LNC Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) My daughter is in 7th grade, rising 8th grader. She is ending dance after 7 years due to femoral anteversion - her femoral bone is set inward in her hip socket. Feet turned in. She's 5'6" and very lean. So, we would really like to find something to do for her to maintain her excellent fitness level and to remain well rounded in her high school years. The trouble is she hates all team sports. She loves the art, beauty and musicality that ballet provides along with conditioning and cardiovascular fitness. Our homeschool sports league has girl's basketball, volleyball and soccer (middle school, jv and v teams). I offered to send her to a volleyball camp then try out for the middle school team. She was excited about it at first until she watched youtube coaching videos about volleyball. She thinks throwing balls around is "stupid and pointless". Many of you suggested martial arts, but that doesn't appeal at all either. I wish our homeschool athletic group offered track, but it just has a running club that runs at a park informally pretty far away. It seems pointless without providing competition, she can run around here. I know most people will suggest she stay with a form of dance that doesn't require turnout. However, this pre-pro school requires ballet as the foundation of all other forms of dance. She would have to stay in the int. level all through high school with middle school girls. She also feels she isn't coordinated enough in general to advance in contemporary anyway - it is such an advanced school. She is strongly opposed to going to a casual dance school after attending this one for 7 years. She will continue with piano all through high school. We would like to switch to a teacher that offers festival opportunities in high school. She plays in Alfred Masterworks Classics 7 with advanced theory. She would like to add chords and voice training to her lessons as well. She will begin theater next year, with opportunities to perform. Her orthopedist suggested running, particular sprints, as the most suitable form of exercise for her body type. She is going to start couch to 5k after her final spring ballet performance. Do you think running in high school informally, entering a variety of races, would count as an athletic extracurricular for college aps? Any suggestions to pursue running as a homeschooler? Edited April 21, 2012 by LNC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Does your public school allow extracurricular participation from homeschoolers? Some do. If she thinks running would be something she is good at and would like college coaches to look at her for, that might be the best way to go. If that is not an option, if she ran 5Ks or marathons, I am sure that would look good on a college resume. She could list those she had run and her place if she wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 Does your public school allow extracurricular participation from homeschoolers? Some do. If she thinks running would be something she is good at and would like college coaches to look at her for, that might be the best way to go. If that is not an option, if she ran 5Ks or marathons, I am sure that would look good on a college resume. She could list those she had run and her place if she wanted. No public school sports participation allowed. She would enter 5ks - maybe longer. She hasn't started running yet, so we don't know. But, I think she is suited for it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 If she enjoys running and wouldn't mind training on her own (and entering public races), I definitely think that's something colleges would accept as extra curricular sports. In our state, there is also the Hershey Track and Field events (not connected with any school) for school-aged children that are held several times/year. They start with "sectional" races and then move on to the bigger, yearly state event. Your daughter may be too old for them, but perhaps there are similar ones? http://www.hersheystrackandfield.com/#/Learn-All-About-the-Games Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Since she is still young, she shouldn't be running long distances such as the marathon, even if she's a perfect biologic specimen. The physical load of long distance race training isn't recommended by too many people until one is 21 or older. Many road races will let 18 yr olds run half marathons, but not marathons. However, I think the most popular road race length is the 5K race, so if it turns out that she likes running and her body can handle it, I haven't encountered any 5K races with age minimums. :) How that would play on a college app? I don't know. Best of luck to your dd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I have a nearly - 16 yo doing this. He lifts weights on his "off" season (winter) and runs in the spring/summer/fall. He enters a number of local races (10Ks and 5Ks mostly), but has also run two half marathons and is giong to run his third this fall. He also runs in those Tough Mudder, Warrior Dash, Color Run type things (I run with him!). I have talked with a number of running coaches and asked their advice and he has done research on training on his own. He's really pretty good! So, yes. I think it would work very well! And, yes. Running is going on his transcript as a sport! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Since she is still young, she shouldn't be running long distances such as the marathon, even if she's a perfect biologic specimen. The physical load of long distance race training isn't recommended by too many people until one is 21 or older. Many road races will let 18 yr olds run half marathons, but not marathons. However, I think the most popular road race length is the 5K race, so if it turns out that she likes running and her body can handle it, I haven't encountered any 5K races with age minimums. :) How that would play on a college app? I don't know. Best of luck to your dd! They keep increasing the age on the half. My now-16 yo ran his first half at 14 (minimum age for that race). The next year the limit was raised to 15. This year it's 16. His poor younger brother feels very left out!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I was a hard core runner in HS. I ran for my high school team, but also participated in "club" teams through the AAU Jr. Olympics program. Practices were outside THat would be an option. Your state may also allow HSers to try out or participate in sports. In NC, there is a group called Girls on the Run http://www.girlsontherun.org/northcarolina.html She could obviously also do 5Ks on her own, but you might want to look around for "club" teams. If she goes to 5K races she may be able to network and find some of these if you can't via checking around online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I was a hard core runner in HS. I ran for my high school team, but also participated in "club" teams through the AAU Jr. Olympics program. Practices were outside THat would be an option. Your state may also allow HSers to try out or participate in sports. In NC, there is a group called Girls on the Run http://www.girlsontherun.org/northcarolina.html She could obviously also do 5Ks on her own, but you might want to look around for "club" teams. If she goes to 5K races she may be able to network and find some of these if you can't via checking around online. Good point! Our local running shoe store has a club. I need to check that out more carefully - they practice together 2x/week and have "assignments" for running at home. You pay to practice with them, but the cost covers local races too. Something else I thought of, OP - what about dancing in a local class that has a recital each year? Probably a step down? But, it would keep her dancing. It must be heartbreaking to see her have to quit. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I would look for running/sprinting clubs. They have them in my area. Or maybe start one for homeschoolers? I remember reading your other post about how your daughter isn't able to continue dancing. I'm so sad for both of you. I would still consider martial arts. The girls in our taekwondo studio who do the best and learn the fastest are those with dance backgrounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 They keep increasing the age on the half. My now-16 yo ran his first half at 14 (minimum age for that race). The next year the limit was raised to 15. This year it's 16. His poor younger brother feels very left out!!! I bet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 I was a hard core runner in HS. I ran for my high school team, but also participated in "club" teams through the AAU Jr. Olympics program. Practices were outside THat would be an option. Your state may also allow HSers to try out or participate in sports. In NC, there is a group called Girls on the Run http://www.girlsontherun.org/northcarolina.html She could obviously also do 5Ks on her own, but you might want to look around for "club" teams. If she goes to 5K races she may be able to network and find some of these if you can't via checking around online. I see track clubs from the AAU jr. olympics site in my state, but don't you have to be invited? My son plays travel/tournament baseball but was invited after his rec league experience... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I think running and doing races is a great option. She could also do triathalons if she gets really into it. Another sport to consider, with grace, is fencing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) Look for USATF events. Dd did a number of them, including Nationals. What about triathlons? The different things would be good cross-training. I have to mention, my dd the runner did nothing BUT run it seemed. And then she burned out. She didn't even do hs track this year (though humorously enough, ended up at the college track yesterday after her run just as the hs team got there--quite awkward). She posted yesterday that running was FUN again! She wants to do the Bataan Death March with ROTC next year. http://www.bataanmarch.com/default.htm Yes, I see you can sign up USATF meets as an individual. Did your daughter train on her own or with a club or coach? Edited April 20, 2012 by LNC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I see track clubs from the AAU jr. olympics site in my state, but don't you have to be invited? My son plays travel/tournament baseball but was invited after his rec league experience... No, you do not have to be invited. My now 18yo ran for the Asheville Lightning JO team for several years. It was a great experience for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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