Small town kids grow up playing lots of sports not getting burnt out playing the same one all year round. She does it for fun and its not overwhelming even though its a little more competitive than a local rec league. Too many times parents want what they want, not whats best for their kids. 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. Most professional golfers look the same. It always seemed the season ended right about the time we got to know everyone. We pick and choose how much we want to play, spend, etc and have been very successful in several states. We dont win Non-Christians by loving them more than we love God and his glory. I pray that God keeps me humble and rightly focused. After all, theres a reason why the closing scene of Field of Dreams is so poignant. The only time we had awful politics was before our team separated and we joined the head coach. My arm hurt all the time, and I wasnt a pitcher. Is there saving Little League? Bud Norris, who pitches for the Houston Astros, played in Novato North LL, from Tee Ball through seniors. My daughter is involved in a local homeschool league. It did to me. Our youth baseball program is custom-built to meet all the insurance needs of teams and leagues in one easy-to-use, affordable plan. He followed the Coach Pitch program, which focused on fundamentals fundamentals I felt my son already had. As Little League has declined, travel baseball has grown. Jan 25, 9:28am. This is the one your wife wants you to care about. Here are 10 reasons I think you should keep your kid in the rec league rather than quitting it for travel ball. Yes, I need Sunday fellowship and worship. (And options do exist that dont cost an arm and a leg.) Prep is for 6 and 7 year olds. 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. Travel baseball goes by many names; select, club, premier, elite, and so on. Sabathia and the Upton Brothers have become big league players. It is a trend mirrored by our schools, hospitals and military. Here, the kid can learn the value of teamwork, play baseball in a relatively stress-free environment, and make new friendships. Its a Jesuit-based publication with a political slant that does not agree with mine. 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. . The demographics of NASCAR drivers has changed dramatically. My 10 year old tried out for a travel team for over 2 months. Build this league and you will have travel on the decline. The Broadneck, Brooklyn Park, Glen Burnie, Harundale, Havenwood, Lake Shore, and Marley Little Leagues are all no longer associated with Little League. Privacy Policy. Wr had to travel 3 ours to find a competitive travel team. And if it means giving up travel ball, by all means give it up. Travel/Select Ball Montgomery County Little League (MCLL) is a recreational baseball program by definition of being a chartered affiliate of Little League International. We practiced a lot, doing as much as the NCAA allowed, all year long, in season and out. 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. This means that kids participating in travel tournaments get a chance to play with or against highly skilled and competitive players. Think brands like Mercedes-Benz. The higher level of competition drives young players to work harder on their game. I remember back when we played Dizzy Dean and Babe Ruth baseball. Is it a help or detriment to their character and bodies? And thats where the travel baseball jumps in as currently the surest path to the higher level of the game. The coach was great! Those two sports may not seem very similar. Very good and same principles work for hockey too. . Thank you for this. AVONDALE LITTLE LEAGUE 10720 W Indian School Road, #19 PMB-137 Phoenix, Arizona 85037 Email: registerinfo.avll@gmail.com Unfortunately with all the sacrifices Ive made that relocation doesnt seem likely but as usual, Ill pray about it. 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. So many kids grow up dreaming, so few put on a big league uniform. 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. Do I think that she will go pro? We played Upward for quite some time and my wife was amazed at how many parents going to the practices are unchurched. As of now, we do believe that we are pursing the wisest course. Its not for every child or family, but we have enjoyed allowing our child to play travel ball, at least today. 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. Well-said. Baseball is the greatest game ever, it is exactly that, a game. After college, my husband played pro baseball for a while and I played on a national team. Our daughter played travel softball for 9 years. He has a decent arm but has never pitched in travel. 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. I think this is an important topic that needs to be discussed. Teams are 9U - 14U. You need the church, and the church needs you. I have a neighbor who constantly pesters me about our childrens sports involvement level-rec. However, they are much more severe. I also when I was kid play at lyndon and never traveled and loved it and still played college baseball myself for 4 yrs. Kids racing go-karts and more expensive vehicles as they get older. Thanks for the great article I can share with the parents of my students. Alas, the father refused to make him work on defense, explaining: I am not a fielding dad.). I've seen and heard stories about parents who spend thousands of dollars to get their kids on the best travel ball squad in their areas. We are leaning strongly to go back to his Rec ball league that we enjoyed in the spring. Just last year, I finished your work Gods Glory in Salvation through Judgment. Well-roundedness: Despite the cultural drive for pursuing one sport, well-roundedness as a child makes for happy, well-adjusted adults. And teams may invite players from anywhere in the region. What better way exists. It was time for him to play real baseball! Rec ball and travel ball can coexist, BUT, it has to be done with the kids as the foremost priority. There doesnt have to be a life lesson constantly pointed out. 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. Jan 25, 8:31am. Gallatin Little League Baseball: T-ball, Coach Pitch & Baseball You can print a registration form (PDF). The statistics reported concerning the abandonment of the Christian Faith by christian young people before their sophomore year in college is overwhelming. I think the key is finding the right team and families. She excelled once she wasnt under my leadership and under the leadership of a professional. 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? I had worked with him quite a lot prior to that. She got to have some really good conversations with the moms who really didnt understand the philosophy behind Upward as a result. We must show them how to live well so that they may flourish and worship what is enduring. When comparing travel baseball vs Little League, each of the two has its own advantages and drawbacks. I find it filled with some great thoughts based on extreme examples and false assumptions. 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. I thought I had found the answer. Dont let one child be turned away because they cant afford registration or equipment. 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. Individual players who play on Little League teams are also permitted to participate in non-Little League Baseball and Softball programs. Perfect! This is what we due when we gather for worship. And you should. My Kids Dont Play Sports 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 programs rules that are designed to protect players from injury, such as Pitch Counts and equipment rules. blair and son funeral home smiths falls / top of the world patty griffin meaning / travel ball killing little league. I know you were saying that theres no one answer for everyone. Ive heard of travel ball teams that play 60 games in a summerfor kids under 10!and then they practice at least once a week through the winter. If you are traveling every weekend, or most of them, for a Friday, Saturday, Sunday tournament, what happens to non-sport family time? But today, Havenwood Little League does not exist. We come together as believers to worship and encourage one another then we go out into the world to reach people in the name of Christ Hebrews 10:25 is just one example of the Bible reminding believers that its important that we not throw church out the window to do other things. 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). Even though my son showed to every practice and gave 100% effort, it didnt matter. Thus the rec league dries up. Its not the uniforms, its not bat flips or the lack thereof, its not the shift, its not the pace of play. Travel baseball is very competitive, especially compared to recreational leagues. The team brings the kids together and provides a common ground upon which they can build lasting friendships. Now, the league has grown a bit but has 190 kids playing travel ball, with multiple teams at 12u, 14u, 16u, and 18u. For decades, NASCAR was a working class, southern sport. When comparing travel baseball vs Little League, each of the two has its own advantages and drawbacks. 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. Your email address will not be published. Kids blossom at different ages. 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. NASCAR started as bootleggers in the 1940s and 1950s trying to see who had the fastest car. 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. Its a Jesuit-based publication with a political slant that does not agree with mine. On the other hand, if the goal is for the kid to have some fun while learning the fundamentals of baseball, Little League is the way to go. If your kid is good and loves to play, you wont be able to keep them from it. Im coming at this topic from a multi-dimensional approach. If youre in Louisville, come check us out at www.KenwoodBaptistChurch.com. Jim, Uber competitive athletics is going to end for 99.9 percent of kids/young adults. It will look different for each family and each child. No more! I want your son to love baseball, to have the opportunity to be a kid, and to play the game as a kid. Is the travel ball opportunity your 714 year old kid has more important than Friday nights and Saturday mornings at home with the family? This is the saddest quote of the entire piece, one I mentioned earlier: Alas, the father refused to make him work on defense, explaining: I am not a fielding dad., Is there a sadder quote? coming down the pike. 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. As a PastorI certainly appreciate the sentiments expressed in this article. 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. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. (on which more below). Always keep in mind why you have this child involved in sport. Not one. Teams advancing to the regional level in the U.S. receive an additional $200. All your doing is increasing the strain and the chance of injury for no appreciable gain. Looking for a deeper, more forceful argument, the dad added: This team is our community.. Please. The roster includes 35 players, 27 of whom can receive scholarship money. Fifth, a child can play travel ball while a family is still committed to church. But, the worst part of it all was that my son was clearly not having the same amount of fun he had in Little League last year. Member since Aug 2014. Well, the genie of privatized baseball cannot be put back in the bottle. Steven_Ellis February 21, 2015, 12:46pm #1. Dont get me wrong there are alot of rec leagues that are great but if you live in the middle of no where lile wr do that was out only option to make her the best that she could be and to teach her to challenge herself and not settle for just good enough. 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? 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. If the ultimate goal is for the kid to get to the pros, then joining a travel baseball program is definitely a better choice. vs. travel. With this comes the COOPERSTOWN TICKET. I have seen it just recently in the church Im attending now. 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. Listen to truthful, accurate feedback from coaches. Listen to baseball experts'. We will be staying with rec from now on. Manage Settings A lot of these programs operate on a business-like, almost professional, level and feature teams in all age groups. When I was a kid, I played baseball under the Little League umbrella from age 8 through age 12. It is the most pernicious aspect of youth league sports. 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 . Lesson learned. As recently as the 1990s, travel baseball was a niche experience limited mostly to elite players in baseball-rich areas like Texas and California. 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. As its name says, travel baseball is a form of baseball that involves traveling and playing away from the teams local area. 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. Is it any wonder that race sponsors like Goodys and Virginia National Bank have been replaced by Bluegreen Vacations, Ally, or Bank of America? little league field, killing 1 . Division Descriptions: Teeball is for 5 and 6 year olds not ready for coach pitch baseball. The three year old is already all in and ready to play. The fear that if children dont specialize in one sport by eighth grade they will miss opportunities is unfounded. 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. 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