While Attending Your Kid’s Games

[yellowlab03]

This is our first year in tournament/travel ball. Had I known then what I know now and could have afforded it I would have put him in sooner. I got roped into coaching rec league baseball because I was a football coach... it's baseball, can't be that hard... what I know after 3 years of coaching rec league baseball is that I had absolutely no business coaching baseball. Our local rec league is umped by blind people who have less of a clue about the sport than I did, played by kids who have zero desire or drive to play or win, organized by people who care more about the kudos from the community than they do the kids, coached by dads that have no clue about baseball (I was one of them!) and backed by parents that all think their kids are getting a D1 scholarship. For the people that do care about the sport and the kids they get shat on at every turn and eventually get burnt out and quit or go to a tourney team. I'm not saying that there isn't a place for rec league ball because there absolutely is. Not everyone has the time or money for the commitment to travel ball, but it isn't travel ball that has hurt rec ball, it's rec ball that has hurt rec ball.

We got into travel ball after getting into a tournament we had absolutely no business being at and getting absolutely demolished. The kids who beat us were humble, respectful, good kids who clearly all wanted to be there. That's when my son decided he wanted to get on a travel team. We made a deal with him that if he worked out, got an A average and put the practice in we'd support him. He tried out for 6 teams and got picked up by one of the top rated organizations in the state and is a top 10 organization in the nation. They had 19 D1 commits last year, one of them was a freshman in HS.

On the tournament teams, at least ours, we have an indoor state of the art facility with specialty coaches for nearly every position and have pro players in during the off season to lead, mentor and train the kids. I've literally seen minor league players grab some of the older kids, sit them down and give them pros and cons of playing, what it takes to get there and how to do it all while stressing school, diet, exercise and fun. I haven't seen a single fight this year or heard a single screaming match between coaches and umpires or parents and umpires or parents and coaches like I did at rec ball.

What we've noticed in him is that his confidence is way way up, his work ethic is phenomenal, his grades are better than they've ever been, his attitude is great and he is having fun.

Sorry for the long read, just my experience.

 

[Aunt Betty]

 

[Wiscoduckhunt]

I'd dang sure need something to look at or talk to at a soccer game! I'd just as soon watch plastic rust as I had watch soccer

That is how I feel about baseball. I played to make parents and grandparents happy...hated every minute of it. Now both kids play ... It is truly awful In every way. Maybe if I remind my kids enough times that they could be fishing instead having some other kid huck balls at their heads they will come around ... I loved basketball, soccer and golf ...

 

[nobands]

Midget League?

The team bus ?

 

[tcc]

Not really but only played lacrosse cause we could smoke dope n it wasn’t frowned upon. But since I wasn’t in a batting cage all year I saved my parents money to afford some cool hunts n days off. Also was able to hold a job to learn a work ethic that even though I got kicked out of school beginning of 11 th grade I have a great family a house on water An work for myself an send my kid to private school. But hey I’m a outlier I’m sure the higher percentage of travel team kids end up better then me. The ones I’ve met are pretty well useless when it comes to real world. A lot of that starts at the parents to. Trust me my wife’s a sports fan. Played softball all the way up. Went to college on good grades verse softball though. Oh an I paid for half of it working.

Lol, it was a joke dude, but apparently struck a nerve. Believe it or not it's possible for a kid to like sports as much as hunting or fishing, and--gasp---even have a job and learn to work as well! I did it, and plenty of kids on the teams I'm around still do as well.

And it's really not even debatable that there are many valuable life lessons to be learned playing sports. Doesn't mean it's the only way or even the best way, there's lots of ways to learn, but the lessons are there nonetheless.

 

[Wiscoduckhunt]

Lol, it was a joke dude, but apparently struck a nerve. Believe it or not it's possible for a kid to like sports as much as hunting or fishing, and--gasp---even have a job and learn to work as well! I did it, and plenty of kids on the teams I'm around still do as well.

And it's really not even debatable that there are many valuable life lessons to be learned playing sports. Doesn't mean it's the only way or even the best way, there's lots of ways to learn, but the lessons are there nonetheless.

As I just alluded to baseball was brutal and helped prepare me for working ... The other part of my life that I now don't look forward to everyday .... I used to love my job but alas all that is good must be fleeting

 

[Dirtybird420]

Lol, it was a joke dude, but apparently struck a nerve. Believe it or not it's possible for a kid to like sports as much as hunting or fishing, and--gasp---even have a job and learn to work as well! I did it, and plenty of kids on the teams I'm around still do as well.

And it's really not even debatable that there are many valuable life lessons to be learned playing sports. Doesn't mean it's the only way or even the best way, there's lots of ways to learn, but the lessons are there nonetheless.

Your correct. An no nerve struck just my experience which is my problem. But. Basketball for instance plus school leaves minimal hunting days since my great state allows zero waterfowl hunting on Sunday. The list goes on for both our opinions but to the original posters point there should still be rec leagues available to all an there’s not. An some parents suck. Ultimately no I wasn’t a college pro at sports an I really think some of these kids are missing other big life lessons by playing sports all year.

 

[Canyoncrosser]

Ordinarily, I would guess you were with the 'dads hiding their beer" , but since you mentioned that you owned a yeti, I am not sure if you are a flatbiller with white sunglasses too......................I should probably leave it alone.

Oh boy…. Yeti was slang for a vessel to hide hooch.

 

[Grif]

Your correct. An no nerve struck just my experience which is my problem. But. Basketball for instance plus school leaves minimal hunting days since my great state allows zero waterfowl hunting on Sunday. The list goes on for both our opinions but to the original posters point there should still be rec leagues available to all an there’s not. An some parents suck. Ultimately no I wasn’t a college pro at sports an I really think some of these kids are missing other big life lessons by playing sports all year.

You know, there is truth there. I played a ton of baseball as a kid, so naturally I got my son rigged up when he was about 7 years old. We had been playing catch and enjoying our time for a couple years at that point. I signed him up for a YMCA league....and it was forking awesome. Just kids being kids and having fun. Nobody cared at all for anything but the smiles and laughter. He's a good athlete and was big for his age so he moved up to Little League.....foking disaster. It was not a traveling team, but every parent on that team was pushing to get their kids to that level....and the coach had ambitions of his own. I got lucky....my kid didn't like baseball....so it was good to ease out of it.

Even with baseball it was apparent that he could outrun everybody....so down that road we went. There was never a day that my wife and I saw ourselves as parents of a kid playing a sport at a club or elite level. But there we were. Soon enough he wanted to try triathlon and we found him a swim club. Now it's swim practice at 430am before school, track practice after school, and, as he got older, off to another swim practice. Soon enough we were traveling the country, and out of the country, for races. He even got about 10 days at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs on an invitation. Before it was over he had raced or trained in 31 states and 4 countries. The kid was still in high school....he had a Pro Triathlon card. One of 5 high school kids in the country who could say that at that time.

When it was all said and done he went to college for free.....we had spent nearly 75K on equipment, coaches, and traveling him around. Not free for us.

But here's the deal.....we never spent a penny on drug rehab or counselors of any kind....and this was a kid who would have quit high school without sports, not a single doubt about it....he just wanted to compete so bad that he'd maintain a minimum GPA to stay eligible.....it didn't change in college, but he stayed eligible and got a BS in Construction Management. This was a kid with a perfect 36 on his ACT STEM score...math and science. He just would not go to class to sit in a chair and listen to a lecture....no way.

He blew us away when he walked off the track after his last race. In his words, "dad, I'm done running. I want to have my own money and I don't want a 9-5 job. I've been working with a Marine Corps recruiter and I'm going to OCS in Quantico." Well.....OK....that sounds about right for you, son, you'll do well. Neither my wife nor I ever asked him about the coaching offers he had told us he received to continue racing triathlon. It had been a damn long road, and if he wanted another test, this time on his own....hell yeah, go!

THAT'S WHY YOU DO IT!

The lesson here for the elite sports haters....you and I agree. For most of us all we required was a great time laughing with our buddies playing ball....and that is mostly gone, shame as it is. But, know your kid....some of them can just play at the top of their game. It's a gift to cultivate...and if they want to, and they love it....give it to them, whatever it cost you. There are no bad lessons for a kid working his/her arse off to get what they want....even if they can't see what it is as they go through it.

 

[Dirtybird420]

You know, there is truth there. I played a ton of baseball as a kid, so naturally I got my son rigged up when he was about 7 years old. We had been playing catch and enjoying our time for a couple years at that point. I signed him up for a YMCA league....and it was forking awesome. Just kids being kids and having fun. Nobody cared at all for anything but the smiles and laughter. He's a good athlete and was big for his age so he moved up to Little League.....foking disaster. It was not a traveling team, but every parent on that team was pushing to get their kids to that level....and the coach had ambitions of his own. I got lucky....my kid didn't like baseball....so it was good to ease out of it.

Even with baseball it was apparent that he could outrun everybody....so down that road we went. There was never a day that my wife and I saw ourselves as parents of a kid playing a sport at a club or elite level. But there we were. Soon enough he wanted to try triathlon and we found him a swim club. Now it's swim practice at 430am before school, track practice after school, and, as he got older, off to another swim practice. Soon enough we were traveling the country, and out of the country, for races. He even got about 10 days at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs on an invitation. Before it was over he had raced or trained in 31 states and 4 countries. The kid was still in high school....he had a Pro Triathlon card.

When it was all said and done he went to college for free.....we had spent nearly 75K on equipment, coaches, and traveling him around. Not free for us.

But here's the deal.....we never spent a penny on drug rehab or counselors of any kind....and this was a kid who would have quit high school without sports, not a single doubt about it....he just wanted to compete so bad that he'd maintain a minimum GPA to stay eligible.....it didn't change in college, but he stayed eligible and got a BS in Construction Management. This was a kid with a perfect 36 on his ACT STEM score...math and science. He just would not go to class to sit in a chair and listen to a lecture....no way.

He blew us away when he walked off the track after his last race. In his words, "dad, I'm done running. I want to have my own money and I don't want a 9-5 job. I've been working with a Marine Corps recruiter and I'm going to OCS in Quantico." Well.....OK....that sounds about right for you, son, you'll do well. Neither my wife nor I ever asked him about the coaching offers he had told us he received to continue racing triathlon. It had been a damn long road, and if he wanted another test, this time on his own....hell yeah, go!

The lesson here for the elite sports haters....you and I agree. For most of us all we required was a great time laughing with our buddies playing ball....and that is mostly gone, shame as it is. But, know your kid....some of them can just play at the top of their game. It's a gift to cultivate...and if they want to, and they love it....give it to them, whatever it cost you. There are no bad lessons for a kid working his/her arse off to get what they want....even if they can't see what it is as they go through it.

You coulda bought us a 60 acre duck hole here for that 75 grand lol. I get it an assuming you’re like me sports aside your kid woulda been busy regardless an rehab an whatever wouldn’t been a thing anyhow. Congrats with him n hope he’s doing good. Strange times.