Guest Author - Kari Livingston
Whether you call it travel ball, tournament ball,or select softball, it all means the same thing for you and your daughter-- a higher level of competition, a deeper level of commitment and a high financial burden. When most girls begin playing softball, they work their way through a local recreational league like Pony or Dixie League. Eventually, usually by age seven or eight, some girls will show an aptitude and love for the game that will separate them from their peers. These girls usually move on to a competitive team. For all of the hard work involved, playing travel ball has its benefits.
The most obvious benefit of travel ball is the level of coaching involved. At the rec level, coaches spend a great deal of time working on the basics of the game, like catching, throwing and hitting, as well as teaching each girl the rules of the game. There are all skill levels in a rec league and the coach is responsible for teaching to each level.
Travel ball teams are usually a part of a larger organization where coaches have many years of experience. The girls have mastered the basics of softball and are ready to move up to learn skills such as place hitting, sacrifice bunting, and advanced defensive play. Some competitive teams will travel the country at compete at the national level, others will travel within a set area in their state, playing against other teams with similar experience and skill. Playing against the best sharpens the skills of the players and increases their chances of playing competitively at the next level, whether their goal is to play “A” softball,move up to Gold play or play college ball with a NCAA Div I school. The ground work for all higher level softball starts with the first travel experiences.
Travel softball teams also get benefits like seeing new areas, meeting new friends and increased self-esteem, but there are also drawbacks to playing competitive softball. Travel softball is expensive, with some parents forking out $5000 to $10,000 a year for daughter's playing at the national level. Many teams hold fundraisers to offset the cost, and some parents find personal sponsors for their daughters. It can also be hard to balance softball with the rest of life. Where most rec leagues play a six to eight week season, competitive players can play up to nine months a year. Juggling, family, school and church with softball can be difficult.
For all of the difficulties associated with travel ball, it is the right place for a talented player with supportive parents and a good organization behind her.
