We only have 1 high school senior playing basketball. How will they respond if they don't get selected for a team, or if they get selected but then don't see a lot of playing time? And for the good of rec ball leagues everywhere, for the good of your family, and for the good of your kids, I would urge you to avoid travel ball until the kid is old enough to commit to a more demanding regimen. Here are a few questions that many travel softball players and parents ask when joining or switching teams. What are they learning? She excelled once she wasnt under my leadership and under the leadership of a professional. Encourage her to be a good teammate. The low-end travel teams can be local teams going to a few tournaments outside the region. Have your church thru fellowship and reach others who may be lost. Encourage her to work even harder to earn playing time. What is Daddy Ball? If you are traveling every weekend, or most of them, for a Friday, Saturday, Sunday tournament, what happens to non-sport family time? doi:10.3390/sports7070171, Merkel DL. How knowledgeable are they, and will they be able to facilitate the proper degree of skill development for their athletes? Go to practice twice a week, throw on her hundreds of dollars worth of catchers gear, catch for a few hours, then go home and not touch the gear until the next team practice day? And if she has a hard time deciding what she wants? With the top-tier of competitive travelling softball teams, the coaches are generally not related to the players. As a PastorI certainly appreciate the sentiments expressed in this article. Communication:Its important to have all your questions answered. I also need it every day of the week. Sound familiar? Too many times parents want what they want, not whats best for their kids. On the diamond. They learn more socially because they have different teammates for each sport and different roles. If your daughter wanted to be a catcher at a higher level of play like travel ball, then shes going to be putting in some work. Many programs are run as a tight ship, with the goal of teaching and preparing their athletes for what college ball will be like: fast paced practices and a strong emphasis on execution. (No wonder God calls us to pray without ceasing!). This is a case where a player made a poor decision on team selection. Havent seen any. Problem 1: Specializing to get a head start We are in such a rush to do more, more, more at younger and younger ages, and as a result, our children are getting injured at an unprecedented rate. More general instruction. Yes, there are ways to make this lifestyle a little more affordable (check out used gear at places like SidelineSwap, Ebay, or take some tips from our post here on bats) but regardless of how much you cut the costs, you will still be paying a decent amount of money to be doing this. At RIP-IT we match looks with performance to deliver unrivaled gear that protects and inspires. Most travel softball teams include between 10 and 12 players chosen by the appointed coaches. Yes, we want players to get better at softball. Wake up at 5 a.m., get in the car and fall asleep for the whole drive there. When children are interested in a particular elite team, it's important to find out in advance what their expectations are. Very good and same principles work for hockey too. God bless. We have the pressure of middle school tryouts being in 2 years, and we wanted to make sure that he did well at those tryouts. While thats not very common, driving three hours one way for a practice is totally commonplace. There are two sides to every situation. On the off-chance that your kid is a freak athlete with the arm strength, foot speed, power, stamina, and character, who gets all the right breaks at just the right time, chances are hell rise up through the ranks of rec ball rather than being groomed on the travel ball circuit. Do they look like theyre having fun, while still getting the job done? Be sure to consider these questions. Less competitive teams tend not to travel quite as far or as often. Set the example for the kids. But if you live in a smaller area, you may end up putting a lot of miles on your car. Do I think that she will even play on the high school level? As a volunteer basketball coach for 18+ years, Ive seen girls spiritually suffer by the same well-intentioned convictions of their parents. Kids blossom at different ages. These teams expect you to take the game seriously: 15 minutes early is on time; you walk into a tournament in an orderly fashion; and you recognize that while theres a time and place to be goofy, youre there to get better at softball. Often, good organizations will reach out to a player that caught their eye and invite them to come to the open tryout. Thank you for sharing your experiences. And I hope all who read my question realize that there is no 1 correct answer for everyone. 7. My son excels in travel ball and weve started a bible devotion for the boys before every tournament. What is the true cost of travel softball? If I was in the big leagues, my summers (and falls, and springs) would be dominated by an unrelenting schedule leaving no opportunity to coach my kids teams. Our hope as parents is that they think of themselves first as members of Gods family and then our family, and then perhaps as an athlete, etc., after that. These teams travel, often long distances and out of state, to games, competitions, and/or tournaments (hence the name). Great post. I needed a break, and I wanted to be a counselor at a Christian camp that summer (Kanakuk). With the top-tier of competitive travelling softball teams, the coaches are generally not related to the players. I dont know. Give your kid the chance to be a great person and cultivate that through sports. Postal code Distance Teams Age Group State Facilities Coaches 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Chemistry: Consider the overall chemistry of the program, not just the chemistry among the players. Breakers Labs, located in North San Diego County, is an elite, competitive Fastpitch Softball Organization dedicated to developing the student athlete. Even though my son showed to every practice and gave 100% effort, it didnt matter. Travel ball, by contrast, is not cheap participation fees average about $2,000 per player per year. And I want to provide the best competitive opportunities I can for my own kids. Moen F, Hrozanova M, Stiles TC, Stenseng F. Burnout and perceived performance among junior athletes-associations with affective and cognitive components of stress. If you live in a big city, chances are that a good program is nearby. The physical and mental challenges of pursuing more than one sport is healthy in every respect. We havent broken the bank, we attend church on Wednesdays is we know we will be traveling too far to attend on Sunday (otherwise we go on Sundays), and the kids are all great friends. You will have to have tournament entry fees and food for the day, whether you bring it or buy it from concessions. You may be betting on the kid getting a scholarship. This includes the travel teams, specialized . My weekend routine typically looked something like this for travel ball: In other words, its a lot of time on the road. Wow this article really spoke to me. Third, most days my family enjoys family travel ball, together. Teaches them basic techniques. Softball teaches you how to communicate with those who are in authoritative positions about something you really want. Travel Softball Rankings. Articles like this help. We all need to be careful that identifying with just one sport and spending most of our time with it can deter a child from gaining skills, interests and appreciation for other activities and knowledge. I personally know people that I can guarantee will not be living the travel softball lifestyle for more than a season or two and Im pretty sure if someone would have stopped them before they started, they would have saved a lot of headache, money, and time. Reduces boredom Cons Expensive Increased risk for injury Potential for burnout Time-consuming Pros Young athletes can reach a point where they are bored with rec league play. For every 10 players that are forced to play at the highest level for their age, 6-8 will quit by the time they get into high school. Despite not playing travel ball until high school, he got several offers and ended up playing for a highly regarded D1 program. Bottom line: give your kids a childhood theyll want to replicate with their own children not one theyll react against. I had played non-stop from the summer before my freshman year, through fall ball, winter weights, the spring season, then summer ball before it started all over in my sophomore year. 1. If your player doesnt have the drive to get better by putting in the extra work, then travel softball most likely isnt for her. 2013;4:151-60. doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S33556. There have been times where we have questioned Is it worth it? in our own journey. You often hear coaches do this and that. Waiting lists for leagues. They dropped out of church and I think it really showed their kids that priorities of baseball come before any commitment to church attendance or service. If you plan on being on a travel ball team, you need to be prepared to dish out some money. Lack of specified instruction. So many times parents have mentioned to us about the cost of being on a team. We all know the problem parents. We have made this decision for the past three years and been ridiculed for it and told we are not being fair to our son. softball, a variant of baseball and a popular participant sport, particularly in the United States. My Kids Dont Play Sports Non-Christians exist because what they worship is false. I love excellence. No internets back then to stalk them. Growing up I loved baseball. Another common problem is not having the right equipment. The fear that if children dont specialize in one sport by eighth grade they will miss opportunities is unfounded. That's not to say you shouldn't do it -- just be ready to work Think about your reasons for getting your child into a sport. While some languages are much harder to grasp than others, a lack of words is a travel problem with an easy solution. You as a parent cannot choose the level your daughter wants to play at. But its also a major commitment, so its important to think carefully about what kind of program is best in your specific situation. Open Access J Sports Med. Can you observe some practices or games before you commit? I understand that now I may be bringing up an exception to the norm. Thankfully, we have a great group of players, coaches, and families. Stay positive. I coach my son (U10 Rec soccer) and was considering travel but was hesitant because of playing on sundays. Thus the rec league dries up. How many travel baseball games are played in a season? I grew up wanting to be a major league baseball player, and Im so glad I never even got drafted. Do they walk away, rolling their eyes? There may be instances in which its the right thing, and when a kid gets to be 15 to 16 years old, its understandable that commitment levels and demands are going to rise and choices are going to have to be made. I do wonder though as a parent of a child who did play travel ball and also ended up as a D1 athlete if we arent typically just exchanging one pursuit of excellence for another. This mentally effects the kids also with so much pressure to do well. Unfortunately with all the sacrifices Ive made that relocation doesnt seem likely but as usual, Ill pray about it. 5. The Holy Spirit leads us all differently. For others, it can wreak havoc. Tha KS alot for all your insight!!! It is generally agreed that softball developed from a game called indoor baseball, first played in Chicago in 1887. Since day one, weve been here for our players, with our players, and because of our players. Go to a couple of games and see how the team plays together, and ask to watch the team practice before committing. She needs to spend more than 2 days working on drills. Lots of practice time is great for your player's development, but it definitely affects what other extracurricular activities they are able to do. They dont need to have baseball practice every week all year long, and you dont need to be their taxi for that every week all year long either. That would inevitably awaken the competitive impulse, leading to more practices, more effort expended, and the gradual creep to a higher key. Hopefully, this helped you decide whether its the step that you should be taking or not. How do I know which is best for my daughter? How should we choose which travel team to play for? Michael Hortons Christless Christianity Fourth, travel ball is expensive, but so are the other activities in which many parents place their children like show choir and band. Excellence: Pursuing excellence is important, but be sure you know and your child knows what you mean by that. Your daughter will be around these girls for months at a time, and they say you become who you surround yourself with. So, whats the vibe of the players? Travel softball tourneys are typically Friday through Sunday, with teams playing anywhere from 5-10 games each. The biggest softball hubs are Southern California, Texas and Florida. The best outcomes were consistently when we stayed in the local rec leagues. While many recreational leagues let anybody play (depending on their roster size) travel teams typically recruit players and conduct tryouts. By your argument, we should never have church services because, if were in church and the lost people arent, how are we going to win them? The tournament is 2 hours away and its cold and misty. We are leaning strongly to go back to his Rec ball league that we enjoyed in the spring. The percentages are outrageous. After my first year of it in college, I found that what had been so fun because I had the opportunity to look forward to it in the off season, or even on days between practice or games, began to feel like a dreaded obligation that consumed a significant portion of every day. Little League, which is the most common rec ball organization, is open to girls ages four through sixteen, and everybody makes a team regardless of their skill level. foster a love for the game. If you can not recover or a fix an error as quickly as another player then you will be replaced. (Their varsity team is seeded #1 or #2 nationwide and is competitive, though still strives to put Jesus first.) Encouraging the pursuit of excellence and rewarding hard work and God given talent. However, I am concerned about the amount of time spent in preparation, travel, and practice that can rob a family of what is truly important from a Scriptural perspective. Back in the day, if you played travel softball, you were a serious player striving to become an elite athlete, and you had the full intention of playing in college. The specific answer varies, but the typical range of cost for participating in travel baseball is between $500 and $2,500 per year. Many of the families on our team actually make it a family affair. You are spot on with all your assertions, and I wish Id been able to absorb something like this when my oldest two were starting out.

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