I think there are still some very good options, at least where I live

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Jan 25, 2023
8:01:56am

lukeskywalker All-American

I think there are still some very good options, at least where I live

My oldest is a sophomore in HS and we never did travel sports. He played on an AAU feeder team that is tied to the local high school. He switched to this team from city parks and rec in the 5th grade. It was a step up in competition, but not crazy.

All the local high school teams have feeder teams and play locally. Coaches are volunteer parents. Also enter some tournaments but usually lose to the travel teams.

He is playing JV basketball this year at a very large high school. I think he has a good chance to make the varsity basketball team at some point and at a HS this size that is an accomplishment in itself.

He also plays football and runs track. You don’t really need reps to be good at that.

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lukeskywalker

Bio page: lukeskywalker
Joined: Jun 30, 2007
Last login: Apr 30, 2024
Total posts: 3,267 (2 FO)

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Messages

Author

Time

Is it true That Club/travel ball is killing youth sports?

Goliath CB users union organizer

1/24/23 9:30pm

That’s also my perspective from the inside.

garyfan

1/24/23 9:31pm

Sad. My 7th grader never really got into bball,and I never pushed it hard even though I have loved watching and playing

Goliath

1/24/23 9:41pm

Yes. 100 percent

1/24/23 9:35pm

It also makes for less pick up ball with your buddies

1/24/23 9:39pm

Local rec leagues (Little League Baseball) get wrecked.

garyfan

1/24/23 9:40pm

I see that happening with basketball in my town

Goliath

1/24/23 9:42pm

Most rec leagues are not even worth playing the skill level is so low

johnnybyu

1/24/23 9:57pm

Sad but true

SJS

1/24/23 9:58pm

Pay $100 and your kids team up with a bunch of kids that don't like anything but their parents force them to play, or

shimmy

1/24/23 11:46pm

One of the saddest consequences of turning little kids into ...

KCFan85

1/25/23 12:24am

It depends on the sport, For our area, baseball is the biggest sport where club

bald man

1/25/23 6:52am

I'm personally seeing more injuries as well. Kids are just putting too much on

ordinary tri guy

1/24/23 9:41pm

Wonder how that worked for those of us who did a different sport all year long. Maybe we saw fewer serious injuries

Soupie

1/24/23 9:57pm

I think playing multiple sports is absolutely beneficial. Also, a lot of kids throw baseballs too much, too hard, and

shimmy

1/25/23 12:15am

Training information I read says multiple sports effectively cross-trains you

ssa

1/25/23 9:06am

I haven’t seen this but ultimately more games = more chance of injury so it

palangi

1/24/23 10:05pm

My sons knees and joints were totally overworked by the time he left high school

1/24/23 10:53pm

I don't remember overuse injuries being a big deal when I was a kid. But now?

KCFan85

1/25/23 12:21am

Were you playing the same sport all year or different sports?

ordinary tri guy

1/25/23 8:50am

It’s killing communities because it’s mercenaries from 12 different cities

Iman23

1/24/23 9:47pm

Happened with my kid with parents that we had played years with and were going

BYUheaven

1/24/23 9:55pm

Baseball may be the worst or basketball due to numbers. baseball parents are

johnnybyu

1/24/23 9:58pm

I’m knee deep in it too and every parent as nice as they are, would jump ship

Atama

1/24/23 10:20pm

What sport is this? This sounds like a wild experience.

shimmy

1/24/23 11:43pm

That is the club baseball scene in Utah. You play each other in tournaments,

BYUheaven

1/25/23 8:58am

And younger. I’ve seen it with 8 year olds.

Atama

1/25/23 11:31am

We were sucked into club sports. It deprived my kids of experiencing lots of

1/24/23 9:48pm

My sons Rec league is so bad that it’s actually embarrassing to watch. It’s

Iman23

1/24/23 9:52pm

It’s producing the best players of sport in the history of sport, it’s also not

kotacoug

1/24/23 9:53pm

Not according to Kobe.

777

1/24/23 10:32pm

Why not? Competition level is higher and more even. It’s more fun for the

FieroCoug

1/24/23 10:45pm

Kids aren’t well rounded. Their sport is everything. proabbly not a great

kotacoug

1/25/23 9:19am

Im sure that’s true for some but once kids get to high school, travel ball

FieroCoug

1/25/23 9:28am

Nope, the good, serious players in most sports do both in high school.

Scratch

1/25/23 9:37am

In volleyball and soccer, maybe cheer, but most other sports they don’t.

FieroCoug

1/25/23 11:09am

Still tons of baseball travel and showcase teams out there. And AAU basketball.

Scratch

1/25/23 11:12am

Yep. Travel summer baseball is even incorporated into the HS programs here

ssa

1/25/23 3:59pm

Volleyball, basketball, soccer, cheer, gymnastics, softball, baseball and basically everything but football. And

shimmy

1/25/23 11:29am

Not sure what you mean on no travel for H.S. kids. That is probably when it's at

ordinary tri guy

1/25/23 11:33am

Closer to 1,200 teams. 400+ from each class.

shimmy

1/25/23 3:12pm

Yea, I think there is 600 just in the 2025 class

ordinary tri guy

1/25/23 4:19pm

I believe this same thing happens n basketball and girls soccer as well.

Atama

1/25/23 4:48pm

Also just takes up so much time they can't do multiple sports

Gustav

1/24/23 9:54pm

That’s not always the case. Wasn’t in our’s.

1/24/23 9:55pm

This is my biggest complaint. Kids specialize so unless your kids is an elite

johnnybyu

1/24/23 10:00pm

My son played HS baseball but also played Rec YMCA basketball with some HS

kotacoug

1/24/23 10:04pm

Rec basketball and football can be fun. Rec baseball is terrible. Club baseball

johnnybyu

1/24/23 10:05pm

This depends on your area. Little League is great in areas and a joke in others. If you live in an area with a strong

shimmy

1/24/23 11:58pm

This isn't really true until high school, but if you are looking for ROI, you are right. It's an idiotic investment.

shimmy

1/24/23 11:48pm

Depends on the sport

Gustav

1/25/23 5:24am

They're all year round, but you can play something diet in the slower season.

shimmy

1/25/23 6:19am

It’s possible to still navigate a decent rec sports experience up to 12 or 13 IF

Memmo

1/24/23 9:54pm

My 11 year old son’s rec bball coach is a college bball head coach.

Corn

1/24/23 9:57pm

Until college coaches recruit high school games/matches, this is how it will be.

COACHdrn

1/24/23 10:02pm

The issue is you can recruit 10x the amount of kids at club tournaments over hs

1984coug

1/25/23 1:19pm

Travel baseball for my son was a lot of fun. He loved it and made a lot of good friends. Many of which he’s still

1/24/23 10:04pm

Same for my daughter and volleyball.

Corn

1/24/23 10:11pm

I agree with this, I understood the op to mean killing youth sports as in very

palangi

1/24/23 10:28pm

I'm curious what was the monthly cost of the travel team?

CT98

1/24/23 11:20pm

Our’s wasn’t that expensive. We’d start throwing indoors in January. First tournament in March. Last tournament in

1/25/23 6:24am

For comparison purposes

SJS

1/25/23 8:34am

I can see that. We weren’t nearly as competitive as you guys. I don’t foresee any of our players playing after high

1/25/23 9:08am

if your child is the star, club/travel will always be great. If you child is not

bald man

1/25/23 7:11am

My son was on a traveling soccer team for a couple years and now he won’t even

1/24/23 10:05pm

Yes, esp for big families. Having multiple kids in club sports at once isn't

1/24/23 10:09pm

I have 4 sons. All of them on competitive baseball teams. 4-10 practices per week on average anywhere from 1-2 weekend

Zach Morris

1/24/23 10:31pm

I'm curious how much you pay per month for the 4 boys combined?

CT98

1/24/23 11:17pm

Thankfully we’re not part of any of the “fancy” clubs. On average we pay around a one time $500 per kid for registration

Zach Morris

1/24/23 11:32pm

When I was a kid rec baseball in Utah sucked. You’d start in early April and be

Scratch

1/24/23 10:41pm

It's created the haves and have nots. Rec league in my area is decent. All the

777

1/24/23 10:45pm

It depends what the goal is. My son has played club soccer for years.

hoser

1/24/23 10:59pm

Truth …

1/24/23 11:22pm

I'm not even impressed with the travel leagues. All of the elitism has created

777

1/24/23 11:04pm

It's funny how many parents spend tens of thousands on club/travel teams

AZ Coug

1/24/23 11:10pm

Anyone doing club sports for the sole (or even secondary) purpose of getting a

garyfan

1/24/23 11:12pm

Then what is the point? I mean I realize that the politics of HS sports is so

777

1/24/23 11:24pm

For some, it’s about helping the kid have friendships. For others, it’s a status

garyfan

1/24/23 11:31pm

My kid's best friends are his teammates. My friends are the teammates parents. My kid loves to compete with his friends

shimmy

1/24/23 11:54pm

Yeah, it's all based on the area you live. If my rec league was terrible I'd

777

1/25/23 12:09am

I love both, and I will say that making a run at state in little league is more fun than winning a big travel tournament

shimmy

1/25/23 12:13am

Elitism depends on one's viewpoint

1/25/23 11:08am

Often, if a hs sport has a club option, colleges rarely recruit out of hs events

1984coug

1/25/23 9:36am

Deseret News ran an article about exactly that just a few years ago.

KCFan85

1/25/23 12:18am

In my community it is much less about “elitism” and much more about do you want to play city ball where the teams are

Zach Morris

1/24/23 11:39pm

Smiley for the Stanley comment. I can understand that. Where I live the

777

1/24/23 11:43pm

Im a big baseball guy and what I’ve seen from my nephews in Utah is laughable.

Memmo

1/24/23 11:44pm

Californias great year round weather and unusual population density definitely affords more options for people. Imagine

Zach Morris

1/24/23 11:48pm

Im coaching my son’s rec team. He plays club soccer so I’m not paying for both.

Memmo

1/24/23 11:54pm

If your high school sport has a club equivalent, the club will be a higher level

1984coug

1/24/23 11:21pm

<< Deleted >>

byuiforever

1/24/23 11:29pm

If you don’t mind, what offers does your son have?

garyfan

1/24/23 11:34pm

Only one school that matters to us!

1/24/23 11:50pm

<< Deleted >>

byuiforever

1/24/23 11:53pm

While I don't think its true for baseball, but you can tell who is D1 talent

bald man

1/25/23 7:32am

The UBC 16s w/ Tiger, Sefa, Malcom, KJ, Ace, Logan, Reece, Sam, Diego, & Jared?

BillyGoat

1/25/23 9:20am

Doubled edged. Better competition and development for the really good players

1/24/23 11:49pm

<< Deleted >>

The_ATL

1/25/23 6:05am

We all want to live vicariously through our children.

coolblue

1/25/23 6:25am

About three years ago, it was much more healthy for me when I learned not to

BYUheaven

1/25/23 10:52am

There is a wide divide...with 6 boys and a busy church and work schedule, we

Fdnman

1/25/23 6:38am

There is an untold cost

Repete397

1/25/23 7:58am

My girls high school vball coach, was an assistant then head coach

bald man

1/25/23 8:36am

I think there are still some very good options, at least where I live

lukeskywalker

1/25/23 8:01am

7v7 is turning into the same. We are traveling both coasts every weekend.

Cougstreak

1/25/23 8:31am

If anything, there are more youth sports options for people to pick what works best for them, even though there are

Odysseus

1/25/23 9:16am

I agree, there are a ton of options. I think "specialization" is killing certain sports in local markets, it depends...

Cougstreak

1/25/23 9:55am

We have lost (and not just in sports) the sense of community that used to exist

1/25/23 9:28am

I agree with a lot of what you’re saying, but we’ve gotten to know a lot more people of different backgrounds BECAUSE of

Odysseus

1/25/23 11:22am

My 11 year old son is on a traveling basketball team. He played for another

Superman21

1/25/23 9:29am

It depends what 'killing' means

WiCougarman

1/25/23 9:32am

RE: Is it true That Club/travel ball is killing youth sports?

Dat_rmishner

1/25/23 10:09am

This thread is kind of depressing. I just wish my kids could try a bunch of

Great38

1/25/23 10:30am

They still can. The path is different and more difficult now, but they still can.

shimmy

1/25/23 10:45am

There are a couple of ways to do this:

Memmo

1/25/23 10:49am

I choose option #1

Great38

1/25/23 10:58am

Have them do the non tryout sports. Football, Wrestling, and Track.

Gorum the Old

1/25/23 2:28pm

I'm in a similar situation and here is what my kids did/do

Gorum the Old

1/25/23 2:38pm

Club/travel sports killed the enjoyment of youth sports a long time ago.

TrueBlue67

1/25/23 10:51am

RE: Is it true That Club/travel ball is killing youth sports?

Jugarnot

1/25/23 10:57am

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