Should Travel Ball even exist? Is it egalitarian?

[obbay]

Not to detract from your post, but the French Horn is another one of those instruments.

At the end of the day, you do the best you can for them, hoping to guide them into a happy, rewarding life.

 

[FPMark]

Should travel ball exist? Wow! Let me tell you about my DD's history and you tell me.

She started playing softball at 4 because we always watched Braves base ball games at home (at age 2) and she was asking if she could play. We signed her up at the local park for softball and she played rec ball (T-ball). The team was full of girls and parents who new nothing about the game. Girls playing in the dirt, thowing gloves in the air, and watching airplanes, you know the drill. She was ready to quit after the second season of this.

Then at 5 she got on a team with a coach who had coached his older daughter from 6u through 14u and understood how to teach the younger girls to play the game correctly. They all responded by dominating every game.

At 6 the whole team moved up to 8u to play better competition. They didn't dominate at first but came on strong in the second half and ended up winning the end of the year tournament. My DD got the game winng hit in the last inning to win the game. She was introduced to tournament ball durring All-Stars and loved playing lots of games in one day.

At 10u we began playing TB when we were not playing any rec games (4 or 5 I believe). All were at parks close to home in GSA sanction. We did this through first year 12u when she became friends with a girl on our metro team who's dad was the head coach of a B travel team. He asked her to come to tryouts.

We then began playing USFA B tournaments and went to the World Series in Panama city. She has always enjoyed playing the better compitition.

This year, 14u, she tried out for 3 of the big "A" travel org. in our area and was offered a position on 2. She made her choice (not me) and is now looking forward to playing ASA qualifiers with hopes of going to the Nationals.

Every year it does get more expensive, but if she works hard to acomplish her goals I will support it. I am not doing this as a financial investment, but as a reward for hard work. If she winds up playing D1 colledge ball, fantastic! scholarship? even better! but I don't believe I or my DD are any different than most others in TB. My wife and I both just really enjoy watching her play and spending good times together doing it.

Should travel ball exist? If not my DD might be playing basketball, lacross, or God forbid, soccer. She gets bored with not being pushed to be the best. We could have stopped at any level: rec, local "C" tournaments, "B" or whatever. But to be the best you have to play the best, to play the best, you have to travel.

 

[fivepotsogold]

Travel Ball should exist ... just like every other level of activity ..
Three of my kids have tried a strings instrument, all 5 tried soccer, 4 tried karate (2 still participating), two baseball, three softball.

Oldest son wrestles, karate
oldest 14 year old DD only wants to do softball (tried karate hated it, violin for four years)
next 12 year old DD premier level soccer, travel & LL softball (tried karate hated it, violin for two years)
9 year old son, travel & premier soccer, baseball, karate, violin
6 year old doing both soccer and softball

They pick what they like best, they choose to juggle if not willing to do just one.

We have a financial and time limit on each child and stick to that.
The fact is ...none of our children are getting a full ride for sports .. we do it because we all love sports and it is good for them. They are confident and social, in good health not video couch potatos.
We focus on grades, citizenship, charity too.

How others approach the time and money for whatever activity (activities) they choose is not for me to judge.

We are not going with our team to Kissimee as we don't feel the money spent (money we really don't have and will not choose to borrow) or that the benefits gained are worth 9 days out of our life.
Under heavy criticism but if others want to go into debt to do this, it is their life (and they are going into debt).
If this creates more stress and isn't fun, it isn't worth doing. Life is way too short.

Everyone approaches life with a different level of desire achievement, "for the fun of it" participation. Should be levels for all and knowing that not all have the varied options makes me kind of sad.

 

[Lozza]

Really, you expect more than 'playing in the dirt' from six year olds?

 

[FPMark]

LOL, not me HER!

 

[mad hornet]

I don't understand the remark that "it's out of hand". So far we still live in a free society. As softball goes, there are many options from rec, to select, to travel. Based on the participation at each I would say there is a demand for all of them. Being heavily involved in travel with two girls we wouldn't trade it. The experiences and friendships we and our children have made are priceless. I have read posts about drama and other people's bad experiences and while we've seen some of that, for the most part it's been very positive. God help us if the government steps in to yet again save us from ourselves.

And for those who think it's a bad idea. Don't do it. It's not for everyone, but leave the rest of us alone.

 

[MikeyB]

I get a kick out of these conversations...don't post much...but enjoy them nonetheless.

I agree 100% that TB should exist, and that comes from someone who pulled their daugther from a team after one tournament this year because of a combination of the "Travel Ball" experience and the way the team was being run (extreme Daddy Ball, sponsored by the local rec. org.) Unfortunately, we're probably soured forever on the concept from this experience but certainly don't begrudge anyone else. So our daugther won't get a scholarship, probably wouldn't anyway, we'll just have to pay for it.

I do however believe that there is a problem with local rec. leagues sponsoring travel ball teams. It's a real problem, especially when the rec. league board tends to have more "interest" in the travel side, as opposed to running the rec. league. Theres at least one organization here in "da region" that seems to have this issue, and unfortunately, like in the business world, those who are in power tend to protect the interest of those in power ----- sorry for the rant.

MikeyB

 

[Greenmonsters]

Really, you expect more than 'playing in the dirt' from six year olds?

Absolutely, after all, there are lonely dandelions hiding in the grass that deserve just as much attention as the dirt.

 

[abbygale]

And if you can get away with it, nothing beats the feel of cool dirt running between your toes.

 

[SoftSocDad]

I get that corruption and nepotism are a part of life, but should they be so blindly accepted 'just because'?

There's a whole lot I'd like to say on this topic, but what it boils down to for me is that I'm just as sickened by the softball people who engage in both as I am by the bankers, politicians, etc. who do. Just because someone happens to be a volunteer doesn't mean their intentions are any more noble than other people looking to control who has access to certain opportunities.

Should there be high-level, pay-to-play programs for the people who can come up with the money for their kids to participate? Absolutely. But should they automatically be granted first crack at scholarships from publicly-funded schools? Absolutely not.

Very few people don't want to do the best they can for their kids when it comes to providing. That's human nature. But at some point, we'd be wise to recognize the benefit of a certain degree of altruism, even if there would be not net measurable benefit for the individuals who chose to engage in it.

Some of us understand that less competition for our kids = better opportunities for our kids and that reality is what it is. Some people hit life's lottery, most didn't. Can't expect the winners to give away all that they have 'just because'.

But what about those of us who are TRULY competitive and who want that for our kids as well? It could be for whatever reason, but for me, I think my daughter gains the biggest advantage from coming out on top of the largest, deepest pool possible.

Beating out 20 kids for the top slot is great, but if she's got to beat 100, then she'll be all the better for it. I help to improve her odds for success by teaching her the values of hard work, persistence, and attention to detail. Those are far more important than simply saying to her "Your Daddy has more money than they do" - some of you disagree with my philosophy and that's fine, but you're wrong. Money's important, no question, but what if we wake up one day and all the money is suddenly worthless? It's happened before and could easily happen again.

Can't speak for Canada or Australia, but in the U.S., we all win if we take the steps to ensure ever-increasing opportunities for our underclass in order to make them more competitive. So, for those willing to take a look at the bigger picture, it's really about a lot more than country club softball.