What Are the Advantages of Travel Baseball/Softball?

What Is Travel Baseball/Softball?

Travel baseball/softball goes by many names; select, club, premier, elite, and so on. When people refer to travel baseball/softball, they typically mean a team of higher-level athletes who play in competitive tournaments and probably work out at their own facility. The biggest thing that separates travel baseball and softball from its recreational counterparts is the focus on competition. Travel teams will usually be far more competitive, while recreational teams will be less so.

One of the other big differences can be found right in the name; travel teams play a lot of ball outside of their immediate area. They might travel around their state, or even out of state, to play tournaments.

Who Plays Travel Baseball/Softball?

While most clubs are competitive in nature, many also have teams of various skill and ability. There are usually three different levels of competition in a travel ball tournament, from the least developed to the highest level of youth baseball and softball. The fees are high (sometimes many thousands of dollars) to play on the team, let alone the cost of traveling around the state or country to play on the weekends. So why do people do it?

Here are a few advantages that travel baseball holds over standard recreational leagues:

Better Teams and Better Competition

One of the biggest draws to travel ball is that it allows kids to play with, and against, the best players in their area and beyond. This isn't to say that recreational baseball doesn't have good players in it, it's just to say that most of the select club teams have more of them.

There are many good reasons to play with and against the best players. It pushes an athlete to work harder to earn his spot, it inspires kids to want to be better, and it teaches them to deal with adversity and challenges they may not otherwise encounter.

Of all the reasons to play travel baseball, this is one of the best.

Travel ball Coaches Are Usually More Experienced

This is one of those things where we must say 'usually', but it is true that travel ball coaches are going to be more experienced than recreational coaches most of the time. Travel ball coaches are often former high-level baseball players themselves, and many are now getting paid to be a baseball coach. They study more, they spend countless hours coaching kids individually and in lessons, and they 'usually' have more experience coaching high-level players.

Of course, there are exceptions, and some recreational coaches could coach circles around some travel ball coaches. But as a general rule, professional coaches will come with a better resume and that can really help them teach kids the right way to play.

Travel Baseball Teams Get More Exposure

Whether a player is interested in playing in high school or college, or for another top-level program, being on a high-level travel team can certainly help. Many of the top programs will have scouts from quality programs at their games, taking notes on the best players and seeing if they would be a good fit at the next level. This exposure to other high-level coaches is one of the best reasons to be on a top level travel team.

Traveling to Tournaments Is Fun!

The experience of playing travel ball can be an awesome one. A typical travel team will spend many weekends in hotels together, and exploring new places. It's one of the best ways for a young person to get to go to new places around their region and the country, and they can do it while having a blast with their teammates.

Baseball and softball players who travel around with the same team for several years will create lasting memories that are hard to recreate outside of playing the game they love.

Travel Baseball Players Get Better Training

This isn't all about the coach, sometimes it's also about the facility. Many travel baseball organizations have their own facilities where baseball players can go to train their skills. Some have the latest and greatest technology to help the players improve, and most have trainers and instructors to give players the extra attention they need.

While recreational programs can offer a good amount of practice time, the season is typically much shorter than the travel season. For a serious baseball player who wants to get as much out of each year as possible, travel ball provides more opportunities.