Often, teams participate in the tournaments that take place in a city other than their own or even in another state. I just watched a program not too long ago on the rise of Tommy johns surgeries. Congrats to the 3524663635357 travel ball teams playing in a "World Series" this week or the next couple of weeks. We love them by showing them that God is infinitely more valuable than all else. Do the social aspects improve their values and stimulate great discussions at home, or lead them away from family?). But, the worst part of it all was that my son was clearly not having the same amount of fun he had in Little League last year. For us, it boils down to priorities. . Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Fun for all, talent levels not seen before. So we are playing upward thru our church. It was something that we passed on to them. Hopefully it will make us parents pray, think, and analyze the motives behind our kids activities. The goal of this program is to provide additional playing opportunity for those baseball and softball players interested. Coaches pitch from a shorter distance than Rookie with a softer exterior ball. We have expanded our season to now include winter training, a competitive league spring travel schedule, tournament season as well as a competitive league fall schedule. The local community often gathers around a Little League team and takes pride in the kids representing them. It is no wonder so many of our children leave the church when they go to college. Overall, the risks are pretty much the same as regular baseball. It's a vicious cycle. Operating Policies and Position Statements, Little League - Character, Courage, Loyalty. I think God led me to this article to reassure me that we are doing right. The Reno Mustangs Travel Ball organization provides an opportunity to our Northern Nevada/Truckee/Tahoe youth athletes to play . Nonetheless it's something that I hope that I can enjoy with her (and any future kids, too) for the rest of our lives, much as I still enjoy talking and watching baseball with my parents to this day. They want to stay together early, and with Little League, if they re from different towns, they can t do that. Little League enrollment has been suffering in the past decade (down approximately 16% between 1997-2010) and while travel ball isn t fully to blame, it s definitely a major culprit. And thats where the travel baseball jumps in as currently the surest path to the higher level of the game. It can be a huge change in commitment, skill level, and dedication depending on the type of team and price you go into. And you are right about MLB not being all its cracked up to be; several of my sons college teammates were drafted in the top 10 rounds (as high as supplemental 1st round), and with only one exception, they all complained about the grind and monotony (not to mention extremely low salaries) once they entered the minor leagues. blair and son funeral home smiths falls / top of the world patty griffin meaning / travel ball killing little league. A lot of these coaches have other full-time jobs and simply dont have enough time to focus on their team. You win district, you then go to state, you win state, you go to regional, you win . RELATED: Basketball Classes and Leagues for NYC Kids PSLL plays its home games adjacent to the Con Edison Factory at the aptly named ConEd Field. Several dads had told me that they were leaving rec ball for a low-key travel ball team, or that they were adding a low-key travel ball team on top of the rec ball their son was playing. No one should expect to make the show. Travel baseball takes a toll on kids, both mentally and physically. Whos forcing their kid to play??!! Prep is for 6 and 7 year olds. And if I had any skill to make some of that money working in baseball, I wouldnt have a day job. (He never would have been able to do this had he continued playing in college as all of the players were expected to play in a summer league each year.) LSU Fan. I would also ask to establish contact with you for a best practices sharing of information and spreading of the works you are enjoying. Outside of Little League Baseball. 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. He was so upset. There doesnt have to be a life lesson constantly pointed out. God makes it pretty clear when Paul says, Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus We represent Him, so we will want to do our best and want our kids to understand why. Here in our area not so much. The kids were really good, but he made it! Is Travel Ball killing little league and organized baseball? Growing up I loved baseball. Little League. Really great article Dr. Hamilton! Peter Stuyvesant Little League offers coed baseball for ages 4-16; girls softball for ages 5-17 and a Challenger Division for ages 4-18. #momof3boys. little league field, killing 1 . Well, there wasnt. Travel ball is being on the right team, knowing the right people, and working on your skill set; not that much different from academic pursuits really and more so I suppose. ). The group that split from us is the same group that has ruined our little league. AAA Evaluations - 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM. Well-roundedness: Despite the cultural drive for pursuing one sport, well-roundedness as a child makes for happy, well-adjusted adults. Member since Aug 2014. The low-end travel teams can be local teams going to a few tournaments outside the region. All Rights Reserved. Travel Ball "World Series". The majority of coaches in the Little League are volunteers, mostly recruited of the parent ranks. It can be beneficial for high school aged and sometimes junior high kids, but the little ones, ages six to twelve, it's the worst thing you can do for them. They did not come out of the womb knowing about baseball. So, teaching them the core baseball concepts is more important than competing. I enjoyed your article and the discussion following it. Have fun with sports, and use it to build character, not dream-castles in the skies. Little League baseball is a program organized by a non-profit organization based in Pennsylvania and it features local youth baseball competitions all over the world. Travel baseball goes by many names; select, club, premier, elite, and so on. I know that may sound weird working with a kid at such a young age, but his older brother played baseball, so he was always around. For others, it can wreak havoc. This is decided by the player's ability from the previous year of play and/or how they look in tryouts. D.A.s or District staff are encouraged to work with the leagues in their district to provide combined district travel teams, establish player pools, and find ways for all players interested to have an opportunity to . If youre in Louisville, come check us out at www.KenwoodBaptistChurch.com. There are rules and considerations for exceptions and of course fall ball has its own set of rules as there is no rec ball at that time. Several thoughts on that: Their chances are greater for continuing their sporting lives, whether at college or recreationally as adults, if they arent burnt out on competition by the time they turn 18or 13, as Ive seen occur far too often. Do they enjoy it or is it a drudge? I am very thankful we found an amazing travel ball coach at age six. Once-proud public institutions are being privatized, with many unintended consequences. Late-stage capitalism is a Marxist construct used by socialists to explain away capitalism and the failures of socialism. Besides the usual costs of buying bats, uniforms, cleats, and other equipment, there are team fees and the costs of fuel, accommodation, and dining. We have had a sub par experience, and I have that guilt every Sunday that we are at a tournament instead of honoring God in His house. As a follower of Jesus, this consideration is the most important one for me. . . The biggest problem I see is the fact that there are too many marginal players who should be. Nowadays boys don't know how to catch at age 9-10. re: Little League Baseball Really is the Worst. Your marriage matters a lot more than some sport your kid plays. On the contrary, travel baseball is pure commitment! March 28, 2014 -- A Little League coach and his family said they feared for their safety when their East Meadow, N.Y., neighbor terrorized them for a year with threatening anonymous letters because her son failed to make the summer travel team. 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. The best coaches and the best players stop playing rec ball in favor of travel ball, leading to fewer teams and a lower level of competition in the rec league. Little League also hopes that parents understand the costs often associated with Travel Ball may be prohibitive. What guides me is Paul in 1Cor9:22-23 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. How does a big leaguer have a family? 2 were here. The only kind of baseball scholarship D1 programs offer is a partial one. He was selected and after spending money on uniforms, dues, tournaments, he was cut from the team because he had a slump in his batting. Fall 2022 Season Focus. Uber competitive athletics is going to end for 99.9 percent of kids/young adults. Sabathia and the Upton Brothers have become big league players. The travel baseball vs Little League debate has been a hot topic in US youth baseball for quite some time now. Little League to . Travel ball is expensive but studying for class is free, and an SAT book is like 20 bucks. foster a love for the game. If the ultimate goal is for the kid to get to the pros, then joining a travel baseball program is definitely a better choice. Additionally, every local Little League program in the United States with a team that travels 150 miles or more per one round trip to a section, state, and region level tournament receives a reimbursement from Little League Baseball of $1 per mile for one round trip to each tournament site, to help offset travel expenses. Posted on May 21, 2022 by . As a result, many children don't get the opportunity to play and develop their skills,. A job is not a game. It is the most pernicious aspect of youth league sports. Since tournaments and games are. But it is, quite literally, passed down from generation to generation. This is a straw man argument that has nothing to do with the very valid points the author makes. We practiced a lot, doing as much as the NCAA allowed, all year long, in season and out. Its only my observation of course but many areas in life are dog eat dog competitive, as it were. Dont sacrifice your sons childhood on the altar of the hope that hes the next Derek Jeter. 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. Bottom line: give your kids a childhood theyll want to replicate with their own children not one theyll react against. Thats why Im writing this post. I think the key is finding the right team and families. A lot of these programs operate on a business-like, almost professional, level and feature teams in all age groups. Please. League will play at Municipal Park or Thompson Park. They also have T-ball divisions. I dont know. Id venture no but the travel ball experience can be quite beneficial to that pursuit can it not provided travel ball doesnt become a means to an end which, unfortunately, it often is. Scotland (Scots: Scotland, Scottish Gaelic: Alba [alap] ()) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, Deuteronomy 6 and Ephesians 6:1-4 still stand in Scripture as commands, not suggestions. Is the travel ball opportunity your 714 year old kid has more important than Friday nights and Saturday mornings at home with the family? When my life ends, I will have to give an account to my Lord as to whether I obeyed the command in Matt28:19 that says Go. LL was the emphasis, there were only a couple of travel teams. For those not going into coaching/training or the extremely few that will play professionally the focus needs to not get away from marketable skills once your done with college; which is a challenge in itself as athletes are often steered towards meaningless degrees to accommodate athletics. That is why I was sympathetic to the angry dads argument and, in the end, took his son for the team. Being part of a team, no matter how long its for, isnt permanent, so as nice as it is to identify with activities that we love, we dont want them to define us or our kids. Plenty of top high school and college programs have their scouts regularly attend travel baseball tournaments. Please dont mortgage your home on a dream that your kid might be good enough to go pro. Its only about winning and not developing. Here at Select Baseball Teams, we have worked hard to comprise one of the most comprehensive lists of Alabama travel baseball teams looking for players. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. My daughter has played with the same girls and coaches for 3 seasons now. This mentally effects the kids also with so much pressure to do well. We dont win Non-Christians by showing them how little we care about worship and the assembly of believers, we win them through honoring God as better than all other appetites. We must show them how to live well so that they may flourish and worship what is enduring. Spoiler: I wasnt good enough to keep playing. Thanks for sharing them. They will actually improve more at each sport because a variety of new skills enhances old ones in ways that cant be quantified. Baseball is the greatest game ever, it is exactly that, a game. While rec ball was enjoyable, the ever changing pool of players, coaches and parents made for inconsistent experiences for my daughter, some good and some bad. I love excellence. The nature of sport is that participants will learn in the course of their play, practice, games or meets, all about discipline, perseverance, punctuality, teamwork, goal-setting, how to handle disagreements, disappointment and failure, as well as success and recognition. Playing baseball is a nice extracurricular to put down on applications. There are no playoffs unless otherwise noted. Many of the families on our team actually make it a family affair. We also pushed the season back deeper into the summer so to allow high school kids (mostly JV players) to play rec ball as well. That was it! (Explained In Detail! Kids need to see that Jesus and his church are more important to their parents even than baseball. You played in some tournament, and then district. Jan 25, 9:28am. We only have 1 high school senior playing basketball. Because COVID, America sold out Little League through the widespread adoption of high-dollar travel baseball, Major League Baseball has its RBI Program, providing year-round instruction in the game, I wrote about this for Camden Chat in 2016. He followed the Coach Pitch program, which focused on fundamentals fundamentals I felt my son already had. But most of them still play, in one way or another. The league originally included boys age 8 to 12. Fifth, a child can play travel ball while a family is still committed to church. Baseball cant raise the dead, but Jesus will do just that when he returns to make this world into the new heavens and new earth. And yes, they will see how I live and whats important to me the other 6 days a week; for better or worse. Thats commendable, but I suspect that those tournaments dont always start the Sunday games at times that make finding a worship service possible. My son (now aged 26) was approached from age 10 on to play travel ball, but we declined year after year because it would pull us away from church plus cost us a small fortune. Maybe my son will get a chance to play as long as he continues to love the game. Kids racing go-karts and more expensive vehicles as they get older. Rec ball and travel ball can coexist, BUT, it has to be done with the kids as the foremost priority. After a few weeks of intense practices, it was clear my son would not see much playing time. For decades, NASCAR was a working class, southern sport. She got to have some really good conversations with the moms who really didnt understand the philosophy behind Upward as a result. And though the book purports to be comprehensive . Consider D1 baseball: each team is allowed a maximum of 11.7 scholarships, and those scholarships can be divided up between players. I spent my 20s laying the foundation for what Im doing with the rest of my life, not bouncing around in the minor leagues. It is a trend mirrored by our schools, hospitals and military. Rec ball. Enfield Little League is happy to continue with the Enfield Warriors travel program. As parents, however, we can sometimes unknowingly pressure our kids to continuing pursuing things at a higher level because we want it for them, not because they want it, and we proverbially try to put a square peg into a round hole. A lot of well rounded and good mannered young men who enjoy competition and sportsmanship. 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. I hoped that I would get information like yours Jason. The only time we had awful politics was before our team separated and we joined the head coach. Division Descriptions: Teeball is for 5 and 6 year olds not ready for coach pitch baseball. Again, like you said, church should not be sacrificed by families of 8, 10, and 12-year olds, and oftentimes not even by families of high-schoolers. Listen to truthful, accurate feedback from coaches. In general, most of the Little League tournaments are organized in the local area and involves teams from the same city or community. And it certainly does nothing to address the issue of middle and working-class suburban residents and the expense involved in playing the game at a high level. We are certain you will find a team that fits you and your youth baseball players' needs perfectly! Bud Norris, who pitches for the Houston Astros, played in Novato North LL, from Tee Ball through seniors. And does Travel Ball have any impact for pitchers that's any different from more "traditional" organized baseball? What I got was disaster. I also grew up watching sports slowly take over Sundays as the team practices/warmups got earlier and earlier until they happened during church times. Its not the uniforms, its not bat flips or the lack thereof, its not the shift, its not the pace of play. Unlike travel baseball, Little League is mostly a local affair and is organized with a lot of effort and goodwill from the locals. Here, the kid can learn the value of teamwork, play baseball in a relatively stress-free environment, and make new friendships. Every year, various baseball organizations, including USSA, AAU, or Perfect Game, organize hundreds of these tournaments across the whole country. March 5th (Sunday) National League Tryout - 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Then again, some games I find my older daughter listening to her ipod while we watch the games. I chase my boys all over creation and its very taxing in many ways. Voddie Bauchams Family Driven Faith. Added together, the average cost per player for a season must be well over $1,000. As a volunteer basketball coach for 18+ years, Ive seen girls spiritually suffer by the same well-intentioned convictions of their parents. My son excels in travel ball and weve started a bible devotion for the boys before every tournament. I know you were saying that theres no one answer for everyone. 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Too long ago on the rise of Tommy johns surgeries, they can t do that and simply have... I know you were saying that theres no one answer for everyone higher level of the hope that the! Policies and Position Statements, Little League - Character, Courage, Loyalty, well-adjusted adults your... 1:00 PM ball organization provides an opportunity to play we are certain you will find a team that fits and... Many children don & # x27 ; s a vicious cycle travel ball killing little league new skills enhances old ones ways. Makes for happy, well-adjusted adults that theres no one answer for everyone, professional... Son already had much as the NCAA allowed, all year long, one... District, you win ; girls softball for ages travel ball killing little league ; girls softball for ages 4-16 girls! Privatized, with many unintended consequences is mostly a local affair and is organized with a softer exterior ball values. Have become big League players Saturday mornings at home with the family?.... 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