If it wasn't for the possibility of playing softball in college...

[LEsoftballdad]

I don't think it could be any less than $12,000 per year to play on a National team that plays a real national schedule. In many cases it could be $20,000 per year. I would say very few get to go to their dream D1 school in terms of softball.

Think about it this way. How many girls do we know that their dream school is Oklahoma, Florida, Florida St, UCLA, etc. Those schools only take 4-5 new freshman every year, and a couple transfers from other schools. There are thousands of girls that dream of playing at those schools.

Your numbers are low. I estimate we will spend close to $30K in travel and team dues for the full year.

 

[Westwind]

We would still play local travel, but there's no way we'd fly all over the country.

We were lucky, we didn’t fly too much. Middle of the country, Colorado was 16 hours and I drove.

We were not at the absolute top of the food chain though.

 

[_MIA_]

Softball without the recruitment aspect would likely look a lot like baseball did for me growing up. You play local for most of the year. At the end of the year you have All Stars (LL,Pony League,etc) or playoffs (Legion). If you keep winning in those you eventually travel as a reward (that is it was for me who didn't get on an airplane till I was 23..) for winning..Our Legion team did travel some before District play (played in Cooperstown for example) but that was more about experience/competition then about getting seen. Back then you got noticed (initially) a lot of the time by mistake. The few times I got any interest from Pro scouts they were there to see other kids.

 

[Westwind]

Your numbers are low. I estimate we will spend close to $30K in travel and team dues for the full year.

A really nosy question: I am curious what your team dues are. (Don’t answer if you don't want to.)

Dues were never the big part of our expenses. It was hotels and gas. Food less so.

 

[Chilixa]

Ok I will start this off by admitting I am a numbers guy. Question for those of you that travel for the purposes of scholarships. Do you consider if you are spending more on travel ball than the actual scholarships might be worth? Or is it more about your daughters reaching goals of playing softball at an elite level? Those things are different to me. I just know some that are spending a fortune on kids for travel ball and I am not sure their specific kids wouldn’t benefit much more with a college savings account.

With all that said I spend a lot also because my kid loves it. I hope she plays some level college just because it means I get to watch her play a little longer. Just interesting to see the different reasons people have.


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[LEsoftballdad]

We were lucky, we didn’t fly too much. Middle of the country, Colorado was 16 hours and I drove.

We were not at the top of the food chain though.

I can't drive that far anymore. I have a rule now that says if it's more than six hours, I fly. The thought of sitting in a car for that long reminds me of poor Clark Griswold going to Wally World.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

A really nosy question: I am curious what your team dues are. (Don’t answer if you don't want to.)

Dues were never the big part of our expenses. It was hotels and gas. Food less so.

Our team due for the year were $4,200. That includes three sets of Gluv uniforms, helmet, bat bags, and 13-14 tournaments. We also got 40 hours of coaching with Bill Edwards, and our coaches are not volunteer parents. It also includes winter workouts, which are optional.

As to @Chilixa, I'm a numbers guy too. Is it worth it financially from a just dollars and sense perspective? Probably not. If I didn't have the resources to do this, I wouldn't even consider it.

 

[Strike2]

$20K? $30K? In a single year??? Wow.

Even if your DD is a top player who actively recruited, how does that come even close to making financial sense?

With some decent academic aid, that nails down at least a year at most private schools, and two+ years at a local public. That pace of spending through HS would easily pay for college by itself.

 

[Westwind]

Question for those of you that travel for the purposes of scholarships.

I recommend against making the purpose for playing a scholarship or recruiting. It may be true but if that is what the stated purpose is, it can go south really fast.

Do you consider if you are spending more on travel ball than the actual scholarships might be worth?

I have no doubt this is the case.

Or is it more about your daughters reaching goals of playing softball at an elite level?

Maybe. Probably more be about doing something that is at least somewhat fun and helps the player grow as a person.

I just know some that are spending a fortune on kids for travel ball and I am not sure their specific kids wouldn’t benefit much more with a college savings account.

They would all benefit from a college savings plan. Very, very few people go to college and don’t need money, even kids who do well academically and athletically. (That is changing every day, but it is mostly changing for top 1% type players.) I know everyone isn’t in the position to do both. We did. DD#1 is using the last of hers at grad school right now, she is 25. DD#2 will burn through hers by the end of undergrad.

With all that said I spend a lot also because my kid loves it. I hope she plays some level college just because it means I get to watch her play a little longer. Just interesting to see the different reasons people have.

Us too. You are looking at this right!

 

[_MIA_]

$20K? $30K? In a single year??? Wow.

Even if your DD is a top player who actively recruited, how does that come even close to making financial sense?

With some decent academic aid, that nails down at least a year at most private schools, and two+ years at a local public. That pace of spending through HS would easily pay for college by itself.

Unfortunately if you are a top team in the NE who aspires to play other top teams in the country that is what it is going to cost you with all the flying..how many teams from CA,TX, Southeast etc go play tournaments in the Northeast??