Yep, I'm paying property tax in B/CS and Katy at the same time.
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You're welcome!
Youth Sports Industry
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Last: 40 min ago by Jbob04
Mine was in the Corps so at least housing was cheaper.
With all due respect, no you can't. At least in my experience of almost 20 seasons of LL.
Two of my boys chose, on their own, to leave LL because it became dominated by certain people at the Board level. The boys found what it was like to see other players get things they didn't earn. Qualified coaches were overlooked for positions in preference to a dad who had little or no experience. Again, all for the purpose of making sure their kid got to play SS or pitch.
In our experience, LL = Daddy/Mommy ball.
And, quite frankly, we also saw it beyond LL and into HS ball. We came to the conclusion that HS ball was nothing more than spring training for summer and fall competition.
Our boys played LL until they reached an age where they virtually begged for the right to make a choice of who they played for and where to play.
All my opinion but based on significant experience.
I really hope your experience is different.
Two of my boys chose, on their own, to leave LL because it became dominated by certain people at the Board level. The boys found what it was like to see other players get things they didn't earn. Qualified coaches were overlooked for positions in preference to a dad who had little or no experience. Again, all for the purpose of making sure their kid got to play SS or pitch.
In our experience, LL = Daddy/Mommy ball.
And, quite frankly, we also saw it beyond LL and into HS ball. We came to the conclusion that HS ball was nothing more than spring training for summer and fall competition.
Our boys played LL until they reached an age where they virtually begged for the right to make a choice of who they played for and where to play.
All my opinion but based on significant experience.
I really hope your experience is different.
Mine is very very different. The closest LL to us is probably also the lowest as far as socio-economics and highest diversity in BCS.
With the oldest, we saw lots of favoritism in select sports of all kinds and it bled over to high school sports. There were definitely kids who sat on the bench because they didn't play select/travel or the wrong team of those.
With the oldest, we saw lots of favoritism in select sports of all kinds and it bled over to high school sports. There were definitely kids who sat on the bench because they didn't play select/travel or the wrong team of those.
I really hope your two "littles" have a great experience in whatever they choose to do.
Gator92 said:
Plenty of other things to get involved w/.
4H/FFA, band are equally expensive.
If not more so...
My daughter played rec league softball for several years. Bats, gloves, helmets, rec fees, batting cage time, hitting lessons. minimal travel (occasional drive to neighboring town for a game)
Then in middle school, she switched to band. $600 starter flute. Private lessons. Fundraising (aka Dad buys the cookie dough)
Then we got to high school. $2000 concert flute. She had friends with $3000 to $5000 flutes (When I can tell she sounds better with the concert flute, you get the concert flute). Private lessons got more expensive. More fundraising. Maintenance, cleaning, repairs on the flute. And travel kicks up a lot. 2 trips to Indianapolis.
Oh, and then, "I need a piccolo because the Aggie Band doesn't march flutes, they march piccolo". At least we were back to starter instruments and didn't need a concert piccolo.
trouble said:
No one said it's the same level of competition.
You CAN accomplish those goals.
They want to play baseball.
They learn about hard work, dedication, responsibility.
They learn how to win or lose. They learn that they have to work hard of they want to be better than someone else.
Those were the stated goals. My boys are learning that every time the step on the field.
To a certain degree, yes. Little League still plays everyone. So the kid who doesn't show up for practice still gets to play in the games.
Both leagues serve a purpose. For the kid that just wants to get outside, play a sport and have fun playing with other kids little league is great. For the kid that wants to compete at a higher level, travel ball is good for them. I believe it also teaches the kids better that if you don't work, you might not play (which this lesson translates to other areas in life).
The reality now is if a kid has any desire to even just play in high school (at least in larger districts), then they will need to move on from little league at a fairly young age.
I respectfully disagree with you on having to leave Little League at an early age. That's what some parents prefer. But, I do agree with you that the kids will eventually have to play some travel ball.
In the end, the genetic lottery wins out over how many tournaments you played in as an 8-12 year old. Among other variables that don't come into the mix until the teen years.
In the end, the genetic lottery wins out over how many tournaments you played in as an 8-12 year old. Among other variables that don't come into the mix until the teen years.
Most kids that aren't showing up for little league practice aren't doing it by choice
Completely agree
Buford T. Justice said:
I respectfully disagree with you on having to leave Little League at an early age. That's what some parents prefer. But, I do agree with you that the kids will eventually have to play some travel ball.
In the end, the genetic lottery wins out over how many tournaments you played in as an 8-12 year old. Among other variables that don't come into the mix until the teen years.
There are always those kids that are athletic and can catch up quickly, but MOST kids will be behind if they wait until 12 to start playing high level baseball.
doubledog said:
Gone are the days when we would all gather at the old baseball diamond with the cheap fence backstop and just play baseball. No adult supervision needed.
This isn't because of how youth sports are now. This is because electronic devices and video games have greatly overtaken our kids attention and no kids ever get out anymore and ride their bicycles around the neighborhood and pull their friends and other neighbor kids together to meet at the ball field and get a game of baseball or flies n skinners going. Now it's out the headset on and figure out which skin you are going to dress your character in before you start battling. Or pull FaceTime and just aimlessly talk to one another instead of actually going to one of the houses and talk in person. It's pretty sad actually.
So don't allow it. Every afternoon we have a pack of feral kids going between 3 yards. Limit screens. Limit electronic devices.
Me? We limit ours probably more than most out there and they are 13 and 15.
In general. Not specifically you
Do they still have no cuts for Bryan & Rudder? It would be very difficult to make the rosters at Consol & CSHS w/o playing select baseball. That's the case for almost every suburban 5a or 6a school in Texas.
The little league my kid has been playing in since he was 5 has spring, summer and fall seasons. After each season there is an opportunity to do all star tournaments to get that next level competition if you are good enough.
He's been asked to try out on multiple select teams. I don't see the benefit, especially since he can play tackle football, basketball and play spring baseball now which is what he wants to do.
All I hear from parents about travel/select is how much time it takes up, miles driven, money spent etc
I'd imagine if that parental time, money and effort was put into the local little league it would make a huge difference.
He's been asked to try out on multiple select teams. I don't see the benefit, especially since he can play tackle football, basketball and play spring baseball now which is what he wants to do.
All I hear from parents about travel/select is how much time it takes up, miles driven, money spent etc
I'd imagine if that parental time, money and effort was put into the local little league it would make a huge difference.
TAMU1990 said:
Do they still have no cuts for Bryan & Rudder? It would be very difficult to make the rosters at Consol & CSHS w/o playing select baseball. That's the case for almost every suburban 5a or 6a school in Texas.
I am not sure about Bryan/Rudder. I know Consol has cut several the past two years. Around 30 last year and around 20 this year.
Independence H-D said:
Pretty sure I spent two College educations for both of my daughter's competitive cheer.
We're in year 3 of two daughters in it. I told my wife we could have easily had 5 rental properties by now earning money instead.
Wow, to think what I missed out on by running track and cross country instead of playing baseball.
I think I spent a grand total on shoes and still won a state championship.
What I noticed in high school was that kids who played on these special teams tend to forget how to talk to people who didn't. They didn't know how to relate to people who weren't "like minded" so they had smaller social circles. But at least they had fancy stuff.
I think I spent a grand total on shoes and still won a state championship.
What I noticed in high school was that kids who played on these special teams tend to forget how to talk to people who didn't. They didn't know how to relate to people who weren't "like minded" so they had smaller social circles. But at least they had fancy stuff.
As a parent of now adult children, I'm so glad our family didn't have the stress or costs of high level youth sports. My kids attended St. Joseph in Bryan. Being a small school, I did like the attitude toward sports. If you wanted to play soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, football, be a cheer leader, etc then you were on the team. No expectations of perfection, trophies, etc. Just kids enjoying the sport and parents enjoying watching them play. I will always remember my time in the stands supporting my children. And they enjoyed playing without any stress of wins vs losses. It was just teamwork and fun.
They all grew up to be successful young adults. Even though there were no collegiate athletic scholarships, I still call that a win.
They all grew up to be successful young adults. Even though there were no collegiate athletic scholarships, I still call that a win.
My daughter plays travel softball and I live for it. My son did for 1-2 years but that was 8-9 years ago. I think she did like the idea of possibly playing in college at one point, but honestly, I don't think she has the drive for it, which is fine. I love being gone every other weekend and spending all day at the ballfield. I will be so sad when it ends. She is the only kiddo at home, so it isn't an issue or takes us away from other things. We have high school ball in the spring so our travel stops until summer. Is it expensive? Yes. But our finances allow for it and we make great family memories doing so.
My son has been playing travel ball for about 6 years now. He also plays local rec ball so he can play with his school friends. It's a lot of ball but he likes doing both.