Travel family

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Aug 19, 2015
1,118
113
Atlanta, GA
At 16U A-level ball, most of the girls are so spread out geographically that there's not much getting together outside of practice or tournaments. Our team did some community service together and had a great time. If we have huge gaps between games at tournaments, we'll either organize a potluck to eat at the fields or go to lunch together. On travel weekends, we'll meet at a restaurant for dinner after we're done for the day. We have had girls on the team before whose parents generally didn't join the group and I will say that after a while, the girls started to notice and comment that maybe so and so thinks she's too good to eat with the rest of us, etc... Or maybe two families split off and always do things together. Not a huge deal, but it is noticeable.
 
Last edited:
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
At 16U A-level ball, most of the girls are so spread out geographically that there's not much getting together outside of practice or tournaments. Our team did some community service together and had a great time. If we have huge gaps between games at tournaments, we'll either organize a potluck to eat at the fields or go to lunch together. On travel weekends, we'll meet at a restaurant for dinner after we're done for the day. We have had girls on the team before whose parents generally didn't join the group and I will say that after a while, the girls started to notice and comment that maybe so and so thinks she's too good to eat with the rest of us, etc... Or maybe two families split up and always do things together. Not a huge deal, but it is noticeable.

Doesn't take much for rumors to start in this world, amongst adults or girls/kids. I try to chat up each family equally, though of course I have favorites.
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
When we have a showcase out of state where all the families are staying in hotels and it is longer than just a weekend, our 18U team will usually try to have one evening where the girls have dinner together (paid for by the organization). Sometimes we’ll have one big team dinner with families included which will be paid by the organization. Other than that it is usually do your own thing or hang out with whoever you feel like. I think since we only have an 18U team and most of these girls grew up playing elsewhere, it isn’t expected that the parents all hang out together after the games. The girls will usually plan something the other nights in a group chat and they all are invited to go, but it isn’t expected that they all hang out. We also don’t do holiday parties. That being said, we have a pretty close-knit group of girls despite coming from a few different states.
 
Mar 13, 2010
1,758
48
I see your point but if a kid is good and not a trouble maker any smart team would have her back to play another season even if the parents didn't socialize.
Where trouble happens, and it happened on our team last year, is when the kid is not good enough and the parents have become too bonded with each other. Then resentment creeps in and they wonder why their "friends" aren't advocating to keep their kid on the team.

It’s more so the girls. If they go and just play, it doesn’t work as well. I find some of the stuff I see from college and NPF players weird (one of the players who went and played with Beijing was talking about ‘now we’re sister’ Shed known them two weeks)
 
Apr 6, 2017
328
28
I think travel teams will go more professional as the years go by. I talked to a team that has a new facility. They do not have
Dd age group. They do offer memberships though. $200 a year you get to use the facility. They also have a staff. You can do
lessons on site. Interesting.
I went to a indoor tournament not long ago. The lower teams looked no better than rec teams. They all sing and chant equal though.
Softball family seems strong at the lower level. My wife heard a lower level team mom complaining about positions. A simple look
into my wife's eyes was sufficient. I will keep looking for the perfect team fit.
 
Feb 3, 2016
502
43
Is it wrong that I don’t want to be part of a team “family”?
Dd is 12. I think we really need to join a team but I really get turned
off by the family talk-sorry no offense.
I’m sort of watching for a good fit team but so far the first thing a coach
tells me is the team family stuff. I don’t want to be cold but at the same
time I like the family stuff separate from ball games.
Will I find dd a team that just wants to work on softball ?
Yeah you sound jerk-ish. I have witnessed parents like you drop kids off like a sitting service. Too good to talk to anybody. You need to hear this now not later. "It's always the parents with problems getting in the way of their kids success."
Good luck finding an entire team that won't trigger you with all that kindness.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
 
Apr 6, 2017
328
28
Sounds like a lot of judging Ks. I might be jerk-ish but I hardly ever drop my girl and run. I do see some parents drop off and leave
often (all star team) I make sure Dd steps in at end of practice helps take down nets or whatever. If we find a travel
team it will be a good fit for all of us. I think Dd will be able to play high school ball regardless but some travel experience would
be great.
 
May 18, 2009
1,314
38
Parents that don’t bond with the team and other parents tend to be the parent that pull their kid if there’s any issues with playing time or position. Seems they have less skin in the game than people that invest into the spirit of the team.
 
May 3, 2018
75
18
I don't know where you're from, but I do know that it seems like most places you can't swing a stick without hitting a 12u travel team. It'll take some searching, but you'll find what you're looking for. My daughter is a 9 year old on a 10u travel team and I kind of ignore the "family" part of the recruitment process. While my DD and I get along with just about anybody and everybody, my wife tends to steer clear of social settings when possible. We joined a team where they do a bunch of that "family" stuff but they're based almost an hour from our house so they don't expect us to attend much outside of practice and games. We did go to the holiday party but showed up late to reduce the discomfort of my DW. My daughter has made friends, I do most of the socializing, my wife tends to steer clear, and everyone is happy.
 

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