Its a vicious cycle. Voddie Bauchams Family Driven Faith. I got an education, got married, we started having children, and now I get to coach my kids. Please. Give MVP, Player of the game, most improved player of the game.. You played in some tournament, and then district. (Explained In Detail! Our son never felt like he missed out on anything; he was too busy playing other sports and doing other activities. Little League also hopes that parents understand the costs often associated with Travel Ball may be prohibitive. Really great article Dr. Hamilton! Is there a solution to all of this? I was forced to purchase team-designed cleats and helmet. For additional information please contact Tony Carter 615-202-9606. We have truly enjoyed getting to know our travel team family! They work the young players harder, but the result is better player development. Ive seen a couple of families fall into the travel ball trap. Not criticizing anyone not on same path, but if they want it, you wont stop them. For us, the Orioles will always be a family affair. Rec ball. Unlike travel baseball, Little League is mostly a local affair and is organized with a lot of effort and goodwill from the locals. I never felt that way until I got to college, but looking at the demands of travel ball, I totally understand how the kid feels. (Also, the boy could really hit. After college, my husband played pro baseball for a while and I played on a national team. Editor's note: This is the first story in a four-part series examining the pros and cons of youths playing extensive travel baseball versus Little League, or a combination of the two. No doubt there are exceptions, but I havent personally witnessed one. Its a fading game. In Florida, some high-level programs now cost over $10,000 a season. Several thoughts on that: Their chances are greater for continuing their sporting lives, whether at college or recreationally as adults, if they arent burnt out on competition by the time they turn 18or 13, as Ive seen occur far too often. The roster includes 35 players, 27 of whom can receive scholarship money. Please dont mortgage your home on a dream that your kid might be good enough to go pro. does the drake hotel chicago have a pool . Travel ball, by contrast, is not cheap participation fees average about $2,000 per player per year. Some of the thoughts overlap what was already said. Today, participation is seen by many as a near necessity for talented players to develop their skills and hone their game against the best competition they can find. God makes it pretty clear when Paul says, Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus We represent Him, so we will want to do our best and want our kids to understand why. to return baseball to urban fields. The Holy Spirit leads us all differently. It did to me. Personally, if I could have done things differently I would have kept my child in the rec leagues but I guess Im not sure if she would have learned to pursue excellence in the manner she did had she done so. Travel Ball "World Series". Scotland (Scots: Scotland, Scottish Gaelic: Alba [alap] ()) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Plenty of top high school and college programs have their scouts regularly attend travel baseball tournaments. I had to pay a sign-up fee of $750. Scratch. That means that even if your kid is the best thing since Babe Ruth, if he goes off to play major college baseball, the baseball team isnt paying all the expenses. Most professional golfers look the same. Is the travel ball opportunity your 714 year old kid has more important than Friday nights and Saturday mornings at home with the family? I started my son in the Little League Tee Ball program when he was four. I have a neighbor who constantly pesters me about our childrens sports involvement level-rec. Id bet if you polled the MLB players the vast majority of them would agree. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a 96-mile (154-kilometre) border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast and east, and the Irish Sea to . It also has a successful 18u rec program. Guess what; we still talk about baseball. We are certain you will find a team that fits you and your youth baseball players' needs perfectly! I appreciate the article. Its hard in the county. Our time in sports opened up a world of opportunities, and more importantly taught us much about life, ourselves and God, so we are very pro-sports. Christians are Christians because we worship what is true. I do wonder though as a parent of a child who did play travel ball and also ended up as a D1 athlete if we arent typically just exchanging one pursuit of excellence for another. They had to draft 8th graders to play for the high school JV team so the others could step up and play the Varsity. The Charter Committee also reserves the right to suspend or revoke the local Little Leagues charter for such violations. The local Little League and the teams players, manager, or coaches, do not need to raise any funds to be able to participate in the Little League Baseball World Series. We dont win Non-Christians by showing them how little we care about worship and the assembly of believers, we win them through honoring God as better than all other appetites. I have seen it just recently in the church Im attending now. However, I am concerned about the amount of time spent in preparation, travel, and practice that can rob a family of what is truly important from a Scriptural perspective. I have coached in a recreation league for almost five years, and now my eleven-year-old daughter is in soccer travel ball. First, not all travel ball destroys a childs love for the game. I also when I was kid play at lyndon and never traveled and loved it and still played college baseball myself for 4 yrs. Very good and same principles work for hockey too. Help your kids find the joy of learning in areas other than sports. In 2002, Havenwood Little League merged with Riviera Beach Little League and two other local baseball programs in Pasadena and became the Pasadena Baseball Club. Dont let one child be turned away because they cant afford registration or equipment. Registration is quick, easy, and FREE. While it has completely permeated and overtaken little league baseball, it exists in every sport, football included. I have friends I respect whose kids have played (and some who do play) travel ball, and I mean no offense to them by this post. ). And man (probably some do) dont evangelize. Travel Ball Killing Little League!? Thanks, To Him Be the Gory (in travel ball and everywhere else in His Creation). Usually, teams play travel ball at least twice a month, on weekends. Eternity is at stake. -ta. That is why I was sympathetic to the angry dads argument and, in the end, took his son for the team. On the contrary, travel baseball is pure commitment! Enfield Little League is happy to continue with the Enfield Warriors travel program. It can be beneficial for high school aged and sometimes junior high kids, but the little ones, ages six to twelve, it's the worst thing you can do for them. But it also comes back to another thing: family and community. I was recently Contemplating to start travel ball from my son recently and for some reason Ive been holding back . Fourth, travel ball is expensive, but so are the other activities in which many parents place their children like show choir and band. (Their varsity team is seeded #1 or #2 nationwide and is competitive, though still strives to put Jesus first.) Non-Christians exist because what they worship is false. That the glory of the Lord might cover the dry land as the waters cover the sea. Lets think about two sports; Golf and NASCAR. Messages conveyed: We parents need to pray daily about what messages we are sending our children by the sports or other activities we have them in. If youre not ready to make certain sacrifices, then this form of baseball is probably not for you. Below are just a few stream of consciousness suggestions as readers consider their views on how they encourage their children in sports. Added together, the average cost per player for a season must be well over $1,000. It also has a successful 18u rec program. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Little League Baseball and Softball. Additionally, every local Little League program in the United States with a team that travels 150 miles or more per one round trip to a section, state, and region level tournament receives a reimbursement from Little League Baseball of $1 per mile for one round trip to each tournament site, to help offset travel expenses. I love helping people get a better understanding of the game. While my son made a ton of new friends and had fun, I felt he needed more. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); on Dont Play Travel Ball: Stay in the Rec League, Great Books Selections for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016. Those two sports may not seem very similar. The kids were really good, but he made it! I wrote about this for Camden Chat in 2016: Orioles baseball will not be the most important thing that we teach our daughter about. We practiced a lot, doing as much as the NCAA allowed, all year long, in season and out. You can argue all you want and say you go to church when you travel, but the first time you skip church because it interferes with game time, you have taught your child that a game is more important than worshipping God. Dads get into it for a little better competition not meaning for it to take over their lives, and the next thing they know their schedule and wallet are dominated by travel ball. Rec ball is where they develop and Even though my son showed to every practice and gave 100% effort, it didnt matter. They have grown together, developed rapport and strong friendships. It has been somewhat successful in some respects in that some of its alumni like Carl Crawford, C.C. Dont sacrifice your sons childhood on the altar of the hope that hes the next Derek Jeter. Well-said. It has been somewhat successful in some respects in that some of its alumni like Carl Crawford, C.C. Turn your focus and see a different view. However, they are much more severe. But a story did cross my timeline about something near and dear to my heart: baseball. Waiting lists for leagues. They chronicled 850 baseball deaths in Death at the Ballpark, spanning professional, amateur, Little League, and even backyard pickup games. No one should expect to make the show. I chase my boys all over creation and its very taxing in many ways. Travel with extended families and make bonds with good people. The travel ball system is no different. Uniforms, equipment, and any assets belonging to the local Little League (including uniforms bearing the required Little League shoulder patch), cannot be used for non-Little League activities, or in any game or tournament not specifically approved by Little League International. Christians need to be gathering with the same group of people every week to worship the risen Lord Jesus, to hear his word, and to fellowship with each other. Unfortunately with all the sacrifices Ive made that relocation doesnt seem likely but as usual, Ill pray about it. The Little League League Finder tool quickly and easily identifies whether a residence or school address is located within the boundaries of an active Little League program. We only have 1 high school senior playing basketball. This is what we due when we gather for worship. As a pastor, I require my daughter to be in church every Sunday, which means that she misses all Sunday games that interfere with worship. I dont usually read things that are in America. Our league is like the one you described. And there are eight Urban Youth Academies providing year-round instruction in the game. In the end, it should all come to what the kid wants. But most of them still play, in one way or another. And this, more than anything else, is the problem with the continued growth and success of baseball. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I simply have to go find the people that need Jesus. We will be staying with rec from now on. Once-proud public institutions are being privatized, with many unintended consequences. Applaud effort and celebrate results for both dugouts. Is travel baseball killing Little League in America? I had worked with him quite a lot prior to that. I just watched a program not too long ago on the rise of Tommy johns surgeries. Hey, for years sports programs operated quite successfully without Sunday morning scheduling. We have the pressure of middle school tryouts being in 2 years, and we wanted to make sure that he did well at those tryouts. What will travel ball mean for your marriage? Mr. Greene, who is currently a minor league coordinator and coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, said what troubles him is not pushy parents, showboating players or bullying coaches. That covered SOME tournaments and a bat bag. In addition to a spring season, PSLL offers a summer league, summer camps, fall ball, and a winter skills clinic. Be a parent. When comparing travel baseball vs Little League, each of the two has its own advantages and drawbacks. Let kids be kids, they and their bodies will decide what they can and cant do. As its name says, travel baseball is a form of baseball that involves traveling and playing away from the teams local area. Families who thought the Sunday game was no big deal slowly dropped out of church because sports came first. They need to run and jump and exercise other muscles than the ones required by baseball. We all need to be careful that identifying with just one sport and spending most of our time with it can deter a child from gaining skills, interests and appreciation for other activities and knowledge. MORE: 5 Little League Strategies for Coaches Who Want to Have Fun and Win Herbst will then go down the line and examine form to correct anyone who isn't doing the wind-up properly. #momof3boys. We have commodified the play of millions of children into. But this, which I encourage you to read in its entirety, is a very damning piece about the state of baseball in America. Being part of a team, no matter how long its for, isnt permanent, so as nice as it is to identify with activities that we love, we dont want them to define us or our kids. I know families whove mortgaged their homes so their kids can play baseball, he said. Is it a help or detriment to their character and bodies? As Little League has declined, travel baseball has grown. While you make some great points, let me provide an alternate perspective, even if I appear at present to be the lone dissenting voice. On the off-chance that your kid is a freak athlete with the arm strength, foot speed, power, stamina, and character, who gets all the right breaks at just the right time, chances are hell rise up through the ranks of rec ball rather than being groomed on the travel ball circuit. Just last year, I finished your work Gods Glory in Salvation through Judgment. And yes, they will see how I live and whats important to me the other 6 days a week; for better or worse. Teams advancing to the regional level in the U.S. receive an additional $200. Bottom line: give your kids a childhood theyll want to replicate with their own children not one theyll react against. Get involved with the sports governing board and voice your opinion. My son is 11u, and this fall was his first (and possibly final) season of travel ball. The majority of coaches in the Little League are volunteers, mostly recruited of the parent ranks. The focus of the Little league is mainly on kids developing baseball fundamentals and having fun without too much competitive pressure. As a result, many children don't get the opportunity to play and develop their skills,. Well-roundedness: Despite the cultural drive for pursuing one sport, well-roundedness as a child makes for happy, well-adjusted adults. Copyright 2003-2023 Too many times parents want what they want, not whats best for their kids. I think the key is finding the right team and families. She got to have some really good conversations with the moms who really didnt understand the philosophy behind Upward as a result. The following year was about the same. You may be betting on the kid getting a scholarship. The Broadneck, Brooklyn Park, Glen Burnie, Harundale, Havenwood, Lake Shore, and Marley Little Leagues are all no longer associated with Little League. Excellence: Pursuing excellence is important, but be sure you know and your child knows what you mean by that. Please advertise when you have this league so I can get the 70 or so kids I will bring with me to get in registration line. coming down the pike. The fear that if children dont specialize in one sport by eighth grade they will miss opportunities is unfounded. 12YO & 11YO players who are trying out for the National League. Little League International respects the rights of a parent(s), or legal guardian(s), to allow a child to participate in any Little League activity. They would have to drive to another suburb for ball games. In the US, the program involves kids ages 4-16 and is organized into the following divisions: For a lot of kids, Little League is the first time they meet with the organized baseball. Its only about winning and not developing. There are other times even on Sundays to play just as there are many different times that people worship. This upcoming spring season will include some division changes we have made to improve the experience for players at all levels. Golf has, traditionally, been a sport played by upper-class white guys. Kids racing go-karts and more expensive vehicles as they get older. They learn more socially because they have different teammates for each sport and different roles. Gallatin Little League Baseball: T-ball, Coach Pitch & Baseball You can print a registration form (PDF). Every expert agreed that kids are being played too hard and too long. We have had a sub par experience, and I have that guilt every Sunday that we are at a tournament instead of honoring God in His house. My son excels in travel ball and weve started a bible devotion for the boys before every tournament. Too many surgeries, other arm problems, leg issues and other health issues that kids at that age shouldnt have to endure. He didnt make the middle school team as only travel ball kids only made it. He was selected and after spending money on uniforms, dues, tournaments, he was cut from the team because he had a slump in his batting. My son started disliking baseball at 9 years old because the boys in rec wouldnt hit a cut off, and dropped the ball so often. You are spot on with all your assertions, and I wish Id been able to absorb something like this when my oldest two were starting out. Christian Smiths Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers Ryan E. I think this is a good post and is great advice. Extend your season, make sure that all teams are drafted equally. There are many benefits of pursuing sports excellence, travel like any other passion filled event children can participate can be an extremely beneficial. Im not saying that travel ball is a sin, but it seems to be something that Satan can use to tempt people away (especially dads). After my first year of it in college, I found that what had been so fun because I had the opportunity to look forward to it in the off season, or even on days between practice or games, began to feel like a dreaded obligation that consumed a significant portion of every day. Little League baseball is a program organized by a non-profit organization based in Pennsylvania and it features local youth baseball competitions all over the world. But it hasnt been enough to revive baseball completely in inner cities to what it once was. And it certainly does nothing to address the issue of middle and working-class suburban residents and the expense involved in playing the game at a high level. Gallatin WAVE Baseball League This is a travel baseball league for teams only. blair and son funeral home smiths falls / top of the world patty griffin meaning / travel ball killing little league. I am coaching a 5-6 yr old team and can already feel the pull of private instructors, out of season ball, travel squads, etc. Growing up I loved baseball. I appreciate the attention to burnout as well Ive seen that in some kids where theyre pushed to keep going and just dont want to do it anymore. Coach B, Come play in SBMSA in Houston. With baseball programs now a rarity in middle schools, travel baseball and Little League are the best option for kids enthusiastic about baseball. My husband also was a quarterback at a Big 10 university, and my dad was a football coach, but we both chose to direct our son away from football and into other sports because of the enormous risk of injury, especially head injury. I think Jesus said it best when He said, What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?, Thank you sir for thisI wrestle with this issue a lot as our older children (3 boys/12, 9, & 8) are starting to get to the age where this is a possibility. So much time was freed up by not having to go to practice. I submit that even with all the excitement of the game, and the money and fame that come with it, the life of a professional athlete is not one to be envied. Often, teams participate in the tournaments that take place in a city other than their own or even in another state. He has a decent arm but has never pitched in travel. little league field, killing 1 . OP's son sounds like a hard worker, just have to work in the right place 35 Reply [deleted] 5 yr. ago And to get your kid into a school with AP courses. We pick and choose how much we want to play, spend, etc and have been very successful in several states. By your argument, we should never have church services because, if were in church and the lost people arent, how are we going to win them? Were enjoying the homeschool league to which we belong right now, but also realize that our daughters team is not a highly competitive team, but the JV/Varsity teams are a bit more competitive. Providing evidence of insurance to field owners and tournament organizers can consume a team manager's life and drain the budget without the right insurance program. After looking at the tournament schedule, I realized Id miss days at work and the expenses would pile up. Girls have been admitted since 1974. Thankfully, we have a great group of players, coaches, and families. His, League will play at Municipal Park or Thompson Park. Having coached both my sons in travel an rec ball, and being on the board of our local rec league, serving as president for several years. Players at all levels kids racing go-karts and more expensive vehicles as they get older i think the is. Kid might be good enough to revive baseball completely in inner cities to what the kid a... 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By not having to go pro player for a while and i played a! Been enough to go to practice are christians because we worship what is true a family.... Extend your season, PSLL offers a summer League, each of the thoughts overlap what was said. The joy of learning in areas other than their own children not one theyll react against but most them...