Why I do not advocate 8u TB

[CycloneSoftball22]

At 8U, who pitches? The girls?

DD is 22 and I can't remember the last trny, even in IL. that we could have brought food, into. I won't eat at a concession stand, because I have worked in too many that were over ran with mice, so I have to stick ham sandwiches in my lawn chair. Out here at Sport's Park, they even ask to look in purses.

8u in this area is coach pitch.

 

[CPSBDad]

At 8U, who pitches? The girls?

DD is 22 and I can't remember the last trny, even in IL. that we could have brought food, into. I won't eat at a concession stand, because I have worked in too many that were over ran with mice, so I have to stick ham sandwiches in my lawn chair. Out here at Sport's Park, they even ask to look in purses.

Gotta be more stealthy to get that ham sandwich in I guess!

 

[NVfishing]

You'd be surprised at how good kids can pitch at 8. I think travel ball is different in every region. Parents and coaches take it to seriously. I think the newer the parent is to travel ball the more serious they think it is.

 

[Rhodyman]

Wow, gate fees and you can't bring in your own food. Softball must be really big in Arizona. In NJ at B level tournaments, teams pay an entrance fee ($300 - $500), but there isn't an entrance fee for the spectators. My DD's TB team always brought coolers and canopies. Since the rec. league that supported the TB team paid the tournament entrance fees, our only cost was the uniform. My DW and I always viewed it as a bargain.

It's the same here in RI. My DD plays on an 8u tournament team. We don't travel outside of the state (remember RI is tiny! lol). It's coach pitch and a lot of fun.

 

[kchmcbaz]

The players pitch and as stated above you would be suprised how well some throw. Occassionally you will see a few that struggle but for the most part all throw strikes.
Most tournaments have a one hour fifteen minute timelimit. We usually get 4-5 innings completed.

 

[8utbmom]

Same as the other posters here. We "travel" 30-45 minutes away, Team fees are in the $250 range which includes uniforms, gate fee is $5, we bring our cooler, canopy, chairs, etc. It's coach pitch at this age...kid pitch at 10u. Most people around here call it tournament ball instead of travel.

 

[LAdad]

My daughter is playing on a 8u TB team this summer. She also plays on a local little league team. The TB team started playing in tournaments at the end of May and so far they have played in five tournaments. Only one of the tournaments was far enough away (2.5 hours) that required overnight stay. The rest were within 1.5 hours.

If the TB team just plays during the summer, then this is a bit similar to ASA style all-star teams. I think most people think of year-round teams when they hear travel ball. At the end of the regular season, ASA rec leagues normally assemble an all-star team with their best players, that team then plays tournaments during the summer. As I understand it, all-stars in little league is basically one huge single-elimination tournament(?) I know a local softball league here switched from little league to ASA because they got fed up with the lack of all-star play.

 

[Jdaddy]

In Tennessee we could bring coolers to all but one complex this spring and summer. However, gate fees were markedly higher. Paid between 8 and 16 ( ISA state tourney ) bucks for gate fee. Thank goodness I am an assistant, probably saved close to $200 this spring/summer. BTW almost all 8U tourney fees were free. All were coach pitch. We play 10U and entry fees were $150 - $200 per tourney.

 

[obbay]

I think some people hear 8u travel ball and think that practice is everyday, tournaments every weekend, and thousdands of dollars spent.

Yep, that's what I thought! ($300 bats too )
Now to hear you explain it I see it entirely differently. thanks for explaining and have fun!

 

[Axe]

Anyone know a good 4U Travel Team for my smallest?


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I'm not sure that bat is ASA Certified