Yeah, I wanted George Brett to try to hit my slider when I was 13. He was hitting near .400 that year and I had thrown 3 no hitters in dixie youth. Couldn't make it happen and I still regret it to this day.

Does your son like to build forts and play with legos? Maybe he could get in a vocational training program for archeticture or engineering for 6 year olds. Or is baseball his only interest that needs fostering?

no legos or forts for him. from daylight to dark he is watching youtube with any kind of baseball or a game on tv or outside hitting off a training aide , going to practice or going to another rec ball game somewhere

Well then you MAY have the real deal. However, he's still 6 , he may flame out, and want to go another direction. 6 is too young for hard core travel IMO, I think about 12ish is early enough if he can compete and can get on a well run and coach team . If he has the skills he'll find a place to play no matter the age. Hard core travel ball can be an expensive grind, a racket. You can learn, have a great team , be competitive at a young age without playing every weekend from Feb till Oct . Some folks just take it waaaay too far for the younger kids. Well, you did ask.

Good advice here. We had a group of us that wanted better competition for our sons so we started a travel team. It lasted a couple months then fizzled out. We went in different directions and now most of the kids are back playing together on another travel team.

I used to coach 6U at parks and rec and YOU would have DEFINITELY been one of the helicopter parents that I would have invited to coach or told to STFU - you have absolutely no idea the cost or sacrifices made by the coaches at that level, much less at higher levels. The idea is to introduce them to the game, and yes - many of the kids don't want to be there, their parents are trying to live vicariously through them AND they "play in the dirt", it is the responsibility of the coach to do the following pretty much in this order:
1. Create a safe and friendly environment.
2. Let ALL kids play and have fun.
3. Teach the field discipline and the fundamentals of the game

If it is that important to you and your son - then modify your work schedule and coach the kids; because I can GUARANTEE you that IF your son joins travel leagues, then either you will miss work or you will modify your schedule..

Yep. Add this to what I said above.

I will tell you what is just as bad time and money wise. Travel Volleyball and gymnastics. These ladies at school tell me what they spend and they could pay for college with all the money they sink into it.

As someone else said the coach’s are volunteers for the most part. When I played little league and babe Ruth growing up my dad was our head coach foe many years. He had to basically threaten others parents just to help coach. Most of the time I’m not sure our assistant coaches knew a damn thing about baseball. But I agrees if you are going to be a coach then get out there and coach

Just be ready for the intensity to pick up. On a travel ball team, where there's more money and time to be shucked out, the parents are expecting a better product on the field. The parents expect trophies and rings. The parents think that little Johnny is better than little Timmy. Meanwhile, the kids are just playing ball. So if you think you're intense about the game, keep in mind that there will be 12 dad's and 12 mom's that will match your intensity or double it. Drama exists at every level of athletics. Unfortunately.

Had an employee once in over $30k credit card debt due to travel ball. He made under $50K a year. Single income family too

That's just ridiculous.

....and how many people do you know in a similar situation that would put that type money in a college fund for their kid? I know of no one that would. They're going with the 1% chance of a scholarship.

That's impressive.

Yeah, but maybe after a 20million dollar signed contract. College education ain't worth nothing unless you have a set plan for it. Student debt is at all time worse.
But for OP, my opinion is that more kids get burned out early from travel or just focusing on one sport, than kids that love it so much they stick with it. So I am waiting till my daughter is 14-15 till before really talking about travel ball. It's more about fun and learning some skills now. The intensity will pick up later.

I remember in middle school having friends that couldn't go swimming because their parents didn't want them to get "worn out" for a baseball game they had that night. That was when I knew it was insane.....no swimming in summer

same with golf. will mess your baseball swing and grip up.

We heard this 40 years ago.

Was stupid then, is stupid now.

I'd be willing to wager that golf is a better life skill than baseball ever thought about being, in terms of normal-guy networking, and business related dealings. Besides just being fun and something you can do into your old age. I don't know many 80 year olds hitting the sandlot.

playing catch with clients isn't a thing?

Nobody knows your son better than you but be careful with too much ball as it can be a double-edged sword. My son that is now 20 could never get enough. He started T-ball at 4 and played rec ball during the regular season till he aged out at 12, and travel ball year around. I spent who knows how many thousands of dollars on equipment and pitching / hitting lessons not to mention fees and the actual travel. He was a solid A team player. At 15 he announced he was tired of baseball and just wanted to fish and hunt. So, that’s what we did from that point on. I saw so many kids over the years announce they were quitting because they were burned out and didn’t like it anymore, and never once did I think my son would fall into that. But he did, and I fully supported his decision. Looking back my son did not have enough time to be a kid, although he always told me he didn’t want to do anything but play baseball. Travel ball will allow him to play with a group of kids that want to be there, but don’t forget to make him be a kid also.