re: Travel ball is getting a lot less crowded for little Jaxson and Brayden

I'm not sure why travel ball gets this board all in a fuss. It's completely fine to spend thousands on hunting and fishing, spend half a day sitting in a tree but spending a Saturday at the ballpark is taboo

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why not both?

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You can do both. I'm not caught up in the world of travel ball, so i'm not sure how viable it is to go on family vacations during the summer with the baseball schedule. BUt if you can, knock yourself out.

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we went did the big world series with my middle kid in PF this year and had a blast as a vacation.

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We were in Gatlinburg/PF area this summer as well, but not for sports. Got to do some "cliff diving" off of a big rock that my 9 year old still talks about. Our vacation was completely filled each day. Not sure how the baseball parents get to see everything unless they take an extended vacation.

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going to maui this year and another big vacation. yall act like you cant do both.

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I was responding to the other poster asking about the ROI on a vacation vs. youth sports. If you can do both, go for it.

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most teams in South LA dont really travel.

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"Most" is probably accurate based on population, but considering the school we're in, a lot of parents spend their time on travel and i'm glad my son isn't into it. I told my wife, if he cared that much about a sport then we'd consider it, but we're not forking over the $1500-$3000/year for some of these teams.

We know plenty of people who spent several weeks in Florida/Alabama for baseball and i just don't understand how all of these parents do it. I can't take off for that long nor do i want to waste my vacation time at a beach every year. If that's your prerogative, then go for it. It's just not for me.

My gripe with the whole "youth sports" stuff, especially in Baton Rouge, is the parents are the worst. My son, who is 9 right now, was cut from his basketball team that he was on with his friends the year before, when he was 5, turning 6. That is absurd to say the least. And it's not just basketball, i've seen it with baseball over at traction with other parents. Their kids having to try out for a spot they were on last year at 6 years old. And 99% of this is because these coaches are trying to build a "superteam" of 5 and 6 year olds for what? So they can win a plastic ring? And the kids don't really care that much at that age, it's all the coaches and idiot parents. I just don't understand why this town acts the way it does with youth sports, and why it can't act like well adjusted normal adults like when i was growing up. Outside of soccer or local community center t-ball baseball, sports didn't really start until 4th or 5th grade. And a majority that played then didn't play in high school, and there were no delusions that their kids were going "pro". I just find it ridiculous that these adults are essentially judging the future of these kids based on their abilities at 5/6/7 years old.

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I'm not sure why travel ball gets this board all in a fuss. It's completely fine to spend thousands on hunting and fishing, spend half a day sitting in a tree but spending a Saturday at the ballpark is taboo

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And what is it that these people who bitch about junior sports do with their kids?

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ot has no problem spending 2k a year on dear lease, 2k year on duck lease and 3-5k in supplies and equipment...thats all money well spent and those memories are great......but if you do the same in sports....well you are just a dumbass

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What if you do neither? My father in law asked me last year if i wanted to go hunting with him in Mississippi. I said "sure, sounds like fun". He later asked, "if you still want to go, it's going to be about $1500". I said i'd pass. I don't hunt and am too cheap to spend that kind of money on something i don't really do. I'd rather save that up and put it towards a nice vacation with the family.

My daughter loves it. Her siblings love it, there are a bunch of siblings on the team the same age. They get a day playing at the park. They look forward to it.

We still go on vacations outside of sports. We have weekends off during the season.

I force 0 of it on my kid. I've played my ball, I'm good if they didn't want to play. I only work with her when she wants to, I never ask her to go practice. She asks me nearly everyday, I tell her no sometimes and make her take a break.

Speaking of, can I just throw these cleats in the washing machine? They’re priceless…so they can’t be fricked up. They were white though. Need them this weekend.

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You can do both. I'm not caught up in the world of travel ball, so i'm not sure how viable it is to go on family vacations during the summer with the baseball schedule. BUt if you can, knock yourself out.

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for most its over by end of june

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We were in Gatlinburg/PF area this summer as well, but not for sports. Got to do some "cliff diving" off of a big rock that my 9 year old still talks about. Our vacation was completely filled each day. Not sure how the baseball parents get to see everything unless they take an extended vacation.

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we got to do the same at the sinks. did the mountain coasters, did white water rafting as a team...plus tons of other stuff. it was a 5 day tournament, we stayed for 8. you play max 2 games per day, some days only 1.

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I was responding to the other poster asking about the ROI on a vacation vs. youth sports. If you can do both, go for it.

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most people in this state cant afford a true vacation much less both but both a vacation and youth sports off same ROI. many that play travel baseball atleast, can afford to do both.

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"Most" is probably accurate based on population, but considering the school we're in, a lot of parents spend their time on travel and i'm glad my son isn't into it. I told my wife, if he cared that much about a sport then we'd consider it, but we're not forking over the $1500-$3000/year for some of these teams.

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no i get that. if you are into it, you get it. if they arent...its not worth it for sure. but little league is like 250 now so not like its all free.

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We know plenty of people who spent several weeks in Florida/Alabama for baseball and i just don't understand how all of these parents do it. I can't take off for that long nor do i want to waste my vacation time at a beach every year. If that's your prerogative, then go for it. It's just not for me.

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i get 4 weeks a year and usually about 2 are spent on baseball stuff. my middle kid only goes to a true WS out of state at 10, 12 and maybe 13. so this year its local. most kids playing in south LA are not truely traveling unless you consider houston travel.

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My gripe with the whole "youth sports" stuff, especially in Baton Rouge, is the parents are the worst. My son, who is 9 right now, was cut from his basketball team that he was on with his friends the year before, when he was 5, turning 6. That is absurd to say the least. And it's not just basketball, i've seen it with baseball over at traction with other parents. Their kids having to try out for a spot they were on last year at 6 years old. And 99% of this is because these coaches are trying to build a "superteam" of 5 and 6 year olds for what? So they can win a plastic ring? And the kids don't really care that much at that age, it's all the coaches and idiot parents. I just don't understand why this town acts the way it does with youth sports, and why it can't act like well adjusted normal adults like when i was growing up. Outside of soccer or local community center t-ball baseball, sports didn't really start until 4th or 5th grade. And a majority that played then didn't play in high school, and there were no delusions that their kids were going "pro". I just find it ridiculous that these adults are essentially judging the future of these kids based on their abilities at 5/6/7 years old.

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so im going to defend this a little....with the caveat its my opinion that you should only be playing tball at 5 & 6. but there have always been tball all star teams and not everyone makes it.

as far as travel and cutting...so if you ahve a tryout...are you not supposed to take the best kids and just keep kids that were on it last year who clearly dont work with dad in the yard?

i see it from both ways, my oldest wasnt very good at baseball, didnt like to work individually and played rec other than 1 year of travel and i coached little league for 8 years, my other kids played tball in little league then straight travel....because of that i have been around kids on both ends of the spectrum. it sucks for the kids that care to be around the kids that dont, even at 6. but imo if the kid shows any desire to get better and work hard and be a good teammate...well then you dont cut at 6.

now ill be honest, cuts at 7 &8 are completely fair game at that point. let me tell you why. my youngest played on a team last year were kids were asking to sit the bench before the game even started. very clear the kids were only there because parents were making them. it sucks for competitive kids to be on a team with other kids that dont even want to play. its miserable for both but for different reasons.

in little league its even worse. tons of kids at 12 who cant even play catch, parents only bring them because its a baby sitting service and kids that absolutely hate being there. its sucks

but as far as BR goes, traction has a regular little league and there are other leagues in the area. you dont have to play club if you dont want to. and i get how you feel it shouldnt start until later but it always started at tball and advanced through. AP always had bad arse dixie teams, always.

and with travel yea much of it is FOMO. you should only put your kid in it if they really like the sport. but if they do and there is a chance they may want to play in high school...well then you should put them in it so they dont fall behind.

golf and tennis on the rise!

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also its not possible to afford both sports and vacations!!!!

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or you're not allowed to sacrifice a bit on one end for what you choose on the other end.

The damn tongues are knit, and dirty AF: