Epic Rant From Robe

[Dad04]

Dale Earnhardt..."Second place is just the first loser"

I love #3.

[CajunNation]

Not buying it Tex.

I've heard way too many former MLB guys say that travel teams for youth baseball are not necessary to "keep up" with the other players. They say that what they are best for is burning a kid out on baseball and enabling attitude problems in the ones that don't burn out.

The truly talented guys will show up in High School no matter how much coaching or travel team participation they've had.

Youth travel teams in all sports are one big lie, a very expensive and destructive lie.

[Dad04]

As a high school coach I will say, like Coach Robe has, that it is a necessary evil. The issue is the local leagues, at least in our area, have dwindled to where the quality of play is so bad that if a kid is legitimately good they almost cannot stay at the local league and keep up with kids who are playing on travel teams. There are tons of negatives, but if you are going to play against quality opponents, you almost have to play select ball. I just wish they were regulated more. I can tell you this, if you want to keep travel/select ball from becoming even more uncontrollable, then college coaches will have to start recruiting high school games again instead of summer travel tournaments. Logistically I understand why they do it, but it gives credence to the select coaches promising exposure. Then the parents buy into it. Reality is, even if they get a scholarship it won't be much money. As a poster said above. It would be wiser to put that money into a savings account.

The quality of play is so bad because of iPads and the lack of unsupervised baseball in this country. The Dominican kids play all day in the street. The US kids play basketball all day and night, at the playground. The US still dominates pro hoops.

Our kids simply do not do this anymore:

[MetryCajun]

If parents would put the money in savings they spend on these travel teams, they would have their kids college paid for. People need to get their priorities straight.

I used to think like you, but the reality is that we as parents are looking for things that our kids have a passion for and can occupy their time. And if you are living in an affluent area, when a kid shows an aptitude for anything there is going to be gobs of time and money thrown to their pursuits. The sad fact is if you do not foster their passions they will not get to enjoy them even at the High School level. Gone are the days of playing at the local playground and then thinking you are making a team when you get to Jesuit. Here in NOLA I challenge you to find a catholic league baseball, soccer, volleyball or basketball player who is not affiliated with a travel team. They exist, but they are a miniscule minority. This same principal also applies to HS dance teams and cheerleaders. Want to be a Dominican Deb or a Brother Martin cheerleader? Your parents better be willing to pay thousands of dollars to get them the proper training. It stinks, but this is the world we live in and I only see it becoming more competitive.

[Textitan]

Not buying it Tex.

I've heard way too many former MLB guys say that travel teams for youth baseball are not necessary to "keep up" with the other players. They say that what they are best for is burning a kid out on baseball and enabling attitude problems in the ones that don't burn out.

The truly talented guys will show up in High School no matter how much coaching or travel team participation they've had.

Youth travel teams in all sports are one big lie, a very expensive and destructive lie.

You don't have to buy it. It's just what I see every day in my career. It's just true. I didn't say I want it to be true, it is just what I have seen from my experience. And my biggest point is it is up to the parents to have the ability to say "No" when it comes to playing too many tournaments. Burn out is real and does happen. But you can say no. But in order to play quality, you have to eventually get to select ball.

[Dad04]

If parents would put the money in savings they spend on these travel teams, they would have their kids college paid for. People need to get their priorities straight.

there was a story about IMG Academy on HBO a while back. $60K per year and a kid was trying to get a partial golf scholly, without success.

[Dad04]

On my grandson's high school team you need not apply to play unless you participated in the coaches travel team.

Unless you can help the HS team win. We heard all that nonsense Sr. year. HS coaches almost always back down.

[31Ragin97]

there was a story about IMG Academy on HBO a while back. $60K per year and a kid was trying to get a partial golf scholly, without success.

I am amazed that IMG is even allowed. when it was just tennis I don't think their student-athletes were playing in FHSAA, so why can they do so in other sports, crazy, but that would be its own much longer thread.

[Dad04]

I am amazed that IMG is even allowed. when it was just tennis I don't think their student-athletes were playing in FHSAA, so why can they do so in other sports, crazy, but that would be its own much longer thread.

Last winter, Tennessee offered scholarships to 20 IMG players at once, spread over three classes. Two of 2017's 32 five-star recruits ...

[Turbine]

I don't think baseball cULture has changed that much in the 2+ years since UL was ranked #1 in the country.

[CajunNation]

You don't have to buy it. It's just what I see every day in my career. It's just true. I didn't say I want it to be true, it is just what I have seen from my experience. And my biggest point is it is up to the parents to have the ability to say "No" when it comes to playing too many tournaments. Burn out is real and does happen. But you can say no. But in order to play quality, you have to eventually get to select ball.

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. I'm not doubting that this is going on here. I am saying that it is a lie to think a kid MUST play in select tourneys on travel teams in order to be successful in High School and beyond.

If a kid has the skills and the desire to play college/pro ball, it will show up in High School. We don't need to turn them into pro players at 12. We should be instructing, but the focus should be on keeping community leagues intact and ensuring the kids are having fun and solidifying their love of baseball.

You're right. All the parent has to do is say NO. It starts with me, and this is why my girls will never be on travel teams.

[Textitan]

I agree.