problems with travel softball

These reflections grow out of my own experience playing and coaching and watching other families. And remember that there will befundraisingresponsibilities, too. I am coaching a 5-6 yr old team and can already feel the pull of private instructors, out of season ball, travel squads, etc. Sound familiar? (Their varsity team is seeded #1 or #2 nationwide and is competitive, though still strives to put Jesus first.) With the top-tier of competitive travelling softball teams, the coaches are generally not related to the players. Travel softball tourneys are typically Friday through Sunday, with teams playing anywhere from 5-10 games each. 509 County Road 540A, Lakeland, Florida 33813. This guide will help you understand what to look for in a traveling softball team, and will answer some of the most common questions parents have about the process, including: Joining a traveling softball team can be a great experience, both in terms of enjoyment and player development. But the fact of the matter is, if you think you may be a problem parent, then its very likely that travel softball should not be in your cards until you can control your actions so that you are not a detriment to the team or organization. A travel team may be the best way for them to learn new skills, meet expert coaches, progress in their sport, and have fun in the process. My 5 year old has peers that are playing baseball year round already! This is a case where a player made a poor decision on team selection. Hopefully it will make us parents pray, think, and analyze the motives behind our kids activities. But players should walk away from their travel ball experience not only prepared for college athletics, but also for life in general. 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. I needed a break, and I wanted to be a counselor at a Christian camp that summer (Kanakuk). Well always innovate to do whats best. Kids come out of high school where it seems that every game mattered, to a travel ball season where if you go 5-0 or 0-5 it doesn't matter. The specific answer varies, but the typical range of cost for participating in travel baseball is between $500 and $2,500 per year. God bless. 113. whack said: Mid 30's there was travel ball when I played but not the ridiculous amount of them as there are now to where it's hard to even field rec teams. Youre going to be paying team dues of course. A lot of well rounded and good mannered young men who enjoy competition and sportsmanship. Focus on what you can do. Travel baseball costs average around $3,700 annually. Let kids be kids, they and their bodies will decide what they can and cant do. 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. God will open doors to tell others about Christ as we are faithful to follow Him. Catherine Holecko is an experienced freelance writer and editor who specializes in pregnancy, parenting, health and fitness. 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. So much time was freed up by not having to go to practice. Small towns breed professional athletes, and the reason seems to be that kids in small towns arent over-coached, over-organized, and over-specialized by the travel ball opportunities found in larger cities. Thats particularly true for parents and players who are just beginning their travel softball journey, because it can be difficult to know how to evaluate a team and coach. They open/close each practice and game with prayer and are not overwhelming us with lots of games. These are good thoughts. If you can not recover or a fix an error as quickly as another player then you will be replaced. Overall, you want your daughter to have a good experience on the field and off with her teammates and coaches. In those cases, your club fees might include two or three uniforms, matching bat bags, visors and bats (some teams exclusively swing one brand). Maybe take up your buddys offer to go play golf or go fishing. We may be the exception along with the league in which we play. I dont know. I do not feel we will ever look back on our decision to say no to travel ball. However, they are much more severe. Parents: Want to Find the #1 Issue in Your Athletes Swing, Robbing Their Power? How many travel baseball games are played in a season? I just watched a program not too long ago on the rise of Tommy johns surgeries. 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. Your daughter, as the player, is going to be pooped. Awards. Just like you, he burned out after two years and transferred so he could pursue his other passions and, more importantly, gain much-needed work experience which benefited him tremendously when he graduated from college and was looking for a job. That the glory of the Lord might cover the dry land as the waters cover the sea. No one should expect to make the show. The only kind of baseball scholarship D1 programs offer is a partial one. The true reality of life is that we arent going to be successful at everything. Voddie Bauchams Family Driven Faith. " (Travel softball) has taken high school softball out of the equation," Hutchinson says. Jun 8, 2016. Like I said earlier, if youre in Southern California you might end up paying on the lower end of that range, because your cost for travel will be much lower than someone flying into California every weekend. Depending on where you live, you could be spending a ton of time in the car, or even on a plane. You can tell the girls that go home and dont touch a bat or glove until their next practice. My name is Alexa Peterson. Travel ball softball is the next step up from recreational softball. No one slept that well because you were up late packing everything into the vehicle. Since the college softball season completely overlaps high school softball season and recruiting budgets are often far smaller, Division I coaches prefer to attend the larger travel tournaments, where they can scout more players at once. My daughter is involved in a local homeschool league. His, The true reality of life is that we aren't going to be successful at everything. Moen F, Hrozanova M, Stiles TC, Stenseng F. Burnout and perceived performance among junior athletes-associations with affective and cognitive components of stress. Look for positive, fair-minded coaching. Chemistry: Consider the overall chemistry of the program, not just the chemistry among the players. 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. Neck Pain. Maybe you and your spouse may do some shopping and go get a nice meal. Its only my observation of course but many areas in life are dog eat dog competitive, as it were. Sadly, I do have to admit that rec leagues (at least in our area) arent what they used to be. On the court. Every expert agreed that kids are being played too hard and too long. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | FUTURESLASH CORP. Get two articles delivered to your inbox each week. See also: How to Pick the Right Softball Bat. Articles like this help. We dont have Sunday games and Id venture that shes in the lower end of competitive teams. 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? But what do the managers do? Do I think you are sinning if your kid plays travel ball? Because the goal of this type of program is to prepare the athlete for college athletics, the teams want to win. We will be staying with rec from now on. Cost: Figure out what your family can afford before you even start looking at options. . How much sleep do student athletes need?. I think this causes too many parents to look at travel ball as rec league 2.0. 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. Travel ball is good for those who are not afraid of being challenged and want to play at a higher level. They use evangelism as a spiritual reason for not being in church. Our children assume that Sunday morning is time to worship with our church. Give MVP, Player of the game, most improved player of the game.. ), playing time and how its divided up, and the coaching staffs goals and priorities. Thats commendable, but I suspect that those tournaments dont always start the Sunday games at times that make finding a worship service possible. Its hard to see him play so well and knowing we dont have the funds as most to do travel ball. And if it means giving up travel ball, by all means give it up. Having said that, below are the top reasons your daughter should not play travel softball. And if she has a hard time deciding what she wants? I can say without a doubt that I wouldnt have made it to the level I did without travel softball. 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. The group that split from us is the same group that has ruined our little league. While thats not very common, driving three hours one way for a practice is totally commonplace. That means that even if your kid is the best thing since Babe Ruth, if he goes off to play major college baseball, the baseball team isnt paying all the expenses. Baseball should be a fun game for him not a demanding job. Is the travel ball opportunity your 714 year old kid has more important than Friday nights and Saturday mornings at home with the family? Between $500 and $5,000 per year (with an average of about $2,000), depending on where you live, the level of competition, and the time commitment. How do players interact with their parents? We decided to engage in travel ball because the coaching was better. For us, it boils down to priorities. Not one. I never felt that way until I got to college, but looking at the demands of travel ball, I totally understand how the kid feels. Non-Christians exist because what they worship is false. But I say be wise. you dont say what age your DD is, but see if there are opportunities for guest playing. I chase my boys all over creation and its very taxing in many ways. Then you get all of that extra gear and position specific lessons. Keep him in rec ball, where he wont get burnt out because hes a kid facing the demands of a profession. Maybe my son will get a chance to play as long as he continues to love the game. Also, keep in mind that many tournament teams have monthly dues of around $200 to play on the team and have access to their training facility. Many of the assertions in this article are quite true. Do they walk away, rolling their eyes? Wake up at 5 a.m., get in the car and fall asleep for the whole drive there. While some languages are much harder to grasp than others, a lack of words is a travel problem with an easy solution. Shipping and taxes will be calculated at checkout. A majority of these tournaments are qualifiers for the organizations national tournament, where the top teams from different regions compete in one location. Kids are smarter than what we want to give them credit for. And there is no guarantee of playing time (unlike in recreational leagues where all kids will usually get a chance to play regardless of ability). Rec ball pushes equality, fairness, and gives each player the same opportunities. Below are just a few stream of consciousness suggestions as readers consider their views on how they encourage their children in sports. Its hard in the county. Ask former or current players and parents to describe the coaching staff, and see if they would be a good fit for your daughter. For one thing, their bodies just arent developed enough to handle the strain. 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. 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. Rec ball. The answer to that question depends on two main things: her love for the game and your wallet! Stop digging through message boards and groups, search and find your next team today! There have been times where we have questioned Is it worth it? in our own journey. We all know the problem parents. SoftballGalaxy.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Catchers usually have 2-3 reps to throw to each base, while pitchers are usually given the opportunity to throw all their pitches and have their speeds checked by radar. You all make very good points to consider. Joining a travel team is definitely demanding, and not just for your kid. Here are a few questions that many travel softball players and parents ask when joining or switching teams. Third, most days my family enjoys family travel ball, together. Its also important that you dont make your child feel guilty if she tries a competitive team for a year and decides its not what she wants. While many recreational leagues let anybody play (depending on their roster size) travel teams typically recruit players and conduct tryouts. Extend your season, make sure that all teams are drafted equally. Also, parents may not have a realistic view of how talented their son or daughter is in sports, often over or underestimating their abilities. My daughter loves the game more now than ever before. In general, there is no regular season with travel softball it runs all year long, with club practices once or twice per week during the spring and fall season, and a full slate of weekend tournaments during the later spring and summer season. Using our tools you can find travel or club Softball teams in spring, summer, winter, or fall near you or across the country in just a few minutes' time! By living our life for Christ the other 6 days. However, there are those few girls out there that just clearly have no business being in travel softball. 14,539. (This, too, however, isnt a litmus test. I was recently Contemplating to start travel ball from my son recently and for some reason Ive been holding back . Travel Softball Rankings. These girls can always work harder to be better. 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. I hear this quite a bit. I grew up wanting to be a major league baseball player, and Im so glad I never even got drafted. 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. Listed below are six of the pitching injuries that athletes tend to experience. Travel ball is good for those who are not afraid of being challenged and want to play at a higher level. 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? If your kid is good and loves to play, you wont be able to keep them from it. This mentally effects the kids also with so much pressure to do well. The days and times of practice as well as tournaments and leagues are chosen by each individual team manager. How dedicated is your child? Watch and listen to how players respond to the coaches. I also appreciated this article: We love them by showing them that God is infinitely more valuable than all else. Thankfully, this was a better fit for all of us. Still, I wouldnt trade those times for anything and I wouldnt be where I am today without those experiences. Coaches are typically parents or grandparents, and the umpires are often volunteers. Small town kids grow up playing lots of sports not getting burnt out playing the same one all year round. If youre in Louisville, come check us out at www.KenwoodBaptistChurch.com. 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. Consider D1 baseball: each team is allowed a maximum of 11.7 scholarships, and those scholarships can be divided up between players. There are TONs of small but critically important things young players learn over the course of YEARS playing travel softball that you'll have to catch up on, especially if you want to play catcher, the toughest of all positions. If you're acting like your son has already made it, then you are killing his drive. Its wonderful that your child wants to play at a higher level, but you need to be sure they understand what all youre signing up for if they make the team. My husband also was a quarterback at a Big 10 university, and my dad was a football coach, but we both chose to direct our son away from football and into other sports because of the enormous risk of injury, especially head injury. Applaud effort and celebrate results for both dugouts. It is generally agreed that softball developed from a game called indoor baseball, first played in Chicago in 1887. This is a great place to learn the rules of the game, to see if your daughter enjoys softball, and to just have fun while learning sportsmanship and the very basics of fundamentals. Confused! Thank you for speaking out and I hope people will take these comments seriously. Fifth, a child can play travel ball while a family is still committed to church. My kid started lessons at five and at almost thirteen, still going strong. He pulls down honor roll at school and is in band. Young athletes can reach a point where they are bored with rec league play. A majority of programs at this level also have their own indoor facility for winter workouts and bad-weather training. The only thing you have planned is to lay around the house, relax and watch football. All your doing is increasing the strain and the chance of injury for no appreciable gain. This post seems a departure from your normal posting and writing. This is what we due when we gather for worship. If you are ok with giving away your weekends to softball, then maybe travel ball is a fit for you. They also need to learn more about taking care of their body to keep it strong and healthy through conditioning, nutrition, and good sleep habits. Too many surgeries, other arm problems, leg issues and other health issues that kids at that age shouldnt have to endure. Creating a logo and brand is a big step for your new program. 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. My son started disliking baseball at 9 years old because the boys in rec wouldnt hit a cut off, and dropped the ball so often. It would surely come in handy as a travel ball parent. No zoning restrictions. For us, travel has been amazing. Excellence: Pursuing excellence is important, but be sure you know and your child knows what you mean by that. There are multiple organizations that host tournaments around the United States. It seems to me that time comes in the mid to late teens, but thats going to be a judgment call . This was the early 90's. It was only an 18U team and I have no clue how far they traveled or who they played. Im not willing to give up the Lords day for sports as much as I want him to play in a better league. If your children think you are most concerned about their being the best baseball pitcher, back-stroker, or whatever, they can become guilt-ridden for wanting to even think about spending time in other pursuits because they naturally want to please you (or the constant stress of knowing how vital it is to you, may act to make them hate it). (source). I was asked to join a team but unfortunately my parents liked their weekends at the shore too much, so I wasn't allowed to play. What will travel ball mean for your marriage? As one who has three sons, two of whom played travel ball for part of their youth, and one who didnt, I can affirm everything you say here. 2. 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. Other important considerations are coaching style, character and overall attitude. 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. If your player doesnt have the drive to get better by putting in the extra work, then travel softball most likely isnt for her. 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. I have also read some of your other works and have learned much from them and enjoyed reading them. But its also a major commitment, so its important to think carefully about what kind of program is best in your specific situation. If you think the coach is doing a good job, then shut your mouth and watch the game. Really great article Dr. Hamilton! 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. I played two years of major college baseball at the University of Arkansas, and Ive been coaching my sons in baseball and basketball for the last 7 years or so. I could now study what I wanted to study, and my classes were no longer determined by baseball practice. 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. Fridays and Saturdays are pool play games, meaning you play a small number of the teams in the tournament, and then get seeded. On Sunday, you participate in double-elimination bracket play, with winners always taking home something cool like a trophy, medal, plaque or ring. 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. A few coaches who work for franchised organizations will get paid and actually make a small profit for their time. With all of that said, here are some things you need to know about competitive travel softball. Part of the argument for travel ball is the appeal of better competition. Lots of practice time is great for your player's development, but it definitely affects what other extracurricular activities they are able to do. Do they want to try out for the travel team just because friends are doing it, or because it seems like the next step? It will look different for each family and each child. It is simply not necessary for the younger kids. 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. And teams may invite players from anywhere in the region. But if you live in a smaller area, you may end up putting a lot of miles on your car. . Loneliness. It is no wonder so many of our children leave the church when they go to college. How does a big leaguer have a family? I was sent the letter about "What if you can't . There are many problems that can occur when playing travel softball. 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. Let them play the game. Your email address will not be published. 6. The percentages are outrageous. That would inevitably awaken the competitive impulse, leading to more practices, more effort expended, and the gradual creep to a higher key. Most travel softball teams include between 10 and 12 players chosen by the appointed coaches. My son excels in travel ball and weve started a bible devotion for the boys before every tournament. Do the social aspects improve their values and stimulate great discussions at home, or lead them away from family?). You explain it t the tee for me and cant thank you enough . Or are they truly passionate about the sport? 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. My son loves basketball but I have noticed the small number of high school players that are playing in high school now especially in our town. Well-roundedness: Despite the cultural drive for pursuing one sport, well-roundedness as a child makes for happy, well-adjusted adults. Kids are exposed to new cities and sometimes get a chance to play tourist. No doubt there are exceptions, but I havent personally witnessed one. Rec ball allows them to have fun, play sports, and still be their age without all the stress and competitiveness of travel ball. Softball programs usually get a team in fresh-off a summer season filled with travel softball games and practices. Learn from others short comings and honor God with your precious time on the field. James Jesse, Vice President (Umpires) for Grand Slam Tournaments (GS), leads corporate oversight of all GS umpires and directly manages a team of 60 umpires in Atlanta, Georgia. These parents are the ones that complain when things dont fit their idea of how the team should be run. Would it not make more sense to let this girl play rec ball a few seasons more and get some good one on one training before spending the effort, time, and money that is involved in travel ball? Travel is not glamorous but grueling. The low-end travel teams can be local teams going to a few tournaments outside the region. 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. Tendonitis. Many high-level programs are fully-sponsored by product manufacturers, or at least get discounted rates on things like uniforms and equipment. I intend to keep it that way. Jesse played baseball for many years, served in the U.S. Army for 15 years, and began officiating 32 years ago. The fear that if children dont specialize in one sport by eighth grade they will miss opportunities is unfounded. Christian Smiths Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers 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. Since the start of Softball Galaxy, we have gone from two daughters playing, to only one at this moment. Kids blossom at different ages. Car pool or fund transportation for those who cant get their children on time. I enjoyed my time as a travel softball player, but it wasnt always easy for me or my family. As a pastor, I require my daughter to be in church every Sunday, which means that she misses all Sunday games that interfere with worship. Sports (Basel). 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. If you stumble across a high level program that does, most likely the coach has been around for a long time and is trusted to look after the best interests of the whole roster (not just their own child). 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. Is it more important than being at church on Sunday morning? Either way, you shouldnt be sideline coaching. They have grown together, developed rapport and strong friendships. Your marriage matters a lot more than some sport your kid plays. Ive heard of travel ball teams that play 60 games in a summerfor kids under 10!and then they practice at least once a week through the winter. After college, my husband played pro baseball for a while and I played on a national team. Well, this certainly diverged off the main topic of traveling versus rec sports, but I hope it provides a little more to talk about, especially among family members. The three year old is already all in and ready to play.

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