- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Legendary youth baseball coach lays the smack down on travel ball
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:30 am to rmc
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:30 am to rmc
quote:
. Kids do not get recognized for travel ball. They are recognized in high school. At least locally, once you are on the high school team you pretty much play with them year round in one form or the other.
I think this is where the disconnect it. In Georgia, travel ball rules. East Cobb Baseball made North Atlanta somewhat of a mecca in terms of youth baseball. With the addition of Lake Pointe Sports in the last couple of years, travel ball is king in Georgia.
In the Atlanta suburbs, kids don't really play with their high school teams in the summer much, if at all. The ones who want to have a chance to play in college are on travel teams due to exposure and games played. Scouts don't typically frequent high school summer league games. They go to the Perfect Game tournaments (held at East Cobb and Lake Pointe).
From what it sounds like, it's a different beast in Atlanta compared to other areas of the south.
2
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:33 am to gatorhata9
quote:
From what it sounds like, it's a different beast in Atlanta compared to other areas of the south.
And it may be like that in other parts of Louisiana. But if I had to guess, Barbe High and Catholic High are playing with each other year round just like our team.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:35 am to rmc
quote:
rmc
maybe we've gotten side tracked in the shuffle....my whole point was basically only in response to your one particular sentence:
quote:
rec leagues will be a thing of the past not long from now
Based strictly on what you wrote there, you made it sound like IYO that 10 years from now rec baseball won't even exist anymore. If your 10 year old wants to play baseball, it's either travel ball or finding kinds in the neighborhood to play with in the cul de sac. And that's just not accurate.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:37 am to WG_Dawg
I agree. It's been diminished a bit with the expansion of travel baseball, but I don't think it well ever cease to exist.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:39 am to WG_Dawg
quote:
Based strictly on what you wrote there, you made it sound like IYO that 10 years from now rec baseball won't even exist anymore. If your 10 year old wants to play baseball, it's either travel ball or finding kinds in the neighborhood to play with in the cul de sac. And that's just not accurate.
I hope not. I'm just telling you what I see around here, which could just be localized (although others have offered examples of it being present elsewhere). I have a brother who played D1 ball and never played anything except rec then high school. I agree with what others have said that travel ball is not necessary to play beyond high school.
My kid has fun doing it right now and frankly, that's all I care about. The minute he tells me he is not having fun or doesn't want to play we will be done.
This post was edited on 3/12/16 at 11:40 am
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:45 am to gatorhata9
quote:
I played travel ball from 15-18 and parlayed that in to a junior college scholarship.
let me be kind of a dick and say if this is your "gotcha", it's not exactly compelling. it's a necessary comment though
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:46 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
let me be kind of a dick and say if this is your "gotcha", it's not exactly compelling. it's a necessary comment though
your last sentence is the important one.
I didn't take hata's post as a "look at me" type of thing, I took it more of a "I played travel ball and it paid off for me" kinda way.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:47 am to gatorhata9
quote:
Where is the hostility here. No need to downplay getting a college scholarship.
it's not hostility. it's just a really bad argument
do you think if you had put in the same amount of time studying and if your parent spent the same amount of money on tutoring, you'd have been able to do better in school and received an academic scholarship to a full university?
hell, how about half the time and money investment? i'll all but guarantee you that you'd have had better end results (and likely a better overall outcome)
This post was edited on 3/12/16 at 11:48 am
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:49 am to WG_Dawg
quote:
I took it more of a "I played travel ball and it paid off for me" kinda way.
and i addressed it in more detail in the follow up
i don't think the payoff creates a compelling argument
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:51 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
if this is your "gotcha", it's not exactly compelling.
It wasn't in any way a "Gotcha". But it was a positive outcome.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:53 am to gatorhata9
quote:
But it was a positive outcome.
certainly
but was it optimal (or close to it)?
Posted on 3/12/16 at 11:55 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
but was it optimal (or close to it)?
Optimal? No. Optimal for me was playing at Georgia. That was the dream. Junior college was the best way for me to do that because of my frame (6'4, lanky lefty). It didn't work out in the end but I don't regret it.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 12:09 pm to gatorhata9
quote:
Kids do not get recognized for travel ball. They are recognized in high school
This was true 15-20+ year ago, not true anymore. School ball is a blip on the radar when it comes to showcasing and evaluating talent.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 12:12 pm to SlowFlowPro
The "payoff" is whether you enjoy it or not. No matter what you are doing if you enjoy it, it's probably worth it. I have two kids in tornamnet ball. It's crazy busy, countless hours, but our family loves it.......In Ascension parish, most kids are playing tournament ball with the goal of making the high school team. The stereotype of parents thinking their kid is making it to the majors because they play tournament ball is very overblown IMO.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 12:18 pm to WG_Dawg
quote:
Wouldn't this reinforce the point that rec leagues will always be prevalent? I mean if the kids DGAS about baseball
In a rational world, yes. The problem is that Dad usually drives the decision, not the kid early on (pre-teen). And dad wants his kid to"live the dream" of travel ball. I'm a dad of two who have gone successfully through the "system", and I've coached travel ball, so I don't speak out of school here. And while we are not ECB'ers, your point is spot on in that their influence goes well beyond East Cobb.
It's a slow, low reward game and that simply doesn't play to the Millennial's strength.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 12:29 pm to SlowFlowPro
quote:
SlowFlowPro
this guy gets it, he's making the case that i try to present to many young parents.
I look at a lot of things like investments. Is it worth the time and money? What's the payoff in the end? What's the percentages, etc?
Travel ball is a terrible investment over time, like one of the worst ever honestly. I'm not trying to discredit the guy saying playing Juco was good enough for him. But that sounds like a horrible return for my son if I invest in travel ball the next 6-7 years. And the likelihood of JUCO being the best case scenario is very very high. Sorry, but I feel if my son's peak is JUCO, then I can get him there with my tee and cage at home and long tossing in the street. He's already one of the better 9 year olds in the area. Literally half the kids we know that play travel ball can't come close to holding his jock. I don't say that to brag, it's just an example of how sad the situation is becoming.
This post was edited on 3/12/16 at 12:31 pm
Posted on 3/12/16 at 12:38 pm to tygeray
[quote]In Ascension parish, most kids are playing tournament ball with the goal of making the high school team.
well that's just dumb imo. Don't get me wrong, you can blow your money how you like. But let me get this straight. Since there's about a 95% chance your kid will never play past high school, you're saying that you spend thousands of dollars a year and spend all your time chasing the dream of playing for a high school program?? And you acknowledge this?? Jesus Christ
I really feel sorry for some of you people, i really do
well that's just dumb imo. Don't get me wrong, you can blow your money how you like. But let me get this straight. Since there's about a 95% chance your kid will never play past high school, you're saying that you spend thousands of dollars a year and spend all your time chasing the dream of playing for a high school program?? And you acknowledge this?? Jesus Christ
I really feel sorry for some of you people, i really do
Posted on 3/12/16 at 12:58 pm to HarrisLetsRide
Don't feel sorry for me bro! Nice to know you are so high and mighty though. Life is about experiences. For my family, we love it and have several exceptional memories.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 12:59 pm to HarrisLetsRide
I feel for them also, but parents today will do anything to make sure Junior fits in. Even if it means spending thousands to get him on a high school team. Sad.
Posted on 3/12/16 at 1:16 pm to HarrisLetsRide
quote:
He's already one of the better 9 year olds in the area. Literally half the kids we know that play travel ball can't come close to holding his jock.
Wait, are we talking travel ball in high school are travel ball for 9-10 year olds? Because I agree with you there. It's a waste of time and money. Travel ball makes more sense for high schoolers.
Page 3 of 4
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News