by 59Invicta » Sun Aug 03, 2014 12:24 pm
Assuming you ask ALL of the questions on Hurricane's list, and assuming you get answers to all of them, it still doesn't answer the question of whether your DD and the particular team are a good fit - which is arguably more important to success than the answers to any of these questions. I agree that you have to do your homework and go see the teams ahead of the tryouts.
Regulating the whole thing......really?? The "marketplace" is working - it doesn't need regulation. Travel ball is like ice cream - there is a team, or a flavor, for everyone. And, yes, it has become big business, but is that bad? If it hadn't, there would not be so many teams, and many, many fewer girls would be playing. And if there weren't the Dad coaches, there also wouldn't be so many teams, and many, many fewer girls would be playing.
Some girls become great at 8 or 10 or 12, and would be playing no matter what. But what if your DD is one who doesn't become good or great until later - maybe 14 or 16? If there weren't the "other" teams within the big umbrella organizations, and if some Dad wasn't willing to take on these teams, even though his last name isn't *ico or *tith, then many girls would have never made travel ball teams and would have been sent back to rec ball or quit the game altogether. Softball is growing in college, and there is more $$ than ever for scholarships. Logically, it has to grow at the early ages to fuel the growth in college. So big business or not - the system is working and lots more girls are getting to live the dream and play in college.
As a parent, make your own list of questions you may be comfortable asking. But more importantly, do your homework, make sure your DD is the ONLY reason for any decisions you make, and the rest will work out.