Okay boys. It's time to whip it out and see who really has the biggest one. I'm talking about travel ball trophies (of course) but it seems like the way some teams behave we might as well be talking about some ding-a-ling's ding dong. (Hey, I am trying to keep it clean!)

At the USSSA State Championships in Kissimmee two weeks ago the Palm Beach Tigers were kicked out of the tournament because the forged at least 4 birth certificates. They were caught when the tournament director asked one of the players how old he was. The player told him he was 15 years old. Too bad he was playing in the 12 year old bracket. I am not sure what this says about the kid, but I know what it says about the adults who took the time to recruit the kid and forge their birth certificates. LOSER!

I wish I could report this was a one-off situation but this past weekend in the Nations Orlando tournament, another 12-year old team forged 4 birth certificates. A bad job of white out and poor font selection did them in. When they were caught, rather than walk away in shame the continued to insist on playing saying they would get the tournament director the original birth certificates. One good lie deserves anotther.

While those cases are pretty extreme, you see the overzealous coach demean their own player with motivational comments like, "GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!" or "THAT'S JUST LAZY!" or they demean the opposing nine-year old on the mound with comments like "We have seen this before, he can't throw strikes" and "It's happening again, just like yesterday."

If the mental toll doesn't get to the player, then the big trophy hunting manager can always turn to physical abuse. Let's throw the pitcher with a sore shoulder in a bullpen session on Friday night before the tournament (as opposed to the Tuesday before the tournament) then throw him 35 pitches on Saturday and then come back with him on Sunday for 88 pitches to get to the championship game. Who gives a damn if the team has an 8 run lead, let's throw him out there for the last inning rather than use any of the other pitchers on the team.

It does seem as though some (many?) managers are more concerned about the size of the trophy they take home than any damage they leave in their wake. (Makes you wonder what they are compensating for, doesn't it?) What would make a seemingly rationale person on behave this way when it comes to youth baseball? Is it really worth cheating or risking injury to win a youth baseball tournament?

Parents, this is YOUR wake up call. You are the only advocate for and defender of your child's best interests. Get informed and speak up so your child does not get burned.

 
 
I ran across an interesting article on the Sunshine Sports website (www.sunshinesports.net)  website today about what to look for when choosing a travel team. It is well worth the read if you are considering starting a travel team or signing your child up for one. Let me know what you think.

In the league office, we get at least half a dozen phone calls a week from parents who ask questions similar to this one. Whenever your child wants to play travel baseball the first person you need to look at is yourself and your child. Ask yourselves, “What are WE trying to get out of this?” I say “we” because this is not just a parental decision and this is not just your player’s decision. You need to figure out what you and your player are trying to get out of travel baseball. If you are unclear of your child’s goals and objectives, ask him, and listen to what his thoughts are. Your child is never too young to have an opinion. If you force your child to do something he doesn’t want to do, it rarely has a good outcome. In my experience of being around travel baseball, there are three different types of players; recreational, developmental and competitive. In this week’s Question of the Week, I am going to break down each type of player and what that player should look for in a team. Please note that each type of player is classified by the MINDSET of the individual and their family, not their ability level.

Recreational A recreational player is someone who just likes playing baseball for the love of the game. The 15 games they get in their local Little League or Babe Ruth every spring is not enough to satisfy their desire to play baseball. This type of player (and their families included) plays travel baseball for one reason, to have fun! If your child is what we would consider a recreational player and all he cares about is having as much fun as he possibly can at every practice and every game, you should help your child find a team that has that same goal in mind. When choosing a team you should look for a team with the following attributes: • Coach- This could be the most important thing if your child wants to have a good experience playing travel baseball. You need to find a team that has a coach with a recreational mindset, just like your player. If your child only cares about having fun and he ends up on a team with a coach whose focus is skill development, this will eventually lead to frustration by the coach and the player. I have seen this a hundred times, and it rarely ends well. • Practice/Training- You should look for a team that doesn’t have a grueling practice/training schedule. Recreational teams will usually hold only one or two short practices a week. These practices should have an upbeat and positive atmosphere, mainly revolved around having fun. • Roster- You will want to find your son a team with a small roster. Look for rosters that only hold around 10 players so that every body will always have the opportunity to play as much as possible. These teams will usually use every player in their lineup using the EH rule.

Developmental A player with a developmental mindset is someone whose primary focus is developing their skills. This type of player has clear goals of playing baseball when he reaches high school (and possibly beyond). This type of player participates in travel baseball so they can develop their skills to help them reach their goals. When choosing a team you should look for a team with the following attributes: • Coach- If your child wants to develop his skills, he needs to play for a coach that can cultivate those skills. You need to find a coach that knows how to TEACH baseball. It takes a certain type of personality to teach baseball to kids. Don’t assume that a certain coach knows how to teach baseball to kids just because he played college or professional baseball. Find a coach that can pick out specific mechanical details that will help your child improve. Also, find a coach that will develop your player’s mental game. Remember, baseball is just as much mental as it is physical. • Practice/Training- If your child is a developmental player, practice needs to be a time to get better. Practices should be a little more grueling. When your child finishes practice, he should be worn out! These practices should not involve one player working while the rest of the team shags balls or waits their turn. Find a team that will make your child better through practice, not just games. • Roster- Much like the recreational teams, you will want to find your son a team with a small roster. Look for rosters that only hold around 10 or 11 players so that every body will get significant playing time. In order for your kid to develop game experience, he will need to get playing time. However, this does not mean that you child will never sit the bench.

Competitive A competitive player is someone whose primary focus is competition. This type of player believes that the best way to get better is through competition. Whether it’s trying to win games or tournaments, or trying beat out other players for spots in the starting lineup, this player uses competition as a motivator to get better. When choosing a team you should look for a team with the following attributes: • Coach- You need to find a coach who is very competitive. When he enters a tournament or plays double headers, he plays to win, regardless of the competition. This coach does not worry about the team he is playing and whether they are a Silver, Gold or Platinum team. However, he must know when to draw the line between winning and his player’s wellbeing. Some things are much more important than winning and he needs to know this. Like the developmental coach, he needs to have knowledge of the game and the ability to teach your child. Often this type of coach is louder and is more likely to motivate his players. • Practice/Training- If your son is a competitive player, he needs to find a team with practices that push him physically and mentally. Much like a developmental player, practice needs to be a time where improvement is priority number one. The mindset of a competitive team is that we work hard in practice so we can have fun in the games by winning. • Roster- Competitive teams often have larger rosters, especially for more prestigious events (Slug-A-Rama, Fall Classic, Winter Nationals etc.). It is not uncommon for these types of teams to hold 15 or more players on their roster. A deep roster gives coaches the freedom to substitute slumping or tired players for fresh players off the bench. Some players may be designated as pitchers only. Other players are role players for specific situations that occur during a baseball game. If you are someone that expects your child to be on the field at ALL times, a competitive team may not be for you. If your child is a true competitive player, this type of atmosphere will be the most fulfilling for him because he will be pushed to get in the starting lineup and he will also be pushed to perform when he is on the field. There is no right or wrong answer for the type of team your son should join. It all depends on you and your son’s personalities, as well as you and your son’s objectives for playing travel baseball. Like I mentioned earlier, you must first ask yourselves, “What are we trying to get out of this?” If you do this and find the right fit for you and your son, I promise that travel baseball will be one of the best experiences of your lives.