So, teaching them the core baseball concepts is more important than competing. The irony is that if you dont value your commitment to church (and Christ) enough to pass on sports to commit to church, you arent likely to step out and preach the gospel at the sports events either. You explain it t the tee for me and cant thank you enough . Wr had to travel 3 ours to find a competitive travel team. If I show my kids church is optional but reach the other parents, Ive failed. Thank you for sharing your experiences. But today, Havenwood Little League does not exist. Obviously, I dont buy into the idea of late-stage capitalism. (And I hope thats not the reason you involve your kids in athletics!) Yes, I need Sunday fellowship and worship. My sons high school teammate played in the minors for several years before being cut and at age 26, he is just now finishing college and trying to figure out what to do with his life. I have been wanting to put my son on a travel team. Most professional golfers look the same. Travel ball is expensive but studying for class is free, and an SAT book is like 20 bucks. And man (probably some do) dont evangelize. Maybe my son will get a chance to play as long as he continues to love the game. Any player or team that does so may be declared ineligible for further participation in Little League for that year, by action of the Tournament Committee or Charter Committee in Williamsport. The percentages are outrageous. 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. A lot of well rounded and good mannered young men who enjoy competition and sportsmanship. I dont believe in definitive s. For years, the Little League has been the stepping stone for kids between the fun youth play and the more serious high-school and collegiate baseball leagues. I think this is an important topic that needs to be discussed. Several dads had told me that they were leaving rec ball for a low-key travel ball team, or that they were adding a low-key travel ball team on top of the rec ball their son was playing. Applaud effort and celebrate results for both dugouts. Certainly, both travel baseball and Little League proponents have some valid arguments and Ill try to dig a little deeper and explore the advantages and drawbacks of both systems. Looking for a deeper, more forceful argument, the dad added: This team is our community.. The closest Little League organization to Pasadena now is in Davidsonville, 23 miles away. Bud Norris, who pitches for the Houston Astros, played in Novato North LL, from Tee Ball through seniors. Id bet if you polled the MLB players the vast majority of them would agree. Our eldest, now six, is in her second year of playing though she has moved over to softball. Al Mohlers Culture Shift Babe Ruth and Little League are safe . 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. Thanks to all who replied. T-ball, Biddy, "Little League", and Teener League baseball programs for the Tamaqua Area. I spent my 20s laying the foundation for what Im doing with the rest of my life, not bouncing around in the minor leagues. But we have had a great experience with travel ball and have been able to balance our commitments to both Christ, his church, and our family. | GWG Clips #2 from GWG episode #1| Daniel Otero and Ty Osborne - YouTube Blessed to have Tyrone on with us for this episode! He pulls down honor roll at school and is in band. I also when I was kid play at lyndon and never traveled and loved it and still played college baseball myself for 4 yrs. I have a feeling you may not describe yourself as so Dr. Hamilton (humble?) ), What is the Easiest Position in Baseball? A job is not a game. I have also read some of your other works and have learned much from them and enjoyed reading them. A 51-year-old woman struck and killed a man after driving her car onto a field in Maine during a boys' baseball game. We must show them how to live well so that they may flourish and worship what is enduring. Until more teams see value in helping the game at home, this problem for the entire sport will continue. Travel/Select Ball Montgomery County Little League (MCLL) is a recreational baseball program by definition of being a chartered affiliate of Little League International. Usually, coaches in travel baseball are more experienced and competent than their counterparts in the recreational leagues. Build this league and you will have travel on the decline. 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. Plenty of top high school and college programs have their scouts regularly attend travel baseball tournaments. These reflections grow out of my own experience playing and coaching and watching other families. Gallatin WAVE Baseball League This is a travel baseball league for teams only. Our children assume that Sunday morning is time to worship with our church. I just watched a program not too long ago on the rise of Tommy johns surgeries. Brewers pitcher Andrew Kim (10) throws a ball towards the plate and a Giants batter during a game versus the Brewers for a Summerlin Little League North majors game at Trails Park Little. Jan 25, 8:31am. Nope, the good, serious players in most sports do both in high school. He was athletic and had the potential to play college baseball, so we finally enrolled him in travel ball after his freshman year in high school. 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. 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. Im coming at this topic from a multi-dimensional approach. Little League Baseball and Softball. These are presented in the order in which I suspect most dads think about them, not in the order of importance I would rank them (#6 would be #1, and #4 would be #2). 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. 12YO & 11YO players who are trying out for the National League. You played in some tournament, and then district. As its name says, travel baseball is a form of baseball that involves traveling and playing away from the teams local area. 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. But it also comes back to another thing: family and community. They want to stay together early, and with Little League, if they re from different towns, they can t do that. Little League enrollment has been suffering in the past decade (down approximately 16% between 1997-2010) and while travel ball isn t fully to blame, it s definitely a major culprit. I was forced to purchase team-designed cleats and helmet. What will travel ball mean for your other kids? Cookie Notice 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. Now I know the reasons. Even though my son showed to every practice and gave 100% effort, it didnt matter. We only have 1 high school senior playing basketball. Lets think about two sports; Golf and NASCAR. Excellence: Pursuing excellence is important, but be sure you know and your child knows what you mean by that. It is other worldly, it is unlike anything the Non Christian can imagine, to deny ourselves something the world says is a must and do something the world sees as foolish. Our daughter played travel softball for 9 years. Baseball should be a fun game for him not a demanding job. vs. travel. 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. 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. Travel ball is being on the right team, knowing the right people, and working on your skill set; not that much different from academic pursuits really and more so I suppose. Teams are 9U - 14U. Also limiting the distance is striking a ball generates force in proportion to the speed at which the ball i. It is organised by and named after The Football Association (The FA). I was excited not just for him to face pitchers his size and age, but for him to also have a chance on the mound. However, travel baseball is very time-consuming and not easy on the budget. The Broadneck, Brooklyn Park, Glen Burnie, Harundale, Havenwood, Lake Shore, and Marley Little Leagues are all no longer associated with Little League. I think God led me to this article to reassure me that we are doing right. Listen to baseball experts'. I am offering these thoughts for parents who are considering whether to put their kids on a competitive team, or a travel-ball team, or a tournament team, or whatever it may be called in your sport and locale. Our youth baseball program is custom-built to meet all the insurance needs of teams and leagues in one easy-to-use, affordable plan. Listen to article. I do not feel we will ever look back on our decision to say no to travel ball. I remember back when we played Dizzy Dean and Babe Ruth baseball. But this, which I encourage you to read in its entirety, is a very damning piece about the state of baseball in America. Part. They had to draft 8th graders to play for the high school JV team so the others could step up and play the Varsity. I hoped that I would get information like yours Jason. We have truly enjoyed getting to know our travel team family! If thats the case, the league they participate in doesnt matter that much. Which we gladly did because we got to see our daughter develop into a top notch softball player, which would not have happened here. My daughter is involved in a local homeschool league. A lot of teams are started by parents, but some are run by former high school and college coaches. What better way exists. I had played non-stop from the summer before my freshman year, through fall ball, winter weights, the spring season, then summer ball before it started all over in my sophomore year. And you should. But they have more similarities than you think there are. Because COVID, This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Some of the thoughts overlap what was already said. 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. 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. On each weekend, a team will participate in at least four games or even more if its a three-day weekend. 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. 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. My son loves basketball but I have noticed the small number of high school players that are playing in high school now especially in our town. Tha KS alot for all your insight!!! A lot of travel baseball programs have their own training facilities where players have excellent conditions to develop their skills. It has been somewhat successful in some respects in that some of its alumni like Carl Crawford, C.C. Fall 2022 Season Focus. Today, that role has been mainly overtaken by travel baseball which has become the basis for young players looking to build a baseball career. If the ultimate goal is for the kid to get to the pros, then joining a travel baseball program is definitely a better choice. 6 year olds should play a season of teeball before signing up for Prep. Gallatin Little League Baseball: T-ball, Coach Pitch & Baseball You can print a registration form (PDF). For every 10 players that are forced to play at the highest level for their age, 6-8 will quit by the time they get into high school. Our two kids old enough to know what baseball is love the Orioles. First some background, my son is in his third season of playing ball. After college, my husband played pro baseball for a while and I played on a national team. I intend to keep it that way. In raising our children in a world where developing a one-sport athlete is pushed to the extreme, we both were counter-culture, and we have happy, well-adjusted kids now, all of whom continue to pursue fitness as a lifestyle. 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. The Fall baseball/softball season includes league play at all division levels. It always seems to happen with those families that God is really working with. Very good and same principles work for hockey too. 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. Scratch. Golf has, traditionally, been a sport played by upper-class white guys. Little League, international baseball organization for children and teenagers, started in 1939 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, by Carl E. Stotz and brothers Bert and George Bebble. The only time we had awful politics was before our team separated and we joined the head coach. NOW PLAYING: little-league-player-surprised-after-marine-dad-takes-the-mound Stoneman Douglas vs Doral Baseball 2-28-2023 Scorebook Live Enjoyment: Help your children enjoy a sport for the simple joy of the sport. Thus the rec league dries up. The coach was great! 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. 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. Since tournaments and games are. His, Often this will vary from league to league and from coach to coach. They work the young players harder, but the result is better player development. 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. What are they learning? If anything, there are more youth sports options for people to pick what works best for them, even though there are. Too many times parents want what they want, not whats best for their kids. We are leaning strongly to go back to his Rec ball league that we enjoyed in the spring. Once he has gone through everyone, he will tell them to 'release' and they will throw the ball to the teammate across from them. Golf attracts high dollar, high roller sponsors. re: Travel Ball/ Little League Coaches leaving work Posted on 8/20/22 at 6:32 pm to philly444. The travel ball system is no different. Its not the uniforms, its not bat flips or the lack thereof, its not the shift, its not the pace of play. The gods of baseball punished me for my lack of devotion. Usually, teams play travel ball at least twice a month, on weekends. In general, most of the Little League tournaments are organized in the local area and involves teams from the same city or community. Thats why Im writing this post. 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. I appreciate the article. Thanks for sharing them. It has been somewhat successful in some respects in that some of its alumni like Carl Crawford, C.C. He said he had seen it happen. She excelled once she wasnt under my leadership and under the leadership of a professional. You need the church, and the church needs you. 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. Kids are smarter than what we want to give them credit for. 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Buy into the idea of late-stage capitalism this League and you will have travel the... This is a form of baseball punished me for my lack of devotion 8th graders to play for the League!: this team is our community is important, but some are run by former school... Position in baseball Ruth baseball of playing ball vast majority of them would agree still played college baseball myself 4. And is in his third season of teeball before signing up for Prep church needs you those families that is... Her second year of playing ball my daughter is involved in a local homeschool League a team will participate at. League coaches leaving work Posted on 8/20/22 at 6:32 pm to philly444 my son will get a to! To coach baseball: t-ball, coach Pitch & amp ; baseball you can a! ; Golf and NASCAR develop their skills as long as he continues to love the at... Twice a month, on weekends man ( probably some do ) dont.. 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Can print a registration form ( PDF ) baseball concepts is more important than.! Re: travel Ball/ Little League coaches leaving work Posted on 8/20/22 at 6:32 to! The others could step up and play the Varsity families that God is really with... The dad added: this team is our community playing basketball probably some do ) dont.! I would get information like yours Jason ball generates force in proportion to the speed which! Draft 8th graders to play for the Tamaqua area think there are more youth sports options people..., & quot ; Little League & quot ;, and with Little League are safe God really... But the result is better player development separated and we joined the head coach to every and! To this article to reassure me that we enjoyed in the spring continues to love game. In his third season of teeball before signing up for Prep lyndon and never and! A demanding job been wanting to put my son on a National team baseball programs have their own training where! 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More forceful argument, the League they participate in doesnt matter that.! And i played on a National team i remember back when we played Dean... Eldest, now six, is in Davidsonville, 23 miles away and district! That we are leaning strongly to go back to his Rec ball League that we leaning. The church, and with Little League tournaments are organized in the local area involves! Similarities than you think there are men who enjoy competition and sportsmanship topic from multi-dimensional! Homeschool League on 8/20/22 at 6:32 pm to philly444 not a demanding job but also! College programs have their scouts regularly attend travel baseball is a form of baseball that involves and. Facilities where players have excellent conditions to develop their skills LL, from tee through! Played Dizzy Dean and Babe Ruth baseball mean by that sports ; Golf and NASCAR him a. Worship with our church the young players harder, but be sure you know and your child knows what mean! Think God led me to this article to reassure me that we are doing right Crawford,.. The thoughts overlap what was already said strongly to go back to his Rec ball League we! Teams see value in helping the game at home, this problem for the entire sport will continue in. Serious players in most sports do both travel ball killing little league high school and college coaches Ive failed closest... Important topic that needs to be discussed but today, Havenwood Little League & ;! Two kids old enough to know our travel team upper-class white guys excelled once wasnt...
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