Thread: Family Vacations

My DD will (I'm guessing, can be 100% wrong) play rec & travel (assuming there's enough girls) next summer/fall. Going by the 09 schedule, games went from the middle of May to the beginning of August. School ends the end of May and start the end of August. So where do we try to schedule a family vacation (would like to take a week)? DD will turn 12 next year. Do we just say "heck with it" and schedule a week knowing we'll miss a game/practice?

Originally Posted by SamG

My DD will (I'm guessing, can be 100% wrong) play rec & travel (assuming there's enough girls) next summer/fall. Going by the 09 schedule, games went from the middle of May to the beginning of August. School ends the end of May and start the end of August. So where do we try to schedule a family vacation (would like to take a week)? DD will turn 12 next year. Do we just say "heck with it" and schedule a week knowing we'll miss a game/practice?

Travel ball= vacation

Originally Posted by SamG

games went from the middle of May to the beginning of August. School ends the end of May and start the end of August.

Seems to me the middle of August is an option?

Simple answer - USFA - at Panama City Beach. Having done this a couple of times - if I still had one in the 10-12 age, I would consider the Park City trip or the Colorado tournaments.

It doesn't hurt to miss one weekend or a practice for a family vacation.

As long as you let the coach know as soon as possible.

I would just make sure it wasn't during a state tournament.

Um, can someone define vacation?

IMO, we go on a few "vacations" every year, DD gets to play softball during every one of them

Originally Posted by Coach-n-Dad

Um, can someone define vacation?

IMO, we go on a few "vacations" every year, DD gets to play softball during every one of them

Exactly. This is how I remember it.

Originally Posted by DonnieS

Simple answer - USFA - at Panama City Beach. Having done this a couple of times - if I still had one in the 10-12 age, I would consider the Park City trip or the Colorado tournaments.

Did that one year and it was great. The softball sucked but then so did we.

I always hated it when my husband would make us take a summer vacation. I was trying to coach 3 kids.

All in all, I guess family first was worth it. (You note that I would have rather played ball.)

Well that depends on you and the team your on.

On an elite team, it would be unthinkable to do so. Being part of a team means making a committment, the team depends on you to do your part. The season is one of continual improvement and learning, culminating with a run at an ASA national championship.

But most teams dont fall into that category. In fact, less than 5-10% of them will. So again, it depends on the team, and you.

Many teams must instead play the "world series" tournaments in vacation destinations. These are run by "for profit" organizations like USFA, NSA, etc, who allow everyone in, even very weak teams, to make the most money. These are conducted in a family vacation destination to attract low tier teams who want a sort of family vacation combined with a tournament at the end of the season, hence their popularity. But, these are REGIONAL tournaments, not NATIONAL tournaments, and 8 out 10 teams are really mediocre at best. Some very good teams do go to those locations, but often they can be warmups for ASA national championships. Other very good teams just happen to have a great team, but are not the type that want to compete at the highest levels.

But really, a tournament is a mission, you are there to win, not to be distracted by other things. It is not right to consider it a family vacation , not until the tournament is over. Girls get sunburned, hurt, etc and frequently end up not being able to play and can blow a whole seasons worth of effort when the # 1 pitcher cant pitch, etc.

Really, the whole summer is your vacation, it can be a lot of work, but also a lot of fun.