I do not feel we will ever look back on our decision to say no to travel ball. It's not just what you'll spend on equipment and fees, which can be significant, but extras such as travel costs and required apparel purchases (like a team jacket or bag). Parents also will also have to give their own free time to volunteer. Stay positive. Jesse played baseball for many years, served in the U.S. Army for 15 years, and began officiating 32 years ago. Usually, these teams are part of a private or club sports program, not a recreational league or one affiliated with a school. By Catherine Holecko After college, my husband played pro baseball for a while and I played on a national team. You often hear coaches do this and that. Really great article Dr. Hamilton! Have your church thru fellowship and reach others who may be lost. Applaud effort and celebrate results for both dugouts. Travel Baseball - 10 Pros And 7 Cons - Little Ballparks But I say be wise. What is the time commitment? Ive seen many parents try, and it never ends well. SoftballGalaxy.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I pray that God keeps me humble and rightly focused. I played two years of major college baseball at the University of Arkansas, and Ive been coaching my sons in baseball and basketball for the last 7 years or so. I have friends I respect whose kids have played (and some who do play) travel ball, and I mean no offense to them by this post. Likewise, I appreciate the voices of parents who have been there on both sides. Although the outbreak of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pushed back the starts for some travel seasons, Northwest Whitfield High School head softball coach Todd Middleton said most of his team is playing a travel softball schedule currently. The majority of players at this level hire an experienced outside hitting or pitching coach. A lot of well rounded and good mannered young men who enjoy competition and sportsmanship. Stealing home: How travel teams are eroding community baseball The pitchers pitched far more balls than strikes. Baseball cant raise the dead, but Jesus will do just that when he returns to make this world into the new heavens and new earth. Other parents might be emboldened to speak up. And I want to provide the best competitive opportunities I can for my own kids. Learning that excelling takes commitment, hard work, loyalty. Often this will vary from league to league and from coach to coach. 10 common travel problems and how to deal with them - Worldpackers What guides me is Paul in 1Cor9:22-23 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. PAY FOR QUALITY UMPIRES, make sure you have enough umpires for all games and have them supported by all involved. A travel team is a youth sports team that plays at an elite level. Rec ball is shorthand for Little League Softball and/or your local city league. The daily grind not only sapped the joy of the game, it was physically punishing. How much sleep do student athletes need?. We always had food on the table, but the effort put in by my parents to facilitate my amateur softball career was exorbitant. Rec ball in many places is competitive. I do want to finish by saying that we absolutely love travel ball. With our current circumstances, it would be extremely hard with our job schedule to juggle two girls practices and tournaments with everything else. I have seen it just recently in the church Im attending now. Travel with extended families and make bonds with good people. Of course our children have bents that we want to nurture, encourage and help them develop, but lets make sure we arent pursuing our own agenda. 2019 State of play: Trends and developments in youth sports. Very few will walk in my church doors on Sunday. College Recruiting: This is for those a little older (freshmen and up). Between $500 and $5,000 per year (with an average of about $2,000), depending on where you live, the level of competition, and the time commitment. Living in Oregon and playing competitively, I traveled multiple times every summer and fall to play in college exposure tournaments in Southern California. We come together as believers to worship and encourage one another then we go out into the world to reach people in the name of Christ Hebrews 10:25 is just one example of the Bible reminding believers that its important that we not throw church out the window to do other things. Im coming at this topic from a multi-dimensional approach. She needs to throw on her gear almost daily and work on blocking up the ball. The true reality of life is that we arent going to be successful at everything. Then you have mad moms and dads when their little one rides the bench all day at a tournament two hours from home that you had to arrive at in the pre-sunrise hours of the morning. By living our life for Christ the other 6 days. Plus, thats in addition to fees and travel for camps, which many top-tier players also participate in. If youre not in one of those states, expect to be travelling far and often. And if she has a hard time deciding what she wants? How knowledgeable are they, and will they be able to facilitate the proper degree of skill development for their athletes? You can tell the girls that go home and dont touch a bat or glove until their next practice. The Holy Spirit leads us all differently. Required fields are marked *. You, as the parent, are going to be doing the driving. It is simply not necessary for the younger kids. What will travel ball mean for your other kids? Ive alluded to this somewhat above. This is how travel sofball is. The statistics reported concerning the abandonment of the Christian Faith by christian young people before their sophomore year in college is overwhelming. Youre all running on less sleep than usual and even though its only 5 am, theres no more rest for you. Speaking from experience, the game, the desire to compete, and the love of always being challenged those things are either there or theyre not. I got an education, got married, we started having children, and now I get to coach my kids. Sadly, I do have to admit that rec leagues (at least in our area) arent what they used to be. Ok, so there were still good players in rec when you played. How do I know which is best for my daughter? My daughter is involved in a local homeschool league. Survey: Youth baseball participation on the rise - ESPN Utilize the links below to browse our Travel Softball Rankings. We have made this decision for the past three years and been ridiculed for it and told we are not being fair to our son. Highly-competitive programs need to have high-level coaches. How should we choose which travel team to play for? Messages conveyed: We parents need to pray daily about what messages we are sending our children by the sports or other activities we have them in. For example, when you look at a solid team of 12u girls and there is that one girl that is nowhere near the level of the rest of the team. While some languages are much harder to grasp than others, a lack of words is a travel problem with an easy solution. Al Mohlers Culture Shift Tell him he's great and anything is possible if you put your mind to it, but don't let him be an entitled little asshole out there on the field, because that's your fault! Joining a travel team is definitely demanding, and not just for your kid. But if you cant imagine doing this every weekend or every other weekend (not always cold and misty of course, but it does happen) then maybe travel softball isnt a good fit for you and your family. coming down the pike. Which is Better for My Daughter: Rec Ball or Travel Ball? The three year old is already all in and ready to play. Developing skills in (or at least having exposure to) music, art, great books, drama, theology, politics, or science-and-math-related activities makes us better, more empathetic, engaged human beings and citizens, and better leaders. Yes, we want players to get better at softball. Often, good organizations will reach out to a player that caught their eye and invite them to come to the open tryout. We must show them how to live well so that they may flourish and worship what is enduring. I look at another coach who is seeded number one in the league and am very glad my kid isnt with him as I can only imagine the sort of character theyd be building. Think about your reasons for getting your child into a sport. Dads get into it for a little better competition not meaning for it to take over their lives, and the next thing they know their schedule and wallet are dominated by travel ball. Picture this. And does she understand that playing this sport at this level most likely requires trade-offs when it comes to things like friends, clothes, phones, and many of the other things that teens often spend time and money on in high school? Havent seen any. (Sometimes youll find an assistant coach who is a parent, but rarely a head coach.) We only have 1 high school senior playing basketball. Who are these kids being forced to play? Crazy Baseball Parents #2 The Helicopter parent (Matthew 6:33) I pray that many folks take heed of what you shared. Softball Leagues + Travel Softball Teams - Lakeland Mom They use evangelism as a spiritual reason for not being in church. The fear that if children dont specialize in one sport by eighth grade they will miss opportunities is unfounded. (source). And there is no guarantee of playing time (unlike in recreational leagues where all kids will usually get a chance to play regardless of ability). In return, the Breakers Labs organization is committed to working with each Student-Athlete to . But when it comes to things like time commitment and competitiveness, they can be as different as night and day. If money is a concern, ask about this ahead of time. If your daughter is thinking about playing softball or she has been playing for a couple of years now I'm sure as an involved parent, you have heard chatter of other parents strongly siding with one. It will look different for each family and each child. So much time was freed up by not having to go to practice. Travel softball is expensive and time consuming. If she cant get enough of softball, wants to travel around for more games, and is excited to play throughout the summer, then travel ball is the way to go. Travel baseball costs average around $3,700 annually. My recommendation to any family looking for a single event that can put their daughter in front of hundreds of college coaches, Scout Softball is the answer. Stop digging through message boards and groups, search and find your next team today! 113. whack said: Mid 30's there was travel ball when I played but not the ridiculous amount of them as there are now to where it's hard to even field rec teams. Travel ball is good for those who are not afraid of being challenged and want to play at a higher level. These girls can always work harder to be better. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do they look like theyre having fun, while still getting the job done? . How to Start a Travel Softball Team | Jersey Watch Recreational Ball vs. Travel Ball - RIP-IT Sports Its a vicious cycle. Thanks to all who replied. If you are traveling every weekend, or most of them, for a Friday, Saturday, Sunday tournament, what happens to non-sport family time? I talked to a dad who was committed to having his family in church even when they were on the roadand he said they traveled as a family as often as they couldfor tournaments. Travel Ball is Killing Rec Ball - Discuss Fastpitch Softball Community 509 County Road 540A, Lakeland, Florida 33813. But players should walk away from their travel ball experience not only prepared for college athletics, but also for life in general. There are half a million pieces of debris larger than 1 centimetre and 100 million pieces of. We will be staying with rec from now on. Things like being on time, sportsmanship, work ethic, speaking respectfully, putting the team first, uplifting those around you, and attention to detail; those are all crucial life skills that youth sports can help build. I had played non-stop from the summer before my freshman year, through fall ball, winter weights, the spring season, then summer ball before it started all over in my sophomore year. My kid started lessons at five and at almost thirteen, still going strong. The fundamentals will already be in place, and theres no question as to whether they will dive head first to catch a ball. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. I was sent the letter about "What if you can't . http://kristenanneglover.com/my-kids-dont-play-sports/#comment-6411. Do they walk away, rolling their eyes? Go to practice twice a week, throw on her hundreds of dollars worth of catchers gear, catch for a few hours, then go home and not touch the gear until the next team practice day? Your daughter will be around these girls for months at a time, and they say you become who you surround yourself with. So, whats the vibe of the players? The answer to that question depends on two main things: her love for the game and your wallet! There are many benefits of pursuing sports excellence, travel like any other passion filled event children can participate can be an extremely beneficial. She backs off every pitch because shes scared of the ball. If we dont, then look in the mirror. Rec ball pushes equality, fairness, and gives each player the same opportunities. I recognize that although it isnt common for kids to be offered college scholarships for sports, it obviously isnt impossible. It always seems to happen with those families that God is really working with. I see quite a few girls that are not willing to put in the extra work to get better. Thank you for writing this. Give your kid the chance to be a great person and cultivate that through sports. Thank you for speaking out and I hope people will take these comments seriously. You have to grab a quick breakfast to eat on the way. All of that easily runs anywhere from $2,500 to $6,000 a year, making elite travel softball one of the costlier youth sports. Of course, we dont love those miserable weather days where its cold and wet. I played four years at the University of Oregon, where I was First Team All-American, played in two Womens College World Series, and went on to play six years professionally. It did to me. Are you prepared and willing to skip regular family vacations because your weekends and your travel budget are going into softball? With travel ball, there is minimal time to recover from errors. There are gloves, bats, batting gloves, helmets, cleats, sunglasses, facemasks, and God forbid your daughter decides to be a pitcher or a catcher like ours. On a competitive travel team, players gain great experience in team play and sportsmanship. In many instances, the coaching staff can make or break a childs experience with a team or sport. My Kids Dont Play Sports And at best a professional athlete might play into his late 30s or early 40s, then what? Part of the argument for travel ball is the appeal of better competition. Thats fine for an 18 year old on the cusp of adulthood, but theres no reason to put a 714 year old through that kind of rigor. PDF Diamond Dusters Fastpitch Organization Bylaws No. These reflections grow out of my own experience playing and coaching and watching other families. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. What are the differences between rec ball and travel ball? There are many problems that can occur when playing travel softball. It all depends on what attitude you approach it with. 8U softball debate. Your opinion please. | Discuss Fastpitch This is the one your wife wants you to care about. Always keep in mind why you have this child involved in sport. However, as parents now of three young adult children we handled sports for them in a much different way than the current culture dictates. If non-Christians are playing travel ball on Sundays and all the Christians are in church with other Christians, how will the Christians win the non-Christians to Christ? I made the switch from Little League/rec ball to travel ball when I was ten years old, and from then on I consistently played at the highest levels possible. What is the true cost of travel softball? A strong brand can help your team with credibility and bring some excitement to your program. We pick and choose how much we want to play, spend, etc and have been very successful in several states. The cost for a year of travel softball can range from $500 to $5,000 and up, which includes a full uniform, and sometimes includes equipment. Now, teams just showcase players instead of playing team softball. In travel ball, your teammates and coaches become part of your family. As a pastor, I require my daughter to be in church every Sunday, which means that she misses all Sunday games that interfere with worship. Its also important for everyone involved to be honest about the players skill level. My arm hurt all the time, and I wasnt a pitcher. Be sure to consider these questions. (on which more below). Character Development: Arguably the most important aspect of a program is the character and personal development that will take place. Youre going to be purchasing a uniform (most likely more than one). What if you can't afford travel ball? - FloSoftball I hoped that I would get information like yours Jason. Youre going to be paying team dues of course. Even a child with exceptional innate talent still needs to be a good team player. Of course, we dont love giving up almost every Saturday to softball. I chase my boys all over creation and its very taxing in many ways. This can include not having enough balls, bats, or gloves. From a father of 3 boys I can confirm this to be absolute truth. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | FUTURESLASH CORP. Get two articles delivered to your inbox each week. The irony is that if you dont value your commitment to church (and Christ) enough to pass on sports to commit to church, you arent likely to step out and preach the gospel at the sports events either. Give MVP, Player of the game, most improved player of the game.. While many recreational leagues let anybody play (depending on their roster size) travel teams typically recruit players and conduct tryouts. vs. travel. Looking back, Im so thankful they gave all they did so that I could be successful its something I can never repay them for. I am very thankful we found an amazing travel ball coach at age six. Back in 2011, CBS News reported that one Georgia family paid $4,000 per year for their 9-year-old son's travel team. Shipping and taxes will be calculated at checkout. . Im not willing to give up the Lords day for sports as much as I want him to play in a better league. Exactly how much depends on the level of competition your daughter is looking for. I wanted to play at the highest level I could, and they were willing to sacrifice to make that happen. I dont even want to think about how much parents pay for their 714 year old kids to travel to tournaments, to stay in hotels, to pay the tournament entry fees, and whatever else all this costs. The regular season typically runs from March to May, with single games twice per week, and one or two practices per week. But the reality is that if your goal is to play at the college level and especially if your goal is to play for a Division 1 program its an important part of the process. Its only my observation of course but many areas in life are dog eat dog competitive, as it were. . I dont know. It is evangelism that is not solely dependent upon our efforts, but on the power of the Word being preached, loved, and then given to others. And you are right about MLB not being all its cracked up to be; several of my sons college teammates were drafted in the top 10 rounds (as high as supplemental 1st round), and with only one exception, they all complained about the grind and monotony (not to mention extremely low salaries) once they entered the minor leagues. Players invest a lot of money and energy into it. Problem 1: Specializing to get a head start We are in such a rush to do more, more, more at younger and younger ages, and as a result, our children are getting injured at an unprecedented rate. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. My son (now aged 26) was approached from age 10 on to play travel ball, but we declined year after year because it would pull us away from church plus cost us a small fortune. Website. Sometimes coaches are not as experienced, usually a player's parent who has volunteered to help out. The high-end teams travel to tournaments every weekend (sometimes out-of-state) and qualify for national tournaments. In raising our children in a world where developing a one-sport athlete is pushed to the extreme, we both were counter-culture, and we have happy, well-adjusted kids now, all of whom continue to pursue fitness as a lifestyle. The best outcomes were consistently when we stayed in the local rec leagues. And for the good of rec ball leagues everywhere, for the good of your family, and for the good of your kids, I would urge you to avoid travel ball until the kid is old enough to commit to a more demanding regimen. So Im writing in the hope that youll see that rec ball is a better route. If you forego travel for these right reasons then you should challenge yourself and those in the league to make it the utopia described here (I believe it should be). Baseball is the greatest game ever, it is exactly that, a game. The percentages are outrageous. My weekend routine typically looked something like this for travel ball: In other words, its a lot of time on the road. Nevertheless, Deuteronomy 6 and Ephesians 6:1-4 still stand in Scripture as commands, not suggestions. This question reveals how far our cultural worldview has intermixed with a Christian one. Our youngest has decided that gymnastics is a little more important to her than softball, so we have taken her out of travel softball. No one should expect to make the show. He said he had seen it happen. Articles like this help. I could rest. Small town kids grow up playing lots of sports not getting burnt out playing the same one all year round. The cost of travel is not included in the monthly dues. We have had a sub par experience, and I have that guilt every Sunday that we are at a tournament instead of honoring God in His house. Yes, they are young and this is not college softball players we are talking about here. Tendonitis. No formula exists, but here are a few ideas to think about: Variety: Encourage your children to play a different sport each season until their upper teens. Softball. This is mainly to get those on the fence to really question if this type of play is a good fit for them or if maybe rec ball would be a little more suitable for them. " (Travel softball) has taken high school softball out of the equation," Hutchinson says. Tendonitis describes inflammation of a tendon, typically caused by overuse. We love them by showing them that God is infinitely more valuable than all else.