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re: Youth sports (overall Importance)?
Posted on 11/19/25 at 10:15 am to BitBuster
Posted on 11/19/25 at 10:15 am to BitBuster
quote:
The system is set up now that you have to play travel ball to even sniff most high school teams. It sucks but that’s the way it is now.
Another travel ball hardo has drunk the Kool-Aid. Parents like you that lay back and take this garbage are most of the problem.
They even pull this shite in Houston. 8 million fricking people, but they "need" to go to 75% of tournaments out of state. Not just out of Houston, out of state. Not enough competition in DFW, Austin, etc?
1
Posted on 11/19/25 at 10:28 am to GreatLakesTiger24
quote:
maybe not in some 2a podunk school
Everywhere else, yes
Strangely, in my limited experience, the places where this isn't as true are 2A tiny schools like you reference and some bigger urban high schools (not necessarily bad schools).
Travel ball culture is considerably more prominent in suburbia.
Posted on 11/19/25 at 10:41 am to UptownJoeBrown
quote:
I say zero.
I don't think it is zero but its also less than a lot of parents make it out to be.
Posted on 11/19/25 at 10:46 am to EphesianArmor
quote:
Is this actually true?
unfortuneately yes.
My son is a pretty naturally talented baseball player (not anytype of juggernaut but is a nice player without much practice) but he loves playing all the sports and his favorite sport is football. He is almost 9 and we do not play travel ball and its starting to show. He is as naturally gifted as most of the players but he just doesn't have the polish or reps that these travel ball kids get and its evident.
Now in football where there is no travel ball culture, he is right there with the best players on the team because he has the same amount of reps as the other kids.
There are exceptions though. We had a non travel kid on our rec baseball team that was 50/50 travel kids and non travel kids that was maybe our 2nd best player. The kid was a stud despite not playing travel. But those kids are few and far between.
This post was edited on 11/19/25 at 12:36 pm
Posted on 11/19/25 at 10:54 am to Oilfieldbiology
“How are orchestras judged?”
Each student tires out individually in front of a panel of judges and the best few at each instrument are chosen to be in the orchestra.
Then your County, Region, District or State competes against other orchestras and are judged by a panel of judges and winners are chosen.
I just went and clapped at the end. I don’t know what criteria the judges used to differentiate between competing orchestras. They all sounded pretty good to me.
Each student tires out individually in front of a panel of judges and the best few at each instrument are chosen to be in the orchestra.
Then your County, Region, District or State competes against other orchestras and are judged by a panel of judges and winners are chosen.
I just went and clapped at the end. I don’t know what criteria the judges used to differentiate between competing orchestras. They all sounded pretty good to me.
Posted on 11/19/25 at 10:59 am to bird35
IF the money that went into travel ball were deflected to academics, would the kid earn academic scholarships in fields that pay great from the get go?
Two very different friends did the travel ball equivalents:
one did it for the son, ice hockey, pre high school. Kid now is a bar tender in Denver where he lives to smoke weed.
The other for her daughter 's fencing competitions to hopefully earn a college scholarship. Lost track of them both.
Just two additional travel ball venues that are out there costing money and time.
Two very different friends did the travel ball equivalents:
one did it for the son, ice hockey, pre high school. Kid now is a bar tender in Denver where he lives to smoke weed.
The other for her daughter 's fencing competitions to hopefully earn a college scholarship. Lost track of them both.
Just two additional travel ball venues that are out there costing money and time.
Posted on 11/19/25 at 11:03 am to burger bearcat
quote:
How important in the long run are youth sports to kids development and long term success in life.
I would opine that there was a time when it was beneficial to a kid's upbringing but that time has long since passed. It's all about parents living vicariously through he kids, and big business.
ETA: the lsu777 bat signal just went hot!!!
This post was edited on 11/19/25 at 11:04 am
Posted on 11/19/25 at 11:06 am to burger bearcat
quote:
How important
It's extremely important. This website is proof of it. The amount of people on here, that wither and cave at the first sign of adversity, is all the proof needed for the importance of sports.
All the shite given to "Lil Braxtons" and their parents should be silenced. Braxton has more heart and determination from competing and playing sports.
Im sure sport creates tough minded team players. The lack of sport creates weakling TD posters that can't face the least bit of adversity in a game...much less life.
This post was edited on 11/19/25 at 11:08 am
Posted on 11/19/25 at 11:13 am to burger bearcat
Ill say it
You only really hear the negative stories consistently in one sport.. travel baseball/softball. I think thats because its predominantly ran by middle class bored white people who put far too much of their negative net worth into it.
You only really hear the negative stories consistently in one sport.. travel baseball/softball. I think thats because its predominantly ran by middle class bored white people who put far too much of their negative net worth into it.
Posted on 11/19/25 at 11:16 am to real turf fan
Tbh most of the varsity baseball players I went to school with were dumb as frick
The basketball team was significantly more intelligent
The basketball team was significantly more intelligent
Posted on 11/19/25 at 11:19 am to burger bearcat
A lot of it depends on the competition where you live.
The girl's soccer teams are elite here in my area. The public high school girl's team just made the State tourney for ~18th year in a row. They lost in the Final in what was considered a 'down' year by their standards due to losing a couple games. The team in Knoxville that beat them has made the State Finals 5 out of the last 6 years and feeds Division 1 women's programs with talent year in and year out. I know things change when cars and boys enter the equation but when my daughter is a freshman in high school there will be anywhere from 20-25 college soccer players on her high school team (Not all Division 1 players but you get the picture). She started playing competitive in 4th grade which is considered late by women's soccer standards around here. The two private schools that are both less than 2 miles away from her school also played each other for the TN private school state title. Both those teams will send 2-3 girls to college programs year in and year out. The other private school that's a mile or two from those schools and isn't as 'good' just sent US GK Tim Howard's daughter to the Univ of TN. No girl can keep up and compete at a high level without playing competitive soccer and training 10-11 months out of the year in our area of Tennessee. Knoxville, Chattanooga and the Nashville suburbs are the same. There's also an elite talent pool up in Carmel, Noblesville and other suburbs North of Indianapolis and those girls all start playing competitive in elementary/early middle school.
That being said, AAU Basketball and Travel Baseball are massive money hustles out here in the suburbs on the boys side
The girl's soccer teams are elite here in my area. The public high school girl's team just made the State tourney for ~18th year in a row. They lost in the Final in what was considered a 'down' year by their standards due to losing a couple games. The team in Knoxville that beat them has made the State Finals 5 out of the last 6 years and feeds Division 1 women's programs with talent year in and year out. I know things change when cars and boys enter the equation but when my daughter is a freshman in high school there will be anywhere from 20-25 college soccer players on her high school team (Not all Division 1 players but you get the picture). She started playing competitive in 4th grade which is considered late by women's soccer standards around here. The two private schools that are both less than 2 miles away from her school also played each other for the TN private school state title. Both those teams will send 2-3 girls to college programs year in and year out. The other private school that's a mile or two from those schools and isn't as 'good' just sent US GK Tim Howard's daughter to the Univ of TN. No girl can keep up and compete at a high level without playing competitive soccer and training 10-11 months out of the year in our area of Tennessee. Knoxville, Chattanooga and the Nashville suburbs are the same. There's also an elite talent pool up in Carmel, Noblesville and other suburbs North of Indianapolis and those girls all start playing competitive in elementary/early middle school.
That being said, AAU Basketball and Travel Baseball are massive money hustles out here in the suburbs on the boys side
This post was edited on 11/19/25 at 11:46 am
Posted on 11/19/25 at 11:44 am to Oilfieldbiology
quote:Agree with the self discipline and work ethic part but cutting weight when you aren’t fully developed is not good for your body and long term growth.
Sacrificing dinner and doing extra cardio so that you can come in under weight at the weigh ins so your team has that spot filled is also a phenomenal teacher of self discipline for team achievement. Wrestling is the greatest sport in the world and I wish it was MUCH bigger in the south.
Posted on 11/19/25 at 12:04 pm to LemmyLives
quote:
Another travel ball hardo has drunk the Kool-Aid. Parents like you that lay back and take this garbage are most of the problem.
They even pull this shite in Houston. 8 million fricking people, but they "need" to go to 75% of tournaments out of state. Not just out of Houston, out of state. Not enough competition in DFW, Austin, etc?
dude there are less than half a dozen teams in the houston area that travel out of state per age group and it certainly isnt 75% out of state
so laughable you believe this kind of stuff. if this is true, link the teams PG profile. the only teams that even remotely travel in houston area are dg29 in certain age groups, banditos in certain age groups and wildcatters and again only certain teams and age groups
and even they are not even 50% out of state
and yea in the houston area at the big schools....you wont come close to making the team without playing travel. even the really good litte leagues like post oak...all the good kids play both.
Posted on 11/19/25 at 12:06 pm to burger bearcat
Kids with parents who live through the success of their child as athlete would probably end up being a negative for most. Parents who support their kid bc he enjoys sports is probably a positive for the most part.
Posted on 11/19/25 at 12:11 pm to 777Tiger
quote:
would opine that there was a time when it was beneficial to a kid's upbringing but that time has long since passed. It's all about parents living vicariously through he kids, and big business.
ETA: the lsu777 bat signal just went hot!!!
na, like i said...i think yall have me pegged wrong
i simply think if a kid is extremely passionate about something and wants to pursue something at a higher level...then you as a parent should let them and encourage it and hard work. But it should be limited by your particular families financial situation and your particular families schedule or ability to schedule time for these events
im just not into bashing what others decide to allow their kids to pursue.
and i dont care what the passion is. doesnt have to be sports at all, could be gaming and if possible, as a parent you should help them pursue that through classes for game development/coding or classes on how to setup a youtube and how to market or could be they are into band or dance or maybe even math or robotics
whatever i dont care. just if a kid is passionate about something, you shouldnt hold them back so you can go drink beer at the duck camp every damn weekend has always kind of been my point
my other point has always been.....no reason to deny the things right in front of your face....which is at the better schools in baseball/soccer and even basketball....you better be playing some form of travel. same with cheer or dance to some extent. That is if your kid wants to play in HS.
and for the record....if you, as a family, have to sacrifice funds that would be used to pay for college to pay for travel ball.... well thats dumb AF. Also grades matter, matter in baseball almost more than any other sport. your kid better have good grades if he even wants to have a chance to play in college and isnt in the top .001%.
This post was edited on 11/19/25 at 12:14 pm
Posted on 11/19/25 at 12:14 pm to Brotorious
quote:+
The lack of sport creates weakling TD posters that can't face the least bit of adversity in a game...much less lif
Or the lack of sport creates individuals who think for themselves and plan ahead, rather than have their lives planned and compartmentalized.
One designs changes and makes things, the other may grow up to become helicopter parents because that's what they saw their parents become.
Posted on 11/19/25 at 12:15 pm to lsu777
quote:
dude there are less than half a dozen teams in the houston area that travel out of state per age group and it certainly isnt 75% out of state
I didn't tell you what sport, because it's irrelevant. Should any team, in any sport, minus a top 10 state ranked school be leaving Houston at all? I use Houston as the example, and not some shithole like Bryan or Giddings to make the point that travel ball hardos believe this crap, no matter where they live, and how much competition there is.
quote:
and yea in the houston area at the big schools....you wont come close to making the team without playing travel.
There are four different football teams for each grade at my junior high school, as there are at most of the schools in Katy. Yeah, gotta play travel to find competition.
It's not that I believe it, I live it with my 13 year old because my ex-wife buys into this shite with LAX. Playing in Denver, Colorado Springs (back to back weekends, because that's smart), Palm Springs, Phoenix and one tournament in Round Rock. FML, and
to all you travel ball nerds that perpetuate this being OK. 
Posted on 11/19/25 at 12:17 pm to LSUfan4444
quote:
The ability to be coachable take direction and listen
This is the biggest value I’ve seen. Those who played sports can take criticism
This post was edited on 11/19/25 at 5:03 pm
Posted on 11/19/25 at 12:21 pm to LemmyLives
quote:
I didn't tell you what sport, because it's irrelevant. Should any team, in any sport, minus a top 10 state ranked school be leaving Houston at all? I use Houston as the example, and not some shithole like Bryan or Giddings to make the point that travel ball hardos believe this crap, no matter where they live, and how much competition there is.
we were talking baseball and when you say travel ball on this board, that is what it is assumed. i have zero idea on other sports
i can tell you houston teams never have to leave houston to find competition because it comes to them, at least in baseball. Now sure there are tournaments they should do if they are a top 10 team etc but even those are not a must and not some showcase.
in HS, yea you will have to do some, but only if you are really legit
quote:
There are four different football teams for each grade at my junior high school, as there are at most of the schools in Katy. Yeah, gotta play travel to find competition.
football is not the same as baseball or soccer
quote:
It's not that I believe it, I live it with my 13 year old because my ex-wife buys into this shite with LAX. Playing in Denver, Colorado Springs (back to back weekends, because that's smart), Palm Springs, Phoenix and one tournament in Round Rock. FML, and to all you travel ball nerds that perpetuate this being OK.
i have no idea about LAX. I know my cousin was really good at a very prominent school in dallas and ended up passing on college opportunities because he is a freaking weirdo. But I wouldnt think that LAX players would need to go out of state either unless they are just crazy good on a crazy good team.
Posted on 11/19/25 at 12:25 pm to SeaBass23
[quote]In youth wrestling I’ve seen kids go 0-20 their first year and then win the state in their third year after working incredibly hard. Imagine that life lesson.
I have also seen that kids that excel at certain sports excel in the classroom, cross country, swimming, wrestling.
I am glad someone realizes this. I coached high school wrestling several years and I would like to think that I had some influence on their development. Some of my kids had ZERO athletic ability or had ever played a sport and chose wrestling. My first question to them was "you picked this one?" But they showed up day in and day out, put in the work and competed. Not all of them had success on the mat but they had future success in life. I was told by parents that their son had gained confidence and learned that if you work hard you can achieve much success.
Wrestling is a very unique sport and it is gaining some traction in the south. Girls finally got sanctioned last year, we seem to always be one of the last states to get on board, and it has opened us opportunities for girls to wrestle in college. I have a girl in Pa. wrestling now on a scholarship.
I have also seen that kids that excel at certain sports excel in the classroom, cross country, swimming, wrestling.
I am glad someone realizes this. I coached high school wrestling several years and I would like to think that I had some influence on their development. Some of my kids had ZERO athletic ability or had ever played a sport and chose wrestling. My first question to them was "you picked this one?" But they showed up day in and day out, put in the work and competed. Not all of them had success on the mat but they had future success in life. I was told by parents that their son had gained confidence and learned that if you work hard you can achieve much success.
Wrestling is a very unique sport and it is gaining some traction in the south. Girls finally got sanctioned last year, we seem to always be one of the last states to get on board, and it has opened us opportunities for girls to wrestle in college. I have a girl in Pa. wrestling now on a scholarship.
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