Why travel sports when there are tons of competitors in the immediate area?

[Anonymous]

This article helped me understand it. https://nyti.ms/3rf2aPp

[Anonymous]

When did middle schools stop having JV and Varsity sports teams? Kids would practice their sport 4-5 times a week after school and ride the bus home. No need for travel teams. Was it a school budget thing and then the "professional coaches" saw an opening?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree it's dumb and this is one of many reasons we will never do travel sports. It's a scam. If you child is very talented and hard working, they can get scouted without doing travel sports, and if they are not, they can get all the benefit necessary out of local leagues. There is no compelling reason for travel sports in a place like the DMV.

Speaking of scams, is it me or is this whole "Signing up for college coach representation and networking" not also a major scam? Our oldest started club sports at 11 yrs old and they were trying to get us to pay for representation through high school??? Insane. We have ignored it now for 2 more years, but is there anything truly worthwhile about those agents or is it a scam until you're actually in a high ranking travel team?

It is always a scam. When the time comes, join the Facebook group called Educating Parents of HS Athletes on the Recruiting Process. I learned about it on dcum. It is incredibly helpful and free. And on those high level teams, the coach should be helping your athlete through the process, calling college coaches, etc. Your athlete will be emailing and reaching out to coaches with video and attending camps. Don’t pay anyone for this, scam scam scam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When did middle schools stop having JV and Varsity sports teams? Kids would practice their sport 4-5 times a week after school and ride the bus home. No need for travel teams. Was it a school budget thing and then the "professional coaches" saw an opening?

This is a loss. I did middle school track and field, middle school basketball, middle school tennis and I was terrible at all of them. But we also had full music and art programs that don’t exist for a lot of schools these days, so I assume they all went due to budget cuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree it's dumb and this is one of many reasons we will never do travel sports. It's a scam. If you child is very talented and hard working, they can get scouted without doing travel sports, and if they are not, they can get all the benefit necessary out of local leagues. There is no compelling reason for travel sports in a place like the DMV.

Speaking of scams, is it me or is this whole "Signing up for college coach representation and networking" not also a major scam? Our oldest started club sports at 11 yrs old and they were trying to get us to pay for representation through high school??? Insane. We have ignored it now for 2 more years, but is there anything truly worthwhile about those agents or is it a scam until you're actually in a high ranking travel team?

It is always a scam. When the time comes, join the Facebook group called Educating Parents of HS Athletes on the Recruiting Process. I learned about it on dcum. It is incredibly helpful and free. And on those high level teams, the coach should be helping your athlete through the process, calling college coaches, etc. Your athlete will be emailing and reaching out to coaches with video and attending camps. Don’t pay anyone for this, scam scam scam.

Thank you, this is incredibly helpful to know - appreciate it!

[Anonymous]

$$$

Plain and simple.

Adults setting up opposing leagues in completion for the $. There are rivalries. None of it is about the actual kids and what’s good for them.

There is no need to be regularly crossing state lines or driving 3 hours south in VA, etc. There is definitely a critical mass of talent in this area. We spread it far and wide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. So why do families agree to travel, if they know they're being fleeced?

For example: my kid is not athletic, but she's an advanced violin player. She's often invited to compete in regional, national or international competitions. Most of them are purely commercial enterprises for the organizers, and after doing one which landed her at Carnegie Hall, we're not going out of our way to travel to and fro and spend our hard-earned money on many more. She'll do some in high school, for college apps, but the bulk of her playing time is already well spent in private lessons and local performances. There is no reason to get sucked into more stuff.

My 6th grader is a really good rec player who will try out for travel for next season at multiple clubs, hoping she makes a team. We know it’s pay to play and big time commitment. She just finished the fall season and they regularly had to play short or even forfeit because not enough kids showed up to games. That’s her reason for wanting to go to travel. She just wants to play and wants kids committed enough to come to the games if they join the team. It’s not a financial hardship for us so we are willing to pay it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. So why do families agree to travel, if they know they're being fleeced?

For example: my kid is not athletic, but she's an advanced violin player. She's often invited to compete in regional, national or international competitions. Most of them are purely commercial enterprises for the organizers, and after doing one which landed her at Carnegie Hall, we're not going out of our way to travel to and fro and spend our hard-earned money on many more. She'll do some in high school, for college apps, but the bulk of her playing time is already well spent in private lessons and local performances. There is no reason to get sucked into more stuff.

My 6th grader is a really good rec player who will try out for travel for next season at multiple clubs, hoping she makes a team. We know it’s pay to play and big time commitment. She just finished the fall season and they regularly had to play short or even forfeit because not enough kids showed up to games. That’s her reason for wanting to go to travel. She just wants to play and wants kids committed enough to come to the games if they join the team. It’s not a financial hardship for us so we are willing to pay it.

Just curious, why go straight to travel in that case? Or will she also try out for regional clubs that aren't as intense? I feel for her and totally can understand her desire to be on a team where everyone takes it seriously, but given the money it takes to play regionally (and also what I'm reading about clubs/regional being a better place than travel to get the attention to skills and develop vs. just playing the position you're already skilled at), in your situation I'd definitely choose regional team. Then again, if neither money nor time were issues (which they are for us and why travel is out for us) I guess I'd consider both.

[Anonymous]

Same PP as ^^ Forgot to finish the sentence: Given the $$ it costs to do regional teams, pretty sure most of those players show up for games too. So my point was why go for the super high stress of travel and time commitment (you already said you're not worried about money) for travel and - if she's not laser focused on trying to be D1 - do regional since she'd likely get better skill development attention that way too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. So why do families agree to travel, if they know they're being fleeced?

For example: my kid is not athletic, but she's an advanced violin player. She's often invited to compete in regional, national or international competitions. Most of them are purely commercial enterprises for the organizers, and after doing one which landed her at Carnegie Hall, we're not going out of our way to travel to and fro and spend our hard-earned money on many more. She'll do some in high school, for college apps, but the bulk of her playing time is already well spent in private lessons and local performances. There is no reason to get sucked into more stuff.

My 6th grader is a really good rec player who will try out for travel for next season at multiple clubs, hoping she makes a team. We know it’s pay to play and big time commitment. She just finished the fall season and they regularly had to play short or even forfeit because not enough kids showed up to games. That’s her reason for wanting to go to travel. She just wants to play and wants kids committed enough to come to the games if they join the team. It’s not a financial hardship for us so we are willing to pay it.

Just curious, why go straight to travel in that case? Or will she also try out for regional clubs that aren't as intense? I feel for her and totally can understand her desire to be on a team where everyone takes it seriously, but given the money it takes to play regionally (and also what I'm reading about clubs/regional being a better place than travel to get the attention to skills and develop vs. just playing the position you're already skilled at), in your situation I'd definitely choose regional team. Then again, if neither money nor time were issues (which they are for us and why travel is out for us) I guess I'd consider both.

Many sports don't have regional teams...its rec or travel with nothing in between.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. So why do families agree to travel, if they know they're being fleeced?

For example: my kid is not athletic, but she's an advanced violin player. She's often invited to compete in regional, national or international competitions. Most of them are purely commercial enterprises for the organizers, and after doing one which landed her at Carnegie Hall, we're not going out of our way to travel to and fro and spend our hard-earned money on many more. She'll do some in high school, for college apps, but the bulk of her playing time is already well spent in private lessons and local performances. There is no reason to get sucked into more stuff.

My 6th grader is a really good rec player who will try out for travel for next season at multiple clubs, hoping she makes a team. We know it’s pay to play and big time commitment. She just finished the fall season and they regularly had to play short or even forfeit because not enough kids showed up to games. That’s her reason for wanting to go to travel. She just wants to play and wants kids committed enough to come to the games if they join the team. It’s not a financial hardship for us so we are willing to pay it.

Just curious, why go straight to travel in that case? Or will she also try out for regional clubs that aren't as intense? I feel for her and totally can understand her desire to be on a team where everyone takes it seriously, but given the money it takes to play regionally (and also what I'm reading about clubs/regional being a better place than travel to get the attention to skills and develop vs. just playing the position you're already skilled at), in your situation I'd definitely choose regional team. Then again, if neither money nor time were issues (which they are for us and why travel is out for us) I guess I'd consider both.

Many sports don't have regional teams...its rec or travel with nothing in between.

Ok that makes sense. I immediately assumed volleyball because that's where my head is at, but totally understand now.

[Anonymous]

As with most things it is more complicated than folks are making out. Very sport specific. Every sport will be different. Take soccer. At a certain level like ECNL travel makes sense. ECNL is a league that is focused on getting your kids playing in college. Travel makes sense if that is your goal. If you are on the fourth team on your club and driving to NC, I assume people are doing it because they think it is fun. There is no other reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree it's dumb and this is one of many reasons we will never do travel sports. It's a scam. If you child is very talented and hard working, they can get scouted without doing travel sports, and if they are not, they can get all the benefit necessary out of local leagues. There is no compelling reason for travel sports in a place like the DMV.

I'm fairly certain that you aren't developing the technical skills practicing 1 hour once a week spring and fall to even make a high school team around here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is on a "travel" team but it's local travel. They do go to a tournament every year though but it's been places like Philly or Pittsburgh. We have always had fun at the tournaments.

That’s a “select” team not “travel.” And a typical model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree it's dumb and this is one of many reasons we will never do travel sports. It's a scam. If you child is very talented and hard working, they can get scouted without doing travel sports, and if they are not, they can get all the benefit necessary out of local leagues. There is no compelling reason for travel sports in a place like the DMV.

I'm fairly certain that you aren't developing the technical skills practicing 1 hour once a week spring and fall to even make a high school team around here

For sports like soccer skill development is done outside of travel practice. The skill development here is horrendous specially on the girls side. It is the reason ECNL and college is so physical. The skill level and the speed of play is extremely low allowing physical play to dominate. The travel part will not allow another sport or any other activity. It’s a system set up to get about a quarter of the kids to college.