Mike Rowe just did a pod cast on this exact thing. He said it was ultimately the parents egos that needed to be validated and that without Johnny doing travel ball, they would be unfulfilled and wouldn’t have anything to talk/brag about at the neighborhood pool. Really sad what’s become of parents competing via their kids these days, but was certainly fascinating to listen to.

It’s so true. My son plays travel ice hockey. I can afford it, but I always wonder about the other parents who aren’t major airline captains. The kids are dropping out of middle school to get home-schooled so they can play more hockey. One set of parents sold their house and is now renting because they needed the equity. They’ll even say they know their kid isn’t going to NHL, but as long as he gets a college scholarship, it’ll have been worth it. I grew up playing and I can tell them right now, it’s not happening, but who I am to crush a parent’s dreams? Lol.

question
How do you know a kid plays travel sports?

answer
Their parents will use the word “travel” before the name of the sport

Nobody cares. Nobody.

The farce that “we do it so they can get a scholarship” is just justification for the parents spending to boost the parents ego. If you can afford travel ball, you can afford to have invested in a 529plan so that you don’t need to wish and hope on a shooting start for a scholarship.

Is it even possible for a parent who has a kid that plays a travel sport to say “my son plays little league” vs “my son plays travel baseball” and then
feigns how “tired” they are from all the travel.

Both my daughters dance….talk about a money suck!! But to your point there is an academy by me that FORCES home school in order to be part of the team. They dance 6-8 hours a day….i don’t get it.

Sure you do. It has evolved into big business. Coaches don’t care about the kids one bit. They only care about how much money they can make. Most hockey coaches dedicated their lives to making a living playing hockey. Unfortunately, the dose of reality that they aren’t good enough doesn’t hit until early 20’s. They then become a coach and tell players injuries derailed their careers even though it had nothing to do with it.

This airline is going up in flames and y’all talking about kids sports. Makes sense.

kind of what this thread is about…..anything else you would like to rehash about the unfortunate state of spirit? Or should we just all be quiet?

we at spirit know our priorities kids/family first always. I rarely fly with a CA that is divorced. Most have multiple kids.

id say 9/10 CA and/or FO when I jumpseat on other carriers is 2-3 deep...

ok, Debbie downer

You must not be FLL/MIA based.

Any longer layover is incredibly hard to get here. It's like people cannot wait to get away from their wife and kids.