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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| BBall123 |
Posted - 11/18/2013 : 17:59:55
http://www.checkswing.com/profiles/blogs/the-dilution-of-elite-youth-baseball
Bruce Lambin brought travel/select baseball to Texas. In 1984, his team of twelve-year olds won the first Continental Amateur Baseball Association World Series, first national tournament for independent teams.
“Since then, travel baseball became a big money maker,” explained Lambin. “The number of teams exploded and they diluted the quality of the players on the teams. I started the Lone Star Baseball Club, the first high school-aged travel team in Houston over two decades ago. Back then, all my players went on to play college or pro or both. But a few years ago, because there were so many teams (for these players to choose from) I felt that the talent on any team was diluted. There were maybe three potential D3 players on our team. I walked away.”
Lambin stressed that learning the game and practicing and playing the game will determine a player’s ultimate level of success, rather than the team whose uniform he wears.
“There are no shortage of organizations/teams who will take your money with the delusion that the fact that because you are a Bandito or a Tornado that you are good and will get to play at the next level,” said Lambin. “They just want your money.”
Your thoughts ? |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| ryaajus |
Posted - 11/21/2013 : 20:15:51
The easiest way to get your kid a scholarship is to go to the individual college tryout/prospect days or to play in the college showcase tourneys. I've been told this by quite a few kids that have received scholarships and/or have been drafted in the past 3 or 4 years. |
| 15UBaseball |
Posted - 11/21/2013 : 10:29:10
643, Nelson Baseball, East Cobb, Team Elite, Have all proven track records in getting players exposure to colleges. Some other organizations are starting to step up as well. If a player is pretty good not even great they can find a place to play college baseball even without the big organizations. It takes a little more planning and attending the college camps you are interested in and dad and son or mom doing a little more leg work. I applaud the coaches of these organizations that go out of their way to find spots for these kids that committed to them. Playing for your high school team used to be the best way to get looked at but things have changed. Some high school coaches don't feel like it's there job and it really isn't but the "better" coaches will work for you. The good news is if a player loves playing, works hard and wants to be on a team after high school, they can, especially if they have played on the travel circuit in Georgia. |
| Critical Mass |
Posted - 11/21/2013 : 07:07:48
I know for a fact playing for 643 will get you more exposure to college and pro scouts than other programs. The top E.C. teams will do the same. There are a few E.C. teams that cannot do that for you and tell you that. There are so many avenues for your son to play college baseball, you just have to investigate them and manage the process. I agree with Granite, but at the end of the day neither of the two programs above are for everyone...and i also agree that many parents will pay to have their son be a PO on the bench of those teams for the prestige and the jersey when he could be getting better elsewhere by actually playing and hitting. |
| Graniteball |
Posted - 11/20/2013 : 21:23:09
Average starting salary for a University of Georgia MBA Grad. $80K Average starting salary for Harvard Grad. $120K.
Now Harvard costs $130K and UGA $30K. If you child gets into both, you need to decide what you can afford and what is correct. However, the facts state that if you choose Harvard, you child starts off in a better spot.
I think baseball training can be the same. Does playing on 6-4-3 mean college, no. But on average, the odds are better.
Also, this is not a place where you need to beat the system. If you can take advantage of the programs in GA and you can afford to do so, why not?
And going to the first article, if there are 20 programs like East Cobb/6-4-3, then the access will increase and costs will stay contained. In general, I think more is better in this case.
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| nastycurve |
Posted - 11/19/2013 : 13:47:34
I think the point that maybe he is trying to make is that it was once the players that made the team, not the team that makes the players. There are people here in GA that feel playing for the Astros,6-4-3, or TE type teams are the only way to make it to the next level, and that the fact that their son plays for any of these programs GUARANTEES that he will play at the next level. It is true that these programs do hold some of the best talent in the state, yet there are many delusional parents who will pay exorbitant fees to be part of these programs when their sons talent doesn't warrant the expense.
I don't think more kids into any sport is a bad thing as the best players will always be the best players and rise to the top. I do think that are a lot more parents than one would think who believe the way to get to the promised land is through status, money and placement on high end teams more so than hard work, practice talent and performance. |
| Canton Chargers |
Posted - 11/19/2013 : 10:09:43
I've been doing this for awhile now as a tournament director, coach, travel ball director, dad, etc...
I think that back in the day, blah, blah, blah, we all have stories to tell about how things were when we were playing baseball or any other sport. How the coach was the all mighty one and parents respected that and whatever he did or said was law.
Today sports cost a heck of a lot more money (especially competitive leagues)and the world has changed tremendously. I always catch myself saying "when I was your age or when I was a kid" blah, blah, blah.
The reality is that playing sports back then was less expensive, but we had team bats that usually were too big or too small rather than parents buying the kids today new ones every year, we didn't have these fancy training facilities everywhere and we certainly didn't travel everywhere to play ball until we were in high school and took the bus to opponents fields.
There are a ton more kids in sports these days, as parents want to keep an eye on their kids more and don't just let them ride their bikes to friends houses a few miles away at age 8 or more like when we were kids.
With that being said, parents are paying a ton more for the best equipment every season, the best individual training they can find, teams with history of progressing their kids (which is trending more towards paid coaches), etc...
I think that every kid who wants to play ball (whether rec or travel)should have that opportunity and parents should and do have, the opportunity to do their due dilligence on where they play and dads or whoever, should have the right to take a team for whatever reason they may have (even daddy or friend ball).
If these kids didn't have the opportunity to play, then who knows what they would do when getting older? They may grow a lot one season, they may wake up one day and say to themselves that it's time to get serious and progress a ton in 1-3 years, they may do a lot of things, but wouldn't have that opportunity if they were denied the ability because there wasn't enough options when they were young at whatever age.
It is about the kids and there are tons of options for both the kids and their parents to capitalize on.
Travel ball has gotten really expensive, but when you break down all the costs, it's easy to see what you are getting and whether it is worth it for any individual parent and kid. I feel it is, and try to keep costs as low as possible for parents through tons of fundraising and a ton of my time and money. Anyone that is in it just for the money is really missing out, as watching kids progress and smile is worth more than any money amount could bring me.
Bottom line: more kids playing ball is good for the sport, good for parents (evident of this website) and especially good for the kids. Anyone that doesn't agree with this is in it for the wrong reasons.
The elite players will rise to the top eventually and go off to D1 colleges, etc.. The rest will still have the opportunity to play ball, coach ball and watch ball and have "fun" watching their kids and kids they may coach!!!!! It's all good and all worth it in my opinion. Every parent (regardless of level their kids play)enjoy watching their kids compete and succeed in their own ways ;)
Bring it!!! |
| OlRoy |
Posted - 11/18/2013 : 21:10:03
Not only sour grapes but also a specious argument...the guy seems to say that "elite" players are selfish, in part, because more kids are playing "their" sport and they can more easily move around the "inferiors" to show their talents.
I may argue that the expansion of the summer leagues has actually helped keep some of the well rounded athletic kids involved in baseball and made it more accessible for them. Those multi-sport kids may ultimately turn out to be better ballplayers than the "elite" baseball players who began to specialize in baseball-only in the early days of travel ball to the exclusion of other sports.
How more kids playing and more coaches coaching is bad for a youth sport or a problem to be addressed is beyond me.
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| SSBuckeye |
Posted - 11/18/2013 : 20:16:58
Good grief. Isn't this the same guy who sold me a bunch of dated baseball videos a few years go? Why yes, it is. Seems he just wanted my money. Sounds like sour grapes to me. |
| T13 |
Posted - 11/18/2013 : 18:30:03
Stupid article. Guy is mad everyone got into his monopoly.... Capitalism at work..... Besides who cares as long as these kids are having fun playing baseball with their friends. Someone should start a travel study team league - it would be a better investment! |
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