8U ; what do they do?

Waiting to play travel ball is a fine option for some, perhaps most. Again let me stress - it is all based on the perspective of those involved. Just don't call everyone who plays 8U travel ball "crazy" because they choose to participate.

Every girl is different, ever coach is different, every parent is different. because of that, it is a good situation for many.

My daughter is well rounded - active in church, she has a paper route, she takes vacations, spends time with cousins, uncles, grandparents, etc... our house is the center of activity for the neighborhood kids, etc...

Please do not assume that the 8U travel teams have the sames demands that an 18U team has. As long as the perspective from the coaches and parents are in line with the interest of the 8U girl, then the experience is very positive.

I do not pass judgement on the route you have taken with your daughters. In our situation, I think 8U travel ball is better than rec softball, rec baseball with the boys and rec baseball All Stars with the boys. Does this make me crazy?

 

Bigham--- You have said the whole summary very well...if it's balanced it will work------------- Thanks,Guru

 

I wont call you crazy. But, folks come on....Do you not think that some things are just a little too early? ... Gee Whiz !!!.... Let them grow up a little will you? How many tournaments are you playing in?

 

I must say however that if you are not a "travelball/showcase ball" child at the younger age group, it is hard to get fair opportunities based on talent vs a kid that has played in this arena for many years. Most of the coaches are in the mind set that a player is better than another based on years playing travel ball, not talent.

 

May I ask you something without being sarcastic?? Did you have a bad travel ball experience with your daughter ??? Why does it matter when a child starts travel ball ?? When I was a kid, the age that you started was 9 and not before,and you used a wooden bat with a trade mark...now to me that was real ball and it was fun, and it tickled me to death when I made 11 year old allstars and I was able to travel from one spot to the next and play other teams....to be honest I hate playing the same competition every weekend. I want to see other talent...we've even talked about going to South Dakota if we qualify for the ASA Nationals......getting off the subject as I've been accussed of all day....it bugs me that teenagers drive better cars than their parents....what is that teaching a kid....no value of money!! Cell phones,pagers,nextels, text messageing, expensive this or expensive that.....You ask where am I going with this subject,we have made monsters out of our kids....but I don't tell you or anybody else that their crazy, for letting their kids tell them what they are going to do....if I'd told my dad to shut-up as I've heard 14-16 year old girls tell their fathers or mothers at the ballfield I would have been slapped into the next century............. Guru

 

I probably know you so I don't mean to sound arrogant as I've been accussed,but to nurture talent you have to play at a tougher level, and play up ,and be challenged to better yourself...most of the time a kid will play to the level he or she is playing against on the field.Talent will not improve on its on, it needs to be challenged ...I know a kid right now if she had been playing competitive ball earlier in her life she would have been a great ballplayer, but she is only average,because of her level of play....never challenged !!!


Guru

 

If you read the posts in their entirety then you will see where I said I coached travel ball for 6 years until my team aged out. You make a lot of good points and you make a lot of them. Just not sure how they all apply to the topic at hand. We competed and we competed well in travel ball. Went to the big tournaments, dynamites, bandits, etc. Never went to colorado. Couldn't justify the expense for the return. Not that we didn't want to go but as I said expense and return on investment. I have heard all the things you have stated at the ballfield in travel ball and would not tolerate it at all. My relationship especially with my youngest DD who played travel ball was only strengthened by travel ball but also with mixing in of the other interests as well. I always told her it was a game and that when the game was no longer fun then to walk away. I never bought into the speech that it was a game of life. Life in all its aspects is the game of life.

 

Well said and taken with a grain of salt !!!--------- HAVE A GOOD DAY !!!--- gURU