re: Who actually likes “travel ball”

You are exactly right. At that age she was doing gymnastics, volleyball, and softball...just being a kid out there with her friends. As she got a little older she fell in love with the sport. The demands of travel sports in baseball, softball, and volleyball and certainly leading to burnout at early ages for athletes. It can become a gauntlet for young athletes to handle the rigor of years caught up on that grind.

I disagree with some in this thread that 8, 9, 10 years old is where the decision is made or you get left behind. Puberty becomes the defining moment for many on what your floor and ceiling look like as a great high school or potential college level athlete. Each kid has their own journey and will/should decide for themselves what that looks like.