What does it cost?

And enjoying the ride...Priceless!

LL through HS was cheap; when they get to college the travel cost escalates materially.

I fear enough to have paid for an Ivy League education, but the experience has been priceless. I would not trade my relationship with Gun or any of the memories for twice the expense. It was well worth the ride! GED10DaD

Ironically, I just sat down with my son last week and reviewed "what does it cost?" with the family...and the answer was jaw dropping! We've spent over $13,000 the past 15 months on Travel Ball (monthly team expenses/Tourney's) & Showcase/College Camps. This does not include high school expenses (booster club/bus), baseball equipment, travel expenses (hotel, meals, gas, etc...)and I know other families that have spent as much, or more.

It's been a fun ride thus far, and I wouldn't trade the time I've been able to spend with my son for anything. However, my wife and I realize that we could have stashed that money away and earned some interest in a Money Market account for his education. We will see how everything goes over the next year or so, my kid is on the "Radar" for many colleges...but right now, My Family Is Baseball Broke!

I don't think about the cost of baseball through the years because I know I would give every dollar I have to get to do it all over again.

Baseballdad,

You're absolutely right! Time is flying by, and a few years from now, I'm sure I'll look back and realize how lucky I was/am!!!

I didn't start Jr. in Pony ball until he was 11 so I saved a couple of bucks , but the expenses over the years was well spent . looking back it was the best money we ever spent and the memories will last a lifetime !

Times have changed. I can remember when kids were required to limit their playing time so they could work for their parents. Today, parents work for their kids and spend lots of money just so their kids can PLAY.

In spite of the huge amounts of money parents spend on their son's "baseball", the "priceless" rewards from baseball cost very little or noting at all. The boys playing rec ball have as much FUN (maybe more) than the boys on the select, travel, high school, college, showcase, elite, national, scout, and professional teams.
Fungo

While the cost associated with son's baseball experience has been large, it's a small price to pay to watch him do what he loves and does so well. To see him go from a shy, quiet 10 year old who doesn't think he's good enough to make a travel team to an 18 year old headed to arguably the best baseball JUCO in the country is, in an overused word, PRICELESS.

Besides, we spent at least that much on his older sister's prom dresses, fashionista that she is.

While we may have spent a lot of money....I ask myself if not on this, what?

Many of the trips we tied vacations and other activities in with the baseball stuff. We were able to see family and friends in these spots. Se thigns we would not have seen if not for the baseball.

Worth evey nickle!

Baseball is cheap compared to hockey and golf.

Last year; Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Miami and then Ecuador with Team USA. You don't want to know how much that cost.

Seeing your son wearing red white and blue; worth every penny and more.

That's at least 10 years...so if you don't answer with the last one, you're not participating very much at all...just sayin'. If you really want to see some $$$ numbers, hang around some competitive dancers with your daughter for several years.

Now it's mainly just gas/hotels/food (and plenty of it)...but what a ride.

Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin'!

I don't want to think about it! And this might be the most expensive year of all! But it sure has been fun, and I wouldn't trade one second.

Baseballdad1228,
what a great answer! I am in complete agreement with you.

quote:

Originally posted by 2Bmom:
I don't want to think about it! And this might be the most expensive year of all! But it sure has been fun, and I wouldn't trade one second.

I with 2Bmom....never wanted to know....and never really stopped to add it all up.......17 years of baseball.........from youth through HS then through 4 years of College...summer teams, private lessons.....unis, gloves, bats, cleats he grew out of during the same season we bought them....

Just glad we were able to do it....wouldnt want a nickel back if it meant losing those memories....

13 years of baseball for my son was between youth, travel teams, H.S. and JUCO so far has been less than one day spent on my Daughter's wedding and a heck of a lot more fun far less stress!

A friend of mine has a boy in baseball and a daughter who does Equestrian... he would tell you we are all getting a bargain. And I like the fact you never have to scoop up after a batting helmet.

Trojan Skipper...I have a daughter involved in Equestrian....and your friend is 100% right!

quote:

Originally posted by DaddyBo:
That's at least 10 years...so if you don't answer with the last one, you're not participating very much at all...just sayin'.

I was toward the bottom end of the poll results. After the numbers started coming in I was a little bummed that maybe I "short changed" my kid a bit. Then I thought maybe you had to factor in "when" and "where" into the equation.

The "when" ended in 2003, can you say inflation and the theory of "Supply and demand" in regard to pricing. The "where" was WI where there are more snowballs than baseballs thrown. Our travel ball was LL All-Stars, 4 weekends/yr and most of them were not over nighters. It was not til his Soph year in HS that he went outside the State to play. Besides the PG pre-draft, he attended only one showcase. I think he max'd out playing 60 games one year and that was also his Soph year. He didn't have time to travel as from 8th grade on if he wasn't playing he was umping and it was usually kids older than him. FWIW, he claims he learned the most about the "art" of pitching and the mentality of a hitter while working the dish.

I'm also an equal opportunity parent. With twin daughters 3 years younger, they had the same, actually a little more, opportunity than my son with their dancing and water skiing. It wasn't about the "equal money" rather "equal time" to do things with all the kids. Water sking and baseball are over lapping sports in WI. More times than I can remember I was changing from flip-flops to cleats in parking lots.

My point here is not to rip any poster who spends a lot of money on baseball, but to point out to those who do not have the available funds, or the available time, that it is possible to succeed without those resources. My son, with those limited resources now gets paid to play baseball and IMO it was the price tag of unknown value called "passion" that tipped the scale.

RZ,

Families with money can send their player to every available showcase, buy the best instruction, and provide the best equipment but at the end of the day, talent and passion for the game cannot be purchased. You have a great message for many, many families and congratulations on the success your son has created for himself.

I always looked at it in this way---we as parents want what is best for our kids and we will make sacrifices so we can see that happen

Think of money you can spend on yourself---country clubs/golf; casinos etc--don't you and the wife go out to dinner every now and then when perhaps you cannot truly afford it.I used to fish the Red Man Pro Bass circuit as well as local regional events--I would hate to tell you how expensive that can be--I think Fungo can attest to this-- and that is without your son in the boat with you--it can be 8 hour plus lonely days on the water, three and four days at a stretch--fortunately I had sponsors so the $$ impact was softened--

For me the money spent with my sons, be it on the baseball field or whatever was never even looked at--it was what it was--I am not a picture taking and picture saving guy but I have all the memories as pictures in my mind

For those of you just going into the process don't try and figure out what it will cost---simply think of it as positive time with the son and family---those experiences are priceless and will be with you forever--

Do it and you won't regret it--I have one son and a stepson who have college degrees because of baseball--I can safely say they would not have gone to college if it were not for baseball--NOW THAT IS PRICELESS

quote:

After the numbers started coming in I was a little bummed that maybe I "short changed" my kid a bit.

That is the engine that drives this train...

quote:

I used to fish the Red Man Pro Bass circuit as well as local regional events--I would hate to tell you how expensive that can be--I think Fungo can attest to this

Amen Tom! Very expensive. But at the same time fishing, like baseball can be INEXPENSIVE and enjoyable --or--- it can be EXPENSIVE and enjoyable. I too fished the expensive tournaments and spent more money than most on fishing and my son's baseball. Today it's cameras and camcorders (with a little fishing on the side)...

I'd be curious to see this survey with some higher ranges to choose from. I figure just the fifteen months - fall of junior year to fall of senior year - will be in the 5-8K range just by itself. I was very sane about travel when my son was 13-15 years old. It was still 1K a year before equipment.

Is baseball becoming a country club sport?

With a country club sport you do not spend time with your son traveling and rooming and eating and cheering

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
With a country club sport you do not spend time with your son traveling and rooming and eating and cheering

It was more of a rhetorical question based on cost.

quote:

Originally posted by Fungo:

quote:

After the numbers started coming in I was a little bummed that maybe I "short changed" my kid a bit.

That is the engine that drives this train...

So true Fungo, there are times in the baseball community where you see parents go outside their means in order to live vicariously through their son and when the end does not match the pre-conceived goal there is some animosity within the family. No, it does not happen often, but IMHO, once is too many. The parent/child relationship is the most valuable on this earth and should be sacred. However, as a society, the mighty dollar drives our existence and as much as we hate to see it happen, it can split a family apart. The old cliche "Keeping up with the Jones" is the last variable in choosing the direction of a boys baseball dream because dreams are not bought, they are made.

quote:

Originally posted by RJM:
I'd be curious to see this survey with some higher ranges to choose from.

RJM consider the source of the poll was a bottom feeding Northerner . I'll put a new one out there that is more representitive. I had no idea

I just automatically hit the "over $8,000" button...then I started thinking about it and did some quick math.

Aside from from equipment costs (thank you Ebay and the Internet; catchers have alot of stuff), fees/cost for most the teams themselves wasn't all that bad ( son really worked hard on sponsorships); travel to tournaments when combined with family vacation was tolerable money wise; showcases were a tad high but very fun and educational. All in all, probably around $8,000 so far with more HS ball left. Add probably close to $2,000 for equipment which is kind of a "cost of doing business" thing.

Combine all that with the memories...I came out ahead .

But if the wife ever really knew how much I have spent on fishing all over North America...she faints if I say "Bass Pro Shop" Hard explaining the need for multiple rods/reels/lures to the unenlightened. The "bad" thing is my son is totally addicted to fishing...heh.heh.heh.LOL

quote:

there are times in the baseball community where you see parents go outside their means in order to live vicariously through their son and when the end does not match the pre-conceived goal there is some animosity between the two. No, it does not happen often, but IMHO, once is too many. The parent/child relationship is the most valuable on this earth and should be sacred. However, as a society, the mighty dollar drives our existence and as much as we hate to see it happen, it can split a family apart.

Even though money is not an issue I don't like wasting it. I saw a short term fall off in my son's passion and desire to get to the next level. In other words, he started slacking off. We had a few "Come to Jesus" sessions (as a friend calls it) regarding his passion for the game. They were not pleasant conversations. A wall went up.

I told him it's a priviledge to play travel and showcase ball, not a right. I told him it's not about talent. It's about effort. I told him I'll accept whatever the talent level turns out to be. But I will not tolerate anything less than 100% effort in his preparation. I told him I prefer to nudge him once in a while, not drag him across the finish line.

Ultimately his coach woke him up. The coach noticed the change in attitude. The coach told him the team and college baseball would live on just fine without him. Nudges have not been needed since the talk with the coach. He works out like his pants are on fire.

I noticed one life change when the attitude kicked in. It was when he got his driver's license. Is there some fine print on the back that says ... This license means you are now a big deal and are entitled to act like a horse's butt? Just another life trial we lived through. In the big picture he's viewed as a good kid.

Sorry for the long post but...

Many moons ago. I left deposits and the opportunity to play footbal or wrestle at a D2 state school(4k a year) three weeks before classes started.
I enrolled in an Associate degree program at a Penn State branch campus that offered an interenship and 90% placement after graduating.

Although I love sports, I felt I was doing the responsible thing, I finaly realized that I wasn't going to the NFL and although it was great wrestling held no future.

After the first semester, I entered an "open" collge wrestling tournament just to compete. My dad came for the tournament and after one match(that I lost), offered to pay 12k a year if I would go to a D3 school and play sports.

I thought he was kidding and I diddn't understand, but I do now. I was very commited to sports and he was willing to pay just to see me compete for four more years.

Our family travels together everywhere and I cannot put a price on the time spent together.

To me, the question isn't "what does it cost?" It is "what it cost if we didn't do it"?

quote:

To me, the question isn't "what does it cost?" It is "what it cost if we didn't do it"?

It's cheaper than renting a house at the shore for the summer like we did when the kids were little.

RJM,
I like the post and the last paragraph about the drivers license. Between attitude and the sudden loss of half his IQ, my son has survived (once he had to pay for that ticket he got religion real fast).

A teenagers desire for independence, sudden loss of their IQ and subsequent drop in the perceived IQ of the parents (that got him his "Come to Jesus" meetings), hormones, etc. combined with a drivers license makes for a dangerous combo and perhaps the most fearful/trying times of being a parent. Scary how many kids don't make it.

The first year was tough but now that he basically has his act almost together, it works out well. A couple years ago, I didn't think he would make it another 6 months.

quote:

Originally posted by Baseballdad1228:
RZ,

Families with money can send their player to every available showcase, buy the best instruction, and provide the best equipment but at the end of the day, talent and passion for the game cannot be purchased. You have a great message for many, many families and congratulations on the success your son has created for himself.

I agree with rz, competition and inflation over the years has changed. We didn't spend as much as some here on bb, a good reason that many tournaments and showcases found in our state and son when young didn't play the travel ball that many of the websters sons do these days. And son participated in many other activities beside bb, so can't really try to figure out exactly what we spent. Probably not half as much as dancing lessons, competition, costumes, etc. on our daughter. If rz had to do that times 2, I feel your pain. IMO, girls cost a lot more to raise than sons.

Spending the money is something that should be done because you want to, not because you feel you have to, and much planning goes into making things reasonable if you have a budget.

I quoted the above because it is true, no amount of money can replace talent, ability, desire to acheive your goal.

quote:

A teenagers desire for independence, sudden loss of their IQ and subsequent drop in the perceived IQ of the parents (that got him his "Come to Jesus" meetings), hormones, etc. combined with a drivers license makes for a dangerous combo and perhaps the most fearful/trying times of being a parent.

Now add a menopausal mother into the mix. Almost every day I hear "He/she's driving me nuts!" from both of them. I think I'll take up golf. I heard it's quiet out on the course.

Great poll!

I was acutally sitting down the other night and thinking about this. I still haven't gotten my numbers crunched yet but I'm quite curious to see how it turns out, especially during the High School years.

The nice thing that I've learned about this website the last couple of years is that everyone on here is either going through the same thing, or has been there & done that! Obviously numbers are going to be a little different in some areas, we are fortunate to play ball year round (although we've been getting pounded with rain for a few days now!)

BTW...I also have a teenage daughter. She plays basketball, has gone through the dance phase, and took a shot at some club volleyball. She's sticking with basketball only for now, but she's still very expensive (And Hormonal)! But I love them both, and having a great time on this ride!