Tagged With "Ball"
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Re: enough advice...thanks...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Welcome to the site. You'll find a lot of help here from people who have already been through this, some several times. We're in the middle of the process for the first time with our 2017 son. In his case, I don't know that travel ball is a must, but the kid has to play in settings where coaches will be there to see him. For us that means targeting a few showcases and, if interest is demonstrated, some specific college camps. I suspect if my son had a chance, or the will, to join a good...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
As my son is entering his junior year I am of the opinion that showcases and travel ball that targets showcases are a good avenue to get noticed by college scouts. My son attended a Complete Showcase in Houston a few months ago and there were 39 college coaches from D1 to NAIA. Another avenue is to make small clips of a player batting, pitching, catching, hitting and email college coaches directly. This is the cheapest way to go obviously. I know a local kid that was recruited to a large D1...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Depends. He has to be seen at some point by someone (college coach) who gives yes to him playing at the next level. So if the HS he goes to is a powerhouse that has lots of boys go to college then he might be seen at HS games, but generally college coaches don't go to random HS games. They are in season and are only going to the ones where they have a specific interest. If he has incredibly dominate tools of some sort (speed running, velocity as a pitcher, hitting with power) then maybe. But...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
I never thought I'd see this title for a thread on here. Kudos! Its a great question that shoulda been asked before...just don't recall ever seeing it. Usually, its the opposite, 'Is HS ball a necessity?' My short answer is 'no, not a necessity' but in general its a good idea. Our older son was gonna get recruited whether he played travel ball or not, but it sure increased his opportunities. Our younger son was gonna get recruited by at least someone local, but travel ball together with...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Boy, is this a loaded question! but a good one as Justbaseball said. Whether it's a necessity or not depends on a lot of things- does your son know where he wants to go? how long is his list? Does he want to stay local or does he want to expand his geography? How connected is his HS coach and does he promote his players? I can tell you in our case, travel ball helped tremendously. We rarely see a college coach at our regular season games, we are a 'northern' area, and our HS season is only...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
I agree with the above posts on exposure through travel ball, but they all assume the player is already "good enough" for the exposure? How do most kids get "good enough"? They play travel ball. From a young age.
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Here's the thing on travel ball. If you want to play in college you need to find a few travel teams and do some homework. Find out where they get their other players, are they a local travel team or a national team. Talk to other parents and coaches in your area the teams are not hard to find. Then go talk to the travel team coaches and request a try-out. See where you stack up? Are you better of playing for travel team A or travel team B or travel team C ? Because you need to make sure you...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Also the problem with the OP idea , of breaking out is so subjective it's no help to the player. IF money is an issue most travel teams have a little set aside to help players in need... especially if you throw 90 or hit 400 foot shots I have never seen a travel team or travel org turn down a player because he could not afford it.
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
A young man from our county played college ball without playing on his public high school baseball team in recent years. He played only travel ball.
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
BACKDOORSLIDER hits on something important. The travel team you play on is just as important as playing travel ball. If you are playing in a lower level program that does not do much to develop players and does not work to get them seen by the right folks, you might be better off not playing travel ball. Conversely if you are in the right program that knows how to get kids noticed and plays in the right places, it can open up avenues for your son that would not normally be there. Do you...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Boom! There it is. bacdorslider - the issue I would have with your first response is that it is just not true for a group of high schools where our kids grew up. I certainly would not say its a waste of time for kids at those schools - but it is not a 'necessity' for many of them. I have seen as many as 30 scouts at HS games in a certain HS league that has produced hundreds of college players...and some big leaguers too. (Full disclosure: Our younger son played in that league, our older one...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
If he has some great games in front of the right people (right place, right time), sure... There's a chance... A slim chance - but still a chance. Why take slim-chances though?
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Justbaseball, I agree its not a necessity in the definition... but like anything else you should use all the resources available to you. Ones decision not to play travel ball should not be based on the fact that it's not a necessity . I think everyone understands that you do not have to play travel ball to play in college but travel ball ( exposure you would not get other wise) will help your chances and give you more opportunities.
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
No it is not a necessity. Exposure to college recruiters and the baseball establishment is a necessity. Today, travel baseball is the most traveled path for that exposure. The big question is how much exposure is needed for a particular recruit for a particular college and understanding the barriers. JMO
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Aha! Straight to the point and far more concise that what I said. Nice job fenway!
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Nothing is absolutely necessary! Players have reached the very highest level taking many different paths. The thing that is vitally important is having the required talent and visibility. One without the other doesn't work. It doesn't really matter whether the player wants to stay local for college or travel across the country. The more interest a player creates the better opportunities he will have. So if the local college is offering 25%, what would they offer if you were being recruited...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
I think travel is essential especially if the goal is to play top flight ball at the next level. But for the reasons you might think. The question you ask sounds as though you are focused on the exposure element and that question has been addressed throughout the thread. To me, almost as important as exposure is the quality of competition question. In our experiences, playing travel ball, REAL travel ball is about kids getting an opportunity to play the game against the best possible...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
First, I'm defining travel as high level competition, not community based. I'm also discussing starting from the high school level and college exposure. Is travel ball a necessity? No. Is it the advised path? It depends on what a player is looking for in his future for baseball. I don't believe a D3 prospect has to play travel. He needs to attend the appropriate showcases or camps for exposure. A D1 and D2 prospect is going to get better exposure through playing travel. If a player aspires...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
RJM and Tres Arboles comments are very to the point, and one I hadn't thought of much before. I was glad my son was selected for a very good team, but I hadn't fully considered the effect on his play. Last year my son started in centerfield as a soph, hit at the bottom of the order, and actually had a decent, but not spectacular year at the plate, and an excellent year in the field (which is what they expected from him in the first place). Then he joined his travel team, with many of the...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
And I'll simply add that exposure can depend a lot on just where you're located and the level of competition in the local community.
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Thanks for posting this question and for all of the informative replies!
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Getting the best exposure for the least amount of money/effort is to compete against the highest level of competition. Kids from small schools often get recruited by coaches/scouts coming out to see the opposing team. Travel or HS, if your team doesn't compete against good competition, there won't be anyone at the games to find out who your kid is. That's the athletic director's job to schedule games against big schools. And if the team or your kid is able to play in tournaments, he'll most...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
This is a question I have thought about a lot, and I think RJM sums up my thoughts very succinctly here. Travel Ball can be very very expensive. And it seems like everyone and their Grandma is starting a Travel Program these days. A vast majority of these teams are filled with future D3 talent and they play other teams filled with future D3 talent, and the programs cost $2500+ plus gas & hotels etc. if not more Travel Ball can be fun, no doubt. Staying in hotels with teammates, fancy...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Also, a top level team is different than a top level organization. My son played for a couple different organizations from 10U-14U. I started a team for his 15U/16U summers with kids we knew / had met the previous years. Good coaches (former MILB guy). We were very good....won 4 of 7 tourneys....34-7 record and won a big tourney at the end of the year that nobody would have given us a shot at if you'd have asked in June. That team (we carried 12-13 regulars plus some sub pitchers) ended up...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Yes. Some top level organizations make you sign an agreement prior to tryouts stating that you will agree to play for the organization and will be financially liable for the fees if chosen for the program. Then they put you on the B Team or C Team or D Team, you pay the full freight and play the D3 tournaments....
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
After having gone through the process over the last 3-4 years- son is now off to his summer before entering freshman year- I've had a few parents of some younger players ask for my advice on this topic, and the whole recruiting process in general. I struggle a bit with the travel ball scene. obviously, there are many options, and some are better than others, but the statement above got me thinking. Are there really any top travel teams that feature mostly D1 level talent that truly "play...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Are the Top Level teams playing against inferior talent a majority of the time? I don't know. It is a good question. It certainly happens some of the time for sure. Perhaps a few people can weigh in on that....
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
When you say top D1 talent playing other top D1 talent. It is VERY possible they play not D1 talent in pool play but after those 2 games you are playing against the other people that won their pool and they aren't going to be push over teams. They will be D1 talent playing against D1 talent. I've seen the hopeful kids who come to HS baseball tryouts thinking it would be fun to play baseball in high school, but they are up against a legion of travel ball kids and they don't make the first...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Also, a lot depends on the HS you attend, the league you play in, etc. My son never had one college coach come see him in HS, heck, I can count on one hand how many college coaches I saw at his games his entire HS career. We are in a small town in an area that other than 1 HS doesn't produce D1 players. The D3 schools in the area are just ok. If you're a starter in HS and an average player, you can play college baseball within 45 minutes of home if you want to at one of these schools. The...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
I agree with you 100%. Travel ball is a necessity if you hope to play at the college level. Question is, at what level of team? We are in Pittsburgh, PA. Not a baseball hot bed either. my son played for the same travel team from summer after his freshman year until he graduated this spring . played in a local league that was pretty good for this area. went to 2-3 tournaments a year, usually one in philly area, one in Raleigh NC area, and one in Michigan or at Ohio State. the cost was...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
The chances of him getting recruited just playing high school ball are slim to none, even on a highly ranked team...unless he is exceptional. HS season is the same time as college season and no one is coming to watch "Junior" play unless they are a local school. Summer Travel ball is where he needs to be and preferably on one with connections because alot of recruiting, I hate to say it, is "who you know" or "who your coach knows.
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Good points. This is close to my experience and general observations after my son, just graduated HS and enroute, he hopes, to play club baseball at an ACC D1 school, but after going through travel baseball from 2009-2016. My son played on local, then semi-prestigious, then a prestigious travel program. Fall 2015. Great team, loaded with several low-D1 and rest D2 and D3 players. But Summer 2016, before his senior HS year, my son got demoted to the program's B team when the former B team...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Travel ball has been good for my son. His coaches have a superior knowledge of the game over his high school coaches, they are more motivated to see him placed on a college team and they have better connections to make it happen. He will be a junior in high school this year and so it's still too early to tell what will happen but I would take travel over high school in a heart beat. Plus, for me, the high school season is too stressful with juggling practice and studying and worrying about...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Too.tall, something seems funny about your post... You don't like the HS season because it is too stressful, too much juggling practice and study and you worry about kids getting more PT... but travel is better because the coaches are more motivated to see him placed in college and have better connections to make it happen... where things will be more stressful and more difficult to juggle and more difficult to earn playing time ????
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Hence my conundrum. Fortunately, I'm not the one facing those struggles. I'm just a spectator. Doesn't mean I have to like it but I do enjoy trying to help him succeed and get the best out of his talents.
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
I'm not sure that is true for many D3 programs. By attending Camps & Showcases you can get recruited into D3 without playing Travel
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Full disclosure we have done the travel circuit from 13u up....I don't regret it, had a blast and would do it again. for your son to play D1 he will have to be in the top 2% or so of players... if he is that kind of player you are probably already aware of it. If he is going to play at D2 or 3 he is going to be in the top 10 or 15%, there are others who could have played that will chose not to. I know that many very good D3 teams have many relationships with local legion programs and local...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
A few points. Would love to see these travel teams that have a few D1 players and then ALL the rest are D3. And also please don't classify tournaments as D3 tournaments! " A vast majority of these teams are filled with future D3 talent and they play other teams filled with future D3 talent, and the programs cost $2500+ plus gas & hotels etc. if not more" Most of these guys will NOT play D3!! I'm sorry but don't think everyone gets recruited to play collegiately! Our 2017 played on a...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
I have one friend whose sons' HS baseball experience has pretty much been terrible. Huge roster, lots of drama, politics, and bloatfishing coaches. Thankfully, most players and parents I know DIG/dug the high school baseball experience. We sure did. Good point about D3s. I'd say a very valid D3 recruitment strategy is to target those schools and go to those camps. OTOH, most D3s who showed interest in my son asked what local tournaments he was going to play at so they could watch him...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
I am not so sure that attending d3 college camps is the answer to getting recruited by certain D3 schools. When my son was being recruited. He played travel. He also attended several invitation only Showcases (I miss the Buckeyescout). He was recruited by many of the top D3's in Ohio and surrounding states and many further away. None of the D3 coaches ever mentioned attending their D3 camps. In fact may dissuaded him. Later after he was helping at those same camps, he understood why. Many of...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
If a kid truly wants to play, is willing to go anywhere, his parents can afford it, and has even a high school level talent there is a school that he can play at. I've heard of multiple pitchers throwing 75 at a D3. Some D3's can beat low level D1's every day of the week, but some D3's would get beat by a 16u travel team every day of the week. Not all D3's are created equal.
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Whether Travel ball (as opposed to playing in showcases) is a necessity probably varies a bit with region of the country. In these parts, baseball is essentially a 12 month sport for the most serious players -- with a little down time in the wet cold winter. But back in the day, when my son was doing his baseball thing, we spent many a December, January and February morning at some tournament -- sometimes in some dirt hole location . The point is that its hard to to actually play baseball 10...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
"I don't mean to have a chip on my shoulder. Clearly D1 boys get drafted and get $. Clearly many D3 players could not make it at a D1 team. But there are plenty of guys who could, and there are loads of D1 guys who aren't any better. It is the rare kid who gets the chance to play collegiately at all, despite playing travel ball for years. OK I hope you get my point." TwoBoys, I don't think the gap in thinking or perspectives between your post and that of CACO3 will ever be bridged on this...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Too Tall, I'd suggest you be thankful for the "stress & juggling"! I'm here to tell you that once he gets to college, those 4 yrs of HS will have been a cake walk! Between classes, studying, practicing & conditioning & games, he will be putting in roughly 70-80 hrs a week! And if/when he makes the Travel team, he best have classwork turned in beforehand. Help him learn organizational & time management skills now!
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Thanks. I'm not sure he's cut out for the rigor. i'll do my best to try and get him ready but in the grand scheme of things he may not be able to balance academics and baseball. I can and have preached the value of hard work but if he doesn't get the message by the time he graduates high school he's not going to be ready for college baseball. I won't be writing big checks (private D3) to feed the dream. The bottom line is my kid is a good baseball player, maybe really good, but it's not...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
Ahmen infielddad. It is proven year in and out. Look at the summer ball rosters. Every year you see athletes from all levels competing against each other. There are plenty of D2, D3, and NAIA getting playing time on those rosters. Necbl, great lakes league, and sometimes even in the cape or northwoods. I think it does a great disservice to any young man who does what it takes to make a college baseball roster. Is every team the top of there division? No. I have seen a lot of D3 baseball. And...
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Re: Is Travel Ball a necessity?
So you are guaranteeing this? You know this definitively? You act as though all you have to do is have the desire and the wallet and you will be able to play college baseball. That is not the case, and if you do get into a D3 program that has 50 guys on the roster (which seems to be the scenario you are painting), heaven help that player. Your contention that there are 16U teams who can beat some D3s is just ridiculous.