Is "travel ball" the new "rec ball"

Do you recognize advertising when you see it? The article is a positioning paper. It's suggesting if you're not in their program from the get go you're not developing as a college player. Don't play for $500 per season on a well coached 14u team when you can spend thousands to be part of our 14u college development program. 

A kid doesn't need to go through a college development program. Who knows who is a college prospect until fifteen or sixteen anyway? A kid needs quality instruction to get to high school ball regardless of where it comes from. Then when he's a college prospect he needs to find the right team to get in front of the right colleges for his appropriate level of play. For some kids it's D1 . For some it's D3. 

I used to write and get published these kinds of papers in the software market we developed and sold product. They funnel early prospects towards your product.

RJM

I take your point.   I really do.  

But there does seem to be a market segmentation going on  -- at least around here.  NorCal isn't the only one plying this line or trying to play to this market.   And, by the way, they do so quite successfully.   Many players show up at their try-outs.   And their best teams are actually quite good and competitive.  They are one of two organizations from the Bay Area invited to participate in PG's  inaugural invitation only California World Series  (or whatever PG is calling it). ( The  other is a similar organization with a similar market strategy.)

I just see more and more of this, at least in our area.   And do wonder if that is where the "industry" is heading.     Maybe you are right that gullible, naive, or overzealous parents are the real fuel that allows the  market to  head that way, though.

I think a combination of factors play into this.  Two biggest are money and population. 

This group on the link is charging $35 for a tryout and if that is happening at 13U and younger in my neck of the woods I would be shocked.  That can only happen in a place like California or a handful of other places.  Frankly just finding 11 or 12 players and not having glaring holes is a challenge for many teams. 

As for College Development programs if that is where this is going - that is a very select group.  I live in one of the 40 largest Metro areas in the US and you could field perhaps 2 teams with DI players.  A number of them would be ACC or SEC type players but not enough to fill out even a 10 man roster.  Most would be mid major or smaller prospects.

So the evolution has resulted in 2 or 3 state wide groups that pull in the majority of the highest end players in about the 14/15U area (10th grade) and work them from there.  Until that point most kids are playing "travel" aka "daddy" ball typically in many cases.  I surmise this is the situation in most of the country and I would expect that to continue for the foreseeable future.

I think the tryout fee is a mere $20.  HUNDREDS will show up at these tryouts, though.  Another competitor  organization charges $40 per tryout (in advance) $50, if you walk up for a tryout, and $80 if you want an individual evaluation.  

SluggerDad,

I'm going to agree with you based on my experience and observations. These organizations can call themselves whatever they want, but the differentiation line is talent and money.  Some organizations have elite talent and some don't.   Some organizations charge excessive amounts of money and others don't. 

Our oldest son was part of a national travel & showcase team 6 years ago.  They were very successful and took home some serious hardware and national championship rings.   A year later, the next thing we know his organization had 3-4 teams at each age group.  They've never been able to regain that same national presence or even come close IMHO.  Other teams in our area followed suit, and the dilution of talent continued as the yearly fees went up.  Other teams took a different tack and separated themselves from the herd by offering more college councelling and services for baseball players...which I think is a great value add.   Whatever path it is, you've got to know where your money is going and if it meets your son's long term goals.  JMO.

Oh I believe it for the Bay area or down in LA.  California would be at the far right side of any bell curve for that kind of thing.  Weather, huge numbers of people and tons of money to go with it. 

Did the 10U to 12U thing and we took on a couple of projects that became decent players but we had 2's and 3's at any tryout we ever had.  Around here people would expect a month of baseball for $80 - 2 tournaments, 10 to 12 practices.  A couple of batting cages swing the lessons and camps but the teams - all organized by parents except 1. 

He runs the other end of the pool from this group....9U to 13U and hands them off to High School.  I think his bet is that he can make more by running 100+ kids for 5 years and getting $1,000+ a year from them than trying to find 20 kids and get $5,000 with more overhead.  Much easier to sell...I'll get you on the HS team and be successful at that a high percentage of the time rather than I'll get you into college and fail a high percentage of the time.

RJM, others - NorCal Baseball is very truly an elite organization and they do a fantastic job.

They do not need to advertise...at all.  Kids in our area "dream" of a phone call from them...its a clear signal you are a top-25 player in Northern CA.

The article is informative and not an advertisement.  It does separate them from most others, but when its the truth, I don't consider it out of line.  Whats the saying?  "It ain't bragging if you can do it."

Do they have detractors?  Make enemies?  Darn right they do, but its the nature of the business.  I can also tell you they will promote a player they see to scouts, colleges and USA Baseball that never has nor ever will play for them.  Just last month, they got a kid from our son's old HS a ticket to the USA trials in Cary, NC (18U) under such circumstances.

They arranged campus visits with top-25 programs for our older son before he had ever worn their uniform and helped get him an invite to the USA trials too.

They know what they're doing and they do it extremely well.  'Nuff said.

+1

totally right

I guess it depends.  The problem is that it starts at 8, 9 or 10 years old.  Somebody takes the "studs" of the league and forms a "travel" team.  The non politically connected dads say wtf, and start their own team with the "B" players.  Most players who go "travel" are looking for one of two things.  One is the "prestige" of playing travel (right).  The other is more instruction and a more focused environment.  The rec leagues become just a place for kids to hang out -- the old sand lot if you will.  Since there are now multiple "travel" teams, the local talent is spread out.  Some are glorified rec teams.  Others are serious about baseball.  Some are over the top.  

By the time HS rolls around, my how things have changed.  Many of the "studs" no longer play.  Some of those "B" players have developed.  "Travel" ball becomes segregated.   Their are teams of all Div 1 prospects and then teams of everyone else.  Really no different than Div 1, 2 and 3 in college.  Although you still might have the dad team that is still hanging on to the "dream" they are usually gone by the 2nd year of HS.  So it is watered down.  Yes and no.  Depends on which team you're looking at. 

College Development seems to be a misnomer, since the goal isn't to develop players but to showcase them.

What I have noticed is decline in coaching after age 12. Either the travel/development team takes anyone who shows up, then splits time, or takes only those already "developed". The focus is on showcasing, not helping players getting better at playing the game.

Compounding it, emphasizing many games you can play in a year. Playing a 100 games at 12 years old without focusing on improving doesn't really do that much to advance a player.

I'm sure there are some great programs which are teaching skills and how to play the game right. Just not sure that this is the majority.

The thing is I think there really is a space in the baseball landscape -- a market niche -- for the rough equivalent of the soccer academies that MLS sponsors.   Elite organizations like NorCal and others have gradually come to occupy that niche.  It has taken awhile to separate that niche out from the market niche occupied by the broader travel ball industry.   But it seems to me that there is a clear market segmentation happening in this space.  And it's happening pretty fast these days, I think. 

I also think the rise of organizations like PG has help bring about that segmentation.   PG, in effect,  provides a sort of bazaar in which the  suppliers of  elite talent can peddle their wares to the consumers of elite talent. 

Also,  I don't think it's right to say that the emphasis is not on development.  Development -- at least in these parts -- is a multi-faceted things.  These elite organizations do practice together.  But many  also offer year round training -- of course, usually for an extra fee.  Plus there are many, many very accomplished, hitting, pitching, defensive, strength and conditioning coaches in these parts that work with players on a one on one basis.  Many with outstanding reputations and long track records of success.  Some of these are associated with these  elite programs; others are solo practitioners with very impressive list of clients. 

Is an endlessly fascinating and complicate  landscape, I think. 

NorCal is an elite program.  We see several of their best players at our National Showcase every year.  Several of those have gone on to play in our All American Game.

I understand why some organizations want to be labeled something other that a travel team.  After all, these days there are thousands of travel teams, some don't even travel that much. It's like a brand new industry.  I can see where the very best want to be classified differently.

At the same time, we don't care about labels. We want the best possible teams with the best possible players.  It makes no difference if they happen to be called College Developmental, Travel, Legion or REC teams.  Not all the best players come from the very best and most well known programs.  Then again, many do come from those programs.  A few years ago we had two of the most well known teams in the country playing on one field.  Both teams as always were loaded with talent.  However the vast majority of the scouts were at another game being played by a team called the roadrunners or something like that. This all because of one Bryon Buxton was on that team.

twotex - I agree it can be a misnomer.  I suppose some might consider it that way for NorCal, but the truth (from our two experiences) was that our sons learned an awful lot from their workouts, instruction, advice and game coaching.

And yes, they get you in front of evaluators.  They very definitely do that and do it well.

They know what they're doing and they bring it all to bear for a player if he wants to soak it in.

Their program is exactly how I'd design one if I were in that business.

My sons team just played Norcal over the July 4th weekend. They are a well run team with some good ballplayers.

Knowing what I know now, I would have spent the money, made the long drives and joined NorCal when PO Jr had the chance. It all worked out in the long run for him. However, the journey could have been easier. Don't get me wrong, you still have to be talented, but college coaches go to NorCal games and look for their teams at top tourneys. It's just a fact. 

They are a first class organization, I know of at least a dozen of their players that had many options because they played for NorCal. 

I think the term College Development program fits perfectly for NorCal..

I realize NorCal is an elite organization. But they are now expanding out the business. There's a NorCal team (same organization) based out of Altoona PA now. That's not exactly the hotbed of baseball. This is why the article appeared as marketing material to me.

Even if it is advertising, it speaks to the market niche they see themselves as trying to define and then occupy.   I think there really is that niche and that they occupy it rather well.   The point is that "the" travel industry is no longer one thing and I wonder what will become of the lower tier of the travel industry. 

I agree a lot of travel is advanced rec.