Sport Mom's of Teenagers - HELP! Coping with overnight/out of town trips?

United States
March 2, 2007 11:52am CST
I'm hoping some of you mother's with teenagers that take part in sports or have in the past, will be able to help me out. My son is a new 16 year old (sophmore) and is on the football, wrestling and track teams for his high school. So far for football he has only really had games in cities local to us or at least within a 30 minute drive from our home. This was his 2nd year on the team. Wrestling has taken him a bit further but they have always been day trips to tournaments and most of the time we go to watch if we can. The furthest he has gone is about 1 1/2 - 2 hours away. This is his 2nd year on the team. Track has just started so we do not have alot of experience with it just yet. It looks like it will be day trips as well and no further than 2 hours away. This is his 1st year on this team. So my problem is this: He wrestling team won league so the coach is taking them to the JV state tournament next weekend. It is a 3 day trip about 8 hours away up north close to San Francisco. (We live in Southern California). The coach is renting a huge van to take the kids and is paying for the hotel and everything while they are up there. I trust the coach so no concerns there. We will not be able to travel with them up there so he will be away from us for those 3 days. Wrestling isn't a sissy sport. It's brutal and rough and dangerous on many levels. My son weighs about 195 so he has to wrestle in the next weight class up which is the 215 range. He could be wrestling boys up to 20 pounds heavier than he is. He has done this almost all season and it's not a big deal - mainly because I am there watching and if something happens I know I will be the one to have his best interest at heart and will get him taken care of. I'm having a really hard time with this trip. I'm scared that something is going to happen and I'm going to be 8 hours away without a way to help him at the moment. At the same time, he will be wrestling Varsity next year and they take ALOT of overnight trips to various events so I know I need to get use to it sooner than later. Doesn't make it any easier to let him go. How do you handle situations like this? What helps you put your fears to the background and just let them go? To make my fears worse, the last tournament they went to I was unable to attend - it was almost 2 hours away. One of his teammates got slammed down pretty hard on his neck and they ended up having to airlift him to the hospital because he didn't know where he was and couldn't stand up. They thought he had swelling on the brain. He's fine now but it scared me and it wasn't even my own child. I really need some of you parents to help me calm my fears or at least realize I need to let him go.
1 person likes this
2 responses
• Canada
2 Mar 07
My sons have traveled fro sport trips since they were 12 by themselves since only one of me and the 3 of them they would be going different directions, same weekends, with different teams. what i found worked was get to knwo the coach adn some of the adults that would be travelling with the team, have a set call in time that they call you, get the place they are staying at phone number, and mostly trust your son if you rasied him right he will behave the same as if you are there. So far mine have been great no problems and only two ambulance rides just as a precaution, playing sport injuries will happen and they will happen if you are there or not let the coach know that you want a call asap if something like that happens. But most of all get an itinery of the weekend and times of games and phone numbers where peopel on the team can be reached and let him enjoy it.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Mar 07
Hi huggiebear! Thanks for the advice and suggestions, I appreciate it! Sadly, I know with him being so involved in sports that something is bound to happen - hopefully not anything major. *crossing fingers* I also know I need to let him 'go' so to speak. I want him to enjoy his life and by me being paranoid or over-protective, I'm hindering his ability to truly enjoy these things that he loves. I'm going to have a call time when he needs to check in with me - he's really good about keeping me up to date on where he is and what he is doing when he's away from me, thankfully, or I'd be a mess of worry. I'm sure he'll be fine and hopefully he'll do at the tournament too! Thanks again :]
@cjthedog64 (1552)
• United States
5 Mar 07
I'm sure he'll be fine. Especially at high school level, the coaches keep a close eye on things. College is different, but those are adults. I think your biggest worry would be about injury, but also remember that it's a big tournament, and they're going to have lots of good medical people there and take good care of anyone who gets hurt. So few people get seriously hurt, the numbers are against it. But I'm sure they'll have your cell number for just in case. Good luck to C!