There is much more to baseball than being the best kid on the field, throwing the fastest, hitting the furthest, and such. There is definitely a need for individualized training but part of being a kid (less than 18 yrs) is being a kid. Those long car rides to games or tournaments, the disappointment of losing a hard contested game yet minutes later laughing and goofing with your teammates, the unfamiliar hotels and cities, exploring the sights, etc. Playing baseball as a kid should be about having fun, to love the game because it is a game and not a job. I know of many kids who were "groomed" with intentions to make it to college, pros, the show. A few did succeed, few still trying, many did not. The sole reason wasn't because they didn't take the correct lessons as a kid. Many lost the drive, the interest, the love for the game. Many of my fond memories of baseball involve parks/rec teams, travel teams, high school and college teams and the parents. There are so many variables which must match to permit a player to move to the next level. Some are uncontrollable, some of it even luck. Your original OP asked which was better, one on one, or travel. As you've read other posts, both has values, together (in moderation) may be additive The one I believe is "better" is the one where is you and son have fun, enjoy the ride, appreciate these interactions between child and parent, and let son be a kid in the limited remaining years. BTW, not inferring this applies directly to you, but rather as my 2 cents to others who I've probably bored. Best of luck.
Playing travel ball.
That said, when we talk about my son's path, we put a lot of emphasis on his hitting lessons. His first travel ball team went to a local hitting coach for lessons, and my son stuck with it, off and on, but pretty regularly, for several years. We had no idea at the time, and just got lucky. It was the right coach, and he did a great job communicating with my son. Unfortunately for us Georgia folks, the coach is now in Michigan, and we follow him on Instagram 
After a few years off hitting lessons, my son just started back with another great hitting coach.
Iowamom23 posted:catching22 posted:In our neck of the woods and at our high school, I would say that if anything can be ditched, it is HS ball. I would much rather be the consumer in a capitalistic system, as in travel ball, than a consumer in a monopoly. Use the high school season for individual development.
Yeah, unpopular opinion, but that's our observation after an unpleasant season with a HS varsity coach.
My son had an unpleasant season with a Little League coach. He kept playing Little League. He had an unpleasant boss at his first job in a fast food restaurant. He kept working there until he found something better.
Someday, I hope when he has an unpleasant coach in college, or an unpleasant boss at a full-time job, he remembers learning to learn from those unpleasant people where he could (sometimes on how NOT to do things) and to work with them. I especially hope he remembers it when he is a coach or a teacher and someone finds HIM unpleasant.
But in Little League, you switch coaches every season. In a fast food job, you work until you find something better. It would be insane to insist that someone play four years for this guy when there is a better alternative readily available. I'm glad your son has learned to persevere; another might learn that he has to submit to bullying behavior. I'd rather my son learn that his parents will back him up and not blindly tell him to play for this guy for three more years. That kind of attitude is actually what got USA Gymnastics into trouble.
catching22 posted:Iowamom23 posted:catching22 posted:In our neck of the woods and at our high school, I would say that if anything can be ditched, it is HS ball. I would much rather be the consumer in a capitalistic system, as in travel ball, than a consumer in a monopoly. Use the high school season for individual development.
Yeah, unpopular opinion, but that's our observation after an unpleasant season with a HS varsity coach.
My son had an unpleasant season with a Little League coach. He kept playing Little League. He had an unpleasant boss at his first job in a fast food restaurant. He kept working there until he found something better.
Someday, I hope when he has an unpleasant coach in college, or an unpleasant boss at a full-time job, he remembers learning to learn from those unpleasant people where he could (sometimes on how NOT to do things) and to work with them. I especially hope he remembers it when he is a coach or a teacher and someone finds HIM unpleasant.
But in Little League, you switch coaches every season. In a fast food job, you work until you find something better. It would be insane to insist that someone play four years for this guy when there is a better alternative readily available. I'm glad your son has learned to persevere; another might learn that he has to submit to bullying behavior. I'd rather my son learn that his parents will back him up and not blindly tell him to play for this guy for three more years. That kind of attitude is actually what got USA Gymnastics into trouble.
The difference between unpleasant and criminally abusive is so huge that I don't think you can even compare the two. Or at least you shouldn't.
I will concede that four years is a long time, but in our neck of the woods and at our high school, HS baseball is not optional for the good players.