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Travel Baseball
Posted on 12/20/10 at 7:34 am
Posted on 12/20/10 at 7:34 am
I have some friends looking to place their 9 year old sons on travel teams. I realize the wide range of costs but was hoping to find them a mid-range cost team but with some good players? Any suggestions?
1
Posted on 12/20/10 at 8:10 am to thomattrey
my suggestion is to not put them on a team
it's a cash cow and it's ridiculous for a 9 yr old to be on a "travel team"
it's a cash cow and it's ridiculous for a 9 yr old to be on a "travel team"
Posted on 12/20/10 at 8:31 am to coachLSU
quote:
my suggestion is to not put them on a team
it's a cash cow and it's ridiculous for a 9 yr old to be on a "travel team"
Abso-fricking-lutely.
These teams are ridiculous to begin with. Total waste of money unless your kid is really good. The not so good kids ride the pine almost the entire time, while the parents are still stuck dishing out money for hotels to follow the team.
My son is only 1 1/2, but I can promise you that this will never be an option.
Posted on 12/20/10 at 8:38 am to jembeurt
9 might be a little young, but travel ball has its purpose. It teaches kids more about the game and competition than any little
League ever will
Also, once in high school you can pick out the kids who have played travel ball during in/outs
League ever will
Also, once in high school you can pick out the kids who have played travel ball during in/outs
Posted on 12/20/10 at 8:44 am to Factsman
some of these kids get burned out by the time they are 12 or 13 and hate baseball.....I know some kids that play play on a travel 9 year old football team......
Posted on 12/20/10 at 8:44 am to Factsman
If your kid is showing that he has the skill and desire to excel in baseball then travel baseball is a must. 9 may be a little young but by 11/12 he should be playing travel ball. With so many travel teams now standard rec ball at a park has watered down talent and the good kids do not maximize their potential.
And I agree with the post above. Come high school you can tell who played travel ball and usually the whole team is comprised of past travel ball players.
And I agree with the post above. Come high school you can tell who played travel ball and usually the whole team is comprised of past travel ball players.
Posted on 12/20/10 at 10:13 am to nickhole5
9 is too young to be playing travel ball.
If he's that good, he will be still be able to play travel ball when he's 11 or 12.
Believe me, regardless of age, there are no shortage of people eager to make money off of your aspirations for your son to play travel ball. There's always room for one more check.
If he's that good, he will be still be able to play travel ball when he's 11 or 12.
Believe me, regardless of age, there are no shortage of people eager to make money off of your aspirations for your son to play travel ball. There's always room for one more check.
Posted on 12/20/10 at 10:16 am to nickhole5
yall have no idea about travel ball ....ive coached travel ball for last 10 yrs. although many teams charge a great fee (becareful because the high fees pays for ALL coaches expenses). My team charges 250 a year (includes 3 sets of uniforms,travel tee and sweat, and a batbag). the parents have to pay their own personal expense (hotel,food,gas) we play 7-8 tournaments in summer and 2-3 in fall and some of them are drivable home distance (inside 100 miles to eliminate hotel) now we do go to big tournament (national and exposure tournaments)...its not every weekend but be carefull like i said the high fee teams are paying for ALL coaches expenses. and btw we are a highly successful team ...numerous state titles and tournament wins and consistantly placing in the top 10 in national tournaments that have 75+ teams in them. and one more thing most travel teams only take 10-11 kids so that they all play every game. we just take 10
This post was edited on 12/20/10 at 10:24 am
Posted on 12/20/10 at 10:20 am to nevilletiger79
quote:
My son is only 1 1/2, but I can promise you that this will never be an option
then you better hope you son isnt good at baseball then because he will be left behind. College coaches would rather go to travel ball tournament and see 300-400 quality kids than to go to a high school game and watch only 1 or 2. college budgets are tight these days.
Posted on 12/20/10 at 11:43 am to nevilletiger79
quote:
then you better hope you son isnt good at baseball then because he will be left behind. College coaches would rather go to travel ball tournament and see 300-400 quality kids than to go to a high school game and watch only 1 or 2. college budgets are tight these days.
And that is the exact reason why I stated what I did earlier.
Everyone WANTS/NEEDS their kid to be the best in sports, therefore money can be had from that. What the hell happened to playing baseball for fun? If my son is good enough, he will be seen whereever he plays. If the only reason you want your child to play travel baseball is so that it is easier for a college coach to see him play, then YOU are the problem.
Too many parents think that their kid is going to be the next best thing, when in fact they are at best average. So in turn, they feel that wasting a shite ton of money to prove their point is neccessary.
If my son sucks at baseball, it will be because he sucks. Not because he was on a local team and not travel.
Posted on 12/20/10 at 11:48 am to jembeurt
quote:
If my son is good enough, he will be seen whereever he plays
quite simply, this isn't true. Unless your kid has a work ethic that's off the charts, he won't have the opportunities to gain the abilities the more advanced kids will have.
The reason travel ball 'works' isn't because of exposure or stupid shite like that, it's because kids spend hr after hr repeating and honing their skills. That's how all good athletes come about. The kids who make it past travel ball and so on are the ones who out worked everyone else (depending on size and age).
I don't think it has to start at 9, but I think it's something that should be left up to the kid. If he thinks he has the desire and motor to play and practice at a high level, then by all means. But if he just wants to have fun, then it's prob not his best route.
Posted on 12/20/10 at 11:59 am to LfcSU3520
quote:
The reason travel ball 'works' isn't because of exposure or stupid shite like that, it's because kids spend hr after hr repeating and honing their skills. That's how all good athletes come about. The kids who make it past travel ball and so on are the ones who out worked everyone else (depending on size and age).
That is about the best answer I have ever heard regarding travel baseball.
quote:
left up to the kid
That is the problem that I see with this though. Sometimes, things can't be left up for children to decide. I am a realist, and brutaly honest when it comes to things. However, most people just want to make everyone happy in life, which can not happen.
My nephew is 8 and is very good at sports. Last year, he played baseball through the entire summer and into the next school year, as well as playing football and soccer. Needless to say, he was well burned out before the summer ended, and I really believe that as a result, he is perfering to play football more. Not sure yet, due to the fact that he is a child and kids change their minds like Louisiana weather.
I will give my son every opportunity to succeed in life. But with whatever he chooses to do, he WILL undetstand that hard work and dedication is how someone succeeds in life.
Posted on 12/20/10 at 12:01 pm to nevilletiger79
quote:
yall have no idea about travel ball ....ive coached travel ball for last 10 yrs. although many teams charge a great fee (becareful because the high fees pays for ALL coaches expenses). My team charges 250 a year (includes 3 sets of uniforms,travel tee and sweat, and a batbag). the parents have to pay their own personal expense (hotel,food,gas) we play 7-8 tournaments in summer and 2-3 in fall and some of them are drivable home distance (inside 100 miles to eliminate hotel) now we do go to big tournament (national and exposure tournaments)...its not every weekend but be carefull like i said the high fee teams are paying for ALL coaches expenses. and btw we are a highly successful team ...numerous state titles and tournament wins and consistantly placing in the top 10 in national tournaments that have 75+ teams in them. and one more thing most travel teams only take 10-11 kids so that they all play every game. we just take 10
This is a first I think. I don't think we've ever had someone puff out their chest about being a coach on a traveling baseball team. Congrats I guess???
Posted on 12/20/10 at 12:03 pm to LfcSU3520
quote:
Everyone WANTS/NEEDS their kid to be the best in sports, therefore money can be had from that. What the hell happened to playing baseball for fun? If my son is good enough, he will be seen whereever he plays. If the only reason you want your child to play travel baseball is so that it is easier for a college coach to see him play, then YOU are the problem.
no thats where you are wrong.. if you are relying on playing school ball or rec ball for someone to see your kid your gonna miss out. Do all kids playing travel ball want to go to college? no...they want to compete with the best around and see how they match up. I guess your a dad who loves to watch your kids team beat up on a team that has kids picking flowers in the outfield that accomplishes nothing. and btw i have NO kid that plays travel ball anymore I do it because I like teaching the kids. these travel ball kids love playing and competing. now its not for everyone. rec ball is a place for kids who just want to play 10-12 games and be happy doing that but dont put down kids who want to better thamselves.
This post was edited on 12/20/10 at 12:05 pm
Posted on 12/20/10 at 12:04 pm to jembeurt
quote:
That is the problem that I see with this though. Sometimes, things can't be left up for children to decide. I am a realist, and brutaly honest when it comes to things. However, most people just want to make everyone happy in life, which can not happen.
Every kid I played with from young travel ball on up succeeded based on their own desires to be better. The kids that didn't want to be there fell way behind and it was obvious that it was a waste of their time.
Once practice ended I couldn't wait for the next one, and the people who were like me got more and more out of it.
Posted on 12/20/10 at 12:08 pm to nevilletiger79
quote:
no thats where you are wrong.. if you are relying on playing school ball or rec ball for someone to see your kid your gonna miss out. Do all kids playing travel ball want to go to college? no...they want to compete with the best around and see how they match up. I guess your a dad who loves to watch your kids team beat up on a team that has kids picking flowers in the outfield that accomplishes nothing. and btw i have NO kid that plays travel ball anymore I do it because I like teaching the kids. these travel ball kids love playing and competing. now its not for everyone. rec ball is a place for kids who just want to play 10-12 games and be happy doing that but dont put down kids who want to better thamselves.
Can you tell me the last LSU recruit to come from a travel team and NOT a school team?
eta: What age to you coach?
This post was edited on 12/20/10 at 12:09 pm
Posted on 12/20/10 at 12:09 pm to LSUdm21
quote:
Can you tell me the last LSU recruit to come from a travel team and NOT a school team?
what does this mean? The two co-exist.
Posted on 12/20/10 at 12:10 pm to LfcSU3520
many of good players who are stuck on rec ball teams with flower pickers get bored and will soon resent the other kids on the team. Travel teams are pretty much all even level talent players where there is competition between each other. I know my girls love our practices more than school practice. the kids and parents are always saying they get more out of our practices than the schools. And when your kid gets to school level ball you can easily tell who has played travel ball and who hasnt
This post was edited on 12/20/10 at 12:12 pm
Posted on 12/20/10 at 12:11 pm to LfcSU3520
quote:
what does this mean? The two co-exist.
Really? I'm really ignorant to the travel teams these days I guess. They have 16-17 year old travel teams? They don't have Legion anymore?
Posted on 12/20/10 at 12:12 pm to LfcSU3520
I understand the concept of showcasing players.
The problem is that it seems like everyone is playing baseball these days to get that coveted slot on a high school team or a college team... and they feel like playing baseball for baseball's sake is a WASTE OF TIME.
Playing baseball is its own reward. Your childhood and teen years are the ONLY time the VAST majority of people will ever play the game!
And the problem... particularly in Baton Rouge... is that this attitude is ruining "casual" baseball in order to over-serve the allegedly "elite" players in the sport.
How?
Let me give you an example. Team A and Team B play league ball. Let's say they are 11 year olds. After the season, Team A and Team B's coaches say... hey... let's take your best 5 and my best 5 and make a tournament team. They do, and leave the league for the tournament circuit. Good for them. Excellent opportunity to be showcased and seen by people in the know. Seriously. Good for them.
Now, let's examine what happened when they left. First, the league lost two teams, which hurts a lot for the health of a league. Secondly, the other 7 or so players remaining on each team are now out of a team.
But they can find new teams, right? Well, maybe... but what's more likely to happen is that 10 of those 14 kids will hang up their cleats at the ripe old age of 12.
I'm not knocking tournament ball for how it serves the upper crust of the sport. It serves them QUITE well. The issue here, though, is that we have a TON of kids that want to play ball, and no resources are going toward helping them. It seems like no one cares casual play anymore, from the parental, coaching or administrative levels of baseball.
Our focus is so much on the development of star players, that average players are being denied access to the sport past a certain age.
It shouldn't be that way.
We feign concern about our kids being overwieght, getting no exercise and playing video games all day, but you tell me... who's going to provide baseball to that kid playing X-Box? When his parents decide that it's time for him to get out of his room and play baseball, where will they go? Who will he play for?
The teams aren't there anymore. Not in this town.
There is an overwhelming need for lower-level baseball in Baton Rouge. No one wants to commit to it, though. It's a shame.
The problem is that it seems like everyone is playing baseball these days to get that coveted slot on a high school team or a college team... and they feel like playing baseball for baseball's sake is a WASTE OF TIME.
Playing baseball is its own reward. Your childhood and teen years are the ONLY time the VAST majority of people will ever play the game!
And the problem... particularly in Baton Rouge... is that this attitude is ruining "casual" baseball in order to over-serve the allegedly "elite" players in the sport.
How?
Let me give you an example. Team A and Team B play league ball. Let's say they are 11 year olds. After the season, Team A and Team B's coaches say... hey... let's take your best 5 and my best 5 and make a tournament team. They do, and leave the league for the tournament circuit. Good for them. Excellent opportunity to be showcased and seen by people in the know. Seriously. Good for them.
Now, let's examine what happened when they left. First, the league lost two teams, which hurts a lot for the health of a league. Secondly, the other 7 or so players remaining on each team are now out of a team.
But they can find new teams, right? Well, maybe... but what's more likely to happen is that 10 of those 14 kids will hang up their cleats at the ripe old age of 12.
I'm not knocking tournament ball for how it serves the upper crust of the sport. It serves them QUITE well. The issue here, though, is that we have a TON of kids that want to play ball, and no resources are going toward helping them. It seems like no one cares casual play anymore, from the parental, coaching or administrative levels of baseball.
Our focus is so much on the development of star players, that average players are being denied access to the sport past a certain age.
It shouldn't be that way.
We feign concern about our kids being overwieght, getting no exercise and playing video games all day, but you tell me... who's going to provide baseball to that kid playing X-Box? When his parents decide that it's time for him to get out of his room and play baseball, where will they go? Who will he play for?
The teams aren't there anymore. Not in this town.
There is an overwhelming need for lower-level baseball in Baton Rouge. No one wants to commit to it, though. It's a shame.
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