter. So, if the question is not asked til the recruiting process begins (say 11th gr for argument) the gpa range for that individual is established.

I sure hope my daughter's coach talks about gpa with the whole group and asks as a part of his relationships. He can with my kid.

Thanks for the reasoned post.

[Unregistered]

last, if you are one of those parents that has an 11 year old training to 9 pm 3 or 4 times a day, your priorities are warped..

Absolutely. Only 1 9pm training session. If you keep setting the clock back to have more than 1 9pm session, they won't be rested for the 5am session.

[Unregistered]

Absolutely. Only 1 9pm training session. If you keep setting the clock back to have more than 1 9pm session, they won't be rested for the 5am session.

Had to relate because kid had a tournament,very next morning high school try out , then club that evening. then a morning HS try out. morning tryout time is 6:45 so up at 5:30 to eat. Are the grades fine?

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the reasoned post.

Only word I have argument with is "unless." That to me establishes a timeline. Problem is that student's have a "cumulative" gpa. That 1st .5 credit in 9th gr has just as much weight as every .5 credit thereafter. So, if the question is not asked til the recruiting process begins (say 11th gr for argument) the gpa range for that individual is established.

I sure hope my daughter's coach talks about gpa with the whole group and asks as a part of his relationships. He can with my kid.

Thanks for the reasoned post.

Talking and asking about grades does what? Pat on the back for Patti with AP courses and the 3.5. Pick up Katy's self esteem with her no advanced classes and a 2.85. The coach will make it all better. On this site too many coaches trying to manage the players soccer, school and personal schedules.

[Unregistered]

And that is exactly the point. There is so much mismanagement in some clubs, why would a parent want a coach managing a player's school and personal schedules in additional to soccer? They should try to stick to soccer and maybe get their own act together their first before trying to overstep into the player's personal lives.

[Unregistered]

Sorry, but I was not professing any attitude, merely stating facts that were followed by my opinion.

Facts: There are children who have less than average IQs, do not have the ability to obtain a GPA equal to that which is supposed to be reserved for the top 25% of students and those children will not be attending college. Nonetheless, many of those children have other talents and a few of those children will become professional soccer players.

Opinion: No youth soccer club or coach should require any player to divulge his or her GPA unless that player is seeking assistance in the college soccer recruiting process.

The facts are not disputable and, because it can't possibly result in hurt feelings, I could care less what any other person thinks of my opinion.

Sorry but if you can not get a 3.0 in Florida your kids just plain stupid but most likely does to study hard enough and has lousy parents. Take away the video games and kicks some ass and 3.0 in Florida or the US for that matter is easy.

[Unregistered]

And that is exactly the point. There is so much mismanagement in some clubs, why would a parent want a coach managing a player's school and personal schedules in additional to soccer? They should try to stick to soccer and maybe get their own act together their first before trying to overstep into the player's personal lives.

Because the success of the club depends on getting players, "Playing in college," and very little else. The sell is that we (the club) have this list of players that went on to play in college, and ignorant young parents with younger players think, "Wow!" Scholarship and division I or II, or even III. However, many will get no scholarship at all, and transfer to East Bum-F--- Egypt just to have this ridiculous claim to fame of, "My kid plays soccer in college!" At some flunky school where the tuition is through the roof!

[Unregistered]

GPA is important but not true they won't talk to you if not 3.0.

We went through the recruiting process and it is true. You see most schools have football programs and the graduation rates over 4 years is the worst in football. So the athletic department has to compensate and make sure the other programs, soccer, swimming tennis etc make up for the idiots in football.

[Unregistered]

Ok. If your kid aspires to play soccer in college, they will have to actually get into the school of their choice. Besides being a great player they will actually have to go to school. I don't think soccer has gotten to the point where it really brings in money. That is for football and basketball so the player better be able to be a good student as well. I don't know of a good d1 school that would even accept a3.0. And a 3.0 is an embarrassment. It is a good thing if clubs are requiring their player to be academically focused. How many players are really going to make it to college and then be able to graduate? To be a student athelete is a very hard goal.