Tennessee has an official middle school league run by the High School League. The big thing for us was the middle school team, which my older son and I coached, only played 12 games and the travel team played about 30 games in the same time frame plus the level of play was not even close. it made it tough because we would have gone undefeated if we had played middle school but it was not the best thing for my youngest son. I think it is the same if my sons had had to choose between high school and travel in the summer or fall. The level of play would not be close and the ability to be seen would not have been close. But my sons were on top teams in the nation. I think high school ball has a place but I don't think it is to get kids seen. it is to represent the school and community and build relationships.