During the past 10 years or so tournament style baseball, or more popularly known as travel baseball, has quickly become a main stay in the culture of little league baseball. Nowadays it is not unheard of for a 12-year-old child to play over 80 games in a year. This has already and will continue to bring about negative influences and setbacks that could have been avoided.
Consistently playing a game where the “results” are emphasized as the main focus is a devaluing of sports development and an undermining of what is most natural and pure about baseball.
One positive that travel ball has to offer is playing experience. I have to admit that it is priceless but it can be acquired in other ways which I will go over soon. In the big scheme of things, a young player who is consistently competing in tournament style baseball, will experience positive benefits. These however, will undoubtedly be outweighed by the compounding negatives over the course of the young player’s baseball career while playing in travel baseball:
1. Doesn’t learn about the “Process” of the game
The majority of little league tournaments last no longer than a couple of days and mostly over the course of a weekend. Games are scheduled so that each team will have at least a chance to play each other once; given that the tournament is designed as a double header.
During the course of a league season, a player experiences the process of teamwork, makes adjustments throughout the week, and develops a relationship with the coach who’s sole intention is the welfare of each player.
In league baseball, a player will more than likely learn to value quality practice rather than the results of a game.
2. Coaches place very little importance on a kid’s development
It is no surprise that the majority of coaches in this culture of baseball have lost a lot of insight on what is most important. I don’t care how organized the tournaments are, how talented the kids are, or how experienced the coach is. When it comes to organizations dealing with the youth, that’s precisely what it should be about, the kids!
I have seen many times where coaches have put great expectations on their players often with very little vital feedback. Yes, even in the MLB. Since the tournaments are so short, the value is placed on tangible results such as making it to playoff rounds.
3.Coaching skills are poor
Another sad aspect of tournament ball is the lack of effective coaching. This isn’t necessarily anyone’s fault. You can give me nine players that have above average athletic ability and I’ll run the table against local teams. I’m sure my coaching decisions would be less polished as well.
Basically you could give my roommate(who has never played baseball), the Yankee’s lineup card, and I’m sure we could win a few games…right?
4. They forget to have fun
When I was younger, playing baseball was such a significant activity for me that I wanted to do it everyday. There wasn’t an adult conducting my decisions between the lines. I played for fun, and that was the key to my development.
I truly feel that a major part of my athletic development (hand-coordination, stamina, strength) came from playing stick ball every day over the course of a summer. The games were unorganized but very competitive!
5. Injuries increase
This is probably the most disappointing point concerning the negative aspects of tournament ball.
Injuries are sky high and it has a lot to do with the lack of moderation by tournament officials.
If a player pitches pitches a large amount of innings in a particular tournament and then pitches in another tournament, they are unaware of specific pitch counts of players and, in some situations, they don’t care.
Yea there are rules but are these rules really followed consistently? I’ve heard of many loop-holes and other malpractices which contradict the very existence of any tournament regulations in the first place.
When playing in a league, you know you’ll have some form of structure. Monitoring players (mostly pitch counts to avoid injuries which are already difficult enough to avoid in the first pace) will be much more effective.
The structure of league style baseball is catered to help players stay healthy.
6. Coaches don’t have the best intentions.
I have heard of parents who have gotten calls from coaches to have their kid fly over to play in a weekend tournament.
Does this coach really have the kid’s future in mind?
No, he just wants to win and is willing to do it with anyone who is “talented” enough to contribute. In a league, you will more than likely find a coach with commitment. This is every baseball parent’s dream.
I can’t deny the few benefits that competing against elite players in a weekend tournament provides but being a weekend warrior (a freelance/mercenary baseball player who plays for the teams with the best reputation) can only benefit a young player for so long before those pros begin to be outweighed by the cons.
5 replies to "6 Reasons Why He Should Not Play Tournament Baseball"
ewfwef
Can't say that I agree with most of this. If you think the local Little League isn't competitive, you're in the wrong place, though admittedly, some aren't. First, I am a travel team coach (and have coached league) as to:
1. I will say that the advantage is that your week isn't clogged with games. It allows for quality practice time during the week. This allows time to "adjust" and work on weaknesses during the week. It also makes for CLOSER relationships between coaches and kids (as well as the parents). Traveling, spending time together between games, etc. doesn't happen at the rec level.
2. I disagree. Development of players is generally the #1 focus. In fact, it's a little ridiculous how many parents will choose a team based on the coach's ability to prepare them for high school, forgetting that baseball van be fun now, too.
3. Are you kidding me? The coaching skills at the rec level are far lower than that in travel ball. At the higher levels, all the kids are talented and coaching makes the difference. Sure, there are some inexperienced coaches in competitive ball, but they don't last long and can't keep kids.
4. I'll admit, things have changed. The pickup baseball games we used to enjoy don't happen anymore, but these kids have a lot of fun. This level is usually made up of competitive kids who love the game, rather than kids who stand around and would rather be almost anywhere else. Outside of the game itself, the travel is fun. Hotel swimming pools, restaurants – what kid doesn't like that. We went to the CWS this past year and to Steamboat Springs, CO. among other trips. Alot of fun. next year it will be Cooperstown. Better than playing on the same firld game in and game out.
5. Injury increase? Do you have anything to back that up? We're under the same monitoring as any league. However, my personal feelings are that arm injuries come from, not throwing too many pitches, but rather from throwing too many pitches with an arm that isn't strengthrned up to do so, but my personal opinion doesn't matter, because we have limits, too. Further, in my decade of coaching experience, we've lost a number of players to injuries and none were baseball related. I believe bicycles and skateboards have caused the majority.
6. Coach's don't have the best intentions? Do you really believe this is limited to travel ball? I've been in league. These coaches exist at all levels. The difference is that a coach like this at the travel level isn't given kids by the league. He has to earn their trust and the trust and respect of their parents.
6.
There is no doubt that you have valid points, but because of my background, coupled with my invested interest that I have in the intangible aspects of personal development and how it effects a career in baseball, I do feel that a tournament style of baseball simply doesn't have the child's future as a focal point.
I can't speak for all organizations. But in my opinion, one is too many.
Thank you for your feedback though. It's much appreciated!:)
that's a really interesting topic. I never really knew the negative aspects of travel ball. My cousin played travel ball and I always thought it was a good outlet for him. I do know that it is expensive and their schedules are very demanding. It seems like a very common trend in our society though and probably parents turn to travel ball to start their kids off young thinking the more exposure they get, the better future they'll lead. good thing you're putting more emphasis on league ball. great article!
Thankyou DF. your feedback is much appreciated:)