Moving On ? Pros/Cons?

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I have a player who will be moving up to 14U next year. In addition to that change, I?m also thinking about having her try out for more competitive teams. She?s a pretty solid player and has the skill set to improve. It seems to me that 14U is the time to look at positioning a player in the best scenario for them to move seamlessly onto the more competitive 16U level. From an outsider?s perspective, this seems to be an easy transition, however to our family, it feels momentous. We?ve been with the same families for a couple of years and pretty much have the routine down. It?s a bit daunting to think of moving to a new team with new schedules. I?d love to hear about others experience with this. On one hand, there?s excitement about something new and on the other, there?s fear of the unknown. I?m curious to see what everyone has to say and look forward to your comments. Thanks in advance!

 

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If you think about it, there are basically only two levels of summer softball. Either you are playing recreational ball or you are playing on a team consisting of kids on an intended college level path. There's no "right or wrong", and the key is to find an outlet that makes your DD happy.

So the only pro or con would be to ask your DD if she has any desire whatsoever to play college ball. If the answer is "maybe" or "yes", you should look for a team that will provide exposure to college coaches. If the answer is "no, I just want to play for fun, (which should always be a given) but I don't want to do that in college", then you have a LOT more freedom with where and when - and what team she may choose. Recreational softball is usually a lot easier on the finances!

 

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I would say less then half of travel players are on "an intended college level path". You don't have to have those aspirations to enjoy the greater participation (more practice & games), the higher level of play and the tournament atmosphere. Rec players don't spend that much time together, practicing or playing. The girls don't get that close unless they do it outside of the sport and a single league game down the road is not the same as playing 10 games over a 2-3 day weekend.

 

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Our dd has been playing travel ball for the past 3 years now but this is her first year with a big organization (she moves to 12u next year). I must say that going to more competitive tournaments has taught us two things. The games are much more fun to watch and rec ball is painful at times. She enjoys rec because she gets to play with all of her school friends but she also does not like to see the much more inacurate/slow pitching. We have tried to tell her that rec ball is the time to have fun (travel also) and to work on the things you don't normally get to work on in travel tournaments aka hitting left, slapping etc. The friendships you make in travel make it so much more fun.

 

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jsparrow:

I guess that I am halfway between Sammy and Musty. If your daughter would have more fun playing competitive travel ball but she doesn't think she will play/get money for college, then you have to balance the costs against the rewards. And if you are trying out for a college exposure team (yes, I know your daughter is only 14U, but you can tell which teams are targeting eventual college exposure; ask them if you can't tell from their current schedules), please understand that you are making a commitment to the team members that, absent changed circumstances in income, you will go with the team to the college exposure events.

Nothing is guaranteed. Our DD ended up dropping softball after a good season as a freshman pitching at her Division III school. But neither she nor her parents regret the experiences she had playing at a highly competition level of TB before college. There are SO many great things that result from being on a true TB team.

 

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Musty nailed it as far as I'm concerned. My dd has been playing travel ball for 6 years now, she is in her first year at 16U for a very competative team. With all the teams and organizations that are out there now it seems to me there are multiple levels of travel ball let alone rec ball now.

 

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Musty and CGS both nailed it. I learned more life lessons playing competitive sports than I ever learned in school. The setting of goals, the work to achieve those goals, the adversity, the competition, the friendships, and the pure joy when you achieve those goals as a team is worth every penny and moment we are spending. I don't know if my daughter will be able to, or want to, play college softball or any other sport, but the time we have spent teaching the lessons of life over the summers is well worth it.

 

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Let me put it another way.

Let's say you wanted to learn to fly, and obtain a civilian flight certificate. There are several paths you could take: 1) Go to a commercial flying school and get your Private Pilot's Certificate. 2) Go to a commercial flying school and get your Commercial Pilot's Certificate.

Both will give you the privilege and joys of flying an aircraft, but one is going be considerably more expensive. To that end, it's up to the individual.

 

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Thanks for all the input. Your advice/insight convinced me that we should attempt to make the move. I should have said that she's been a TB player for 4 seasons and the team she's on now is pretty competitive, but it's time to move to the next level. She tried out for another VERY competitive team in the state last summer and was offered a position on the spot, but ultimately decided to stick with her current team to see it through the 12U year. This year, she's ready to make the move. She even told a few of her fellow players, so I know she's come to terms with it.

As the girls reach or approach 13, I've noticed a difference in their level of play, physical stature and focus. Watching the girls change over the years is almost like a science project. Some of the kids you thought would drop out early on end up becoming stud players. Others peak at 11 or 12 and end up moving on.

Thanks again for your opinion.