How Far to Play Travel Ball??

quote:

But here's my limited opinion. You always run the 60 at or near the beginning of the showcase. The kids that run the fastest 60s it appears are always the ones coaches "track" throughout the rest of the showcase. It's amazing how many coaches manage to watch the sub 7s hit and field. Then when the average to slow players get are hitting or fielding, not nearly as many coaches paying attention.

quote:

But here's my limited opinion. You always run the 60 at or near the beginning of the showcase. The kids that run the fastest 60s it appears are always the ones coaches "track" throughout the rest of the showcase. It's amazing how many coaches manage to watch the sub 7s hit and field. Then when the average to slow players get are hitting or fielding, not nearly as many coaches paying attention.

This comment is dead on!! Our Son "Bomber" falls into this category..(not as fast as he should be) That is why we got a personal trainer involved to work on foot speed, change of direction, and running form...

quote:

QUESTION: How many quality baseball teams are there in Wisconsin---this is not a baseball state

Wisconsin is not a football state either... All of the skill positions are from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Texas or Florida... Is it something in the water in those states or what??

Mank10,

Check your PMs.

Mank,
Check with a poster from a few years ago named BigWi. His son played for Wisconsin Blazers. His son would up going to Johns Hopkins in 2005, as I recall.

http://www.waukeshablazers.org/

These guys are an 1 hour and 1/2 away from Lodi and they have both a 13U and 14U. Unfornunately they had there tryouts YESTERDAY. Maybe you could contact them and ask for a private tryout. I travel around that much for my traveling team.

You're right, there is waaaaaay more to the game than money at every single level. The savvy parent already knows there's very little scholarship money available for baseball anyway. However... I have talked to many, many, many parents who are NOT savvy who believe that being on the "right" travel team or attending the "right" showcase will be worth the money they are investing in terms of scholarship dollars on the other end. We know a family right now who is considering a team that requires FLYING to every tournament as part of the agreement and the hook is "every player on this team has gotten D-I scholarships". It reminds me of the parents who drop quarters in those claw machines to win their little tyke a stuffed animal... they end up paying $40 for a $4 toy. But they WON IT!

We live in north suburban Chicago and every team we've played on over the years has had a smattering of WI players on it, for the very reason stated here - there doesn't seem to be a lot going on in WI travel ball wise. I'm not saying that means there's nothing - you just don't seem to hear much about teams from WI.

So Mank, do what you need to do, do what you want to do, and again, good luck to your son and your family.

I have read this thread with great interest, as it really hits home for our family. We live approximately 75 miles from Kansas City, Mo. Since my oldest son was 10, we have been traveling weekly, sometimes daily for instruction, ball practice, games, tourneys and so on. My oldest son is now 25, with a college degree and 4 years of college baseball under his belt.

We afforded my daughter the exact same opportunity, she is currently 21, a junior in college and chose not to play college ball. Our daughter gave up the game as she was ready to move on with her life and quit playing in the dirt. (Fastpitch Catcher). She is a fine young woman that impresses me nearly every day.

Our youngest son is now approaching 17 this month will be a Junior in High school and has been playing travel ball since he was 9. He will go to college and get his degree with or without baseball.

Just this past week, it really hit home for me what travel ball has meant to our family. Oldest son and daughter came over and we all drove that same 75 miles to the city to watch youngest son play a doubleheader. The conversations before, during and after the games were worth ANY dollars we have spent over the years to travel for baseball.

Yes, a discounted eductation is nice, but we have blessed in that our children have all been great students, and academic scholarships have provided much more money savings than athletic scholarships have for us..........It has never been about money..ever.

Baseball/Fastpitch has been a large part of our family for years and I would not change a thing. Over the years, our family vacations have been centered around where ever the national tournaments were located. Our family weekends have been centered around where ever the particular child was in the tournament that week/weekend.

Those long drives give us the opportunity to discuss baseball, school, girls, boys, success, failure but mostly DREAMS. Many people have posted great comments in this forum, and I respect every one's opinion. For our family, travel ball has been and will continue to be (for a little while longer) something we all connect with. Frankly, I look forward to the drives with my son just so we can shoot the bull and argue about his taste in music compared to the REAL ROCK AND ROLL I grew up with.

Hey, what a minute...32Fastball, I just saw where you're from.....were you at the Central Missouri showcase a couple weeks ago??????

If you're who I think you are, your kid is going to throw out alot of runners in college!!

when I was a kid I used to travel down to the corner sandlot. Did not cost a cent. Oh wait a minute we used to all chip in for the ball.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
when I was a kid I used to travel down to the corner sandlot. Did not cost a cent. Oh wait a minute we used to all chip in for the ball.

I bet you walked to that sandlot uphill both ways.

quote:

1BDad
Member
Posted August 11, 2008 08:57 AM Hide Post
Hey, what a minute...32Fastball, I just saw where you're from.....were you at the Central Missouri showcase a couple weeks ago. If you're who I think you are, your kid is going to throw out alot of runners in college!!

We were at the Central Missouri Showcase.......We hope he gets the opportunity to take on some college base stealers.......