What guides me is Paul in 1Cor9:22-23 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. If youre a non-Christian reading this post, dont you want to live for something more than baseball? She needs to spend more than 2 days working on drills. Third, most days my family enjoys family travel ball, together. 2019 State of play: Trends and developments in youth sports. Always keep in mind why you have this child involved in sport. The pitchers pitched far more balls than strikes. I enjoyed your article and the discussion following it. I played college baseball and never once played Travel Ball in the summer until I was 17. Its a vicious cycle. Non-Christians exist because what they worship is false. Ideally, you dont want to have parents serving as coaches. As a volunteer basketball coach for 18+ years, Ive seen girls spiritually suffer by the same well-intentioned convictions of their parents. By the age of thirteen, I knew I wanted to play NCAA softball, and playing against the best competition was crucial in helping me achieve that dream. The U.S. government tracks about 23,000 pieces of debris larger than a softball orbiting the Earth. Just like you, he burned out after two years and transferred so he could pursue his other passions and, more importantly, gain much-needed work experience which benefited him tremendously when he graduated from college and was looking for a job. God bless. Its also important for everyone involved to be honest about the players skill level. Baseball is the greatest game ever, it is exactly that, a game. I look at another coach who is seeded number one in the league and am very glad my kid isnt with him as I can only imagine the sort of character theyd be building. I think it does need to be approached carefully and prayerfully, especially with the demands on the family and commitments that call us away from the church. Be sure to consider these questions. Your daughter will be around these girls for months at a time, and they say you become who you surround yourself with. So, whats the vibe of the players? The majority of those programs cover their coaches travel expenses as an incentive. Its also increasingly common for elite travel softball organizations to have two 18U teams, with the highest level designated as 18 Gold. There are no tournaments for which classification as an 18 Gold team is mandatory for entry these teams participate in the same high-level tournaments as A-level teams. Recreational softball and competitive travel softball teach many of the same life skills, like teamwork and sportsmanship. From a father of 3 boys I can confirm this to be absolute truth. I had my schedule back. How dedicated is your child? These are presented in the order in which I suspect most dads think about them, not in the order of importance I would rank them (#6 would be #1, and #4 would be #2). 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. Thats why Im writing this post. Im not saying that travel ball is a sin, but it seems to be something that Satan can use to tempt people away (especially dads). I do want to finish by saying that we absolutely love travel ball. Motivations: Just because you liked something as a kid, or were good at it, it doesnt mean your child will or should be. *****. No doubt there are exceptions, but I havent personally witnessed one. For us, it boils down to priorities. I never felt that way until I got to college, but looking at the demands of travel ball, I totally understand how the kid feels. Not as organized- depending on the organization. This makes for an unhappy family in my opinion and makes a good case for keeping a player out of travel ball. But dont hold her back if she wants to push herself. Do they understand that they'll have to compete for it? Living in Oregon and playing competitively, I traveled multiple times every summer and fall to play in college exposure tournaments in Southern California. Baseball cant raise the dead, but Jesus will do just that when he returns to make this world into the new heavens and new earth. Fill your childrens team with morals and role models. All your doing is increasing the strain and the chance of injury for no appreciable gain. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. So Im writing in the hope that youll see that rec ball is a better route. He pulls down honor roll at school and is in band. There are gloves, bats, batting gloves, helmets, cleats, sunglasses, facemasks, and God forbid your daughter decides to be a pitcher or a catcher like ours. Catherine Holecko is an experienced freelance writer and editor who specializes in pregnancy, parenting, health and fitness. Its only about winning and not developing. The three year old is already all in and ready to play. 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. Articles like this help. They stand out on the team from the girls that clearly go home and put in the extra work, the extra exercise, even the extra lessons to constantly improve. It also gave her a place to play when a local rec option was not available and softball was her #1 choice. As more and more kids get involved in travel ball, the best players are taken out of the rec league. But if you live in a smaller area, you may end up putting a lot of miles on your car. To establish an active select fastpitch softball organization in the area of Kitsap County, WA, exclusively to foster national and inte rnational amateur sports competition by support and development of amateur athletes for competition I fastpitch softball at the national and international level and to conduct such competition; b. The high-end teams travel to tournaments every weekend (sometimes out-of-state) and qualify for national tournaments. These are good thoughts. Reduces boredom Cons Expensive Increased risk for injury Potential for burnout Time-consuming Pros Young athletes can reach a point where they are bored with rec league play. My 5 year old has peers that are playing baseball year round already! Developing skills in (or at least having exposure to) music, art, great books, drama, theology, politics, or science-and-math-related activities makes us better, more empathetic, engaged human beings and citizens, and better leaders. It seems to me that time comes in the mid to late teens, but thats going to be a judgment call . I submit that even with all the excitement of the game, and the money and fame that come with it, the life of a professional athlete is not one to be envied. My son (now aged 26) was approached from age 10 on to play travel ball, but we declined year after year because it would pull us away from church plus cost us a small fortune. We havent broken the bank, we attend church on Wednesdays is we know we will be traveling too far to attend on Sunday (otherwise we go on Sundays), and the kids are all great friends. Train your coaches and prepare them for every level they will be involved. Then you get all of that extra gear and position specific lessons. You have to grab a quick breakfast to eat on the way. Christians need to be gathering with the same group of people every week to worship the risen Lord Jesus, to hear his word, and to fellowship with each other. It is other worldly, it is unlike anything the Non Christian can imagine, to deny ourselves something the world says is a must and do something the world sees as foolish. See also: How to Pick the Right Softball Bat. There were wide variances in playing . Here are 10 reasons I think you should keep your kid in the rec league rather than quitting it for travel ball. I could now study what I wanted to study, and my classes were no longer determined by baseball practice. A travel team is a youth sports team that plays at an elite level. Small towns breed professional athletes, and the reason seems to be that kids in small towns aren't over-coached, over-organized, and over-specialized by the travel ball opportunities found in larger cities. Go to practice twice a week, throw on her hundreds of dollars worth of catchers gear, catch for a few hours, then go home and not touch the gear until the next team practice day? 5. Allows them to play against better competition. Here are a few questions that many travel softball players and parents ask when joining or switching teams. You have to be selfless and extremely hard-working. But if missing church on a Sunday for travel ball is condemning, then missing church for family vacations, work, sickness or any other reason is the same. We dont have Sunday games and Id venture that shes in the lower end of competitive teams. If I was in the big leagues, my summers (and falls, and springs) would be dominated by an unrelenting schedule leaving no opportunity to coach my kids teams. And if she has a hard time deciding what she wants? Travel ball softball is the next step up from recreational softball. Do they want to try out for the travel team just because friends are doing it, or because it seems like the next step? Jesus is God not baseball. How does a big leaguer have a family? It isnt even cheap! Hey, for years sports programs operated quite successfully without Sunday morning scheduling. There are many problems that can occur when playing travel softball. Its not easy to admit that you or someone you love is not good enough for something. but could it be said that youre in the big leagues of your profession? At the same time, they also want to focus on player development. If you think the coach is doing a good job, then shut your mouth and watch the game. It will look different for each family and each child. A travel team may be the best way for them to learn new skills, meet expert coaches, progress in their sport, and have fun in the process. Website. Your email address will not be published. That said, you can end up spending a lot more than that. Are those stewardship issues as well? With travel ball, there is minimal time to recover from errors. It would surely come in handy as a travel ball parent. We will be staying with rec from now on. Though parents are well-intentioned, often children are tired of pursuing what was once fun but has become a stressful climb to the next level of competition at the expense of other parts of their lives, or at the expense of joints injured by overuse. We still put prior commitments first and the coach understands that we cant make all games/practices as a result. I dont believe in definitive s. Travel baseball costs average around $3,700 annually. We dont win Non-Christians by loving them more than we love God and his glory. Breakers Labs, located in North San Diego County, is an elite, competitive Fastpitch Softball Organization dedicated to developing the student athlete. For some may not even be an issue. The tournament is 2 hours away and its cold and misty. Loneliness. Joining a travel team is definitely demanding, and not just for your kid. Thankfully, this was a better fit for all of us. More general instruction. While rec ball was enjoyable, the ever changing pool of players, coaches and parents made for inconsistent experiences for my daughter, some good and some bad. Lots of practice time is great for your player's development, but it definitely affects what other extracurricular activities they are able to do. I needed a break, and I wanted to be a counselor at a Christian camp that summer (Kanakuk). This can be a big problem if you are trying to compete in tournaments or leagues. As one who has three sons, two of whom played travel ball for part of their youth, and one who didnt, I can affirm everything you say here. I agree 100% with your article. Additionally, they will probably have fewer injuries and enjoy the competition more. What is Daddy Ball? Totally agree with your article. Extend your season, make sure that all teams are drafted equally. The travel teams are turning into a true business. My kid started lessons at five and at almost thirteen, still going strong. I was sent the letter about "What if you can't . God will open doors to tell others about Christ as we are faithful to follow Him. Having said that, below are the top reasons your daughter should not play travel softball. With our current circumstances, it would be extremely hard with our job schedule to juggle two girls practices and tournaments with everything else. It became known in the United States by various names, such as kitten ball, mush ball, diamond ball, indoor-outdoor, and playground ball. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. We parents should observe whats going on, be readily available, but not be constantly interfering, trying to direct, or solve everything that goes on in practice or competition. Plus, thats in addition to fees and travel for camps, which many top-tier players also participate in. If your player doesnt have the drive to get better by putting in the extra work, then travel softball most likely isnt for her. Set the example for the kids. They are the parents that are always visiting the dugout during the games. Hopefully it will make us parents pray, think, and analyze the motives behind our kids activities. The most elite tournament teams (especially at the high school level) travel the farthest and play the most. Evaluate at the end of the season is the team you are on is fitting your needs as a family. This amount includes equipment, training, fees, and travel expenses. Then of course you have everything for your player to use at home to practice like hitting nets, tees, practice balls, medicine balls, balance boards, etc. Between $500 and $5,000 per year (with an average of about $2,000), depending on where you live, the level of competition, and the time commitment. Fridays and Saturdays are pool play games, meaning you play a small number of the teams in the tournament, and then get seeded. On Sunday, you participate in double-elimination bracket play, with winners always taking home something cool like a trophy, medal, plaque or ring. 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. As Ive talked to people about this dilemma, one friend proposed this to me: he said that I should start my own travel ball team, and I should commit myself to being low-key about it. Every year, most teams host an open tryout, where anyone interested in joining has an opportunity to be evaluated by the coaching staff. It all depends on what attitude you approach it with. Travel softball can be one of the most stressful aspects of the sport, especially when it comes to choosing the right team. But come bracket play on Championship Sunday, the goal is to win and the best players will be on the field with the expectation of dominating the competition. This can include not having enough balls, bats, or gloves. If youre in Louisville, come check us out at www.KenwoodBaptistChurch.com. Do you want to miss the younger kids games and practices? (And I hope thats not the reason you involve your kids in athletics!) This post seems a departure from your normal posting and writing. 2. Travel softball hurts pocket books. James Jesse, Vice President (Umpires) for Grand Slam Tournaments (GS), leads corporate oversight of all GS umpires and directly manages a team of 60 umpires in Atlanta, Georgia. Unfortunately, we dont all have that money tree growing in our backyard. Cheer them on and let them entertain you. http://kristenanneglover.com/my-kids-dont-play-sports/#comment-6411. Listen to truthful, accurate feedback from coaches. Lack of specified instruction. Growing up I loved baseball. It's not just what you'll spend on equipment and fees, which can be significant, but extras such as travel costs and required apparel purchases (like a team jacket or bag). Let kids be kids, they and their bodies will decide what they can and cant do. A majority of these tournaments are qualifiers for the organizations national tournament, where the top teams from different regions compete in one location. Legalism requires perfection, and Im not perfect, Jesus is. That's not to say you shouldn't do it -- just be ready to work Dont get me wrong there are alot of rec leagues that are great but if you live in the middle of no where lile wr do that was out only option to make her the best that she could be and to teach her to challenge herself and not settle for just good enough. Enjoyment: Help your children enjoy a sport for the simple joy of the sport. There are other times even on Sundays to play just as there are many different times that people worship. These girls can always work harder to be better. Thank you for sharing your experiences. How knowledgeable are they, and will they be able to facilitate the proper degree of skill development for their athletes? Since day one, weve been here for our players, with our players, and because of our players. And we want them to work hard, even when the going gets tough. Then, another tournament every weekend from late spring through July or August. Lesson learned. We only have 1 high school senior playing basketball. vs. travel. We have truly enjoyed getting to know our travel team family!
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