TRAVEL BALL TRUTHS Why Practice Is More Important Than Flash for Youngsters
It’s a sad sight when you see younger athletes become drained and damaged from baseball before they reach their full potential. Burnout is more common as competition grows, and sadly, coaches of travel teams will not tell you that how your athlete performs before the age of 15 is pretty much meaningless anyway. In fact, it usually takes until about the age of 18 for an athlete’s performance to be evaluated on a serious level.
In baseball these days, travel ball and select ball are becoming more and more of a business for some players as young as 10, their parents, and coaches. Since the competition is greater, the cost to play is pricier, and the standards for players are higher than ever, commitment to this type of baseball takes more out of us. In place
THIS MONTH IN BASEBALL HISTORY The MLB’s First Night Game Today, night games make up the bulk of the MLB schedule, but that wasn’t always the case. For the early part of the sport’s history, due to obvious technological limitations, playing at night was impossible. Once electricity became widespread in the early decades of the 20th century, the sun ceased to be the only illumination option. It still took until May 24, 1935 for the Reds to beat the Phillies under the lights of Crosley Field in Cincinnati. The idea was the result of savvy marketing in the minor leagues. The Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro National League first used lights on April 28, 1930. That season, they saw their attendance swell from 5,000 to 15,000. At that time, only 10 percent of farms in America had electricity, making the games a novelty. It was only a matter of time before the lights went up on baseball’s biggest stage. There are many benefits to being exposed to competitive baseball at a young age, including being in a position for scholarships or the professional draft. That said, it’s very suspicious, considering that the people who spread this type of idea are usually profiting from it. When it comes down to it, the dedication, discipline, and intensity of travel ball is great, but a young athlete’s performance should always be put in perspective. Parents, rather than choosing the most prestigious team for your pitcher, choose a team that will provide the most playing time. Instead of focusing on games and showcases, focus on practice and development, and give your child the support and stability they need. Keep in mind that travel ball is the mode, not the destination. Let it work for you, and do not let it become your master.
of playing for joy, we have national ranking points. In place of friendly competition, we have showcase events and national championships.
Young athletes have a much more complicated relationship to baseball than their parents’ generation, because it’s more physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing.
UPCOMING RANCH EVENTS ELITE PITCHERS BOOT CAMPS
June 8–10 (Friday–Sunday) June 22–24 (Friday–Sunday) July 6–8 (Friday–Sunday) July 20–22 (Friday–Sunday) August 10–12 (Friday–Sunday) September 1–3 (Saturday–Monday) EXTENDED-STAY SUMMER PROGRAM
June 4: Session I begins July 2: Session II begins August 6: Session III begins
For more information, go to www.texasbaseballranch.com/events
A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR OATES SPECIALTIES! STRATEGIC PARTNER,
On the night when the big leagues entered the night-game era, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the man to flip the switch. Baseball has always been electric, but that night added a whole new type of jolt.
www.OatesSpecialties. com/Durathro
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