How far does everybody travel for practices with their travel team?

[FP26]

DD's team practices 30 minutes from our home. At 16, DD now has her driver's license so she typically drives on her own. I work 10 minutes from the field, so I change at work and then drive over from there. Her pitching coach is a 75 minute drive one way. We currently split that drive. Once she gets some more experience, she will drive the entire trip on her own. This driver's license thing is a game changer!!!

DD was asked to attend tryouts for a very good organization prior to 14u. We were surprised by the invite but were very excited for her. This would have been a 90 minute drive, and we were prepared to handle that. However, after speaking with the coach, we learned that practice would be 3 times per week at 4 pm. This would have required either DW or myself to switch jobs and to pull DD out of school prior to her last class on practice days. I simply could not justify that, so we didn't make the switch.

 

[grcsftbll]

DD was asked to attend tryouts for a very good organization prior to 14u. We were surprised by the invite but were very excited for her. This would have been a 90 minute drive, and we were prepared to handle that. However, after speaking with the coach, we learned that practice would be 3 times per week at 4 pm. This would have required either DW or myself to switch jobs and to pull DD out of school prior to her last class on practice days. I simply could not justify that, so we didn't make the switch.

It seems like that would require lots of people to change jobs. Odd time for practice.

 

[FP26]

It seems like that would require lots of people to change jobs. Odd time for practice.

I thought the same thing. Most schools in our area get out at 3 pm so that wouldn't be an issue if we didn't live 90 minutes away. But it definitely limits those with traditionally timed jobs. I think the coached worked night shift so he would try to finish practice, grab a shower, and go to work.

 

[CMMom1740]

I thought the same thing. Most schools in our area get out at 3 pm so that wouldn't be an issue if we didn't live 90 minutes away. But it definitely limits those with traditionally timed jobs. I think the coached worked night shift so he would try to finish practice, grab a shower, and go to work.

If the kids are old enough to drive themselves, I guess it would be ok to have practice at 4:00, but it seems that this coach is shooting himself in the foot. There aren't many people whose bosses would be understanding of them leaving work at 3:00 or earlier to get their kid to practice. He's probably losing out on a lot of good talent that way. Some teams don't require weeknight practices and leave it as optional as long as the player is in lessons during the week.

 

[Legendsmom]

My dd is only required to go to practice once a week because of the distance we have to travel. She is being given conditioning to do at home plus she has pitching lessons and hitting lessons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BobInMadison]

Nothing like driving past 4-5 sets of great Softball fields to get to practice on another set of fields. It is worse than driving 6 hours to a tournament to play the team based 30 minutes from you

I played in some chess and backgammon tournaments when I was younger.
Once, last Saturday game, I found myself playing a friend of mine with whom I was sharing a motel room. After 2 moves I offered a draw. He accepted, and we went out for some beers and a smoke to rest up for the Sunday games.

 

[Michele1377]

We are 1hr from team practices, as well as her PC and hitting lessons. Most of our in state tourneys end up being about 30 minutes from our home, while the majority of her teammates have to travel further to get to tourneys, so it all evens out in the end. This is our 3rd year traveling this far for practice, prior to that it was less than a mile from our house.

 

[FP26]

If the kids are old enough to drive themselves, I guess it would be ok to have practice at 4:00, but it seems that this coach is shooting himself in the foot. There aren't many people whose bosses would be understanding of them leaving work at 3:00 or earlier to get their kid to practice. He's probably losing out on a lot of good talent that way. Some teams don't require weeknight practices and leave it as optional as long as the player is in lessons during the week.

I agree. But this is the organization that is the most respected in the area and fields the most competitive teams. From top to bottom they are very good. I don't know how they do it. I am guessing that their other teams don't have the same practice schedule. DD is very happy with her current team so we never bothered to check after that tryout. It may be different now.

 

[smddad]

We just got a commit from 3 hours away.

 

[smddad]

It is worse than driving 6 hours to a tournament to play the team based 30 minutes from you

We traveled to AZ one year and had to play the other team in our home town. Neither team was excited about that, especially since we scrimmaged each other regularly.