TRAVEL BASEBALL RESEMBLES LIFE

While travel baseball can be expensive and  time consuming, it does offer a player many life benefits. 


We could not find a travel team for our son to play for in Nevada County, so he plays for a team in Lincoln. His team is filled with really great players, supportive families and knowledgeable coaches. Many of which come from different ethnic backgrounds, cities, as well as socioeconomic environments. Therefore travel ball could be said to resembles life.


My son is required to work hard to earn a spot on the roster. He is required to learning how to make friends with other players he does not go to school with and is asked to fit in with the team. Again this is life.


Something playing travel ball does not guarantee is a career in the big leagues, nor does it assure the reward of a college scholarship, and not even a spot in a high school dugout for that matter. 

There's no denying that travel ball is the main vehicle to get to the college level. Weekend travel tournaments at times do resemble college showcases. However, a player’s participation and a college coach’s appearance doesn't guarantee a scholarship. It does give a player the opportunity to be seen, therefore having a chance if the player has what it takes.

There are two guarantees when your child plays travel ball. The first, you will have very little time on the weekends and holidays as well as you may need to take on a second job to pay for it. In turn, parents often demand a return on this investment, namely, a Division I college scholarship. But there are only so many ways 11.7 full scholarships (the allotment the NCAA gives baseball programs) can be cut up and passed out. That equates to 46 percent scholarship players on a 25-man college roster. 

If the travel baseball experience does not produces an opportunity to play high school, college and/or professional baseball, families should regard the experience as more than just about baseball and not be disappointed if their child doesn't receive a college scholarship. The ability to develop their child as an athlete and especially as a person, should not be minimized.


The travel ball experience can help prepare kids for life's challenges.