By Kolten Smith –
As athletes across the country are wrapping up their spring seasons, the thought of playing for a travel ball or showcase team is crossing many players’ (and their families’) minds. Travel ball has become so prevalent in the baseball world that most families just assume every year that they will commit thousands of dollars to play games across their state and the country. Personally, I will be the first to admit that when I was younger, my family and I did the same thing. From 11 through 19, I played games for my travel team every summer and fall. While I enjoyed traveling to different places and having fun with my teammates, I think back now and wonder if my time could have been spent more effectively. This week, I will discuss the benefits and detriments of playing travel ball, and whether playing this summer is the right choice for you or your son.
I will start with the easy answer: If you are reading this and your son is between the ages of 8 and 12, I think playing during the summer is the way to go. In my opinion, when you are younger, there are far more pros than cons. The best way to blossom your love of baseball—and to learn the fundamentals of the sport—is by practicing and playing with good coaches and a good organization. This will almost certainly not happen if someone does not practice and play at a young age. However, this does not mean you must start your son with the best select organization in your area. While there is nothing wrong with playing for a select team, do not feel like it is your only option. I played recreational league baseball until I was 11 and still became a collegiate athlete. Do some research on good leagues and organizations in your area, and then pick one based on what you think is best for your son.
The answer becomes much more nuanced when you get to about 13 years old, but especially once you start high school. By the time you get to high school, you have probably solidified the fundamentals of the sport and what position you would like to focus on. Also, you most likely have an idea of your measurements—how hard you throw, your 60 time, your exit velocity, etc. If you do not know what these are by the time you are 14, I would definitely test these on your own or attend a showcase to get them.
Your decision to play in the summer from about 14 through high school should depend on these numbers. If your numbers are below average to average, playing travel ball will lead to very mediocre results. To illustrate this, below are the mound velocities from 14-18, where we believe it would be worth attending a showcase or two. (These are just general guidelines and depend on some aspects, like where you live.)
- 14: 74+
- 15: 79+
- 16: 82+
- 17: 84+
- 18: 86+
A common misconception is that high school travel ball will develop you and make you a better player. While the practices and off-season programs may do this, playing games will not. What games and showcases truly do is get your name out there so that coaches and scouts can see you. But if your numbers will not stick out to these decision makers, what is the point of going to big tournaments and showcases if you are, frankly, not good enough to be put on their radar?
This does not mean there is zero benefit to playing summer ball. Attending a showcase or two every year to update your numbers, know your competition, and experience what it is like is important. I would also argue that playing some games and getting your “game reps in” are important to some degree. However, if you are behind the curve, dedicating your entire summer to travel ball is not the correct path to take.
So, what is the alternative?
The alternative is creating a plan to improve your numbers and dedicating a significant amount of time to becoming the elite player you want to be.
At the Texas Baseball Ranch®, we do exactly that. We will create a hyper-personalized plan that includes a video analysis of your throwing mechanics, a physical assessment observing mobility and flexibility issues, record your Trackman data, improve off-speed and athleticism, build workouts, mental training, and more. This plan that Coach Wolforth and the staff built for me helped me as a player, and I now see it work every day as an instructor here.
So, if your velocity is not where it should be, you are not as athletic as you would like to be, or anything else I mentioned earlier, come visit us this summer. Do not spend weeks/months playing and not truly becoming a better baseball player. Once you experience our 3-day Elite Pitchers Boot Camp or 3+ week Summer Intensive Development Program, you will make true gains.
I promise it will be worth the trip.
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Important TBR Updates
- Coach Wolforth is hosting a special 90 minute webinar – “The Velocity Code: 3 Secrets to Improving Velocity and Staying Healthy” on Thursdays at 7pm CST. If you’d like to attend the next webinar on May 8th, please email info@TexasBaseballRanch.com and we will forward you an invitation to join.
- The dates for our 3-Day Elite Pitchers Bootcamp for this summer include:
May 24-26 (Sat-Mon)
June 6-8 (Fri-Sun)
June 20-22 (Fri-Sun)
July 4-6 (Fri-Sun)
July 18-20 (Fri-Sun)
Aug. 1-3 (Fri-Sun)
Aug. 30-Sept 1 (Sat-Mon)
To register or learn more CLICK HERE
- Have you been considering attending one of our 3-Day Elite Pitchers Bootcamp but are still on the fence? To help, we have a detailed information package entitled “What Makes This Boot Camp Different”. If you’d like to receive this package and start making plans for the summer, email Jill@TexasBaseballRanch.com and request a copy.
- Interested in our “Summer Intensive Development Program”? Join us for 2-11 weeks this summer. For more information on this one of a kind Summer Training experience and for a registration form visit https://www.texasbaseballranch.com/events/tbr-summer-program/.
- Would you like to participate in the Ranch Summer Program but can’t find 2+ weeks in your schedule? We have an option for you! Attend one of our 3-Day EPBC’s and add the summer program week after. It’s seven days of training and is a great option for those players with an extremely busy summer schedule. Give us a call and we can provide you with more details – (936) 588-6762.
- Check out this video on our YouTube channel: “Why Attend Texas Baseball Ranch Summer Camp?”. Watch it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmVqpGI3r9k&t=1s and share your opinion in the comments.
