baseball

[DualvansMommy]

So DS1 is interested to play baseball next spring, and he hadn't played since his peewee days, which is 5 years ago. I'm thinking to have him join the rec for a year then tryout for the travel baseball club following year with U10/11, but DS1 wants to tryout the travel for spring 21(U9) though cuz he said all players on travel teams have to play rec as well.

Just not sure of the feasbility in his enjoyment in playing if other players on his team and opposing team play really well, which would get him down? and then end up not liking baseball. Am i overthinking this? I know this board have several big baseball players family, so like to have your thoughts.

[smilequeen]

There are different levels of travel so if he does tryout and make a team, it would probably be one that is the right skill fit for him. But I did keep my son on a technicality team until he was 10 and begged to play travel. It was a much bigger commitment for sure.

[Kindra178]

So DS1 is interested to play baseball next spring, and he hadn't played since his peewee days, which is 5 years ago. I'm thinking to have him join the rec for a year then tryout for the travel baseball club following year with U10/11, but DS1 wants to tryout the travel for spring 21(U9) though cuz he said all players on travel teams have to play rec as well.

Just not sure of the feasbility in his enjoyment in playing if other players on his team and opposing team play really well, which would get him down? and then end up not liking baseball. Am i overthinking this? I know this board have several big baseball players family, so like to have your thoughts.

How athletic is he? If he is fast, can catch a ball and has ok hand eye, might as well try for travel. The good thing about baseball is that kids can improve if given enough practice. Throw with him, do pop ups, grounders and practice pitching.

[acmom]

I think your plan of rec first and then travel is a good idea and I would encourage that too in your shoes. I don't think you are overthinking it - travel is a big commitment both time and $ wise and the atmosphere (depending on team) can be much more competitive. On my son's team, there are a couple newer/younger players and while I know they got a lot of good instruction and practice time, they do play less than the rest of the team in tournaments. It was clear in our team's expectations/contract that all players would play at least XX amount in scrimmages and round robin play (stipulated # of innings in the field, # of at bats), but that in elimination/championship games, playing time and positions will be up to coach and the team will play their strongest lineups. It has caused some tension and tricky situations on our team. Some of the players (and families) that play less are fine with it and some are very frustrated by it. It also seems that some of the younger/newer players take it really hard when they strike out or make errors more frequently, whereas some can let it roll off their backs even in a competitive atmosphere. Those types of situations might be something for both you and your son to consider in your decision. My son is sensitive, but LOVES baseball and has played since he was little. Travel was an adjustment for him at first w/ the increased competition/pressure, but it has been a positive experience and he has developed greater resiliency and a stronger growth mindset from it. If you do decide to go the travel route, I would try to ask around about programs that do a great job with skill development since he is newer to the game. I would also ask around to gauge the level of commitment and competitiveness of different teams. Good luck!

[ezcc]

I would just think long and hard about how much of a time commitment you want to make as a family to baseball. DS1 loved, loved baseball and played travel for many years. But, it meant double headers every Sunday spring and fall. Then during the spring season there were rec games on top of that. And our travel league was one of the least competitive- rarely did we go to weekend tournaments and all of the travel was within an hour or so. It was a great experience, but not one I would do unless my kid really, really wanted to. DS2 who is 8 will play little league this spring but we won't encourage travel unless he gets super passionate about baseball.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I would just think long and hard about how much of a time commitment you want to make as a family to baseball. DS1 loved, loved baseball and played travel for many years. But, it meant double headers every Sunday spring and fall. Then during the spring season there were rec games on top of that. And our travel league was one of the least competitive- rarely did we go to weekend tournaments and all of the travel was within an hour or so. It was a great experience, but not one I would do unless my kid really, really wanted to. DS2 who is 8 will play little league this spring but we won't encourage travel unless he gets super passionate about baseball.

Coming from a non baseball mom whose kiddos bff is one, I agree. Baseball consumes all of his- and his family’s- time.
We’re a rec soccer family. We just don’t want to sacrifice our lives to sports or, more specifically, one sport for one member of the family. We aren’t on the elite sport track though so I know we aren’t representative of most of the sport families on here.


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[emily]

If he’s athletic, he may do okay. Around here, we see the most improvement in skills and baseball sense around age 9. But I agree with PPs, the schedules can be all consuming. DS1 and DS2 just started travel this fall. Thankfully they are on the same little league team. 2 boys on 3 teams. We have 7 games in the next 5 days.


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[DualvansMommy]

How athletic is he? If he is fast, can catch a ball and has ok hand eye, might as well try for travel. The good thing about baseball is that kids can improve if given enough practice. Throw with him, do pop ups, grounders and practice pitching.

He’s pretty athletic, as plays travel soccer and rec lax. Only thing he needs to work on is his hand eye. I don’t think he’ll like baseball enough to stay with it.

I would just think long and hard about how much of a time commitment you want to make as a family to baseball. DS1 loved, loved baseball and played travel for many years. But, it meant double headers every Sunday spring and fall. Then during the spring season there were rec games on top of that. And our travel league was one of the least competitive- rarely did we go to weekend tournaments and all of the travel was within an hour or so. It was a great experience, but not one I would do unless my kid really, really wanted to. DS2 who is 8 will play little league this spring but we won't encourage travel unless he gets super passionate about baseball.

Yes, I hear that often. His 2 good friends are in baseball, but one is in travel and other in rec and it consumes the travel kid a lot. He only plays baseball though, whereas DS1 plays 2 sports & takes TKD as well, in addition trains with his soccer team over the winter. So I’m not really sure he’ll have time.

I do know soccer season runs from early March to early June. Whereas baseball around here is mid/end of April to end of July. So there will be bit of overlap every spring. A lot of families in my town are in both, and do rely a lot on each other teammates to handle pickups/drop offs with practice. Good for thought. I think lll start with rec for next spring, and gauge his interest from there to see if he still wants to jump to travel commitment level.


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[mmsmom]

We are not a baseball family but many friends are. Around here we have several facilities that offer off-season skills/coaching/batting practice. I would look into him working with a trainer at a facility over the winter and see if he likes it and how he does. That should give you an idea of what will be a fit for him when baseball starts.

[mom2binsd]

Around here travel players do not play rec at all.

I'd talk to local people to find out specifically what is expected, when they start practicing and tryouts.


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