Why do I believe travel teams have killed summer baseball more than travel programs have killed other high school summer sports?

Glad you asked.

Baseball is different.

First, when the summer begins high school baseball coaches have been with their players for three or more months (legally). That’s not the case with coaches in other sports. Coaches of most other sports haven’t (legally) worked with their teams for the last several weeks, or months. They’re eager to go at it. Baseball coaches are tired and often times burned out.

Also, for example, with summer basketball or summer football kids can workout, even play games, during the mornings or afternoons. That can’t happen, for the most part, in baseball. There aren’t that many pitchers. And, of course, pitchers can’t pitch every day.

So, high school baseball coaches, I believe, have become more willing to turn their players over to summer travel teams.

A couple of good reasons, wouldn’t you agree?

The problem is, as I see it, high school baseball players, especially here in Hamilton County, are being forced to travel teams. Nearly all high school games played by Hamilton County teams this summer were played using young players, basically next year’s sophomores. If you were a junior-to-be or a senior-to-be and you wanted to play good, organized, spirited baseball this summer, you probably joined a travel team.

The IHSAA’s moratorium week also has forced kids to travel teams. The choice seems simple. You join a travel team and play straight through the summer months. Or, you play summer high school ball for three weeks, sit out moratorium week, and then hope you’re high school team still is playing following moratorium week.

So what’s wrong with travel baseball? Perhaps the question should be, what’s different about travel baseball.

When a summer high school coach hands over his players  to a summer coach, who becomes the controlling coach in the player’s development? Many summer travel programs also have indoor programs during the winter season.

If I’m a player, do I hit the ball the way the high school coach said, or the way the travel coach said?

If the high school baseball program is watered down, the only choice for a kid who really wants to play baseball in the summer is to pay bucks and join a travel team. Often times, big bucks.

I admit, I don’t have facts or numbers to throw at you, but I don’t think I’m far wrong in suggesting the payoff for parents who have even one son playing travel ball and attending baseball schools in the winter is more than a high school spends in its total baseball program, spring and summer. Understand please, I’m comparing the cost of one player against the cost of one high school program.

Let me stress, I see nothing wrong with travel and with winter indoor programs. They’re fun. Kids can play against great competition.

Nothing wrong, if the kid isn’t being forced to that type of program because the summer program which once was offered by the high school no longer is there, or, if it still is there, it isn’t much fun.

Perhaps what high schools should do is drop spring baseball programs and let the real competition begin, competition with a travel team. Think of the money the high school would save. Money already being paid by parents for travel team programs.

Plus, the IHSAA wouldn’t need a moratorium week, at least not in baseball.