Too much money involved, will ruin the sport in the long run.

[starsnuffer]

Funny you should say that, Coach Al. My DD's 14u team manager/coach decided to try to make the price as economic as possible this spring/summer, due to some financial issues with some families. He managed to get the price down to $750 or so for 8 tournaments. No workout clothes, no bags, and reusing the uniforms from the last few years. Toss in a few fundraisers and it was a great plan.

Problem is parents decided that they wanted new uniforms anyway, so they "volunteered" to pay $300 each for those, then came the workout t-shirts, and oh, lets do 5 more tournaments in the spring we'll pay as we go. . .

I'm not complaining, I've had kids on really expensive teams and I've done the $200 for a season of B ball too. I just find it really ironic that when the org tries to lower costs, parents will figure out a way to throw their money at their kids.

-W

 

[MTR]

Wow, seeing what some other sports cost I guess softball is cheap. Sure doesn't seem like it sometimes.

Any sport can be expensive depending on how much people want to through into it.

Think about it. What would happen if families just stopped paying for their daughter to play travel ball? And if you respond how silly that is, I guess you are just not capable of thinking on your own.

Seriously, what would happen if people just refused to spend the money on playing tournaments every weekend, constant practice and the private lessons?

 

[InsidePitch]

When I was a kid there was no travel ball. After the rec season was over you played neighborhood sand lot ball all summer. Occassionally we'd walk about a mile to another neighborhood and play some kids we knew from school on their sand lot. I guess that was our travel ball.

 

[01mom]

When I was a kid there was no travel ball. After the rec season was over you played neighborhood sand lot ball all summer. Occassionally we'd walk about a mile to another neighborhood and play some kids we knew from school on their sand lot. I guess that was our travel ball.

Back when I was a kid playing rec it cost like $25 to sign up and you always re-used uniforms from previous seasons. If you wanted new uniforms you had to do fundraisers and/or get sponsors. Our rec also started later than it does now so we were playing well into the summer, we had real all-stars where if you win you actually advance etc... all of that is gone from rec here now. I guess that's the difference in being affiliated with a sanctioned org. (we were with Dixie when I played) and the "city" running things for softball now, while the boys get to be sanctioned with LL. I wish there was a way to get softball sanctioned with someone, but I have no idea how to go about that.

 

[Mylil32]

If you are willing to work (or make your daughter work) then it's not so expensive. We haven't paid a dime to my DD's team, but we've done fundraisers out the yin yang. Boston Butts, Raffle Tickets and a crap load of doughnuts has paid for new uniforms, tournament fees and the like.

We did buy her a new bat this year, and she does take lessons twice a week, but with no team fees I figure it comes out in the wash.

 

[kenb63]

DD used to figure skate and play softball. I thank my lucky stars everyday that she gave up figure skating as it was the equivalent of a vacuum hose inserted into my wallet.

 

[nanotech14]

I would spend every extra dime I have ,"after I pay the bills of course", for my dd to play this great game.I'am single and only have my dd so,I quess that would make a huge differeance.,I save a lot of money not being married and we just drop everything a go where ever we want.

 

[GTRH8R]

Ugh...I think our season fees are roughly $1400 per year. Then my DD does weekly batting lessons. Of course there always seems like I have to buy something new (cleats, batting gloves, whatever) any given day of the week. For some insane reason I feel compelled to give my daughter every opportunity to succeed at what he goals are and spending the money seems to be the only way. We tried the dad/coach thing, but all that did was make both of us mad. Seems like I have to have money come out of my wallet in order for her to listen and learn.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy most of it too...

 

[init4thegirls]

Some of the better girls in our league are from the worse side of town. There's no way they could play travel ball. I think rec should be taken a little more seriously, its the only chance some girls get to play. Two grand, on the cheap side, is rough for a lot of people in this country.

 

[Phathead]

In our town there are 3 TB teams playing 12u. The three teams consist of roughly 80% that play in local rec and 20% from neighboring commuinties that also play rec in their respective area. Not sure about the third team but two of the teams parents buy uniforms and split tourny cost among players. My team I pick up insurance and saction fees. No extras like warm ups, multi uniforms, matching bags etc. By the way none of us are elite or gold just teams trying to get DD's extra playing time with hopes of making HS team. Travel stays within 90 mins or less no more than twice month for three to four months. We may go two-three hrs once a season just for something different but we make sure everyone can make it financilly or we chip in to help them out or just stay local. Works for us.