Too many travel teams?

Heavy Hitter

Active Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Messages
295
Reaction score
33
Points
28
Short answer NO! If there could be 500 more teams that would be awesome. If a teams folds then it wasn't meant to be and those players could go to another team looking. It is only a good thing for our sport if more girls are playing. As far as tournaments go, there are tournament for all levels.
 

LineDrive

New Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Messages
13
Reaction score
18
Points
3
Food for thought.......
Travel ball – as many know firsthand, especially the higher levels you play can become a vicious place for girls where their self-esteem is tested on a daily basis. Where every girl is disposable, and where the hiring of ‘big guns’ that will sit the regular players is always a possibility. I wonder how 9, 10 or even 11-year-old girls endure the kind of stress of knowing that they can and will be replaced should someone better come along and still end up loving the game. Honestly, I also wonder what the big rush is.

While I think it would be a lot of fun to take a team to compete in a world series – I don’t think the measure of success resorts back to one singular tournament. And on a more realistic note – at the end of the day, at the end of the season, at the end of the child’s travel career – when they will start college, how many of these girls are really going to make it on softball? The answer! Not. Very. Many.

First, there just aren’t many full rides for a softball player. If you are looking for an athletic scholarship for your daughter you’d better get them interested in golf or tennis. Secondly, as of right now – most of the 1997 and 1998 girls that have college potential have already been looked at through fancy recruiting and showcase tournaments. And the lists of potential girls are massive! We are talking thousands upon thousands upon thousands of girls looking to be recruited. Do these kids really know what they want in life when they are sophomores or juniors in high school? And can’t a lot certainly change between the ages of 15 and 20.

The truth is that the talent pool in softball today greatly outweighs the recruiting potential.

This is just one reason why parents push their girls to play on feeder and high-end travel teams because the chance of exposure is greater. But these programs can be brutal to the self-esteem and playing longevity of the girls on the team. Not to mention costs. Sure, your child is getting to go up against the ‘best’ competition found between the foul lines. But what realistically speaking – are her chances of getting recruited? Do you risk burning your daughter out before she is 15 just to see that she makes a premiere, select or A-Gold team? Are you doing it for your child? To make them the best they can be? Or are you doing it for yourself or some status quo? To come home and say you played with such and such team, and won?

Not that there is anything wrong with feeling pride and devotion toward a team – and going all the way. It is an accomplishment to be proud of indeed – and a learning experience like no other.
 

1stbasecoach

Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
73
Reaction score
20
Points
8
LineDrive, I don't disagree with you, but some people have their kids on high level teams for more than just recruiting. First, my daughter (12u) is on a very high level national team, and she came to that team after getting cut from another very high level team. She actually found out she got cut with 2 tournaments left and had to play with that on her shoulders as well as playing a Nationals and a Worlds tournament. It hurt her and she was very disappointed, more because she was leaving her buddies, but also that she wasn't "good enough". As we drove home and she cried I worried she would quit playing all together. But she will be ok, she has learned a lesson in dealing with disappointment. and if getting cut from a softball team is the greatest disappointment she ever has then she will be doing well. She is a social kid and has already struck up a pretty good relationship with her new teammates in just a months time. I feel this was a good lesson for her and it put a little more fire in her belly to work harder but she is competitive and wants to climb the mountain to the top, she wants to play with the best. This will be our 5th year of travel and we make a point to re-assess if this is what SHE wants before each season and I feel that is very important. We always tell her when she doesn't love it she should be done. She is a pitcher so it makes it even worse. At 12u, college is not the motivation, it is talked about but is not OUR main motivation for sure, but it is one of her goals. There is definitely a spillover of motivation for her into other aspects of her life, and I notice it with her teammates as well. They all get good grades and is genuinely important to them. Can this be true about girls on "lower level" teams? Of course it can. And I am not saying that girls on lower teams wont be successful or anything like that at all. I am just saying
 

tramlse

New Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Messages
15
Reaction score
13
Points
3
Or even better you go to s tryout thinking my daughter has what it takes to be here. Notice I said thinking. Then to find out no I’ve got that spot filled. Wait this is the first tryout ohh you did a phone deal and filled it. That’s ok it’s a business after all. But if you want to play high school ball travel is a must.
 

CoachTEA

Active Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
316
Reaction score
85
Points
28
Location
Liberty Township OH
These days it seems a new travel org pops up every couple weeks... what happened to the good old days when a true travel team was the best of the best? Does Rec ball even exist anymore??
Because the coaching at Rec Ball isn't very good and even Rec A programs are allowing Travel Players to be part of rosters - there are all levels of Travel Ball out there and I truly believe there is a team for every player
 

Captain_Thunder

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 24, 2014
Messages
4,384
Reaction score
332
Points
83
Food for thought.......
Travel ball – as many know firsthand, especially the higher levels you play can become a vicious place for girls where their self-esteem is tested on a daily basis. Where every girl is disposable, and where the hiring of ‘big guns’ that will sit the regular players is always a possibility. I wonder how 9, 10 or even 11-year-old girls endure the kind of stress of knowing that they can and will be replaced should someone better come along and still end up loving the game. Honestly, I also wonder what the big rush is.

While I think it would be a lot of fun to take a team to compete in a world series – I don’t think the measure of success resorts back to one singular tournament. And on a more realistic note – at the end of the day, at the end of the season, at the end of the child’s travel career – when they will start college, how many of these girls are really going to make it on softball? The answer! Not. Very. Many.

First, there just aren’t many full rides for a softball player. If you are looking for an athletic scholarship for your daughter you’d better get them interested in golf or tennis. Secondly, as of right now – most of the 1997 and 1998 girls that have college potential have already been looked at through fancy recruiting and showcase tournaments. And the lists of potential girls are massive! We are talking thousands upon thousands upon thousands of girls looking to be recruited. Do these kids really know what they want in life when they are sophomores or juniors in high school? And can’t a lot certainly change between the ages of 15 and 20.

The truth is that the talent pool in softball today greatly outweighs the recruiting potential.

This is just one reason why parents push their girls to play on feeder and high-end travel teams because the chance of exposure is greater. But these programs can be brutal to the self-esteem and playing longevity of the girls on the team. Not to mention costs. Sure, your child is getting to go up against the ‘best’ competition found between the foul lines. But what realistically speaking – are her chances of getting recruited? Do you risk burning your daughter out before she is 15 just to see that she makes a premiere, select or A-Gold team? Are you doing it for your child? To make them the best they can be? Or are you doing it for yourself or some status quo? To come home and say you played with such and such team, and won?

Not that there is anything wrong with feeling pride and devotion toward a team – and going all the way. It is an accomplishment to be proud of indeed – and a learning experience like no other.
Needed to edit the years when you cut and pasted.....
 

LineDrive

New Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Messages
13
Reaction score
18
Points
3
Needed to edit the years when you cut and pasted.....

I didn't know I had to citate on softball zone! I guess I get a F for plagiarism?? Was not intended for readers to think I wrote the article... food for thought....
 

Captain_Thunder

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 24, 2014
Messages
4,384
Reaction score
332
Points
83
I didn't know I had to citate on softball zone! I guess I get a F for plagiarism?? Was not intended for readers to think I wrote the article... food for thought....
How long ago do you write it?
 

CARDS

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
1,311
Reaction score
349
Points
83
Location
COLERAIN
Website
www.wearecolerain.com
Because the coaching at Rec Ball isn't very good and even Rec A programs are allowing Travel Players to be part of rosters - there are all levels of Travel Ball out there and I truly believe there is a team for every player

Most if not all of the recreational league coaches are parents, some who did not want the job but took it so the girls could play. A lot of the recreational coaches lack the resources to put on quality practices. Most are not supported by their league and do not know where to go to get better as a coach (same with some travel ball coaches). There are some good coaches in the various recreational leagues. Those coaches also tend to draw like you said players that play weekend ball on other teams.

With that said; I think most new coaches to travel and current coaches started in the local recreational league some bad, some good some great.

Like you said, there are a variety of tournament levels for teams but there is also bad coaching at all levels of play. I have seen some horrific coaching at the High School and College level and some very bad teams even at the D1 level so the local recreational league does not have the bad coaching market cornered.
 

TheSoftballZone

Administrator
Joined
Jul 15, 2014
Messages
2,372
Reaction score
347
Points
83
Over the past 10 years local recreational leagues are drying up at least in SW Ohio. A lot of communities have had to blend age groups to form teams teams. Sad when you drive around and see so many fields overgrown and not used.
http://www.sogfsa.org/

With that said, the growth in travel teams is a good thing.
The cream will always rise to the top the better teams and organizations will fill their needs with in or out of state talent. Teams that cannot draw talent will drop off and the players will find homes on other teams.

I'm really surprised that "SOGFSA" is now defunct. This was once a very active and growing league with lots of girls getting opportunity to play softball.

I'm remember back in the early 90's in the Zanesville, Ohio area alone we had 5 softball youth leagues that were all very strong with each league carry 150 players plus and a couple leagues having 250+ player. After July 4th weekend all the youth leagues would have All-Star tournaments until August. These All-Star tournaments would draw around 35+ teams for each tournament most of these teams came from these 5 youth leagues in the Zanesville, Ohio area.

One side note this was slow pitch softball *not fastpitch softball.

Since 2012 your lucky to see 350 players if you combine all these youth leagues together. Now skip ahead to 2018 these 5 youth leagues have to combine girls together because of the low numbers of participants to form teams in different age groups.

Once all the youth leagues in this area started to introduced fastpitch softball in 1994 is when I started to notice a decline in girls participation. I really notice a decline in 1995. Maysville Youth league had over 275+ girls playing in 1994, in 1995 they only had 235 players and ever year since the numbers declined.

I truly believe the introduction of fastpitch softball at the youth league level is the main reason youth leagues numbers have declined and more then a few are now defunct.

I'm sure many would disagree with this, but I believe Slow Pitch softball should be brought back at the youth league level especially in rural communities.
 
Last edited:

CARDS

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
1,311
Reaction score
349
Points
83
Location
COLERAIN
Website
www.wearecolerain.com
I'm really surprised that "SOGFSA" is now defunct. This was once a very active and growing league with lots of girls getting opportunity to play softball.

I'm remember back in the early 90's in the Zanesville, Ohio area alone we had 5 softball youth leagues that were all very strong with each league carry 150 players plus and a couple leagues having 250+ player. After July 4th weekend all the youth leagues would have All-Star tournaments until August. These All-Star tournaments would draw around 35+ teams for each tournament most of these teams came from these 5 youth leagues in the Zanesville, Ohio area.
One side note this was slow pitch softball *not fastpitch softball.
Since 2012 your lucky to see 350 players if you combine all these youth leagues together. Now skip ahead to 2018 these 5 youth leagues have to combine girls together because of the low numbers of participants to form teams in different age groups.

Once all the youth leagues in this area started to introduced fastpitch softball in 1994 is when I started to notice a decline in girls participation. I really notice a decline in 1995. Maysville Youth league had over 275+ girls playing in 1994, in 1995 they only had 235 players and ever year since the numbers declined.
I truly believe the introduction of fastpitch softball at the youth league level is the main reason youth leagues numbers have declined and more then a few are now defunct.
I'm sure many would disagree with this, but I believe Slow Pitch softball should be brought back at the youth league level especially in rural communities.

Participation in softball in general has taken a steep decline in our area in just a few short years. I remember when just in Colerain TWP there was 10 or more recreational teams in each age range now the sub communities struggle to field one in each age group. Some are having to mix age groups while others have dropped softball all together. A lot of HS are dropping Freshman teams and some are struggling to field a JV. I agree, Slow pitch is a better option than ladies not playing.
 

LineDrive

New Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Messages
13
Reaction score
18
Points
3
Rec teams are dropping over the years because of the point of my initial post.. travel ball is more of a glorified rec ball these days.... how can you have hundreds and hundreds of travel teams from 8-18 u and think you could sustain rec ball in all of these communities..I think there should be an average of 3 travel teams per zip code for each age group. The players should be forced to playing for teams within that zip code of residence. The girls/boys who don't make the travel teams should then play rec ball for their community.. there is roughly 1500 zip codes in Ohio... for the larger populated zip codes maybe they could field 5 teams. for them smaller populated zip codes maybe field 1 team. If the zip codes players live in can't field enough for a team then combine smaller zip codes within a close distance to make enough players accordingly. There is a reason why the lasers, outlaws, hawks and emeralds to name a few are always winning these big Ohio torny's because they pull the best kids from all of Ohio and many bordering states.. is that fair? OR, Why not have a rule kids have to play for TRAVEL teams within there regions?? Central,south,east and west... it would allow many more teams getting the chance to play late on Sundays not just the few I mentioned earlier.. just some food for thought.....
 

cinstate082

New Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
24
Reaction score
4
Points
3
Speaking from experience in both we started playing select because Rec pitchers are few and far between. I didn’t want to see my daughter watch twenty girls getting walked a game and have football scores because of it. She doesn’t learn anything at all about the game that way...just my two cents
 

daboss

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
816
Reaction score
603
Points
93
Location
Clark County Ohio (Southwest District)
Food for thought.......
Travel ball – as many know firsthand, especially the higher levels you play can become a vicious place for girls where their self-esteem is tested on a daily basis. Where every girl is disposable, and where the hiring of ‘big guns’ that will sit the regular players is always a possibility. I wonder how 9, 10 or even 11-year-old girls endure the kind of stress of knowing that they can and will be replaced should someone better come along and still end up loving the game. Honestly, I also wonder what the big rush is.

While I think it would be a lot of fun to take a team to compete in a world series – I don’t think the measure of success resorts back to one singular tournament. And on a more realistic note – at the end of the day, at the end of the season, at the end of the child’s travel career – when they will start college, how many of these girls are really going to make it on softball? The answer! Not. Very. Many.

First, there just aren’t many full rides for a softball player. If you are looking for an athletic scholarship for your daughter you’d better get them interested in golf or tennis. Secondly, as of right now – most of the 1997 and 1998 girls that have college potential have already been looked at through fancy recruiting and showcase tournaments. And the lists of potential girls are massive! We are talking thousands upon thousands upon thousands of girls looking to be recruited. Do these kids really know what they want in life when they are sophomores or juniors in high school? And can’t a lot certainly change between the ages of 15 and 20.

The truth is that the talent pool in softball today greatly outweighs the recruiting potential.

This is just one reason why parents push their girls to play on feeder and high-end travel teams because the chance of exposure is greater. But these programs can be brutal to the self-esteem and playing longevity of the girls on the team. Not to mention costs. Sure, your child is getting to go up against the ‘best’ competition found between the foul lines. But what realistically speaking – are her chances of getting recruited? Do you risk burning your daughter out before she is 15 just to see that she makes a premiere, select or A-Gold team? Are you doing it for your child? To make them the best they can be? Or are you doing it for yourself or some status quo? To come home and say you played with such and such team, and won?

Not that there is anything wrong with feeling pride and devotion toward a team – and going all the way. It is an accomplishment to be proud of indeed – and a learning experience like no other.

This is one of the best posts on this topic I have ever read. I encourage everyone to read this from start to finish and take time to really understand the contents. Thank you for sharing.
 

OhioSWAT07

Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2017
Messages
31
Reaction score
2
Points
8
We have seen rec ball numbers decline to the point of having 1 or 2 teams in the league softball in our area. The kids that are good enough play both rec and travel in the summer generally do so, but it is cringe worthy sometimes when I see any of the girls I know in rec season, it is more work to re-prepare for summer ball. Eventually when they get to the HS level they will be playing with those girls from the rec league. It's important in my opinion to help out there, and maybe find a diamond in the rough. This year alone, there is 4 or 6 new teams (that I know of) all within 40 minutes of us, meanwhile I see teams getting very low numbers to tryouts and some teams folding because of the dilution of it all (IMO).
 

brownsfan

Active Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2014
Messages
460
Reaction score
56
Points
28
When my youngest daughter started at 9U, there were maybe 5 local teams within a 20 minute drive of my town. When she was 14U, maybe the same amount of teams. Now there's at least ten teams. One problem I'm starting to see is most coaches are only going after talent rather than developing and that's all over the state from my friends in C-Bus and Cincy. They would rather try and develop the talent instead of trusting their coaching to a less talented girl. My daughter was blessed to have coaches who knew the game and changed when the game changed.
 

chixdad

Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2014
Messages
244
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
Olmsted township
This thread was not suppose to sound like I was being a hater. Just was stating what my opinion was regarding the hundreds of travel ball teams their are. When I see hundreds of posts of travel teams needing players... it's no surprise teams can't find kids to join...
So true, and all the teams,or most are still looking for pitchers.
 
Top