What does the AAU experience mean?

I don't normally post anything here but after my son committed this weekend, I got to thinking about the money spent on AAU baseball trips, t-shirts, food, hotels, etc. If my wife and I had saved that money...IF...we probably could have paid for at least a year or two of college outright. What we wouldn't have done is seen him with some long-tern friendships, been around quality parents, seen some exilerating wins and head-scratching losses. We would have hurt his chances by not allowing him to play against some of the best competiton and hone his skills and keep alive his desire/dream to play ball beyond high school. We went to Omaha this past summer and watched the CWS and he kept saying that he wanted to come and play on that field one day. I could probably find some bad experiences if I thought hard about it and I'm sure there were some that tainted a few weekends, but after a few years removed from few bad times, I can't remember any of them. He played for one team (U13) that finished #2 in the country (Lumber & Lightning) coached by Todd Fulk and Larry Smith...two great coaches for the boys. Thanks. And just to show what they had to work with, I've listed the ones I could find...the ones not listed playing baseball at college may sign later, but they were also great football players and may be going in that direction.

Trey Holmes --- Pitt CC
Kris Richards --- UNCG
Adam Waters --- USC Upstate
Dylan Fulk --- North Greenville College
Jason Brown --- Pfeiffer College
Weston Church --- Catawba College
Justin Roland --- UNCC
Tyler Smith --- UNCW
Brad Fletcher --- Louisburg JC
Gabe Beverly --- (Ashbrook HS -- unsigned)
Mike Milam --- (East Rutherford HS -- unsigned)
Matt Lefko --- (East Rowan -- unsigned)
James Johnson --- (West Henderson HS -- unsigned)

 

I can share the same sentiments with you. My oldest committed today and my youngest is playing travel ball and has the same dreams. Neither will ever be payed in money to play, but they have been payed in too many ways to even put a value on. They both want to teach and coach. if they do coach you will once again see me at the field......probably second guessing some of their decisions.

 

Momma & I loved the TravelBall experience as a Dad as much as Ty did. We were 'living the dream', watching him match-up w/ the best of the best. I suspect you're the same.

We never looked at the $$ as an investment in his future but as 'vacation'. We traded the Beach & for ballparks...& if his playing days had ended at high school, it would have been worth every penny.

 

Just to update that list, Michael Milam from East Rutherford has signed to play football and baseball at Carson-Newman TN. That 13U AAU week is one of my all-time favorite memories. That team really played "together" and really had a good time while playing. The thing that sticks out to me about that group was the parents. Everyone got along so well, and I still talk regularly with parents from that team that live in different area codes.

 

No doubt travel ball has it's positives. On the field the kids compete against better competition. Their confidence grows as does their skills. I think their skills grow not so much because they are playing travel ball but because of the work they put to be competitive at travel ball. No doubt friendships are made (but I think you would make friends wherever you are). Whether it's worth it or not, time will tell for each family, each child. To play travel ball you give up a lot. Sure, you may get a scholarship or simply be a better high school player. But what did you miss out on? Only time will tell and I'm betting it varies from family to family, kid to kid. Personally I don't think travel ball gets you that holy grail of a college scholarship or even just a place on a team as a walk-on. For some travel ball may be positive just for the games themselves, teh friendships made, the time spent together. It's the work you put in that seems to matter. I've seen a lot of kids start out in travel ball and get by on athletisism for a while but eventually the kids that work hard shine.

For my son travel ball has taught him a lot of life's lessons. Yes, his confidence grew as he competed with top players accross the country. He's not intimidated by anyone. At the same time it brought some pain. he learned a lot about human nature. he quickly learned that you can't trust everyone and that when you were with someone you could trust that character trait in someone is invaluable. As he has begun looking at schools for football and baseball the number one thing he looks for is honesty and people he can trust. not sure he would have learned these values (i like to think he would) without the hard knocks that come with travel ball. Overall it was good for my son in many ways. He learned from the good as well as the difficulties.

Now my younger son is going down the same road at U13. The only 2 things we have done differently is we sacrificed a few wins for people with a higher level of intergrity and we have made more time for non-baseball family time. And it has worked out perfect for us.

 

The AAU and USSA days were wonderful for us and for my son Nick. He had a great time playing with the Tri-County Tornados from a 9 year old back in 1998 up to 13U in 2001 and then with the Forest City Thunder from 13u to
14u. He has friends that he will share a bond with for his lifetime and so have we. We had the most wonderful parents and kids on both of those teams and will consider those people as family forever. I still keep up with all of those players thru the web and newspapers and cheer when they do good and feel pain when they fail. I think I will always keep up with them.

The experience also lead to my son getting to play in college. I don't know that he would have been able to compete like he has without it. He was just 14 and starting on varsity and never was intimidated by any players because he had faced tough competition for years. I think he had seen better pitching in travel ball than some high school teams had.

He has just commited to Brevard College where he is to be their centerfielder for his last 2 years of school. He is going to major in Environmental Science and I believe he will make a good employee as he has been taught to be a team player and to be faithful and honest with your team leaders. Great life lessons and worth every dime spent.

But it looks like most of our vacations in the future that my wife is going to make me take her to the beach. I'd rather be at a ballfield somewhere in 100+ temps watching my boy play ball. I will miss it.

 

Summer days

This is the very reason I got into umpiring SO that I could still be on the field enjoying the games instead of at the beach enjoying the bikinis. Oh well...

The friends you can make around the state playing AAU ball are truly as good as your old high school friends.

 

Yep, I'm not sure what a vacation is unless a ballfield is involved. The games you make up while waiting for the games to begin or killing time...spit sunflowers seed husks thru one specific hole in the fence, see where you can hide the contraband water or powerade in the chair bag to keep from buying one at the game, dodging the t-shirt or picture vendors, waiting for the final day for them to go on sale and hope that your size is still there, giving the dads (and moms) their personal space when their son is pitching, walking the outer perimeter of the field to hunt for foul balls, wondering "do we eat at the foodcourt at the mall or BK?", etc.

It's been fun watching the other kids we played with make NC Games teams, All-Stars, Amer. Legion and those that haven't were just great kids. I have no doubt they'll be a success in whatever they do. I probably thought at one time that the only way you'll get noticed by coaches was to play AAU and truth is I'm not sure that they even watched ball thru AAU. Camps, some summer travel teams with specific destinations/tournaments and help from other coaches to drop a nice word here and there have helped. It ultimately comes down to whether the kids want to play, want to work at getting better and have a drive to excel. I've been told too many times that a coach can walk to the field and watch a player for 10 minutes and get an idea if he/she can play. That's where getting an early focus for the game comes in.

I don't know much about being an expert in baseball, but I can tell when kids enjoy what they do and have fun with the teams they're on. All those kids I listed above have made it to the next level, but when I knew them, all they could think about was trying to get to the pool after a game and get into innocent mischief. Who would've figured that these kids when they were 12/13 would be at the point they are today? Guess the coaches were either very intuitive or just plain lucky!

 

i never dumped a vacation but the rest of your post is right on the money.

 

I understand...and sometimes wished we had that option. The problem (and it was a good problem) was that Ty was a 3 sport varsity player all 4 years. So baseball was #1...but he had camps & summer workouts on other sports too. It really was the best of times though. No sacrifice for this sportsaholic.