- 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
Rec baseball is slowly creeping toward extinction in my area
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:23 pm
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:23 pm
I knew that travel ball was having its effects, but I didn’t realize it was so pronounced until I started paying attention last year when my six year old grandson started playing rec coach pitch. He’s back for his second season, but this is what I’ve noticed:
My boys played in the 90’s and early 2000’s, and there were at least 4-6 teams in each age group in all of the local communities. Rec leagues were completely self-contained until All-Stars started after the regular season. Now, these same communities only have 1-2 teams in the age groups of 10U and 12U and have to travel community to community to play a season. It’s really sad to me, but it won’t change. Travel ball is as much about perceived status for the parents as it is about enjoyment for the kids.
I brought a graph to show my work.
My boys played in the 90’s and early 2000’s, and there were at least 4-6 teams in each age group in all of the local communities. Rec leagues were completely self-contained until All-Stars started after the regular season. Now, these same communities only have 1-2 teams in the age groups of 10U and 12U and have to travel community to community to play a season. It’s really sad to me, but it won’t change. Travel ball is as much about perceived status for the parents as it is about enjoyment for the kids.
I brought a graph to show my work.
24
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:26 pm to High C
lsu777 is about to blow your dumbass up. If you spend $250k to get your kids a free ride to LSU Eunice you do it every time.
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:27 pm to High C
Why is it sad? Go join a travel daddy ball team of your liking and enjoy the prosperity.
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:28 pm to NIH
I’m not sure you why you’d even have a son if you don’t intend on renting a full industrial space for him to hit in and installing a trackman inside
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:39 pm to High C
quote:
My boys played in the 90’s and early 2000’s, and there were at least 4-6 teams in each age group in all of the local communities.
I played for 3 years. In those 3 years I played for:
Local Mexican restuarant
Local Dodge dealership
Local building contractor.
The local bagel shop was the powerhouse of my last year playing. Carolina Bagel I think they were called.
Also, the local rec was known as the Dixie League.
This post was edited on 4/10/26 at 4:41 pm
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:40 pm to theGarnetWay
I played for a body shop, an insurance agency and a gas station
The rise of travel ball fricking sucks
The rise of travel ball fricking sucks
This post was edited on 4/10/26 at 4:41 pm
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:41 pm to Cosmo
quote:
I played for a body shop, an insurance agency and a gas station
The rise of travel ball fricking sucks
I guess I never actually check, but every local restaurant, dentist, and oil change, would have team photos of each year they sponsored. Not sure that's even a thing anymore.
This post was edited on 4/10/26 at 4:42 pm
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:43 pm to ShaneTheLegLechler
My son batted .229 last year and I had to ask him if he voted for Kamala
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:43 pm to Cosmo
Same thing here in central MS. Only two teams in the 9-10 year old age group this year. Seems like a few years ago, the travel ball kids would play rec ball as well. Now, seems like most or all aren’t playing. Rec ball is hanging on by a thread here
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:46 pm to Allthatfades
Travel ball is now year round
Used to just be the couple months after rec ball in spring a regional “all star team” would do some travel tournaments.
Used to just be the couple months after rec ball in spring a regional “all star team” would do some travel tournaments.
This post was edited on 4/10/26 at 4:47 pm
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:50 pm to NIH
If Traedyn raises his launch angle 5 degrees he’s getting Pornhub subscription for his 13th birthday
Posted on 4/10/26 at 4:55 pm to NIH
I need UptownJoeBrown to come in here and explain that you’re poor for buying too much Starbucks, and saving that money will instantly make you a self-made millionaire, but yearly investments of thousands of dollars on Camdyn’s glovework and swing are well-worth his potential spot on a D3 roster.
Posted on 4/10/26 at 5:07 pm to theGarnetWay
quote:I got very lucky in this regard. My league only had sponsor names for teams my first year of T-Ball. My team was the company that made the trophies for the league.
I played for 3 years. In those 3 years I played for:
Local Mexican restuarant
Local Dodge dealership
Local building contractor.
After that I played for the Brewers, Dodgers x2, Cubs x2, and Red Sox x2.
Then it all came full circle when I started American Legion ball and played for the local Chevy dealership
Posted on 4/10/26 at 5:29 pm to High C
It's because in the rec. leagues there are about 2 kids on each team that can catch a ball, much less hit one. Kids don't play outside any longer and don't develop those skills. This board hates on 'travel ball' but it is the only way kids can get reps and develop skills with like minded kids.
Posted on 4/10/26 at 5:34 pm to High C
Will the unintended consequence be declining interest in baseball? I'm old, but everyone played some sort of rec baseball at one point or another when I was growing up. They didn't have T-ball when I was a kid (at least not in my area). There were only 3 of us boys (two brothers, one slightly older and one slightly younger than me), anywhere close in the rural area (at the time) where I lived. SO we coopted my little sister and later their younger brother to make a fourth, and figured out ways to play two on two.
My sister and their brother were so far advanced over the other kids their age that (my sister played softball, shortstop) they ended up being pretty dominant players in high school. Both quit about then for different reasons. I really thought my neighbor's younger brother would end up playing professional baseball, but his reason for quitting revolved around a drug habit, unfortunately. After a long road, he did get his life back on track, finally.
My sister and their brother were so far advanced over the other kids their age that (my sister played softball, shortstop) they ended up being pretty dominant players in high school. Both quit about then for different reasons. I really thought my neighbor's younger brother would end up playing professional baseball, but his reason for quitting revolved around a drug habit, unfortunately. After a long road, he did get his life back on track, finally.
Posted on 4/10/26 at 5:46 pm to Cosmo
quote:
I played for a body shop, an insurance agency and a gas station
A furniture store and two different offshore supply companies here.
Posted on 4/10/26 at 5:57 pm to NIH
quote:
My son batted .229 last year and I had to ask him if he voted for Kamala
good one, mate 
Posted on 4/10/26 at 5:59 pm to facher08
Used to you had to win you way to the Dixie youth World Series or LLWS.
Now you form a travel ball team and just pay to play in one of many “world series”.
Now you form a travel ball team and just pay to play in one of many “world series”.
Posted on 4/10/26 at 6:06 pm to High C
Instagram moms want to brag about their kids being on a travel ball team. Everyone’s on a fricking travel ball team, your 10 year old isn’t a special talent. Men need to get their wives in line and stop this stupid shite.
Posted on 4/10/26 at 6:11 pm to theGarnetWay
quote:
Also, the local rec was known as the Dixie League.
Was this Dixie Youth? What we had when I was a kid in Chickasaw, AL. The next league up iirc, was Babe Ruth league. I think that was high school level for the kids who didn't play high school ball.
This post was edited on 4/10/26 at 6:13 pm
Page 1 of 6
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News