Travel Sports - "They Love It"

[Anonymous]

Having had a baseball kid that is playing in college, if I had to do it again, I would seriously consider living in Atlanta.

During the Summer, the three most prominent tournaments are in Atlanta (2) and Birmingham. During the Fall, the most prominent tournament is the PG tournament in Florida (Ft. Myers, Jupiter Beach or Palm Beach depending on age).

If you live in Atlanta, even the FL tournament is a quick trip.

I fall into the camp that I don't mind traveling a little...but it would have been nice to just drive down the street to many of these tournaments.

[Anonymous]

My kid loved it for a while and then was just over it. Playing the same teams in the same tournaments every year. Once she didn't want to do it anymore, we stopped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having had a baseball kid that is playing in college, if I had to do it again, I would seriously consider living in Atlanta.

During the Summer, the three most prominent tournaments are in Atlanta (2) and Birmingham. During the Fall, the most prominent tournament is the PG tournament in Florida (Ft. Myers, Jupiter Beach or Palm Beach depending on age).

If you live in Atlanta, even the FL tournament is a quick trip.

I fall into the camp that I don't mind traveling a little...but it would have been nice to just drive down the street to many of these tournaments.

+1 Those Atlanta tournaments were brutal. I never minded the fly in places bc well, I didn't have to drive. Kid also played in college. He had a great experience, got a great degree and has life long friends. 10 out of 10 would do it again.

[Anonymous]

My mid 20s son, having now graduated and played his sport in college, is back in the area for work. His friends? The young men he played on his travel teams with for years.

My friends? Several of the mothers of those young men. Not all of the people are awful (some are), and if your kid loves a sport and wants to play it at a fairly high level, that's what you do.

My son FWIW is still playing it, just in men's leagues now. He contemplated going post college to play in Europe but ultimately decided he should get started on his career.

[Anonymous]

For the baseball parents who went to the out of state tournaments - how important are these for college recruiting? I have a an 8th grader and we have only traveled to a couple driving tournaments and I am trying to manage expectations for high school. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like most of our friends and acquaintances whose kids play travel sports are always saying "They Love It" after describing a three day weekend of driving a total of 800 miles, eating crappy fast food in the car three meals a day and playing in 3 different tournament games. It always sounds very defensive as if they're trying to justify spending a weekend in this fashion.

I know some of these kids might legit love doing this for the love of the game, but how many others are simply being pushed to do all this by their parents? Travel sports seem to be getting completely out of control, and it's hard to believe that so many families are happy to be spending their weekends this way. I feel like parents we've known for years become completely obsessed with these travel leagues once they join, and the sport becomes their life.

Anyone else get this "They Love It" statement from a travel sports parent?

So your kid is not athletic and can't make a travel team you say?

You got the money you will find a travel team to take your money.

Depends on the sport. Good luck finding a travel team if you suck at hockey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mid 20s son, having now graduated and played his sport in college, is back in the area for work. His friends? The young men he played on his travel teams with for years.

My friends? Several of the mothers of those young men. Not all of the people are awful (some are), and if your kid loves a sport and wants to play it at a fairly high level, that's what you do.

My son FWIW is still playing it, just in men's leagues now. He contemplated going post college to play in Europe but ultimately decided he should get started on his career.

Yuck. Talk about living through your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the baseball parents who went to the out of state tournaments - how important are these for college recruiting? I have a an 8th grader and we have only traveled to a couple driving tournaments and I am trying to manage expectations for high school. Thanks!

All depends what level of recruitment and how wide of a net you want to cast.

If your kid is legitimately a strong D1 candidate, the GA/AL/FL tournaments are critical if your kid is legit for SEC, ACC or Big10 (schools)...you will also see many Ivy and some Patriot League schools at these tourneys as well, so it's not that they aren't there too.

Just FYI...your team doesn't have to be a top team at these tournaments, though they should represent well and your coach needs to be connected to ensure that they can get the attention of these schools, that they will show up to watch you play and that your coach plays you when those coaches are there. The coaches usually only stick around for the pool play rounds because that is when they know all the teams will actually play...maybe some coaches that are domiciled locally (say the GA Tech coach) will try to watch an elimination game, but they don't really care who wins these tournaments and 90% of the coaches have gone somewhere else by the elimination round.

On the flip side, I know two kids playing at UMD and Georgetown, and while they played for top travel teams...these tourneys weren't necessary at all because the coaches from these schools were able to see them play locally and come watch their practices/training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the baseball parents who went to the out of state tournaments - how important are these for college recruiting? I have a an 8th grader and we have only traveled to a couple driving tournaments and I am trying to manage expectations for high school. Thanks!

To add, you really only need to consider starting Summer after sophomore year in HS...so at 16U.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mid 20s son, having now graduated and played his sport in college, is back in the area for work. His friends? The young men he played on his travel teams with for years.

My friends? Several of the mothers of those young men. Not all of the people are awful (some are), and if your kid loves a sport and wants to play it at a fairly high level, that's what you do.

My son FWIW is still playing it, just in men's leagues now. He contemplated going post college to play in Europe but ultimately decided he should get started on his career.

Yuck. Talk about living through your kids.

Maybe open that first bottle of wine a little early today. You seem cranky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I realize this is a troll post, but I can’t help myself.

OP, imagine whatever activity your kid likes best.

They get the opportunity to do it three or four times in a single weekend with a dozen or so friends, plus a couple of group meals, and ideally a stay in a hotel with an indoor pool where they get to spend evenings together.

Is it really that hard to understand that kids might really enjoy something like that?

This is exactly what tournament weekends are like. My kids do love it. We didn’t drive 800 miles. We had a tournament 50 miles away and one was local. Win or lose they are leaning important life lessons.

Like how to stay in a crappy Hampton Inn in Podunk?

Why don't you spell out more clearly what you mean here, PP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mid 20s son, having now graduated and played his sport in college, is back in the area for work. His friends? The young men he played on his travel teams with for years.

My friends? Several of the mothers of those young men. Not all of the people are awful (some are), and if your kid loves a sport and wants to play it at a fairly high level, that's what you do.

My son FWIW is still playing it, just in men's leagues now. He contemplated going post college to play in Europe but ultimately decided he should get started on his career.

Yuck. Talk about living through your kids.

How is that living through her kids? The only part about her was that her friends are the ones she made in travel ball. My best friends are my college friends but none of them are local to me. All of my other friends are people I met through my kids, whether in baby playgroup, elementary school, or sports. Oh, and I guess a few neighbors, but those are neighbors with similar age kids, so got to know them at the bus stop, etc.

[Anonymous]

They really do love it. It’s wild to see your kid show up for practice 8+ hours a week and grind it out, and then compete at a really high level with kids from all of the country (and world in our case). Their dedication and commitment makes the cost and sacrifices we have made, worth it. They have also made amazing friends and community through it, and learned how to deal with some really tough breaks. 10 out of 10, would do it again.

[Anonymous]

My friend's son was drafted in the first round for baseball. He didn't start playing travel ball until high school and that was only because it was becoming obvious that he was a major talent.

Playing travel ball at 10 means nothing. This kid played little league and pop warner football. Don't waste your money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having had a baseball kid that is playing in college, if I had to do it again, I would seriously consider living in Atlanta.

During the Summer, the three most prominent tournaments are in Atlanta (2) and Birmingham. During the Fall, the most prominent tournament is the PG tournament in Florida (Ft. Myers, Jupiter Beach or Palm Beach depending on age).

If you live in Atlanta, even the FL tournament is a quick trip.

I fall into the camp that I don't mind traveling a little...but it would have been nice to just drive down the street to many of these tournaments.

Same for hockey. Just live in Minnesota if you want to raise a hockey player.