Should Travel Ball even exist? Is it egalitarian?

[Eric]

Absolutely it should exist. If you don't want your daughter to play, then don't have her play. Everyone is free to make their own choices. DD would love to play in college, she would love to get a scholarship, if it doesn't happen, I am fine with it. She is building memories with her teammates, we are building memories with her. how can you put a price tag on that? You can't.
I don't think, anyone will get to the next level, by playing rec. ball. Rec ball is for everyone. Whether they can play or not, it's a requirement in rec ball, that everyone gets to play. In TB, you get playing time by busting your butt, and being a good player.
There are different levels of TB, B and C are playing, because they want better competition. A, they are playing against the best across the country. The competition and lets be honest, to get to the next level.
Nobody is making anyone play TB.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

There seems to be a misconception here that kids that play on elite teams come from rich families. We have no more money than the next family, our combined family income is WELL below $50k; we have made the decision to use our money for softball instead of other things. We don’t own our own home, we don’t drive an expensive car, we don’t go to Starbucks, we don’t eat out very often, we carpool to work, and we do without a lot of things so we can support DD’s softball.

 

[crystlemc]

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.

I see what you are saying. However, let me ask this.

If it's better to beat out 100 kids than 20 kids for the top spot.... then is that better than beating out 20 outstanding kids instead of 100 mediocre kids? Quantity is good, but quality is better. JMHO

 

[Greenmonsters]

There seems to be a misconception here that kids that play on elite teams come from rich families. We have no more money than the next family, our combined family income is WELL below $50k; we have made the decision to use our money for softball instead of other things. We don’t own our own home, we don’t drive an expensive car, we don’t go to Starbucks, we don’t eat out very often, we carpool to work, and we do without a lot of things so we can support DD’s softball.

Truly, we often take for granted that we live in a country where we are able to speak freely and make our own choices.

 

[crystlemc]

There seems to be a misconception here that kids that play on elite teams come from rich families. We have no more money than the next family, our combined family income is WELL below $50k; we have made the decision to use our money for softball instead of other things. We don’t own our own home, we don’t drive an expensive car, we don’t go to Starbucks, we don’t eat out very often, we carpool to work, and we do without a lot of things so we can support DD’s softball.

We are in the same boat as you are. We do without so that our kids can do certain things. We share one vehicle, we rent our house, we are probably around the same income as you are. We paid $1500 for the car that we share. That is our choice and one that we benefit from as well. We get to spend more time with our kids than the average family and our kids get to network with all sorts of other kids that they would never meet otherwise. Plus, some of those friendships/acquaintances may serve them well later in life as do the lessons they learn about themselves along the way. Besides, how much "stuff" do we, as parents, really need?

 

[quincy]

Nothing to do with anything I guess but

At our end of year Tournament this spring there was a couple TB Teams scouting the players, makes sense to me. I would do the same thing if I was involved in TB. We lost in the semifinals and I went to the championship game by myself just to enjoy the game. During our games I got the soft sell because I was busy, since I was sitting by myself just watching the game I got the hard sell. Lucky me, I got to meet the managers and a few of the TB leagues executive committee. All nice people and as far as I am concerned no one did anything inappropriate. My DD has game. 1 Team specifically is waiting for our answer for the spring and will be informed shortly it is no.

Rec. ball is for us, more for the time commitment then the cost.

We are not an equipment family. I use to be a scratch golfer, you could put any clubs in my hands and I would play just fine. My DD is the same way. Give her a tree branch, we practice enough where she will hit just fine with it.

Where TB hurts us is that some of the better players in the rec. league disappear and move to TB. I understand why and I am good with TB. A really good player moved off our fall team to join a TB in the spring, she will do great. She should be one of their better players, if not that Team will be scary good.

Yes, we are in rec. ball. Yes, she is going to start training in January for spring ball. Yes, we have an individual pitching coach lined up for her starting in January (Thanks to some people on this board’s advice). Yes, we practice more outside of practice then we spend at Team practices. DD loves the game but it needs to be worked around our schedule, mostly hers.

Our rec. Team played a TB the last game of the season. We lost because of their depth; top players on our Team against top players on their Team seemed to be close.


TB is not for us, but please do not look down at us because we play rec. ball.

 

[SoftSocDad]

I see what you are saying. However, let me ask this.

If it's better to beat out 100 kids than 20 kids for the top spot.... then is that better than beating out 20 outstanding kids instead of 100 mediocre kids? Quantity is good, but quality is better. JMHO

My point wasn't clear enough.

What I was trying to say is that, all things considered, I'd rather emerge as the winner from a pool of 100 with what we'll call an 'A' rating as opposed to their being only 20 at that level. And I want to achieve that without dumbing down the system to make sure everyone gets an A.

I totally get the country club mentality, really, I do, but by buying into it as wholeheartedly as we have, we've also willingly accepted the trade-off, which is the growth of the welfare state.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

I think I can speak for a mojority of posters on this board, no one looks down on anyone else because of the level of sports their kids are in. That is just a silly thought!

As a matter of fact, When my DD goes off to school or start her life I will go back to coaching the younger levels of softball with the knowledge that I have gained over the years. I very much look forward to it and guess what? I will be starting back with Little League (rec. ball).

Good luck to your DD

 

[mad hornet]

There seems to be a misconception here that kids that play on elite teams come from rich families. We have no more money than the next family, our combined family income is WELL below $50k; we have made the decision to use our money for softball instead of other things. We don’t own our own home, we don’t drive an expensive car, we don’t go to Starbucks, we don’t eat out very often, we carpool to work, and we do without a lot of things so we can support DD’s softball.

Got a few families like yours on our team. We work with them and they find a way to make it happen because it's important to them. I get it - no misconceptions. Starbucks sucks by the way.

 

[softballphreak]

There seems to be a misconception here that kids that play on elite teams come from rich families. We have no more money than the next family, our combined family income is WELL below $50k; we have made the decision to use our money for softball instead of other things. We don’t own our own home, we don’t drive an expensive car, we don’t go to Starbucks, we don’t eat out very often, we carpool to work, and we do without a lot of things so we can support DD’s softball.

Sounds very familiar. I did pretty much the same thing--as a middle income single parent of two. My DD was pretty gifted. Three-sport athlete. Middle school, HS, and Conference MVP through the years. Played with a successful TB organization.

Her Senior year in HS she informed me that she wasn't going to play collegiate sports. I didn't find out until several years later that she thought she had disappointed me. She was totally wrong; I wasn't disappointed at all. The only reason I was ever involved with softball was for her.

She graduated with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy two years ago and she is in the final year of receiving a MacKenzie Institute Diploma in the treatment of back pain.

I'm extremely proud of her.

As for me I'm heavily involved in coaching HS and TB. That never would have happened without her.

She LOVES Starbucks!