Which Travel Ball age group did you enjoy most/least?

[TheCloser]

10U was the best time for me. Lots of sh!t talking on heybucket and since there wasn't that many teams it seemed like we played the same quality teams a lot and most of those games felt like game 7 of the World Series. Good times!

I also remember the random threads with "independent observers" aka player's parents coming on HB saying they saw the second coming of Jennie Finch pitch that weekend and how good the kid was! CLASSIC!!!

[Lunatic Fringe]

We enjoyed the competition of 2nd yr 12U, but the parents and coaches were nuts, way over the top. Not just on the team we were on, but overall. The kids played to win, which is what made rec all stars so much fun too. Seems like most of the girls were playing at the right age group (not playing up). Second year 14U and 16U were too watered down, especially the pitching with kids playing up.

Exposure tournaments are the worst. No one can remember the final score 2 minutes after the last pitch. The best thing about 18U are that the parents are pretty chilled out by then. The hard core whack jobs have either had nervous breakdowns or they are out of competative softball by then.

Bonus

7 teams total in travel ball from 12U to 18U Gold. I did not coach or attempt to coach.

[softball65]

we aren't done yet but I enjoy each year better than the last. In 16u right now. I enjoy it because the talent pool is narrowing and the play is overall better. These kids care about their game. Have played with good teams and not so good teams.....I didn't really care all that much about that. But have also played for bad coaches and really bad coaches. The ones that you knew were trying, I had lots of grace for. The one's that wanted me to believe they were God's gift to softball (and very clearly were not even OK) I had much less patience with. Those were the teams I personally disliked the most. Our most recent coach was outwardly arrogant and self promoting and in my view didn't recognize good from bad but, when challenged, was insecure and really struggled to lead.

Been with too many teams, mostly due to believing what we were told and it turning out to be a crock of crap. Now I just assume they are all lying.... "We are playing all Showcase events" Played ONE USFA College showcase...LOL, but we won it....LOL This is a coach who coaches so her kid has a team to play on. Got a coach now I really like. Not a great teacher of the game but fair and encouraging and does the best with the talent he has. Let's the girls play the game. He recognizes talent and knows how to utilize it. As a parent, I appreciate that.

I use to coach but couldn't take all the parental crap. So I decided to just focus on my kid. have never regretted that decision. the older my kid gets the more I like the sport/tournaments. Folks who think these wins and loses mean ANYTHING 30 minutes after you put the $5 trophy next to the other $5 trophies....you are totally missing the point of it all. So the further I am from the trophy chasers, the happier I am. There is a time for winning and losing (HS/College). Travel and especially Showcase stuff, is about getting better every time you take the field and showing what you can do. Some parents get this...the older girls get this.

[hit4power]

photo.JPG (125.63 KiB) Viewed 4547 times

We are getting ready to do some renovations at the house that require DD to empty out her closet. She started pulling out old softball uniforms by the handful. We laid them out in chronological order from 8U rec to TB to Jr High to HS to college - 16 teams in all. There were a couple I had completely forgotten about until we were looking at the uniform. Brought back some great memories. Her faves: among travel teams - the last 18G team she played for - no surprise, with college drama over, it was relaxing and a great group of parents, coaches, and kids. Overall - her HS team and the 12U rec All-Star team. That last one surprised me as there was a lot of parent drama that summer but apparently it didn't spoil her experience.

Edit to add the pic that wouldn't upload

[ontheblack]

Favorite 18U Gold
Least Favorite 18U Gold
Depended on Team and Coach

Good - Quality of play was excellent, Players that are not serious about getting better are weeded out and gone. Most parents do not freak out over winning or losing every game/play.

Bad - Teams with 20 plus players, Coaches that want to travel faraway places to showcases!

Was on 5 different teams from 14U to 18U

My kid was weeded out on a first year 14 team. She missed the weekly team batting practice because she was at soccer practice. We understood the feeling and heard about it so we made her choose which to focus on. So she left that team to play soccer. No big deal.

My oldest kid was weeded out as well. She picked up on a new team immediately which led to the overall best experience we had. Every time I see this arrogant guru of talent evaluation, I thank him for pushing DD1 out the door.

[jonriv]

My daughter was not asked back to her her first 14u TB team too- best thing that ever happened to her (BTW-no player from that team(besides my DD) went on to play in collge) Everything happens for a reason

[slapperdad]

Favorite year: 2nd year of 12U. Girls were playing decent ball, hadn't discovered boys yet, they were still little girls.
Least favorite: last year of 18U. They were all graduated and committed, didn't really seem that most of them wanted to be there. They were all actually all first year 18's.

[rbi]

Every age group the kids were so awesome, it was a pleasure to watch such fine young lady's compete so hard year after year, it was so much fun, so many memories,and I will miss it. The long road trips across the country with all the great parents, from the late night hotel lobby conversations to the in between game parking lot bbq's, and the life long friends we made are priceless.

I wont go into the negative as its not even worth the time as the positive far out weighed the negative.

All the uniforms, sweathshirts, sweatpants, tshirts, helmets, bats etc... all have been given away to young kids or donated to local rec league, Trophys are gonezo to as they have been given to the local community salvation army, as they re use them with new plates on front for local rec ball on other side of town