re: Kirk Herbstreit slams Travel Ball culture

quote:

---

There are less than a dozen leagues across the whole state of LA that have 13-14u.

---

That explains the problem. Seems like something that could be addressed by some parents/coaches. Poor kids in that state are screwed once they hit middle school age it seems.

quote:

---

So how is my kid supposed to walk in and compete with 59-60 other travel kids and finish top 10-12 to make the HS team when they have 50+ more practices and 40+ more games every year from 10 on? All while taking private lessons for hitting and fielding? Even worse at a school like tomball who might have 100+ trying out for 15 spots

---

Problem is, travel ball has eroded rosters and freshman teams altogether.

quote:

---

If your kid doesn’t want to do that, fine…but that is the situation on the ground. You can fight it and bitch on TD but you aren’t changing those facts.

---

Again. Is the juice worth the squeeze? Is it worth it to spend those bucks on travel ball so your kid has a chance at a high school team? With what I can see, if a kid is mediocre at LL, rec league, whatever..:travel ball will not fix him.

quote:

---

No. You compared pressure to playing ball in DR.

---

no. I didn’t. I responded to your comments about the lack of certain qualities in American kids. I replied that you can get a taste of some hardship, difficult and limit distractions in certain environs…ie higher level baseball in this situation.

You replied by saying I indicated I would send away from home at 14.

lol

quote:

---

example you certainly arent making West monroe, Barbe, Catholic, Sam Houston, Jesuit, Live Oak, Destrahan and other top 5a programs but you also arent making St Louis, StM, TC, UHigh, Brother Martin, Rummel, Sterlington, Iowa either and you are even not making places like Acadiana, Sulphur, Denham

---

In the 80s St Bernard parish had Chalmette, Hannan just starting, St. Bernard and even Lynn Oaks… of course fast forward to today and we’ve only had Chalmette for 20 years now. Katrina had a lot to do with it of course but if we wanted to we could afford another school.

Plaquemines at different points in the 80s had Belle Chasse, Buras, Port Sulphur, Boothville-Venice, Phoenix, Promised Land, Delta Heritage, and River Oaks. Now they only have Belle Chasse, South Plaquemines, and Phoenix (who only really plays basketball)

quote:

---

Don’t blame travel. The good kids don’t wanna play ball with little Johnny who has never played before and decided at 12 it was a good time to start

---

If your kid feels this way at 12 years old, that’s bad parenting. 12 y/o should still be a time to be inclusive in sports. Plenty of stars in the pros didn’t start until that age.

quote:

---

Don’t blame travel ball, blame rec for catering to the kids who aren’t very good and the everyone gets a trophy society where little Johnny who has never played is supposed to get equal playing time as the team stud.

---

The team “stud”. This is laughable at that age. Kids develop at different ages. A team stud at 12 might be passed up by some other kid’s growth spurt.

Travel ball seems to be more about the trophies and rings. That’s where the culture comes in.

My city had 2 state title teams this past year. I know for a fact that one of them wasn’t super loaded with travel ball kids. It’s about development, not exposure. The stereotypes exist for a reason:

1 hot head parents that think too highly of their kid
2 you don’t development any sense of team unity. It’s all about being “seen”.
3 parents complain about umps at a much more frequent clip, yet won’t use any of the thousands they spend on their kid to recruit and pay for better officials
4 too many games, too little practice
5 in general, a me-first culture with players, but that seems to be permeating higher levels of ball

These are blanket statements, but I see them proven true more often than not when I call games. It’s hilarious to see these parents in a rage over a call in the field or their boy not swinging his new expensive bat.

It’s not about travel ball, it’s the “culture”. It sucks, and it’s funny, all at the same time.

quote:

---

why waste money on any activity? Gymnastics, dance, camps, art, music lessons, voice lessons.

---

I didn’t say waste. I asked if the juice was worth the squeeze. If you value the travel ball experience to that point, and think it’s absolutely necessary for your kid to play Hs ball, go for it.

That said, music in general (band, orchestra, choir) and art, and summer camps, are not exclusive activities. HS bands and choral programs do not cap enrollment. Hell, those teachers usually beg for students. I say this as a music teacher…the success of a student is dependent on their practice habits more than anything else. You can pay big bucks for piano lessons, but if the kid doesn’t practice, it’s worthless.

If you think sending your kid to a summer camp is a “waste”, and as some gotcha for why travel ball is worth it, I’m afraid you just play into the stereotype.

It’s not just baseball, girls sports are just as bad. Want to cheer, dance, play volleyball soccer or softball in high school? Better have been playing competitive club for 5+ years


Baseball gets the attention on the OT but it’s most kids sports

quote:

---

You are all over the place.

---

I’ve been pretty consistent on this thread.

Travel ball isn’t inherently bad. The culture surrounding it is bad.

As a previous poster mentioned, it’s not exclusive to baseball. Cheer is pretty bad too.

quote:

---

You can’t buy your way into a professional big league career.

---

Stupid jump to conclusion. Do you make same arguments for tennis, golf, dance, cheer? Parents are just supporting their kids.

quote:

---

Parents are just supporting their kids.

---

No, spending money is perceived in social groups as supporting your kids in the travel ball crowd. They're not the same thing.

quote:

---

Costs related to baseball are different than golf, tennis, dance, cheer?

---

Dude is gonna die on this hill.

I ask again. What are you trying to get out of the travel ball experience? The argument on here is that they are trying to get their kid onto a HS team.