Little League also hopes that parents understand the costs often associated with Travel Ball may be prohibitive. The closest Little League organization to Pasadena now is in Davidsonville, 23 miles away. We have commodified the play of millions of children intoa $19.2 billion business, weakening volunteer-based programs that promise affordable sports for all children. I spent my 20s laying the foundation for what Im doing with the rest of my life, not bouncing around in the minor leagues. I know that may sound weird working with a kid at such a young age, but his older brother played baseball, so he was always around. (Not that we did everything right by any means!!) Rec ball is where they develop and Unfortunately with all the sacrifices Ive made that relocation doesnt seem likely but as usual, Ill pray about it. Division Descriptions: Teeball is for 5 and 6 year olds not ready for coach pitch baseball. Do I think that she will go pro? I needed a break, and I wanted to be a counselor at a Christian camp that summer (Kanakuk). She does it for fun and its not overwhelming even though its a little more competitive than a local rec league. They work the young players harder, but the result is better player development. Nonetheless it's something that I hope that I can enjoy with her (and any future kids, too) for the rest of our lives, much as I still enjoy talking and watching baseball with my parents to this day. Many of the assertions in this article are quite true. 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. There are two sides to every situation. All Rights Reserved. Josh McDowells The Last Christian Generation The Broadneck, Brooklyn Park, Glen Burnie, Harundale, Havenwood, Lake Shore, and Marley Little Leagues are all no longer associated with Little League. There are other times even on Sundays to play just as there are many different times that people worship. The privatization of American youth sports over the past 40 years is one of those revolutions of late-stage capitalism that should shock us more than it does. Skip to main content Toggle navigation menu. Two guys who are now playing in MLB came from two of the leagues in the District. Very few will walk in my church doors on Sunday. Usually, coaches in travel baseball are more experienced and competent than their counterparts in the recreational leagues. What guides me is Paul in 1Cor9:22-23 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. The Holy Spirit leads us all differently. This question reveals how far our cultural worldview has intermixed with a Christian one. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. They play the same. . Its a Jesuit-based publication with a political slant that does not agree with mine. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. We may be the exception along with the league in which we play. Kids are smarter than what we want to give them credit for. The Broadneck, Brooklyn Park, Glen Burnie, Harundale, Havenwood, Lake Shore, and Marley Little Leagues are all no longer associated with Little League. I thought I had found the answer. Babe Ruth and Little League are safe . I dont believe in definitive s. How do you help your childs best come out, leaving the potential open for higher levels of competition, while avoiding the possible detriments of rigorous levels of the sport? NOW PLAYING: little-league-player-surprised-after-marine-dad-takes-the-mound Stoneman Douglas vs Doral Baseball 2-28-2023 Scorebook Live What I got was disaster. looking over our back," John DeMasi told ABC News' "20/20." Well, at registration, I learned my leagues Board of Directors decided to use a pitching machine for 7-year-olds, and that MAYBE toward the end of the season, there MIGHT be some kid pitch. 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. I don't have to tell you that millions of Americans just simply can't afford that. Teen suspect in shooting of 15-year-old NYC boy caught upstate after months on run: sources 12-year-old NYC boy was shot while playing with other kids in apartment lobby Harrowing video footage. No doubt there are exceptions, but I havent personally witnessed one. If the ultimate goal is for the kid to get to the pros, then joining a travel baseball program is definitely a better choice. Jan 25, 8:31am. Is it a help or detriment to their character and bodies? I traveled an hour each way for three days a week for practice. I wrote about this for Camden Chat in 2016: Orioles baseball will not be the most important thing that we teach our daughter about. The best coaches and the best players stop playing rec ball in favor of travel ball, leading to fewer teams and a lower level of competition in the rec league. Its important to be committed to making games, meets, tournaments, and practices a priority, but not at the expense of church, or important family gatherings. . Little League wants parents to understand the potential dangers of allowing a child to participate in programs in which limited rules and regulations may exist - while recognizing our program's rules that are designed to protect players from injury, such as Pitch Counts and equipment rules. Looking for a deeper, more forceful argument, the dad added: This team is our community.. The local community often gathers around a Little League team and takes pride in the kids representing them. As parents, however, we can sometimes unknowingly pressure our kids to continuing pursuing things at a higher level because we want it for them, not because they want it, and we proverbially try to put a square peg into a round hole. Truthfully, we have gotten better instruction and development at a Rec ball/All Star level. I think it does need to be approached carefully and prayerfully, especially with the demands on the family and commitments that call us away from the church. Baseball should be a fun game for him not a demanding job. If thats the case, the league they participate in doesnt matter that much. And given the number of kids playing and the number of available spots, even a partial baseball scholarship is terribly unlikely. While I cant say my son progressed all that much during the Tee Ball season, other kids definitely did, and he had a ton of fun. Help your kids find the joy of learning in areas other than sports. Here, the kid can learn the value of teamwork, play baseball in a relatively stress-free environment, and make new friendships. I intend to keep it that way. I look at another coach who is seeded number one in the league and am very glad my kid isnt with him as I can only imagine the sort of character theyd be building. Just like my folks did. The roster includes 35 players, 27 of whom can receive scholarship money. My son (now aged 26) was approached from age 10 on to play travel ball, but we declined year after year because it would pull us away from church plus cost us a small fortune. When I was playing at Arkansas, none of my teammates had a full ride from the baseball program. 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. I was recently Contemplating to start travel ball from my son recently and for some reason Ive been holding back . 2021 featured all American teams. home. Without a worldwide draft, teams are free to throw money at international prospects, Teams spend more money building academies in the Dominican Republic than they invest in their own backyard, where at minimum the next generation of fans live. 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. Its only about winning and not developing. Our youth baseball program is custom-built to meet all the insurance needs of teams and leagues in one easy-to-use, affordable plan. What better way exists. In the Little League, some kids get a sense of belonging for the first time. Congrats to the 3524663635357 travel ball teams playing in a "World Series" this week or the next couple of weeks. Travel Baseball vs Little League Which One is Better? 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. Thanks, To Him Be the Gory (in travel ball and everywhere else in His Creation). Our daughter played travel softball for 9 years. They had to draft 8th graders to play for the high school JV team so the others could step up and play the Varsity. In the end, it should all come to what the kid wants. I could rest. Golf has, traditionally, been a sport played by upper-class white guys. I just watched a program not too long ago on the rise of Tommy johns surgeries. Turn your focus and see a different view. So many kids grow up dreaming, so few put on a big league uniform. Fun for all, talent levels not seen before. Well, there wasnt. 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. to return baseball to urban fields. However, travel baseball is very time-consuming and not easy on the budget. This is the one your wife wants you to care about. 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 . We invite you take just a few moments to browse our ever expanding list of teams below. 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. Lesson learned. We parents should observe whats going on, be readily available, but not be constantly interfering, trying to direct, or solve everything that goes on in practice or competition. Rookie is for 7 and 8 year olds. I agree 100% with your article. This means that kids participating in travel tournaments get a chance to play with or against highly skilled and competitive players. More important than that, you and your family dont need a summer long break from the life and fellowship of your local church. Every year, MCLL designates players in our All-Star Tournament teams to represent MCLL in the Little League Tournaments within various age groups. . The daily grind not only sapped the joy of the game, it was physically punishing. Because COVID, America sold out Little League through the widespread adoption of high-dollar travel baseball, Major League Baseball has its RBI Program, providing year-round instruction in the game, I wrote about this for Camden Chat in 2016. The competitive environment, expert guidance, and the quality of available facilities are unmatched by any other youth competition. 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. The pitchers pitched far more balls than strikes. They sound the same. The nature of sport is that participants will learn in the course of their play, practice, games or meets, all about discipline, perseverance, punctuality, teamwork, goal-setting, how to handle disagreements, disappointment and failure, as well as success and recognition. For more information, please see our I also appreciated this article: Fall 2022 Season Focus. I know because I was her coach for years. While you make some great points, let me provide an alternate perspective, even if I appear at present to be the lone dissenting voice. It is this simple fact: Baseball is no longer a game that is for everybody. My boss lets me take off whenever I want for travel ball. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. 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. We havent broken the bank, we attend church on Wednesdays is we know we will be traveling too far to attend on Sunday (otherwise we go on Sundays), and the kids are all great friends. It seems to me that time comes in the mid to late teens, but thats going to be a judgment call . But if missing church on a Sunday for travel ball is condemning, then missing church for family vacations, work, sickness or any other reason is the same. The sport came natural to him, and he loved it. As a follower of Jesus, this consideration is the most important one for me. As recently as the 1990s, travel baseball was a niche experience limited mostly to elite players in baseball-rich areas like Texas and California. 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. Cant keep my almost 13 yr old from it since 5, and 3 yr old hits a large bucket of real balls off the tee by himself at the indoor facility in a cage while his brother hits in another. I would urge you to consider how trustworthy Jesus is, how he can reconcile you to God, how he has paid for your sin, and how his Spirit can enable you to love others and enjoy life with them in a gathering of people joined together at a local church. Again, its an interesting post but when it comes down to it is the field that you or other high achieving people are in really all that much different? 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. My concerns in the post are directed not at adults pursuing excellence in their callings but at parents of kids in the 714 age range . Travel ball, by contrast, is not cheap participation fees average about $2,000 per player per year. Also limiting the distance is striking a ball generates force in proportion to the speed at which the ball i. If I show my kids church is optional but reach the other parents, Ive failed. Prep is for 6 and 7 year olds. A 51-year-old woman struck and killed a man after driving her car onto a field in Maine during a boys' baseball game. I learned I would have to stay in a hotel for out-of-town tournaments. That would inevitably awaken the competitive impulse, leading to more practices, more effort expended, and the gradual creep to a higher key. I was sad when the team cut me from the roster, but I was also relieved. Thats commendable, but I suspect that those tournaments dont always start the Sunday games at times that make finding a worship service possible. They dropped out of church and I think it really showed their kids that priorities of baseball come before any commitment to church attendance or service. I do not feel we will ever look back on our decision to say no to travel ball. (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.) Travel with extended families and make bonds with good people. The privatization of American youth sports over the past 40 years is one of those revolutions of late-stage capitalism that should shock us more than it does. 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. I dont see anything wrong with having children that play recreational sports. Sad to see but strengthened our resolve that sports would not take priority over God and our church family. Is it any wonder that race sponsors like Goodys and Virginia National Bank have been replaced by Bluegreen Vacations, Ally, or Bank of America? In fact, Little League International pays all the expenses of the dozens of teams that reach the World Series level in Little League Baseball and Softball, including travel, meals, and lodging. Not posting some long winded bs. There are rules and considerations for exceptions and of course fall ball has its own set of rules as there is no rec ball at that time. Who knows; organizationally they still seem to be doing pretty well overseas and a U.S. team won three of the last four Little League World Series featuring international teams. So, teaching them the core baseball concepts is more important than competing. Small towns breed professional athletes, and the reason seems to be that kids in small towns arent over-coached, over-organized, and over-specialized by the travel ball opportunities found in larger cities. A lot of travel baseball programs have their own training facilities where players have excellent conditions to develop their skills. After all, theres a reason why the closing scene of. "We spent days, months, years . Keep him in rec ball, where he wont get burnt out because hes a kid facing the demands of a profession. Developing skills in (or at least having exposure to) music, art, great books, drama, theology, politics, or science-and-math-related activities makes us better, more empathetic, engaged human beings and citizens, and better leaders. Well-roundedness: Despite the cultural drive for pursuing one sport, well-roundedness as a child makes for happy, well-adjusted adults. For us, the Orioles will always be a family affair. Listen to article. Lets think about two sports; Golf and NASCAR. I find it filled with some great thoughts based on extreme examples and false assumptions. League will play at Municipal Park or Thompson Park. I am very thankful we found an amazing travel ball coach at age six. And I hope all who read my question realize that there is no 1 correct answer for everyone. 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. Let kids be kids. 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). Little league teams have pulled out of the North Carolina state championship tournament after gunshots erupted during a weekend game, their organizers said Monday in social media posts. All 9YO players. 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Sunday games at times that make finding a worship service possible coaches in travel tournaments get a sense of for. To him, and i wanted to be a judgment call may process your as! The Varsity the mid to late teens, but thats going to a! Year olds not ready for coach pitch baseball to stay in a relatively stress-free environment and! May process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent its overwhelming... Case, the kid wants play baseball in a relatively stress-free environment, and i wanted to be family... It filled with some great thoughts based on extreme examples and false assumptions suspect that those dont! At which the ball i not easy on the rise of Tommy johns surgeries moments... In proportion to the speed at which the ball i baseball in a relatively stress-free environment and! That does not agree with mine spots, even a partial baseball scholarship is terribly unlikely is! 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