re: The Absurdities of Youth Baseball

When does the gulf shores world series start?

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It's not about the league or the location of the tournaments

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Correct

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It's about the coaching and quality instruction and the number of reps

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Exactly

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A kid that only plays Rec ball for 2 months and only practices once a week isn't getting anywhere near the number of reps a kid that plays tournament ball March through August that practices 3-4 days a week and games on the weekend. It's all about the reps if they want to get better

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No, but a kid who plays in a good league, plays 2 games a week, sometimes 3, and an occasional weekend tournament nearby, and who practices twice a week during league play or three times a week preseason with good coaching can do very well too.

I've seen travel teams that never practice, all they do is play weekend tournaments. That is as bad as playing on a rec team that practices once a week and plays a couple of games.

The key as you stated is practicing, playing and having the proper coaching.

Unfortunately the trend has been towards travel ball, fewer practices, more games and less teaching. That's not good.

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If the kid doesn't want to give that kind of commitment then that's okay. Don't force it. If they do, we'll then it's our job as a parent to encourage them. As long as they're having fun. The second he tells me he's not then we'll find something else to

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I agree 100%, if the kids not having fun there is no reason to do it. And yes once he commits to a season, don't let him quit until he honors his commitment, then let him do something else if he so chooses.

Baseball is a great sport, it is a fun sport for kids with the right coaches who know how to put together good practices that keep kids involved and working on skills, and then there's the games which should be fun too and not the end of the world type events some parents think they are.

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Most teams don't play "year round".
My sons team took off from July-December so the kids can play football is they chose to.
Most also played Rec basketball.
Practice twice a week and tournaments every other week.
And not all parents live through their kids, maybe they just enjoy watching them play???
He loves competition and loves the game, but before every season starts I make sure to ask him if he still enjoys it.

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Like I said earlier, after being through it.....that is the way to do it. Being athletic will add the option of high school track if he chooses.

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Junior College is damn near a waste of academic time

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These kids are not going to JC for academics, they all have a more than qualifying ACT to get into DI. They are going to play ball with the hope to go DI after JC. You may consider that a waste but they consider it an opportunity.

Travel ball is for losers

I loved watching the travel ball losers with helicopter parents ride the bench in high school while the rec league players started and got the college offers

My high school was split among income lines. Rich white kids North of 183, poor lower class and poverty kids South of 183. The rich white kids could afford travel ball, the poorer ones could not so they could only play rec league. Yet the rec leaguers were better.

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quote: My kid played travel ball from 8yrs old until the present. He just turned 15. All the hard work and money spent is paying off. He's the first freshman to make the varsity team at his 6A high school in Texas. Also, he earned the #1 pitcher role after his first few prep games with the team. Their first district game was today. He pitched 5 innings giving up 2 hits and zero runs with 8 Ks in a rout. He's been to several camps and each school has told us that they will be recruiting him. My son wants to play at LSU of course. He's a big kid, 6'2 225lbs and his FB is 88-90. Some kids who play travel ball have the talent to get a D1 scholarship. I'm confident that my son is one of them. Granted, I'm not the parent that you were referring to in your post, but I do push him to succeed. ?? But...I have spent a ton of money to help him reach his goals. But I feel that's my job as his dad. Big kid.

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lol i agree, way to introduce him to HGH

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didn't play ball 24/7/365

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And thats not Travel ball for the vast majority of people playing tournaments

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The Absurdities of Youth Baseball

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Love the "dad" coaches who wear team coaching gear 24/7 like they some professional coach.

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something that will ultimately amount to absolutely nothing in life for 99% of children.

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I like to think that my kids' youth sports experiences have taught them a few important life lessons. Learning how to win or lose with grace, learning how to work as a team, how to work through problems, perform under pressure, become leaders, accept responsibility, just to list a few.