TRAVEL BALL

Coaches:

• Generally not related to the players
• Have years of experience and often played many years themselves
• Understand the intangibles of the game, and can teach a higher level of mechanics that go beyond the fundamentals

Players:

• Come to the field each day with the intent to compete, push past their limits, and get themselves to the next level
• Fundamentals will already be in place, and there’s no question as to whether they will dive head first to catch a ball
• Fast paced practices and a strong emphasis on execution
• Expectations that a player takes the game seriously
• 15 minutes early is on time (many times late players may not play in a given game)
• Walk into a tournament in an orderly fashion
• Recognize that while there’s a time and place to be goofy, you’re there to get better at softball

Focus and Playing Time:

• Recreational softball and competitive travel softball teach many of the same life skills, like teamwork and sportsmanship. But when it comes to things like time commitment and competitiveness, they can be as different as night and day.
• Because the goal of this type of program is to prepare the athlete for college athletics, the teams want to win, but there is still a focus on player development
• At tournaments during Saturday pool play, playing time tends to be more evenly distributed in order to give everyone game experience
• Come bracket play on Championship Sunday, the goal is to win and the best players will be on the field with the expectation of dominating the competition

• Coaching (experience, knowledgeable, not parents, style, character, attitude)
• Position Hierarchy (where does your daughter rank in position; will they play other positions?)
• Communication (get all of your questions answered)
• Competitiveness (understand what level of competition your daughter wants)
• Chemistry (watch a practice or games before committing)
• College Recruiting Program (if interested in college play, ensure the org. is savy here)
• Character Development (sportsmanship, work ethic, speaking respectfully, putting the team first, uplifting those around you, and attention to detail)
• Time Commitment (number of practices, tournaments, and local and regional travel)
• Playing Time (do all players play in pool play)
• Cost (determine what your family can afford)
• Facilities (location, quality, batting cage)

• You as a parent cannot choose the level your daughter wants to play at. Many parents try, and it never ends well.
• If you’re a parent who never played a sport competitively, you might not understand your daughter's desire to spend every waking hour at the ballpark. But don’t hold her back if she wants to push herself. On the other hand, don’t force her to join a competitive travel ball team if she just wants to have fun.
• The game, the desire to compete, and the love of always being challenged… those things are either there or they’re not.
• It’s important that you don’t make your child feel guilty if she tries a competitive team for a year and decides it’s not what she wants. She might have all the natural talent in the world, but if she wants to spend her summers going to birthday parties, having sleepovers and just living life, then let her!
• If she has a hard time deciding what she wants, what a great life skills and bonding opportunity. Talk through the process and help her see the pros and cons of each option. Most importantly, let it be her decision, and make sure she knows you’ll support that decision (even if it’s not what you think is best).

SOURCE: What to Look For in Travel Softball Teams (thehittingvault.com)