Some time ago a friend whose 11 year old kid was playing travel ball commented that the college, MLB, and HS players for the most part came from the ranks of travel ball teams. He commented further that it was a disadvantage trying to move on in the game as a rec. player.
I could not respond as it related to the HS programs in his area because I had no knowledge of the quality that existed locally. But I did want to make a few observations that I will share here.
What, then, is the roll of travel ball? First, it only makes sense that the better players would gravitate to travel ball for the improved competition quality. Next, there is a perception that learned skills are improved quicker in travel ball than in rec. ball. Of course, this is only true assuming that the quality of the coaches is superior in travel and that may or may not be factual.
Travel ball allows the player to hit his personal refinement ceiling on skill development quicker than rec. ball which has fewer games. Skills can be learned and refined at any age. It is not like swimming or gymnastics which must be learned at an early age. So from a player development perspective, travel ball only speeds the refinement of skills. This is the major advantage of playing travel. HS coaches will spot a kid with refinement of skills and, if he is marginal on innate ability, he may keep him around for another year.
What, then, are the most important factors for moving on in the game? Number one in importance is innate ability. You were born with these abilities or you were not. Only small amounts of refinement are possible. They include foot speed, arm stregth, physical size, eye - hand coordination, quickness, etc. The other ctitical factors are a passion for the game, correct mental qualities such as mental toughness and the abiility to shrug off defeat, work ethic, etc. And if we are talking about MLB the ability to hit effectively with a wooden bat is critical.
There are a group of opportunities that are important to player development once the player is on the full sized diamond. Prior to that time, about age 13, these opportunities are not important for the good players. The opportunities I refer to are playing with and against the best players available (travel ball), pitching coaching if applicable, and batting skill refinement.
While it is true that you see better quality players in travel, the reason they are in travel is because they are better, not because travel made them better. The best thing a coach can do is to offer opportunities to learn and play the game and not to screw the player up with over coaching. The players that go on in the game do so in spite of their coaching more times than because of it. And if a player in rec. ball has the high quality criteria mentioned above he will be found by the scouts. Especially as a pitcher. Especially as a left handed pitcher. Especially as a tall, left handed pitcher.
In summary, while travel ball, camps, and lessons play a roll in a player's development they are not important until the player is on the full sized diamond and demonstrates that he is a diamond in the rough.
If a parent understands that, his kid and he will have a lot better time with the fun provided by preadolescent travel ball. A player who is superior at age 11 may be washed up at age 15 as physical maturity evens out among players. And the kid who is awkward at age 11 may become that diamond in the rough mentioned above. Adolescent maturation does wondrous things for a boy. When it happens matters a lot. At 11 it signals slowing of the potential but at 14 is uncovers the diamond. You won't really know until after 16 years what kind of a rock you have there.
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