High School Ball vs Travel Ball

[3sDad]

Dang...you read my mind

Everything you said is true...The Coach we have knows just enough to be dangerous...to well coached kids...My biggest concern is can I straighten out what shes doing...and Im afraid she's gonna hurt one of the rec league girls...they cant catch and trust me the balls is coming....The coach has made the remark that TB is a waste of money, she can get a girl noticed by a college and that TB parents thought they knew everything

And as far as well subsidized?...Our football team just had an almost $9 million stadium built, boys have a multi million dollar stadium...both are less than a year old...the softball budget is $1200.00...

HS vs Travel
I coach TB 18u, this year my teams from 7 different schools, some large most small, heres some pros and cons.
Pro-they have a ball in hand each day. Con-most coaches hurt rather than help....daily
Pro-they get hands on ability to organize a team. Con-they get hands on ability organizing a team
Pro-pressure free fun Con-pressure free competition
Pro-able to play different position(s) Con-our TB pitchers throw 90% of the innings
Pro-hone/work on skills TB coach reccomended Con-player works on reccomended skill unsupervised and creates poor mechanics
Pro-a break from TB schedule Con-TB coaches every summer spend too much time re-teaching focus
Pro-I get to watch my kids as a spectator Con-TB coach feeling sad seeing his kids miss thier 'real' team
Pro-geting name in newspaper more Cons-college coaches care less about HS ball
Pro-making all-confrence Con-TB coaches disinfecting team from thier HS hangover (so many bad habits to fix)

 

[rowdy]

Whats yalls opinion on HS ball vs travel ball...as far as the good, bad and the plain ugly...o
So far HS ball seems to me like rec ball with good uniforms...
I HOPE yall have good HS coaches and for those of you who dont, and your kids dont play....stick with travel ball.....

Why are you insulting rec ball like that. I have seen a lot of good coaches in rec ball and haven't seen any in HS.

 

[3sDad]

I disagree with most of that, but thanks for your opinion...

My kid worked very very HARD to get to the level shes at...(besides the money it cost me)
I give no HS coach the green light to screw up that due to poor coaching skills...also the interpersonal stuff can be left at home...We come to play ball..not a rec player, kid drama popularity contest...
given the circumstances of our situation, my kid has my blessing to quit HS ball, lock, stock and barrel....

Regardless of whether one likes the coach or his/her abilities/pedigree, a player should and can learn to deal with that for 8-10 weeks. It is good to be a part of a team where you have to deal with imperfect conditions, interpersonal/school issues, set things up, line your own field, not be spoon-fed or hand-held by your parental unit coaches.

It prepares you for the real world. I also agree that HS is a better spot to get looked at for SOME kids in SOME jurisdictions; that's if you make it to playoffs and finals while you are a junior or younger. I disagree with others here--these get you news write-ups that you can use in your profile kit.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

I think the problem is not all HS varsity softball programs are the same throughout the country. I just looked up UCLA's roster and randomly picked 5 players and ALL of them played HS varsity softball and many played multiple sports. Also, they all played on TB softball teams.

 

[Catchers43Dad]

HS Ball vs Travel Ball

Having no direct experience (yet - as my daughter is a freshman), I struggle with the broad stroke statement that "All HS Coaches have no idea what they are doing".

I really believe the arguement can be had at any level - wheter it is D1 college or 10U rec league - you will encounter bad coaching somewhere along your journey. There will always be different styles and beliefs - in hitting, pitching, and situational plays. Just because it may be different that what we perceive as correct doesn't mean it's wrong or that they don't know what they are talking about. Who are we to make that statement. I feel I know quite a bit but I would not say I am an expert. Not sure many of us can say that.

We all know what we have invested in our kids success and some kids are on a different path than others. Let's try and keep the perspective that they are still kids and they only get to be that once. Part of that may be the ability to play with friends one last time.

I know for me - my daughters training for the last 6-7 years will not be undone in 8 weeks of HS ball.

Her travel coach has coached on the college level as well as 16U / 18U / HS and had great success and he will now be on her HS staff.

Now his success may be attributed to the talent we as dedicated parents provide or it may be his inate ability to teach and get results, I will never know. All I know is he teaches every pitch of every out of every inning of every game and my daughter is responsive to that.

 

[Ken Krause]

I know for me - my daughters training for the last 6-7 years will not be undone in 8 weeks of HS ball.

Depends on the coach and the program. You'd be surprised how much damage can be done in 8 weeks by someone who sees your daughter every day for two hours or more, and insists on her doing things his/her way. Hopefully you will have one of the good HS coaches and it won't be an issue.

One other good things about high school softball -- scoreboards. You don't have to pay close attention to what's happening on the field when there's a scoreboard. You can also get caught up quickly if you're late to the game. When my daughter was playing I got used to the scoreboard pretty quickly. Made it tough in the summer when I was coaching, and actually had to pay attention to the count.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Depends on the coach and the program. You'd be surprised how much damage can be done in 8 weeks by someone who sees your daughter every day for two hours or more, and insists on her doing things his/her way. Hopefully you will have one of the good HS coaches and it won't be an issue.

One other good things about high school softball -- scoreboards. You don't have to pay close attention to what's happening on the field when there's a scoreboard. You can also get caught up quickly if you're late to the game. When my daughter was playing I got used to the scoreboard pretty quickly. Made it tough in the summer when I was coaching, and actually had to pay attention to the count.

And someone posted before that "hearing your DDs name announced over the high school loud speaker / public address system is priceless!"

 

[FPMark]

I don't know about other people, but my DD is looking forward to playing for her HS. Not because she 'loves' the coach but because she gets to represent her school in front of her friends. Her TB team has girls from at least 5 different HSs, and I'm sure it will be a sorce of bragging rites when they play each other. Thats not to mention all the other friends and ex teammates at other schools.

I see HS as an opportunity to play for fun, but in a serious setting. They can't control what they will be told to do or what possitions they will play, so it will be an exersize in disipline. The biggest value is to learn to respect the coach regardless of circumstance. If they expect to play college ball, this could be valuble experiance.

By the time they reach HS they should be able to recover from bad coaching if thats what they get.

 

[Topdog@3rd]

HS vs Travel
I coach TB 18u, this year my teams from 7 different schools, some large most small, heres some pros and cons.
Pro-they have a ball in hand each day. Con-most coaches hurt rather than help....daily
Pro-they get hands on ability to organize a team. Con-they get hands on ability organizing a team
Pro-pressure free fun Con-pressure free competition
Pro-able to play different position(s) Con-our TB pitchers throw 90% of the innings
Pro-hone/work on skills TB coach reccomended Con-player works on reccomended skill unsupervised and creates poor mechanics
Pro-a break from TB schedule Con-TB coaches every summer spend too much time re-teaching focus
Pro-I get to watch my kids as a spectator Con-TB coach feeling sad seeing his kids miss thier 'real' team
Pro-geting name in newspaper more Cons-college coaches care less about HS ball
Pro-making all-confrence Con-TB coaches disinfecting team from thier HS hangover (so many bad habits to fix)

Con-TB coaches disinfecting team from thier HS hangover (so many bad habits to fix)

The truth is spoken

 

[sluggers]

HS ball and TB are two different things. Generally, TB is played at a higher level than HS ball. The players are better and the coaching is better in TB.

That being said,

IN TB:

They don't put up plaques honoring a TB tournament win/ She won't be able to go anywhere in 40 years and see the TB trophies she won when she was 16 YOA. They don't announce her name over the school PA system when your DD wins a TB tournament. The newspaper reporters don't interview your DD after a TB win. The largest newspaper in the state won't pick the 10 best TB players.