Waterskiing and kids sports

[ScarletArrow]

Well, it's that time of year - my kids are back in school, and soccer (son) and gymnastics (daughter) are in full swing.

 

My son has practice on Monday's and Wednesday's at 5:30, games on Saturday.

 

My daughter has practice on Tuesday's, Thursday's at 5:00 and Saturday's at 9:00.

 

Needless to say, that really challenges the ski schedule - and my wife isn't too keen on me driving to the lake 2 - 3x a week to ski while she has to run the kids around to practice, help with homework and dinner prep.

 

How do you guys find balance with your skiing and the demands of your kids schedule?

 

[ForrestGump]

It's of no help to you, but I just didn't have kids. :) Me, me, me, me, me!

[The_MS]

I am not sure what I would do but I do know that if I dont ski, I would be a very cranky dad and not fun to be around.

[thager]

@ShaneH Somehow that's a good thing! Can't wait for the door bell to ring and someone you've never met says "Are you Shane? You're my Dad?"

[oldjeep]

Thankfully one of the 2 that still lives at home has a car. But with Cross country practice and soccer practice being just about every day from mid Aug on, we have to sneak in our boating trips when we can. Luckily my FIL likes to ski at 7AM, which is well before any of the days activities start.

[kmenard]

As much as it hurts...I have been grabbing a weekend ski at 6am. During the week I have M & Thu ski at 6pm and I bring one of the kids with me.

[LeSkiAvantTout]

Frankly family (and lack of grief from them) trumps skiing, so I'm once a week at best. But hey 41 off is over-rated anyway :)

 

Good topic.

[The_MS]

@LeSkiAvantTout A family that skis together, stays together.

[jimbrake]

@ScarletArrow - our family is in the same predicament. It's just a major juggling act and fortunately my wife supports our skiing. Both of my boys love to ski and compete, but both have other sports year round. 14yo has polevault on Mon and Wed and 16 yo has club volleyball practice on Tues and Thurs and scrimmages and tournaments start this weekend. All that plus major homework. Fri night is a definite ski night, then both days on the weekends when possible. Some evenings after work, like last night, I'll take one that is free to the lake, but not the other. It's a bit crazy, but I love all of it and the other sports may end up being college sports so we are trying to do them the "right" way. Oh, and we eat dinner really late most nights.

[Jordan]

Son plays AAA hockey, daughter is a competitive figure skater. Once September comes, my skiing is essentially over for the year.

 

So, don't ask me. ;-)

[jwr]

I say screw the kids. If they wanted to practice a sport, they should have picked skiing, or a winter sport. I was skiing before they were born. They knew the deal.

[crashman]

My kids do spring and fall soccer, winter basketball and tennis. Summertime weekend sports that do not involve a boat are prohibited at the crashman household.

[xrated]

My kids aren't old enough for sports yet...but in theory they will be to hooked on lake time to choose something else. That and dirt bikes I hope will save me from the suffering of soccer, etc.

[jimbrake]

When kids are little they need to learn to be athletes. Not necessarily to make athletics their main focus in life (although that could happen), but to be able to use their bodies, be healthy, have fun, and develop skills and strength they can be proud of and keep them off the couch. My kids grew up with snow skiing and water skiing, but I also introduced them to baseball, football, soccer, surfing,volleyball, golf, fishing (not the sitting on your butt kind), skateboarding, and skimboarding. Plus they find other sports and activities through school and friends. Be happy if they take to any one of them with a passion.

 

It can be a long slow road getting them hooked on your passion, but if you keep taking them with you and they see that you love it (and with a little gentle pushing), hopefully they take to what you love to do, too. It's rare that they don't find a passion for something else, too. Water skiing and snow skiing are not team sports and I think the team sport environment is important for them to experience and share with other kids.

[disland]

Unfortunately sooner or later they will have to decide what to focus on. The nature of kids sports today demand specialization to compete at a high level. Sometimes you can mix in a winter sport like basketball or ice hockey. Baseball or football are real tough

[Jordan]

I live in Canada- ice hockey runs mid-August through Jume.

 

Many of the kids train year 'round now at their primary sport.

 

Not saying that it's right, just saying that if your kid really gets into a sport, it may well be at the expense of your own.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

The easy solution is to take your daughter to the lake with you on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday; take your son on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Teach them both to drive the boat if you haven't already. Saturday is your rest and fun day.

 

In all seriousness, kids need to have multiple sports like Jim mentioned. The best way to keep your passion for skiing alive is to share it with the kids.

[oldjeep]

@Jordan In MN ice hockey runs 12 months a year. That was the one sport that they were never allowed to even think about ;) I've got friends who seem to spend every waking moment driving to a tournament somewhere.

[jimbrake]

@disland - you got that right. EVERY sport now requires year-round training and play just to keep up.

[elr]

"My" skiing happens during when I can get some time during the work day or away from commitments on the weekends. When the family is with me at the lake its predominantly about them skiing. Its amazing how efficient your lunch time can become.

[skiray]

@ScarletArrow - I feel your pain. I've got two in the band and the oldest is in cheer. Starts next week. Kills Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and some Saturdays. I teach a youth group on Wednsdays. The guy I ski with won't ski on Sunday.

 

I'm skiing some when I travel with work. I love my kids. Band and Cheer suck... Just saying.

[TNh2oskier]

My 10 yo girl has soccer Mon, and Thurs eves, and then at least 1 game if not more on Sat. Tournament weekends start on Fri, and end Sunday with all of us worn out. I'll trade skiing for family time and cheering on my daughter. I seek out a ski set as often as possible, but ski sets are fewer and farther between.

[Chef23]

I am in a similar boat with my son playing hockey and soccer plus my daughterlayng volleyball and figure skating. The bonus for me is that I can ski in the mornings or at lunch. Weekends get tough though.

[grab2go]

Jim, pole vaulting rocks, but it's kind of like running 38 - it can take a long time to learn how to do it. Good coaching, lots of practice time, and LOTS of poles. If you're lucky, you might have a club in your area that your son could jump with. I hope you both have lots of fun with it!

[JohnN]

@ScarlettArrow - I console myself thinking that everyone else's bodies will be worn out from skiing so much more than I have time for :-). Club sports like football, soccer, lacrosse or skiing out here seem to go to about 5 days/week or more by 8th grade - just the logistics of getting to practices is a challenge. For our family the decision was to remain active and competing in waterski events, but waters-skiing is the third sport behind snow ski training and whatever team sport is in season (football or lacrosse) so it gets less practice time. We'll all be water-skiing for a long time, but the other sports have a very limited life-span. For now we try to keep it as fun as possible every time we go to the lake.

[escmanaze]

I guess I see life a little differently. If my kid wants to play basketball, football, volleyball, baseball, whatever (but not soccer) then that is fine with me. But I don't plan to attend every game and every practice. I really don't even plan to take him to every game and every practice. Bikes and carpools should be able to go a long way in freeing up my schedule. So while I agree that Soccer and Gymnastics should stop them from skiing, I don't see any reason for it to stop you from skiing?

[jimbrake]

@grab2go - he's been with a really good local coach for a little over two years now - since the end of 6th grade. He's progressing well so far. It's a lot like slalom in that it's super technical, requires strength, balance, and coordination and if you screw up step #1 then there's not much hope for the following step or the one after that. It's the one sport he does that I never did, so I coach him not at all. I just watch, listen, read about it online, watch video of it, discuss it with him. Very fun to watch.

 

@JohnN - wish I could afford to have my kids on the team at our hill (Squaw). Love that life, but we have to be happy with just skiing the mountain one day a week.

[XR6Hurricane]

Kids today are too busy with too many activities and don't have a chance to be kids. Yank them out of the sports and take them to the lake with you. They'll have fewer ulcers when they get to be about 25.

[jimbrake]

@XR6Hurricane - I hear you. There are lots of times I think "what are we doing"? I certainly didn't have such a booked schedule when I was a kid. What do you do if they really love a sport and THEY want to pursue it (you aren't pushing them into it)? What do you do if they want to be elite 3-event water skiers? That's the same if not worse than any other sport. Plus "chance to be kids" when you were little I bet involved being outside playing with your friends. Now, "chance to be kids" can easily be too much computer, TV, and phone/text time or worse. I agree with dragging 'em to the lake, but then they get good and then it's equipment, training time, coaching, tournaments (records), regionals, nationals, on and on. Shit - slalom alone will give you more ulcers than just about any sport other than golf.

[TNh2oskier]

Just to clarify, I'll attend every single practice and will do what ever it takes to make sure I dont miss a game. I'd ski like crap and feel even worse if I was skiing while my kid was playing a soccer game. I'll admit that its as much fun for me to watch her play as it is for her to play. It's even better on the way home from her game when she asks if we have time to go to the lake today, because she would like to ski.

[jipster43]

One of the reasons I only had one kid was to minimize all the traveling from one game to another. Here in Montana one kid's game may be four hours or more away from your other kid's game. So far my daughter is only interested in swimming and snow skiing. She would love to waterski more, but she's afraid there are whales & sharks in our private ski pond! I need to get a barefoot boom so she won't worry as much. Anyway. I'm sure ShaneH has a few little ones out there that he is unaware of.

[XR6Hurricane]

@jimbrake For sure, if THEY want to do it, then so be it. I just feel like many kids are in sports and other activities to fulfill their parents' lost dreams. Not saying that's the case here and I'm being somewhat sarcastic in my reply.

 

Slalom helps my stomach problems - no joke - but then again I don't ski around buoys or in tournaments :).

[grab2go]

@jimbrake A friend of mine's son started jumping when he was in the 6th grade also. He bought an old pit and set it up in his backyard. He didn't know anything about pole vaulting either, but they had a couple of good local coaches and an unlimited supply of poles. Fast forward a few years and the son jumps 17' in high school and gets a full ride to the Air Force Academy where he jumped over 18'. It was a lot of fun watching him compete through the years. Also, the dad's a pretty good coach now...

[jimbrake]

@grab2go - that is an awesome progression! We have a long, long way to go over the next three to four years to get to that level, but we'll give it a go as long as he wants to. I joke with my son that someday he'll be vaulting for a college track team and the kids on the school's water ski team will be saying "hey, did you know there is a pole vaulter here that can run 38?!" That's just a joke though. He just went into B3 and he is starting to work on 32' so he's got a long way to go in skiing, too.

[disland]

@grab2go everyone at the air force academy is on a full ride, but jumping 18' is seriously good and you get to fly jets!

[grab2go]

@jimbrake - Yes it was. I think he jumped 11' coming out of 8th grade. He had good, but not great speed (coach didn't insist that he compete in any other events). He was kind of small for his age, but he was smart and wanted to learn. He had a place to jump anytime, he had coaches that were willing to help, and he always had a series of sticks (4 or 5) that increased in stiffness about 3 or 4 %. It was amazing to see what happened when his dedication and focus were combined with the opportunity he had available to him. Sounds to me like your son can get there too in both sports!

[bishop8950]

I love this thread. Seems to be the original topic "how to you find balance between skiing and kids" and another topic forming around personal priorities.

 

At some point there are only so many hours in the day. The only way I have been able to keep skiing is to have flexibility in my work schedule so I can get one day in during the week. Then I ski my butt off on the weekend. My family loves going to the lake and that is critical. But my kids are 5 and 2 and sports are just starting up for the 5 yr old and this WILL impact my skiing. The only way I will be able to keep up skiing is to live on a lake rather than 80-100mi away from where I practice, and I have not been able to make that happen yet.

 

For priorities, I love skiing, it largely defines me. But, I love being a father more than anything. So I want to be there for my kids and their sports even if that means I back off skiing. Hopefully I can do it all, we will see. I may not make it to every practice and game, but I plan to make most of them. Its what I want to do and this wont be for everyone because we all get to pick how we spend our time on earth and there is no one correct answer. I may be naive, but the idea of "have fun at your game buddy, do great, I am going skiing" just doesn't feel right.

 

I have enjoyed many lift rides with @jimbrake talking about this stuff, great subject.

[SkiJay]

@ScarletArrow You're a good man and you're doing the right thing. I took the @jwr approach when my kids were little. Racing came first ... With my new wife ...

 

The good news is that kids are only kids for a short while. Mine are now adults and more like great friends than kids, I can ski as much as I can recover from, and at 56 years old, my skiing is still improving.

 

Savor this brief time with your little kids. It's precious and fleeting. Skiing will always be there.

[jwroblew]

When my son was in sports, off at college now, I found other parents to share the load. They would take him to practice and I would pick him and the other kids up. This would give me a 2 hour window to get some sets in. My daughter is in gymnastics currently, practices 3 days a week for 2.5 hours, 4:00 to 6:30 I'll either take her and do some cardio while I wait then we both go skiing, (her skiing suffers a little if she goes real hard at gymnastics) or I'll drop her off my wife will pick her up while I go skiing. Our family dinners during the week suffer but we have all winter to make that time up...

[Wish]

Wish my daughter would catch the bug. Its not for lack of encouragement (balanced encouragement) or available time. She does not currently play a spring sport. But fall winter is packed. Last yr she played Volleyball and Soccer. She does not play "club" ball in eather. Not seeing the need at all to suck up that much of her time. What she has is unteachable athletic tallent. What that meant was her choice of playing on joinior varsity and varsity in both as she was tapped for the oppertunity. I Skied very little last year but wow, how much fun that was to see all those games. Hectic? Yes. Worried she had to much on her plate? Very much so. But, she pulled it off. Ended up with Scholastic Athlete of the the yr for the entire middle school. Ya, I'm bragging. So with her skiing it's amazing to me the crazy learning curve she is on. Very little coaching done or needed by me. But, no one else skies on the lake that she relates to. So not all that interested. Even with her progress being PBs everytime she skies. Even tournaments with a few friends she sees is unmotivating. But my goal for her is simple. Find a sport or sports that you enjoy that are life long and just play. It's the best medicine for what ailes you emotionally and physically period. Could not agree more with @jimbrake comments.

[jimbrake]

@grab2go - that literally sounds like you are talking about my son. Jumped 11' this summer just after 8th grade. Kind of smaller side with only OK speed at this point, but is coached well and is soaking it up. His technique is getting really good, just needs to grow and get stronger and faster.

 

We definitely have help from other parents carpooling and such and my 16yo can drive himself to club volleyball practice now although I want to be at every one to observe. My biggest challenge is how much to push, how much to support and praise, how much to coach, and how much to completely lay off. Trying to do mostly the latter while being around to watch and support.

 

@bishop8950 - looking forward to many more lift rides and descents this winter! The pic is the one you took of me going on to the boys about edge, pressure, COM, blah, blah, blah, while they are thinking "OMG, Dad, shut up!"

 

@Wish - she may yet catch the bug. For kids so much of it is having siblings and/or friends doing it too. We are lucky to have a pretty good nucleus of ski families and kids at our lake and in the area. Sounds like she is great athlete!

[KcSwerver]

Well this year I gave up running part for my new job and part for skiing (mostly skiing)

 

Being in school greatly kills ski time.

[xrated]

The reason I hope my kids will choose non stick and ball sports is simple. Family time.

 

Yes it is great if kid 1 wants to play volley ball and that is fine. But if kid 1 wants to play VB out of school season, etc that starts to take away from kids 2 and 3.

 

I'd much rather have the kids be in activities the whole family or most of the family can be involved in. Stuff like hunting/fishing, snowmobling, dirt bikes....all things we can all enjoy. IF we are all riding then one kid isn't taking all of the families time. OF course while sleds and bikes are fun and very family/group friendly it is still a lot of alone time while actually doing the sport, where as skiing or whatever else the kids may want to do behind the boat or on the water is something that is very social and inclusive. And that is why I will gladly skip ski time at the lake to get the kids on the evil tube, etc.

 

It is funny, I met a buddy when his oldest was in junior high. She got into soccer and lacrosse. Soccer was spring-fall with school and traveling. He went through a stretch where he only had 3 for sure trips to the cabin and lake due to her sports (never mind his sons hockey), he got the 3 summer holiday weekends....he loved watching his daughter but you could see the drain it was putting on him and his wife.

 

Just this summer I was talking with his daughter and him on the dock between sets. The topic of her school sports came up and how much lake time she missed. Now as a senior in college she came out and said she wishes they had spent more weekends at the lake than on a soccer field.

 

There are few sports you can start early in life and enjoy over a long time span. I hope my kids choose sports that can last a lifetime and I will do everything I can to nudge them that way. Last time I checked there isn't much for 40 or 50 year old guys playing football after work or on weekends but I know tons who ski, dirt bike, sled, etc.

[oldjeep]

Since when is dirt bike/sledding a sport? (ducking)

[xrated]

haha @oldjeep. About the same time skiing became a sport.

[Creeker]

Very lucky.

 

Skiing is my son's thing (B2, Ran 4 at 35 off at his first Regionals and 2 @ 35 off at his first Nationals)

 

Me, not so good, just bearly can run a course.

Still get to spend a bunch of time at the lake though :D

[JohnN]

@jimbrake - I get it on the skiing thing, it makes water skiing look real affordable :-). The skis that UPS dropped off exceeded the cost of our family's season of water-skiing. Although, we've got a friend who just went to Sugar Bowl for next year - now that's commitment.

 

@escmanaze - we had kids pretty late, so we played real hard for ourselves for a long time. Having the family commitments just makes us appreciate the play time more, especially now that we're chasing the boys, and in a few years it's just us again.

 

For now, we live for flexible schedules, odd hours, carpools and multi-day sleepovers. Days like today, when my wife, my younger son and I hit the lake for a mid-day hooky set and had a great time make it all worth while.

[Brady]

I have to say, I agree with a lot of the posts on this thread. Selfishness is for when you are single. Selflessness is for when you are a father. Once those kids pop out, it is not about you anymore...no matter how much you want or "need" something. I relish the time with my kids, and like @SkiJay said, it is fleeting and goes by so fast. My approach is to put them first in my life, and then when they are grown, I can put me first again. And, for me, almost nothing beats, being out on the lake with my buddies....ALMOST nothing. Kids are my almost. I will take them 10 out of 10 times.

[grab2go]

@jimbrake - 11' and into 32 – that’s really great! Sounds like he has a lot of drive and passion already. For some more inspiration, Nick Frawley was 5'9" or 5'10" when he graduated high school and maybe 150 lbs. When he first jumped 17, I think he was only gripping 14'9" – good technique goes a long way! You've got a lot of fun times ahead of you. He'll be jumping at the collegiate level and running 39 before you know it.

[jimbrake]

@JohnN - Sugar Bowl, Burke Mtn, Holderness, Green Mountain, et al - academies. Excelling at alpine ski racing or tennis or gymnastics or golf and a bunch of other sports requires sending your kids AWAY to live and train at an academy. Yes, THAT is commitment. You have to pay to compete is the unfortunate thing.

 

@grab2go - fortunately both of my boys seem to be self-driven.

 

I didn't have kids until late 30s, so I had my time for sure and will have it again all too soon. I agree with @Brady that now it's about the kids and that's how I want it.