I’ve helped with a few different travel organizations, but the majority of my coaching experience has been working with individual players or high school/college teams. From the outside looking in, I saw travel ball as an opportunity for good players to play with other good players from different communities at venues across the country. As a high school coach, I encouraged kids to play as much baseball as they could over the summer, regardless of whether I was coaching them or not. “Rec ball” teams, travel organizations, camps, showcases were all good options in my opinion, and for the most part, the experiences that people would share with me were positive.
I’ve also heard about some experiences from players, parents, and other high school coaches were not so positive. Some of the negative comments I heard about travel baseball from players and parents included players not developing, teams being over- or under-matched in tournaments, too much travel, not enough travel. Cost was a factor of course, along with the wide range of coaching experience throughout each organization to which they sent their children.
Some school ball coaches claimed that their players were disconnected from their high school or local teammates because of travel ball. And some travel coaches were frustrated that their players were not participating in practices, workouts and even tournaments in some cases. There also seem to be a variety of opinions from high school coaches based on where players would play, teammates they played with, and who was coaching them. Obviously, every organization is going to be different, the abilities of players in each organization are going to vary, and there is also going to be a range in the quality of coaches from one organization to the next.
I’m from the Midwest, and one of the many positives I saw for kids playing for a travel ball organization was the opportunity for athletes to train during the long winter season where most high school teams don’t have the opportunity to be outside. Some of the organizations in my area have outstanding facilities, some have none, and most are in the middle, with ample space for what they need. Either way, the quality of instruction you’re getting should always outweigh how big or shiny the facility is.
During a recent offseason, I began helping out at a travel academy close to where I live, for an owner who was a former major leaguer. I assisted with player evaluations, tryouts, fall training and more. The structure of instruction varied based on the age and skill level of the team, but the overall theme and key points covered for each group was consistent. My first impressions of the setup for this particular academy were great—there was a very well-defined path that the players were on from a development standpoint.
After the fall, I began coaching at weekly clinics that included some of the organization’s coaches and up to 20 players. Each clinic focused on a specific aspect of the game—throwing, individual defense, two-strike hitting, and so forth. In January we began team practices that were modified due to weather and the number of players who attended. I was eventually assigned a team that I coached for nine tournaments in the summer. We would typically have at least one organized team practice during the week along with a modified schedule for the weekly clinics throughout the summer. Players weren’t required to attend the clinics but were encouraged to do so.
I’ve since continued to coach for that same organization and can say that there is truth in almost everything I thought or heard about travel baseball—for the good and the bad. I’ve seen teams be absolutely overmatched and have to play through it. I’ve seen really good players get knocked down a peg or two; some got up off the proverbial mat and worked their tail off to rise back to the top, while others didn’t respond as well. Players develop at different rates and different times. Some players didn’t progress as much as others for a variety of reasons, others blossomed, some simply participated.
Travel can be a lot and make for some hectic weeks over the summer and fall, but that’s what we signed up for; after all, sometimes it rains! Cost will always be a factor in any activity in which a kid participates, but I have seen a wide range of fees associated from one organization to another. Each player/family needs to make that evaluation for themselves.
I saw a variety of coaching styles and personalities from teams we played as well as other coaches in my organization. Some seemed like perfect fits and others seemed to have a tough time relating to and teaching their players. Some coaches were in college coaching a team during the summer, some were retired or close to it, and most were somewhere in between. Like anything, some were better than others, but my overall impression was that the majority of coaches I interacted with were in this for the right reasons and wanted the best for their players.
The fact is, all of the pros and cons about travel baseball relate to most aspects of life that all players will have to address and deal with at some point. The most enjoyable part of this experience was seeing kids develop not only as players but as people, learning skills that translate to success off the field. I see travel baseball as much more than player development—it’s instilling work ethic, commitment, and teaching kids how to adapt and adjust to situations that might not always be comfortable.
At the end of the day, every travel organization is different and travel baseball isn’t for everyone (coaches or players). As a parent, player, or as a coach, it’s important to have your goals aligned with the particular organization you are with. There will be bad fits but that isn’t a representation of everyone. Some organizations might be perfect for one player and a terrible fit for another. Travel ball can be a great experience that can help develop a player on the field and off, but it won’t be perfect—if that’s what you are expecting, you're going to be disappointed, and you have an opportunity to develop one of those aforementioned life skills! Try to have clear expectations that are realistic and attainable then find an organization that aligns with what you are looking for.
Andy Cowley is a Director at Silver Sluggers Academy in Middleton, WI. He has served as the head coach at River Valley (WI) High School and Wisconsin Heights High School. He has also worked as an assistant at several other high schools in Wisconsin, and as an assistant at the collegiate level (Madison College) as well.