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). Marley Hall is a writer and fact-checker who is certified in clinical and translational research. My older brother played sports from t-ball to college, probably would have went pro if he hadnt hurt his shoulder (yes, he was THAT good, Im not just saying it, he had an unhittab,e curve ball), but the decision was made when he first started that God and His church would always come first, and he would not play if there was a conflict between his first priority and the game. Do you know the coach or coaches? Do I think that she will even play on the high school level? Kids need to play more than one sport so their rotator cuffs can recover, so their elbows can rest, so they dont have to have Tommy John surgery at 17. We will be staying with rec from now on. My son excels in travel ball and weve started a bible devotion for the boys before every tournament. They use evangelism as a spiritual reason for not being in church. I want your son to love baseball, to have the opportunity to be a kid, and to play the game as a kid. 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. Having said that, below are the top reasons your daughter should not play travel softball. Sports (Basel). Train your coaches and prepare them for every level they will be involved. Subscribe below. If we dont, then look in the mirror. The three year old is already all in and ready to play. Yes, I need Sunday fellowship and worship. 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. This guide will help you understand what to look for in a traveling softball team, and will answer some of the most common questions parents have about the process, including: Joining a traveling softball team can be a great experience, both in terms of enjoyment and player development. She got to have some really good conversations with the moms who really didnt understand the philosophy behind Upward as a result. Sometimes travel teams also change players during the season, adding and moving around players based on performance. Take the 59 second "Unlock Your Power" Analysis Tool, and find out exactly how your athlete can add 30-50 feet to their line drives (instead of ground outs). It always seemed the season ended right about the time we got to know everyone. (Sometimes you'll find an assistant coach who is a parent, but rarely a head coach.) And, of course, traveling can be a great way for both families and teams to bond through shared experiences, like meals or just swimming in the hotel pool. I have also read some of your other works and have learned much from them and enjoyed reading them. Loneliness is not one of the travel problems which affects everyone, but when it strikes it can be the worst problem imaginable. There are many benefits of pursuing sports excellence, travel like any other passion filled event children can participate can be an extremely beneficial. The 4 Biggest Problems in Youth Sports Today These are just a few of the reasons why travel ball may not be a good fit for you. On the other hand, dont force her to join a competitive travel ball team if she just wants to have fun. 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. Let kids be kids, they and their bodies will decide what they can and cant do. Its Saturday morning and the sun hasnt risen yet. We should be able to admit that to ourselves, but I think sometimes our pride gets in the way. They are the parents that are always visiting the dugout during the games. What is the financial commitment? I think Jesus said it best when He said, What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?, Thank you sir for thisI wrestle with this issue a lot as our older children (3 boys/12, 9, & 8) are starting to get to the age where this is a possibility. Youth sport: positive and negative impact on young athletes. But if you need to travel far to get to competitive or college exposure tournaments (nearly every weekend during the summer plus multiple tournaments in the fall), its not unheard of to spend $5,000 per season. Consider D1 baseball: each team is allowed a maximum of 11.7 scholarships, and those scholarships can be divided up between players. If you plan on being on a travel ball team, you need to be prepared to dish out some money. The cost is typically around $100, which includes a uniform top. Truthfully, we have gotten better instruction and development at a Rec ball/All Star level. They need to run and jump and exercise other muscles than the ones required by baseball. When children are interested in a particular elite team, it's important to find out in advance what their expectations are. The daily grind not only sapped the joy of the game, it was physically punishing. I was sad when the team cut me from the roster, but I was also relieved. 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. The repetitive throwing motions that softball pitchers perform may irritate the tendons of the shoulder, elbow, forearm, and wrist, causing tendonitis. Great post. Catherine Holecko is an experienced freelance writer and editor who specializes in pregnancy, parenting, health and fitness. This is a an uncomfortable topic to address given that you are . Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | FUTURESLASH CORP. Get two articles delivered to your inbox each week. Kids need to see that Jesus and his church are more important to their parents even than baseball. I never felt that way until I got to college, but looking at the demands of travel ball, I totally understand how the kid feels. It always seems to happen with those families that God is really working with. Some teams charge a small fee for this tryout. The roster includes 35 players, 27 of whom can receive scholarship money. She might have all the natural talent in the world, but if she wants to spend her summers going to birthday parties, having sleepovers and just living life, then let her! Little League, which is the most common rec ball organization, is open to girls ages four through sixteen, and everybody makes a team regardless of their skill level. Thanks for sharing them. If you dont put in this extra work, you will quickly fall behind your teammates and ride the pine (plus risk being cut at the end of season). Youre all running on less sleep than usual and even though its only 5 am, theres no more rest for you. Before diving into the specific specifics of what to look for, its important to understand why you should consider playing travel softball (and why its not the right choice for every player in every situation). This is related to the previous: the best players leave the rec league for travel ball, and then the mediocre players get tempted to do so, and then all the kids get burnt out and stop playing baseball. Despite not playing travel ball until high school, he got several offers and ended up playing for a highly regarded D1 program. Postal code Distance Teams Age Group State Facilities Coaches 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 In my experience as a recreation coach, I found the rec league filled with as much politics and drama and team stacking as travel ball leagues. 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. I find it filled with some great thoughts based on extreme examples and false assumptions. Christians are Christians because we worship what is true. PDF Diamond Dusters Fastpitch Organization Bylaws If you are traveling every weekend, or most of them, for a Friday, Saturday, Sunday tournament, what happens to non-sport family time? Travel Ball Format Not Good For The Sport - Coaches Insider I got an education, got married, we started having children, and now I get to coach my kids. Of course, there are other ways to be the problem parent such as bad-mouthing the coach and other parents, not paying your dues, not bringing your daughter to practices, etc. Stop digging through message boards and groups, search and find your next team today! Uber competitive athletics is going to end for 99.9 percent of kids/young adults. If your daughter is interested in playing college softball, youll want to be part of an organization that: When I was coaching at a Division II school, there were a handful of travel ball coaches I knew well and could really trust to give me honest feedback on a kid as an athlete and a person. Its a vicious cycle. I think God led me to this article to reassure me that we are doing right. ), playing time and how its divided up, and the coaching staffs goals and priorities. There were wide variances in playing . Sadly, I do have to admit that rec leagues (at least in our area) arent what they used to be. How should we choose which travel team to play for? While thats not very common, driving three hours one way for a practice is totally commonplace. I can say without a doubt that I wouldnt have made it to the level I did without travel softball. Travel Baseball Teams Near You | NCSA Levels are separated by age and skill level. Its Saturday and its 10 am. Travel expenses also can become considerable. You accept the fact that today you will be cold, wet, sleepy, and possibly moody. Softball teaches you how to communicate with those who are in authoritative positions about something you really want. This is what we due when we gather for worship. He was selected and after spending money on uniforms, dues, tournaments, he was cut from the team because he had a slump in his batting. (source). Lots of practice time is great for your player's development, but it definitely affects what other extracurricular activities they are able to do. Thanks for posting this. And if it means giving up travel ball, by all means give it up. This post seems a departure from your normal posting and writing. How Much Does Travel Softball Cost - ourlittlesmarties.com It is a great starter for players to figure out if they really like the sport and would like to continue with softball at a higher level. With your TeammatesCommunication on the actual playing field is critical. Dont sacrifice your sons childhood on the altar of the hope that hes the next Derek Jeter. Lets pretend your daughter wants to be a catcher. What to Look For in a Travel Softball Team - The Hitting Vault (on which more below). Travel ball softball is the next step up from recreational softball. 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. However, they are much more severe. Softball programs usually get a team in fresh-off a summer season filled with travel softball games and practices. I would urge you to consider how trustworthy Jesus is, how he can reconcile you to God, how he has paid for your sin, and how his Spirit can enable you to love others and enjoy life with them in a gathering of people joined together at a local church. At the end the experience had her ready for 10U travel and to contribute straight away for a 10U team beyond pitching (she plays 2B and CF when she is not pitching). Thanks to all who replied. 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? Extend your season, make sure that all teams are drafted equally. Here are the 10 biggest problems in youth baseball and softball, and how we can fix them. Get involved with the sports governing board and voice your opinion. Encourage her to work even harder to earn playing time. What should she do? But I say be wise. Id venture no but the travel ball experience can be quite beneficial to that pursuit can it not provided travel ball doesnt become a means to an end which, unfortunately, it often is. I do want to finish by saying that we absolutely love travel ball. Now I know the reasons. Enjoyment: Help your children enjoy a sport for the simple joy of the sport. When I was playing travel softball as a teenager in Oregon, I had a teammate from Montana who flew in once a month for our team practices. This is how travel sofball is. In travel ball, your teammates and coaches become part of your family. We dont have Sunday games and Id venture that shes in the lower end of competitive teams. Just last year, I finished your work Gods Glory in Salvation through Judgment. Awards. How many travel baseball games are played in a season? but could it be said that youre in the big leagues of your profession? 1. Being part of a team, no matter how long its for, isnt permanent, so as nice as it is to identify with activities that we love, we dont want them to define us or our kids. I submit that even with all the excitement of the game, and the money and fame that come with it, the life of a professional athlete is not one to be envied. Fourth, travel ball is expensive, but so are the other activities in which many parents place their children like show choir and band. Unfortunately, we dont all have that money tree growing in our backyard. I hope that this guide was informative and helped you understand what to look for, so that you can make the best choice for your family and have as rewarding of an experience as I did. This mentally effects the kids also with so much pressure to do well. 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. 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. Many programs are run as a tight ship, with the goal of teaching and preparing their athletes for what college ball will be like: fast paced practices and a strong emphasis on execution.