PSA Travel Ball

[22yardpunt]

I think the time people commit to it is something that is criticized - it’s like everything becomes about the travel ball team, and it’s year round if you let it. That’s too much. Keep it reasonable.

Also, travel is getting further and further - saw a guy a couple months ago that had taken his daughter to an elite soccer tournament in Dallas TX for a weekend tournament and was headed to Orlando the next and Raleigh the next. Thats crazy to me.

 

[ronpolk]

I agree that the better players going to travel ball gives kids of lesser talent an opportunity to play in rec leagues, but there aren't enough of those players to sustain a league. The competition level decreasing leads the players who really want to play to find somewhere else to play, and the interest in rec league dwindles. Rec leagues need kids to stay in the system as long as possible, but as travel leagues keep developing for younger and younger kids, rec leagues are definitely hurting for players.

In NC, travel leagues are growing and Little League is generally an afterthought for kids (and parents), and is struggling to stay afloat in a lot of places. The kids that are being helped by being able to get playing time in rec ball are also the kids (and parents) who generally aren't passionate about baseball and would be fine with finding something else to do if baseball weren't an option. I realize that I'm probably got some bias since I'm on staff with my Little League District, but travel ball is absolutely hurting Little League and other rec programs from a sustainability aspect.

There are definitely enough not so great kids to sustain a rec league, at least around here. The real problem is the coaches are leaving rec leagues. The dad’s who invest time in the backyard with their kids are leaving to go to travel ball and you’re left without anyone willing to coach these teams. And the ones that get guilted into it never practice. They show up for games.

 

[Duggar Hall Desk]

There are definitely enough not so great kids to sustain a rec league, at least around here. The real problem is the coaches are leaving rec leagues. The dad’s who invest time in the backyard with their kids are leaving to go to travel ball and you’re left without anyone willing to coach these teams. And the ones that get guilted into it never practice. They show up for games.

Yeah - there's that aspect, too