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morrsco
55 Posts |
 Posted - 07/05/2017 : 09:57:13
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| How much weight should a Cooperstown trip carry when choosing a 12U team? My son has an offer to play for a solid AAA team, but they don't have a Cooperstown certificate. The only team in our immediate area with a grandfather certificate and open spots for new players is a low AA team. We have multiple kids playing multiple sports so we need a team that practices in a very small radius from our house. Is that "once in a lifetime experience" worth playing down at low AA for a legit AAA player? |
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jakesdad
118 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2017 : 13:20:20
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| Yes and no. I would play for the team that is best for family. Just because a team doesn't have a certificate doesn't mean they aren't able to get into Cooperstown. You can always pick up with another team to go as well. I would say it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Play for the better team and hope they get in or pick up w another team. |
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Crazyforbball
391 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2017 : 14:28:08
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| He should go to Cooperstown. It truly is an experience like no other tournament he will ever play in. But you don't need to play down to go! There are ALWAYS certificates available. Your coach can start looking now, on this board in fact, unless for some reason he doesn't want to go. There are also always teams looking for pick ups, but it really is a "once in a lifetime experience" and a class act from beginning to end. |
Edited by - Crazyforbball on 07/05/2017 14:41:51 |
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2017 : 14:30:50
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I agree with jakesdad....but....there is something to be said for going with a team of your friends. My son went with a team that didn't have a guaranteed spot. The coach put up his own money on the first day they accepted applications and we got a spot. Then all the families paid their 1k. It IS a lot of money but being surrounded by 103 teams of 12u kids all obsessed with baseball was an experience my son will never forget, still talks about 4 years later, and to be blunt it is once in a lifetime.
We had a three hour lightning delay yesterday in Ft. Myers and tons of teams did random pick up games all over the fields and parking lots, just goofing around and many of the parents and kids likened it to Cooperstown. There is just no place like it, and no experience like it. If your kid has a chance to go with friends I say take it! |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2017 : 14:59:04
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| If at all possible, you need to do Cooperstown. I've said it before and I'll say it again. My son played through college. Played all the tournaments, WWBA, BCS, Ripken, Myrtle Beach, Panama City, pretty much everything that was available. In college, his team made it to the regionals twice, once coming within one out of going to the World Series. To this day, he still says Cooperstown was his all time favorite baseball experience. In fact, we were just talking about it again last night. And it has been like 11 years since we were there. There really is nothing like it. You won't know you missed out on something special if you don't go, but most others will tell you that you did. And I agree with CaCO3Girl, I think it would be better going with a group of teammates if at all possible. I'm sure he would wind up close to his team by the end of the tournament, but there's nothing like living with your friends and teammates 24/7 with nothing but baseball. |
Edited by - bballman on 07/05/2017 15:55:31 |
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BamaDad
188 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2017 : 16:54:51
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| Just got back from Cooperstown. No matter how much someone tries to describe the experience to you, it's impossible. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience. My personal experience was also heightened by watching a team from GA win the 'Ship! The comradery among the boys is a sight to behold. They build friendships over wiffle ball. I saw teams playing tic-tac-toe during a rain delay by writing on a baseball and throwing it between dugouts. Oh, and one of the teams was down by 15 runs at the time. Let him play with his friends and make him available for pickup by a team that needs players. |
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brball
615 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2017 : 17:22:45
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| Simply put, yes it's a once in a lifetime experience. Son is 16 and we still talk about that trip. Bunch of friends with kids playing college ball still talk about that trip. This is the only tourney that I find my son and I talking about still to this day... We were just talking about it over the weekend. I'm not going to talk anymore as you should get the picture, GO IF AT ALL POSSIBLE!!! Have fun and obviously go check out the HOF |
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whits23
596 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2017 : 19:03:43
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| i know you are not allowed to say anything that the in crowd does not like BUT i felt it overated and went 2x...at 12u you think its mecca by 18 you have played in a dozen places nicer..if you like parades that last for hours and pins fine..if you want to spend a fortune to play 6 games go for it. I prefer to play on nice colleges or jet blue or places like that instead of going halfway up the coast to sleep in a cabin. Join the boy scouts if thats what you want. My kids would rather be on the field than in a parade line |
Edited by - whits23 on 07/05/2017 20:52:28 |
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BamaDad
188 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2017 : 21:39:05
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I guess that depends on how well your team does up there. I'm sure the players, coaches, and parents of teams that do extremely well up there beg to differ. Ask one of the ECB Tigers coaches if they had a problem with the barracks or lack of games played. Some kids will get to play in some of these other nice parks you reference multiple times over multiple years. You only get to go to Cooperstown once. That's the difference and what makes it special.
quote:
Originally posted by whits23
i know you are not allowed to say anything that the in crowd does not like BUT i felt it overated and went 2x...at 12u you think its mecca by 18 you have played in a dozen places nicer..if you like parades that last for hours and pins fine..if you want to spend a fortune to play 6 games go for it. I prefer to play on nice colleges or jet blue or places like that instead of going halfway up the coast to sleep in a cabin. Join the boy scouts if thats what you want. My kids would rather be on the field than in a parade line
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brball
615 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2017 : 22:20:50
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quote:
Originally posted by whits23
i know you are not allowed to say anything that the in crowd does not like BUT i felt it overated and went 2x...at 12u you think its mecca by 18 you have played in a dozen places nicer..if you like parades that last for hours and pins fine..if you want to spend a fortune to play 6 games go for it. I prefer to play on nice colleges or jet blue or places like that instead of going halfway up the coast to sleep in a cabin. Join the boy scouts if thats what you want. My kids would rather be on the field than in a parade line
Maybe you shouldn't have went twice! We only went once and still to this day there was just something special about that trip. I do agree that playing on nice college fields are pretty cool, but that's because he's 16 now, not 12. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2017 : 09:44:58
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Must be all about attitude... We went twice. Went when my son was 11 playing 12u. Then the age date changed from August to May and we went again. We enjoyed both times. 2nd time was probably better because the team was better. I was a coach both years and I had a lot more fun with the group of coaches that went the 2nd year as well. But we talk about both years with the same fondness. In terms of living conditions, were they the best? Heck no!!! The dorms were smelly, hot and messy. The showers were community showers that you had to walk to. The parades were long. The meals were sub-par. It was a lot of work keeping up with the team and the laundry and making sure everyone had their uniforms and were ready to go on time. But, as a coach, hanging out with the team all those hours. Seeing my son interact with his teammates. Seeing the kids come up with creative ways to pass the time. The jokes that were told. Working with the kids thru good games and bad. For me, it all added up to a phenomenal experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.
But that's me as one of the coaches. All I can say for my son is that he played on all the nice fields all the way through college. Played on a DII team that was ranked in the top 20 in the country more often than it wasn't over the years. A full year out of college baseball, he still says Cooperstown was his favorite.... I just don't think you can beat it. |
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bfriendly
376 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2017 : 10:46:54
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Its surely a question anyone with a 12u kid playing ball will have.............we did not go. As with just about ANY topic you will ever have with your kids, it is more about the parents making a big deal about it than the kids. If the parents make it the Big Deal, then it will be with the kids and it will. My son was happy to go to Omaha, we LOVED it...........I have no regrets! But then again, that is a mental choice I personally made. |
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whits23
596 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2017 : 19:29:34
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we did well both times...i didnt hate it i am saying i enjoyed fort myers and a lot of colleges better. I think each college had a different charm to it. Told you no one can say anything contrary to the sheep. We had this same thread and comments every year i think and at least we are all consistent.
I think one year we were top 12 and another top maybe 22 neither a bad showing but geez i hate parades. Go downtown and see the thanksgiving day one if you like those. I like baseball LOL
Oh and the kids called me coach drill Sargent cause i made them put in work while there . One thing we did that i would recommend to any team going is we rented a cabin and played a local event so kids could get used to not having parents for a weekend. you have to learn to play tired as by mid week the teams who took care of themselves seem to have little more pep in step |
Edited by - whits23 on 07/06/2017 19:38:00 |
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bbsis
42 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2017 : 00:22:42
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| in addition to the baseball memories, upstate New York is gorgeous. it is not a place you would probably ever travel to except for Cooperstown. we went twice -- one time flew into Newark and stopped at West Point and the Culinary Institute of America for lunch on the front end of the trip and spent a few days in NYC before going home; the other time we flew in and out of Albany and went to Niagra Falls after Cooperstown. if you are traveling all that way, it is worth doing a bit of sightseeing. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2017 : 12:34:23
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Agree with this 100%. How often are you going to be able to take the time to go to the Hall of Fame? It was awesome to go and see that and the kids really appreciated it. We also tacked on a trip to NYC for a couple days after the tournament. Went to the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Times Square, rode the subway. When we went, it was still ground zero for 9/11. They had cleared the holes, and there were some pictures of the proposed site, but no construction had started yet. Now, it would be cool to see the new Freedom Tower and Memorial.
Whits, to each their own. I understand you weren't all that impressed. And that's ok to have your opinion. I'm just stating mine and that of my son. And he has his own opinion, not influenced by me. He's about to be 24 in a few days, so I think he can speak his mind, and Cooperstown is still his favorite. Maybe Cooperstown isn't for everyone, but I have heard much more positive than negative or neutral.
quote:
Originally posted by bbsis
in addition to the baseball memories, upstate New York is gorgeous. it is not a place you would probably ever travel to except for Cooperstown. we went twice -- one time flew into Newark and stopped at West Point and the Culinary Institute of America for lunch on the front end of the trip and spent a few days in NYC before going home; the other time we flew in and out of Albany and went to Niagra Falls after Cooperstown. if you are traveling all that way, it is worth doing a bit of sightseeing.
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Bravemom
204 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2017 : 19:29:45
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I definitely think it was worth it, especially when you can only go at 12. Son hit a couple of home runs and 1 to win the game. With that said, this was not his favorite tourney. He couldn't sleep well on the cots, and was very hot even with a fan. He found the beach tourneys a lot more fun. He loved hanging at the beach and fishing.
I am still glad we did it, it is not a tourney you want to regret not doing. |
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Browncat1
19 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2017 : 14:40:23
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| My 9 year old is in the garage hitting balls off the tee right now. He says that he needs to make a good travel team that goes to Cooperstown. He remembers watching his older brother play there and he wants to make sure he goes. My 15 year old still talks about the experience often and my wife is already taking about the sights we will see in 4 years! This is something you will regret not doing. It is an experience that the kids will never forget. |
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BamaDad
188 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2017 : 16:29:10
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If he is hitting off the tee at 9 for Cooperstown, it sounds like he wants to hit them to the parking lot at Cooperstown.
quote:
Originally posted by Browncat1
My 9 year old is in the garage hitting balls off the tee right now. He says that he needs to make a good travel team that goes to Cooperstown. He remembers watching his older brother play there and he wants to make sure he goes. My 15 year old still talks about the experience often and my wife is already taking about the sights we will see in 4 years! This is something you will regret not doing. It is an experience that the kids will never forget.
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RoamingCF
77 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2017 : 17:18:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Browncat1
My 9 year old is in the garage hitting balls off the tee right now. He says that he needs to make a good travel team that goes to Cooperstown. He remembers watching his older brother play there and he wants to make sure he goes. My 15 year old still talks about the experience often and my wife is already taking about the sights we will see in 4 years! This is something you will regret not doing. It is an experience that the kids will never forget.
Nearly all teams that go to Cooperstown have fun. I've seen teams go 0-6 or 1-5 in pool games, have a blast the entire time playing whiffle ball, trading pins, maybe win 2 or 3 bracket games...and their experience is no less special than top teams who play late on Thursday.
My kid wouldn't trade his Cooperstown experience for any top event he's played in since. |
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BamaDad
188 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2017 : 18:54:51
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Other than the Championship Game, one more thing stands out about Cooperstown. I saw two teams playing tic-tac-toe during a weather delay. The teams would mark their play on a ball and throw it to the other dugout. What made this special is that the score was 15-2 at the time and the team with 2 runs was just as enthusiastic about the tic-tac-toe game as the team with 15 runs. It was all about just being there and enjoying the memories. You won't see that in a local tournament no matter how nice the field is. As it was said below, that's the true spirit of Cooperstown. quote:
Originally posted by RoamingCF
Nearly all teams that go to Cooperstown have fun. I've seen teams go 0-6 or 1-5 in pool games, have a blast the entire time playing whiffle ball, trading pins, maybe win 2 or 3 bracket games...and their experience is no less special than top teams who play late on Thursday.
My kid wouldn't trade his Cooperstown experience for any top event he's played in since.
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2017 : 09:12:40
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quote:
Originally posted by whits23
i know you are not allowed to say anything that the in crowd does not like BUT i felt it overated and went 2x...at 12u you think its mecca by 18 you have played in a dozen places nicer..if you like parades that last for hours and pins fine..if you want to spend a fortune to play 6 games go for it. I prefer to play on nice colleges or jet blue or places like that instead of going halfway up the coast to sleep in a cabin. Join the boy scouts if thats what you want. My kids would rather be on the field than in a parade line
I wasn't impressed with jet blue, I was impressed with Cooperstown. Jet Blue didn't cost half as much, Cooperstown was worth twice as much. |
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BamaDad
188 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2017 : 09:36:07
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Also, kids can play at Jet Blue every year from 11-18 via Perfect Game. You probably will get to play in Cooperstown once in your lifetime. quote:
Originally posted by CaCO3Girl
quote:
Originally posted by whits23
i know you are not allowed to say anything that the in crowd does not like BUT i felt it overated and went 2x...at 12u you think its mecca by 18 you have played in a dozen places nicer..if you like parades that last for hours and pins fine..if you want to spend a fortune to play 6 games go for it. I prefer to play on nice colleges or jet blue or places like that instead of going halfway up the coast to sleep in a cabin. Join the boy scouts if thats what you want. My kids would rather be on the field than in a parade line
I wasn't impressed with jet blue, I was impressed with Cooperstown. Jet Blue didn't cost half as much, Cooperstown was worth twice as much.
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bsblfan
14 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2017 : 01:26:51
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| Cooperstown is a great experience and my son thoroughly enjoyed it. If you can afford it, do it. If you can't afford it lit, find the money. After 12U baseball gets a little confusing, then it gets very serious. Cooperstown for a 12 year old boy is just a fantastic experience. |
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WillDrill
54 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2017 : 15:00:17
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| We just got back and it is once in a lifetime. I say go for the good team, and find a certificate yourself for your better team, which is what I did. They can be found and cost about 2k to lease max, so its 150 more a player. The trip for the parents is more, but it was not that much. Our rental was 800 for the week (per family) and we spent about what we would at home. |
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How important is Cooperstown?
