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YOUR BALANCE
Hey Northwood Little League..........
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Hey Northwood Little League..........


Aug 19, 2015, 9:37 AM

I wish the young guys well at the Little League World Series but I take issue with something..........been reading that they are trying to raise money to send the parents to the games is Williamsport, PA. Uhhh............why not just jump in your car and make the 9 1/2 hour drive from Greenville? A few hundred bucks in gas at most?

Also, I am sure that most of the parents are spending boat loads of money on travel ball and private hitting/pitching lessons. Why not sacrifice some of those?

Frankly..........should Northwood LL front the costs? Just think it is silly to ask the public to help fund this trip.

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THAT IS NOT HOW US AMERICANS OPERATE, YOU BOOB.***


Aug 19, 2015, 9:39 AM



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No no no no no no no no no no no...no.


Aug 19, 2015, 9:41 AM

It is not silly to ask. It is silly for anybody to give them money.

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My son plays for Northwood and as much as I would love


Aug 19, 2015, 9:41 AM

to see my child play in the LL world series, unless I am helped financially I will not be able to make the trip. I spend every dime I make on that kid and furthering his baseball career. Sure he may ride the bench, but I'd do anything for him and I want to be there if he gets the chance to play. Would you deny me that simply because I am not wealthy? What a jerk.

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ROH


Then I suggest you become wealthy.


Aug 19, 2015, 9:43 AM

DO I HAVE TO DO THE THINKING FOR EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD?!?!!?!??

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I mean, you don't have to, but if you want things to


Aug 19, 2015, 9:44 AM

break a certain way, doing all the thinking is helpful.

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the world needs ditch diggers too***


Aug 19, 2015, 10:03 AM [ in reply to My son plays for Northwood and as much as I would love ]



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If she's a hollerer, she'll be a screamer.
If she's a screamer, she'll get you arrested.


I am actually a plumber, but sometimes


Aug 19, 2015, 10:10 AM

ditches need to be dug before you can lay the pipe.

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ROH


Be honest.


Aug 19, 2015, 10:52 AM

You've laid pipe in a muddy ditch before, haven't you?

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Because people have found that they can crowd fund


Aug 19, 2015, 9:48 AM

almost anything. I have people I know starting gofundme pages for their housing costs while obtaining like their 3rd useless degree.

Let them ask though, the true morons are the people who give them money.

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I know, right?


Aug 19, 2015, 9:50 AM

Poor people should not have their kid play and excel in baseball at the local little league. If they do, and he is part of a great team, they shouldn't ask for help in covering the costs to go see him play in the LL World Series. Poor people are the worst.

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The reality about LLWS teams


Aug 19, 2015, 10:26 AM

is that *in general* the kids that play for them typically:
-play year round
-engage in private hitting, fielding, and/or pitching instruction
-play travel ball for 2/3s of the year or more
-have qualified for the LLWS by attending qualification tourneys far away

Rich or poor, parents have already committed to spend an amount of money annually that would make people not in this environment ASTOUNDED if they knew how much these parents are spending.

Imma have a hard time believing that any parent that's spent the cash it took to get this far has suddenly drained the account and can't find a way to attend the biggest tournament their kid likely will ever play in his life. If this is the case, I still have no sympathy....it would suggest that there was some financial recklessness going on over time that led up to it.

Guess how many poor kids with unlimited athletic potential don't fully realize it due to finances? Especially in today's day and age.....I would say MOST of them.

Just LOL at the parent spending $5k-$10k annually that wants donations for that final $700 expense of the year.

Me thinks this is a play on the emotions of a community with a strong youth baseball culture sending a team to PA for the first time ever.

I know some folks that own restaurants. I'll get them to front the money and the parents/kids can work it off by washing dishes. Think there'll be any takers?

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While not overly familiar with the youth baseball culture


Aug 19, 2015, 10:33 AM

I would suggest these are the same people who not so subtly brag about how much money they make while drinking all of your beer and eating all of your food.

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LOL, that is why I don't care to entertain.***


Aug 19, 2015, 10:39 AM



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Everyone's a millionaire until it's time to pay the bill***


Aug 19, 2015, 10:51 AM



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My kid isn't good at baseball, so I ain't going,


Aug 19, 2015, 10:53 AM [ in reply to While not overly familiar with the youth baseball culture ]

but I know a lot of these families. The ones I know don't even have the money for their own Yeti. They are a mix of lower and middle class. Good people who have a kid that is good at a sport.

The cheapest murder-free hotel I could find in a quick search for that area of PA was $120/nt, with a potential of staying 10 nights. Food, travel, etc. Seems like this would easily double what they have already invested in their kid playing for the year. Not to mention any missed work.

I'm not saying I would donate to help send the parents along, but I understand why they would ask.

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I would have made an awesome Polo player, but my parents


Aug 19, 2015, 10:56 AM

didn't have the money for the thoroughbred pony, lessons, and stable and boarding. So we did something weird. I DIDN'T FREAKING PLAY POLO.

LLWS is just as much for the parents as the kids.

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Well... yeah


Aug 19, 2015, 12:35 PM

Aren't all sports, at a certain level, just as much for the spectators as for the players? I'd hate for a parent of a kid who's doing something as possibly once in a lifetime as playing in a LLWS to either not get to see them or to feel like they had to put themselves in a bad financial situation to go see them. Maybe if others feel strongly that way, they'll give a little money. Maybe they won't. But I don't know why we feel the need to disparage people just for asking.

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I think the point is this...let's strip it down to


Aug 19, 2015, 12:56 PM

theoretical facts.

A family spends $5,000-$10,000 per year for their 11 year old child to participate in a sport.

That child is on a special team that qualifies for a tournament 10 hours from home.

Family needs $1000 minimum to cover expenses associated with going to watch the kid play.

Same family is back on next year for $5k-$10k in expenses for the now 12 year old to play and travel again.

Please convince me that the $1000 is putting them in a bad financial situation. The bad financial situation happened when they signed up if $1k is putting them out.

And is this for the brother, aunt, grandma to go? Or for mom and dad.

Not disparaging them for asking, I just think it's tacky.

Other options that aren't as tacky: Fundraiser, working extra jobs to afford, family loans.

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I think you're talking about exceptions


Aug 19, 2015, 1:08 PM

The average family of a kid on one of these league all-star teams that makes it to the LLWS is not spending $5,000-$10,000 per year.

Putting that aside, though, crowd-funding is just fundraising through the internet. It allows you to raise money from people who care enough to give it. If everybody thinks it's tacky, then they'll have to come up with the money some other way. If people think it's a worthy cause, then maybe some of the parents will have their trip up there funded.

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You're cray if you don't think they're spending that


Aug 19, 2015, 1:12 PM

Even the kids that aren't exceptionally talented are getting private lessons, etc. There are families that spend at least that much for competitive cheerleading, much less actual sports.

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That would've been very exceptional when I was in HS...


Aug 19, 2015, 1:23 PM

and we're only talking about 12 years ago. Most of us played rec-league/ city league when we weren't in the high school season, and then the better players played American Legion ball in the summer. But the total cost of stuff like that is in the low hundreds of dollars, not in the thousands.

I mean, I'm sure there are some people who do this stuff, but I just never saw that and I was one of the better players up until I was on the varsity HS team.

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paying thousands was def. the exception in the late 90s


Aug 19, 2015, 1:26 PM

#### I'm getting old.

NOBODY paid that kind of money, but York isn't exactly known for being flush with $$$.

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The times...they are a changing.


Aug 19, 2015, 1:28 PM [ in reply to That would've been very exceptional when I was in HS... ]

In populated areas, rec level youth sports will make it VERY hard to make a high school team. There are exceptions of course.

Specifically I'm referring to 4A high schools in SC and higher level 3A schools.

MauldinT
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can chime in. He coaches a sport at a high school that isn't anywhere near one of the biggest in his state.

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Yep, correct. If you do not play competitive "travel" sports


Aug 19, 2015, 2:44 PM

at a big high school you will not make the team most likely....yeah there are exceptions, that those athletes are rare.


I tell players all the time, when they ask how can they make the team, they need to play club (travel) soccer. Playing rec, or even worse, nothing, will not get you on the team

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How big is a BIG high school? I am calling bvllchit in


Aug 19, 2015, 2:46 PM

reference to York, which is a 4A school.

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3A and up


Aug 19, 2015, 2:51 PM

I am a 3A, soon moving to 4A. Tell girls all the time they are playing JV instead of with their friends on varsity because they decided not to improve and others did

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ok, take


Aug 19, 2015, 2:52 PM [ in reply to How big is a BIG high school? I am calling bvllchit in ]

The following sports at York:
Boys Hoops
Girls Hoops
Volleyball
Baseball
Soccer (boys and girls)

Remove any of the above that York completely SUXXOR at. Like can't win more than 3 games per season.

Of the sports left over, yes...majority of them are playing travel.

12 kids on the hoops team, more than 7 play AAU.
Soccer? Discoveries Soccer Club puts I'd bet 7 starters on each team minimum. The rest on the boys side come from your local latino population.
Volleball? Yup. They play somewhere. Many of them.
Baseball-Most of your starters play travel ball.

Jew disagree?

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Lemme get back to you, but I WANT to disagree***


Aug 19, 2015, 2:56 PM



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Math....my first HS team, 9 out of the 17 players


Aug 19, 2015, 2:59 PM

played club soccer. We were a BAD team. This past year, 18 out of 21 players played club soccer, we were, at times, ranked in the top 15 in the state.



math

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York families, in general, do not have the finances for 80+%


Aug 19, 2015, 3:03 PM

to play club ball.

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And that's why their sports teams (non-football) sux


Aug 19, 2015, 3:08 PM

amirite?

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but THAT was never part of the conversation


Aug 19, 2015, 3:11 PM

your point was that kids at big high schools (3A and above) cannot make Varsity teams if they do not play club sports. Shenanigans.

Maybe playing soccer and baseball at Northwestern is tough without club ball, but there are alot of opportunities for kids to play sports EVEN IF they do not play club ball or GOD FORBID they cannot afford Club Ball.

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see disclaimer about "there are exceptions"


Aug 19, 2015, 3:24 PM

And York, along with the other terrible teams they beat is one of them.

I mentioned 4A and higher level (good teams) 3A teams. Come to think about it SC just reclassified...so go with 5A, high level 4A, and high level 3A teams.

Going off of last year though, look at the top 20 final rankings for 4A in SC for boys soccer. I guarantee you most of those teams are darn near 100% club players.

In 3A, look at the top 20. Same thing, albeit maybe a few less club players.

State champs for both categories? Had club players that couldn't make the team, and had 0 non club players.

Opportunities for non club players to play? Yes. At the highest level? No...at least with very rare exception.

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Sam here...Not an affluent area, and especially my school


Aug 19, 2015, 3:09 PM [ in reply to York families, in general, do not have the finances for 80+% ]

I agree man.

2024 purple level member flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Aug 19, 2015, 2:59 PM [ in reply to ok, take ]

The York Soccer coach just texted me that only 40% of his team plays club ball.

He followed that up with "The Mexicans can't afford it"

So I guess York probably falls a little in the middle.

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The Hispanics play so much, it has the same affect


Aug 19, 2015, 3:01 PM

as playing club soccer.

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And how many games did they win last year?


Aug 19, 2015, 3:04 PM [ in reply to WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ]

Imma guess they played 20 and went something like 4 wins 4 draws 12 losses. Text him and lemme know.

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4-15


Aug 19, 2015, 3:07 PM

I was 11-8 with that many players experienced

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They weren't too good this past year - 5-16. Made playoffs


Aug 19, 2015, 3:08 PM [ in reply to And how many games did they win last year? ]

the year before with a better record IIRC. Same typical team makeup though.

I see your point and yall are closer to it than me, I just think it is insane.

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6-11 last year


Aug 19, 2015, 3:10 PM

and here is the other side, college recruiters basically do not go to HS soccer, or basketball games. The go to club tournaments and AAU events

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I'm not sure that is top priority for most high school sport


Aug 19, 2015, 3:13 PM

s athletes. I played because I liked it and to keep busy/stay out of trouble and also get buckets of pvssy. College would have been nice, but it wasn't the point (and shouldn't be the point)

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That's really why it's so ridiculous


Aug 19, 2015, 3:21 PM

It's really pure politics and has nothing to do with fun or enrichment anymore. How many of these kids will end up playing in college or professionally? Yet they treat them like Olympic athletes in training from the time they're 10 years old.

I'm going to teach my kids to snow and water ski and be done. #### that traveling ########. Like it was noted below, I bet this stuff results in some really ###### up families.

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State champs in many of the sports have 100% travel players


Aug 19, 2015, 2:55 PM [ in reply to How big is a BIG high school? I am calling bvllchit in ]

at 4A and 3A. Maybe as low as 85% in some areas but will hold true in hoops, baseball, soccer, and volleyball.

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Different game now


Aug 19, 2015, 1:36 PM [ in reply to That would've been very exceptional when I was in HS... ]

Kids aren't playing multiple sports like we used to, they hone in on one and that is their (and their parents many times) main focus. And they do anything to get an edge. Even the kids that are riding the bench are taking private lessons and using expensive equipment. The cost of the gyms and stuff ain't cheap.

I started to see the change right before I left high school, which was about 9 years ago. I'm sure it's gotten even worse by now. You should see the lengths these people are going to for competitive cheerleading, my sister was involved in that and they said it costs way more for the few years she was involved than my soccer, swimming, or football ever did. I can't even begin to imagine the lengths people are going to for real sports now.

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Swimming was not cheap.


Aug 19, 2015, 1:37 PM [ in reply to You're cray if you don't think they're spending that ]

It was close to $200 a month just to be on the club for an individual, we got some kind of family discount for having multiple kids on the team, but still it was a lot. Then after we reached a certain level we probably averaged 1.5 travel meets a month so hotel, gas, entry fees, food. That stuff adds up fast. Luckily gear wasn't too expensive until you start buying those competition race suits, but that wasn't till the last year or so and I payed for most of those. I wouldn't be surprised at all if my parents had close to 10k a year in it for us.

Thanks mom and dad.

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ROH


^^^^This. And honest question:


Aug 19, 2015, 1:40 PM

Aside from a few exceptions, could a "rec" level swimmer (Swims on the neighborhood swim team) compete against the swimmers in your club?

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No probably not


Aug 19, 2015, 1:57 PM

Honest answer, a swimmer that practices and competes year round is going to beat a swimmer that just swims summer league 9 times out of 10. Obviously there are those situations where you have a naturally athletically gifted person who just swims summer league that can be really good and that person will beat a few year round swimmers in their age group up to a certain point. After you reach age 12-13 though the year round club swimmer will pretty much always win. They're coordinated by that point and have the technique and proper training that you will get swimming year round that you wont from a summer league and that is the difference maker.

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ROH


Yep. Remove swimmer and insert_______(any sport)


Aug 19, 2015, 2:07 PM

same same.

SOME exceptions, but not many.

The sport of football is different. Non skill positions don't require a ton of specialized skill that cannot be learned at later ages.

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I agree completely


Aug 19, 2015, 2:11 PM

There are only a handful of sports that can be started at a later age and learned in a short amount of time. Swimming is not one of them. Volleyball apparently isn't too hard though there are several players on the AVP tour that started in their mid twenties. One guy played minor league baseball before switching to volleyball.

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ROH


It is a total arms race...if your kids aren't playing


Aug 19, 2015, 2:52 PM

someone else's is.

2024 purple level member flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

Exactly, and my kids are gonna be awesome at sports.


Aug 19, 2015, 2:56 PM

I'm already working on finding the perfect wife to have super tall and athletic kids with. Just be looking for all the little SwimminTiger kids on the rosters of Clemson sports teams in 20-30 years.

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ROH


That's not really true


Aug 19, 2015, 12:30 PM [ in reply to The reality about LLWS teams ]

Maybe some of the best kids on the team do that, but that's only because they've recognized that they've got superlative talent and they want to do everything they can to develop that. And not every little league goes to the LLWS frequently, so they don't have some huge apparatus for developing the best talent and sending everybody to PA.

But, honestly, who cares if this is one way they're looking to fund the parents' trips? It's a financial burden for anybody who wants to go up there, and there may be some parents who choose not to because of that burden. If the community values all of the parents going up there enough, then they'll give money. If they feel like crowdsourcing this is just mooching, then they won't give them money.

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Yes, it's true. Not for all little league players, but for


Aug 19, 2015, 12:48 PM

*most* of the kids that play on teams good enough to get to the LLWS.

Same with basketball, soccer, and volleyball. I would assume that football is similar to a degree, at least at the WR and QB (skill) positions. OL/DL players won't get left behind regarding technique by not participating in camps....but the other sports? Yep.

Especially baseball. Disagree if you'd like, but I think you would agree if you've spent anytime around the culture of youth sports and youth baseball in particular.

Only the "superlative" kids with talent travel and take private lessons? LOL. I'll go so far as to say that (at least in SC) there are as many or more kids aged 9-18 that play travel baseball as there are kids that play baseball but not on travel teams.

Kids that can make their HS baseball team (assuming they live in a reasonable populated area) and get playing time generally come from travel teams.

Hoops=AAU
Soccer=Club
Volleyball=Club
Baseball=Travel

Youth sports ain't what they used to be, ain't what you'd hope they are, and shore ain't what you think they are (if you aren't around it a lot).

Agreed on frequency of LLWS visits and development apparatus. But to get there, you are working with a foundation of really good players that get exceptional training and have played TONS of games/tournaments...then they have to produce in the tourney. In no way shape or form are these all neighborhood kids that play 3 sports and happen to play baseball during baseball season that get hot and make runs like this. More often you are working with a hand-picked team from a large Little League chapter littered with travel ball players that get hot and make a run.

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I'm not that old and played in HS and club in college


Aug 19, 2015, 1:00 PM

I only knew a couple of people who had spent much money doing any of the stuff you mentioned, and they were some of the best players. The only "travel" leagues people did were American Legion, and that wasn't expensive at all. My senior league team (the oldest division of Little League) made it to the state finals, and we had plenty of guys who weren't even starters on their high school team.

I'm not saying that there aren't kids whose parents are spending lots of money on their kids playing sports, but I think it's a gross over-generalization to say that all of them are just because they're on a Little League team that made it to the LLWS.

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"all" is of course not the case.


Aug 19, 2015, 1:38 PM

"most" is the case.

"most" also own $300 bats.

Crazy? Yep. True? Absolutely.

I'm saying this because I've seen it. Know people...kids, parents, coaches that are involved from 8 year olds to 18 year olds. I'm not just throwing out generalizations.

They play "little league" during that season, then join 1..sometimes 2 travel teams for the rest of the year. Between "seasons", they play basketball or whatever....AND take private lessons.

Travel ball doesn't hold the same perception as it did years ago. When I was coming up, if you traveled with your team you were dayum good. Nowadays if you pay you can play.

For the *most* part, rec players cannot develop at the same pace in order to compete in a tourney like the one that leads up to the LLWS. They don't see the same level of pitching, aren't required to be as good in the field, and don't see the same bats.

By the way, *most* of those kids own a $300 bat.

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How do you play travel ball if you play multiple sports?


Aug 19, 2015, 1:20 PM [ in reply to Yes, it's true. Not for all little league players, but for ]

In high school we played Baseball...and Football...and basketball/rasslin. We had 2-3 full time baseball players. That being said, that was 15 years ago and travel ball is WAAAYYYYY bigger now. I have a friend whith an older kid who plays on multiple travel teams and they have to stretch BIG TIME to make it work for them. I have no idea why they do it, he isn't THAT good. Going to be a senior this year and he MIGHT get a chance to walk on at a small school, assuming he can get in.

Statistics people, look at them. York High School puts less than 1 baseball player in college every year. 3-4 football players (now that we are York U). Why do parents struggle SO HARD to make ends meet just so Junior can go play baseball every Fuggin weekend?

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I really don't get the travel baseball.


Aug 19, 2015, 1:29 PM

People have said a lot of this is parents looking for scholarship dollars. Turns out baseball isn't a ripe place to go looking for that. Maybe let them play in the town league and with the schools and save that cash for the college you are so worried about paying for.

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Few do


Aug 19, 2015, 1:43 PM [ in reply to How do you play travel ball if you play multiple sports? ]

Largely those that travel for 1 sport don't play others.

A soccer player may play hoops during the winter.

An AAU hoops player may swim during the summer and play football during the fall. But then go back to hoops for winter and spring.

Baseball players may play hoops during the winter. Some may only play baseball one season out of the year then AAU other seasons...but that's not the norm either.

Travel for 2 sports at once....very few do it. I've seen kids that travel for hoops and soccer at the same time, and I pity the poor things.

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IF YOU DON'T SPECIALIZE BY AGE 8 YOU WON'T MAKE


Aug 19, 2015, 1:47 PM [ in reply to How do you play travel ball if you play multiple sports? ]

THE GD OLYMPICS, OR PROS, OR SCHOLARSHIP.

HOW THE F IS DAD SUPPOSED TO BE PROUD OF A KID WHO DOESN'T GET ANY OF THOSE THINGS?

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Dude, you're in a pie in the sky non-reality


Aug 19, 2015, 1:34 PM [ in reply to That's not really true ]

Yes, I have kids. Yes, I see what other kids are doing, affluent and non-affluent.

Like anything, adults have completely effed up kids sports, and yes, it's happened within the last 12 years.

Your kid have any talent at any sport and don't want to be playing with the holy sisters of the poor every weekend?---you have to get em on a @#$#@$ travel team.

I am holding out against the travel team concept just because it pisses me off so much. A kid's sport is a recreational activity meant to enrich them....it is not supposed to be the epicenter of the whole GD family's universe from ages 7 to 16, and yet that's what it's become.

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I think you have the same feelings as me and wifeofgreenr


Aug 19, 2015, 1:47 PM

sports should be fun, not a chore (and burden) for the entire family.

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I'm predicting some serious "child #2" inferiority complexes


Aug 19, 2015, 1:50 PM

coming to a society near you soon. In the case of all of our friends who are heavy into a travel sport, there's one kid with real talent, and one kid with just mediocre. What does mediocre kid end up doing most weekends?---traveling to some town 4 hours away and staying in a crappy hotel just to watch talented sibling's team go 1-2 on the weekend.

That's a real recipe for "hate your family".

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I've got a 5 y/o and a 20 month old


Aug 19, 2015, 1:54 PM

I hope the 20 month develops into the one with real talent or Keyser will have a serious disappoint. The 5 y/o can't even crow hop and gun out a runner trying to tag from 3rd yet. His 40 time is sub par as well. I've already tied the 20 month old's right arm behind his back though. Should make it easier to get a lefty in the majors

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More of a chance on ROI with the youngest too. Good


Aug 19, 2015, 1:55 PM

parenting. I'm impressed.

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Experimenting with the older one has taught me many things


Aug 19, 2015, 1:57 PM

and given me a leg up on ruining the younger child's life. Can't wait to meet the little league coach in the parking lot for not playing my boy at short and letting him bat clean up

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Yep, I'd just start ignoring the oldest kid now. sounds like


Aug 19, 2015, 1:58 PM [ in reply to More of a chance on ROI with the youngest too. Good ]

he won't be picking up the tab to move you into the "nice" retirement community in 50 years. don't water a rock.

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FriendsofGreenr have a HS Sr. in travel ball that they


Aug 19, 2015, 1:54 PM [ in reply to I'm predicting some serious "child #2" inferiority complexes ]

cannot really afford and a 6 year old and a 4 year old. The little guys just get drug around every weekend in the summer when it is HOT AS #### outside. Mom says they love watching their big brother, but I have little kids and I am calling shenanigans on that. And they are looking for hotel discounts (Free.99 sometimes) on the facebook all the time, and complaining about being gone every weekend. Again, he aint going to school for it and he is going to burn out on baseball, much like Greenr did by the end of Sr. year. Legion, High School Baseball, and Football just wore me out.

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Does this not depend at all on where the teams are from?


Aug 19, 2015, 1:48 PM [ in reply to Dude, you're in a pie in the sky non-reality ]

Last year, the top US team was a team of kids from south Chicago. I think the team they beat to get to the finals was from inner-city Philadelphia. I have a hard time believing any of those families are spending tons of money on travel ball and camps. Heck, you really can't even play baseball in Chicago except for 3-4 months out of the year. Greenvillian says he knows a lot of these families and they're not particularly well off.

Remember, the point of this thread was to say that it's silly to crowd-fund parents going to the LLWS because the OP "knows" they're already spending tons of money for their kids to play baseball. It sounds like a lot of parents do that now, but I'm not sure how somebody could just "know" that (especially given the fact that they're resorting to ask for money).

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Cam, if you know nothing else about me, know that


Aug 19, 2015, 1:51 PM

I will never miss an opportunity to rail against travel youth sports.

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Uhhh. The team from Chicago cheated


Aug 19, 2015, 2:05 PM [ in reply to Does this not depend at all on where the teams are from? ]

and recruited outside of their district. So they pooled players from outside their district in a VERY heavily populated area. Do those kids play travel ball? Probably. Don't mistake inner-city for broke and can't afford....some are poor? Yes. Again there are exceptions.

But man c'mon....poor kids with no access to camps/private coaching that can only play baseball 3-4 months out of the year are the BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD?

BTW, you can play baseball outdoors for probably more like 8 months per year. Inside batting cages and facilities get you through during the snow.

Google the coach for the Northwood team. Take 30 seconds and you will find that he also manages a travel team that...guess what? *MOST* of his current Northwood roster plays on the travel team for him.

Maybe they are lower and middle class...I don't know. What I do know is they are finding a way to fund travel and probably get private lessons as well.

The Northwood LL zone in general pulls from a large population in Greenville and that population is largely not lower class. Think middle-upper middle and beyond.

So yes, I stand by "Tacky" for crowdfunding when you've already chosen to get bawlz deep financially in this thing.

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If the public wants to give them money, so what?


Aug 19, 2015, 11:39 AM

You don't have to give them money.

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That's not the point.


Aug 19, 2015, 2:08 PM

The Jounge has declared this as stupid and we don't want ANYONE to give them money.




I don't make the rules, I just enforce them with iron-fisted brutality.

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