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re: The reality of travel baseball
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:30 am to danilo
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:30 am to danilo
quote:
I have been out of the youth sports world for a long time so i am out the loop. Are other sports just more cut and dry: you sooner realize you aren’t very good and just move on? With baseball do you keep pursing this false hope by jumping around to different travel teams and paying for hitting coaches? Do the mental gymnastics end quicker for football and basketball?
I think baseball is a bit more unique among the big three in that it is more skill-based rather than relying on genetic gifts compared to basketball and football. Some of the individual sports (golf, tennis, etc.) have a similar dynamic.
I loved basketball, but I was getting dunked on in AAU in eighth grade by a future NBA All-Star / multiple time NBA champion. I knew right there and then that my future was not in that sport. Similar dynamic in football - I was on a team with a couple of future D-1 and NFL offensive linemen when I was in 6th grade; I loved the sport but knew early that I had no real future in it.
Athletically gifted kids stand out in baseball early, but a skilled youth player can erase that deficit more than they can in basketball or football, if that makes sense. It can give kids hope longer that they can do something in the sport.
This post was edited on 5/28/26 at 11:34 am
1
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:30 am to armytiger96
My son is a sophomore and started for his JV team. Doesn't mean he'll start in varsity, but he's never done travel ball. This is at a 5A school in Louisiana, with an overall average team and program. Had a poster on the MSB board, didn't believe me, but it's true. He's done 2 baseball camps over the years, one at La Tech and one at LSU, and other than that, only rec ball.
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:30 am to boosiebadazz
quote:
who just got asked to try out for the travel dance team
you're right on track. "she obviously made it"
dance is ludicrous compared to your moderate travel baseball. 
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:31 am to danilo
quote:
Do the mental gymnastics end quicker for football and basketball?
It is partly why baseball kids so often turn into such douchebags. Especially now with the pink bats and glitter
You can only be so much of a douche in football before you end up in an Oklahoma drill with the wrong guy.
Sounds like hockey has a similar travel ball culture, but hockey player seem chill. It’s probably because you can get your head taken off.
Basically I am pro bullying, at least in sports
This post was edited on 5/28/26 at 11:32 am
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:32 am to Chad504boy
It’s crazy and I know it’s crazy, but here we are. To her credit, my wife also knows it’s crazy but is still struggling with the “what if she misses out?” aspect of it all.
This post was edited on 5/28/26 at 11:37 am
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:37 am to supatigah
I played with dozens of travel ball products in Juco baseball. Playing 1200 games a year with matching sweat bands doesn’t magically give you more natural talent. You are either 6’2” with the ability to throw in upper 80’s to low 90’s with movement or you aren’t. That can’t be coached and the reality is even if you do have that natural ability but aren’t smart enough to outthink most hitters you still won’t make it. You can coach hitting
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:37 am to Tiger Prawn
quote:
You haven't seen all the 8u travel ball teams with their world series rings
The “World Series” vs 3 other teams from your own state that you have played twice already this year. lol.
I’m not explicitly anti travel ball but many parents, MANY parents, just aren’t realistic about their kids ability.
Travel ball just from decent coaching and reps can make an average kid good and can make a great kid elite. But it will never make an average kid elite.
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:38 am to BabyTac
quote:
Kids playing travel ball are a failure in fatherhood.
It’s really kid dependent.
And it’s really tournament ball, not “travel” ball. Most kids in the system rarely travel more than 50 miles to a tournament.
I have two boys. One played for three years and it wasn’t his thing. Hung it up for a different sport and has never regretted it.
My other one is sports obsessed. He would play six games a weekend if we let him. I understand the realities of HS and college sports probably more than anyone in this board. It’s really not about that. If he plays HS baseball, great. If not, there are plenty of other sports to play.
If you have a kid who can’t stand to be inside and loves to compete, it’s a pretty great outlet.
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:40 am to supatigah
We can frick up anything.
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:43 am to Antonio Moss
quote:
you have a kid who can’t stand to be inside and loves to compete, it’s a pretty great outlet
So the age old argument if I don’t spend $1000s of dollars to ‘coaches’ my kid will be a drug addicted loser. Gotcha. I work out with several travel ball coaches. Most were minor league players that admit first hand it’s a money grab. They also are f’ing half the moms.
This post was edited on 5/28/26 at 11:45 am
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:44 am to supatigah
Worked with a girl who's convinced her son will be in the majors one day..
Kid is a decent player, but not any better than the next kid. His problem is he's cocky, and un-coachable, parents created that monster. He played with numerous travel ball teams because every team got tired of the parent's and kid's BS...
Last I heard he was transferring schools because he didn't make varsity.
My nephew, grew up playing rec ball, played with some AAU teams, and the 13,14,15 y/o JPRD East Babe Ruth teams all over the country. Was part of Rummel's starting rotation his Jr and Sr years, played two years at Loyola and called it quits, got burned out, couldn't do it anymore...
Takes a major dedication to advance that far, some parents just don't get it...
Kid is a decent player, but not any better than the next kid. His problem is he's cocky, and un-coachable, parents created that monster. He played with numerous travel ball teams because every team got tired of the parent's and kid's BS...
Last I heard he was transferring schools because he didn't make varsity.
My nephew, grew up playing rec ball, played with some AAU teams, and the 13,14,15 y/o JPRD East Babe Ruth teams all over the country. Was part of Rummel's starting rotation his Jr and Sr years, played two years at Loyola and called it quits, got burned out, couldn't do it anymore...
Takes a major dedication to advance that far, some parents just don't get it...
This post was edited on 5/28/26 at 11:54 am
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:46 am to supatigah
This is legit one of my nephews story
Except it was at Age 21: He picked up Golf, he's so much happier."
Except it was at Age 21: He picked up Golf, he's so much happier."
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:47 am to armytiger96
quote:
From my experience for the most part travel ball parents aren't concerned about college or pros, but instead are trying to put their kids in a position to make their high school team.
Exactly.
Lake Travis High School fielded 15 seniors this year. Half of them rarely, if ever, saw the field. I know 4 of them saw very little playing time but are going to D2 or D3 schools.
Recball kids don’t even get asked to work as a team equipment manager/flunky.
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:48 am to supatigah
If you can’t afford travel ball for your kid; you’re a brokedick poor. simple as that
Are yall coping because your parents didnt give a frick about you enough to invest in your athletic future?
My son has a D1 scholarship and NIL deal after playing years of travel ball. So keep coping Rec-tards while your son accomplishes absolutely zero
Are yall coping because your parents didnt give a frick about you enough to invest in your athletic future?
My son has a D1 scholarship and NIL deal after playing years of travel ball. So keep coping Rec-tards while your son accomplishes absolutely zero
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:48 am to supatigah
I don’t get it. My neighbors son plays travel ball. They’re out of town almost every weekend. Half of those apart as a family. They also have a daughter who is younger so they’re either spending no time together on the weekend or they have to drag their daughter to a baseball tournament. It’s nuts. When I grew up you either made the allstar team which played a few extra tournaments or older kids played American legion. Baseball especially is out of control.
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:48 am to supatigah
but also not mentioned: Kids that are going to college to play baseball are going through the same preparations.
It's like the lottery, you can only win if you play.
I think there are ways to navigate travel baseball and stay true to your values as a person and family.
It's like the lottery, you can only win if you play.
I think there are ways to navigate travel baseball and stay true to your values as a person and family.
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:49 am to Babewinkelman
quote:
Age 16-1/2,:" Tommy John's Surgery"
My nephew. He is a lefty pitcher in Houston area and really good but started having issues last year. Having surgery soon to move a nerve in elbow giving him issues.
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:51 am to MobileJosh
quote:The hatred a lot of us have is due to how these travel systems destroyed neighborhood leagues.
Why do you pathetic losers obsess over what other people and their kids do?
So many things that brought communities together have been destroyed this way.
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:52 am to supatigah
Dude stfu
It’s not my fault or anyone else’s fault here that your kids sucks at sports.
I have two that play ball
One has been travel ball for 10 years
And it paid off tremendously for not only her but our HS team (most them play travel too for years)
She has no desire to play college ball and he been approached 2 diff times this past season about it from college coaches .
It’s about better competition and playing with and against higher level.
I wouldn’t trade past ten years of travel ball for anything
It’s not my fault or anyone else’s fault here that your kids sucks at sports.
I have two that play ball
One has been travel ball for 10 years
And it paid off tremendously for not only her but our HS team (most them play travel too for years)
She has no desire to play college ball and he been approached 2 diff times this past season about it from college coaches .
It’s about better competition and playing with and against higher level.
I wouldn’t trade past ten years of travel ball for anything
Posted on 5/28/26 at 11:52 am to Mushroom1968
quote:
My son is a sophomore and started for his JV team. Doesn't mean he'll start in varsity, but he's never done travel ball. This is at a 5A school in Louisiana, with an overall average team and program. Had a poster on the MSB board, didn't believe me, but it's true. He's done 2 baseball camps over the years, one at La Tech and one at LSU, and other than that, only rec ball.
I don't doubt this is true. Still doesn't change the validity of my statement that most parents of travel ball kids are more concerned about their kid making the high school team vs playing beyond high school.
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