Just glad my kids suck at sports 🤣

Scouts are looking at travel teams. They aren’t watching some U trip AA tourney in McCalla tho. They are watching 14u and up showcase ball. And I’m not talking a team of local kids going to a PG tourney. There are travel teams and then there are elite showcase teams. Look up Dulin Dodgers. Or Chet Lemons juice. And Viper baseball academy usually has strong teams. These are teams with real deal high school talent.

But you said 11 years ago you were impressed at a travel tourney. I believe that. But now travel at younger ages is so watered down. Travel ball for most kids at 8u - 13u is just glorified rec ball. Not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings. But it is what it is

Agreed it’s mostly more for show. As in show me the money and that is absolutely fine. Some folks fish, some folks collect toys. Some folks play ball. You do you as they say. My only thing is respect the game and sometimes it seems a little bit much at these tournaments. 10-12 years ago closed my business and worked for a good friend photographing youth sports around the southeast. Rec ball mainly but some travel. I remember telling dad about some of the things I saw. Also I knew a scout for the Florida Marlins, he mentioned HS kids but mostly college kids in his travels. He was on the road year round it seemed.

One of dads last doctor visits he was asked what he wanted to be remembered as. A player or a coach, without hesitation he emphatically stated a coach. Felt he reached and made more positive influence on young kids lives by being a coach. There are strong positives in playing team sports.

Dads testament is to just how many guys I’ve ran across thru the years that have come up to me to tell all about my dad and his positive influences he had on them.

The positives far outweigh the negatives with travel ball.

Yes I agree...I see kids that are mediocre on travel teams...that's all fine and dandy but it don't mean jack as far as abilities go, like jbucks experience ive got friends who never played anything other than high-school ball that got scholarships ....my wife's uncle has a place in Florida and he's got teams n such and travels, it's his life tho, he's had several make it to big leagues...my kids don't suck, I was joking bout that but it ain't for us...fall ball will be the extent of it

I get what you’re saying but I don’t know of any kids same age as my son (age 24) or younger that got a scholarship playing only high school ball. It just doesn’t happen like that anymore. College scouts spend their time at big tourneys and if the right teams are there you will see pro scouts as well. I wish it was different but it’s not anymore. Just guessing here but I’d say 90% of the kids playing travel will not play college ball.

My son now has a boy and if he has the love and talent my son had then I’m sure he will play travel as well. But he won’t just play any ole travel. I’m a bit picky and so is my son. And he will play only if we see he has the ability to play next level. Not wasting time and money just to go collect rings that he will forget about

Travel ball dad is the male version of a pageant mom, if you’re completely honest with yourself you see the similarities

I don't make all my kid's games. You have to do what you have to do to get it all done. My older kid hates baseball, so often times he and I go fishing on Sat and get the around the house chores done and then we catch the Sunday games. My kid is pretty good (9U). Im not sure if he's going to play after high school or not? But if you don't put them in the best practice/game situations and competition they do not advance as quickly learning the game. My wife and I discussed it before we jumped in. When your kid has noticeable talent, how would you feel if not allowing your kid the best opportunities keep him from playing down the road after high school? It's a judgement call you have to make. We wanted to give him some opportunities to see how he advances. So far, he is having fun and enjoying it, learning, and playing well. So we are happy we decided to let him go for it.

I have noticed quite a bit of difference between the average leauge ball kid's skill level and the average travel ball kids skill level we play. Not saying there arent some good leauge players, not at all.. but the teams we play are usually more advanced across the board.

I don’t have kids but it sure seems that way in many instances.

We used to chit stomp those guys. When I was part of the east coast scout team, which is now the money making machine known as Scorpions. Used to have to be scout recommended to play on the team back in the early 2000’s and we won the WWBA champs several times. I was team mates with the likes of Zack Grienkie, Prince Fielder, Jon Lucroy…….Now the program has over a dozen teams and sold from the original owner for over a million dollars and it costs upwards for $700 just to try out whether you make the team or not.

Vipers baseball is worth a lot the guy who started it is up in age he’s still involved . his son coaches several teams and has made a dang good living off of parents/kids dreams.
CASH money. Think about it.

We are currently in Conroe, Tx. Playing in the Hotshots Invitational Travel Softball Tournament. There is scouts everywhere. Tx. A&M , Tx Longhorns, Baylor, Florida Gators, Ole Ms, Michigan……. If you get in the right tournaments with the right team you will get seen. If your not on the right team you will get put on the wrong fields. Or you will have to go to a softball camp to be seen. Only other way is State Playoffs in H.S. We are the crazy softball parents that drive all over the country. This trip is 10 days of softball over 13 days and it’s currently 108 degrees here just north of Houston, Tx. We enjoy watching her play, but she misses out on a ton of stuff that other kids get to do. I have asked her multiple times if she was ready to give it up and she says no way. It’s not for everyone. We spend $18,500 a year with normal gas prices and that’s not counting any food or drinks. We started this journey at 8 years old and now she is 15. So 7 years total in travel and she is going to be in 10th grade next year. We drive 2 to 3 hours to practice six times a year, and 1hr 30min to hitting lessons once a week and I take care of her defense. Yes we could have just paid cash for her college instead of wishing on a scholarship. I know we are crazy, but we still are not as crazy as some of these National Teams that play in California one weekend then the next weekend they are in South Carolina then the next in South Florida……. They fly into practice every month and fly in to play tournaments. We get in the same tournaments when close to home and try to mooch off the other teams getting seen consistently. At 7:20pm tonight we play a National Team and the colleges will be watching them, so our girls will be seen also. I did not proof read this because I got to go. Busy busy. Lol.

Was that Ricky Diel?

Yes Ricky.

My son played back when they were getting started in 2005 ish. They had some good teams . We were at the Disney qualifier in Huntsville when Brice Harper played with the California Red Wings. He was like a man playing with boys and the boys were really good! Anyone says you can't spot a future MLB player at 12 never saw Harper at 12. He wasn't the only future MLB player there either.

I’m going to take a second and share something, a little different view point on travel baseball and just youth sports in general. I said in an earlier post that my son is now 21 and played baseball at all levels from park 4 year olds to JUCO. We traveled all over the southeast watching him play. North Carolina, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana. All over. He played on a very talented high school team. 12 seniors and all but 2 went on to play college ball somewhere. He would rather play or practice baseball than eat when he was hungry. I totally believe God gave him that passion. He wasn’t the most talented player. He was always middle of the pack on the travel teams he played on. But he worked HARD. and he was smart behind the plate so he got to play a little bit. But the biggest thing was his passion for the game. He LOVES it. In 2021, the Lord called him into the ministry. He switched colleges and is working on a theology degree.

This summer he is spending 3 months in Honduras as a missionary. He is working at a “dream center” there. To best describe it, it is a Christian YMCA on steroids. They provide education and meals and all sorts of stuff the community there lacks. When he left for Honduras he took a plastic bat and some wiffle balls. I asked him what for and he was like, well dad it’s what I know best so maybe it will give me some opportunities with some of the kids there. Now he is using the passion God gave him for baseball to build relationships and share the love of Christ with poor little Honduran kids. And loving every minute of it!

Pwyse, thanks for sharing that. Sounds like a good kid doing great things

I shared his story to say, you never know what God has planned for your kid’s future. Let them go after their passions full speed ahead. Just be smart about it and use it to try to make them a better person, not the opposite.

Great story .

well big shot that aint me. that is my son's coach. and hell if it was me there aint no shame in my game. id wear a phucking tutu and high heels if i had to to be able to spend time with my kids. this man/dad is not ashamed of one damn thing he has or will have to do to spend time with my family or kids