Keep him in rec ball, where he wont get burnt out because hes a kid facing the demands of a profession. My son started disliking baseball at 9 years old because the boys in rec wouldnt hit a cut off, and dropped the ball so often. I dont believe in definitive s. Cant keep my almost 13 yr old from it since 5, and 3 yr old hits a large bucket of real balls off the tee by himself at the indoor facility in a cage while his brother hits in another. Do not tolerate conduct of the weak and uneducated. Outside of Little League Baseball. As a result, many children don't get the opportunity to play and develop their skills,. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. As Ive talked to people about this dilemma, one friend proposed this to me: he said that I should start my own travel ball team, and I should commit myself to being low-key about it. Lets think about two sports; Golf and NASCAR. NASCAR started as bootleggers in the 1940s and 1950s trying to see who had the fastest car. Harford County Travel Baseball League: Sports league web site provided and hosted free of charge by LeagueLineup.com - The Youth and Amateur Sports Portal! It is the most pernicious aspect of youth league sports. LSU Fan. Thank you! What I got was disaster. I traveled an hour each way for three days a week for practice. Ive seen a couple of families fall into the travel ball trap. I am confident that there are better ways to steward those thousands of dollars. The Little League embodies traditional youth baseball where children have fun rather than become engulfed in the tough training world of more "serious" youth baseball environments (like travel baseball). #momof3boys. But it is, quite literally, passed down from generation to generation. This mentally effects the kids also with so much pressure to do well. We may be the exception along with the league in which we play. Have your church thru fellowship and reach others who may be lost. For additional information please contact Glenna Sandel at 615-403-6938 . Ive alluded to this somewhat above. I was told pitching machines are good because they pitch a consistent ball, and help with hand-eye coordination. They have grown together, developed rapport and strong friendships. The only time we had awful politics was before our team separated and we joined the head coach. Articles like this help. Several dads had told me that they were leaving rec ball for a low-key travel ball team, or that they were adding a low-key travel ball team on top of the rec ball their son was playing. Odysseus. It is a trend mirrored by our schools, hospitals and military. As a preachers daughter, I saw many families who were active in church get involved with a travel ball team, and not only stop being active, but eventually drop out of church altogether. My thoughts will be mainly applied to baseball, but I think they are valid for basketball, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, and whatever else. Registration is quick, easy, and FREE. While many are still from the south, many are from upper-middle to upper-class backgrounds, with their appropriate support systems. No doubt there are exceptions, but I havent personally witnessed one. Once we knew about travel ball there was no going back. It is this simple fact: Baseball is no longer a game that is for everybody. 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. Never played fall ball, never took private lessons, and never played on a travel team. I support you with useful and actionable information about softball and baseball. My daughter is involved in a local homeschool league. While rec ball was enjoyable, the ever changing pool of players, coaches and parents made for inconsistent experiences for my daughter, some good and some bad. For some may not even be an issue. The travel baseball vs Little League debate has been a hot topic in US youth baseball for quite some time now. Thanks for posting this. Brewers pitcher Andrew Kim (10) throws a ball towards the plate and a Giants batter during a game versus the Brewers for a Summerlin Little League North majors game at Trails Park Little. The Little League has dominated youth baseball for years, but today its unable to provide the satisfying level of coaching and skill development. Not posting some long winded bs. I just watched a program not too long ago on the rise of Tommy johns surgeries. The Broadneck, Brooklyn Park, Glen Burnie, Harundale, Havenwood, Lake Shore, and Marley Little Leagues are all no longer associated with Little League. Additionally, as an exercise physiologist, Im very pro movement, health and sports, but believe balance in life is key. What will travel ball mean for your other kids? I dont know. Al Mohlers Culture Shift Do I think that she will even play on the high school level? 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. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. The privatization of American youth sports over the past 40 years is one of those revolutions of late-stage capitalism that should shock us more than it does. I find it filled with some great thoughts based on extreme examples and false assumptions. Thats why Im writing this post. Again, its an interesting post but when it comes down to it is the field that you or other high achieving people are in really all that much different? I've seen and heard stories about parents who spend thousands of dollars to get their kids on the best travel ball squad in their areas. If youre coaching your 12 year olds travel ball team, what does that mean for the rec league opportunities your 7 year old has? However, players who do participate in any non-Little League activity, and miss games or practices because of such participation, may be suspended or dismissed from their Little League team by action of the local Little League Board of Directors. He was so upset. No more! He looked great in his fancy uniform and matching cleats, but that didnt matter. Once I got to be 13, we left Havenwood Little League to create our own team and I played with that team through age 15, when I stopped playing. Dont get me wrong: I love competition. We will be staying with rec from now on. And given the number of kids playing and the number of available spots, even a partial baseball scholarship is terribly unlikely. But this issue goes far beyond Little League Baseball organizationally. It was excellent, by the way. We dont win Non-Christians by showing them how little we care about worship and the assembly of believers, we win them through honoring God as better than all other appetites. I have seen it just recently in the church Im attending now. Its hard to see him play so well and knowing we dont have the funds as most to do travel ball. Your marriage matters a lot more than some sport your kid plays. Gallatin Little League Baseball: T-ball, Coach Pitch & Baseball You can print a registration form (PDF). The local community often gathers around a Little League team and takes pride in the kids representing them. And if it means giving up travel ball, by all means give it up. And I hope all who read my question realize that there is no 1 correct answer for everyone. Uniforms, equipment, and any assets belonging to the local Little League (including uniforms bearing the required Little League shoulder patch), cannot be used for non-Little League activities, or in any game or tournament not specifically approved by Little League International. These are good thoughts. In fact, Little League International pays all the expenses of the dozens of teams that reach the World Series level in Little League Baseball and Softball, including travel, meals, and lodging. (And options do exist that dont cost an arm and a leg.) He has a decent arm but has never pitched in travel. Teams advancing to the regional level in the U.S. receive an additional $200. 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. You played in some tournament, and then district. Generally speaking, these parents dont do the Sunday sports to evangelize. Well, the genie of privatized baseball cannot be put back in the bottle. If the ultimate goal is for the kid to get to the pros, then joining a travel baseball program is definitely a better choice. It is a trend mirrored by our schools, hospitals and military. I hear this quite a bit. Small towns breed professional athletes, and the reason seems to be that kids in small towns arent over-coached, over-organized, and over-specialized by the travel ball opportunities found in larger cities. The Charter Committee also reserves the right to suspend or revoke the local Little Leagues charter for such violations. (Their varsity team is seeded #1 or #2 nationwide and is competitive, though still strives to put Jesus first.) Great post. Who knows; organizationally they still seem to be doing pretty well overseas and a U.S. team won three of the last four Little League World Series featuring international teams. ). The nature of sport is that participants will learn in the course of their play, practice, games or meets, all about discipline, perseverance, punctuality, teamwork, goal-setting, how to handle disagreements, disappointment and failure, as well as success and recognition. Think brands like Mercedes-Benz. I know that may sound weird working with a kid at such a young age, but his older brother played baseball, so he was always around. 12YO & 11YO players who are trying out for the National League. Little League International respects the rights of a parent(s), or legal guardian(s), to allow a child to participate in any Little League activity. Baseball exists not just because of the community's love of the game. . Batting cage time and sessions with the pitching coach came with additional costs. The Fall baseball/softball season includes league play at all division levels. Little League also hopes that parents understand the costs often associated with Travel Ball may be prohibitive. Thank you for sharing your experiences. The guy running the program told me he was going to have a 7/8-year-old team. I had my schedule back. Travel-ball costs are more substantial. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I understand that now I may be bringing up an exception to the norm. Our son never felt like he missed out on anything; he was too busy playing other sports and doing other activities. As a follower of Jesus, this consideration is the most important one for me. Nope, the good, serious players in most sports do both in high school. But they have more similarities than you think there are. Most professional golfers look the same. Little League. A lot of travel baseball programs have their own training facilities where players have excellent conditions to develop their skills. Tha KS alot for all your insight!!! While I cant say my son progressed all that much during the Tee Ball season, other kids definitely did, and he had a ton of fun. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); on Dont Play Travel Ball: Stay in the Rec League, Great Books Selections for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016. He is 11, athletic, fast on his feet , 4'9" 75 pounds average size for his age. The physical and mental challenges of pursuing more than one sport is healthy in every respect. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. little league field, killing 1 . My Kids Dont Play Sports I simply have to go find the people that need Jesus. Here are 10 reasons I think you should keep your kid in the rec league rather than quitting it for travel ball. 2021 featured all American teams. League will play at Municipal Park or Thompson Park. Dont sacrifice your sons childhood on the altar of the hope that hes the next Derek Jeter. 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. Two guys who are now playing in MLB came from two of the leagues in the District. Babe Ruth and Little League are safe . It is simply not necessary for the younger kids. And I want to provide the best competitive opportunities I can for my own kids. There may be instances in which its the right thing, and when a kid gets to be 15 to 16 years old, its understandable that commitment levels and demands are going to rise and choices are going to have to be made. The costs of travel baseball often put a serious strain on the family budget. God makes it pretty clear when Paul says, Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus We represent Him, so we will want to do our best and want our kids to understand why. I enjoyed your article and the discussion following it. In fact, most experts believe that if your goal is for your child to go pro, the worst thing you can do is overplay them. By living our life for Christ the other 6 days. We dont win Non-Christians by loving them more than we love God and his glory. My thoughts written here veer away from the focus of recreational versus travel leagues as the original blog talks about, but include some areas to think about whichever route of competition you choose. While you make some great points, let me provide an alternate perspective, even if I appear at present to be the lone dissenting voice. And yes, they will see how I live and whats important to me the other 6 days a week; for better or worse. . (Explained In Detail! . My son tried out. But we have had a great experience with travel ball and have been able to balance our commitments to both Christ, his church, and our family. Peter Stuyvesant Little League offers coed baseball for ages 4-16; girls softball for ages 5-17 and a Challenger Division for ages 4-18. but could it be said that youre in the big leagues of your profession? re: Travel Ball/ Little League Coaches leaving work Posted on 8/20/22 at 6:32 pm to philly444. Now, this doesnt mean that her coach and teammates like it, but we have found that our commitment has opened the door for spiritual conversations. Sound familiar? PAY FOR QUALITY UMPIRES, make sure you have enough umpires for all games and have them supported by all involved. Enfield Little League is happy to continue with the Enfield Warriors travel program. Its important to be committed to making games, meets, tournaments, and practices a priority, but not at the expense of church, or important family gatherings. You explain it t the tee for me and cant thank you enough . Then again, some games I find my older daughter listening to her ipod while we watch the games. Which we gladly did because we got to see our daughter develop into a top notch softball player, which would not have happened here. You all make very good points to consider. Little League baseball is a program organized by a non-profit organization based in Pennsylvania and it features local youth baseball competitions all over the world. FieroCoug. Prep is for 6 and 7 year olds. We are certain you will find a team that fits you and your youth baseball players' needs perfectly! But a story did cross my timeline about something near and dear to my heart: baseball. Be a parent. A lot of teams are started by parents, but some are run by former high school and college coaches. I stayed with the Little League program because I was told that for my sons 7-year-old season, there would be kid pitching. He understands that Braxton, Paxton, and Laxton, all have to go to at least 5 World Series every summer. Turn your focus and see a different view. Bottom line: give your kids a childhood theyll want to replicate with their own children not one theyll react against. Its a fading game. In Florida, some high-level programs now cost over $10,000 a season. After looking at the tournament schedule, I realized Id miss days at work and the expenses would pile up. They need to run and jump and exercise other muscles than the ones required by baseball. Was it really worth it? Falls Church Klwanis Little League. But if missing church on a Sunday for travel ball is condemning, then missing church for family vacations, work, sickness or any other reason is the same. We dont have Sunday games and Id venture that shes in the lower end of competitive teams. My daughter has played with the same girls and coaches for 3 seasons now. In the Little League, some kids get a sense of belonging for the first time. These are presented in the order in which I suspect most dads think about them, not in the order of importance I would rank them (#6 would be #1, and #4 would be #2). The higher level of competition drives young players to work harder on their game. Im not saying that travel ball is a sin, but it seems to be something that Satan can use to tempt people away (especially dads). Is it more important than being at church on Sunday morning? Our children assume that Sunday morning is time to worship with our church. 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. For a 9 year old team the average tournament entry fee will be $200-$300 EVERY weekend, not to mention the gate fee of at least $10 per person per day. General Little League to Travel Ball and Back Again February 7, 2017 I started my son in the Little League Tee Ball program when he was four. I know you were saying that theres no one answer for everyone. My arm hurt all the time, and I wasnt a pitcher. For millions of American families, paying private for-profit clubseuphemistically termed travel teamsthousands of dollars a year to organize athletic games for their children is now an unquestioned way of life that shapes family routines, work schedules and commutes. Also, parents may not have a realistic view of how talented their son or daughter is in sports, often over or underestimating their abilities. Despite the beautiful fields the travel ball team played on, the grass wasnt greener. My 10 year old tried out for a travel team for over 2 months. General Pitching Topics. By your argument, we should never have church services because, if were in church and the lost people arent, how are we going to win them? Posted on May 21, 2022 by . Families who thought the Sunday game was no big deal slowly dropped out of church because sports came first. My husband also was a quarterback at a Big 10 university, and my dad was a football coach, but we both chose to direct our son away from football and into other sports because of the enormous risk of injury, especially head injury. And thats where the travel baseball jumps in as currently the surest path to the higher level of the game. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The competitive environment, expert guidance, and the quality of available facilities are unmatched by any other youth competition. It also has a successful 18u rec program. Despite not playing travel ball until high school, he got several offers and ended up playing for a highly regarded D1 program. Identity: Think about how your child views his or her identity. Since tournaments and games are. Rec ball and travel ball can coexist, BUT, it has to be done with the kids as the foremost priority. I would also ask to establish contact with you for a best practices sharing of information and spreading of the works you are enjoying. They sound the same. While I wasnt thrilled hed be hitting off a tee because he could already hit a pitched ball, I figured we had to start somewhere, and Tee Ball was all that was available. This upcoming spring season will include some division changes we have made to improve the experience for players at all levels. Added together, the average cost per player for a season must be well over $1,000. It always seems to happen with those families that God is really working with. Little league teams have pulled out of the North Carolina state championship tournament after gunshots erupted during a weekend game, their organizers said Monday in social media posts. Additionally, every local Little League program in the United States with a team that travels 150 miles or more per one round trip to a section, state, and region level tournament receives a reimbursement from Little League Baseball of $1 per mile for one round trip to each tournament site, to help offset travel expenses. Were seeing some growth in her skills and she loves the game. What better way exists. Travel baseball takes a toll on kids, both mentally and physically. 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. The percentages are outrageous. Looking for a deeper, more forceful argument, the dad added: This team is our community.. As recently as the 1990s, travel baseball was a niche experience limited mostly to elite players in baseball-rich areas like Texas and California. That was it! Rec ball in many places is competitive. Mr. Greene, who is currently a minor league coordinator and coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, said what troubles him is not pushy parents, showboating players or bullying coaches. If youre exalting baseball over all these other things, areyou serving a false god, an idol, that is going to use you and then throw you away? sacrifice your sons childhood on the altar of the hope, each team is allowed a maximum of 11.7 scholarships, Dont Play Travel Ball: Stay in the Rec League | For His Renown | Pastor John Reading List, http://kristenanneglover.com/my-kids-dont-play-sports/#comment-6411, 6-String Salvo, February 12, 2016 Mike Lee, The Daily Discovery (February 12, 2016) - Entreating Favor, More Great Reading | Second Chance Pastor, Todays Links // 4 Free Kindle Books, Worship Songs, Socialist Millennials, Buy a Friend App, Freedom from Anxiety | Word + Life | KevinHalloran.net. Well, this certainly diverged off the main topic of traveling versus rec sports, but I hope it provides a little more to talk about, especially among family members. He politely said there wouldnt be. The fear that if children dont specialize in one sport by eighth grade they will miss opportunities is unfounded. Do I think that she will go pro? Cookie Notice Confused! But my friend who suggested that I do this also told me what was going to happen: he said I needed to understand that the other travel ball teams werent going to be low-key, so we would get pummeled at tournaments and probably lose every game. I was sad when the team cut me from the roster, but I was also relieved. We have expanded our season to now include winter training, a competitive league spring travel schedule, tournament season as well as a competitive league fall schedule. While it has completely permeated and overtaken little league baseball, it exists in every sport, football included. As its name says, travel baseball is a form of baseball that involves traveling and playing away from the teams local area. Praying we keep the Lord first in all thingsand your insights help!!! Because COVID, America sold out Little League through the widespread adoption of high-dollar travel baseball, Major League Baseball has its RBI Program, providing year-round instruction in the game, I wrote about this for Camden Chat in 2016. Hopefully it will make us parents pray, think, and analyze the motives behind our kids activities. Likewise, I appreciate the voices of parents who have been there on both sides. Build this league and you will have travel on the decline. Honestly, in the sport of football, it may be most perpetuated by mothers, though from the . Now, the league has grown a bit but has 190 kids playing travel ball, with multiple teams at 12u, 14u, 16u, and 18u. We practiced a lot, doing as much as the NCAA allowed, all year long, in season and out. I appreciate the article. Too many times parents want what they want, not whats best for their kids. 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. My concerns in the post are directed not at adults pursuing excellence in their callings but at parents of kids in the 714 age range . Below are just a few stream of consciousness suggestions as readers consider their views on how they encourage their children in sports. Whos forcing their kid to play??!! For decades, NASCAR was a working class, southern sport. The Broadneck, Brooklyn Park, Glen Burnie, Harundale, Havenwood, Lake Shore, and Marley Little Leagues are all no longer associated with Little League. I wrote about this for Camden Chat in 2016: Orioles baseball will not be the most important thing that we teach our daughter about. Havent seen any. Is travel baseball killing Little League in America? Again, like you said, church should not be sacrificed by families of 8, 10, and 12-year olds, and oftentimes not even by families of high-schoolers. As expected, my son got limited playing time during the season. And that can, partially, explain Major League Baseballs lack of investment in the game in America. Spoiler: I wasnt good enough to keep playing. A lot of these programs operate on a business-like, almost professional, level and feature teams in all age groups. A fun, family-friendly, reasonably affordable activity you can do with the kids? I am very thankful we found an amazing travel ball coach at age six. It did to me. And there are eight Urban Youth Academies. (Answered! Im coming at this topic from a multi-dimensional approach. Every year, various baseball organizations, including USSA, AAU, or Perfect Game, organize hundreds of these tournaments across the whole country. Mid-way through the season, I asked the coach if there would be an opportunity for some kid pitching. 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