In the Little League, some kids get a sense of belonging for the first time. Learn from others short comings and honor God with your precious time on the field. And if I had any skill to make some of that money working in baseball, I wouldnt have a day job. Now, the league has grown a bit but has 190 kids playing travel ball, with multiple teams at 12u, 14u, 16u, and 18u. 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. These are good thoughts. Extend your season, make sure that all teams are drafted equally. What better way exists. They work the young players harder, but the result is better player development. This question reveals how far our cultural worldview has intermixed with a Christian one. 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. 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. I agree with some that was said. Ive seen a couple of families fall into the travel ball trap. Is it a help or detriment to their character and bodies? 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. This upcoming spring season will include some division changes we have made to improve the experience for players at all levels. We love them by showing them that God is infinitely more valuable than all else. For us, the Orioles will always be a family affair. If youre not ready to make certain sacrifices, then this form of baseball is probably not for you. Alas, the father refused to make him work on defense, explaining: I am not a fielding dad.). Thanks, Roy. 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. Get involved with the sports governing board and voice your opinion. A fun, family-friendly, reasonably affordable activity you can do with the kids? Listen to article. Additionally, as an exercise physiologist, Im very pro movement, health and sports, but believe balance in life is key. I also when I was kid play at lyndon and never traveled and loved it and still played college baseball myself for 4 yrs. 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. If you forego travel for these right reasons then you should challenge yourself and those in the league to make it the utopia described here (I believe it should be). As one who has three sons, two of whom played travel ball for part of their youth, and one who didnt, I can affirm everything you say here. The three year old is already all in and ready to play. Praying we keep the Lord first in all thingsand your insights help!!! Always keep in mind why you have this child involved in sport. Well, this certainly diverged off the main topic of traveling versus rec sports, but I hope it provides a little more to talk about, especially among family members. The kids were really good, but he made it! He politely said there wouldnt be. Almost every parent volunteers. The physical and mental challenges of pursuing more than one sport is healthy in every respect. That was it! 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. NASCAR started as bootleggers in the 1940s and 1950s trying to see who had the fastest car. My daughter is involved in a local homeschool league. We must show them how to live well so that they may flourish and worship what is enduring. We may be the exception along with the league in which we play. Identity: Think about how your child views his or her identity. The Broadneck, Brooklyn Park, Glen Burnie, Harundale, Havenwood, Lake Shore, and Marley Little Leagues are all no longer associated with Little League. Some of the thoughts overlap what was already said. If your kid is good and loves to play, you wont be able to keep them from it. little league field, killing 1 . 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. I dont usually read things that are in America. Its about the fact that fewer and fewer kids are playing baseball every year. Fall 2022 Season Focus. But besides that, if you are a Christian parent, the absolute worst thing you can do is teach your kids that anything is more important than God. Northern Virginia Travel Baseball League. (on which more below). . Perfect! I love excellence. Our youth baseball program is custom-built to meet all the insurance needs of teams and leagues in one easy-to-use, affordable plan. 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. However, the main reason weve stuck with travel is the consistency that it offers. What are they learning? 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. The travel ball system is no different. Unfortunately with all the sacrifices Ive made that relocation doesnt seem likely but as usual, Ill pray about it. Thank you for writing this. Is the travel ball opportunity your 714 year old kid has more important than Friday nights and Saturday mornings at home with the family? Until more teams see value in helping the game at home, this problem for the entire sport will continue. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. And this, more than anything else, is the problem with the continued growth and success of baseball. The only time we had awful politics was before our team separated and we joined the head coach. Its hard in the county. Division Descriptions: Teeball is for 5 and 6 year olds not ready for coach pitch baseball. . Very good and same principles work for hockey too. You win district, you then go to state, you win state, you go to regional, you win . Who are these kids being forced to play? She excelled once she wasnt under my leadership and under the leadership of a professional. 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. The Broadneck, Brooklyn Park, Glen Burnie, Harundale, Havenwood, Lake Shore, and Marley Little Leagues are all no longer associated with Little League. I could now study what I wanted to study, and my classes were no longer determined by baseball practice. We pick and choose how much we want to play, spend, etc and have been very successful in several states. . I appreciate the article. Turn your focus and see a different view. The Holy Spirit leads us all differently. Thanks for sharing them. 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. He did see some development as a player, but nothing major. I appreciate that. Is travel baseball killing Little League in America? Our children assume that Sunday morning is time to worship with our church. He looked great in his fancy uniform and matching cleats, but that didnt matter. Please dont mortgage your home on a dream that your kid might be good enough to go pro. We practiced a lot, doing as much as the NCAA allowed, all year long, in season and out. A job is not a game. That is why I was sympathetic to the angry dads argument and, in the end, took his son for the team. If anything, there are more youth sports options for people to pick what works best for them, even though there are. 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? Focusing on winning games is short-sighted and ignorant. While rec ball was enjoyable, the ever changing pool of players, coaches and parents made for inconsistent experiences for my daughter, some good and some bad. 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. 12YO & 11YO players who are trying out for the National League. Once we knew about travel ball there was no going back. A lot of well rounded and good mannered young men who enjoy competition and sportsmanship. Late-stage capitalism is a Marxist construct used by socialists to explain away capitalism and the failures of socialism. Do I think you are sinning if your kid plays travel ball? But most of them still play, in one way or another. Our daughter played travel softball for 9 years. The only kind of baseball scholarship D1 programs offer is a partial one. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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. 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. This is a straw man argument that has nothing to do with the very valid points the author makes. It did to me. 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. They open/close each practice and game with prayer and are not overwhelming us with lots of games. Sound familiar? They chronicled 850 baseball deaths in Death at the Ballpark, spanning professional, amateur, Little League, and even backyard pickup games. Though parents are well-intentioned, often children are tired of pursuing what was once fun but has become a stressful climb to the next level of competition at the expense of other parts of their lives, or at the expense of joints injured by overuse. Small town kids grow up playing lots of sports not getting burnt out playing the same one all year round. This post seems a departure from your normal posting and writing. Its a Jesuit-based publication with a political slant that does not agree with mine. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Batting cage time and sessions with the pitching coach came with additional costs. Thanks for posting this. She does it for fun and its not overwhelming even though its a little more competitive than a local rec league. I think this is an important topic that needs to be discussed. It is a trend mirrored by our schools, hospitals and military. Baseball is the greatest game ever, it is exactly that, a game. Totally agree with your article. When I was playing at Arkansas, none of my teammates had a full ride from the baseball program. 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. We are leaning strongly to go back to his Rec ball league that we enjoyed in the spring. 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. via Facebook. Cookie Notice After looking at the tournament schedule, I realized Id miss days at work and the expenses would pile up. General Little League to Travel Ball and Back Again February 7, 2017 I started my son in the Little League Tee Ball program when he was four. I dont see anything wrong with having children that play recreational sports. Have fun with sports, and use it to build character, not dream-castles in the skies. Search FairfaxCounty.gov . Rookie is for 7 and 8 year olds. . Overall, the risks are pretty much the same as regular baseball. Travel with extended families and make bonds with good people. Travel Ball "World Series". For one thing, their bodies just arent developed enough to handle the strain. Often, teams participate in the tournaments that take place in a city other than their own or even in another state. We played Upward for quite some time and my wife was amazed at how many parents going to the practices are unchurched. vs. travel. But if you don't make it into your dream team, the loss is much heavier on people's pockets as well as their minds. 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. 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. 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. When people refer to travel baseball, they typically mean a team of higher-level athletes who play in competitive tournaments and probably work out at their own facility. How does a big leaguer have a family? I do not feel we will ever look back on our decision to say no to travel ball. Manage Settings ). And thats where the travel baseball jumps in as currently the surest path to the higher level of the game. Ive alluded to this somewhat above. 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. 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. Motivations: Just because you liked something as a kid, or were good at it, it doesnt mean your child will or should be. 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. Josh McDowells The Last Christian Generation As a volunteer basketball coach for 18+ years, Ive seen girls spiritually suffer by the same well-intentioned convictions of their parents. He played Little League all the way through age 14 and has wonderful memories of playoff games, sometimes leading all the way to state. Coaches pitch from a shorter distance than Rookie with a softer exterior ball. Just like my folks did. Your email address will not be published. Help your kids find the joy of learning in areas other than sports. Welcome to Libertyville Little League's Home Plate Registration for the 2023 Spring Season Opens December 1st We are excited to be kicking off 2023 Libertyville Little League registration. Id venture no but the travel ball experience can be quite beneficial to that pursuit can it not provided travel ball doesnt become a means to an end which, unfortunately, it often is. Hopefully it will make us parents pray, think, and analyze the motives behind our kids activities. If his 10-year-old son did not make the team at the $2,500-per-season private baseball club where I coached, the boy would lose friends and the familys routines would be upended, he argued. Fun for all, talent levels not seen before. Again, like you said, church should not be sacrificed by families of 8, 10, and 12-year olds, and oftentimes not even by families of high-schoolers. -ta. 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. I wrote about this for Camden Chat in 2016: Orioles baseball will not be the most important thing that we teach our daughter about. Hello, Im Paul, a 45 year old passionate baseball fan and the owner of this website. My kid started lessons at five and at almost thirteen, still going strong. I had worked with him quite a lot prior to that. We dont win Non-Christians by loving them more than we love God and his glory. Fifth, a child can play travel ball while a family is still committed to church. Not necessarily, but if your kid is in the 714 age range, I will suspect that you might not be pursuing the wisest course. All of the travel players MUST play rec ball. 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. Also limiting the distance is striking a ball generates force in proportion to the speed at which the ball i. They learn more socially because they have different teammates for each sport and different roles. Nope, the good, serious players in most sports do both in high school. Thanks, To Him Be the Gory (in travel ball and everywhere else in His Creation). Travel baseball takes a toll on kids, both mentally and physically. Havent seen any. Thank you for sharing your experiences. Nevertheless, Deuteronomy 6 and Ephesians 6:1-4 still stand in Scripture as commands, not suggestions. Mid-way through the season, I asked the coach if there would be an opportunity for some kid pitching. 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.