Question for travel ball season

It’s not for the faint of heart

Now that you talked about money - $12 entry and $10 parking lol

This travel ball stuff is crazy

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Well, game one didn’t start until 6:45pm and game 2 started at 10:00pm - the game got over past midnight! Today… game 1 was supposed to be at 3:00pm and if they win, Game 2 is supposed to start at 7:30 for the championship

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Cause weather?

It was a sweltering July afternoon in Atlanta, and the 8th Annual Stars & Stripes Summer Slugfest was in full swing. The Carolina Warhawks 14U squad had made it to the championship, facing off against the Texas Elite Dawgs in a matchup that had all the makings of a classic.

Coach Tanner had his boys locked in during pregame. “Listen up, fellas,” he said, adjusting his mirrored Oakleys. “We didn’t drive ten hours in a Sprinter van and stay at a La Quinta for nothing. We finish the drill today.”

Leading off for the Warhawks was Jaxxon “Jax” McCallister, the team’s leadoff hitter and fastest kid since Tee-ball. He took the first pitch, a 78 mph fastball from Texas’ ace Breckyn Slade, and laid down a perfect bunt. He was safe by three steps.

“Atta boy, Jax! That’s why we put ya in The Program!” his dad, Brock McCallister, yelled from the stands, sipping a protein shake.

Batting second was Cayden “Cade” Slater, a middle infielder with a rocket arm and a lifetime .415 average, at least according to his dad’s Facebook posts. Cade worked a 3-1 count, fouled off four pitches, then roped a double into the gap. Jax came flying around third, cleats kicking up Georgia clay, and slid into home under the tag. The Warhawks were up early.

The game stayed tight into the late innings. In the top of the sixth, Maddex Rawlings, the Warhawks’ power-hitting first baseman, stepped in with the bases loaded. Breckyn, who had been touching 80 all game, reared back and fired. Maddex connected—a towering shot to left-center.

“THAT’S MY BOY!” hollered his dad, Chad, as the ball cleared the 350-foot fence.

A grand slam. The Warhawks dugout exploded, and Coach Tanner chest-bumped his assistant coach, who had been tracking pitch counts on an iPad the entire game.

Going into the bottom of the seventh, the Warhawks led 7-4, but the Elite Dawgs weren’t done. They loaded the bases against Ryker Jameson, the Warhawks’ closer, who had been pumping gas all summer but was visibly exhausted after throwing 110 pitches the day before.

With two outs, up came Jettson “Jett” Malone, Texas’ best hitter. Ryker’s first pitch was a ball, then another. His arm was dragging. Coach Tanner called timeout.

“You got one more in ya, Ryke?”

Ryker nodded, cracked open a fresh pouch of Big League Chew, and toed the rubber. He reared back, fired—

Ping.

A deep fly to left. Blayze Carter, the Warhawks’ left fielder, sprinted back. He reached up at the warning track—

SNAGGED.

Game over. Warhawks win. Parents stormed the field. Mom’s filmed the celebration for Instagram. Coach Tanner handed out tournament rings the size of class rings.

As the sun set over the ballpark, the boys posed in front of a banner reading “Champions” while their dads started scouting hotels for the Labor Day Battle of the Bats in Florida.

Travel ball never stops.

Got to keep Braden, Brayden and Braiden well rested for game time

Single location tournament play in all sports usually has everyone in "Your game will start 30 minutes after the game before it" mode. Game 1 of each day has a definite start time, but all of the following games' start times are up in the air.

A perfect and wonderful narrative!

It’s all a money grab. Some former pro or college player convinces parents their kid is the next Bryce Harper and then said parents put the kid on the team and spend gobs of money on participation fees and the cost of the “travel” portion.

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It’s all a money grab. Some former pro or college player convinces parents their kid is the next Bryce Harper and then said parents put the kid on the team and spend gobs of money on participation fees and the cost of the “travel” portion.

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It’s amazing that so many people don’t understand this or do and just accept it lol