Travel Baseball VS Rec League Baseball

[dreammachine]

Having coached baseball at all levels in both many REC Leagues and also in Travel Baseball Leagues, how many out there think that "Travel Baseball Is Killing Recreational Baseball Leagues - Dixie Youth - Cal Ripken - Little League - Countless Other Leagues"?  I would also pose this question also;  Did the overbearing and for the most part - sorry Rec League Baseball Directors/Officials run their programs into the ground or become such tyrants or dictators that many parents had no over choice but to start up Travel Baseball Leagues?

I have seen the many reasons why Travel Baseball has reached the high popularity it has now, but I also hate to see the Rec Leagues die out, but this is a "two-headed monster" and I saw it coming 20 plus years ago and yet at the same time many Rec Leagues were also starting to become more "PC" so that everyone would feel the same and to them it was more like a overall participation league - which in turn was one of the many reasons that have killed the numbers of kids playing Rec League Baseball now.

I know many of you parents have your kids either playing Travel Baseball or still hanging out at the Rec Leagues each year.  I would love to hear your stories on this vital viewpoint as it does mean a lot about the direction of organized youth baseball.

 

[uscjeremynca]

I have been a manager for 6 years in rec league baseball.  I have also served as assistant coach when I wasn't managing a team.  We had issues with some a couple of coaches that led to suspensions.  I sent numerous emails about biases and issues.  Guys I coached against were all the same group for years.  They were in agreement with the issues I noted as we talked throughout the season.  The board did nothing and the coach in question still coaches today.  I know the other coaches in the league were frustrated.

Last season, 5 of the 10 managers in our AA division left and all formed a travel team.  We lost a lot of good kids out of rec but the kids who went to travel have definitely gotten better and are getting good coaching.  This didn't have to happen if the board had done their job.

My kids are not good enough or dedicated enough for a travel ball team.  I don't want to travel at 9, 10, 11 years old and believe kids need to have fun and give their arms a rest.  Rec league has taken a hit because of travel ball but as kids get older and the way scouting and recruiting goes, travel ball teams are inevitable.  Rec leagues, as evidenced with what happened in our league, need to do a better job of keeping coaches and creating an atmosphere where players, parents, and coaches want to be involved.