I give you a big Amen! . I dont usually read things that are in America. Listen to article. I left registration, and pulled him from the Little League program. And if I had any skill to make some of that money working in baseball, I wouldnt have a day job. It always seems to happen with those families that God is really working with. Motivations: Just because you liked something as a kid, or were good at it, it doesnt mean your child will or should be. Of course our children have bents that we want to nurture, encourage and help them develop, but lets make sure we arent pursuing our own agenda. My son excels in travel ball and weve started a bible devotion for the boys before every tournament. No doubt there are exceptions, but I havent personally witnessed one. Two guys who are now playing in MLB came from two of the leagues in the District. T-ball, Biddy, "Little League", and Teener League baseball programs for the Tamaqua Area. Our son never felt like he missed out on anything; he was too busy playing other sports and doing other activities. (No wonder God calls us to pray without ceasing!). Icicidirect. 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. 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. 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. It doesn't take much and Rec Leagues would be greatly improved. He understands that Braxton, Paxton, and Laxton, all have to go to at least 5 World Series every summer. Every year, various baseball organizations, including USSA, AAU, or Perfect Game, organize hundreds of these tournaments across the whole country. Almost every parent volunteers. They open/close each practice and game with prayer and are not overwhelming us with lots of games. We dont win Non-Christians by loving them more than we love God and his glory. 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. Below are just a few stream of consciousness suggestions as readers consider their views on how they encourage their children in sports. I support you with useful and actionable information about softball and baseball. What will travel ball mean for your marriage? I could be wrong. The focus of the Little league is mainly on kids developing baseball fundamentals and having fun without too much competitive pressure. 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. OP's son sounds like a hard worker, just have to work in the right place 35 Reply [deleted] 5 yr. ago And to get your kid into a school with AP courses. I was glad he played Tee Ball, and I looked forward to the following year when I assumed there would be some kid pitching. These are good thoughts. LSU Fan. http://kristenanneglover.com/my-kids-dont-play-sports/#comment-6411. Waiting lists for leagues. Your email address will not be published. Tha KS alot for all your insight!!! I love excellence. Having coached both my sons in travel an rec ball, and being on the board of our local rec league, serving as president for several years. and our The demographics of NASCAR drivers has changed dramatically. Are those stewardship issues as well? 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. We invite you take just a few moments to browse our ever expanding list of teams below. I know families whove mortgaged their homes so their kids can play baseball, he said. Little League. Unlike travel baseball, Little League is mostly a local affair and is organized with a lot of effort and goodwill from the locals. These reflections grow out of my own experience playing and coaching and watching other families. So Im writing in the hope that youll see that rec ball is a better route. Jesus is God not baseball. I submit that even with all the excitement of the game, and the money and fame that come with it, the life of a professional athlete is not one to be envied. Its about the fact that fewer and fewer kids are playing baseball every year. 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. Fall 2022 Season Focus. Even though my son showed to every practice and gave 100% effort, it didnt matter. Is it a help or detriment to their character and bodies? 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. Al Mohlers Culture Shift 2 were here. So, teaching them the core baseball concepts is more important than competing. 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. I have coached in a recreation league for almost five years, and now my eleven-year-old daughter is in soccer travel ball. First, not all travel ball destroys a childs love for the game. Hopefully it will make us parents pray, think, and analyze the motives behind our kids activities. After all, theres a reason why the closing scene of. This is what we due when we gather for worship. The gods of baseball punished me for my lack of devotion. Operating Policies and Position Statements, Little League - Character, Courage, Loyalty. Just last year, I finished your work Gods Glory in Salvation through Judgment. 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. But most of them still play, in one way or another. I remember back when we played Dizzy Dean and Babe Ruth baseball. Here, the kid can learn the value of teamwork, play baseball in a relatively stress-free environment, and make new friendships. looking over our back," John DeMasi told ABC News' "20/20." This post seems a departure from your normal posting and writing. It has been somewhat successful in some respects in that some of its alumni like Carl Crawford, C.C. 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. As more and more kids get involved in travel ball, the best players are taken out of the rec league. All Rights Reserved. It seems to me that time comes in the mid to late teens, but thats going to be a judgment call . 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. AAA Evaluations - 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM. Besides the usual costs of buying bats, uniforms, cleats, and other equipment, there are team fees and the costs of fuel, accommodation, and dining. He has a decent arm but has never pitched in travel. 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). Small town kids grow up playing lots of sports not getting burnt out playing the same one all year round. 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. , weakening volunteer-based programs that promise affordable sports for all children. Once I got to be 13, we left Havenwood Little League to create our own team and I played with that team through age 15, when I stopped playing. 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. For others, it can wreak havoc. It was time for him to play real baseball! Wow this article really spoke to me. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. I never felt that way until I got to college, but looking at the demands of travel ball, I totally understand how the kid feels. Confused! Fairfax County, Virginia - Youth Baseball Leagues in Fairfax County. Every expert agreed that kids are being played too hard and too long. Michael Hortons Christless Christianity Listen to truthful, accurate feedback from coaches. LL was the emphasis, there were only a couple of travel teams. (Answered! There are many benefits of pursuing sports excellence, travel like any other passion filled event children can participate can be an extremely beneficial. Give your kid the chance to be a great person and cultivate that through sports. We have truly enjoyed getting to know our travel team family! My thoughts written here veer away from the focus of recreational versus travel leagues as the original blog talks about, but include some areas to think about whichever route of competition you choose. The travel baseball vs Little League debate has been a hot topic in US youth baseball for quite some time now. Focusing on winning games is short-sighted and ignorant. 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. For additional information please contact Tony Carter 615-202-9606. But heavens know there has to be a way to save the sport of baseball. There is another very sad thing that often happens as a result of a familys involvement in travel ball. Answer (1 of 41): Probably not as the holes in the ball create air resistance that increases as the speed of the ball increases which limits significantly the distance the ball can travel. You played in some tournament, and then district. 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. He followed the Coach Pitch program, which focused on fundamentals fundamentals I felt my son already had. 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. Kids need to see that Jesus and his church are more important to their parents even than baseball. re: Travel Ball/ Little League Coaches leaving work Posted on 8/20/22 at 6:32 pm to philly444. Now I know the reasons. When I walked on and made the Razorbacks, the sport I loved to play became a year-round job. This means that kids participating in travel tournaments get a chance to play with or against highly skilled and competitive players. Jim, 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. And this, more than anything else, is the problem with the continued growth and success of baseball. But they have more similarities than you think there are. We love them by showing them that God is infinitely more valuable than all else. I also need it every day of the week. Extend your season, make sure that all teams are drafted equally. Copyright 2003-2023 Listen to baseball experts'. That covered SOME tournaments and a bat bag. Harford County Travel Baseball League: Sports league web site provided and hosted free of charge by LeagueLineup.com - The Youth and Amateur Sports Portal! For millions of American families, paying private for-profit clubseuphemistically termed "travel teams"thousands of dollars a year to organize athletic games for their children is now an. vs. travel. Think brands like Mercedes-Benz. It is evangelism that is not solely dependent upon our efforts, but on the power of the Word being preached, loved, and then given to others. (Matthew 6:33) I pray that many folks take heed of what you shared. He didnt make the middle school team as only travel ball kids only made it. We all need to be careful that identifying with just one sport and spending most of our time with it can deter a child from gaining skills, interests and appreciation for other activities and knowledge. Voddie Bauchams Family Driven Faith. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Kids racing go-karts and more expensive vehicles as they get older. A 51-year-old woman struck and killed a man after driving her car onto a field in Maine during a boys' baseball game. Third, most days my family enjoys family travel ball, together. I dont believe in definitive s. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Articles like this help. Thank you for writing this. Great post. However, they are much more severe. Messages conveyed: We parents need to pray daily about what messages we are sending our children by the sports or other activities we have them in. It has been said that travel ball is killing the rec league programs and that may be true. And I want to provide the best competitive opportunities I can for my own kids. Today, that role has been mainly overtaken by travel baseball which has become the basis for young players looking to build a baseball career. NASCAR started as bootleggers in the 1940s and 1950s trying to see who had the fastest car. Very good and same principles work for hockey too. On the contrary, travel baseball is pure commitment! We decided to engage in travel ball because the coaching was better. In addition to a spring season, PSLL offers a summer league, summer camps, fall ball, and a winter skills clinic. And thats a problem for baseball at every level, all the way up to the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball. Its not a coincidence that two of the most iconic golfers of the last thirty years, John Daly and Tiger Woods, were nothing like their peers in their own ways. My thoughts will be mainly applied to baseball, but I think they are valid for basketball, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, and whatever else. The Holy Spirit leads us all differently. I learned I would have to stay in a hotel for out-of-town tournaments. Thank you! All Rights Reserved. Thanks for sharing them. The coach was great! Its apparent that wegenerally speakingspend more time encouraging our children to pursue athletic excellence than we do in developing a Biblical Worldview in them. Think about your reasons for getting your child into a sport. 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