Where I live, travel/competitive ball definitely killed off Rec at the older age groups. A decade ago, there were still viable 14-18U Rec leagues in my area. With the growth on the travel/competitive side, there simply aren't enough pitchers to go around, and even a relatively weak pitcher can find a spot in a rotation on a team that only plays tournaments.
What's really killing off Rec at the younger ages are the organizations that establish 6U-10U teams. That sucks away the kids that can make a younger Rec league viable. To survive, the Rec leagues allow these hand-picked club teams to enter and beat up on everyone else.
What's really killing off Rec at the younger ages are the organizations that establish 6U-10U teams. That sucks away the kids that can make a younger Rec league viable. To survive, the Rec leagues allow these hand-picked club teams to enter and beat up on everyone else.