Travel Baseball: A Comprehensive Handbook for Coaches and Players
The move from Little League to travel baseball can cause stress, anxiety, and questions about what to look for in a team and what to expect from the experience. There are also questions about whether it was the right decision to go from a more relaxed recreational ball program to a more competitive (and costly) travel club in the first place. Everything you need to know about beginning youth travel baseball will be covered in this essay. We’ll assist you in finding the answers to the aforementioned queries so you can decide if travel baseball is a suitable option for your child.
If you know someone who plays softball, you might also want to read our article “What to Look For in a Travel Softball Team,” which delves deeply into my experience as a top amateur player and college recruiter while covering some of the same ground from a softball standpoint.
Travel Baseball: What Is It?
Before anything else, it’s critical to comprehend the structure of travel baseball teams and how they are run. Over the past 20 years, the number of travel baseball teams has increased dramatically, numbering in the tens of thousands across the nation. Travel baseball was a specialized activity that was mostly available to elite players in baseball-heavy regions like Texas and California as late as the 1990s. Nowadays, a lot of people believe that for gifted athletes to advance their abilities and improve their game against the strongest opposition available, they almost have to participate.
While Little League is the most popular organization for recreational kid baseball, hundreds of travel tournaments are held annually by several organizations across the nation. The United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), Triple Crown Sports, and Perfect Game are a few of the largest and most well-known. Travel baseball teams frequently take part in competitions run by multiple associations. Anyone can establish a team. Parents shape many, but coaches from high school and previous colleges shape many more.
Certain programs, such as those for children under 10, only field a single team to play in a single age group, but others, structured more like enterprises, field teams to compete in all age groups. Some massive organizations, like California Baseball Academy (CBA), even have many teams in different cities that play in the same age group. In addition to California, the CBA includes clubs in Nevada, Texas, Utah, and the Southeast. Such high-level programs are frequently recognized for drawing top talent, developing recruits into elite athletes, and supplying those athletes to surrounding colleges and institutions.
Structure of Travel Baseball Competitions:
Almost all baseball trip games take place on weekends, following a tournament schedule. Although those competitions might potentially take place anywhere, they usually take place at multi-field locations in widely accessible transit hubs. For instance, Orlando hosts a lot of Florida tournaments because it’s relatively central to the state, has lots of hotel rooms, and has a lot of excellent baseball fields. You should plan on traveling more the more you live from such a hub.
What a Travel Baseball Team Should Have:
Most competitions start with pool play, which ensures that teams will play several games before single elimination. In a two- or three-day tournament, a team may play anywhere from three to eight games, depending on their performance. A team is not required to compete in a certain amount of tournaments. Every team chooses which competitions to attend based on a case-by-case analysis that takes into account many elements like cost, talent level, and age. Two tournaments a month are considered to be approximately average, while elite teams may play more often.
The majority of organizations host invitation-only regional and national championships. For instance, the USSSA holds “qualifier” events in which a bid to the USSSA national tournament is awarded to the champion of the final game (and occasionally the runner-up as well). College scouts travel from all across the nation to watch and assess prospects in “college exposure tournaments,” which some teams begin to play as early as age 14. These tournaments are frequently held at a greater distance and cost more than standard tournaments.
How to Sign Up for a Touring Baseball Team:
If you’ve made the decision to play travel baseball but don’t know where to look, there are several tools at your disposal. Though it should go without saying, word-of-mouth referrals can serve as a useful initial resource. It’s likely that you already know someone in your community who has transitioned to travel baseball if you’re considering doing so. If this is the case, feel free to enquire about the team and their background. It is crucial to make sure your child is in the correct club because it is a significant time and financial commitment.
Take Advantage of the Biggest Online Membership:
Many organizations provide a list of active teams on their website in addition to word-of-mouth referrals. One tool offered by USA, for instance, allows you to sort teams based on factors like location, skill level, and age. Coaches can also post their team’s tryouts (as well as the roles needed) on numerous state-based forums and Facebook groups. These Facebook groups, for instance, are for travel baseball teams in Florida and Michigan. Similar groups exist for all states.
Similar to the USSSA website, FieldLevel.com lets you sort teams by state and level, making it an excellent alternative. That database lists nearly 4,000 clubs, albeit not all teams are on it. Here are eight considerations for team evaluation. Take some time to consider these things since they will have a significant impact on your whole experience. Additionally, don’t be afraid to ask parents and coaches questions.
1. Mentoring:
A team can be made or broken by its coaching staff. Coaches must oversee players, maintain a positive atmosphere, impart the principles, and prioritize their players’ growth as young men and women and athletes alike.
Some travel baseball teams are coached by parents or grandparents. While it may be OK, it’s crucial to ensure that those coaches don’t prioritize keeping their youngsters on the pitch. Spend some time learning about a team by attending a practice and speaking with current members before committing to it.