My thoughts will be mainly applied to baseball, but I think they are valid for basketball, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, and whatever else. Competitive Travel Softball: Key Considerations When Picking a Team, Top 7 Things to Look For in a Travel Softball Team, Picking a Travel Softball Team Final Thoughts. And it cuts into homework time as well. Youre going to be purchasing a uniform (most likely more than one). The repetitive throwing motions that softball pitchers perform may irritate the tendons of the shoulder, elbow, forearm, and wrist, causing tendonitis. Ideally, you dont want to have parents serving as coaches. Eternity is at stake. Evaluate at the end of the season is the team you are on is fitting your needs as a family. Required fields are marked *. Nevertheless, Deuteronomy 6 and Ephesians 6:1-4 still stand in Scripture as commands, not suggestions. With travel ball, there is minimal time to recover from errors. Also, some teams have fundraising opportunities that can bring down the cost to participate. 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? Just last year, I finished your work Gods Glory in Salvation through Judgment. 6. Another common problem is not having the right equipment. Let kids be kids, they and their bodies will decide what they can and cant do. This is what we due when we gather for worship. She excelled once she wasnt under my leadership and under the leadership of a professional. Is it more important than being at church on Sunday morning? BE INVOLVED , VOLUNTEER, ATTEND MEETING AFTER MEETING, FUND RAISE, HOLD ALL ACCOUNTABLE FOR TIME, HONOR, COMMITMENT AND GET ALL THE KIDS TO ENJOY THIS LEAGUE YOU ARE A PART OF. Which we gladly did because we got to see our daughter develop into a top notch softball player, which would not have happened here. These parents are the ones that complain when things dont fit their idea of how the team should be run. It is important that each player is available for every team practice and game. 1. Utilize the links below to browse our Travel Softball Rankings. There are many problems that can occur when playing travel softball. So many kids grow up dreaming, so few put on a big league uniform. Whos forcing their kid to play??!! Small town kids grow up playing lots of sports not getting burnt out playing the same one all year round. Its also likely that kids will need to miss school for team commitments. Crazy Baseball Parents #2 The Helicopter parent 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. . #momof3boys. Below are just a few stream of consciousness suggestions as readers consider their views on how they encourage their children in sports. 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. Accepting players from all over central Florida and have had players from all over Polk County, Hillsborough County, and Hardee County. PAY FOR QUALITY UMPIRES, make sure you have enough umpires for all games and have them supported by all involved. Ask former or current players and parents to describe the coaching staff, and see if they would be a good fit for your daughter. Travel baseball costs average around $3,700 annually. But when it comes to things like time commitment and competitiveness, they can be as different as night and day. Do you know the coach or coaches? She needs to spend more than 2 days working on drills. You can argue all you want and say you go to church when you travel, but the first time you skip church because it interferes with game time, you have taught your child that a game is more important than worshipping God. If your daughter is interested in playing college softball, youll want to be part of an organization that: When I was coaching at a Division II school, there were a handful of travel ball coaches I knew well and could really trust to give me honest feedback on a kid as an athlete and a person. Then you get all of that extra gear and position specific lessons. I love excellence. More general instruction. Travel softball can be one of the most stressful aspects of the sport, especially when it comes to choosing the right team. Baseball should be a fun game for him not a demanding job. Do I think you are sinning if your kid plays travel ball? For example, when you look at a solid team of 12u girls and there is that one girl that is nowhere near the level of the rest of the team. I could be wrong. When we read books about how it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert on anything, it may wrongly motivate us to try to create little experts out of our kids by the time they graduate from high school. Chemistry: Consider the overall chemistry of the program, not just the chemistry among the players. Softball programs usually get a team in fresh-off a summer season filled with travel softball games and practices. 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 want to try out for the travel team just because friends are doing it, or because it seems like the next step? I enjoyed my time as a travel softball player, but it wasnt always easy for me or my family. I dont believe in definitive s. Teach her other ways to stay involved throughout the game if she is not playing. Thus the rec league dries up. At tryouts, you should expect to be tested on your home-to-first sprint time, your home-to-home sprint time, and your overhand throwing speed. In those cases, your club fees might include two or three uniforms, matching bat bags, visors and bats (some teams exclusively swing one brand). Nor am I categorically condemning their decisions and choices. 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. Thanks for sharing them. Watch and listen to how players respond to the coaches. Listed below are six of the pitching injuries that athletes tend to experience. My name is Alexa Peterson. Thankfully, this was a better fit for all of us. You have to be selfless and extremely hard-working. These are just a few of the reasons why travel ball may not be a good fit for you. The Holy Spirit leads us all differently. No zoning restrictions. And while its obviously better to find a coaching staff that believes in you and is committed to nurturing your talent, I was able to learn important lessons and grow in both types of environments. foster a love for the game. And yes, they will see how I live and whats important to me the other 6 days a week; for better or worse. The Sleep Foundation. On the contrary, travel baseball is pure commitment! Do they walk away, rolling their eyes? Your daughter, as the player, is going to be pooped. Thank you for sharing your experiences. Postal code Distance Teams Age Group State Facilities Coaches 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Then of course you have everything for your player to use at home to practice like hitting nets, tees, practice balls, medicine balls, balance boards, etc. Who are these kids being forced to play? 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. Sound familiar? However, they are much more severe. What should she do? I dont know. How knowledgeable are they, and will they be able to facilitate the proper degree of skill development for their athletes? 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. Thank you for this well thought out post. The daily grind not only sapped the joy of the game, it was physically punishing. 509 County Road 540A, Lakeland, Florida 33813. Since tournaments and games are . But the reality is that if your goal is to play at the college level and especially if your goal is to play for a Division 1 program its an important part of the process. These rankings are modified based on your feedback and recommendations. Often this will vary from league to league and from coach to coach. Unfortunately, we dont all have that money tree growing in our backyard. How do you help your childs best come out, leaving the potential open for higher levels of competition, while avoiding the possible detriments of rigorous levels of the sport? Really great article Dr. Hamilton! You also accept the fact that this may be a long day and that the next time you touch that warm bed could be 3 am the next morning if you make it to the championship. I am offering these thoughts for parents who are considering whether to put their kids on a competitive team, or a travel-ball team, or a tournament team, or whatever it may be called in your sport and locale. I played college baseball and never once played Travel Ball in the summer until I was 17. Your email address will not be published. It allows each player to have the opportunity to play. Lack of specified instruction. Toughness is OK (even necessary for some kids and teams), but hostility isnt. Now I know the reasons. Now, this doesnt mean that her coach and teammates like it, but we have found that our commitment has opened the door for spiritual conversations. Loneliness is not one of the travel problems which affects everyone, but when it strikes it can be the worst problem imaginable. It also gave her a place to play when a local rec option was not available and softball was her #1 choice. Always keep in mind why you have this child involved in sport. I have a neighbor who constantly pesters me about our childrens sports involvement level-rec. Travel teams are also sometimes calledelite teams, select teams, club teams, or tournament teams. But dont hold her back if she wants to push herself. When children are interested in a particular elite team, it's important to find out in advance what their expectations are. I have seen it just recently in the church Im attending now. Even though my son showed to every practice and gave 100% effort, it didnt matter. Rec ball is where they develop and If she cant get enough of softball, wants to travel around for more games, and is excited to play throughout the summer, then travel ball is the way to go. Confused! http://kristenanneglover.com/my-kids-dont-play-sports/#comment-6411. All rights reserved. Go to a couple of games and see how the team plays together, and ask to watch the team practice before committing. Do the social aspects improve their values and stimulate great discussions at home, or lead them away from family?). All of that easily runs anywhere from $2,500 to $6,000 a year, making elite travel softball one of the costlier youth sports. I enjoyed your article and the discussion following it. No doubt there are exceptions, but I havent personally witnessed one. My son excels in travel ball and weve started a bible devotion for the boys before every tournament. Im coming at this topic from a multi-dimensional approach. Yes, they are young and this is not college softball players we are talking about here. The regular season typically runs from March to May, with single games twice per week, and one or two practices per week. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); on Dont Play Travel Ball: Stay in the Rec League, Great Books Selections for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016. If your daughter is thinking about playing softball or she has been playing for a couple of years now I'm sure as an involved parent, you have heard chatter of other parents strongly siding with one. I also appreciated this article: If you think the coach is doing a good job, then shut your mouth and watch the game. Sad to see but strengthened our resolve that sports would not take priority over God and our church family. "The cost for parents is steep. I hope that this guide was informative and helped you understand what to look for, so that you can make the best choice for your family and have as rewarding of an experience as I did. See caveats in opening and closing paragraphs. It is other worldly, it is unlike anything the Non Christian can imagine, to deny ourselves something the world says is a must and do something the world sees as foolish. Its also increasingly common for elite travel softball organizations to have two 18U teams, with the highest level designated as 18 Gold. There are no tournaments for which classification as an 18 Gold team is mandatory for entry these teams participate in the same high-level tournaments as A-level teams. Catherine Holecko is an experienced freelance writer and editor who specializes in pregnancy, parenting, health and fitness. Im not saying that travel ball is a sin, but it seems to be something that Satan can use to tempt people away (especially dads). You can tell the girls that go home and dont touch a bat or glove until their next practice. Of course, there are other ways to be the problem parent such as bad-mouthing the coach and other parents, not paying your dues, not bringing your daughter to practices, etc. She needs to be developing the leg and core muscles daily to give her the power to play that position to the best of her ability. Generally speaking, these parents dont do the Sunday sports to evangelize. No internets back then to stalk them. The gods of baseball punished me for my lack of devotion. This amount includes equipment, training, fees, and travel expenses. With the top-tier of competitive travelling softball teams, the coaches are generally not related to the players. Please advertise when you have this league so I can get the 70 or so kids I will bring with me to get in registration line. In fact, most experts believe that if your goal is for your child to go pro, the worst thing you can do is overplay them. And I want to provide the best competitive opportunities I can for my own kids. The Difference Between Travel Softball and Little League. If you find yourself a great group of girls with an amazing coach, then your player can grow like crazy. Think about your reasons for getting your child into a sport. Kids need to play more than one sport so their rotator cuffs can recover, so their elbows can rest, so they dont have to have Tommy John surgery at 17. We are leaning strongly to go back to his Rec ball league that we enjoyed in the spring. I am very thankful we found an amazing travel ball coach at age six. These are presented in the order in which I suspect most dads think about them, not in the order of importance I would rank them (#6 would be #1, and #4 would be #2). As Ive talked to people about this dilemma, one friend proposed this to me: he said that I should start my own travel ball team, and I should commit myself to being low-key about it. Train your coaches and prepare them for every level they will be involved. It was excellent, by the way. And at best a professional athlete might play into his late 30s or early 40s, then what? These coaches have years of experience, and often played many years themselves. Youre just now rolling out of the soft, comfy bed to throw on some clothes and get a lazy start to the weekend after a long hard week at work. Lesson learned. 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. I played four years at the University of Oregon, where I was First Team All-American, played in two Womens College World Series, and went on to play six years professionally. The specific answer varies, but the typical range of cost for participating in travel baseball is between $500 and $2,500 per year. And you should. Team fees may cover tournament entry costs, batting cage rental, practice field rental, uniforms, equipment and organizational costs. Travel softball can become quite expensive. Its only about winning and not developing. I have coached in a recreation league for almost five years, and now my eleven-year-old daughter is in soccer travel ball. First, not all travel ball destroys a childs love for the game. Part of the argument for travel ball is the appeal of better competition. At 12, our son tells us he thinks we have made the right decision. I would urge you to consider how trustworthy Jesus is, how he can reconcile you to God, how he has paid for your sin, and how his Spirit can enable you to love others and enjoy life with them in a gathering of people joined together at a local church. This is very true for our daughters as well. Additionally, they will probably have fewer injuries and enjoy the competition more. I wanted to play all the time, until I got to college and had to do so. Its better to honor God than to win, and its better for your kid to enjoy the game than for him to play at the highest possible level. 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. I think it does need to be approached carefully and prayerfully, especially with the demands on the family and commitments that call us away from the church. We pretty much know that were not ready to commit to a large amount of travel and that will be a consideration as our daughter gets older. Travel Softball Rankings. 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? We only have 1 high school senior playing basketball. Our league is like the one you described. Thanks for posting this. The cost of travel is not included in the monthly dues. Rec players are given basic techniques and instructions at a pace they feel comfortable with. If you can not recover or a fix an error as quickly as another player then you will be replaced. Recreational softball and competitive travel softball teach many of the same life skills, like teamwork and sportsmanship. After establishing a manageable budget for your softball team, you need to start promoting your program and recruiting players.