The ulitmate expectation/desire for joining higher level "travel teams", I assume is exposure to colleges. Need to find the right travel program to make sure that, down the road, those opportuities are there. We only joined a team after my son's soph year. While looking at these programs as 12's and 13's seems a little early in many ways, I will say it is very difficult to supplant a kid that has been in the program for 2-3 years, if one waits to join the program until they are a 15. End of the day, there simply are some politics involved. Not bad in the program my sone plays in, but some nonetheless. With a player who hits 250 points higher, then that's probbaly an easy change, but for one who is new and hits 100-150 points higher, then it's not so easy. I have a friend who has a 2019. Based on my son's experience, I have advised her to get her son involved now.