Northern Virginia Travel Baseball League. I dont normally respond to blog posts, but I wanted to respond to this one because I respect you. to return baseball to urban fields. Im sure that's true for some but once kids get to high school, travel ball. Despite not playing travel ball until high school, he got several offers and ended up playing for a highly regarded D1 program. Kids racing go-karts and more expensive vehicles as they get older. The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football.First played during the 1871-72 season, it is the oldest national football competition in the world. Motivations: Just because you liked something as a kid, or were good at it, it doesnt mean your child will or should be. Icicidirect. As Little League has declined, travel baseball has grown. It is the most pernicious aspect of youth league sports. Spoiler: I wasnt good enough to keep playing. I was impressed when we showed up that the Varsity girls took a little time to welcome her and get her situated before the coaches were ready. Dont sacrifice your sons childhood on the altar of the hope that hes the next Derek Jeter. I could now study what I wanted to study, and my classes were no longer determined by baseball practice. So many kids grow up dreaming, so few put on a big league uniform. I understand that now I may be bringing up an exception to the norm. Families who thought the Sunday game was no big deal slowly dropped out of church because sports came first. I don't have to tell you that millions of Americans just simply can't afford that. Your email address will not be published. We have made this decision for the past three years and been ridiculed for it and told we are not being fair to our son. Our son never felt like he missed out on anything; he was too busy playing other sports and doing other activities. via Facebook. Sabathia and the Upton Brothers have become big league players. As expected, my son got limited playing time during the season. The physical and mental challenges of pursuing more than one sport is healthy in every respect. But it hasnt been enough to revive baseball completely in inner cities to what it once was. Really great article Dr. Hamilton! My daughter is involved in a local homeschool league. If I was in the big leagues, my summers (and falls, and springs) would be dominated by an unrelenting schedule leaving no opportunity to coach my kids teams. He was so upset. Do I think that she will go pro? Dont let one child be turned away because they cant afford registration or equipment. That is why I was sympathetic to the angry dads argument and, in the end, took his son for the team. The MCLL Fall season has a developmental focus and is an opportunity for players to try the division they may play next Spring. I also when I was kid play at lyndon and never traveled and loved it and still played college baseball myself for 4 yrs. blair and son funeral home smiths falls / top of the world patty griffin meaning / travel ball killing little league. The group that split from us is the same group that has ruined our little league. Then again, some games I find my older daughter listening to her ipod while we watch the games. They work the young players harder, but the result is better player development. Heading back to Little League! New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. That covered SOME tournaments and a bat bag. He pulls down honor roll at school and is in band. 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. But most of them still play, in one way or another. Thats why Im writing this post. Search FairfaxCounty.gov . You explain it t the tee for me and cant thank you enough . I know families whove mortgaged their homes so their kids can play baseball, he said. There may be instances in which its the right thing, and when a kid gets to be 15 to 16 years old, its understandable that commitment levels and demands are going to rise and choices are going to have to be made. Rec ball is where they develop and Peter Stuyvesant Little League offers coed baseball for ages 4-16; girls softball for ages 5-17 and a Challenger Division for ages 4-18. LL was the emphasis, there were only a couple of travel teams. Covering Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale, Gilbert, the valley . The most important thing is that the kid is happy and doesnt feel forced to do something he or she doesnt enjoy. Baseball exists not just because of the community's love of the game. Travel is not glamorous but grueling. Kids are smarter than what we want to give them credit for. , weakening volunteer-based programs that promise affordable sports for all children. This upcoming spring season will include some division changes we have made to improve the experience for players at all levels. Little League. 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. 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. This is great information, but unfortunately rec ballaka little leagueis a political nightmare where I am from and for many others. We have commodified the play of millions of children into. No. Confused! Our hope as parents is that they think of themselves first as members of Gods family and then our family, and then perhaps as an athlete, etc., after that. There are two sides to every situation. Gallatin WAVE Baseball League This is a travel baseball league for teams only. The majority of the leagues are run by local volunteers whose programs are annually charted by Little League International. 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. However, the main reason weve stuck with travel is the consistency that it offers. And there are eight Urban Youth Academies. 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. For us, travel has been amazing. But it is, quite literally, passed down from generation to generation. 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. Looking for a deeper, more forceful argument, the dad added: This team is our community.. Who are these kids being forced to play? Playing baseball is a nice extracurricular to put down on applications. Coach B, Come play in SBMSA in Houston. Your marriage matters a lot more than some sport your kid plays. Fun for all, talent levels not seen before. As a mom of a 10 year old girl who has played both travel and rec softball we have seen first hand the pros and cons of both. I was forced to purchase team-designed cleats and helmet. Is travel baseball killing Little League in America? They would have to drive to another suburb for ball games. Little League. He did see some development as a player, but nothing major. I think "specialization" is killing certain sports in local markets, it depends. Legalism requires perfection, and Im not perfect, Jesus is. 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. Now think about NASCAR. We only have 1 high school senior playing basketball. What are they learning? In the end, it should all come to what the kid wants. 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. Every year, various baseball organizations, including USSA, AAU, or Perfect Game, organize hundreds of these tournaments across the whole country. Thanks for the great article I can share with the parents of my students. LittleBallparks.comis a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sitesto earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As a long-term pastor Ive watched parents who were convinced their sons would benefit by travel ball deeply regret their decisions a decade later. Focusing on winning games is short-sighted and ignorant. By living our life for Christ the other 6 days. They did not come out of the womb knowing about baseball. I recognize that although it isnt common for kids to be offered college scholarships for sports, it obviously isnt impossible. The gods of baseball punished me for my lack of devotion. The local community often gathers around a Little League team and takes pride in the kids representing them. (Explained In Detail! Well, there wasnt. Ryan E. I think this is a good post and is great advice. 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. She got to have some really good conversations with the moms who really didnt understand the philosophy behind Upward as a result. With the emergence of travel baseball and its more developed infrastructure, Little League has lost its appeal as a path to higher levels of competition. Listen to article. Its become a white elitist sport, Mr. Greene told me. In my experience as a recreation coach, I found the rec league filled with as much politics and drama and team stacking as travel ball leagues. In addition to a spring season, PSLL offers a summer league, summer camps, fall ball, and a winter skills clinic. 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. And there are eight Urban Youth Academies providing year-round instruction in the game. Rookie is for 7 and 8 year olds. They need to run and jump and exercise other muscles than the ones required by baseball. I also need it every day of the week. Of course our children have bents that we want to nurture, encourage and help them develop, but lets make sure we arent pursuing our own agenda. He didnt make the middle school team as only travel ball kids only made it. And that can, partially, explain Major League Baseballs lack of investment in the game in America. Maybe families should pray over the decision that best suits each individual child. Wow this article really spoke to me. (No wonder God calls us to pray without ceasing!). Nope, the good, serious players in most sports do both in high school. Rec ball in many places is competitive. Get involved with the sports governing board and voice your opinion. Its not a coincidence that two of the most iconic golfers of the last thirty years, John Daly and Tiger Woods, were nothing like their peers in their own ways. But over the years, the cost of entry has become more and more expensive. http://kristenanneglover.com/my-kids-dont-play-sports/#comment-6411. (He never would have been able to do this had he continued playing in college as all of the players were expected to play in a summer league each year.) Its apparent that wegenerally speakingspend more time encouraging our children to pursue athletic excellence than we do in developing a Biblical Worldview in them. foster a love for the game. Travel ball, by contrast, is not cheap participation fees average about $2,000 per player per year. I had worked with him quite a lot prior to that. In Little League baseball, ages can vary as much as three years in a division, with 9-year old players in a division with 12-year olds. They sound the same. It also has a successful 18u rec program. And for the good of rec ball leagues everywhere, for the good of your family, and for the good of your kids, I would urge you to avoid travel ball until the kid is old enough to commit to a more demanding regimen. Excellence: Pursuing excellence is important, but be sure you know and your child knows what you mean by that. After college, my husband played pro baseball for a while and I played on a national team. Fourth, travel ball is expensive, but so are the other activities in which many parents place their children like show choir and band. I intend to keep it that way. Following the tryouts and evaluations, the Managers will select their teams and you will be contacted on or before March 15 th. My son tried out. | GWG Clips #2 from GWG episode #1| Daniel Otero and Ty Osborne - YouTube Blessed to have Tyrone on with us for this episode! We pretty much know that were not ready to commit to a large amount of travel and that will be a consideration as our daughter gets older. 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. It should be noted that the local Little League programs pay a one-time entry fee for each team to enter Tournament Play ($200), which goes into a restricted fund used exclusively for offsetting local Little League programs expenses accrued during International Tournament play, including the World Series in each division of play. My thoughts will be mainly applied to baseball, but I think they are valid for basketball, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, and whatever else. I was told pitching machines are good because they pitch a consistent ball, and help with hand-eye coordination. We are leaning strongly to go back to his Rec ball league that we enjoyed in the spring. 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. And something that we will continue to do playing baseball, watching baseball, playing catch, playing wiffle ball, etc. I talked to a dad who was committed to having his family in church even when they were on the roadand he said they traveled as a family as often as they couldfor tournaments. In the Little League, some kids get a sense of belonging for the first time. It can be a huge change in commitment, skill level, and dedication depending on the type of team and price you go into. The costs of travel baseball often put a serious strain on the family budget. We invite you take just a few moments to browse our ever expanding list of teams below. (Little League, 1) Paperback - September 24, 2013 by Matt Christopher (Author) 290 ratings Book 2 of 5: Little League See all formats and editions Kindle $6.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Hardcover $7.24 37 Used from $1.28 10 New from $7.24 Paperback $7.99 66 Used from $1.29 20 New from $6.75 Audio CD "We spent days, months, years . Bud Norris, who pitches for the Houston Astros, played in Novato North LL, from Tee Ball through seniors. My older brother played sports from t-ball to college, probably would have went pro if he hadnt hurt his shoulder (yes, he was THAT good, Im not just saying it, he had an unhittab,e curve ball), but the decision was made when he first started that God and His church would always come first, and he would not play if there was a conflict between his first priority and the game. 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. After all, theres a reason why the closing scene of Field of Dreams is so poignant. So much time was freed up by not having to go to practice. He played Little League all the way through age 14 and has wonderful memories of playoff games, sometimes leading all the way to state. He said he had seen it happen. We pick and choose how much we want to play, spend, etc and have been very successful in several states. Anthony Lynn, who remembers his Little League days so vividly, told me that he thinks travel ball is cynical. I hope my article could help to answer your questions. My 5 year old has peers that are playing baseball year round already! Consider D1 baseball: each team is allowed a maximum of 11.7 scholarships, and those scholarships can be divided up between players. (on which more below). In general, most of the Little League tournaments are organized in the local area and involves teams from the same city or community. Is the travel ball opportunity your 714 year old kid has more important than Friday nights and Saturday mornings at home with the family? League will play at Municipal Park or Thompson Park. And I want to provide the best competitive opportunities I can for my own kids. I traveled an hour each way for three days a week for practice. If non-Christians are playing travel ball on Sundays and all the Christians are in church with other Christians, how will the Christians win the non-Christians to Christ? Lets think about two sports; Golf and NASCAR. And given the number of kids playing and the number of available spots, even a partial baseball scholarship is terribly unlikely. "Everyone's selling 'the dream gonna happen,' and people are making a. For millions of American families, paying private for-profit clubseuphemistically termed travel teamsthousands of dollars a year to organize athletic games for their children is now an unquestioned way of life that shapes family routines, work schedules and commutes. The majority of coaches in the Little League are volunteers, mostly recruited of the parent ranks. I chase my boys all over creation and its very taxing in many ways. Usually, coaches in travel baseball are more experienced and competent than their counterparts in the recreational leagues. The sport came natural to him, and he loved it. And at best a professional athlete might play into his late 30s or early 40s, then what? 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 could be wrong. They had to draft 8th graders to play for the high school JV team so the others could step up and play the Varsity. Usually, teams play travel ball at least twice a month, on weekends. Articles like this help. It always seems to happen with those families that God is really working with. As a volunteer basketball coach for 18+ years, Ive seen girls spiritually suffer by the same well-intentioned convictions of their parents. 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. I simply have to go find the people that need Jesus. Travel baseball takes a toll on kids, both mentally and physically. Below are just a few stream of consciousness suggestions as readers consider their views on how they encourage their children in sports. Thats fine for an 18 year old on the cusp of adulthood, but theres no reason to put a 714 year old through that kind of rigor. FieroCoug. 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. AAA Evaluations - 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM. And yes, they will see how I live and whats important to me the other 6 days a week; for better or worse. Your email address will not be published. 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. For a 9 year old team the average tournament entry fee will be $200-$300 EVERY weekend, not to mention the gate fee of at least $10 per person per day. All your doing is increasing the strain and the chance of injury for no appreciable gain. No formula exists, but here are a few ideas to think about: Variety: Encourage your children to play a different sport each season until their upper teens. 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. The way its going, all pro players are going to be rich, white kids from the suburbs, or [they will be] Dominican or Venezuelan, one major league front office analyst told me. This is the one your wife wants you to care about. Individual players who play on Little League teams are also permitted to participate in non-Little League Baseball and Softball programs. While I wasnt thrilled hed be hitting off a tee because he could already hit a pitched ball, I figured we had to start somewhere, and Tee Ball was all that was available. A knock-down, drag-out battle royale between more than a dozen parents and coaches at a kids' Little League game could result in criminal charges against some of . 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