With this comes the COOPERSTOWN TICKET. 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. 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. 2021 featured all American teams. Once we knew about travel ball there was no going back. I am confident that there are better ways to steward those thousands of dollars. In the Little League, some kids get a sense of belonging for the first time. Thus the rec league dries up. He looked great in his fancy uniform and matching cleats, but that didnt matter. Looking for a deeper, more forceful argument, the dad added: This team is our community.. 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. Often this will vary from league to league and from coach to coach. In general, most of the Little League tournaments are organized in the local area and involves teams from the same city or community. They sound the same. It doesn't take much and Rec Leagues would be greatly improved. Editor's note: This is the first story in a four-part series examining the pros and cons of youths playing extensive travel baseball versus Little League, or a combination of the two. Maybe my son will get a chance to play as long as he continues to love the game. Set the example for the kids. 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. I dont see anything wrong with having children that play recreational sports. 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. I enjoyed your article and the discussion following it. (No wonder God calls us to pray without ceasing!). With baseball programs now a rarity in middle schools, travel baseball and Little League are the best option for kids enthusiastic about baseball. The local community often gathers around a Little League team and takes pride in the kids representing them. For us, it boils down to priorities. A jury convicted three men of murder in the 2017 death of a beloved Little League coach who was fatally stabbed over a confiscated driver's license while working security at a downtown bar. Little League. The team brings the kids together and provides a common ground upon which they can build lasting friendships. Little League. I needed a break, and I wanted to be a counselor at a Christian camp that summer (Kanakuk). The only time we had awful politics was before our team separated and we joined the head coach. Hello, Im Paul, a 45 year old passionate baseball fan and the owner of this website. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. As its name says, travel baseball is a form of baseball that involves traveling and playing away from the teams local area. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. My Kids Dont Play Sports Also, Im more interested and more compelled by Scripture to promote the spiritual health of my own children than of their team mates. Kids racing go-karts and more expensive vehicles as they get older. Wow this article really spoke to me. Ive also heard more than one parent tell me that after a few years of travel ball, in some cases only one year of it, their son decided he didnt want to play baseball anymore. They work the young players harder, but the result is better player development. Prep is for 6 and 7 year olds. However, as parents now of three young adult children we handled sports for them in a much different way than the current culture dictates. Dont get me wrong: I love competition. We practiced a lot, doing as much as the NCAA allowed, all year long, in season and out. The closest Little League organization to Pasadena now is in Davidsonville, 23 miles away. The travel baseball vs Little League debate has been a hot topic in US youth baseball for quite some time now. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a 96-mile (154-kilometre) border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast and east, and the Irish Sea to . Those conflicts are becoming more common with the increasing secularization of our country. The journey the Lord had me on led to me being cut from the team after I did not play summer ball following my sophomore year. However, Little League International also has the right to limit participation in its activities to players who comply with its rules, regulations, and policies. 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. So many kids grow up dreaming, so few put on a big league uniform. The travel ball system is no different. Ryan E. I think this is a good post and is great advice. 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. I simply have to go find the people that need Jesus. If the ultimate goal is for the kid to get to the pros, then joining a travel baseball program is definitely a better choice. I intend to keep it that way. The three year old is already all in and ready to play. This is related to the previous: the best players leave the rec league for travel ball, and then the mediocre players get tempted to do so, and then all the kids get burnt out and stop playing baseball. We decided to engage in travel ball because the coaching was better. Travel Ball Killing Little League!? Whos forcing their kid to play??!! 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. 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). 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. Playing baseball is a nice extracurricular to put down on applications. As more and more kids get involved in travel ball, the best players are taken out of the rec league. Im betting you would be better off saving your money to help him with college expenses. I dont usually read things that are in America. Congrats to the 3524663635357 travel ball teams playing in a "World Series" this week or the next couple of weeks. I know you were saying that theres no one answer for everyone. If youre in Louisville, come check us out at www.KenwoodBaptistChurch.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. Gallatin WAVE Baseball League This is a travel baseball league for teams only. They play the same. Fairfax County, Virginia - Youth Baseball Leagues in Fairfax County. He has a decent arm but has never pitched in travel. 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. I don't have to tell you that millions of Americans just simply can't afford that. Educate them. Our eldest, now six, is in her second year of playing though she has moved over to softball. My thoughts will be mainly applied to baseball, but I think they are valid for basketball, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, and whatever else. I have also read some of your other works and have learned much from them and enjoyed reading them. 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. Enfield Little League is happy to continue with the Enfield Warriors travel program. But over the years, the cost of entry has become more and more expensive. I was told pitching machines are good because they pitch a consistent ball, and help with hand-eye coordination. BE INVOLVED , VOLUNTEER, ATTEND MEETING AFTER MEETING, FUND RAISE, HOLD ALL ACCOUNTABLE FOR TIME, HONOR, COMMITMENT AND GET ALL THE KIDS TO ENJOY THIS LEAGUE YOU ARE A PART OF. Participating in travel baseball will likely eat most of your free time. We pick and choose how much we want to play, spend, etc and have been very successful in several states. Generally speaking, these parents dont do the Sunday sports to evangelize. 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. Mr. Greene, who is currently a minor league coordinator and coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, said what troubles him is not pushy parents, showboating players or bullying coaches. Now, the league has grown a bit but has 190 kids playing travel ball, with multiple teams at 12u, 14u, 16u, and 18u. Added together, the average cost per player for a season must be well over $1,000. . Now, the league has grown a bit but has 190 kids playing travel ball, with multiple teams at 12u, 14u, 16u, and 18u. Kids need to play more than one sport so their rotator cuffs can recover, so their elbows can rest, so they dont have to have Tommy John surgery at 17. 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. 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. I had worked with him quite a lot prior to that. Your email address will not be published. There are other times even on Sundays to play just as there are many different times that people worship. Thats why Im writing this post. 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. Too many times parents want what they want, not whats best for their kids. -ta. Kids are smarter than what we want to give them credit for. A lot of these coaches have other full-time jobs and simply dont have enough time to focus on their team. Even though my son showed to every practice and gave 100% effort, it didnt matter. We played Upward for quite some time and my wife was amazed at how many parents going to the practices are unchurched. However, many people believe that the Little League better cultivates the true spirit of baseball as opposed to the sometimes too professional and competitive approach in travel baseball. I do offer the opportunity to advertise your league and ask that you share it here and anywhere possible. When my life ends, I will have to give an account to my Lord as to whether I obeyed the command in Matt28:19 that says Go. 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. They chronicled 850 baseball deaths in Death at the Ballpark, spanning professional, amateur, Little League, and even backyard pickup games. I agree 100% with your article. I understand that now I may be bringing up an exception to the norm. We still put prior commitments first and the coach understands that we cant make all games/practices as a result. Rec ball in many places is competitive. The goal of this program is to provide additional playing opportunity for those baseball and softball players interested. We have truly enjoyed getting to know our travel team family! If thats the case, the league they participate in doesnt matter that much. If youre coaching your 12 year olds travel ball team, what does that mean for the rec league opportunities your 7 year old has? Obviously, I dont buy into the idea of late-stage capitalism. Christians are Christians because we worship what is true. For additional information please contact Glenna Sandel at 615-403-6938 . Manage Settings Baseball exists not just because of the community's love of the game. They use evangelism as a spiritual reason for not being in church. 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. I left registration, and pulled him from the Little League program. 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. Babe Ruth and Little League are safe . Families who thought the Sunday game was no big deal slowly dropped out of church because sports came first. This question reveals how far our cultural worldview has intermixed with a Christian one. Focusing on winning games is short-sighted and ignorant. That is why I was sympathetic to the angry dads argument and, in the end, took his son for the team. The percentages are outrageous. 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. In Pony baseball, players are put into divisions by age groups of two years. 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. Really great article Dr. Hamilton! Christians need to be gathering with the same group of people every week to worship the risen Lord Jesus, to hear his word, and to fellowship with each other. Most professional golfers look the same. . And if I had any skill to make some of that money working in baseball, I wouldnt have a day job. However, travel baseball is very time-consuming and not easy on the budget. I found a local travel ball organization that was offering tryouts for several 10-U teams. #momof3boys. 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. Non-Christians exist because what they worship is false. Were enjoying the homeschool league to which we belong right now, but also realize that our daughters team is not a highly competitive team, but the JV/Varsity teams are a bit more competitive. 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. Travel/Select Ball Montgomery County Little League (MCLL) is a recreational baseball program by definition of being a chartered affiliate of Little League International. And we want them to work hard, even when the going gets tough. I think God led me to this article to reassure me that we are doing right. Do I think that she will go pro? This is a straw man argument that has nothing to do with the very valid points the author makes. There have been times when our kids insisted that the entire family wear Orioles stuff. But it is, quite literally, passed down from generation to generation. ), What is the Easiest Position in Baseball? . 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. As more and more kids get involved in travel ball, the best players are taken out of the rec league. Fifth, a child can play travel ball while a family is still committed to church. I also when I was kid play at lyndon and never traveled and loved it and still played college baseball myself for 4 yrs. He is pitching in little league with success this year. Second, recreation leagues can be just as competitive and demanding as travel ball, but doesnt have the same season length. . He played Little League all the way through age 14 and has wonderful memories of playoff games, sometimes leading all the way to state. Perfect! Thankfully, we have a great group of players, coaches, and families. Thank you for speaking out and I hope people will take these comments seriously. Here are 10 reasons I think you should keep your kid in the rec league rather than quitting it for travel ball. Often, teams participate in the tournaments that take place in a city other than their own or even in another state. Northern Virginia Travel Baseball League. No player evaluations are required for the Fall season. Christian Smiths Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers I love excellence. She got to have some really good conversations with the moms who really didnt understand the philosophy behind Upward as a result. Its apparent that wegenerally speakingspend more time encouraging our children to pursue athletic excellence than we do in developing a Biblical Worldview in them. Learning that excelling takes commitment, hard work, loyalty. 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. Waiting lists for leagues. As a follower of Jesus, this consideration is the most important one for me. Its better to honor God than to win, and its better for your kid to enjoy the game than for him to play at the highest possible level. I think the key is finding the right team and families. Thats commendable, but I suspect that those tournaments dont always start the Sunday games at times that make finding a worship service possible. It seems to me that time comes in the mid to late teens, but thats going to be a judgment call . 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