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OPRaptors
26 Posts |
 Posted - 05/24/2011 : 23:44:45
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Hey guys;
Seeing my son play 6u all-stars this last week or so has me thinking about how nice it might be to play on a team with all strong players, all the time. I'm just toying with the idea, but:
a) anyone have thoughts or experience they can share on 'going travel' this young?
b) where would you go to play travel at this age?
Thanks. |
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SSBuckeye
575 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2011 : 08:35:54
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| 8u can be tough to find games against equal talent. 7u would be very hard. You'd have to play up in 8u tournaments, in my opinion. I would not attempt a 7u travel team, and enjoy one last season of rec/all stars. The 7u all star season is a blast! |
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Shut Out
512 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2011 : 08:58:57
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| OPRapters; the time with our little guy will go faster than you can or want to imagine. Enjoy this time now; you will never get it back. |
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BONECOLLECTOR
5 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2011 : 13:18:56
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opraptors,
i started a group of kids playing travel ball together when they were 6 yrs old. it has worked out very well for us. if you register your team with usssa baseball you will find alot of tournaments in the stockbridge,conyers area. i would give it a shot for a few tournaments and see how you like it. i can promise you, there will be good competition at this level. |
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itsaboutbb
164 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2011 : 16:17:44
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quote:
Originally posted by OPRaptors
Hey guys;
Seeing my son play 6u all-stars this last week or so has me thinking about how nice it might be to play on a team with all strong players, all the time. I'm just toying with the idea, but:
a) anyone have thoughts or experience they can share on 'going travel' this young?
b) where would you go to play travel at this age?
Thanks.
NWBA tourney listings this year
7U Age Group
February Frost Feb 19-20
Season Warm Up Feb 25-27
Nations: Opening Day Feb 25-27
AA Classic Mar 5-6
3rd Annual Etowah Slam Mar 12-13
Open Baseball Blast Off Mar 18-20
March Madness Mar 25-27
Spring Break NIT Apr 1-3
Sonoraville Smash Apr 1-3
Ft Mountain Classic Apr 2-3
Darin McGahey Benefit Apr 1-3
Spring Break Bash Apr 9-10
Tri State Slug Out Baseball Apr 8-10
EPBYSA MGBA The Future Classic Apr 8-10
West Ga Bash Apr 16-17
Carpet Classic Slug Out Apr 22-24
Double Points Bash NIT Apr 29-May 1
GPA Classic Apr 30-May 1
Battle at the Mill Apr 30-May 1
Mothers Day Sat Shoot-Out May 7
Jack Mattox Rumble May 6-7
Clash of the Champions NIT May 13-15
Hitters Classic May 14-15
GSA Player Appreciation Tournament May 14-15
Spring Grand Slam May 20-22
GSA Parent Appreciation Tournament May 21-22
Battle of the Best Gulf Shore/Orange Beach May 27-30
Boundary Waters Second Annual Invitational May 27-30
East Cherokee All-Star Bash B/C May 27-29
Jackhammers Classic May 28-29
12th Annual Tiger Classic May 28-29
GSA Memorial Day Shootout May 28-29
Open Baseball World Series June 3-5
June All-Star Jam June 3-5
GSA Coach Appreciation Tournament June 4-5
Larry Hutson Invitational All Star Tournament June 1-5
6th Annual Summer Slugfest June 1-5
Open Wood Bat World Series June 10-12
GSA King of the Hill June 11-12
GSA All-Star State Championship June 18-19
GSA State Championship June 18-19
GSA Stars N Stripes July 2-3
Rossville Summer Rumble July 8-10
GSA Southern Regional Championship July 9-10
Rossville Back Yard Brawl July 15-17
GSA Team Mom Appreciation July 16-17
All Star B/C Tournament June 17-19
GSA World Series July 23-29
Just remember not all tourneys make |
Edited by - itsaboutbb on 05/25/2011 16:33:31 |
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T13
257 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2011 : 21:01:01
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| You can find tourneys almost every week at 7U....Out of the Park (Scott Carter) hosting a lot this summer in Macon area.. |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2011 : 08:33:16
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| When we got eliminated from Dixie Youth T-Ball States, we combined the best players from 2 T-all star teams, went down to 6U event in Zebulon 6 years ago, and played in our first tourney...and won it! Been hooked on travel ball every since. Its a memory we all cherish and share together. GO FOR IT! |
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seminole tony
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2011 : 10:31:32
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When we started 6-7 years ago, we hopped on a fair(middle of the road) team. Basic fundamentals being taught but not a balanced team. Dads and friends putting kids together. I would suggest going the well organized program that has a full grasp of baseball inside and out. That's meaning hitting, fielding, strength training, and teaching the game of baseball to kids. Daddy ball was fun at that age but it hurt the more developed kids from advancing as quickly as that might have other wise. Not many kids IMHO stay with a team more than a couple of years if their not on one of these better programs. If you see your child advancing faster then the rest, don't be afraid to jump ship do to friendships. If you were true friends before, you should still be able to continue after the split.
Plus, at this age, video every moment. We still pull out taped from 7 years ago and laugh at the kids and how much thinner I used to be back then. It's a great age to start travel ball. |
Edited by - seminole tony on 05/26/2011 11:56:04 |
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SSBuckeye
575 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2011 : 12:22:35
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| My guess is that at least half of the tourneys listed above didn't make at 7u. I know for a fact that TD's often have to dramatically lower entry fees for 8u teams just to make in that age group. 7u is going to be that much harder. Seems most north Atlanta teams play CP rec/all stars through at least 7u. Seems the south Atlanta teams will do both CP & KP at 7u, so that could work. Given how much fun 7u all stars is, I would not even think of going travel at that age. I don't think you really gain anything other than the scheduling headache, and you will miss out on that 7u all star experience. 8u is a great age to jump into travel. Just my $0.02. |
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allaboutbaseball
22 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2011 : 13:41:13
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| To add to SSBuckeye - even if the 7u travel tournaments do occur - you will be seeing the same teams week after week. We had this issue at 8u Travel. The other thing I will add - I always felt that the teams that played coach pitch longer had a much stronger grasp of defensive skills/plays. It seemed like it only took our 8u travel team about 4-6 weeks to catch up 'pitching' wise. Enjoy coach pitch/all stars - and you can go to usssa world series, and you will see both all star and travel teams. I would wait until 8u - JMHO :). |
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Spartan4
913 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2011 : 14:24:39
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| As soon as All-Stars is over(like Andy said it is the most fun time EVER...) a lot of 7U teams play one or two tournaments. Those above tourneys either didn't make or only had 3-4 teams in them for the most part. South Florida has a ridic turnout for the 7-8U age groups with some teams playing 80 games....Those are extremely fun years tho no matter where you play |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2011 : 08:14:37
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OPRaptors:
I left out a few details about our first travel experience at 6U you and your parents need to know about.
Parents from the opposing team sat outside the outfield fence, and yelled to our boys to throw it to the wrong base...several adults, happened repeatedly until a few of us went out their to confront, and we had to remain there to keep them quiet.
In the semi's, our circle player got drilled with a line drive and went down..scary moment. opposing Coach was screaming at his base runner's to RUN! RUN! RUN! We politely asked the coach to return the base runner's to the bases, advancing 1 base on the play (we knew he didn't have to) He yelled out very loudly so everyone in the Park could hear him "I AIN'T SENDING THEM BACK!" ad he didn't. Grand Slam!
We proceeded to wax them, and won the event, but were in shock and disgust over that teams behavior.
You are not in Kansas anymore Dorothy, it can be brutal, and you all need to know that going in.
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Hurricane
351 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2011 : 08:35:56
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quote:
Originally posted by BONECOLLECTOR
opraptors,
i started a group of kids playing travel ball together when they were 6 yrs old. it has worked out very well for us. if you register your team with usssa baseball you will find alot of tournaments in the stockbridge,conyers area. i would give it a shot for a few tournaments and see how you like it. i can promise you, there will be good competition at this level.
BONECOLLECTOR how long ago was that? I am just curious is starting that early, how many of those players are still playing? If it was recently then we have to wait a few years to find out I guess. |
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TOPDOG
92 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2011 : 16:09:32
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quote:
Originally posted by Hurricane
quote:
Originally posted by BONECOLLECTOR
opraptors,
i started a group of kids playing travel ball together when they were 6 yrs old. it has worked out very well for us. if you register your team with usssa baseball you will find alot of tournaments in the stockbridge,conyers area. i would give it a shot for a few tournaments and see how you like it. i can promise you, there will be good competition at this level.
BONECOLLECTOR how long ago was that? I am just curious is starting that early, how many of those players are still playing? If it was recently then we have to wait a few years to find out I guess.
we started in 2008, all kids are still playing and enjoying every minute of it. |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2011 : 18:23:38
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Hurricane:
The boys from 6U T-Ball and 7U Summer travel teams are now playing 11U & 12U. Here's where:
Buford Travel 11U
Sharon Springs Spartans-Blue 12U
North Gwinnett Bulldogs-Black 12U
Georgia Select-Navy 12U
Buford travel 12U
Rec ball
don't know
North Gwinnett Bulldogs travel 11U
North Gwinnett Bulldogs-Black travel 12U
Peachtree Ridge travel 12U
Buford 12U travel
don't know, last played on Mill Creek-Gold 10U travel
North Gwinnett Bulldogs travel 11U
Georgia Select-Red 12U travel
I guess this T-Ball Coach had a pretty good eye for talent and passion for the game of baseball. Our 6U Bulldogs went 5-1 and won their only event. The following Summer, our 7U North Georgia Knights went 23-7, won 3 runner up 2. You'll never forget these times. |
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ATURNER
84 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2011 : 01:29:56
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| BMoser, long time no talk! Now you KNOW you are the exception to what everyone else is saying!! BRUTAL is an understatement in some cases. The parents are probably the biggest issue you'll ever have in travel ball. At this age even though all those tourneys are listed I'd bet very few made and as somoene else pointed out you see the same teams week in and week out unless you travel out of state. Then there's the LOCAL park issue in the North Metro area. A huge percentage will not even consider allowing 7 or even 8 year old travel. Either way OPRaptors, good luck with your All-Star season and ABSOLUTELY enjoy this time. It's gone in a blink. My youngest is now 15.....= ( |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2011 : 09:08:58
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I don't recall us having any problems finding tourneys that made in Summer 7U after Rec season ends. I wouldn't suggest trying to do year round travel at 7U, but there were plenty of teams this time of year back then who were anxious to play. I dont recall playing the same team over and over again, just 1 team we saw in the ship 2 times.
In 6U, we had to drive up to Dalton, Chattsworth, Ringgold area to find events that we new would make. Zebulon had a tourney for T-Ballers that had quite a few teams in it.
Its been 5 or 6 years, so I cannot speak to what's out there today, but no problem back then....finding tourneys and new teams to play...now the parents acting like kids at those tourneys was another story. If I had to do all over again, sign me up! |
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itsaboutbb
164 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2011 : 15:07:06
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| I do have to say this past weekend we were in between games at Wills Park on Saturday afternoon and we stopped by to watch the 7 year old coach pitch A VS B Allstar teams play each other. We really enjoyed watching these 2 teams play one another. 3 times they almost turned a 643 double play but the runner beat it out. My 13 year old was very into the game as well. Brings back memories when he was in coach pitch. Not a lot of down time and a lot of action. |
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7u Travel Ball?
