Washing the whole team kit

[PurpleBirch]

DS has joined a new rugby team and they have a very organised WhatsApp including a rota of all the parents’ jobs. Fair enough, I’m very happy to participate mannjngbyhe car park, cooking food for after etc. This includes taking turns to wash the whole team shirts. Is it just me or does it seem a bit silly to take home 20 dirty teenage size shirts to wash and dry instead of each taking their own and wearing them to the match the following week?

There are more than enough shirts per player. It’s our turn in a couple of weeks and I’m already hoping for good weather!

I want to question the logic but DH thinks just do it and don’t rock the boat.

Do any of your DC teams do this?

you can't see why doing the whole team kit once or twice a year is easier than washing one kit every single week?

If you feel you are above such menial task and you don't want to be part of the team, go for it. It's not really the spirit of a sport who tends to be very inclusive and friendly, but I guess there's always one parent/ or player.

Before I was born, my dad (teacher) ran the school football team and would bring all of the kit home every weekend to wash. He is quite particular, and would hang it all out in number order, all facing the same way, and ideally with matching pegs.

We love him but he is not rational when it comes to laundry.

Agree it’s different in football where my son had the same kit number for the entire time he played for a club, so the strips were his responsibility. Like other posters’ kids, in rugby he could be playing pretty much any number from 9-15 on any given week, or 21-23 if on the bench. They take and wear their own socks, shorts, warm up tops and hoodies etc, it’s just the actual playing tops (and subs vests) that are communal.

@EaudeJavel Still not sure why it's her job to do the kit and not her husband's or son's.

Some will depend on your personal circumstances - not everyone lives near a launderette or can afford to pay for a load, not everyone has much space to hang washing to dry or a tumble dryer. I've lived in a flat with one space for a tiny airer to get the washing dry and it was hard enough to get out own clothes dry let alone 20 rugby shirts with space for maybe 4 at a time.

for the team it's the "parents job", no one seem to have told the wife it was up to her.

However the couple split up chores is between them, nothing to do with the group.

Has been happening for years. And we all managed.

@blacksax I just spit milk on my tablet screen. In my experience, men who can take apart and reassemble a internal combustion engine can’t even put a new roll of bathroom tissue on the spindle.

DS is 11 and is responsible for his own rugby, football and hurling strips. I wasn't put on earth to bustle about after his teams' laundry. I do my bit by showing up on the sidelines from time to time and helping out with lifts and fundraising.

We wash our own child's kits, always have. Far better idea for skin allergies etc

Much better to keep all the kit together.
When people take their own home, then shirts start to go missing.
Someone is injured and doesn't return, or moves house, or has a fall out, or just moves to a different club, or wants to stop playing, and you lose shirts and don't know who has them.

If anyone has a genuine reason they can't manage it, I'm pretty sure a message in the WhatsApp group saying "really sorry, have no way of doing the kit, but I am happy to do extra car park duties / extra goes at cooking / etc if someone could swap with me ?" would resolve it.

I'm lucky enough to have a sunny conservatory, so I'd FAR rather wash the kit some extra weeks if it got me out of cooking

DS is 11 and is responsible for his own rugby, football and hurling strips. I wasn't put on earth to bustle about after his teams' laundry. I do my bit by showing up on the sidelines from time to time and helping out with lifts and fundraising.

Quite. A straw poll of the people with 11/12 yo in my office. The girls can cook, do laundry, have chores, manage things. The one boy doesn't do any of that. I've already advised DD to steer clear of useless boys in case they turn into useless men.

I am not sure what is more depressing: that the "one boy" is useless

or that parents are so keen on teaching their girls to do chores, laundry etc.. from an early age - and that so many girls are apparently so keen to learn.

I agree @EaudeJavel
Supporting my dc was (and still is) what I do as a parent.

Same as I drive them places, and do the weekly shop, and pay the mortgage. It's sort of what adults do.

I wouldn't want my 11 yr olds feeling they have to do all the washing.
Nor does it make sense for individuals in a family to run the machine to all do their own washing.

I support my child. To become an effective adult.

Do you have boys @EaudeJavel and @UsingChangeofName?

Well conversely, can't you see that it wouldn't suit everybody....including me. It's nothing to do with what's easier. I'd guess it would cause me more hardship than it would you. I would loathe having the responsibility of washing the whole kit even if it's only once or twice a year. I'd much rather be responsible for my own multiple times. It's also nothing to do with being 'above such a menial task'. You're imagination has run wild there.
Yes, I would be that parent. I also wouldn't opt to order a load of dishes from the takeaway. I'd order what I wanted and eat mine. I'm very fair.

God I can't believe all the angst about putting on a wash. Any simpleton can do it. It's not like you have to take them to the river and beat them on the rocks.

From what I gather these parents groups can turn on you very fast!! Lol
dont rock the boat

My DC have played football and rugby for over 10 years and I've never had this. They have a training shirt that they bring home and match kit is handed out on the day. I assume the club get it washed.

What annoys me about this is that 95% of the time it will be the mums that do it. My DP has been more involved with this than me, if they started doing this I would expect him to do it. Classic that your DH says it's fine, don't say anything, let him crack on then. I just simply wouldn't engage with this, let him turn up with unwashed kit, he'll soon get the message.

Cricket match teas used to be the same back in the day. All the women preparing, serving and washing up while the men laze abiout.

When I was young we had our own shirts that we washed it ourselves. I don't recall there ever really being a problem. But now as an adult we rotate the shirt washing. It's mainly because we don't have enough shirts for everyone and there is variations on who shows up for games. Also people are very irresponsible about returning them once they stop playing and we can't afford to replace them.

Myself and another Mum did this every week, it made sure we got the kit back at the end of the season and also ensured the kit got washed properly and not on a hot wash where the colours ran. Only the shirts and to be fair if you are going to wash one, you may as well wash then all.

I have both.

All very capable adults.
In fact, ds is doing all the washing / cooking / housework at the moment as his partner has started a new job with long hours and a lot of stress, but normally they split things pretty evenly.

When it was my turn to wash muddy team kits, I took them to the nearest launderette and enjoyed some me time out to read a book.

I have both.

My son has played rugby for nearly 10 years. I’ve never been asked to wash anyone else’s dirty kit. And white shorts - just why? They are just an off shade of grey now!