🏈 Do you think athletes benefit from travel teams? (IE: clubs, AAU organizations, etc.) Interesting c

[TerryP]

Todd Blackledge was making a few observations today on Twitter about youth teams, parents, and the subsequent problems that we see arise in some of those situations.

It was his assertion that a lot of parents look at the travel teams as a way to further their kids chances of getting a D1 scholarship in football. (Which I assume means a lot of parents don't realize a lot of these events are off-limits to collegiate coaches.)

Is it money well spent on the parents part? One Rutgers professor (?) makes an interesting comment:

@Todd_Blackledge...often the $ spent on travel teams would pay for much of college anyway (negating the need for the scholarship they seek).
— Sport Studies at RU (@reinhardtssp) June 20, 2013​

<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[tidentrue]

I have seen a direct benefit in softball on a coupla of occasions..but money spent is a very valid point

 

[planomateo]

Guy at work sends his kid to see a pretty respected QB coach in SoCal. He's dropped some serious coin on all things football to get his kid into college on a scholarship.

 

[TerryP]

Guy at work sends his kid to see a pretty respected QB coach in SoCal. He's dropped some serious coin on all things football to get his kid into college on a scholarship.

And is the kid starting to get attention?

 

[UAgrad93]

I've always been of the belief that if you were good enough, colleges would find you. I went to a small 3A school in North Alabama and my best friend transferred to a 5A school because his dad felt it would get him more exposure. College recruiters came calling to my school anyways. My coach and area coaches put the word out. When I began coaching, I practiced the same thing. If I saw talent, I put the word out. Going to camps on college campuses is enough if you ask me.

 

[planomateo]

And is the kid starting to get attention?

Went to Elite 11 up in SFO a few weeks ago, he's working his butt off to get a D1 offer. I've always admired his dad for providing him the opportunities.

I've always been of the belief that if you were good enough, colleges would find you. I went to a small 3A school in North Alabama and my best friend transferred to a 5A school because his dad felt it would get him more exposure. College recruiters came calling to my school anyways. My coach and area coaches put the word out. When I began coaching, I practiced the same thing. If I saw talent, I put the word out. Going to camps on college campuses is enough if you ask me.

I agree, the next QB for Texas could be a kid outta Whitewright, TX (aka super super small 2A school in Texas - Tyrone Swoopes - town population of ~2,000). For reference, Whitewright probably had a graduation of 60-70 students. 5A is the largest here in Texas, which can be enormous in size - graduating class of 1,000-1,200.

 

[ElephantStomp]

I think at times parents live their dreams through their kids and at other times they just want the best for their kids.

My daughter is on a traveling volleyball team and my son is on a traveling hockey team, but this is their last year on those traveling teams because they decided they want to rodeo rather than volleyball and hockey. The coin spent for these traveling teams is a bit nuts, but I think with any parent(s) they'll spend what they can if their kids are dedicated to their respective sports.


But, I couldn't imagine spending the amount of money that some parents do hauling their kids all over the country doing sports.