re: Who actually likes “travel ball”

Living in DS, you should look into the central league. They have 2 leagues for that age group- one for rec players with a random draft (similar to pards) and another league a little more competitive with teams that already have their players. Some of the teams do weekdays in the league and tournaments on weekends so its decent competition. They have nice turf fields and 20+ games and no weekends. Its a good set up for kids that age that want more than rec but dont want to go overboard with tournaments.

These anti-travel ball threads are interesting. They always seem to bring out the most vocal from the anti-travel ball crowd. Many times, I just read them and shake my head, because those people either had a really bad experience with a terrible program (they do exist), or they are making shite up based on the viral videos they see. Yes, there are terrible parents involved with travel ball. But make no mistake, those same type of parents exist in rec-ball too.

quote:

---

The 9-10 year old leagues are still ok. A lot of the better kids are still there learning to pitch and getting live action.... but by 10 they start leaving at at 11....

The 11-12 rec leagues (at least ours) is just awful.

---

This is widespread. And there is not a single root-cause as to the growth of "select" or "tournament" ball and the death of rec-ball.

For any parent out there reading this thread, trying to wade through the emotional negativity, incorrect information, and gross exaggerations and assumptions played out over and over in this thread...

Here are a few of the reasons we chose to leave rec-ball after 10U and begin tournament ball:

Reason 1: Our school district has 1 High School. It is a large 6A school -- over 4,000 students. The competition to make the high school team is fierce. In addition to having top-tier athletes in every sport, this is an affluent community where family names and politics play a large role in team build - so if your kid is NOT ready on day one, forget it. Lake Travis High School produces multiple D1 graduating athletes EVERY year. Competition is fierce.

Reason 2: Our rec league is run by dad's that value "wins" over teaching the entire team how to be baseball players and athletes. The dad coaches will build a team around 3 other "assistant coach's" kids (all of which are DNA kids, meaning bigger, stronger, faster for their age). The 9–10-year-old teams are win, win, win mentality -- so only the advanced kids get to truly compete -- the other kids are simply there for the ride. This is terrible for the under-size, slower developing athletes and puts them at a disadvantage later in their playing development against the other kids. The dads KNOW this. They don't care. Because they see that in 4 years, their kids will be competing for 35 spots on the high school team. It's best to thin the heard early to protect their own. This is why rec ball is dying.

Reason 3: Rec Ball typically has set times for team practices -- each team has a schedule to follow for practice times on the fields. In our area, there are truly limited areas where teams can practice. With tournament ball, my son has a flexible schedule - 3 field practices per week, of which he can pick 2 to attend (or all three, if he wants). He also has 1:1 hitting instruction that he can schedule for an hour every two weeks. And weekly bullpen sessions (this is the only concrete schedule he has to follow because of limited cage times). A flexible schedule allows him to play other school sports (Middle school does not have baseball), Football, Track, Golf. If he were to play rec ball, he would have to miss many baseball games, as they are also during the week and conflict with school sport games.

Reason 4: Professional instruction and environment. The coaching he is receiving far exceeds any rec-ball dad coaching. The facilities with indoor cages, pitching machines, hit trax and rhapsodo combined with Driveline processes are far superior to any rec-ball league. Additionally, the facility for his team is always full of high school and many times, college players who are just hanging out, taking turns in the cages and talking baseball and other "bullshite". It is truly an environment that the guys can hang out and grow as players and young men. I prefer my son hanging out there on a Friday night than running the roads.

Reason 5: My son enjoys it more. He is now surrounded by athletes that are playing baseball and working hard because they want to. In rec-ball, there are too many kids playing simply because their parents signed them up for baseball. Hell, his last season in rec-ball, we drafted a girl who had missed try-outs. So we drafted her blind. Come to find out she had never played an organized sport in her life. Her mother had signed her up too late for soccer (which she wanted to play) and the youth association offered her the only spot on a team left, Boys 10U baseball. We worked very hard with her so that she would enjoy her time, have fun, and perhaps learn some baseball. Second to the last game, she finally got a hit and made it on first base and eventually scored. She hugged all of the coaches over and over. Her very next AB, she got hit by a pitch on her arm. We never heard from her after that game. There are simply too many players like her in rec-ball -- they don't want to be there. On the tournament team, our coach will NOT invite you back if you are miserable or show signs of not wanting to be there. You either enjoy the process (practice, hard work, play games) or he suggest you play a different sport or go to rec-ball.

Reason 6: My son is learning more than just baseball. He is required to keep a journal of every game, practice and workout. Prior to every game, he must document in his journal his goals for that game and a plan to achieve them. He is learning accountability -if he slips on his journal or attending practices, it can impact his playing time. And he is learning to love the process -- youth baseball is not about winning trophies/rings/etc. It is about learning to love the process: practice hard, work hard, play hard, laugh often, sweat daily. It is a mantra spoken often in the clubhouse and dugout. In my opinion, daddy-rec-ball is all about "win the game".

Simple fact is my kid could probably give you very few details about his tournament wins (yes, he has a fair amount). But he can tell you some damn good stories about his time in the clubhouse and time spent in-between games with his coaches and other players. He'd definitely talk in great detail about his time he got to be bat boy for LSU when they played in Round Rock earlier this season. Personally, I don't know if he'll ever be good enough to make his high school team -- it is definitely a long shot. But I do know if I had kept him in rec-ball, he would have quit playing 2 years ago, which would be a shame because he LOVES the sport.

Travel/Tournament ball is not for everyone.

The same can be said about rec-ball.

quote:

---

These anti-travel ball threads are interesting. They always seem to bring out the most vocal from the anti-travel ball crowd. Many times, I just read them and shake my head, because those people either had a really bad experience with a terrible program (they do exist), or they are making shite up based on the viral videos they see. Yes, there are terrible parents involved with travel ball. But make no mistake, those same type of parents exist in rec-ball too. quote:The 9-10 year old leagues are still ok. A lot of the better kids are still there learning to pitch and getting live action.... but by 10 they start leaving at at 11.... The 11-12 rec leagues (at least ours) is just awful. This is widespread. And there is not a single root-cause as to the growth of "select" or "tournament" ball and the death of rec-ball. For any parent out there reading this thread, trying to wade through the emotional negativity, incorrect information, and gross exaggerations and assumptions played out over and over in this thread... Here are a few of the reasons we chose to leave rec-ball after 10U and begin tournament ball: Reason 1: Our school district has 1 High School. It is a large 6A school -- over 4,000 students. The competition to make the high school team is fierce. In addition to having top-tier athletes in every sport, this is an affluent community where family names and politics play a large role in team build - so if your kid is NOT ready on day one, forget it. Lake Travis High School produces multiple D1 graduating athletes EVERY year. Competition is fierce. Reason 2: Our rec league is run by dad's that value "wins" over teaching the entire team how to be baseball players and athletes. The dad coaches will build a team around 3 other "assistant coach's" kids (all of which are DNA kids, meaning bigger, stronger, faster for their age). The 9–10-year-old teams are win, win, win mentality -- so only the advanced kids get to truly compete -- the other kids are simply there for the ride. This is terrible for the under-size, slower developing athletes and puts them at a disadvantage later in their playing development against the other kids. The dads KNOW this. They don't care. Because they see that in 4 years, their kids will be competing for 35 spots on the high school team. It's best to thin the heard early to protect their own. This is why rec ball is dying. Reason 3: Rec Ball typically has set times for team practices -- each team has a schedule to follow for practice times on the fields. In our area, there are truly limited areas where teams can practice. With tournament ball, my son has a flexible schedule - 3 field practices per week, of which he can pick 2 to attend (or all three, if he wants). He also has 1:1 hitting instruction that he can schedule for an hour every two weeks. And weekly bullpen sessions (this is the only concrete schedule he has to follow because of limited cage times). A flexible schedule allows him to play other school sports (Middle school does not have baseball), Football, Track, Golf. If he were to play rec ball, he would have to miss many baseball games, as they are also during the week and conflict with school sport games. Reason 4: Professional instruction and environment. The coaching he is receiving far exceeds any rec-ball dad coaching. The facilities with indoor cages, pitching machines, hit trax and rhapsodo combined with Driveline processes are far superior to any rec-ball league. Additionally, the facility for his team is always full of high school and many times, college players who are just hanging out, taking turns in the cages and talking baseball and other "bullshite". It is truly an environment that the guys can hang out and grow as players and young men. I prefer my son hanging out there on a Friday night than running the roads. Reason 5: My son enjoys it more. He is now surrounded by athletes that are playing baseball and working hard because they want to. In rec-ball, there are too many kids playing simply because their parents signed them up for baseball. Hell, his last season in rec-ball, we drafted a girl who had missed try-outs. So we drafted her blind. Come to find out she had never played an organized sport in her life. Her mother had signed her up too late for soccer (which she wanted to play) and the youth association offered her the only spot on a team left, Boys 10U baseball. We worked very hard with her so that she would enjoy her time, have fun, and perhaps learn some baseball. Second to the last game, she finally got a hit and made it on first base and eventually scored. She hugged all of the coaches over and over. Her very next AB, she got hit by a pitch on her arm. We never heard from her after that game. There are simply too many players like her in rec-ball -- they don't want to be there. On the tournament team, our coach will NOT invite you back if you are miserable or show signs of not wanting to be there. You either enjoy the process (practice, hard work, play games) or he suggest you play a different sport or go to rec-ball. Reason 6: My son is learning more than just baseball. He is required to keep a journal of every game, practice and workout. Prior to every game, he must document in his journal his goals for that game and a plan to achieve them. He is learning accountability -if he slips on his journal or attending practices, it can impact his playing time. And he is learning to love the process -- youth baseball is not about winning trophies/rings/etc. It is about learning to love the process: practice hard, work hard, play hard, laugh often, sweat daily. It is a mantra spoken often in the clubhouse and dugout. In my opinion, daddy-rec-ball is all about "win the game". Simple fact is my kid could probably give you very few details about his tournament wins (yes, he has a fair amount). But he can tell you some damn good stories about his time in the clubhouse and time spent in-between games with his coaches and other players. He'd definitely talk in great detail about his time he got to be bat boy for LSU when they played in Round Rock earlier this season. Personally, I don't know if he'll ever be good enough to make his high school team -- it is definitely a long shot. But I do know if I had kept him in rec-ball, he would have quit playing 2 years ago, which would be a shame because he LOVES the sport. Travel/Tournament ball is not for everyone. The same can be said about rec-ball.

---

You just killed this

Same exact reasons and have had a lot of same experience. I’ll add high level baseball isn’t for everyone. Not everyone is meant to play HS baseball or willing to put the work in that it takes. That’s the case with my oldest and that’s fine, he has other interest or family also supports.



:bow:

quote:

---

Trust me, I would much rather be fishing and playing golf most weekends or hanging around the pool with a margarita but my kids absolutely love it so we sacrifice our time to support them in something they love. I do the same with my oldest in football and throwing in track.

If others think that kind of sacrifice for your kids is crazy…..that’s cool, just don’t get on here and lie about things to justify your decisions and to make yourself feel better about your choices as a parent.

---

I don't believe you'd always rather be doing something for you. Just like so many of the rest of us, you love watching your kids doing something they love. Truth be told...when they're grown...you're gonna miss this!

quote:

---

Both of my kids play for very talented teams (7U AAA and 9U AAA/Majors), but they play in relative moderation with a distinctly defined season. We also benefit from having really good parents on both teams - people we have genuinely become friends with outside of baseball. I realize our experience is probably outside of the norm, but I actually look forward to being out at the park most weekends from the beginning of March through the end of June.

---

This has been my experience as well. We compete with the good teams in our division, have a great group of kids with good attitudes (the attention spans are a work in progress ), and the parents don't ever give me or any of the coaches any shite. we have a great time with it

quote:

---

Yep. I go up to our local ballpark and watch rec 11-12's play and it's one notch below the circus. A bunch of 'em I know. They have played every season and you can't really tell that... But it's the level they can play at. But it's bad bad baseball.

---

quote:

---

Meanwhile, those 8 to 10 kids of mine that are serious are on serious high-level teams, with high-level coaches, playing every other weekend.

---

If you take the 8 smartest kids out of a classroom, the class average is going to suck.

If you take the 8 best waiters out of a restaurant, the service is going to suck.

If you take the 8 best doctors out of a small hospital, the care is going to suck.

Majors Travel ball at 12 and higher has simply replaced babe Ruth all star so it’s no real difference.

But under 12 it has decimated rec ball to the point that you make… if you have any real talent you have to play travel.

It has become the ultimate self fulfilling prophecy

quote:

---

The most dominant teams are owned by a multi millionaire who bought up several independent teams over the past couple years and replaced their parent coaches with paid staff. Their best two teams are top 4 in the country at this age.

---

Wait are these teams actually winning / earning cash? Or is the guy making money in the fees to join the team?!?!

quote:

---

And pg and 2d require same rest periods Andrew’s recommends for the lost part. So again how is travel ball ruining everything?

---

Well over here U-Trip and OTC are dominant so…

quote:

---

Here are a few of the reasons we chose to leave rec-ball after 10U and begin tournament ball:

---

For the 7000th time… big difference between 11u travel and coach pitch travel.

Strange that baseball is pretty much the only sport with overuse injuries.

My son was a 1 sport athlete until Jr High, then he branched out. Has varsity letters from 4 sports now.