Back to our regular programming...one of the big issues I see discussed on this board is "daddy ball" and how it has infected travel baseball for youth between the ages 10-16. Don't get me wrong, lots of dads provide quality instruction to so many more kids than just their own. But for the folks out there who join travel teams, only to find out the manager and coaches have formed the team simply to showcase their sons, I have some advice.
If at all possible, find a team with volunteer coaches who have no children on the squad. I'm sure this is rare for age groups 10-16, but if you can find one of these teams, you may have struck pay dirt.
Volunteer? Yes, volunteer. Coaches who are coaching simply for the love of the game and to satisfy their own competitive juices. These folks will go way above and beyond for their boys. Paid coaches, or coaches who work for BASEBALL CORPORATION INC. I'm sure are fine coaches, and most of them do a very good job. But many of them are doing it for the money (a criticism I see of many high school coaches at times on this board), and at times can seem as though they are doing you a favor, rather than express their true desire to teach the game.
Does that sound too critical? Remember, I'm talking about the 10% bad apples out there. But if you want to eliminate any doubts in your mind, go with the volunteer coaches with no kids on the team. That way if junior is getting all the playing time you feel he deserves, you can atleast understand that maybe junior is destined for the major leagues.
