travel baseball questions from a newbie

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Through 12U, travel ball is on Sundays (usually doubleheaders) because the Little Leagues have field permits all day Saturday.

Once they step up to the big field, games can be either Saturdays or Sundays — there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason other than coach preference/schedule.

There are some LL-age travel teams that keep a very light schedule in the spring and then go harder in the fall. But for the most part, you’re looking at busy weekends August-October and again March-May. (Travel teams generally shut down during LL All Star play.)

Given the enormous time suck, I strongly recommend you find a team close by, with a coach focused on development (and not collecting plastic trophies) and players your kid knows and likes. You will be spending a lot of time with these people, and a short commute with lots of carpool options makes a huge difference. Also, find a church that offers multiple services, and divide and conquer as needed. We spent many years with some family at one service while others went earlier/later.

For all the shortcomings of NVTBL registration, the one thing you can do is check the boxes of which days your team is willing to play.

If you don't check Sunday, you won't ever be scheduled on Sunday.

It depends on where you live. e.g. in Arlington they require kids to play "rec" LL or BR in addition to travel, so to accommodate that, the travel games are always on Sundays, as rec is on Saturdays.

Do not join a team if you plan to miss games because of church. It's not fair to the rest of the team.

Who requires it? The travel team does?

NP here. Yes, some travel teams are affiliated with little leagues so that’s how they can require you to do play both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Through 12U, travel ball is on Sundays (usually doubleheaders) because the Little Leagues have field permits all day Saturday.

Once they step up to the big field, games can be either Saturdays or Sundays — there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason other than coach preference/schedule.

There are some LL-age travel teams that keep a very light schedule in the spring and then go harder in the fall. But for the most part, you’re looking at busy weekends August-October and again March-May. (Travel teams generally shut down during LL All Star play.)

Given the enormous time suck, I strongly recommend you find a team close by, with a coach focused on development (and not collecting plastic trophies) and players your kid knows and likes. You will be spending a lot of time with these people, and a short commute with lots of carpool options makes a huge difference. Also, find a church that offers multiple services, and divide and conquer as needed. We spent many years with some family at one service while others went earlier/later.

For all the shortcomings of NVTBL registration, the one thing you can do is check the boxes of which days your team is willing to play.

If you don't check Sunday, you won't ever be scheduled on Sunday.

It depends on where you live. e.g. in Arlington they require kids to play "rec" LL or BR in addition to travel, so to accommodate that, the travel games are always on Sundays, as rec is on Saturdays.

Do not join a team if you plan to miss games because of church. It's not fair to the rest of the team.

PP was about 13u and above. I don't know many people that stick with a Rec league at 13u (though kind of nice if Babe Ruth is a decent league).

You can of course always play for a different travel team (of which there are a gazillion in VA) and skip BR once you graduate from LL.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you don’t want to juggle LL and a travel ball schedule now, stick with LL, play their fall ball season and maybe have your player do some one-on-one hitting/throwing/catching (depending on position) lessons.

The travel universe opens up a lot at 13U. On the upside, there are a lot more teams. The downside is everything becomes more fragmented, and the afore-mentioned carpooling gets harder as kids go in many different directions.

I’m just going to leave this here:
https://youtu.be/mt6SCO2DbPE?si=5bLQputMKYnsxXi8

If your kid wants to play travel ball, you will always be able to find someone to take your money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Through 12U, travel ball is on Sundays (usually doubleheaders) because the Little Leagues have field permits all day Saturday.

Once they step up to the big field, games can be either Saturdays or Sundays — there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason other than coach preference/schedule.

There are some LL-age travel teams that keep a very light schedule in the spring and then go harder in the fall. But for the most part, you’re looking at busy weekends August-October and again March-May. (Travel teams generally shut down during LL All Star play.)

Given the enormous time suck, I strongly recommend you find a team close by, with a coach focused on development (and not collecting plastic trophies) and players your kid knows and likes. You will be spending a lot of time with these people, and a short commute with lots of carpool options makes a huge difference. Also, find a church that offers multiple services, and divide and conquer as needed. We spent many years with some family at one service while others went earlier/later.

For all the shortcomings of NVTBL registration, the one thing you can do is check the boxes of which days your team is willing to play.

If you don't check Sunday, you won't ever be scheduled on Sunday.

It depends on where you live. e.g. in Arlington they require kids to play "rec" LL or BR in addition to travel, so to accommodate that, the travel games are always on Sundays, as rec is on Saturdays.

Do not join a team if you plan to miss games because of church. It's not fair to the rest of the team.

PP was about 13u and above. I don't know many people that stick with a Rec league at 13u (though kind of nice if Babe Ruth is a decent league).

You can of course always play for a different travel team (of which there are a gazillion in VA) and skip BR once you graduate from LL.

Again in Arlington, many kids that stick with the former Senators now Arlington United (travel) play for ASBR as well.

[Anonymous]

This thread seems very NoVa focused but for much of Maryland, no one cares about or plays Little League.

Check out the schedules for teams in the MABA, CBA, and CRAB league. But they also tend to play on Sundays sometimes, Saturday sometimes, weekday games, and tournaments. Unlike NoVa teams, these teams go hard in the spring with 35-50 games but very light in the fall, maybe 8 games or something.

The NoVa teams have to play LL in spring, so fall is the more competitive season.

I am jealous of the Maryland teams that see higher quality pitching 2-5 times a week. It really helps develop hitters. They can do it because LL isn't a thing at all.

[Anonymous]

If you are really dedicated to your church- don’t do travel baseball.

You can try- but inevitably, the cost and the time will eat away from church.

It’s not just time- it’s money and time and energy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread seems very NoVa focused but for much of Maryland, no one cares about or plays Little League.

Check out the schedules for teams in the MABA, CBA, and CRAB league. But they also tend to play on Sundays sometimes, Saturday sometimes, weekday games, and tournaments. Unlike NoVa teams, these teams go hard in the spring with 35-50 games but very light in the fall, maybe 8 games or something.

The NoVa teams have to play LL in spring, so fall is the more competitive season.

I am jealous of the Maryland teams that see higher quality pitching 2-5 times a week. It really helps develop hitters. They can do it because LL isn't a thing at all.

Montgomery county LL is the largest one in the country. Everyone plays it at 12u.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread seems very NoVa focused but for much of Maryland, no one cares about or plays Little League.

Check out the schedules for teams in the MABA, CBA, and CRAB league. But they also tend to play on Sundays sometimes, Saturday sometimes, weekday games, and tournaments. Unlike NoVa teams, these teams go hard in the spring with 35-50 games but very light in the fall, maybe 8 games or something.

The NoVa teams have to play LL in spring, so fall is the more competitive season.

I am jealous of the Maryland teams that see higher quality pitching 2-5 times a week. It really helps develop hitters. They can do it because LL isn't a thing at all.

Montgomery county LL is the largest one in the country. Everyone plays it at 12u.

That's just MoCo and the 12U kids dropping back in for 12U? And does it extend to the northern part of the County?

What about Calvert, Anne Arundel, Howard, St. Mary's, Charles, Prince George's? If they have LL teams I don't know how the best travel players hit the minimum requirements for regular season games and those travel teams play travel through June and into/through July.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread seems very NoVa focused but for much of Maryland, no one cares about or plays Little League.

Check out the schedules for teams in the MABA, CBA, and CRAB league. But they also tend to play on Sundays sometimes, Saturday sometimes, weekday games, and tournaments. Unlike NoVa teams, these teams go hard in the spring with 35-50 games but very light in the fall, maybe 8 games or something.

The NoVa teams have to play LL in spring, so fall is the more competitive season.

I am jealous of the Maryland teams that see higher quality pitching 2-5 times a week. It really helps develop hitters. They can do it because LL isn't a thing at all.

Montgomery county LL is the largest one in the country. Everyone plays it at 12u.

That's just MoCo and the 12U kids dropping back in for 12U? And does it extend to the northern part of the County?

What about Calvert, Anne Arundel, Howard, St. Mary's, Charles, Prince George's? If they have LL teams I don't know how the best travel players hit the minimum requirements for regular season games and those travel teams play travel through June and into/through July.

No idea. Only know re the DMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread seems very NoVa focused but for much of Maryland, no one cares about or plays Little League.

Check out the schedules for teams in the MABA, CBA, and CRAB league. But they also tend to play on Sundays sometimes, Saturday sometimes, weekday games, and tournaments. Unlike NoVa teams, these teams go hard in the spring with 35-50 games but very light in the fall, maybe 8 games or something.

The NoVa teams have to play LL in spring, so fall is the more competitive season.

I am jealous of the Maryland teams that see higher quality pitching 2-5 times a week. It really helps develop hitters. They can do it because LL isn't a thing at all.

Montgomery county LL is the largest one in the country. Everyone plays it at 12u.

That's just MoCo and the 12U kids dropping back in for 12U? And does it extend to the northern part of the County?

What about Calvert, Anne Arundel, Howard, St. Mary's, Charles, Prince George's? If they have LL teams I don't know how the best travel players hit the minimum requirements for regular season games and those travel teams play travel through June and into/through July.

I believe MoCo has two LLs divided by southern and northern MoCo.

Most LL kids that play All Stars don’t play travel in the Summer.

I think Southern MoCo won the state championship last year and went to Bristol.

[Anonymous]

This isn’t answering your question but I’ll throw it out there anyway:

My advice is to wait 1-2 years (start travel at either the 11U or 12U level).

Travel is fun but is going to be more time consuming than LL (and Yes, will interfere with church at least sometimes, seasonally). Enjoy the lighter schedule, more family time, more time for other rec sports etc for 1-2 more years. He definitely isn’t missing anything in 10U travel ball. Playing LL majors level this upcoming season or as soon as possible would be ideal, however.

If he wants to do more right now, look into supplementing with some private batting lessons and/or pitching lessons (some scoff at the expense- but it is still less expensive than travel ball fees and can be worked around your family schedule).

I have 2 boys who play (one in high school, one rising 8th grader/14U) and did the above for second kid. DS2 transitioned just fine to travel at 12U.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread seems very NoVa focused but for much of Maryland, no one cares about or plays Little League.

Check out the schedules for teams in the MABA, CBA, and CRAB league. But they also tend to play on Sundays sometimes, Saturday sometimes, weekday games, and tournaments. Unlike NoVa teams, these teams go hard in the spring with 35-50 games but very light in the fall, maybe 8 games or something.

The NoVa teams have to play LL in spring, so fall is the more competitive season.

I am jealous of the Maryland teams that see higher quality pitching 2-5 times a week. It really helps develop hitters. They can do it because LL isn't a thing at all.

Montgomery county LL is the largest one in the country. Everyone plays it at 12u.

But PP's post was correct. CRAB and MABA are light years ahead of LL in MD. Some of those orgs are producing really great baseball teams

The only challenge with a league like MABA is that you could live in MoCo, and have a 6:00 game in Baltimore on a Wednesday. That's the challenge

[Anonymous]

FWIW, if he sticks with baseball until high school and makes the team, they will give you plenty of room to worship. If he's good enough, he does not need to do travel!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, if he sticks with baseball until high school and makes the team, they will give you plenty of room to worship. If he's good enough, he does not need to do travel!

That's the hard part. Many kids that only played rec don't stand a chance to make their HS team. Our HS had over 100 kids try out.

[Anonymous]

If your kid really likes baseball at a young age, go with a local travel team. It'll be a bunch of kids that are pretty good at baseball and like it too. Kinda self-selection. It's fun!

If Sunday service is an issue, some teams play almost exclusively Sunday afternoons, while others almost always play 9:00 AM Sunday morning. Maybe an afternoon team might work?

A few teams like YBA Hustle don't play on Sundays at all -- Saturday schedule only.