re: The benefits of playing travel ball 9 months a year

Similar happened to my nephew. Kid had great talent, bro/sil didn't know any better just thought they were doing what was best for him. He was done slinging pitches by age 14 I believe.

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Travel ball is a racket. Imagine if you spent all that time traveling, oh I dunno, playing ball? You’d like get 3x the experience and save an assload of $$$.

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I don't know how often they play in baseball but we only have a tournament once a month or so.

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At 10 years old there are no benefits in my opinion. Both my kids have been approached about travel ball. Hell even had a coach come to my house and try and recruit us telling me how much I would be missing out on getting better and my kids need it. I played college baseball and I want nothing more than to see my kids play college ball but honestly Inwant them to be kids first and foremost. I’ll never understand the obsession with travel ball. You make it to highschool and you can play go for it you have 4 years to show out. Both my kids are the fastest in their grade so I know we have that going for them because that is the only reason I played at a very small college and didn’t start. So if my no talent arse can play, get your kids off their butts and do everything outdoors get em active and raise them fast. You can’t coach hustle and speed.

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This. My kid is the same way. He’s 10 and pitches. He is on a strict pitch count and we only play league ball, some Dixie Open tournaments in May and June and fall ball. Had the same thing happen to me with travel coaches. They just want arms and money and don’t care about kid’s futures.

My kid is getting close to that age. He’s 6 & in 2nd year of T-ball. He loves it, pays attention, and has really made some improvement on the fundamentals. Problem is I’ve taught him everything and from what I see, that’s gonna be how it goes in rec ball. I spend more time telling him shite like “remember how coach told u to keep your elbow up? Yeah, don’t do that” or “remember when coach made you stretch out your arms and bat to the ball & scoot back? Yeah don’t do that either” than i do teaching anything lol

I really don’t want him playing ball every weekend, I sure as hell don’t wanna spend my weekends in podunk ballparks across the state either. But rec leagues seem to be 12-14 games, 2 a week & done. Is there some happy medium?

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The benefits of playing travel ball 9 months a year

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Oxymoron.

My U12 boy travels for soccer and he loves it. 4 games a weekend. He played every position, even goalie, last weekend and made some incredible shots.

This is a problem with all sports. Seasons never stop. Summer leagues, 7 on 7, travel ball, AAU, etc.

By the time people get to college/pros their bodies have already started breaking down.

I’ve never understood travel ball tho esp with people that live in big cities. Is there not enough kids in Dallas or Houston to get a game/league together????

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who turns 10 this summer, plays travel baseball. He has played since he was 6. Two years ago, they started kid pitch. Buddy's son has pitched for two years.

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Kid pitch doesn’t begin until the 9 years old.

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Doc also said the injury was due a combination of overuse and poor mechanics.

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We see that a lot. It has nothing to do with coaching. Kids have their very own throwing motion that is very hard to teach. Some kids have it some kids don’t.

I value my weekends too much. My kids aren't playing any travel sports.