My son enjoyed his summer ball experience. He knew he was getting into six days a week play and bus rides. He knew it could be a grind. It was. But he loved the experience. The simulation of low minors play made him decide if his upside was future Single A roster filler he wanted no part of it. His host families were big baseball fans. They embraced him. He’s still in touch with them. He heard of other not so pleasant experiences.
One summer he chose to play in a lesser league so he could do a summer internship and play baseball. His college coach’s response? “You don’t really give a damn about baseball, do you?” My son was developing his “next forty years” plan. A late season injury and surgery eliminated the conflict. The internship became his professional job his first five years out of college.
My daughter’s summer college softball experience was easier. She took off for the weekend and played in 22u tournaments. Hotels and food were provided. She came home late Sunday night or Monday morning. No practices.
When I played (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth) the games were Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday doubleheaders. There were beautiful summer Sundays I would wake up wishing I could go to the beach instead of playing two. When I got to the park I got over it. I was ready to go. Our furthest games were two hours away. No overnights.
I was “hosted” along with a teammate at my family’s summer place on the lake about a half hour from the home field. My parents were getting divorced. My mother never showed up. My father dropped by to socialize with neighbors and check the food supply. But he never stayed overnight. We had to make our own meals. There were lots of pregame fast food stops.
When I was a college kid there weren’t a lot of sanctioned college summer programs like now. I played in a mostly D1 and released former pros semi pro league. It was disappointing to see the league sink to local D3’s then ultimately disband as better college summer ball options popped up.
One weekend in my late thirties I was with my wife and kids in the town where I played. We went by the park. There was a playground nearby for the kids. In the park was a MABL game. I saw a couple of local guys I played college summer ball with and against playing. They were a shell of their former selves as players. I told my wife not to every let me do that.