In most parts of the country, the term “Travel Ball” refers to softball clubs and organizations playing year-round softball games and tournaments. This is different than recreational softball (or Rec Ball) because teams and players are considered to be more committed to the sport, more competitive, and playing more often.
When picking a travel ball team, there are many factors that should be weighed into the decision. Ultimatally, there is no blank statement that is true for every family. However, here are some helpful factors to consider when choosing which travel ball team would be right for you and your daughter.
The Coach
Deciding to play for a team ultimately means you are deciding to play for a certain coach. Make sure when deciding if this team is the right one for you, you are looking to see if the values of the coach line up with your values as well. You should be looking for a coach who is trustworthy, takes care of his or her players, and understands the game of softball.
Sometimes small differences and preferences (like if they are a “yeller” or not, their view on playing time for everyone, etc) can be overlooked, but these are small values that may change the way a player learns the game of softball or enjoys being at practice.
Amount of Traveling and Commitment
It is called “Travel Ball” for a reason. Most all travel teams are going to be travelling around to different cities (and sometimes states) to play in weekend tournaments. As a family, you need to ask yourself how much time, money, and effort are you willing to put into traveling to play in tournaments year-round. If a lot of traveling is important to you because you believe it will get you or your daughter more exposure and competition, then choosing a team that plays in the biggest tournaments all over the country would be important. However, if you don’t want to commit to traveling every weekend, then finding a team that agrees with that traveling commitment would be beneficial.
You should also look at how much practice is required. Many coaches have different philosophies on practices and how many times a week the team should be getting together. There are some travel teams that only practice or twice a week while other teams practice almost every day. Seeking out this information and understanding what your commitment level is beforehand would be beneficial when making the final decision to play for a team.
Cost
Playing travel ball can be EXPENSIVE. There are the costs for uniforms, equipment, tournament fees, hotel rooms, sometimes flights. Some of the elite teams also pay the head coach a stipend. These costs can quickly add up. Knowing what your family can afford can ultimately make or break whether you play for a certain travel team or not.
Competitiveness
By switching from rec ball to travel ball, there will automatically be a step up in competition level. These players are more committed to the sport and are more willing to improve their skills. However, within the travel ball community, there is also a varying difference in ability and competitive levels.
This is also a great time for a player to self-reflect and understand which level of competitiveness they are willing to play at or are able to play at. The competitiveness of a team will also be an indicator of how much playing time your daughter may get as well.
College Recruiting
This mostly applies to players in high school when college is right around the corner. If playing softball in college is the goal, then choosing a travel ball team that has a history of players receiving college scholarships could be a priority. You can see if a team has a college recruiting coach. This coach would be in charge of passing out players’ profiles to college scouts when they are watching games and would talk to them about what positions or types of players their college is looking for.
What other factors have you used to help you consider picking a travel ball team to play for? Let us know in the comments!
Featured Photo: Source
