travel team life expectancy

with new teams popping up all the time what can be considered the life expectancy for a travel team. i know that teams like the magic, cobras, blues, cardinals and many others have been a staple at the tournaments but now it seems like teams are forming and folding alot more frequently. what can be done for teams to stick it out. is organizations like charlotte has, triad area has, i think caldwell has, and now alexander is doing, the way to go. even if it includes more than one county to make it happen. and when should a player see the need to make the move to a college bound team (ie; blues, cardinals 1 & 2, cobras and many others (you get the idea)) and leave a team that may not have the knowledge and experience to get you in front of college coaches.

 

Well there has to be...

Well there has to be more teams than just the Blues, Cardinals, Cobras, etc... because not everyone can play on those teams, yes there are a lot of reasons, $$, amount of travel, purpose for playing, talent level, player involved drama, coach/parent issues, etc...
IMO, a player that plans on playing at the college level, should start playing for a tournament team that participates in proper tournaments to be seen by college coaches, freshman year in HS!
Also IMO, a HS ball team playing together doesn't always work either! There are goods points and bad points to this as well! Some are the same reasons, $$, amount of travel, purpose for playing, talent level, player involved drama, coach/parent issues, etc... Let's face it if a player doesn't get to play on the HS team then why would she think she'd get to play in TB for that team? I can't see a lot of parents driving all over bumbum if their DD isn't getting to play! That is a lot of money and time for their DD not to get anything in return! Which is one reason a lot of the coach/parent issues get started from to begin with! I have to say from my experience just about every talent level player can play at the next level, if they choose to play. Not everyone is going to play at a D1 school. But there are a lot of different levels of colleges in this state and country, so it isn't necessary to be the absolute best player on your TB or HS team to get to play in college! And remind your DD that not every coach judges them in the same manner! One coach may not be interested at all, when another coach might be tickled to death to have a player like your DD!
IMO you do not have to play for the L Blues, Cardinals, Cobras, etc... to get to play at the next level! Absolutely nothing against those organizations, they are great organizations with proven teams, but they are not for everyone!

 

Travel teams silly season....

....is what I call each fall. Players bounce around for greener pastures. Cards, Blues, whoever won't make you better kids if you don't put in your own hard work. Yes, no doubt, these fine programs bring talented teams to tourn. and are going to be seen. Players have the absolute responsibilty to themselves and their teammates to e-mail, text ( not after 09-01-07), go to a camp, etc., to let these coaches know who they are. The CC will check out a player who they think WANTS to attend their school. TB teams are important but not as important as repetitive contact by player to CC's.