I played just the Little league schedule (30 games in the spring) until we moved to the "big field" 90' bases 60'6" mound at 13 years old. Then I played a very basic version of what travel ball is today in that it was pretty much just each towns all star team coached by a dad, and we played double headers every Sunday during the summer. I didn't play anything like what travel ball is today until I was 16, and was invited to play on a "scout team" who is now the Orlando Scorpions. Which if y'all play big time travel ball in the south you know the scorpions. Either way paying huge bucks and playing in thousands of perfect game tourneys at an early age is not necessary to become a big time college or pro player. Once you make it to HS IMO it's important to play on a big time travel team because that's how recruiting is done, BUT if your good enough they'll find you anywhere