Uhh Ohh Rec Ball MIGRATION

[radness]

In So Cal no city league rec ball going on. No can do covid.
The state kinda sorta supposed to open sports with 'restrictive' guidelines but mehh no league going on now.
Sooo the migration to travel ball is happening.
Not just the few who find their way usually to travel in say 12u...
But noticing now 10u seeking travel teams also...

*Because travel can still practice somewhere and playing pick up games!
People who were intending on staying in rec are migrating.
If these 10u dont go back to rec next year?
(? 6 months) rec will have very depleted 12's!
Or even 10's!

Uhh ohh are City league's becomming a thing of past?
Finally squeezed out by city quidelines and liability?

Any migration from rec occuring in your state?

 

[JumboJack]

I think softball is a little behind club soccer right now in it's structure but is on the way of mirroring it.

Club soccer when it started was only the absolutely highest level of play (Like TB was in the beginning). AYSO and other rec leagues where hugely popular (and still are to some extent) and the standouts played club and traveled around doing so. Slowly parents/players wanted more than a volunteer coach could provide and many kids (of varying skill levels) wanted to play more often and at a higher level than rec. Being an AYSO ref I can tell you that at the most basic level it is pretty messy stuff.

So the clubs began to offer their own lower levels of play and BOOM club soccer exploded (And became a HUGE business).
There is now tier 3, tier 2, tier 1, Champions, Europa, Developmental Academy and ECNL (elite Club National League, pretty much the top, top tier of youth soccer) among many other "tiers/levels" throughout various local and national leagues.

I know that TB started pretty much the same way and the scenario you mention above I think will help "grow" TB and hurt rec. For better or worse? Who knows?

 

[CrazyNani]

In So Cal no city league rec ball going on. No can do covid.
The state kinda sorta supposed to open sports with 'restrictive' guidelines but mehh no league going on now.
Sooo the migration to travel ball is happening.
Not just the few who find their way usually to travel in say 12u...
But noticing now 10u seeking travel teams also...

*Because travel can still practice somewhere and playing pick up games!
People who were intending on staying in rec are migrating.
If these 10u dont go back to rec next year?
(? 6 months) rec will have very depleted 12's!
Or even 10's!

Uhh ohh are City league's becomming a thing of past?
Finally squeezed out by city quidelines and liability?

Any migration from rec occuring in your state?

I wish they did some migrating. In our area, the kids have so many options that softball has taken a back seat, starting around 14u. It's difficult to get enough girls to fill out two 14u travel teams. Right now, there is NO softball at all, rec or travel. The travel teams are able to practice with 12 girls max so, that's all they've been doing, no friendlies, nothing. Fall practice starts up again in a couple weeks, hoping for a miracle and we can get some Fall tournaments in.

 

[Josh Greer]

As others have stated, I'm sure there are so many variations by region. But around here I would almost welcome it; not really, but let me explain: There is such a wide division between REC and travel. "Family Units" (kids that want to play and families that will support it) generally pack up and move to travel ball if their kid gets anywhere near the top of the food chain at REC. The majority of kids left at REC are kids who's family drop off and never practice with at home. This has created such a wide skill gap that many kids are giving up the game, either because of a large learning curve to travel programs and/or the rising cost of playing at that level. Because, again around here, 60-100 miles in any direction is required to play at that level. I'm a pretty competitive guy. But it destroys me to see kids quit the game before they find out if they love it or not.

 

[quincy]

That not fair. I was always 1/2 an hour or so before practice. Thier parent dropped their kid at our practice 1st because she knew I would be there. Then she ran the 2 sons to their practices.

DD will be as competitive as the other coach and Team wants to be. She just really wanted to play.

 

[Quigs10]

Yep...definitely happening bcuz travel teams here in OC are playing every weekend and finding places to practice. Rec leagues are shut down for last 4 months and just seem to be fizzling out. We are in tough decision time. Younger DD is getting bored with Rec and the low skill level of some. But...having seen her older sister go through high stakes TB and the time, driving etc...younger DD (just turned 12) is not "enthusiastic" about going full TB yet.

She's gonna have to at this point. Not many options right now.

 

[Josh Greer]

That not fair. I was always 1/2 an hour or so before practice. Thier parent dropped their kid at our practice 1st because she knew I would be there. Then she ran the 2 sons to their practices.

DD will be as competitive as the other coach and Team wants to be. She just really wanted to play.

I totally get that. My point was more centered around uninvolved parents. Dropping off a kid and leaving isn't the problem. But an uninvolved parent won't know what a kid is struggling with that can be re-enforced at home. Assuming in the case you mentioned, these parents stay connected with the coach or someone like you. Top that off with the parent that doesn't work with the kid at home leaves him to fend for him/herself. Sometimes that is good. But usually not at the rec "trying to get it all figured out" class.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Purely my opinion ... for now this is going to hurt rec ball, which was already in a bad spot. Not having a season will "push" people in another direction.

Long term, it could help. IF rec ball programs can use this time to make themselves better and come back with a good, well-planned program, there will be people who dipped their toes in the travel waters and will be looking to come back due to costs, travel, time committed, etc.

I think there may be people who took time away from travel ball (in areas where things have not spun back up to "normal") who may give it a second thought next season and look to stay more local.

Of course ... that is contingent on developing a strong, well-organized local program. Those are few and far between anymore.

 

[radness]

Long term, it could help. IF rec ball programs can use this time to make themselves better and come back with a good, well-planned program, there will be people who dipped their toes in the travel waters and will be looking to come back due to costs, travel, time committed, etc.

I think there may be people who took time away from travel ball (in areas where things have not spun back up to "normal") who may give it a second thought next season and look to stay more local.

Of course ... that is contingent on developing a strong, well-organized local program. Those are few and far between anymore.

This again will be determined by the people who may be involved when the next seasons start up.
Some of those parent volunteer who have been the 'do'ers...are doing travel now.

The next batch of parent volunteers may not have enough teams to play.
Which threw cause and effect may create a smaller version of travel ball. City league's one team plays other city one team?
Which is close to whats happening already.
Rec offer's playing time structure other than that whats the difference?
Ohh shorter season that has a beginning and end.

 

[radness]

Yep...definitely happening bcuz travel teams here in OC are playing every weekend and finding places to practice. Rec leagues are shut down for last 4 months and just seem to be fizzling out. We are in tough decision time. Younger DD is getting bored with Rec and the low skill level of some. But...having seen her older sister go through high stakes TB and the time, driving etc...younger DD (just turned 12) is not "enthusiastic" about going full TB yet.

She's gonna have to at this point. Not many options right now.

Did you start going to any guesting at practices? Tryouts?
Have a couple students who are transitioning oc lb area.