When and how to start playing TB?

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Mar 28, 2018
4
0
Kingwood, TX
First off, I'm new to the forum so I'm trying to get the right lingo going. Please help a sister out if I mess it up lol. LB= league ball? or RB rec ball? and TB= travel ball?
I have a sweet dd who currently plays 10U league ball. She has been playing since she was 5. She has always done well. Gets asked to play allstars every year. This year our town has the TB girls playing and they are spread among all the teams. We have a great coach who also assists with a local TB team. Their team is doing really well with no losses this season. My daughter has always been good and keeps improving everyday and her hitting is getting stronger and stronger. She actually hit a homer in last nights game that brought our score from 5-7 to 7-7 and we ultimately won the game. What I have realized is that the league has cut the games by about 5 this year. Instead of going into mid May with games, they are done playing by Mid April this year. I suspect this has something to do with the many select/travel teams there are and also there aren't any weekend games at all. I feel like my daughter is getting ripped off in her season to play. We haven't really considered travel ball because we've never done it and I hear rumors of it costing a small fortune, which we do not have. So with this mess of a post. I just want opinions and suggestions on what we could do. I know one of the issues right now is that getting on a travel team would be hard because the season has started and most rosters are full. Also I have no idea how to get her looked at or try out. TIA
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Welcome to DFP! :)

Typically, we use "TB" for travel ball, and "rec" for league ball (which usually includes all-stars). The rules and structure vary across the country, which can add some confusion.

Our experience...

My DD started playing softball at 8yo. She quickly showed an aptitude for the game, and was willing to do lots of work outside of the team to keep improving her skills. In her second year of 10U rec ball, it was clear that she had outgrown the level of play in the league, and was in need of taking the next step to continue her development. We searched out a local TB team, she tried out with them, and was offered a spot. The level of coaching was a dramatic improvement, and it was immediately apparent that we needed to make the move. She finished out that rec season, but skipped all-stars. That was about 3 years ago. It was the right move for my DD at the right time. Some players are ready for it earlier. Some later. Some never reach that point. There's not one answer for everyone.

As for cost, it's expensive (but not "figure skating expensive" - LOL). We pay more for my DD's additional sessions (hitting, catching, and strength training) than we do for her actual team dues...plus gas (23k miles on my SUV in the last year)...plus food (way too much fast food)...plus the occasional hotel stays...plus the additional wear and tear on equipment getting used a LOT more than it did in rec ball.

IMO, it's worth every penny.

The improvement in her skill level compared with the players that were her equals in her first couple of years - but never left rec ball - is dramatic. Better coaching, more practice time, more games, etc. makes a difference very quickly. That difference is vivid when my DD is on the field with her Middle School team, which includes many of her old rec ball teammates.

TB dictates the schedule of our family's life, and we have accepted that we are going to make that sacrifice in support of our DD passion and goals. It's not a life for everyone.
 
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Jan 30, 2018
252
0
SE Michigan
My daughter started TB at 8 after playing baseball and 1 year of softball in Little League. In my area of SE Michigan, there are literally 20 "travel" teams. There are many levels of competitiveness, price, travel, schedule etc. If I were you I would go on facebook and look for your local travel ball message board and watch what people and teams are posting. You may be able to just play her as a free agent with different teams whenever someone is looking to pick up a girl. Some of the teams around me are as little as $200. They play 4 local low level tournaments and get a tee shirt. Then there are teams that pay $2000+ and there are a ton of teams in between. You should be able to find something.
 
Apr 26, 2015
704
43
Our experience is very similar to Eric's.

DD started playing softball at 4...ok - tee ball. Once they moved to coach pitch she hated it. She didn't like that they batted thru the whole line up. She knew the rules and knew when the other side had 3 outs. She wanted to play "the real game". She would go in the backyard and throw or hit for hours. (Now keep in mind this was in between her time kicking a soccer ball or running laps or shooting hoops).

When DD was 9 a friend decided to start a new TB team and he invited DD to come tryout. She loved it. That first year their team didn't win many games, but they had a great time and we saw a dramatic improvement in her skill level. She has now been playing for 5 years - she is playing on a 14U team now...and loving every minute of it. She never complains about going to practice or waking up early on a Saturday to go to a tournament or missing a birthday party, etc. She loves softball!

We have definitely made sacrifices in order for DD to play. Our first year was not very expensive - much more affordable than I thought it would be. We did not start private lessons (catching, hitting, etc) until about half-way thru her 2nd 10U season. I agree - the gas, miles on the car, hotels and food are the most expensive parts. The teams DD has played on have been very conservative in choosing out of state tournaments - they don't travel just for the sake of traveling. We have only traveled 2 times each year - and until this year all trips were driving distance. For the most part our vacations revolve around softball tournaments. In every city we visit we try to take and extra day and do something fun local to that area. This year we are travelling to the PNW and are taking an extra week.

I honestly can't imagine any other life. I love our packed weekends, loading up the cooler, packing extra ice or blankets depending on the weekend, waking up early and seeing the sun rise...I don't know what people do all weekend when they don't get to watch their DD play ball!

And yes - worth every penny!

ETA: We have a local fastpitch message board where teams post tryouts etc. Normally around here tryouts are in mid-late July to early August. However, all year long teams post for pick up players, or when they have an injury and are in need of another player. Your DD might be able to attend a workout with a team and see if she likes it.
 
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May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
KPower - What's that word..."vacation". I've heard people use it in the context of travelling somewhere and staying in a hotel. I always call those trips "tournaments". I'm confused.
 
Mar 28, 2018
4
0
Kingwood, TX
Thank you for your responses! I was thinking the same thing about her being a pick up player to see if she even likes it. Although I’m sure she would. She is our youngest and such a great athlete. I would hate for her to fall behind on her potential. I hate that we are late in the game but hopefully we can keep her going.
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
Travel teams are always looking for new players. What area are you in? I'm sure there's somebody here familiar with the landscape of your teams to choose from.

Travel ball is more about commitment than talent. If a kid loves to work and play with other girls who want to work TB is for you. If DD is the one missing tourneys for birthday parties or cabin weekends, she should stay in rec ball. If your kid is pissed after a tourney because three of your starters decided they had something better to do she definitely needs to be in TB.

Most organizations have programs or fundraising to help people who need it and there's a wide variety of costs to choose from. Don't get fooled into thinking the most expensive teams are the best, but also don't expect much if you go for the cheapest team. Ask around on places like this and you'll find out pretty quick who the reputable organizations are.

Best of luck and great to have you here!
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Thank you for your responses! I was thinking the same thing about her being a pick up player to see if she even likes it. Although I’m sure she would. She is our youngest and such a great athlete. I would hate for her to fall behind on her potential. I hate that we are late in the game but hopefully we can keep her going.

You aren't late - please get that out of your head. The right time is different for every kid, and a lot of factors are involved. If my DD had been in a larger league with a deeper level of talent, we might have stayed there longer. From what I have seen, most often, the move to TB is at the start of 12U. One girl on my DD's 14U TB team just made the move this fall. She's doing just fine.

The best thing you can do is make sure this is something SHE wants to do. I'm sure you can find teams to try out with, and play as a guest with, to see if it's a fit. If she's not in 100%, don't do it. It's not something you can do part way.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
We haven't really considered travel ball because we've never done it and I hear rumors of it costing a small fortune, which we do not have. So with this mess of a post. I just want opinions and suggestions on what we could do. I know one of the issues right now is that getting on a travel team would be hard because the season has started and most rosters are full. Also I have no idea how to get her looked at or try out. TIA

First cost - the biggest cost is time. You will practice more and more often. And tournaments are an ALL weekend thing 2-3 times per month during the season. Depending where you live that season may run something like April-Oct if it snows or if you live in the sunny states, there is really no official off-season so you have to make your own. Add in travel time and it is a time consuming thing. But you also get to spend HUGE amounts of time with your kid, and this is irreplaceable.

Actual cost depends on what your travel team is doing for 10U.

If they stay local, play in local tournaments and so on, it isn't really cash expensive. These teams are often based off an all-star in rec or a parent who decided to put a team together for kids who wanted to continue to play.

If the team is run by insane people it can be hotels every weekend, expensive uniforms and coaches and visits to towns in states you never wanted to go to in the first place. You get these teams 'chasing competition' because they get all the early maturing kids on one team and locally they can't be beat. (By HS age, most of these kids have quit or burned out... 1 or 2 end up as stars - maybe it is your kid, maybe it is not. Also everyone else has caught up maturity and skills wise so being insane at 10U doesn't really help all that much)

Frankly at 10U I like a bit of middle ground... lots of local tournament, one hotel tournament and then a state or national tournament someplace near where you are based.

You say you have a great coach who is an AC on a local travel team. Well he is someone you can absolutely ask for the local landscape. Who is good, who is not, who to engage with, who to avoid and so on.

And there is ALWAYS room for another girl in travel. I guarantee that there are teams that would be THRILLED to have her tomorrow because they only ever had 10 or someone got injured or decided it wasn't for them or whatever. I am not saying these teams should be her permanent team, but certainly you can try them out and see what you think.

If it is for your DD, it can be a great ride for the family. Just always remember that is for your DD and it is her journey. The moment it is about you, is the moment it goes south.
 
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Aug 23, 2016
359
43
My DD is 9 and doesn't play travel but I thought I'd share my reasons why.

1. Her league has a lot of talented players and some really great coaches. So while she's been an above-average player in her league since her first season, she continues to be challenged. And there are plenty of girls around her who are willing to work as hard and push themselves as much as DD. So she hasn't outgrown the league by any means.

2. In addition to softball, DD does Girl Scouts and also plays volleyball and basketball. These sports overlap to some degree or another with softball, and then selling Girl Scout cookies is like adding a part-time job to her schedule. Our rec league schedule is intense enough, we couldn't increase intensity without her having to drop something else or have her grades suffer. Right now she wants to be a three-sport athlete in high school, so she's not willing to give up basketball or volleyball, and her time in other sports has actually helped her softball skills.

3. DD doesn't care if she plays TB or rec, she just wants to play. She loves her league, she has friends on every team, and she wants to represent her league in All-Stars.

So overall, it doesn't make sense for us. She's good where she is, and at some point her priorities will change and we'll adjust accordingly.
 

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