KOA Sports - baseball, other sports

[Anonymous]

We are looking into baseball options for our 2 sons in MoCo county who are ready to take to next levels either select/travel. Also thinking about fall/winter sports like basketball that are a little more competitive than rec.

We have received KOA emails and gone to KOA website – which looks great. But have also talked to several parents at our schools about the select (BABL?) and travel. They say the coaches are good, but hearing very bad reviews on KOA itself. Games not scheduled, far less games than last year for travel, few tournaments, batting practices not scheduled, lack of communications, and KOA not trying to fix problems until the end of the season – when it seems too late. Heard select only had one game so far For the fees, $1200-1500 for travel for spring and select $700+ per season that seems like a lot for all the problems even if great coaches. Is this a KOA problem? Just a baseball problem? What other options are good for baseball in MoCo?

[Anonymous]

$700 per season for select...is that right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$700 per season for select...is that right?

Yes - just checked with my friend, for 4th/5th graders for 1 season. I can see why they are so upset. They wanted to avoid parent coaching - KOA has no parent coaches which is the appeal, but that is a lot of $$.

[Anonymous]

Try BCC Baseball. More options and a well run program.

[Anonymous]

I think BCC is the only program in the area where the coaches aren't parent volunteers.

[Anonymous]

OP just stated above that KOA isn't parent coached.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP just stated above that KOA isn't parent coached.

Where?

[Anonymous]

Koa doesn't have parents coaches in baseball

Believe BCC select has parent coaches

Think BCC travel does not

[Anonymous]

I'd blame it on the rain not KOA. Not much they can do when the county closes fields. We have been really impressed with KOA coaching and organization.. BCC select is parent coaches.

[Anonymous]

Highly recommend BCC Select. Yes, they are parent coaches but they are highly knowledgeable. The level of play seems higher than in BABL. We tried BABL several years ago. We liked the KOA coaches but not the wide age range of players on the team. We also felt like they didn't offer as many games and practices as BCC.

[Anonymous]

Agree BCC Select has very knowledgeable coaches. BCC travel has paid coach but still utilizes parent volunteers for all but head coach. BCC travel is excellent, can be hard to make team, although they do cut players and usually carry 14 kids. Olney also has high talent program, parent coaches but very knowledgeable and they bring in professionals for hitting and pitching. Dig In is another more up county excellent program and only paid coaches. But if you live in Bethesda, would look at BCC first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think BCC is the only program in the area where the coaches aren't parent volunteers.

BCC rec and select are parent coach. Travel is not parent coach.

[Anonymous]

BABL is a mixed bag. When it first started, it was fantastic and a great alternative to BCC. Over the few years though, the made the teams less select, so there was a wide range in skill. They also expanded the roster sizes from 12 to 14 and 15 kids, which meant a lot of bench time.

If they haven't fixed those problems, I would avoid it. If they have, then terrific.

[Anonymous]

DS is in KOA and LL and neither league is getting much play time this year due to the rain. BABL was hit worse because clinics and games are Fri and Sat and that is when the rain has been the worse. I hear parents complain on both leagues but I think their expectations are unrealistic. As much as they would like, baseball does not control the weather.

Having dealt with BCC, LL and BABL the level of coaching is far better at BABL. It's like night and day.

[Anonymous]

We have kid on KOA travel. Completely separate to the weather - games were not scheduled as communicated at the beginning of the season and far less games scheduled than last year . We also have less tournaments Shorter season than last year by a few weeks. All of it really added up

Parents have asked multiple times why less then last year and why less than what was communicated. We get the response over and over that it's difficult to schedule games. For $1500+ a season, I would think they could schedule - especially when they have done in the past.

Of course weather made it worse, but we were starting at a bad spot.

The head of KOA does a lot of PR on positive coaching and what is wrong with youth travel sports today - so it's a bit bizarre