First up, travel softball is a lot more intense than traditional one. If we dont, then look in the mirror. There are half a million pieces of debris larger than 1 centimetre and 100 million pieces of. Take the 59 second "Unlock Your Power" Analysis Tool, and find out exactly how your athlete can add 30-50 feet to their line drives (instead of ground outs). And yes, they will see how I live and whats important to me the other 6 days a week; for better or worse. 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. 2019 State of play: Trends and developments in youth sports. Travel Softball Rankings. 12 Consideration on How to Start a Travel Softball Team Theres a lot that goes into deciding what travel softball team to play for. We always had food on the table, but the effort put in by my parents to facilitate my amateur softball career was exorbitant. And you should. 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. And remember that there will befundraisingresponsibilities, too. Turn your focus and see a different view. 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! Great post. Youre going to be paying team dues of course. Is it more important than being at church on Sunday morning? How dedicated is your child? I needed a break, and I wanted to be a counselor at a Christian camp that summer (Kanakuk). For them, it was a matter of priorities. If you're acting like your son has already made it, then you are killing his drive. Today, softball has grown so much that while there are still teams dedicated to providing elite players the absolute best competition to facilitate skill development, there are actually more and more girls playing travel softball primarily for the fun of it often because they want to play more than the standard 20-game schedule offered by rec ball. We enjoyed Upward for what it was and knew that it wasnt hugely competitive (for the most part). See caveats in opening and closing paragraphs. Of course our children have bents that we want to nurture, encourage and help them develop, but lets make sure we arent pursuing our own agenda. Uber competitive athletics is going to end for 99.9 percent of kids/young adults. -ta. The physical and mental challenges of pursuing more than one sport is healthy in every respect. I give you a big Amen! However, they are much more severe. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you plan on being on a travel ball team, you need to be prepared to dish out some money. Get involved with the sports governing board and voice your opinion. I want your son to love baseball, to have the opportunity to be a kid, and to play the game as a kid. 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. While many recreational leagues let anybody play (depending on their roster size) travel teams typically recruit players and conduct tryouts. 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. But lets recap. This makes for an unhappy family in my opinion and makes a good case for keeping a player out of travel ball. Since you are spending so much time with your teammates, long-term friendships are formed more likely than on a rec ball team. You explain it t the tee for me and cant thank you enough . Go to a couple of games and see how the team plays together, and ask to watch the team practice before committing. I know you were saying that theres no one answer for everyone. 5. Not one. Think about your reasons for getting your child into a sport. 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? In many instances, the coaching staff can make or break a childs experience with a team or sport. Hopefully, this helped you decide whether its the step that you should be taking or not. 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. You will have to have tournament entry fees and food for the day, whether you bring it or buy it from concessions. Top Six Most Common Softball Pitching Injuries - Rothman Ortho Some teams charge a flat fee up front, some allow parents to pay as they go and some combine the formulas. Travel with extended families and make bonds with good people. 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. In travel ball, players have to try out. These teams travel, often long distances and out of state, to games, competitions, and/or tournaments (hence the name). Are those stewardship issues as well? 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. So many times parents have mentioned to us about the cost of being on a team. We may be the exception along with the league in which we play. But if you don't make it into your dream team, the loss is much heavier on people's pockets as well as their minds. I was recently Contemplating to start travel ball from my son recently and for some reason Ive been holding back . Tendonitis. From a father of 3 boys I can confirm this to be absolute truth. 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. 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. The group that split from us is the same group that has ruined our little league. Chemistry: Consider the overall chemistry of the program, not just the chemistry among the players. Then you have mad moms and dads when their little one rides the bench all day at a tournament two hours from home that you had to arrive at in the pre-sunrise hours of the morning. I have seen it just recently in the church Im attending now. That would inevitably awaken the competitive impulse, leading to more practices, more effort expended, and the gradual creep to a higher key. Kids need to be challenged so they can grow. There have been times where we have questioned Is it worth it? in our own journey. 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. Identity: Think about how your child views his or her identity. 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. 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. Well-roundedness: Despite the cultural drive for pursuing one sport, well-roundedness as a child makes for happy, well-adjusted adults. If you think the coach is doing a good job, then shut your mouth and watch the game. Fifth, a child can play travel ball while a family is still committed to church. These coaches have years of experience, and often played many years themselves. 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 got an education, got married, we started having children, and now I get to coach my kids. By Catherine Holecko There are other times even on Sundays to play just as there are many different times that people worship. I also appreciated this article: 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. Travel softball is expensive! She does it for fun and its not overwhelming even though its a little more competitive than a local rec league. 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. a. 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. At 12, our son tells us he thinks we have made the right decision. I have friends I respect whose kids have played (and some who do play) travel ball, and I mean no offense to them by this post. Which we gladly did because we got to see our daughter develop into a top notch softball player, which would not have happened here. He didnt make the middle school team as only travel ball kids only made it. College Recruiting: This is for those a little older (freshmen and up). softball, a variant of baseball and a popular participant sport, particularly in the United States. Yes, we want players to get better at softball. *****. Fill your childrens team with morals and role models. But I say be wise. Stealing home: How travel teams are eroding community baseball By living our life for Christ the other 6 days. What is the true cost of travel softball? Always keep in mind why you have this child involved in sport. Kids blossom at different ages. It will look different for each family and each child. Travel softball is expensive and time consuming. 3. Exactly how much depends on the level of competition your daughter is looking for. Character Development: Arguably the most important aspect of a program is the character and personal development that will take place. What will travel ball mean for your marriage? But what do the managers do? A lot of well rounded and good mannered young men who enjoy competition and sportsmanship. The statistics reported concerning the abandonment of the Christian Faith by christian young people before their sophomore year in college is overwhelming. Catherine Holecko is an experienced freelance writer and editor who specializes in pregnancy, parenting, health and fitness. 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? Its important to be committed to making games, meets, tournaments, and practices a priority, but not at the expense of church, or important family gatherings. She might have all the natural talent in the world, but if she wants to spend her summers going to birthday parties, having sleepovers and just living life, then let her! As a follower of Jesus, this consideration is the most important one for me. Other important considerations are coaching style, character and overall attitude. And it cuts into homework time as well. #momof3boys. Moen F, Hrozanova M, Stiles TC, Stenseng F. Burnout and perceived performance among junior athletes-associations with affective and cognitive components of stress. Teach her other ways to stay involved throughout the game if she is not playing. If money is a potential concern, you need to consider both your priorities and your daughters. The fear that if children dont specialize in one sport by eighth grade they will miss opportunities is unfounded. That makes YOU the problem parent. Wr had to travel 3 ours to find a competitive travel team. It is generally agreed that softball developed from a game called indoor baseball, first played in Chicago in 1887. Sometimes coaches are not as experienced, usually a player's parent who has volunteered to help out. Speaking from experience, the game, the desire to compete, and the love of always being challenged those things are either there or theyre not. Well-said. There are two sides to every situation. Highly-competitive programs need to have high-level coaches. Christian Smiths Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers 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. I enjoyed your article and the discussion following it. Encouraging the pursuit of excellence and rewarding hard work and God given talent. What Is Travel Ball Softball? - SportsRec Messages conveyed: We parents need to pray daily about what messages we are sending our children by the sports or other activities we have them in. So, during pool play, playing time tends to be more evenly distributed in order to give everyone game experience (as well as the opportunity to be noticed by college coaches, when the time comes for that). My thoughts written here veer away from the focus of recreational versus travel leagues as the original blog talks about, but include some areas to think about whichever route of competition you choose. Just last year, I finished your work Gods Glory in Salvation through Judgment. This causes an influx of these types of players. On the other hand, dont force her to join a competitive travel ball team if she just wants to have fun. Applaud effort and celebrate results for both dugouts. " (Travel softball) has taken high school softball out of the equation," Hutchinson says. Competitive travel softball players come to the field every day with the intent to compete, push past their limits, and get themselves to the next level. Listen to truthful, accurate feedback from coaches. Havent seen any. Truthfully, we have gotten better instruction and development at a Rec ball/All Star level. Ask former or current players and parents to describe the coaching staff, and see if they would be a good fit for your daughter. I wanted to play at the highest level I could, and they were willing to sacrifice to make that happen. We practiced a lot, doing as much as the NCAA allowed, all year long, in season and out. My son excels in travel ball and weve started a bible devotion for the boys before every tournament. What is Daddy Ball? 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. Softball. Were seeing some growth in her skills and she loves the game. 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. Fourth, travel ball is expensive, but so are the other activities in which many parents place their children like show choir and band. We dont have Sunday games and Id venture that shes in the lower end of competitive teams. We dont recommend this for everybody, but for the right people travel softball can literally be life-changing in a great way. Tha KS alot for all your insight!!! (No wonder God calls us to pray without ceasing!). Kids need to see that Jesus and his church are more important to their parents even than baseball. But my friend who suggested that I do this also told me what was going to happen: he said I needed to understand that the other travel ball teams werent going to be low-key, so we would get pummeled at tournaments and probably lose every game. For others, it can wreak havoc. This is related to the previous: the best players leave the rec league for travel ball, and then the mediocre players get tempted to do so, and then all the kids get burnt out and stop playing baseball. 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. So we are playing upward thru our church. With all of that said, here are some things you need to know about competitive travel softball. This amount includes equipment, training, fees, and travel expenses. A job is not a game. This not only applies to the sport of baseball and softball, but in all sports where a dad coaches their own son or daughter. I also when I was kid play at lyndon and never traveled and loved it and still played college baseball myself for 4 yrs. 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). Problem #2: Athletes need to OWN their decisions, both good and bad We need to put an end to the helicopter and lawnmower parents, those who mow down all the obstacles for their kids, and give ownership to the athletes. This post seems a departure from your normal posting and writing. This is a delicate balance to strike, but its something to keep in mind.