to carry over from a couple of the other threads....at such an early age say 14 and under, why are some many people wrapped up in travel ball?
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I think it is mostly because the level of competition is better.
I asked the same question to a trusted baseball advisor when we were thinking of moving my 12 year old son from LL to travel ball.
Him: How many players are on your LL team?
Me: 12
Him: How many want to be there?
Me: 4-5
Him: In travel ball, they all want to be there.
That might not be absolute but it's pretty close.
Him: How many players are on your LL team?
Me: 12
Him: How many want to be there?
Me: 4-5
Him: In travel ball, they all want to be there.
That might not be absolute but it's pretty close.
Travel Ball in the NorthEast begins at 13. There are 10-12 year old teams but IMO that is a little less competative. The 13 year old Travel Teams start to seperate the stronger players. You can see a BIG differance on the HS team between the Travel Ball players & the rest.
quote:Originally posted by biggerpapi:
I asked the same question to a trusted baseball advisor when we were thinking of moving my 12 year old son from LL to travel ball.
Him: How many players are on your LL team?
Me: 12
Him: How many want to be there?
Me: 4-5
Him: In travel ball, they all want to be there.
That might not be absolute but it's pretty close.
I have 12/13 players every year for the last 5yrs on my LL teams....on every team I can honestly say that at least 11, and in mopst cases all of them, "wanted" to be there. Especially at th 11/12 age group. Younger groups 7-9, yeah a fewer really wanted to be there and were there because the parents pushed them.
On the other side of the coin, how many travel players 'wanted to be there' and miss their friend's big birthday party or cousin's wedding or family vacation...? 
quote:have 12/13 players every year for the last 5yrs on my LL teams....on every team I can honestly say that at least 11, and in mopst cases all of them, "wanted" to be there. Especially at th 11/12 age group. Younger groups 7-9, yeah a fewer really wanted to be there and were there because the parents pushed them.
That may be true in your case but you must admit for the best 12 or so players in that League the best Baseball came from All-Stars. There is no way the level of Competition in the Rec League could come close to an All-Star tournament. That Level of Competition is what enables the Stronger Players to get even better.
I will agree and disagree. Agree - Yes the best competition comnes at all star time for the top 12/13 players
Disagree - that a certain level of competition is what enables the stongest players to get better, while it may let stronger players get better, it is not the "only way" for strong players so get better.
...and good point Antz
Disagree - that a certain level of competition is what enables the stongest players to get better, while it may let stronger players get better, it is not the "only way" for strong players so get better.
...and good point Antz
For us, it wasn't only the level of competition. We live in a small town where there is NO compitition to speak of. Not in rec and not in All Stars. During my son's 12yo all star summer season, there were more than a few players who simply didn't show up. I can honestly say there were 5 that wanted to be there.
That being said, the real deciding factor wasn't just the level of compitition, but the level of coaching. Parents in my town do the best they can with rec ball but, lets be honest, it really doesn't get the job done. Not here anyway. Sending my boy to play travel at 11 was the best decision we made. I would never second guess it.
Yup, our reason was coaching...
That being said, the real deciding factor wasn't just the level of compitition, but the level of coaching. Parents in my town do the best they can with rec ball but, lets be honest, it really doesn't get the job done. Not here anyway. Sending my boy to play travel at 11 was the best decision we made. I would never second guess it.
Yup, our reason was coaching...
People are going to disagree about this, and there really is no right or wrong answer. In many ways the answer you will give depends on the kid, and it depends on the LL community / rec league available to the kid, as well as the quality of the select ball alternative. It isn't going to be the same for everybody.
That said, for me, the answers that have been provided already are true in our experience. More kids in travel ball share a more similar passion (and ability) for the game, and I believe that is more important for some kids than it is for others. The coaching is (usually) better. And at least in my son's case, I don't have any doubt that playing against better competition helped him improve in ways he would have been unable to just playing LL or community/rec ball.
This doesn't have to be an either/or thing though. My son started playing select / travel ball in his 11 year old season, but he also played LL in our community as an 11 and 12 year old. That was important to his development within our community, as well as to our family (I was his Majors coach, the All Star coach, and the LL president at the time). It works best if both are allowed to co-exist. I told his select coach several times later on that if we had been forced to choose, we would have chosen community (at least until 13). Fortunately, we didn't have to.
That said, for me, the answers that have been provided already are true in our experience. More kids in travel ball share a more similar passion (and ability) for the game, and I believe that is more important for some kids than it is for others. The coaching is (usually) better. And at least in my son's case, I don't have any doubt that playing against better competition helped him improve in ways he would have been unable to just playing LL or community/rec ball.
This doesn't have to be an either/or thing though. My son started playing select / travel ball in his 11 year old season, but he also played LL in our community as an 11 and 12 year old. That was important to his development within our community, as well as to our family (I was his Majors coach, the All Star coach, and the LL president at the time). It works best if both are allowed to co-exist. I told his select coach several times later on that if we had been forced to choose, we would have chosen community (at least until 13). Fortunately, we didn't have to.
Coaching seems like a valid reason to me....as long as you are not getting raked over the coals for fee's.
Did you play rec ball at the same time?
Did you play rec ball at the same time?
quote:Disagree - that a certain level of competition is what enables the stongest players to get better, while it may let stronger players get better, it is not the "only way" for strong players so get better.
I never said that it was the only way for the Better players to get better. I think what your refering to would be the extra things that some players do to become the better players in the first place. For example, Hitting & Pitching lessons, practicing with Dad in the backyard, batting cages ETC. All the things that the Kids that LOVE the game do. As far as All-Stars go I meant that without Travel Ball the only way for some players to Play against a higher caliber player would be All-Stars. Travel teams offer many more games spread out over the entire spring & Summer not just July.
I will be honest, we thought our son would be left behind when we saw a lot of the other better players doing it. Figured we had to keep up with them. About 10 U we got going with "select" here, as we never traveled out of the area. Started off with a league of 12 games and 4 tournaments so it wasnt too much or a lot of money.
And the competition thing was big for us. Our son loved to play and he wanted to play with kids who loved to play and compete.
And the competition thing was big for us. Our son loved to play and he wanted to play with kids who loved to play and compete.
quote:Originally posted by CBMDad:quote:Disagree - that a certain level of competition is what enables the stongest players to get better, while it may let stronger players get better, it is not the "only way" for strong players so get better.
I never said that it was the only way for the Better players to get better. I think what your refering to would be the extra things that some players do to become the better players in the first place. For example, Hitting & Pitching lessons, practicing with Dad in the backyard, batting cages ETC. All the things that the Kids that LOVE the game do. As far as All-Stars go I meant that without Travel Ball the only way for some players to Play against a higher caliber player would be All-Stars. Travel teams offer many more games spread out over the entire spring & Summer not just July.
CBM, didn't mean to infer that you meant it as the only way.
But I do think that a lot of parents feel that way. I have not problem with travel ball. I do get concerned when kids play both. At my LL, there are a lot of kids that are playing both. I keep an eye on them and watch as the season pogresses and watch them get run down. I am tracking several very good players now to see how they fair when it comes time to get ready for high school.
I think the player will be much better off playing one or the other....play LL and spend some money on quality lessons or spend good money and play travel ball and hope you get a good instructor vs. a coach that only wants to win
The ideal way for it to be set up for kids to play both is that the select team leaves them alone for the most part during the LL season (speaking of 12U and under players here). Workout during the winter, have a few (2-4) Sunday select practices during LL season. Perhaps a Memorial Day tournament if your LL is down during that time (as ours was), and don't pick up summer tournament ball until after All Stars is completed - that still leaves a month and a half of summer for most, plus Fall Ball. It isn't that hard to co-exist.
He played rec ball at the same time. At 11, the travel season wasn't so crazy that it didn't allow time for anything else. He didn't make too many LL practices though, because the AAU games were on Saturdays, but his coach didn't mind. He knew what he was getting in return. Anyway, I got to help coach, and his team won the town majors championship that year (despite me being on the staff lol). I was coaching first when he drove in the 2 runs to put us ahead. In that respect I'm glad we didn't have to chose between rec and travel. Some pretty great memories.
The fee's for the travel team were competitve with other clubs. There were cheaper programs, but most times you really do get what you pay for.
The fee's for the travel team were competitve with other clubs. There were cheaper programs, but most times you really do get what you pay for.
That would be nice except that down here most LL's run a Fall season. I am seeing a lot of over-playing. Most teams only carry 11 sometimes 12 players because they don't want to have to sub too much. that, for me, is a red flag for kids that age.
I live and work in a major city. One of my colleagues has boys in the same age group as my son. We live in opposite directions; about 60 miles apart. In my area, Leagues (Little League, Pony, etc) rule the Spring for players through their 12U season. Groups of players from these leagues will often get together and play as ‘tournament’ teams into the summer. As the boys get a little older (11+), these teams may stay together through the fall and play a Sunday Club league.
In my colleague’s area, ‘travel’ rules. Any kid with interest or aptitude at 3rd grade generally leaves behind any connection to a rec-league and joins a year-around Travel team.
Both systems have warts. Functionally, the ‘tournament’ teams in my region act very much like the ‘travel’ teams in my colleagues. 12 to 14 kids on a team, 3 to 5 Dads coaching. Each team is a unique experience. Coaching can be excellent or not, groups of parents can be excellent or not. On the other hand, there’s no denying the Spring leagues are a diluted talent pool. The bottom of a batting order can take 2 painful innings to get through.
I’ll echo others: There’s no ‘right’ answer. You and your community have to decide what’s best.
My preference is an Academy format (maybe I just made up that term?). Lots of kids within the same age-group. Professional coaches. Heavy emphasis on practices time over games. Some distribution of each age groups best pitchers, catchers and middle infields among the teams. The downside is cost. Even with all its known gripes, there’s very few less expensive activities than Daddy-Ball.
In my colleague’s area, ‘travel’ rules. Any kid with interest or aptitude at 3rd grade generally leaves behind any connection to a rec-league and joins a year-around Travel team.
Both systems have warts. Functionally, the ‘tournament’ teams in my region act very much like the ‘travel’ teams in my colleagues. 12 to 14 kids on a team, 3 to 5 Dads coaching. Each team is a unique experience. Coaching can be excellent or not, groups of parents can be excellent or not. On the other hand, there’s no denying the Spring leagues are a diluted talent pool. The bottom of a batting order can take 2 painful innings to get through.
I’ll echo others: There’s no ‘right’ answer. You and your community have to decide what’s best.
My preference is an Academy format (maybe I just made up that term?). Lots of kids within the same age-group. Professional coaches. Heavy emphasis on practices time over games. Some distribution of each age groups best pitchers, catchers and middle infields among the teams. The downside is cost. Even with all its known gripes, there’s very few less expensive activities than Daddy-Ball.
quote:Originally posted by lefthookdad:
I will agree and disagree. Agree - Yes the best competition comnes at all star time for the top 12/13 players
Disagree - that a certain level of competition is what enables the stongest players to get better, while it may let stronger players get better, it is not the "only way" for strong players so get better.
...and good point Antz
My son played these "all star" teams many times as they will often enter a local tournament to see how good they are. Very seldom have I seen them when a game, much less compete. The level of commitment to the sport is the difference, as well as the number of good players on the team. In addition, "travel ball" may not be much travel if you live in a major city.
Yes- A huge red flag! And it should. No one wants their son/daughter to be over used. My son's travel coach had a way to manage it, during the spring anyway. He encouraged all of us parents to get a notebook, and keep a record of what our player did from week to week. How many games, how many pitches, what positions, etc. And told them to please keep from pitching 2 or 3 days leading up to game day.
If a LL program is going to over use players for a fall season, then all the more reason to go with a good travel program, and forget rec.
If a LL program is going to over use players for a fall season, then all the more reason to go with a good travel program, and forget rec.
The main reasons we got wrapped up in travel ball, back in the day of my son being in those younger age groups, were:
1. Little League offered a very short season and a very short All Star tournament. Travel ball offered him a chance to do what he loved the most from March into November.
2. Instruction was spotty in the rec league. Son wanted to be as good as he could be and he and others like him banded together to seek quality and consistency in instruction.
3. Level of competition and challenge was much greater. In LL ball, if son threw it hard to a teammate it was just as likely to break his face as to land in a mitt. This led him to have to worry whether he should really fire the ball. Having the ability to trust in the capabilities of your teammates allowed him to play the game the way it should be played, and he enjoyed that far more than he did in LL ball.
These were our main reasons. The whole idea of moving on to college, or even pro ball was viewed as some sort of a distant dream. Happily it's a dream that has come true for a lot of the guys who played on those teams, but that was not the immediate goal at that time. The focus didn't really turn to that until maybe age 15.
1. Little League offered a very short season and a very short All Star tournament. Travel ball offered him a chance to do what he loved the most from March into November.
2. Instruction was spotty in the rec league. Son wanted to be as good as he could be and he and others like him banded together to seek quality and consistency in instruction.
3. Level of competition and challenge was much greater. In LL ball, if son threw it hard to a teammate it was just as likely to break his face as to land in a mitt. This led him to have to worry whether he should really fire the ball. Having the ability to trust in the capabilities of your teammates allowed him to play the game the way it should be played, and he enjoyed that far more than he did in LL ball.
These were our main reasons. The whole idea of moving on to college, or even pro ball was viewed as some sort of a distant dream. Happily it's a dream that has come true for a lot of the guys who played on those teams, but that was not the immediate goal at that time. The focus didn't really turn to that until maybe age 15.
My feeling is the baseball journey really begins at 13U when the kids hit the 60/90 field. They have two years to adapt and prove they belong on the field before high school ball starts.
Here's how I presented our 13U team to parents. Would you like to have your son's coached by four former college players (two pro) or risk your son being selected in a rec league draft by a well intended dad who doesn't know the game? Besides rec ball ends mid June.
We played ten tournaments. Players were allowed to miss two weekends. We had thirteen players. We had a backup pool of players. Our state's USSSA allowed players to play on other teams when their team wasn't playing as long as they are on the year's roster and activated for that weekend.
I attribute my son's playing travel ball for being ready for high school varsity one year sooner. He faced plenty of 80+ in 14U final fours.
Prior to the teen years our Sunday doubleheader travel league was rostered by our potential LL all-stars. It prepped the kids for quality all-star competition.
Here's how I presented our 13U team to parents. Would you like to have your son's coached by four former college players (two pro) or risk your son being selected in a rec league draft by a well intended dad who doesn't know the game? Besides rec ball ends mid June.
We played ten tournaments. Players were allowed to miss two weekends. We had thirteen players. We had a backup pool of players. Our state's USSSA allowed players to play on other teams when their team wasn't playing as long as they are on the year's roster and activated for that weekend.
I attribute my son's playing travel ball for being ready for high school varsity one year sooner. He faced plenty of 80+ in 14U final fours.
Prior to the teen years our Sunday doubleheader travel league was rostered by our potential LL all-stars. It prepped the kids for quality all-star competition.
lefthookdad - Good question!
All I can do is relate my 2 sons' path.
They both entered "real" travel ball (i.e. something really gettin' out there beyond local tournaments) in about 8th grade for older one (2004 HS grad) and 10th grade for younger one (2011 HS grad). Both ended up with multiple scholarship offers that included their "dream schools."
Yes, competition was better, but in both cases they really wanted to play with their friends until they made the switchover.
Sometimes I think there's a 'race' to get to the finish line. I don't see it as altogether necessary to sprint in order to get there.
All I can do is relate my 2 sons' path.
They both entered "real" travel ball (i.e. something really gettin' out there beyond local tournaments) in about 8th grade for older one (2004 HS grad) and 10th grade for younger one (2011 HS grad). Both ended up with multiple scholarship offers that included their "dream schools."
Yes, competition was better, but in both cases they really wanted to play with their friends until they made the switchover.
Sometimes I think there's a 'race' to get to the finish line. I don't see it as altogether necessary to sprint in order to get there.
How do all you guys know your kids are gonna be baseball players by age 10?
quote:Originally posted by Aleebaba:quote:Originally posted by lefthookdad:
I will agree and disagree. Agree - Yes the best competition comnes at all star time for the top 12/13 players
Disagree - that a certain level of competition is what enables the stongest players to get better, while it may let stronger players get better, it is not the "only way" for strong players so get better.
...and good point Antz
My son played these "all star" teams many times as they will often enter a local tournament to see how good they are. Very seldom have I seen them win a game, much less compete. The level of commitment to the sport is the difference, as well as the number of good players on the team. In addition, "travel ball" may not be much travel if you live in a major city.
quote:Originally posted by AntzDad:
"How do all you guys know your kids are gonna be baseball players by age 10?"
LOL. Good question.
I'll answer it seriously.... In my kids' case, I didn't know for sure, I just knew he had a passion for the game that literally was present from the minute he discovered it and could communicate that passion, AND he had always been quite a bit better than his peer group in our community.
We sought out Fall Ball initially, mostly because there was a particularly obnoxious Junior Football coach I didn't want my son exposed to, but didn't want to tell him "you can't play football." I wanted to give him an alternative, and I knew if that alternative was baseball, he would select that over anything else. Once he got into Fall Ball (as a 10 year old on a 12U team) and had success, he was asked by the director of the Fall Ball league - a former MLB pitcher - to try out for his select team and we did. Pretty much as simple as that, for us.
The implication of your question is that anybody who puts their kid into select ball at 10 must think their kid is pretty good and will end up pretty good, which I think it may be a poor assumption. Most think it may be the best way for their kid to rise to whatever true talent level he may have. That's a lot different mindset than assuming your kid is really good, will always be, and has to play with "better" kids or he won't be challenged.
With that said, I don't think select ball is for everybody, and you probably shouldn't pursue it if your kid hasn't already shown a level of ability and passion for the sport that exceeds the vast majority of his peer group.
At ten my son wanted to play point guard for an ACC school. Then I informed him he was going to grow up to be a 6'2" white kid. The 10yo travel teammate who made my son look so good at point guard is now playing basketball for Clemson.quote:Originally posted by AntzDad:
How do all you guys know your kids are gonna be baseball players by age 10?
At ten years old I would say the order of interest was basketball, s0ccer, baseball, football. He loved them all. They were all close in order of interest. Since he only played sports seasonally baseball would rise to the top in spring and summer.
I think my passion for coaching basketball and the intensity of the game made it his favorite sport. I love teaching baseball. For coaching games I prefer basketball. It's a high speed chess match.
My brother played baseball for our community team approximately 35-40 years ago. Our community did not have LL, but after the regular season was over, they would field a team of about 12 kids and enter different community tournaments. I loved traveling to different parts of the city, playing teams we had never seen before. I also enjoyed the family atmosphere, potluck dinners with players' families, ice cream parties, etc. It also didn't hurt that the team was very good, and did their share of winning.
My son began playing baseball at age 5, along with other sports during the appropriate seasons. He was a VERY active kid, and I admit I had him involved in sports as a way to keep him busy and burn off some excess energy. His list of sports is extensive and has changed over the years, but baseball was the one constant. When he was around 11, it began to become apparent that he was outgrowing the competition in our community league, but he had a good coach and enjoyed playing with his classmates, so we stuck it out until the team disbanded when he was 12.
He began travel ball at 12, and never looked back. He was never on any of the big time showcase teams, but his travel ball got us many family vacations and weekends at tournaments, as well as some of that priceless bonding time during long car trips. Baseball is the only sport he played at the high school level, although he did play in some rec basketball leagues.
A small payoff occurred last spring, his freshman year in college. He is playing baseball for a highly ranked DIII. We were fortunate enough to go to Florida to watch his team's first week of the season. After the first few games, he said to us, "You know, I thought this would be something like high school ball, but it is almost exactly like travel ball. If our uniforms weren't different, I would have thought we were at a travel tournament." If anyone is looking for a reason to participate in travel ball, the comfort level it brings to college level ball is a great one.
My son began playing baseball at age 5, along with other sports during the appropriate seasons. He was a VERY active kid, and I admit I had him involved in sports as a way to keep him busy and burn off some excess energy. His list of sports is extensive and has changed over the years, but baseball was the one constant. When he was around 11, it began to become apparent that he was outgrowing the competition in our community league, but he had a good coach and enjoyed playing with his classmates, so we stuck it out until the team disbanded when he was 12.
He began travel ball at 12, and never looked back. He was never on any of the big time showcase teams, but his travel ball got us many family vacations and weekends at tournaments, as well as some of that priceless bonding time during long car trips. Baseball is the only sport he played at the high school level, although he did play in some rec basketball leagues.
A small payoff occurred last spring, his freshman year in college. He is playing baseball for a highly ranked DIII. We were fortunate enough to go to Florida to watch his team's first week of the season. After the first few games, he said to us, "You know, I thought this would be something like high school ball, but it is almost exactly like travel ball. If our uniforms weren't different, I would have thought we were at a travel tournament." If anyone is looking for a reason to participate in travel ball, the comfort level it brings to college level ball is a great one.
Why were we so wrapped up in travel ball...
At age 8 our "all-star team" had an extreemly successful but extreemly short season. We, as parents, were sorry to see it end because the players were all good kids and we as parents enjoyed one another's company. By the end of the 9u all star season we decided that if we wanted these kids to stay together (and the parents) we should do something about it. We put together a travel team and initially practiced once per week. We agreed to play "locally" - I remember my utter amazemant when we played a tournament that was 2.5 hours away!!! The boys continued to enjoy one another as did the parents - and as an added bonus we continued to win. THe team stayed together until the end of the 13u season. The core group of 7 or 8 boys made it through the entire period.
Son was asked to play for other teams at 10 or 11. By the time the original team began what we knew would be the last year (coach's son was changing sports) I heard my son - politely explain to other coaches - "I walked on the field with my team when they played their first game and I want to walk off the field with them when they play their last game."
Did it make him a better baseball player? I think so. Did it make him a better person? I know it did.
At age 8 our "all-star team" had an extreemly successful but extreemly short season. We, as parents, were sorry to see it end because the players were all good kids and we as parents enjoyed one another's company. By the end of the 9u all star season we decided that if we wanted these kids to stay together (and the parents) we should do something about it. We put together a travel team and initially practiced once per week. We agreed to play "locally" - I remember my utter amazemant when we played a tournament that was 2.5 hours away!!! The boys continued to enjoy one another as did the parents - and as an added bonus we continued to win. THe team stayed together until the end of the 13u season. The core group of 7 or 8 boys made it through the entire period.
Son was asked to play for other teams at 10 or 11. By the time the original team began what we knew would be the last year (coach's son was changing sports) I heard my son - politely explain to other coaches - "I walked on the field with my team when they played their first game and I want to walk off the field with them when they play their last game."
Did it make him a better baseball player? I think so. Did it make him a better person? I know it did.
quote:Originally posted by AntzDad:
How do all you guys know your kids are gonna be baseball players by age 10?
Really great question! At each level all we really did was try and help our kids get better so they could play at the next level (e.g. 12U, then 14U, then HS, etc...). And only if they really wanted too.
We didn't even enter into travel ball with expectations beyond HS. Just wanted to make and play on the HS team. I remember being somewhat taken aback with both boys when coaches said, 'Your son is gonna play beyond HS.'
Just wasn't something we set our sights on until it was there in front of us.
YesReally reminded me of one of the best reasons to play "travel". You get to choose the parents!
quote:Originally posted by Texas1836:
YesReally reminded me of one of the best reasons to play "travel". You get to choose the parents!
Amen to that! My son's first travel team had a core of about eight that played at least 3 of the last 4 years together (11, 12, 13, 14), but even among those who left, the parents really got along! I thought it might be just a factor of people who all share similar interests not surprisingly hitting it off, but after we did some tournaments with other teams, and then moved on, I realize that isn't always (or even most of the time) the case, and how lucky we really were.... I definitely look for problem parents when looking at potential new teams and avoid that unless a LOT of other factors outweigh it.....
quote:Originally posted by AntzDad:
How do all you guys know your kids are gonna be baseball players by age 10?
I agree with others that this is the question to be asked, and perhaps not just at age 10, but at 12 and 14 and perhaps even older.
As this board evolves over time, it is becoming more and more clear that the vast majority of parents who post, and their sons, are on a very similar path.
In contrast, our son at age 10/12 and through 13/14 played baseball in baseball season, basketball in that season, flag foot ball in that season, so***x in that season, tennis during the year and swam pretty competitively during the Summers.
In HS, he cut back (Whew!!!)
HS was baseball in the Spring and Summer with some overlap with football in late July/early August and football exclusively from mid August through the end of November.
December was weight training and speed work and those were also built in with his year round schedule.
The very first time our son played baseball year round was as a freshman in college. .
That our son played year round for almost 8 more years(not in college
) makes me comfortable to suggest he/we didn't miss anything in baseball,and to support others who might feel if their son is not on one path, mistakes are being made.
My son played rec and all stars through 13u. Started travel at 13u also. We live in a large town, about 40K population, so rec was competitive enough for a 8-12 year old, with about 4-5 decent players on each team. Cal Ripken all stars allowed you to play as many tournaments as possible so they played 4-5 local tournaments then districts.
I didn't even know travel ball existed until he was 12. The only drawback to all stars is that is was usually over in the 2nd week of July. A little too early.
I don't feel playing rec only until 12u hurt his game at all. From 11 years old on he worked out at a local academy 3-5 days a week. He's a hyper kid so this kept him busy doing something he liked with kids he liked. It wasn't a chore to him at all. Laughing and having fun while learning baseball. That is what improved his game from year to year. Not playing but practicing. He would swing a bat, with good coaching, almost everyday from November to March.
I also agree there is no write or wrong way regarding rec v. travel. Whatever works for the family and the kid is the right way.
I didn't even know travel ball existed until he was 12. The only drawback to all stars is that is was usually over in the 2nd week of July. A little too early.
I don't feel playing rec only until 12u hurt his game at all. From 11 years old on he worked out at a local academy 3-5 days a week. He's a hyper kid so this kept him busy doing something he liked with kids he liked. It wasn't a chore to him at all. Laughing and having fun while learning baseball. That is what improved his game from year to year. Not playing but practicing. He would swing a bat, with good coaching, almost everyday from November to March.
I also agree there is no write or wrong way regarding rec v. travel. Whatever works for the family and the kid is the right way.
quote:Originally posted by AntzDad:
How do all you guys know your kids are gonna be baseball players by age 10?
I actually don't like this question. To me it implies that we all thought our 10 years were destined for pro ball and we must think they're better than everyone else.
We want the best for our kids. We want them to have fun, we want them to be well-rounded, we want to push them to be the best they can be.
This is why they practice to be good enough for higher levels of sports. They study hard and try to get into advanced classes in school. We teach them behaviors that help them be good people.
I don't know my son will play pro ball. I don't know if he's the next Albert Einstein. I don't know if he'll be a respected businessman.
But I'm going to give him every chance to be what he wants to be.
quote:Originally posted by AntzDad:
How do all you guys know your kids are gonna be baseball players by age 10?
Great question.
I - and their Mom - didnt know squat. With both boys.
It was simple - we told them they had to act like good human beings and work hard at school and they did - and they both said they wanted to play baseball - among other things.
As long as they kept up their end of the deal - we kept up ours and helped them as best we could.
The rest had nothing to do with us.
quote:Originally posted by lefthookdad:
to carry over from a couple of the other threads....at such an early age say 14 and under, why are some many people wrapped up in travel ball?
The higher level of competition allows my son to expand his potential and reach his learning curve a lot quicker.
Like everything travel ball has good and bad points. Even the biggest fans of travel ball should be able to recognize the negatives that go along with it and those that advocate league ball know there are limitations with LL or Pony or whatever.
My son has played both. Both have merits. My son really enjoyed playing with his friends and has kept many of these same friends all the way through high school. This is an advantage of a local league, you get to know your teammates and your opponents on a much more intimate level (as a general rule). My son runs into guys he has struck out at 8 years old. They remember him and he remembers them. It is pretty cool.
But he has always been a very competitive kid, sometimes more than he probably should be. A kid like that can be good for a league team but if the kid is bored or frustrated because the kids on the team aren't as 'into' the game as he is then a travel or select team isn't a bad idea. I think there are places for both and neither is inherently bad.
There is no such thing as bad baseball. Yes, we have all seen some bad played baseball but baseball in and of itself is always good, no matter the talent level.
My son has played both. Both have merits. My son really enjoyed playing with his friends and has kept many of these same friends all the way through high school. This is an advantage of a local league, you get to know your teammates and your opponents on a much more intimate level (as a general rule). My son runs into guys he has struck out at 8 years old. They remember him and he remembers them. It is pretty cool.
But he has always been a very competitive kid, sometimes more than he probably should be. A kid like that can be good for a league team but if the kid is bored or frustrated because the kids on the team aren't as 'into' the game as he is then a travel or select team isn't a bad idea. I think there are places for both and neither is inherently bad.
There is no such thing as bad baseball. Yes, we have all seen some bad played baseball but baseball in and of itself is always good, no matter the talent level.
quote:Originally posted by lefthookdad:
....at such an early age say 14 and under, why are some many people wrapped up in travel ball?
Of all HS teams in our area, there is not a single standout player that Cabbage hasn't seen somewhere on the travel or scout league circuit. That's why.
I wish it weren't true but it is. At some point just before or early on in a player's HS career, he better be playing extra ball if he wishes to excel. Does it have to happen at 10 or 12? No. But not too long afterward.
I believe a parent can promote wanting to play and loving travel ball based on how they present the opportunity.
Son, Do you want to continue to play rec ball with kids like Billy the Stiff or would you like to play against the best players?
The only possible objection is playing with his friends.
The way I presented it to my son is: How about if we make a team of all the best players from the LL district like Smith, Jones, Johnson and Baker and play against other really good teams on the weekends?
The kids were so into the idea during a rain delay in a district all-star game kids from opposing teams were talking about playing together next year.
This is how our 13U team started. The alternative was a 13-15 junior legion program where the coach believes 13 year olds should only practice and never play while adapting to the 60/90 field. My son played 50 summer games instead of 0. The coach was not happy my team took his four best potential future players.
Son, Do you want to continue to play rec ball with kids like Billy the Stiff or would you like to play against the best players?
The only possible objection is playing with his friends.
The way I presented it to my son is: How about if we make a team of all the best players from the LL district like Smith, Jones, Johnson and Baker and play against other really good teams on the weekends?
The kids were so into the idea during a rain delay in a district all-star game kids from opposing teams were talking about playing together next year.
This is how our 13U team started. The alternative was a 13-15 junior legion program where the coach believes 13 year olds should only practice and never play while adapting to the 60/90 field. My son played 50 summer games instead of 0. The coach was not happy my team took his four best potential future players.