Travel ball effect on LL/Pony/DYB, etc.

Was re-reading some of the past threads and in one of the posts there was
some mention of travel ball effects on the game our kids play and had played.

There is significant change in the localized youth baseball leagues. The way it is played and the way it is supported by community. Significant change in the community of these organizations. Maybe a loss of community.

I guess Im trying to get at something. The changes we all are seeing and have seen, Im wondering if they are for the better. The changes in the youth baseball scene.

 

Changing of the guard

They are different as the times have changed. They are better for the higher level of players and not so much for the regular baseball player. The community levels of play and interest also have suffered with the loss of Legion teams and the lack of support for the local rec leagues. Youth Baseball has gone big time these days.

 

There is absolutely no need to play Travel Ball before a kid is 13. I will never understand the reasoning behind it. Heck, they don't even play real baseball until they're 13+. Let them have fun with their friends and classmates and learn the fundamentals. They can become serious later.

 

softball but maybe same dynamics

I was looking at a website from the same rec league softball I coached in from '99 to '04. This would be ages 8 to 14. The league has about 2/3 of the # of teams we had back then. and this is in a high growth area of the state.
Reasons? soccer, travel ball, ????

 

Most youth sport programs have travel teams now. Baseball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, girls softball. I'm not sure about football. Many of the youth today play travel ball for different reasons.

I think the primary reason that kids play travel ball is the parents. Parents want thier kid to play against better competition than what rec ball offers. Parents are living through thier kids. Parents want thier kids to be the best and want them to play with the best. Also, in travel ball, everyone is more serious about making practice and games. In rec ball, many kids dont show up for practice and sometimes you dont have enough to play games.

I do think the kids that play travel ball early on are miles ahead of someone who just plays rec ball until 13. IMHO, the travel ball player will be more likely to make the middle school team and start vs someone who has only played rec ball. The rec ball player will be lucky to even make the team. Of course, there are exceptions.

I wish thing would turn around and more kids would start playing rec ball but I dont see it changing anytime soon.

 

Shame for kids

One thing that probably has changed also in the last 10 years is MOM's & DAD'S are having to work and also work longer hours and some of them just can't let their kids commit to afternoon sports programs.

 

I see what everyone is saying, but I play travel ball. And I am for sure that without travel ball I wouldn't be near the player I am now. When I was 10 years old I BEGGED and pleaded to my dad to let me play travel ball. I tried out for a AA team (Mallard Creek Tarheels) when he finally let me at age of 11. I made the team and played about 4 seasons (2 years). I developed my skills alot better and alot easier because rec ball was a bore to me. You practiced for 1 hour. Hardly enough time to cover anything but a round of infield. IMO, to be a better baseball player if you are like me and love and have dedicated most of your life to the game, there's no way to get better then to be pushed. And in rec ball for your above average player, there is no push. I understand what everyone is saying, but coming from a kid who played rec ball, to me it was a major bore and almost a waist of time. I loved feeling on top of the world hitting .800 with a .950 OBP, but you tell me, is that being challenged to develope your skills?

 

development

Travel ball wasn't available growing up . . . so we developed in other ways. I used frozen peas and a broom handle in the back yard and when that got easy, dad had us hit the bees flying around the house. The bees were the best hitting instructors, you miss and you'd get stung, so you either got real good or paid the price trying.

 

First of all, there wouldn't be a complaint about "lack of competition" if there wasn't Travel Ball. Youth Travel Ball has decimated the #'s participating and the quality of players in the rec leagues. Everything good about the values taught at the youth leagues are positive. It builds a great foundation for the kids as they get older (and it's not all about just playing baseball). There is only three things a kid 12- need to learn:

- Teamwork
- Fundamentals
- Have Fun

That's it.

A kid that's talented when he is 7-8 is a kid that is talented at 13-14. When they move up to the regular fields and learn "real' baseball, you hope that the fundamentals have been taught and you can proceed to teach them everything else.

At the ypunger ages the only one that cares if the team has 4-5 superstars or a team loaded with mimi-Bumgarners are the parents.

Save your money, invest it in professional instructions if you feel it's necessary and enjoy your son having fun with his life.

 

Try this

Try to hit a Cotton Mouth in the water with his head just piercing th surface. With a pellet gun that is. If you were lucky your pellet was a clean shot which drove his head into the mud. If not well run like heck.