PITCHING FOR SUCCESS The Pros and Cons of Travel and Select Teams
REMEMBERING ONE OF BASEBALL’S DARKEST HOURS This Month in Baseball History: In February 1951, the South Carolina legislature made a fruitless bid to repair the tattered reputation of one of the state’s most famous native sons — Shoeless Joe Jackson. The Chicago White Sox outfielder was one of eight players accused in the 1919 Black Sox scandal of taking a payoff to throw the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. Jackson, one of the most popular and skilled players in the game, denied taking part. But the facts were murky, and all eight players were banned from the game for life. Jackson’s guilt has been fiercely debated. Supporters, including South Carolina legislators and even the U.S. Congress, have urged that he be reinstated and inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. It never happened, however, and the affair has left a lasting mark on the game. The tough Black Sox penalties have been credited with wiping out gambling in baseball for decades. No expert can predict with any certainty which child or teen will be a star at age 19 or 21. This simply is not possible until young players have gone through puberty and taken the form of the adults they will eventually become. An athlete’s future in the sport will be determined by their skills and strengths at age 18 — not at age 8, 10, 12, 14, or even 16. Consider the example of NBA superstar Michael Jordan. As a sophomore in high school, this prodigious athlete did not make the cut to play on the varsity team. Or what about Roger Clemens? One of the most dominant players in major league history, Clemens, was only the third-best pitcher on his high school team and received just one scholarship offer — to a junior college nearby. These athletes developed into two of the greatest players of their generation, but no one could foresee their stardom when they were 16 years old. The bottom line: The next time anyone claims your young player needs early exposure to regional or national recruiting and performance-based evaluations to achieve success in college or professional ball, be wary. Travel and select ball can help young players develop the mental and emotional stability needed to thrive under pressure. Still, revolving door rosters and heavy-handed recruiting will not help children. Always remember that select and travel ball is the mode, not the destination. To benefit your young player, always choose playing time, skill development, and practice opportunities over flashy programs focused on prestige.
A common claim among coaches is that playing travel or select ball is vitally
important in positioning young players for college scholarships or the professional draft. Whenever I hear this argument, I am immediately suspicious that the person promoting it is in a position to profit financially by recruiting overzealous parents to their programs. Travel and select programs are a blessing and a curse. They offer players a higher level of competition. However, the dedication, discipline, and intensity required can be valuable as long as adults and players keep the player’s performance in the proper perspective. My greatest fear is that young athletes may be damaged mentally or emotionally by the pressure before they can figure out the game physically.
Travel ball and select ball require a greater commitment of time and energy. Basically, these programs are a business — even for coaches, players, and parents of the 10-year-old ball player. And the claim by some that gaining “exposure” through these programs is essential to success in college or pro baseball runs counter to everything we know about how young players develop.
UPCOMING RANCH EVENTS
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• JULY 19-21 (FRI-SUN) • AUGUST 2-4 (FRI-SUN) • AUG. 31- SEPT. 2 (SAT-MON)
SUMMER INTENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM • BEGINS MAY 28TH & RUNS THROUGH AUG. 8
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