10 Year Look-Back: What is "select"

Where I live 8 years ago there was one travel "organization" in the area (about 200,000 spread across several towns).  

Now there are 4 or 5 at other summer teams.  It has become saturated.  I know several kids that switch teams every year.  They all tout themselves as being "elite" with great coaching, blah, blah, blah.  There is a new one that was jus started that is having some success in some tournaments (fall tourneys) that is basically just "coached" by a couple of dads.  The cost? $0.  That will always get some parents on board.  

The coaching is about the same from what I have seen overall.  Ok. Run of the mill coaching.  Parents sometimes get seduced by a nice facility or an ex pro running things, neither of which translates to better coaching automatically....I think an equally decent way to rate things would be....

$$$$

$$$

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I'll add "org-ball"....a travel team with tryouts before each season where you pay to keep all dads on the outside of the fence, teams are aligned by graduating year and you use bbcor bats even if tourney rules state otherwise.  Teams across multiple age groups.  Tournaments are for games and competition, not to win trophies.

 

And the coaches will never discuss playing time, positions with parents.

I would put them in three groups...at least as far as how things work around here.

 

Rec....meaning anyone who wants to play gets on a team

 

Local....they have tryouts...but are "local" based teams...meaning no out of towners.  They play against neighboring towns

 

Travel....tryouts & travel to out of town or out of state tourneys.  The tough part is there are so many levels.  You've got regional (meaning concentrated in a particular part of the state)...statewide (meaning they draw from a much wider area) or National (EvoShield Canes, etc...who draw nationally.

 

Select & Elite were originally terms to describe different levels of competitive soccer here in Ohio.....I consider Select or Elite to be part of a name...rather than a particular "level" of play.  There are a lot of teams that use Elite in their name...that are not very good.  You're free to name your team whatever you like....lol

The name cannot reflect the true nature of the baseball program.

College Coaches are not impressed with names "select", "elite".

 

Why not use the name "barnstormer"?

 

Keep expenses low, rent a old school bus and sleep on the bus, play anyone, who desire a game, split the gate. Place an Nike sign on the side of the bus. Wear jersey with sponsor ads.

Players will learn the "real" game. How to survive.

 

Showcases will invite you "FREE".

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

 

       
       
I really like this.  Nice job breaking it down.  By your description my son is on a regional team.  There are no statewide teams here at least at our age level.  Maybe five or so teams like us.  As you said doesn't really matter what you are called but its where and who you play that differentiates you.

My thoughts below, kind of the top of my head but I think at least in our area it is pretty close. I guess because my boys are both in HS I am leaning towards the 14u-18 age groups in my comments.

 

Select / Elite - open tryouts and or recruitment to organization, top 10 or 20% type guys, willing and able to travel, events in other states either mid week or weekend don't cause anyone to think twice. These can be National or regional type teams but at the end of it they are built to compete and showcase with and against top talent. They tend to be closer to if not full year round training centers with paid coaches and relationships with many schools both college and HS.

 

Travel - somewhat lower level talent and or guys with travel restrictions, some time just real good athletes who play multiple sports or where baseball is not the primary sport to them. typically play only regional events and don't travel more then an hour or two to play. tend to be kind of locally based, often made of 2 or 3 local schools. may or may not have independent coaches, I find that if they are older ages and the coaches are still fathers they tend to be ones that are pretty good and kind of get a bigger picture. Some legion teams I believe would also fall into this category at the older ages. Some of these teams are very good and can be a tough opponent to "Elite" teams just with some different goals. I still feel they tend to looser with fundamentals and small points of the game.

 

Rec    - local organizations, Babe Ruth, Connie Mack, some legion teams. Kind of your solid level players who are average varsity kids or players from others sports who also enjoy baseball but don't care to put in the work that is required to be really good.

 

Daddy Ball -  The team built and coached by a father or group of fathers to make sure the sons are taken care of, the kids typically tend to be not quite good enough but dad has enough connections or money to make sure Jr gets a "fair" shake...they tend have been "screwed" by some other organization or by multiple ones. These tend to be a disaster, I believe they are more prevalent at the younger ages say 10-13 or 14 - by the time the kids get to 14 or so the other parents have been around enough to see the problems, the kids are so bad they quit, the other kids leave to go to legit "travel" or "elite" programs.

 

 

My son is in 8th grade and has played since he was 6, FYI folks this was posted in the  PRE-HS thread, I assume the OP wants 14u and below information.

 

In the Atlanta area we have two types of teams, for the most part.  There is rec ball and travel ball.

 

Rec Ball: Is open to anyone who would like to join.  From 4-16u there is a spot for you.  There is an 8 week window in the Fall and a 12 week window in the Spring.  All coaches are volunteers, each team plays 1-2 games per week during the season against other teams ONLY at your own park, and has about 1 practice a week.  Everyone gets a uniform and everyone gets a trophy.  The best of the best from Spring will make up the All-star team.  This team will be together from mid May to the mid July and will play in tournaments similar to travel ball tournaments.

 

Travel Ball consists of mostly regional teams. These teams are typically picked in August and go until July.  They will have very few tourneys in the fall, condition over winter (if your team does that, because some don't) and practice really kicks off again in January with the "real" games starting in late February.  A typical distance to travel for a tournament is under 1.5 hours, with the average being about 45 minutes away.  However, within the label of "Travel Ball" there are levels. A, AA, AAA, and Major.  Major is made of the top 10% and they play against the other top 10%.  AA tries to stick to playing against AA, and AAA sticks to playing other AAA.  The tourneys usually make it clear what kind of event they are looking to host.  If you see a Major team sign up you will quickly see multiple teams bow out, so making it clear what kind of teams you want in the tourney is critical.  Sadly, the youth travel ball teams in GA start at 6u, so it is almost like rec ball where if you are willing to pay they will find you a spot.

 

I know of a couple of youth truly national teams that are together for most of the year but they are kind of a joke, at least to myself and my close friends they are a joke.  One website says something like 5K initial payment but team will play in TX, CA, NV, TN...etc...I suppose if I just was REALLY bored and had money to burn I guess I might consider it, but the idea of a 10u kid traveling across America to play other 10u kids just sounds silly, and it sounds a lot like if you have the money then you make the team.

 

I don't think things really get separated until 16u and up as far as who has a national team. And as for daddy ball, it can happen any time any park, any team, even with a paid coach.  You learn to know which parks are well known for it, and even attending a practice it can be pretty clear who plays daddy ball and who has a clue.

You forgot scout, prospect, future.    To me it just marketing these days and doesn't mean a whole lot.  Everyone wants to be on an "elite" team, but if you have to call yourself elite, are you?   

I don't think it's any different than tigers or mud dogs. It's just become a name. Some coaches or organizations like it and use it in their name. Some prefer dirtbags or unicorns lol. I don't think anyone intends for it to be a monicker of specialty anymore. It's just a popular nickname.