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Travel Baseball Uncovered: A Guide For Parents And Players

Let’s talk about baseball—travel baseball, to be exact.

For many, moving from the Little League to travel baseball feels like catching a curveball. After all, it’s more than just a pace change; it’s about trading Saturday afternoon matches on a grassy field for serious club competitions that come with a higher price tag.

You might be thinking, “Is this the right play for my little slugger?” or “How do I even go about choosing a team?”

Well, here’s our chance at bat. We’ll walk you through everything youth travel baseball has to offer, including answering these questions and more.

Table of Contents

What is Travel Baseball [Explained]

Travel baseball is just what it sounds like. It’s when youth teams have to travel in order to have their games and tournaments. This is usually the next step after traditional recreational or Little League. 

Since the level of competition is much higher, it can help them develop their skills.

But preparation comes at a cost—literally. And all that time on the road can take up your schedule very quickly. But despite all that extra work, they’ll get an exciting adventure out of it. Now, they’ll face off against teams from different cities, states, and sometimes even countries.

The love for Travel Baseball is Growing Fast.

In recent years, travel baseball gained an exponential amount of popularity and saw thousands of teams pop up across the country. 

Before the 90s, it was a relatively niche experience only limited to players nestled in regions like Texas and California.

Nowadays, participation is considered necessary for young players wanting to sharpen their skills and go up against some really tough competition.

Instead of focusing on the local leagues like recreational youth baseball does, travel ball operates under various organizations, hosting hundreds of tournaments each year. 

Some big names include USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), Triple Crown Sports , and Perfect Game . 

The ambitious goal for any team is to face off against as many different teams as possible to gain experience and test their skills.

Everyone can create a travel baseball team. It doesn’t matter if you’re a parent, high school teacher, or someone who coaches college kids.

The highlight of the season is the travel baseball tournament. Bringing together talented teams from different parts of the world to compete. 

This lets players show their skills to a bigger audience, including scouts and college coaches. These tournaments are organized by many institutions and happen locally, regionally, or even nationally.

There’s nothing cooler than the USSSA World Series, though. Every year, it’s hosted by the United States Specialty Sports Association. 

You’ll find talent from all over America coming here to fight for that top spot. But another epic tournament is the Triple Crown Summer Nationals, where they hold it at Myrtle Beach 

in South Carolina. It attracts teams from everywhere and is known for great competition and vacation vibes.

A unique little competition is held in Cooperstown, New York, known as the Cooperstown Dreams Park Tournament. 

Cooperstown, known as baseball’s birthplace, offers a unique week-long stay in baseball-style barracks. You can visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

These intense and challenging tournaments bring out some of the most talented players young kids have to offer. It’s also a great way to boost your young player’s confidence in playing on those big stages!

Different Levels Of Travel Teams And Their Requirements

It’s not just one level fit all for travel baseball teams. They’re organized into various levels based on skill, experience, and commitment from players. 

Imagine putting someone who only knows how to throw with moderate force into a contest against someone who does it with full force.

The team you choose for yourself should align with your skill level, how much free time you have, and your developmental needs as a player. Here’s an overview of different levels:

1. Local Travel Teams : For beginners starting their journey through travel baseball. The games they play are mostly local or within a close driving distance. Practices only happen a few times a week, and games during the weekend.

2. Regional Travel Teams : For players with more experience and higher skill levels. They go on trips for games and tournaments that will require overnight stays at places. Commitment level is higher, with practices being more frequent along with a longer season.

3. Showcase Travel Teams : The big leagues of young kid baseball players. These teams are made up of highly skilled people who are very serious about baseball. They have college scouts and recruiters present their games. This includes going to different states for showcase tournaments. 

You’ll need to be extremely committed to even think about trying out for this team, and their practices are rigorous and frequent, lasting all year round!

Benefits of Playing in a Travel Baseball Team 

A lot of benefits come from playing travel baseball. 

The biggest one? It can help players get to their goals. It’s not just about playing a game, especially when you want to make it big. It’s actually an experience that provides lifelong skills that can be applied everywhere else.

Competition in recreational leagues is nothing compared to this. It’s way higher. This allows players to grow new and old skills at a faster rate. 

There’s also an intense training schedule that demands discipline, resilience, and focus. These qualities go beyond just sports.

Participating in high-profile tournaments also gets the attention of other coaches and scouts. Which makes it easier for them to open doors for scholarships and professional contracts.

Traveling away from home just for games might seem like a drag, but it builds responsibility and maturity. It is a demanding journey for sure, but very rewarding.

Did MLB Players Play Travel Baseball?

Definitely! A lot of Major League Baseball (MLB) players used travel baseball as their starting point, too. It gives them all the exposure they need, honing skills at such a young age along with fierce competition.

Take Bryce Harper , for example. He’s one of the biggest names in MLB today. His journey started back when he was a child playing for the Southern Nevada Bulldogs 14U travel team. The opportunity came up where he could go against older players who were more experienced than him. This experience helped shape his professional career.

Albert Pujols also played travel baseball when he was younger on his team called Fort Osage Indians Travel Team before sailing into the Hall of Fame.

Clayton Kershaw ? Yeah, him too! Another name you hear often in MLB didn’t start there either — he played for the Dallas Tigers Travel Team where he developed early on gaining crucial skills and discipline that are instrumental in his success today.

How to Find a Travel Baseball Team in Your Region? 

If you’re a young baseball player who wants to take their skills to the next level, then joining a travel team is a great opportunity. If you are a parent and want to make your child the next MLB star, then travel baseball teams are a great place to start with. 

These teams play across the country and allow players to show their talents against top-tier competition. But how do you find one of these teams? 

Here’s a guide on how you can join a travel baseball team in the USA.

Check your local youth baseball organization.

Your first step should be checking with your local youth baseball organization. Chances are they have travel teams that play in leagues and tournaments outside of the regular season. If they don’t, then it’s likely they know someone who does.

Drop by showcases and camps.

In-person events like showcases and camps are great places to meet coaches and scouts from travel baseball teams. They’re designed specifically so players can showcase their skills and get noticed by recruiters.

The internet holds many answers, including finding a travel baseball team. Websites like USSSA Baseball, Perfect Game USA, and Travel Ball Select list lots of travel baseball teams based on state, age group, and skill level — all at a click away.

Talk to other parents and players.

If you want first-hand experience, then talk to other parents or players who have been through this process before. They can give useful insight into which teams are reputable, well-run, and competitive.

For example, if you live in Texas, then one option could be the Texas Bombers Baseball Club — an organization that has multiple teams at different age levels and is known for developing young talent. You can learn more about them by visiting their website or attending one of their tryouts.

How to Find the Perfect Travel Baseball Team? 

Identify the skill level and commitment of the player.

First thing first, you need to figure out how committed your child is to the sport and their skill level.  If he is naturally gifted athlete then you should help him to follow his dream. 

Research Local and Regional Teams

Begin by looking at teams that are close by. These teams usually have varying levels of skill and serve as great entry points for most players. 

You can check their websites and social media pages to learn more about them such as philosophy, coaches, players, and game schedule.

Attend Local Games and Practices 

Sitting in on local games and practices allows you to get a firsthand look at how they run things. You’ll be able to see their coaching style, how they interact with the players, and the overall team dynamic. With this insight, it’ll be easier to make a decision.

Speak with Coaches and Parents

While observing is good, it isn’t enough. Take some time out of your day or week to speak with coaches. 

This allows you to gain an understanding of their training methods, the expectations they have for your child, and the goals they want them to reach. It’s also good practice to talk to other parents so you can get a general idea of what people think about the team.

Consider Logistics

Logistical factors are important, too, so don’t forget about them. Make sure that the team’s practice location is suitable for you and your family’s schedule since it may be far away from where you currently live or work. 

The game schedule should be looked at as well because there could be conflicts in dates that would keep you from attending games.

Tryouts & Evaluations

Most teams hold tryouts or evaluations for people who are interested in joining. If this is offered, take advantage of it because it gives your child the chance to showcase their skills and for you to see if the team would be a good fit. 

A player’s evaluation is also helpful because it gives you insight into how strong the team itself is.

Travel Baseball Season Preparations 

Preparations before the pre-season.

Before the baseball season starts, you’ll want to make sure that your child is mentally and physically ready for the long days ahead. 

So, let’s start with an off-season workout routine to help build strength and agility. But don’t forget about eating well and getting enough sleep. Plus, practicing regularly can take their fielding, pitching, and hitting skills way up.

During the season

Once the season starts, it’s important to stay fit and perform at your best. You’ll want to communicate with their coach to keep track of your child’s progress as well as any areas they need improvement in. 

Another thing you should do is show up to their games and practices. It helps you stay in tune with how the team is performing and also supports your child. And finally, always keep their lines of communication open, whether it’s about pressure or their anxiety.

Post-Season

After a long season, it’s important to take a break. Reflect on the games you had together. Acknowledge all the good things they did but also focus on areas they can improve in. 

Give them some downtime so they can rest and recover. Even though they’re chilling around, don’t let them become bums — physical activity is still important for them during this time.

Travel Baseball vs. Little League

Both types of baseball have their own unique experience and benefits that come along with it. The choice of which one to put your kid into mostly depends on what they want out of it.

For example, travel baseball is more competitive. It attracts players who are committed to sports no matter what and are willing to travel around just for a game against top talent in various regions. Not only does this provide intense competition but also high-level coaching.

It does require a lot of time, as seasons are much longer than in little leagues with more games and practices.

If you want your child exposed more, then this would be a good option, as you can see from Bryce Harper, Albert Pujols, and Clayton Kershaw.

Now, little league baseball is less demanding. It’s generally more focused on the community and not so much on traveling and time. 

It’s actually a great option for kids who still love the sport but aren’t ready to commit to such a demanding schedule. They focus on learning fundamental skills, enjoying the game, and fostering a sense of community.

You can learn more here: Travel Baseball Vs Little League

The Cost of Playing Travel Baseball

If your kid has a future in baseball, you might want to consider enrolling them in travel baseball. The only problem is that this option is much more expensive than local leagues. 

Local leagues tend to have low costs because they don’t do as much traveling as travel teams have to do. On top of paying for the actual games themselves, there’s also the top-of-the-line coaching and amazing facilities that the team needs to cover. 

You’ll be hit with fees like equipment, uniform, tournament, travel (like gas and airfare), and a team fee.

The team fee alone can include things like league fees, practice facility rentals, and salaries for the coaches. 

And let’s not forget about any extra training or lessons they need in order to take their skills up a notch.

It’s always good to ask the people organizing the league what you’re paying for specifically because then maybe it won’t seem so bad (it probably will still seem bad, though). 

But it really does come down to where you live. 

Depending on that, it could cost you anywhere from $1,500-$3,000 per season. And if you’re on one of those elite teams competing at national tournaments, then I’m sorry, but it’ll probably cost way more.

Find Out How To Choose A Coach

A good coach doesn’t just teach how to play sports but also builds discipline and confidence, along with fostering a love for the game. Here are some tips on picking a coach:

Experience And Certification : A coach should always have some kind of experience coaching youth sports, but having proof that they passed some coaching program can give you peace of mind, knowing they know what they’re doing.

Coaching Style : Every coach is different and will treat their athletes differently, too. Some will be very intense in trying to push their players, while others are more relaxed yet inspiring. Pick what works best with your child’s personality.

Communication Skills : A good coach knows how to explain things in a way that’s easy for their athletes to understand. They should also be great at talking to you and other parents.

Focus On Development : It’s better for your kid to improve their skills rather than just win all the time. Look for coaches that will work with them on that.

Reputation : Finally, look into what other people say about the coach. Not only other players but parents, too. It doesn’t hurt to ask around or even watch them during practice if you can. 

Things to Know About Uniforms and Equipment in Travel Baseball

Uniforms and equipment are a necessary investment in travel baseball. It can be beyond what you expect from Little League. Here’s a quick rundown of what your child might need:

Uniforms : Most travel baseball teams have their own custom jerseys that come with pants, caps, belts, and socks. Some teams may even have home and away uniforms, so check with the manager first.

Gloves/Mitts : Get your child a good quality glove or mitt that suits the position they play. For example, catchers and first basemen have their own special mitts, while outfielders use bigger gloves compared to infielders. Check out the Best Youth Infield Gloves 

Bats : Bat rules can get very specific, depending on the league. Before you buy one, make sure you understand what kind is allowed. Also, consider their height, weight, and hitting strength when selecting the right bat size . 

You can check out my list of Best Youth Baseball Bats

Helmets : No matter how old or young your child is, they need a batting helmet. Some leagues even require faceguards as well. Check out the Best Youth Baseball Helmet

Cleats : Running on grass and dirt requires traction, which is why cleats are used in baseball. However, be aware that some leagues don’t allow metal spikes, so again, you should always check if there are any shoe restrictions.

Protective gear : Depending on the position they’re playing at, your kid may need extra protection such as shin guards for their legs or a chest protector for their torso

What is a good age range for travel baseball?

Travel baseball typically starts around 7 or 8 years old and goes through high school. However, the age that you can join may differ depending on the league or team.

How much does it cost to play travel baseball? 

The price of playing travel baseball could be greatly different depending on things like where you live, what team you’re on, and at what level you play. You’ll have to pay for league fees, uniforms, equipment, and even the costs of traveling and staying in other cities for away games.

How often would we need to practice? 

Usually, travel teams practice more often than recreational ones. It’s common for them to meet several times each week. But it will depend on the time and dedication your child’s coach expects.

How far do they have to go? 

Again, that’ll depend on what league your child signs up for. Some teams only need to go a couple of miles, while others will have to cross city lines.

Can my child also play another sport? 

It all depends on how much time both sports require. Understandably, travel baseball takes up quite a bit of time and energy, so consider if they have enough for both.

Overall Worth of Travel Baseball 

Traveling with a baseball team is no joke. For players and families alike, it’s considered a big commitment that takes up lots of time, money, and energy. 

And while it opens up new opportunities, the best reward for joining one is amazing! The skills learned, and knowledge gained from playing at higher levels is priceless. 

Plus, it builds character, helping to teach important lessons like teamwork, dedication, success handling, and, most importantly, failure handling. And let’s not forget about the friendships built along the way from spending hours with teammates in different places across the country. 

Even though some costs and sacrifices come with this commitment, most families say joining a traveling baseball team was totally worth every bit of it. 

Just remember, the end goal is to love the sport and grow as a person.

Hello everyone. My name is  Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player.  I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego. 

I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit. 

Travel Baseball: The Ultimate Guide for Parents and Players

Table of Contents

What is travel baseball, what to look for in a travel baseball team, travel baseball vs. little league, travel baseball pros and cons , criticisms and controversy, is travel baseball worth it.

For many families, the transition from Little League to travel baseball comes with stress, anxiety and questions about what to look for in a team and what to expect from the experience — not to mention the question of whether making the switch from a more laid-back rec ball program to a more competitive (and expensive) travel club is the right decision in the first place.

In this post, we’re going to go over everything you need to know about getting started with youth travel baseball. We’ll help you answer the questions above and determine whether travel baseball is a good fit for your son or daughter. 

If you have a softball player in the family, you may also want to check out our article “ What to Look For in a Travel Softball Team ,” which covers some of the same information from a softball perspective and dives deep into my personal experience as an elite-level amateur player and college recruiting prospect.

Table of Contents :

• How to Choose a Travel Baseball Team
• Travel Baseball Pros and Cons
• Is Travel Baseball Worth It?  

First, it’s important to understand what a travel baseball team is and how travel baseball is organized. 

There are tens of thousands of travel baseball teams around the country, and their popularity has exploded over the past two decades. As recently as the 1990s, travel baseball was a niche experience limited mostly to elite players in baseball-rich areas like Texas and California. Today, participation is seen by many as a near necessity for talented players to develop their skills and hone their game against the best competition they can find. 

Whereas Little League is the dominant organization when it comes to recreational youth baseball, there are multiple organizations throughout the country that host hundreds of travel tournaments each year. Some of the biggest and most popular are USSSA (United States Speciality Sports Association), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), Triple Crown Sports , and Perfect Game . Travel baseball teams often participate in tournaments organized by more than one of those organizations. 

A team can be started by anyone. Many are formed by parents, but many others are formed by high school and former college coaches. Depending on their organizational goals, some programs have just one team that participates in one age bracket (such as 10 and under), while some are run like businesses and have teams that compete in every age group. 

Some huge organizations, such as California Baseball Academy (CBA), even have multiple teams within the same age group, located in multiple cities. CBA has teams not only in California, but also in Nevada, Texas, Utah and the southeast. High-level programs like that are often known for attracting top talent, for training recruits into elite players, and for feeding those players into nearby colleges and universities. 

Travel Baseball Competition Structure

Virtually all travel baseball games are played on weekends in a tournament format. Those tournaments can theoretically be held anywhere, but are frequently held at multi-field facilities in easily-accessible travel hubs. For example, many Florida tournaments are held in Orlando because it’s in the relative center of the state, it has plenty of hotel rooms, and it’s home to many great baseball facilities. The farther you live away from such a hub, the more you should expect to travel. 

Most tournaments begin with pool play, meaning that teams are guaranteed a number of games before heading into single elimination. A team can expect to play anywhere from three to eight games over the course of a two-day or three-day tournament, depending on how they perform.

There is no set number of tournaments a team must participate in. Each team decides which tournaments to enter on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration factors such as age level, skill level, and cost. In general, two tournaments per month can be seen as about average, although higher-level teams may play more frequently. 

Most organizations run regional and national championships, which are invite-only. For example, USSSA hosts “qualifier” tournaments, where the winner of the championship game (and sometimes the runner up) can earn a bid to the USSSA national tournament.

Additionally, beginning at age 14, some teams start participating in “college exposure tournaments,” where college scouts come from across the country to watch and evaluate prospects. These tournaments are typically more expensive than regular tournaments, and are often farther away.

How to Join a Travel Baseball Team

If you’ve decided to join a travel baseball team and aren’t sure where to find one, there are a number of resources available. 

It may go without saying, but word-of-mouth can be a valuable first reference point. If you’re thinking about switching to travel baseball, chances are that you already know someone in your area who has made the jump. If so, don’t be afraid to ask them questions about the team and their experience. It’s a big commitment — both in terms of time and finances — so it’s important to make sure you find the right club for your son or daughter.

In addition to word of mouth, many organizations offer a list of active teams on their website. For example, USSSA has a tool that lets you filter teams by age level, skill level, and location . There are also many state-based forums and Facebook groups where coaches post their team’s tryouts (and positions needed). As an example, here are Facebook groups for travel baseball teams in Florida and Michigan ⁠— you can find similar groups for every state. 

Another good option is FieldLevel.com , which (like the USSSA site) allows you to filter teams by state and level. While not every team is listed on that website, it does include over 4,000 clubs.

Here are eight things to think about when evaluating teams. These factors will make a big difference when it comes to your overall experience, so take the time to think about them, and don’t be afraid to ask questions of parents and coaches.

1. Coaching  

A coaching staff can make or break a team. How coaches manage players, keep the game fun, instill the fundamentals, and focus on development — not only as athletes, but as young men and women — is extremely important. 

Some travel baseball teams have parents or grandparents serving as the head coach. While that can be fine, it’s important to make sure those coaches don’t make keeping their own child on the field a priority. Before committing to a team, spend some time researching it by watching a practice and talking to current and/or former players and parents. 

What’s the coaching style? Do they have high expectations but still encourage and love their players? Or, on the other hand, are they screaming at players when they make a mistake? 

Additionally, are players treated equitably, or do some get preferential treatment based on their relationship to the coach or their financial contribution to the team?

Ideally, your child will be a part of that team and organization for consecutive years, rather than bouncing from team to team. As such, determining whether the coaching staff is a good fit is a crucial first step.

2. Cost  

For many parents, this is the most terrifying aspect of travel baseball.

Just how much of a toll is this going to take on your bank account? The specific answer varies, but the typical range of cost for participating in travel baseball is between $500 and $2,500 per year. 

That said, you can end up spending a lot more than that. Back in 2011, CBS News reported that one Georgia family paid $4,000 per year for their 9-year-old son’s travel team. You can imagine that older players in elite programs that travel all over the country can spend even more over the course of a season.

Typically, the more intensely focused a program is on developing its players for college baseball, the more money the program is going to cost. On the other hand, teams that are playing more for the fun of it — those looking for just a little more structure and competition than offered by Little League — won’t put as much of a dent in your wallet.

There are a number of specific factors that go into how much it costs to be on a team:

• Where you live . If you live in a baseball hub, like Texas or California, you won’t have to travel as far to get to tournaments. Many teams from rural areas regularly drive across multiple states (or sometimes even fly) to tournaments. As such, where you live will likely be the single biggest variable in your overall travel baseball cost.
• Whether you have to buy your own equipment . Some teams are sponsored by equipment companies like Easton and Rawlings and have their bats, gloves and cleats provided either for free or at a reduced cost. Obviously, this can be a huge savings. Also, keep in mind that (unfortunately) equipment is often viewed as a status symbol in travel baseball. If your child joins a team where every other player has multiple bats and position-specific gloves, he or she is going to press you for similar gear.
• Whether you have to rent facilities . Some teams practice exclusively at public fields. Others have little or no access to such facilities and have to rent fields and/or indoor space (especially for winter workouts). This can have a huge impact on the overall cost of participation.
• Whether or not coaches are paid . Some teams — typically the more competitive ones — pay their coaches small stipends and/or cover their cost of travel. On one hand, this tends to lead to better coaching. On the other hand, families are the ones who will ultimately foot that bill.
• How competitive the team is . Higher-level tournaments typically have higher fees. Lower-level tournaments, operated on a more sub-regional basis, are usually much less expensive to enter. If cost is a concern, make sure you know what types of tournaments the team usually enters over the course of the season. 

3. Location  

As stated earlier, location is a key factor in deciding which travel team to play for. If you’re fortunate enough to live in California, Florida or Texas, you’re going to have a lot of opportunities to play with and against high-level competition right in your backyard. 

But outside of those states, it’s a little bit tougher, and you have to decide how committed you are to playing at the highest possible level. 

For example, if you live in a medium-sized town outside of a major baseball hub, chances are you have at least a couple of travel ball options. However, the odds are that those options are not the absolute cream of the crop when it comes to coaching and competitiveness. In order to play for the absolute “best” team possible, you might have to commute from your mid-sized town to the nearest major city. 

So you’ll be faced with the following choice: play on a lower level team that’s closer to home, or drive a hundred miles or more for twice-weekly practices? It may sound crazy, but many families do just that. 

Why would they commit so much time and money to their son or daughter’s athletic pursuits? It comes down to goals. Better teams often provide better coaching and more opportunities for exposure to college and professional scouts. 

What’s the team’s mission? Is the focus on fun, player development, college exposure, or a mix of all there? Teams can have many different goals and missions, and there’s no right or wrong approach.

However, it is possible that a team’s mission does not align with your values and goals, and you need to think about this before committing, as a compatibility mismatch can lead to coach-parent and coach-player tension. 

5. Organization

Consider the reputation of the organization you’re evaluating. When you join a team, you and your son or daughter will essentially be endorsing everything the program stands for. If they’re known for dirty play or being disrespectful to the game, you’ll be associated with that. 

And believe it or not, the baseball world is a small and surprisingly tight-knit community. College coaches tend to know which programs produce bad apples — and they avoid them. In fact, many college coaches will completely write off an entire organization that has a reputation for not playing the game the right way or for having disrespectful players.

6. Playing Time

There’s an important balance between getting enough playing time and being challenged. Before committing, ask the coaching staff what kind of playing time your child can expect — including at what position. 

If there are two returning shortstops, he or she most likely won’t be playing there and might have to learn another position. That’s not a bad thing: college coaches want players that are versatile, and many players change positions as they get older and their bodies develop. 

Still, it’s helpful to know what to expect ahead of time. Getting game reps is important from a development perspective, but also just from a fun perspective: no kid wants to consistently travel to a tournament only to sit on the bench for most of the weekend. 

7. Skill Level

Be realistic about your child’s skill level, and pay attention to the level of competition around him or her at tryouts (i.e., the skill levels of the other players). If your kid has the fight and desire to compete for a spot (like they’ll have to do if they make it to college ball), then putting them on a team where they’ll be challenged is the best option. 

But if he or she is there to have fun and make friends, with no burning desire to be constantly improving, then choosing a travel team that’s more low-key will be the better call.

8. What You’re Giving Up

Travel baseball tournaments are on weekends, and players often have to sacrifice certain things that are part of a normal childhood. 

Is your son or daughter willing to miss out on things like birthdays, sleepovers and school dances, because most of their time is spent doing homework, traveling to and from games and practices, practicing on their own (possibly including private lessons), and spending nearly every summer weekend at the ballpark?

And are they willing to sacrifice the material things that matter to kids — things like clothes, video games, new smartphones, etc. — because so much money is being spent on baseball? 

As I wrote in THV’s guide to travel softball , my family made major sacrifices to support my athletic pursuits. 

For some, their love of the game is so great that giving up these things is a no-brainer. For others, they may regret missing out on these social activities. And that’s perfectly fine! Just be honest with each other and talk about the true costs of travel baseball — because it’s not just the sticker price.

There are some important similarities and differences between competitive travel baseball and recreational baseball. Both can teach many valuable life skills, such as work ethic, good sportsmanship, teamwork and bouncing back from failure. But they are very different when it comes to time commitment and competitiveness.

The Little League schedule usually runs from the late spring through early summer, with teams practicing twice per week and playing two games per week. The total number of games per season varies, but it usually ranges from 10 to 20. It’s a local program, which means travel is either limited or non-existent. In general, Little League coaches are parents.

Little League can be a great place for kids as young as 4-years-old to start playing the game. They’ll learn the rules and the absolute basics of hitting, pitching and fielding in a fun an easy-going environment (except for the occasional parent that takes their coaching position overboard). 

Overall, Little League fits the classic stereotype of youth baseball: kids having fun playing the greatest game in the world, without much pressure or focus on player development. 

Back in the day, Little League would feed into middle school and high school programs, which carried the bulk of the weight when it came to getting payers ready for college and the pros. But today, the reality is that it’s almost impossible to get the coaching and skill development you need by participating only Little league or other rec ball programs. 

That’s especially true when it comes to the gap between “Majors” Little League (12-and-under) and high school. Few middle schools still have baseball programs, and those programs that do exist tend not to be very good. Likewise, while Little League offers both a Junior division (12-14) and a Senior division (14-16), those leagues tend to pale in comparison to the coaching and competition offered by travel ball. 

So, if your son or daughter is serious about playing baseball at a high level, it’s especially important to focus on the transition to travel ball at around the age of 11 or 12.

There are positives and negatives when it comes to travel baseball. Here are a few of each.

• Better competition : Players are more serious about the game and more driven to improve. This higher level of competition will help push your son or daughter to improve their own skills.
• Better coaching : Travel baseball coaches tend to be better qualified, more knowledgeable, and better-connected. At the highest levels of travel ball, teams often employ former professional coaches.
• More exposure : Aside from high school baseball, travel ball is the primary means of exposure to college coaches and pro scouts. Plus, travel teams often attend showcase tournaments and camps.
• More games played : Travel teams play significantly more games per year than rec ball teams.
• Facilitates travel : Sometimes seen as an ancillary benefit, the travel itself can be a valuable and eye-opening experience for players. Many kids don’t have an opportunity to travel out of their own area or state, and travel baseball can provide that. 
• Encourages character development : Because travel teams are more serious, there’s a greater emphasis put on things like being on time, demonstrating maximum effort, and having a good attitude.  
• Cost : Travel baseball is expensive — sometimes absurdly so. Families often spend around $2,500 per year, but the costs can be even higher. 
• Time commitment : Even a moderately competitive travel team can consume an entire summer’s worth of weekends. 
• Ultra-competitive : On most travel teams, there’s a balance between player development and winning. What you won’t often find is an “everybody plays” approach. For the most part, the best players will play the most, which makes for a highly-competitive environment. 
• Tougher workouts : This can be a pro or a con, depending on the player’s perspective and goals. Tougher workouts can lead to better outcomes, but they can also be mentally and physically taxing if the player isn’t fully invested.
• Lack of diversity : Because travel baseball is expensive, it has often been criticized for a lack of socioeconomic and racial diversity. 

Travel baseball provides many benefits and can be a valuable opportunity for players who are serious about the game and committed to playing at the highest possible level. However, it’s not without its share of criticism and controversy. 

In an essay titled “ Left Out ,” MLB superstar Andrew McCutchen wrote about how kids like him, who grow up in low-income families, are often excluded from travel baseball and thus systematically disadvantaged when it comes to development and exposure: 

“When you’re a kid from a low-income family who has talent, how do you get recognized? Now, you have to pay thousands of dollars for the chance to be noticed in showcase tournaments in big cities. My parents loved me, but they had to work hard to put food on the table, and there wasn’t much left over. They didn’t have the option of skipping a shift to take me to a tournament over the weekend. […] That’s the challenge for families today. It’s not about the $100 bat. It’s about the $100-a-night motel room and the $30 gas money and the $300 tournament fee. 

[…] If you’re a poor kid with raw ability, it’s not enough.”

McCutchen was lucky: an AAU coach “discovered” him at the age of 13 and covered his travel ball expenses. But most kids from similar situations aren’t so fortunate. 

Why is this important for you, the parent of a child thinking about joining a travel team? 

On one hand, it’s important to be aware of how the systems we participate in affect our society. But on a much more specific level, you should know that your child will be entering a largely homogenous environment.

On top of that, kids from lower-income families can often feel out of place in travel ball — especially if they don’t come to the ballpark with the latest, top-quality gear like their teammates. This social dynamic can have a powerful impact on your child’s experience. 

Additionally, travel baseball means that both your family and your child will be spending less time within your own community.

There’s been a lot written in recent years about how travel baseball may be contributing to the erosion of communities , because it pulls families out of local baseball programs that once served as important civic institutions.

This is evidenced by the sharply declining participation in Little League. In the organization’s Southeast Region (a hotbed for a travel baseball), the number of Little League players has plunged by nearly 50% since 2007 . 

So we’ve come to the biggest question: Is travel ball worth it?

If you want to improve your skills and have the best chance to play in college or the pros, travel baseball is the way to go. But remember: there is a range of cost and time commitment within travel baseball. Your son or daughter doesn’t necessarily have to opt for the most expensive travel team in order to be sufficiently challenged (and later on, to get noticed by college coaches). 

Your goal in evaluating teams should be to find the right balance of: 

• Financial commitment 
• Time commitment
• Intangible sacrifices (school events, community involvement, etc.) 
• Baseball goals

After reading this article, you should have a very solid understanding of what Little League and travel baseball have in common, their differences, and what you should be looking for in a club. 

Remember, this is your child’s choice to. Help them see the pros and cons of each option. And although we stated it earlier, we cannot stress this enough: you cannot dictate your son or daughter’s commitment to the game of baseball. It’s up to them. So, support them in whatever capacity they want to participate. If you do, they’ll never regret or forget the amazing experiences, friends, and lessons learned playing this great game.

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How to Find Travel Baseball Teams

Posted on March 23rd, 2023 to Travel Baseball by Admin

If you’re a baseball player looking to take your skills to the next level, joining a travel baseball team can be a great way to compete at a higher level and develop your skills. But how do you find travel baseball teams in your area? Here are some tips to get started.

Do a Simple Search

The simplest way to find travel baseball teams in your area is to do a quick Google search. Try searching for “travel baseball teams near me” or “travel baseball teams [your city or state].” You may find team websites, social media pages, or directories of local teams.

Check Social Media

Many travel baseball teams and organizations have Instagram pages where they post photos and updates about their teams. Search for hashtags like #travelbaseball, #baseballteams, or #baseballrecruits to find teams in your area. You can also search for specific teams or organizations that you’ve heard of.

Similar:  Using Social Media for College Baseball Recruiting

Ask Friends and Coaches

If you know other players or coaches in your area, ask them if they know of any travel baseball teams. They may be able to recommend teams that are a good fit for your skills and experience level. Coaches in particular may have connections to travel teams or know of teams that are looking for players.

Check Sites Like Perfect Game or PBR

Sites like Perfect Game offer directories of registered travel baseball teams and tournaments in your area. You can search by state, age group, and other criteria to find teams that are a good fit for you. These sites can also provide information on upcoming tryouts and tournaments.

Comparing Perfect Game vs PBR

Attend Baseball Camps, Clinics & Tournaments

Baseball camps and clinics can be a great way to network with other players and coaches in your area. Many travel baseball teams and organizations host these types of events, and attending them can help you get noticed by coaches and scouts . As mentioned above, Perfect Game tournaments are a great way to get exposure.

Finding travel baseball teams in your area may take some research, but it’s worth the effort if you’re serious about developing your skills and competing at a higher level. Use these tips to get started and keep an open mind as you explore your options. Good luck!

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How To Find A Travel Baseball Team

• September 24, 2023

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

Table of Contents

Hitting the Ball Out of the Park: The Basics of Travel Baseball Teams

So, you’ve heard some buzz about travel baseball teams and now you’re wondering what all the fuss is about. Well, hold on to your cap because I’m about to give you the inside scoop!

What’s the big deal about travel baseball, anyway?

Travel baseball is like hitting a grand slam in terms of level-upping your game. It’s not just playing ball at your local park anymore – it’s taking on opponents from different cities and even states! You get to showcase your skills against top-notch players and challenge yourself in ways that’ll make your regular little league games look like child’s play.

How do travel teams differ from regular little league teams?

All right, listen up ’cause this part is important. Travel teams are like supercharged versions of regular little league squads. They’re handpicked with talent scouts lurking around fields like stealthy ninjas (but less sneaky). These teams practice more often than Kim Kardashian takes selfies and they compete in tournaments that will have you saying “whoa!” faster than Usain Bolt can run.

• Different Level: While little leagues are for fun and learning basic skills, travel baseball cranks up the intensity meter by focusing on advanced techniques.
• Multicity Showdowns: Unlike local leagues where every field feels as comfy as home plate, travel teamers venture out far and wide to face off against rival squads from other areas.
• Tournament Time: Brace yourself for action-packed weekends filled with back-to-back games against tough competition. Winning these tournaments earns major bragging rights!

Why should I consider joining a travel baseball team?

If you’re looking to take your love for the game to the next level, then signing up for a travel baseball team is like hitting a walk-off home run. Here’s why:

• Skills on Steroids: Travel teams provide top-notch coaching that’ll help amp up your skills faster than The Flash can dash.
• Built-in Besties: You’ll meet other ball enthusiasts from different schools who share the same passion as you. It’s like gathering all superheroes in one dugout!
• Showcase Time: Playing against talented opponents puts you on scouts’ radars, increasing your chances of getting noticed and maybe even scoring sweet scholarship opportunities.

Now that we’ve covered the 411 (information) on travel baseball, it’s time to lace up those cleats and swing for the fences! Remember, practice makes perfecto!

Ayo, it’s time for some detective work! We gotta find those travel baseball teams like a pro. So grab your magnifying glass and let’s get started!

1. Surf the Web like a Boss

Put your web-surfing skills to use, my friend. Hop on that internet wave and search for local organizations and leagues near you. It’s like diving into a treasure trove of information – just keep clicking until you strike gold!

2. Word of Mouth is Golden

You know what they say, nothing spreads faster than gossip at school or in your neighborhood! Ask around and see if anyone knows about any cool travel baseball teams nearby. Sometimes all you need is one person with the inside scoop.

3. Check with Local Parks and Rec Centers

The parks and rec centers might not seem flashy, but they’re often in-the-know when it comes to sports activities happening in the area. Don’t forget to give them a shout – who knows what hidden gems they might uncover?

4. Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Flyers

If there’s one thing Miami is famous for (besides our awesome beaches), it’s our love for flyers! Keep an eye out for colorful posters or announcements on community bulletin boards advertising travel baseball tryouts or teams looking for players.

So put on your Sherlock Holmes hat (or maybe just a cap) because finding those travel baseball teams ain’t gonna be easy-peasy lemon squeezy – it’ll take some good ol’ fashioned sleuthing skills! Just remember, don’t give up even if things look tougher than trying to catch an iguana during hurricane season. You got this, detective!

Stepping Up to the Plate: Trying Out for a Travel Baseball Team

Ay, so you wanna join a travel baseball team? That’s awesome! Now let me fill you in on how to hit it out of the park during tryouts.

Practice Makes Perfect

You know what they say, practice makes perfect. So grab your glove and bat and start honing those skills! Spend time practicing with friends or family at the local field. Swing that bat like there’s no tomorrow and catch those fly balls like a pro.

Dress Like a Pro

If you wanna impress those coaches, make sure to dress like a real baller. Grab your coolest baseball cap, put on some slick gear, and show up looking fly as ever. Trust me when I say first impressions matter!

Know Your Tryout Deets

Bruh, don’t be caught off guard by not knowing where or when tryouts are happening. Be prepared by having all the dates, times, and locations imprinted in your brain cells. It’s important stuff! Write ’em down on sticky notes if ya have to—I ain’t judging.

So get ready to step up to that plate with confidence! Show ’em what you got and knock it outta the park!

Sliding into Home Base: Joining Your Dream Travel Baseball Team

Ayo, congrats on making it onto a team! You’re about to embark on an epic journey of baseball greatness. But hold up, don’t go sliding headfirst just yet. There are some things you gotta know before stepping up to the plate.

Get in the Game

First things first, you need to learn all about your team’s schedule. When and where do they practice? When are the games? It’s like having an itinerary for your baseball adventures. Make sure you mark those dates down so you can be ready to knock it outta the park!

Bond with Your Crew

You ain’t gonna win no championships if you’re playing solo, my friend. So take some time to get to know your coaches and teammates. They’ll become your ride-or-die crew throughout this season-long rollercoaster ride. Trust me when I say that having each other’s backs will lead y’all straight to victory lane.

Show Some Sportsmanship Swag

Now listen closely because this is important – being a good sport matters more than winning every game (even though winning feels pretty dang awesome). Remember that life lesson from Uncle Ben in Spider-Man? “With great power comes great responsibility.” Well, with great talent comes even greater sportsmanship responsibilities.

• #1: Keep Calm: Don’t let anger or frustration cloud your judgment while playing ball.
• #2: Cheer On: Support not only yourself but also your teammates during both victories and defeats.
• #3: Learn & Grow: Embrace every opportunity as a chance to learn new skills and improve your game.

So, my friend, as you slide into home base with your dream travel baseball team, remember that it’s not just about the wins or losses. It’s about having fun, building friendships on and off the field, and becoming the best version of yourself through this awesome journey.

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When Do Baseball Playoffs Start

Alrighty then, let me explain this game-changing concept called “playoffs.” Imagine your school having a big spelling bee competition where students from different grades compete against each other. Well, think of the regular baseball season as practice rounds leading up to this epic showdown.

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You might be wondering what exactly these playoffs are all about. Well, my friend, they’re like the ultimate showdown where teams battle it out for the big cheese – also known as the championship trophy! It’s when things get serious and every pitch counts.

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What Comes After Alds In Baseball

So, ALDS stands for American League Division Series. It’s like a thrilling showdown that takes place in October when teams go head-to-head and give it their all to secure a spot in the next round (and maybe even win that ultimate prize!). Picture this—it’s intense, action-packed, and full of surprises.

After little league, many young athletes may wonder what to do next—especially if their high school doesn’t offer a decent baseball program. This is where travel teams can help. They enable baseball athletes to build their skills to prepare for college baseball and beyond. 

So, if you’re wondering about travel baseball teams near you, we’ve got you covered. Below is a list of the top travel teams by state.  

Find top travel baseball teams near you by state

Travel baseball faqs.

What is the difference between travel and high school baseball?

The main difference between high school and travel baseball is that travel baseball can happen year-round. Plus, what school you go to doesn’t matter to the travel team. As long as you pass tryouts, you’re in.

Is the skill level higher in travel baseball?

Yes, much higher. Players on travel baseball teams compete against top talent, which enables them to improve their skills.

How do you join a travel baseball team?

You join them through tryouts, like any other team. Most travel team websites will have information about when tryouts are.

How to choose a travel baseball team?

The best thing to do is to meet with coaches to get a sense of their style and see if it’s right and to make sure you can commit to the schedule.

What are the benefits of travel baseball?

Some benefits are that they play year-round, and their baseball skills get sharper. Plus, many pro players have played in travel teams.

How much does it cost to play travel baseball?

Travel baseball costs average around $3,700 annually. This amount includes equipment, training, fees, and travel expenses. However, families can spend more depending on things like additional training fees and costs associated with longer out-of-state tournaments.

How many travel baseball games are played in a season?

Players can play between 50-60 games.

Looking to up your or your child’s baseball skills? Check out baseball camps near you for extra fun and practice. Also, check our baseball page for more information on getting recruited to play college baseball, scholarships and more.  

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Travel Baseball 101: Everything You Need To Know

• By Chris F.
• On July 29, 2022
• Travel Ball

Table of Contents

Most popular organizations

Tournament travel, how is travel baseball organized, additional costs:, what’s a good age to start playing travel ball, other parents, organization websites, what to look for in a team, travel baseball pros and cons, travel baseball vs little league, what is the best travel baseball team, when should i leave a travel baseball team, fundraising ideas for travel baseball.

If you are an engaged baseball parent and have a child with decent skills, you’ve probably grown frustrated with the level of play in the laid-back rec leagues in your towns. I mean, how is your kid going to get better if the other players on the team don’t understand the game and don’t have the desire to improve? This is probably the most significant reason we’ve seen explosive growth in the travel baseball leagues and tournaments. 

The transition from Little League to AAU comes with many questions, but the good news is that these travel leagues will provide a support system and structure to help your child succeed in highly competitive baseball. 

In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about travel baseball and help answer any questions that will help you determine whether or not these types of leagues make sense for your child. 

Travel Organizations

Let’s not beat around the bush. Travel baseball is a business. This market has exploded over the past decade, and the youth sports industry expects to grow more as travel teams become more popular.

This $15b youth sports market in the US rivals that of the $14 billion NFL, so you know we are talking about big business.

However, this business presents kids as young as eight with opportunities to team with other skilled players to play against better competition in their area. Teams will compete with other travel teams within the state and participate in regular tournaments. 

When people hear “travel baseball,” they immediately think the team goes all over the country every weekend to participate in different tournaments. In some cases, that may be true, but when I think of travel baseball, I think of some of the better local players coming from all over and trying out for the team. If you are on more of a showcase team, you will often have players come from all over the country. 

.stk-2b1a187{margin-bottom:0px !important}.stk-2b1a187-container{background-color:#96caf9 !important}.stk-2b1a187-container:before{background-color:#96caf9 !important} There are thousands of travel baseball teams throughout the country, and most play in tournaments or leagues organized by AAU, USSSA, and Perfect Game.

Playing in one of these leagues is almost a requirement if you are a talented ballplayer and are serious about your baseball career. While expensive, these leagues will help players develop their skills and play against some of the area’s best competition.  

If your child is on the younger side and is just getting started with travel baseball, most of the games will be local, with a few longer-distance tournaments mixed in. Once you get to that 16u-18u range, the tournaments become more about exposure and getting recruited by colleges so that you might travel to Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, etc.

You won’t go to all these travel baseball tournaments every year, but the WWBA, for instance, is one of the biggest tournaments in youth baseball and is located in Georgia. Many college coaches attend this tournament, so it’s an excellent opportunity to showcase your skills and gain exposure. 

If you are a player from one of the colder states and are interested in playing down south , these tournaments provide a great platform for you to make some new connections and show some of these coaches what you can do. 

When I think about travel baseball, I don’t think of it as being seasonal. Some teams will have their regular season in the spring, and some even play in the fall.

During the winter, especially in the Northeast, my son’s team had bi-weekly practices in one of the local indoor facilities where they could train. This allowed the team to build chemistry while also keeping them fresh. Travel baseball will allow you to practice all year round if you want to while you play other sports. 

All the travel league games my son has played in have taken place on the weekends. We typically have a doubleheader against the same team to squeeze in more games with a short break in between.

The tournaments usually consist of the top 8 teams in the League and are set up in a pool format. Those tournaments can be held anywhere, but we’ve traditionally hosted them at a local sports complex with multiple fields.

Suppose your tournaments are made up of more than ten non-local teams. In that case, they will usually take place in a central location with the infrastructure to accommodate traveling families for the weekend.  

With pool play, teams are guaranteed a certain amount of games before moving into the single-elimination games. Depending on the size of the tournament, a team may play between 2-8 games during the weekend. 

When signing up for travel ball, part of what you are paying for could include participation in a certain amount of tournaments. I know we were guaranteed at least one tournament, and everything else would be at an additional cost.

Each team will decide which tournaments to participate in and how many they’d like to do. The coach will need to look at age level, skillsets, and how many families can afford the additional cost.  

When the players enter high school, they may start participating in player showcases or tournaments where coaches and scouts come to watch and evaluate players. 

How Much Does Travel Ball Cost?

I’m not going to lie, when I first saw the cost of playing travel AAU baseball, there was definitely sticker shock. Our League tries to keep it affordable for families, so we were apparently on the lower end at $1700.

When you break it down, though, it wasn’t too bad. The kids got home and away uniforms, sweatshirts with their names, two sets of hats, helmets, Easton bags, and a batting warmup jacket.

The team had access to an indoor baseball training facility twice a week starting in the fall through April to practice. The fee also included a spot in a local tournament.

Other travel teams near us were upwards of $4k for the season. When I heard that, I stopped complaining about our price. Many of these travel baseball teams come with exorbitant prices that, unfortunately, eliminate many families and kids who can compete at this level.

.stk-110d1c6{margin-bottom:0px !important}.stk-110d1c6-container{background-color:#96caf9 !important}.stk-110d1c6-container:before{background-color:#96caf9 !important} When it comes down to travel baseball teams, the price can be pretty shocking to most parents, so you must decide how big of a financial impact this will have on your family. The League’s overall cost will differ but typically ranges from $500-$5,000 a year.

That amount is only the fee to play on the team. When you put together a potential budget, there are many additional costs to factor in. 

• Equipment – New bat rules may require you to buy your child a new bat. There are USSSA leagues that require USSSA bats, USA bats , BBCOR bats, and wood bats only. If you are lucky enough to be on a sponsored team, sometimes equipment such as bats, gloves, and other baseball gear is included.
• Travel costs – Even if you aren’t flying to a tournament, you will most likely be driving considerable distances, so be sure to factor in the price of gas. 
• Are the coaches being paid? Most likely not if you are on a younger team, but some older, more competitive travel teams pay their coaches.
• Facilities – We lucked out because practice time was included in our league fees. Teams who may not have access to public fields and practice off-season will have to rent space.

These are all the costs associated with your player and the League. Now, what about the stuff you will need as a baseball parent? Team gear, comfortable camping chairs , coolers, wagons, heaters , and fans.

Over the past twenty years, travel baseball’s popularity has exploded. Initially designed for teenagers, younger age groups have also taken over the sport.

Our first taste of travel ball was when our son was eight years old, playing on our town’s summer travel team. We didn’t have to travel far, but it was a fantastic experience.

It was a little more competitive than rec ball, so it gave us a good idea of where our kids stacked up compared to other towns. While eight sounds young, the kids improved during the month-long season. They knew who to back up, where to take the cut-off throws, and when to tag up on the bases.

It was so nice to see them begin to understand the little intricacies of the game, and they would not have received this type of instruction in town ball. While we had a great experience with our eight-year-old’s summer travel team, it is still pretty young.

I’d say the best time to start competitive travel baseball is around 9-10. It’s sad, but any later, you and your child will fall behind. Many kids have played years of competitive ball by then. 

How Do I Find A Travel Team Near Me?

If you have decided that travel baseball could be a good fit for your son or daughter, it’s time to start looking for a team. If you think your child would benefit from joining a travel baseball team but have no idea where to start, there are many resources to help you find some squads in your area. 

Facebook is a great place to start. In the search box, type in travel baseball near me or travel baseball ga for example. You will see a feed of many local teams advertising for upcoming tryouts or even established teams looking for a player to fill in for a tournament.  

After watching rec ball for a season, you will recognize who the best players are. Talk to their parents and ask them if their child is doing travel ball. If they are, ask them what their experience has been. Talking to other parents can also be helpful because if their child isn’t already in travel ball, they may know someone else who is. Word of mouth is huge. 

Many organizations, like USSSA, provide a list of active teams on their website. You can filter by age, location, and overall skill level to find potential groups that might be a good match for your child.  

A few other helpful resources for finding a travel team are Select Baseball Teams ,  AAU , and Field Level .

• Does the program win?
• What is the team’s location, and how far do they need to travel?
• Do they develop their players? What is their team mission?
• What is their facility like?
• Who are the coaches – read their bios on the website 
• How many games/tournaments do they play each season?
• How often do they practice
• What is the total cost for the season?
• What does the offseason training schedule look like
• Do they encourage multi-sport athletes?
• Do other players enjoy being on the team?
• What’s the reputation of the organization?
• What’s the skill level of the kids?
• How is playing time determined?
• Do they protect the pitcher’s arm by adhering to pitch counts?
• How many kids are on the team

When it costs thousands of dollars, money will always be an issue but try not to make your decision solely based on cost. Pick the program where your child will have fun and where they will develop the most. 

• Competition  – Competition tends to be better. Players take the game more seriously and seem to want to improve. It’s not cheap, so unless the parents have money to throw away, they will only pay the fees if their child is serious about the game.
• Development  – There’s a bigger focus on skill building. You practice much more than Little League, so your child will likely improve. 
• Coaching  – Travel teams will often have multiple talented baseball coaches who are more qualified and have more knowledge of the game and how it should be taught.
• More exposure  for the kids when they play in regional tournaments.
• More games played  
• Travel  – more opportunities to travel as a family and see different parts of the country
• Cost –  The price of playing travel can be high, sometimes up to $5k per year. 
• Time – Playing travel ball takes up a lot of time, so hopefully, you don’t like your weekends free in the summer.  
• Competitive – Travel ball can also be a lot of fun, but it’s way more competitive .  There is more of a focus on winning and advancing in tournaments. 
• Playing time  – The best players will rarely come off the field, so if your child is average, there might be a lack of playing time. 
• Lack of diversity – Aside from the high cost, many argue that the lack of ethnic and socioeconomic diversity is what is wrong with travel baseball.
• Overdoing it . Is all of this playing too much too soon? There’s been an enormous increase in Tommy John procedures over the past decade amongst young pitchers.

The debate about travel baseball vs. Little League has been a popular topic in US youth baseball for some time. The two organizations have different philosophies on the game and how it should be played. 

We all came to love the game of baseball by playing Little League. For that reason, it’s easy to be biased toward the more laid-back rec leagues where the mission is to foster community, volunteerism, sportsmanship, and fair play. With Little League, whether you win or lose, each ballplayer should have fun, make lifelong friends and grow their love for this beautiful game. 

Travel ball is much more competitive, and fans of these types of leagues prefer the more “advanced” brand of baseball that comes along with it. In AAU and other travel ball associations, these leagues provide a level of instruction, coaching, and competition that Little League cannot match. 

If your child has shown true talent on the ballfield, considering “travel” should be an option. Many high school players and beyond have played in some competitive travel leagues.

I don’t want to give off the impression that these leagues have no similarities because they do. In any league, the kids should learn about teamwork, sportsmanship, respect for their opponent, work ethic, and dealing with and bouncing back from failure. These are excellent life lessons that extend well beyond the baseball field. 

The differences are around the competition level and the time commitment. Little League doesn’t always offer the type of coaching that will take your game to the next level. That is why many families are supplementing with travel ball.  

So, if your child is serious about playing at a high level, you should transition to travel ball at around 11-12 years old, if not earlier. 

Take a look at travel baseball rankings to see who the best performing teams were this year. This site is an excellent resource because it lets you filter by age and either state or national rankings. It even allows you to see historical data to see who consistently ranks at the top.  

Some of the top 16u national teams for this past year are listed below. You will see that most originate from the baseball hotbed states of Texas, Florida, California, and Georgia.

16u Rankings

• USA Prime National(TX)
• Top Tier Roos National(FL)
• Exposure Under Church(TN)
• TBT National(FL)
• Power Baseball Marucci(FL)
• East Cobb Astros(GA)
• Knights Nation Baseball (LA)
• Alpha Prime National(CA)
• MCBC Hit Dogs(MI)
• 5 Star National Black(GA)
• Burn Scout Team(FL)
• Top Tier Roos American(FL)
• Canes National(VA)
• CBU United(FL)

Let’s face it; every child will not have a fantastic experience with their travel team. There are so many different factors that go into whether or not a kid has a positive experience. 

• Are they getting enough playing time?
• Are they developing their skills?
• Is the team winning?
• Do they get along with the other kids on the team?
• Is it getting too expensive for the family?
• Are they mad about the time commitment, missing birthday parties, sleepovers, etc.? 
• Are the coaches compassionate and caring about you as a person, or are they only worried about winning a cheap plastic trophy?

It won’t be the same experience for everyone, so chances are, you and your child will know when it’s the right time to leave. It may be one of the reasons listed above or something completely different. Still, the bottom line is that if your child is not enjoying the experience and is not improving, why continue wasting money? 

• Super Bowl squares
• Yeti Cooler raffle – 1 ticket for $10 or 3 for $20
• Lottery ticket basket raffle
• Stand in front of Dunkin Donuts or the grocery store with signs and helmets to collect the money. Have a sign that says we take Venmo!! Do it in 3 hours shifts and watch the money roll in. 
• Golf tournament – although more complex to plan
• Solicit donations from local businesses
• Hit-A-Thon – They hit 15 (or whatever # of balls you choose). Each ball has a number on it. You sell each number for $10-20. The ball he hits the farthest wins a GC. The rest of the money you keep! Stream it live on Facebook for everyone to watch. Use the 99 Pledges site to set it up. I read about one League that raised $44k in one season. 
• Purse bingo
• Meat raffles
• Wreaths at Christmas
• Popcornmania
• Pampered chef

Final Thoughts

Baseball should still be fun. As good as it might feel, do not try to relive the glory days if you even had them in the first place.

Many parents see baseball or any other sport their kid is playing as the only realistic path to college, and these youth games are treated as training grounds for an athletic scholarship. No wonder why you have adults screaming at umps and other kids. Unfortunately for some folks, every game feels like life or death. 

So, is travel baseball worth it? It can be a rewarding experience for your player and the entire family. You must select the right travel team to ensure you have that fulfilling experience.

Depending on when you start, you will be with this coach and these players and their families for the next few years. Committing to a travel team will turn your life into absolute chaos, but you will learn to love it. If you are lucky enough, you will join a team where you click with the other parents, and your kid becomes lifelong friends with his teammates.

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The Ultimate Parent’s Guide to Travel Baseball | Everything You Need to Know

March 14, 2023

49 min read

If you’ve got yourself a youth baseball player, you’ll probably start hearing all about travel ball soon – if you haven’t already. 

Travel baseball can be rewarding and exciting for both you and your ballplayer. 

It’s a chance for your child to substantially develop their baseball skills and passion while having a ton of fun. 

And a chance for you to foster that positive growth and love for the game while joining a new social tribe yourself – that of the travel ball parent, with its fulfilling experiences, camaraderie, and norms, just like any good tribe. 

But, travel ball can also be a huge commitment. It often involves a significant financial and time investment from you and your budding athlete. 

So before deciding to play travel ball, you should carefully consider what your child will get out of it and how it might affect your entire family. 

Several factors should go into this choice of whether or not to play club ball. 

And in this ultimate parent’s guide to travel baseball, you’ll learn how travel ball works, the pros and cons of travel ball vs. recreational baseball, what to look for in a new travel team, and even how to start your own travel team.

Let’s hook-slide in together.

# The Difference Between Travel and Recreational Baseball

# recreational baseball.

Recreational baseball often refers to Little League. Although, there are other organizations around the country, like PONY or Cal Ripken Baseball, that host recreational baseball leagues for their localities. 

Local is a keyword here. That’s usually the main difference between rec and travel ball – recreational ball doesn’t require travel. 

Recreational leagues focus on players learning the basics of the game, especially at the youngest levels. Seasons run from late spring to early summer. And you can expect around two games per week.

# Travel Baseball

Travel ball, on the other hand, refers to teams that travel to other cities or states to play baseball. 

Club teams might be a single team or an entire organization with several teams spanning different age levels. 

Another major difference is that travel ball is often played year-round. Not having extended off-seasons ups the commitment levels for all involved significantly. 

A few of the biggest organizations in the travel ball world are the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), Triple Crown Sports, and Perfect Game. 

These organizations will host most of the tournaments that travel teams compete in.

Traditionally, travel ball has been a higher level of competition than Little League, meant to train elite players who had their eyes set on collegiate opportunities. 

However, as travel ball becomes more ubiquitous, the level of competition can now run the gamut a bit more between extremely high to moderate-low.   

Travel baseball, as you’ll see, is also much more expensive in terms of both cost and time commitment than its recreational variety. 

# The Pros and Cons of Rec Ball Versus Travel Baseball

Both recreational and travel baseball have their merits and drawbacks. You and your child should consider the pros and cons of both before deciding which type of team to play on. 

# Little League Pros

• Local – If you don’t fancy traveling around two weekends out of every month, then recreation leagues might be better for your family. Part of this locality is time. The amount of time you and your ballplayer will spend at team practices, games, and individual workouts is significantly less in recreation baseball. 
• Learn a lot – Little League, PONY, or Cal Ripken Baseball teams’ emphasis on learning and having fun lets your kid discover and grow to love the game in a low-pressure environment.  Some children benefit more from this, especially in the beginning, while others thrive only with higher levels of competition.
• Less expensive – The average fee in the U.S. for a season of Little League is $150, but it could vary as low as $30 and as high as $250 in some areas.  Travel ball can easily cost three to four times that. But we’ll get into the details and rough estimates of this cost in just a bit.

# Little League Cons

• Dependent on your area – Having a local baseball league often depends on the interest in your area. No interest could mean no teams. The level of competition also depends on who’s playing and how much talent your area happens to have.
• Not a conduit for playing at the next level – Although it used to be the case, Little League is no longer a safe route to playing high school and college baseball.  Today, kids who want to reach these levels and find success once there, must, in most cases, find a travel team to play on at some point in their journey.  Of course, there are exceptions to this for ballplayers who naturally have top-tier talent. And obvious caveats must also be made to make room for how competitive or noncompetitive a particular high school might be.  But these unique instances aside, the reality for many parents and coaches on the ground is that playing rec ball only these days makes it less likely for a young man to be an impact player in high school or college. 
• Coaches – With recreational baseball, the coach is usually one of the players’ parents. And this person may know little to nothing about baseball, or about managing a youth team. They are exclusively volunteers after all. Sometimes you can get very lucky with elite-experienced parent volunteers and other times not so lucky – it's kinda a crapshoot.  

# Travel Ball Pros

• Better competition and coaches – Travel ball usually affords more competitiveness and more experienced coaches. Travel ball coaches might even be former college and high school coaches who’ve started a travel club. And larger organizations often pay monthly or seasonal paychecks to these professional coaches – many of which will not have a child on the team.
• More games – Instead of the 8 games per month during a short, designated rec season, your child can expect to play much more with travel ball.  It’s year-round, and the most games occur during weekend tournaments in the summer. Though some yearly tournaments are weeklong affairs.  At each tournament, teams play between three and ten games – depending on how well your team does in bracket play. By playing more games, your kid gets more exposure to baseball and is afforded more reps to cultivate their developing skills.
• Nicer facilities, opportunity to travel – Travel ball tournaments are usually held at nice facilities with plenty of room for parents to watch and for teams to hang out when they’re not playing.  Club ball also gives your kid a chance to venture outside their native city or state, which can be a valuable learning experience for them.

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# Travel Ball Cons

Costly – A season of travel ball can run anywhere from $800-$28,000 per year, depending on tons of different variables.

The numbers above may be less common on both the low and high side – but both are certainly possible. 

The second number ($28,000) that’s causing your blood pressure to rise higher than Boston’s Green Monster is meant to reflect a total expenses possibility with everything maxed out. 

You may not find a number that high when you Google travel ball expenses, but the writers of those articles are likely not including every single cost into their calculations. 

Here are some things to truly consider:

You will be expected to pay base starting fees and possibly tournament entry fees for your team or organization. 

And, sometimes, you’ll also be on the hook for monthly team dues along with an annual organizational fee. 

Also, you’ll  purchase all of your ballplayer’s personal baseball equipment and uniforms if your team’s not sponsored. 

And in travel ball, the pressure to get your ballplayer the top of the line equipment in all categories is much stronger than in rec ball. 

Next, many sports complexes that host tournaments charge daily gate fees on top of not allowing outside food or drinks. 

And you and your family need to eat and stay hydrated during these all day tourneys, which leaves the complex’s overpriced snack shack or restaurant as the only option at times. 

Don’t forget the hotels, food, and transportation costs for any and all out-of-town games, too. 

Further expenses include the gas and increased vehicle maintenance that you will surely incur driving to so many practices and games within your county or state. 

Another common expense that sneaks up on parents are weekly private or group lessons that are often expected by competitive programs. 

Besides hitting, pitching, catching, or fielding sessions, many parents also opt for sport performance training and athletic optimization services – i.e. strength and conditioning classes, a physical therapist, a chiropractor, etc. 

Another cost is found by participating in team bonding and fundraising activities, where you might be expected to bring snacks and drinks or buy tickets – such small things add up during the course of the year-long travel season. 

Finally, if your ballplayer is recruiting age, this higher number above includes college camps and showcases throughout the year.

It also includes getting his professional skills video produced, so you have something great to send over to college coaches.

Do not be too alarmed. Many of these expenses are totally avoidable and up to your family's budget. 

But, you should also know there tend to be unspoken expectations and incentives for some of these activities that you might feel are avoidable once you’re actually inside of competitive travel programs.

• Time – Travel ball is a significant time commitment. The two weekends per month out of town for tournaments is only a small part of it. Your child might also have practice or scrimmages against other travel ball teams during the week. And, as mentioned, your ballplayer may still be expected to get professional skill and sports training lessons each week.
• Tough – The level of competition is, again, higher in travel ball. The players are better, and many teams take a “the best players play” rather than an “everybody plays” approach. Club baseball can be intense and challenging. If your ballplayer’s skills aren’t at the right level yet, then they’ll see less playing time and could get discouraged. 

# Should You Switch from Rec Ball to Travel Baseball?

Parents often have mixed opinions when it comes to travel ball. In particular, there’s disagreement over what age to switch. 

Some say you shouldn’t put your child in club ball until he is 13 years old, since many kids drop out of sports altogether by this age. 

The rationale behind this recommendation goes something like: 

Most parents can avoid paying a bunch of fees for travel ball between the ages of 7-12, when your child is statistically likely to give up the sport soon anyway. And if they’re still serious about baseball at 13 years old, then it’s worth the investment.

While some parents echo this sentiment, others strongly advise starting your kid in travel ball much sooner – if they show a real interest. 

As one parent  put it online when asked about starting at the 8U level, “As long as they don’t get burned out I say let em’ play.” 

Another parent disagreed, however, saying that they saw “absolutely no value in travel ball with children that are so young.” 

Most parents polled agree that their decision to switch depended on their circumstances. 

Some said that “it is difficult to make a blanket statement” about when to switch or that decisions “are going to vary based on regions.” 

Again, the latter statement points to the raw fact that certain geographic regions of the country are much more competitive in baseball than others.

Living in a highly competitive region raises the threshold necessary for things like making a high school team to the point that playing travel to gather enough skill is an almost prerequisite.  

Often, the decision to join a travel team does come down to the organizations in your area. You’ll want to find out how many travel organizations there are in your locale and what their quality is. 

If there are no clubs in your town or city and none nearby, you’ll be looking at a bigger time commitment and more expenses to put your kid on a club team – which will include much more driving and the potential for more hotel rentals. 

But when to switch from rec ball to travel is not the most important question facing parents and ballplayers who are still on the fence about switching in the first place. 

So let’s get to the heart of the matter.

# Will Your Child Enjoy Playing Travel Ball?

The most important factor to consider when making the switch to travel ball is your child’s interest in baseball. 

Is your kid a competitor looking to sharpen his or her skills and continue playing as he or she gets older? 

Or does your child like baseball for the fun of it, and enjoy being on the field with his teammates?

Travel baseball is a huge time commitment – but not just for you. Your child has to be willing to put a lot of personal time and energy into it as well.

# Is Your Child Willing to Give Things Up for Club Ball?

Playing travel ball means your kid will miss out on many social events with friends and family.

Birthday parties, holiday celebrations, sleepovers, school events, family reunions, can be all sacrificed to time playing baseball. 

This is not say that there aren't plenty of travel ball players excelling in the classroom, because of course there are.

It's just that they need to be more focused and organized than other kids to get those same high marks, and parents should be aware of these realities. 

Not only are time and special occasions sacrificed, but the money you spend on baseball – fees for the team, equipment, private lessons, etc. – is money you cannot now spend on other things your child might want. 

Depending on your family’s finances, new clothes, video games, gadgets, and other material items for your son could come at the cost of playing baseball.

Whether you switch from recreational to travel baseball is ultimately down to you and your child. There are many factors to consider, some of which, like where you happen to live, are outside of your control. 

The best thing you can do is educate yourself and your child as much as possible about the pros and cons of travel ball, and then make an informed decision together. 

And this guide is a great start. But it should be supplemented by talking to local parents in your area and possibly finding Facebook Groups or other communities to learn from parents who have been there and done that when it comes to making the travel ball switch. 

If you do decide travel ball is the way to go for your family, then your next task is to find the best team for your ballplayer’s development. 

# How to Get Started on a Travel Baseball Team

# what to look for in a travel team.

If you and your child do decide to join a club baseball team, then you have five main things to look for when choosing a team.

# 1. Coaching

Here are few questions about any travel ball coach that you, as parents, will want answered right off the bat before joining their team:

• Who is the coach, and what is this person’s experience? 
• Is the coach someone who knows what they’re doing in terms of baseball skills and leadership?
• Even if they know the game, are they new to the travel ball scene?

Note: this last question can become more important once your ballplayer gets into the college recruitable ages. 

If it’s your ballplayer's goal to play in college, you will want to join an established program that plays in the right tournaments to get noticed, and a coach that has built a trusted relationship with college coaches and recruiters over the years. 

But, if the current goal is just to improve your son’s skill set, then the coach’s knowledge and ability to articulate it might be more important to you than he or she being a travel ball insider.  

Some additional, related questions to ask both the travel coach directly and to ask parents whose child is already playing under he or she are:

• What kind of coaching style is most commonly used? 
• Does the coach emphasize skill development or college recruitment? 
• Is the coach more like an instructor, or is the team playing to win nearly all of the time? 
• Would the coach yell at a player for making a mistake on the field or pull them aside afterward to discuss the error privately?

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As we’ve explored, cost is a big factor for travel ball because it’s not cheap. Make sure you get all the anticipated, known costs for the season upfront from the coach or their team administrator.

If the coach can’t give you exact figures of what things cost on their end – monthly team dues, organization fees, uniform costs, and any additional tournaments costs – before you sign on, be wary. 

The coach may not be organized or experienced enough to help your ballplayer and you might end up paying more than you expected to. 

Some club teams have sponsors who provide equipment and uniforms, but others will ask parents to pay for these in addition to registration fees. 

You might also have to hand over a fee to help fund the coach’s stipend if they are paid for their expertise. 

For some elite organizations, coaching is a full-time job, plus the coach has to travel with the team too.

# 3. Location

Here’s some questions on this front that you’d want answered:

• Do you live near a big urban center where the team plays most of its tournaments, eliminating long travel times? 
• Or does the team regularly travel out of state for their games? 
• It’s a travel baseball team, but exactly how much travel is involved on this particular team?

Think carefully about how much you and your kid are willing to travel and factor those expenses into the cost.

# 4. Structure

Structure-related questions might include:

• How does the team operate? 
• Will your child get to see significant playing time? 
• Will the team have regular practices and training sessions to attend as well?

Another important question about structure is if your kid will get to pick their position. 

Meaning, will the coach let kids play where they want, or try to rotate everyone around to different positions during practices or practice games? 

Of course, this last line of questioning applies almost exclusively to the youngest levels of play. From about 14U up, there is more positional specialization and team roles are established and sustained more based on the talent and performance of the individual ballplayers. 

# 5. Values

Value question to get clarity on:

• What is the mission of this travel team? 
• Are they helping players get noticed by college recruiters? 
• Do they just try to offer more playing time and a fun environment? 

Make sure their objectives line up with yours. Ask yourself as well how your child will develop as a baseball player by joining this particular travel team.

# 6. Team Chemistry

Before joining a club team you should try to gauge the team’s chemistry. 

Once you commit, your child will be spending a lot of time with these teammates, so if they don’t get along or your kid doesn’t feel like he or she fits in, it could be a problem.

Similarly, look at how the parents interact with the players and each other. Are the other parents promoting a supportive environment for everyone by being encouraging?

Or are they the types to yell at umpires, coach from the stands, or take the game to unhealthy levels? 

Not only will your kids be spending a lot of time with their teammates, but you’ll also spend time with the other parents. 

So choosing a travel team is in a way choosing friends and peers for both you and your child. 

Team chemistry should also extend to how players and coaches relate to each other. Do the coaches work hard to bolster the kids’ confidence, or are they constantly tearing them down for the sake of winning?

# Where To Look for Travel Baseball Teams

Reading up on how travel baseball works in helpful guides – like this one – is again a great start. 

Don’t be afraid to ask around in your area about club baseball, either. Word-of-mouth is often one of the best ways to understand travel ball, especially how it operates in your specific city or town. 

You can also look up registered teams in your area on the USSSA website or FieldLevel.com . 

Again, Facebook Groups are also a great way to find local travel teams, since many teams might not have their own website. 

These groups are filled with parents like yourself and coaches who relish in helping with your travel ball journey. 

But maybe you have lots of playing or coaching experience and want to spearhead your own travel ball team. We’ve got you covered on exactly how to do it below. 

# How to Start Your Own Travel Baseball Team

Choosing to join an existing club team is one thing; starting your own is another entirely. 

Maybe you have some playing or coaching experience and you’d like to put together a team for your son or daughter. Maybe there aren’t any club teams in your area, so you’ll be starting the first. 

Whatever your reasons, starting a travel baseball team is a rewarding endeavor, albeit a daunting one. You are basically starting an entirely non-profit business. 

And you’ll see below that you must do many of the same steps that new entrepreneurs must do when beginning an enterprise, so make sure you have the time and skills for this undertaking before you even start.  

The steps to creating a travel ball team can be broken down into four main phases. 

We’ll look at each of these in detail. 

# Travel Ball Team Building Phase 1 - Finding Volunteers

Before doing anything else, you should recruit some other parents or outside volunteers to lend you a hand. 

Whether you’re planning to coach the team or to have someone else do it, committing to running all aspects of a team as a single individual for an entire season isn’t feasible. 

To make a strong team, the internal team of coaches, team managers, or recruiters needs to be strong first. 

Call on parents you know and trust, former coaches, former teammates from your playing days, or current older players to help you out. 

As you’ll see in future steps below, it’s highly recommended these days to have at least one person on your team who knows marketing, graphic design, or website creation. You’ll save a lot of time and money this way.

And instead of having 2-3 full-time volunteers, it can be helpful to eventually amass a network of people who are willing to pitch in semi-frequently. 

That way, you’ll have coverage if one of your coaches or volunteers can’t make it.

# Travel Ball Team Building Phase 2 - Planning Your Budget

After you have a group of people to help out, you should focus on the financial planning for the team. 

Make a list of the expenses that you’ll have to cover, along with sources of funding. 

Next, you should approach local sponsors about paying for some of the things you need, like uniforms and equipment. 

Now’s the time to think about fundraisers as well. Any the money you raise helps lower your player fees. 

Fundraisers are an important aspect of many teams, especially those without established sponsors. 

Raffles, silent auctions, casino nights, bingo nights, trivia nights, and paid dinners can all make great fundraising events. 

Look around at your volunteers and support staff. Do they have any skills, jobs, or relationships that can help raise funds to send your boys to the best tournaments? 

Company tickets to sporting events, like box seats or concerts, make great raffle or silent auction items. And if someone owns a restaurant, a paid dinner fundraiser is a no-brainer. 

Take this budget phase seriously, and it’ll save you a lot of headaches down the road. 

# Travel Ball Team Building Phase 3 - Getting Your Players

Once you have some people to help and a balanced budget, you need to find some players. 

It’s possible you already have a group of interested players and that’s why you’re starting the team in the first place. 

But your initial seed group may not be big enough to field an entire team. So you’ll likely need more. 

There are two slightly different journeys at this point in the process. One for people wanting to start a travel team by joining an already established organization and another for those starting a new team completely from scratch.

Of course, joining something that already exists is a bit easier, because they'll hopefully have team processes and even recruiting relationships in place that'll allow you to hit the ground running. 

If you are joining an already established travel ball organization, then you'll want to leverage their name, social media accounts, website, and email list to help you recruit your new squad of ballplayers. 

Even if this is the case, you will likely still want to create your own social media accounts that use the established organization's name alongside either the age group or grad years of your team and your last name as the username.

Here's a template for what we mean when applied to an Instagram account name:

{Established Organization Name} {The Age Group: 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 16, 18U or Graduation Years} {Your Last Name}

Example: LA Pioneers 12U d'Aranud

But, if you're starting a new team or organization from scratch, there will be some additional steps. To make people aware of your team, you'll want to do the following:

• Pick a name
• Create a logo
• Set up all of your social media profiles
• If possible, create a simple website. 

A website can be a major differentiator between your travel team and others, as most teams still only have social media presences and no official site in the current year.

For social media, you need Facebook and Instagram profiles at minimum, because these are the first places interested potential parents in the current year will check you out. 

If your logo design and website developer skills are not where you’d like, we recommend outsourcing these things to freelancers on Fiverr, UpWork, or 99 Designs. 

You can find incredibly talented people who are reasonably priced and can do whatever you require quickly. 

But always first look into your new network of trusted team helpers and see what skills they possess before outsourcing anything. 

Once these fundamental online presences are established, you will want to make some social posts that give parents looking into your program feelings of trust. 

Post about your playing or coaching experience and about everyone on the awesome team of helpers that you’ve assembled. Seek to post images or videos that convey your values as a new team. 

Tell everyone you know about these new profiles, so you can build a bit of social proof for your team and encourage all of your helpers to do the same. This step alone can get you your first one hundred to a thousand followers. 

Once people in your community know your team exists, you can hold tryouts for skilled players. 

Seek out travel baseball message boards and Facebook groups, and post all the details of your tryouts – making sure to include a link to your shiny new website or social media profiles. 

There are even Instagram profiles dedicated exclusively to posting the details of travel ball tryouts, so take advantage of these as well.

However, if you’re still not getting enough interest through these free methods, you might consider setting up paid Facebook or Instagram ads. Just make sure that the video or graphics you use for your ads are top-notch. 

Again, if you’ve never created such assets or set up Facebook ads before – and they can be overwhelming to the uninitiated – lean on outside professional help in the beginning. Experts in paid media creation and management can be found all over the web.

Next, you run your awesome baseball tryouts. These we’ll leave to you, coach. 

When putting together your roster though, hedge toward a  bigger team rather than a small one . 

Summer is an active time for kids – they have family vacations and other sports or activities to do in addition to baseball. You may not have your full roster attending every tournament at the start. 

So having a team with at least 14 or more players covers you for when other commitments come up. 

# Travel Ball Team Building Phase 4 - Registering Your Team

Once you have your team put together, you’ll need to register your players with at least one of the major travel ball associations in the country. 

Again, these are USSSA, AAU, Triple Crown, Nations, Perfect Game, but there are others. 

These associations host the travel ball tournaments that you’ll be competing in. Make sure you follow the regulations and register your team properly. Each organization has their own unique guidelines for registering.

Once this phase is complete, you still have all the practices, travel logistics, and dues collections to worry about – but you will have laid an amazing foundation for your new travel team. 

Now you can enjoy the honor of helping the next generation of ballplayers find success in the game you love. 

# Wrapping Up Our Ultimate Parent’s Guide to Travel Ball

As you’ve undoubtedly realized – because we repeated it more than once – travel baseball is a big commitment. 

Switching from recreational baseball to travel ball shouldn’t be done lightly. 

It should also be a joint decision between you, your ballplayer, and the rest of your family. If you or your kid is interested in club baseball, then make sure you both understand the impact it’ll have on your lives. 

Once you know what you’re getting into, you can make the best decision together.

About the Authors

Courtney Withrow

Professional Writer

Originally from the U.S., Courtney is a Brussels-based freelance writer with a Master’s degree in International Relations. She grew up playing softball and still loves the game.

Chase d'Arnaud

Chief Talent Acquisition Officer & Baseball Business Ops

Chase d'Arnaud is a 7-year veteran of Major League Baseball. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants.

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How to Start a Travel Baseball Team

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In today’s youth baseball universe, parents most likely will not go more than a couple of seasons before hearing the term travel ball, or club ball . This advanced level of competition takes young players away from their traditional locally based youth baseball leagues, and gets them out on the road.

While most parents would be happy to connect their player with an established team or manager, those who know how to coach might wonder how to start a travel baseball team themselves. Anyone can start one, really; the big question is who can maintain one.

Before we get into the details of managing such an endeavor, let’s investigate exactly what is a travel baseball team , and what the job entails. Then we’ll conclude with our best knowledge of a step-by-step process to start one up, and maybe maintain it.

What is a Travel Baseball Team?

A “travel” baseball team is just as the name implies: a team that does not stay in a single place. As in, a team that is not limited to the fields of an organized youth baseball league, like those affiliated with Little League or PONY Baseball .

Travel baseball teams can transport to other cities, elsewhere in the state, or even out of state to play games. They are not limited by a schedule over a set period of time, nor in who they play against.

The main difference between organized league youth baseball play and that of travel baseball teams is simple: the prioritization of winning. Travel ball teams are built to win or at least compete well against the best teams possible; the goal of Little League is for kids to have fun and learn the game along with other lessons for life.

Travel baseball players and teams are far more competitive than recreational league teams.

(Note: Parents new to youth baseball should know that travel baseball can go by other names, like club ball, select baseball, premier, elite, etc. ~ though the latter terms are more associated with youth soccer.)

Travel baseball teams are private entities onto their own, each a youth sports organization with intent to seek and secure play against other similarly composed teams.

Travel teams are like all-star teams for regular youth baseball leagues, only on a more permanent basis. Travel team players are not elected by other players or coaches in the league; travel team players are recruited , to participate in competition outside of the league .

Some travel teams are created just for the off-season, like for winter ball, or what some call “fall ball.” But mostly, when people mention travel ball, they refer to teams organized and managed to play in high-level tournaments in their region, elsewhere in the state, or even out of state.

Some of these tournaments might be affiliated with national youth baseball organizations, like the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) , but not all of them.

Many are just privately arranged competitions organized by coaches and parents to help improve the skills of top-level players, and also to perhaps attract the attention of scouts for college baseball programs.

Our Insight into How to Start a Travel Baseball Team

Anyone can start a travel baseball team. Just make a list of players you’d like on your team, and start calling parents to gauge their interest.

However, it is wise to know beforehand what it all entails, such as where the team may practice and play (most recreational youth baseball leagues forbid travel teams from using their facilities; a reason is, travel ball is accused of “stealing” the best players from the rec leagues).

Not all parents will be keen on the idea. Some will be content to let their player continue working up through the youth league, hopeful that the regular and all star seasons might be enough to get their child noticed.

Many parents of players who clearly outshine their colleagues on the field want more for their player. Those parents will pick up the phone and start asking questions.

So let’s assume you just decided to create your own travel baseball team. We suggest first writing out a list of what you will need, such as:

• Team name and age level to be played (some young travel teams “play up,” or against teams of older kids)
• Team logo and colors
• Practice fields and facilities (including private batting cages)
• Costs of tournaments, travel, uniforms
• Who will help as coaches
• Team mom (could be the very most important position to fill)

With that ready, make a list of the players you want to recruit. They can come from any source: a team you already managed in rec ball, players you played against and admired, kids totally new to the game, or even players from other leagues.

Travel teams will need at least 12, if not 14 or 15 players as more players reduces the overall cost of traveling, plus most tournaments are on weekends and players can’t make every game for a variety of reasons. (A caveat of carrying too many paying players is managing gripes for players who sit on the bench too often).

You will have to write out all the positions you need filled, to make sure you don’t end up with 6 first basemen and no catchers. Start with a couple of good pitchers, then a catcher, and fill in the field from there.

Be prepared to answer a lot of questions from parents, and to have a good idea on the initial cost. For instance, a team manager might assign $800 or $1,000 per player to be on the team, to cover a lot of the expenses noted above (namely uniforms and tourney registration fees).

Once enough players have signed up, a vital moment for a new travel baseball coach is the first team meeting (more on this below) . This is where players and parents get to meet each other, and, perhaps most importantly, the manager gets to explain why the team was formed, and expectations.

With the roster formed, managers will need to get their team practicing and playing. It is very recommended that new travel baseball team managers get to know a couple or more existing travel ball team managers, to tap their mind for ideas and to ask questions.

Those other managers, even if arch rivals, can help much in choosing which tournaments to sign up for. Some tournaments will carry strong name recognition, while others might have a solid word-of-mouth following from coaches. Still others might have a reputation for attracting college scouts.

These are very important things to know for a travel baseball team manager.

Another big difference between travel baseball and recreational league baseball is schedule. Rec League plays games in a predetermined amount of time, between the same group of teams, usually 4 or 6 of them.

Not so with travel ball teams, which might see the same teams more than once but most often will run up against teams they’ve never seen before, or even heard of! You might sign up for a tournament in the town next door, and get a first game against a team from another state. It happens.

With the roster and schedule set, it’s time to get to practices and tuning up the team for its travel play. Aside from securing practice fields and hosting practices, a good travel ball manager will build a network of other managers to arrange practice/scrimmage games against.

It is very important to play a few scrimmages before going into tournament play, to learn your team’s weak points and areas in need of improvement.

More on a Manager’s First Meeting for a Travel Baseball Team

Tom McLain, a veteran Southern California manager of both recreation and travel baseball teams dating back to 2005, as well as an umpire at various levels, offers the following guidance for that all-important first meeting:

“After selecting the right parents, we brought the boys together to formally meet. I asked them to introduce themselves as I did through all my coaching years in baseball, softball and football. My opening is to loosen them up, get friendly with each other, and to get to know a few tidbits about each of them.”

McLain went on to emphasize the importance of communication with parents and players, including key rules which should be introduced from the start. He provided some things to consider:

• 12 players, 24 parents, many grandparents, some stepparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins to deal with, must be managed out the gate
• Player name, which school attending, little tidbit like favorite food or favorite show
• Each season we added more drills to keep it fresh and also not to overwhelm
• Each practice on field or in cage 2 hours maximum

Note that, as with recreational ball, managing the parents can be as important as managing the kids ~ if not more so.

“I learned that out-of-control parents turn a team topsy-turvy,” McLain said. To maintain season to season, he has created a document to provide to parents from the beginning, which has been modified over the years to include:

• Being late to practice/game, importance and consequences
• No eating in the dugout
• No coaching from the bleachers; only encouragement.
• Parents not allowed in dugout during play and practices

Rigors of Managing Travel Baseball Teams

Running a travel baseball team can be much like managing a recreational league baseball team. You deal with kids of close but not exact ages, a great variety of parents, field challenges, and more.

Tack onto all that the responsibilities of finding games and tournaments; maintaining the roster, since players quit on travel teams more often than rec ball teams; and managing costs. Financial management is important for managers of travel baseball teams.

Plus, remember that travel baseball is about winning. If a player is hurting the team’s success, good travel ball managers will have backup players in line to take over. One of the hardest things to do in running a travel team is telling a parent that their kid is being replaced.

But welcome to the world of travel ball, where winning is of the utmost importance!

Note that all the travel can be energy-consuming, as well as costly, considering the high cost of gas nowadays. Plus there’s all the gear, namely catcher’s gear and items carried around for pre-game like hitting nets and extra balls. Most longtime travel ball coaches have a car chosen specifically for baseball, like a truck with a roomy cab for storage or lugging passengers to games.

Pros and Cons of Running Travel Baseball Teams

• Help boost your players’ skill by introducing him or her to more advanced competition
• Get to help and watch players advance in their fledgling baseball careers
• Introduction to high-level youth baseball leaders, and maybe even college managers or recruiters
• Involvement with kids who will go on to succeed at the highest levels
• Time-consuming
• Parents can be demanding since they are paying a lot more for their kids to play compared with rec ball; and losing too often surely will generate complaints
• The unknown: Quality of the tournaments going in; umpiring; unforeseen costs; accidents; emergencies (e.g. a car not starting in the morning so a key player might be late)
• Sometimes thankless job

All things considered, McLain found managing travel baseball teams greatly rewarding, especially afterward watching players grow into college players and graduates, and even minor-league baseball players.

“When I see these kids I am treated with respect and love,” McLain said. “I’m happy to have had a meaning in their lives.”

A Note on the Cost of Travel Baseball Teams

Estimates for how much it costs parents to have a player involved with a travel team can vary, from as little as $200 a month, to up to $11,000 annually for the very serious players at advanced levels. That’s right: the cost of playing travel baseball could exceed $1,000 a month.

Quick Checklist to Start a Travel Baseball Team

For PDF Version can be downloaded: Here

____ Make a list of players’ desired

____ Contact parents

____ Finalize roster

____ Create a contact list to share with all; perhaps include names and addresses of practice locations

____ Set first team meeting

___ Find devoted Team Mom (or Team Moms)! Get help with multiple duties by breaking up tasks; and let them handle as much of the off-the-field needs as possible.

____ Work with players to choose a uniform style, logo, and team colors

____ Get parental buy-in on all this, from uniforms to tournament fees, and up-front costs

____ Collect parent payments on time

____ Sign up for tournaments

____ Manage player injuries, parent gripes

____ Constantly network with other managers, and officials for tournaments and colleges

____ Continually host tryouts, perhaps away from team practices, and be prepared to replace players who move away or lose interest

____ Add fun : Try to schedule team barbecues, swim parties, sleep-overs, and things for dads like golf or poker games. Consider big events, like a team visit to a major amusement park, as an incentive for winning a key tournament

See Also: Why Are Sports Important for Youth? (5 Reasons) 8 Fun Baseball Drills for 8 Year Olds BBCOR vs. USSSA: Here Are Differences How to Juice a Baseball? Read This First! How to Start a Travel Baseball Team

How to Start a Travel Baseball Team: Easy & Complete Guide

March 11, 2023

James Arnold

With so many experienced baseball players and club baseball teams , making your child’s career in baseball a reality is a challenging task.

Do you want to make sure that your child or your baseball team stands out from the rest and does great things?

If that is the case, you can start by opting for travel baseball. 

A travel baseball team is similar to any other baseball club, except that it aims to outperform other teams and players in the sport and works hard to reach that goal.

But where do you start if there isn’t a baseball travel program in your area?

The simplest solution is, to begin with, yourself.

Yes, it may seem odd that you can begin with yourself, but you can, and you can do so if you make a travel baseball team.

Continue reading to learn more about ‘how to form your travel baseball team.

Travel Baseball: Team And Organization

First, it’s critical to comprehend what a travel baseball team is and how it’s organized.

Travel Baseball Team

When a group of players travels together to compete in tournaments, they form a travel baseball team .

Travel baseball has other names like elite baseball, select baseball, premier baseball, etc.

Across the United States, more than hundreds or thousands of travel baseball teams are becoming more and more popular.

A travel baseball team may be formed by anybody, from parents to high school or college coaches to former baseball players who wish to stay involved in the sport for a longer period.

Travel Baseball Organization

While Little League is the most popular youth baseball organization, several travel baseball organizations organize travel tournaments for youngsters seeking more serious experience in the sport.

USSSA , Triple Crown Sports , and AAU are some of the most well-known travel baseball organizations.

It is common for travel baseball teams to participate in tournaments hosted by more than a single organization.

Forming A Travel Baseball Team

Let’s get going with what we promised at the introduction of this article, assisting you in learning the fundamentals of creating a travel baseball club.

It can seem like a daunting task to learn how to start a travel baseball team of your own at first, but in this article, I’ll walk you through the basics in simple steps to make things easier.

1. Looking For Coaches

First and foremost, you’ll want a group of mature and experienced baseball-connected individuals who will serve as the team’s coaches once it’s assembled.

Coaches might be former baseball players who used to compete at the collegiate or high school levels, or they can be former baseball coaches .

Even if you cannot find any of these individuals, you may recruit devoted volunteers , including parents or other family members, or acquaintances who commit to the game of baseball.

Having parents serve as coaches will be simple since they will certainly be present at their children’s practice sessions. 

However, keep an eye out for parents who are incapable of maintaining a professional demeanor and prejudiced toward their kids.

Informing coaches and volunteers about the time commitment required to assist your program is critical.

2. Forming A Budget

Before launching any new organization, it is essential to estimate the costs and choose the best methods of dealing with them , which is valid for creating a new baseball team as well.

Let’s start with a typical travel ball team’s expenses .

2.1 Advertising For The Team  

Some travel teams may consider distributing flyers or brochures to boost their team’s visibility and make it more well-known among players to recruit and assemble the best squad possible, which may charge some bucks.

Advertising may also be done on the internet by creating a website , which also costs money.

You will know more about promoting in step 3.

2.2 Practicing Facilities

You’ll need a space for tryouts and, ultimately, for your squad’s practice sessions.

Don’t go overboard and hunt for expensive locations; instead, choose a decent enough site for the kids to practice without being too fancy, which isn’t really required.

You can easily find public parks that let people rent fields by the hour.

On rainy days, enclosed batting cages or classroom training could be a good option to keep the kids busy.

2.3 Equipment And Uniforms

It’s critical to look for reasonably priced clothing and equipment that will endure a long period since they will wear out with time.

2.4 Paying Coaches

This may or may not be on the list of your expenses, depending on who you recruit as the coaches for your team.

Traveling is going to be the main expense of your team.

When traveling, it’s essential to comprehend the amount of money required. 

Consider the costs of flights or whatever your traveling means will be, food, housing, and activities to engage in during breaks or between competitions, among other things.

Now, let us discuss the ways to deal with these expenses .

2.6 Fees From Players

To deal with the expenses, you can start by selling the uniforms to players for a price.

Secondly, registration can also be used to collect fees from the players. 

2.7 Sponsorship

Finding sponsors as a fundraising tool is a fantastic way to improve the management of your travel baseball club.

Local companies or bigger national brands that promote youth sports might be sponsors.

You can also make a website for raising funds. 

Also, the website you make for promoting your travel baseball team may come in handy for helping generate revenue through ads once it gets a little famous.

3. Branding And Promoting Your Team

When forming a team, you must make it known to the public for it to be successful.

Branding and promoting your team are the two things you’ll need to do to make your team’s existence recognized and aid in the recruitment of serious, devoted players or even coaches.

Branding involves:

• Name: Give your squad a fun name that will lift their spirits and make your target audience understand the seriousness and objective of your team.
• Logo: Not only does a logo provide legitimacy , but it also creates excitement , as gamers will want to be a part of something fresh and exciting.

You can promote your team by:

• Flyers: You can make attractive flyers with your team’s name, logo, catchy slogans, team’s motive, and anything suitable. 

Although this is quite an obsolete method, it might still help on a small scale.

• Website: A website will help you way more than flyers and will help promote your team on a large scale.

Make SEO-optimized content for your website, which will help potential players, parents, and whoever is interested in joining your team know your organization more.

Your website’s interface should be good enough to make the readers know your team’s seriousness.

4. Fixing The Age Group And Player Count

• Age Group: It is necessary to fix an age group (like 8U, 10U) for your team as if players from all age groups become a part of your team, it will be difficult to take part in tournaments.

It’s important to remember that you are forming a competitive team and not holding a training program.

• Player Count: A baseball team consists of nine players, but your team will need more for substitution during injuries or other reasons

You may want to consider a squad of ten to eleven players, which is a little more steady than nine and allows for one or two replacements every game.

5. Registration Of Players

You may wish to register players interested in joining your squad for tryouts, which may make collecting fees from them go more smoothly.

Player registration may also be used to gather information about them.

Registering players online is significantly more convenient than registering them offline.

6. Conducting Tryouts

You will be able to choose the players that you believe will offer you the greatest opportunity to compete during tryouts.

There are many various sorts of talents and skills that may be shown during tryouts.

To offer players a chance to attend at least one tryout, conduct them more than once.

7. Practice Sessions

Finally, after you’ve finished organizing your squad, you’re free to conduct regular practice sessions with all team members and coaches in your signed-up location.

A two-hour or ninety-minute practice session should be held at least twice a week.

How To Get On A Travel Baseball Team?

Not all parents have the time or resources to form a baseball team for their children.

But, it is nothing to worry about as there may already be travel teams in your region or nation that your kid may join.

To get on a travel baseball team, youth may do the following:

• Be Punctual: On the day of the tryouts, be certain that you are on time or have arrived earlier than scheduled.
• Proper Appearance: If you’re going to baseball tryouts, make sure your uniform reflects that fact as well. 

Baseball pants or sweatpants, paired with a sporty sweatshirt, would be appropriate attire.

• Practice: Warm up and get into the zone in whatever time you have before exhibiting your talents and game to the squad’s coaches you’re trying out for.
• Good Attitude: Maintain a positive attitude toward your game and your teammates, and bounce back quickly from setbacks.

Some Common FAQs About Travel Baseball Team

What is a travel baseball team.

A travel baseball team is a team of players who travel together to compete in baseball tournaments. It aims to outperform other teams and players in the sport and works hard to reach that goal. Travel baseball is also known by other names like elite baseball, select baseball, premier baseball, etc.

How can I form my travel baseball team?

To form a travel baseball team, first, you need to gather a group of mature and experienced baseball-connected individuals who will serve as coaches once the team is assembled. Coaches might be former baseball players who used to compete at the collegiate or high school levels, or they can be former baseball coaches. Then, you need to form a budget to estimate the costs and choose the best methods of dealing with them, such as advertising the team, finding a space for tryouts and practice sessions, looking for reasonably priced clothing and equipment, paying coaches, and handling travel expenses. Finally, you can recruit players, distribute flyers or brochures, or create a website to promote your team and generate revenue through ads.

What are some popular travel baseball organizations?

Some of the most well-known travel baseball organizations are USSSA, Triple Crown Sports, and AAU. These organizations organize travel tournaments for youngsters seeking more serious experience in the sport. It is common for travel baseball teams to participate in tournaments hosted by more than one organization.

Who can form a travel baseball team?

Anyone can form a travel baseball team, from parents to high school or college coaches to former baseball players who wish to stay involved in the sport for a longer period. However, it is critical to gather a group of mature and experienced baseball-connected individuals who will serve as coaches once the team is assembled.

How can I make my child’s baseball career stand out?

If you want to make sure that your child or your baseball team stands out from the rest and does great things, you can start by opting for travel baseball. Travel baseball team aims to outperform other teams and players in the sport and works hard to reach that goal. By joining a travel baseball team or forming one, your child can gain more serious experience in the sport, compete in tournaments, and travel with a team.

It doesn’t have to be challenging to learn how to start a baseball team. It’s similar to starting a travel softball team .

The ultimate traits of someone interested in organizing a travel ball team will be their ability to work with numbers, dedication, and a desire to succeed.

Don’t worry about how things will turn out if you’re passionate enough; start tracking your expenditures right away!

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Finding a Travel Baseball Team

by Joe K (USA)

Question: What is the best way to find a 13U team in our area, which is not coached by the fathers of players and manager/coaches will be fair and impartial based upon ability and proven performance. Dear Joe A friend of mine was talking about the same subject you were asking about recently. He made the comment that in his experience with youth baseball and travel baseball in particular there are basically two scenarios. You either have a maniac baseball coach that is mean and viscous and thinks every game is the World Series…or you have a really nice guy that knows nothing about teaching the game of baseball. Rarely if ever can you find the happy median. There just are not many knowledgable coaches that treat kids well out there coaching baseball. This is an almost impossible combination to find anywhere in youth baseball. It is estimated that 85% of youth baseball coaches are dads or moms of children on their ball teams. Daddy ball is the nickname for many travel ball outfits. To find a ball club that is not coached by a daddy is going to hard to find. Occasionally you will have a few high dollar organizations that charge a big fee to play for with hired coaches. My suggestion is to do some really good research. Talk to other parents that will give you an honest perspective and I would talk to the players, too. Do your homework. Chances are you may never find the perfect fit but check around to minimize the risk. You might want to go to a local travel tournament and talk to the parents and coaches and see them in action. Travel ball does not have much of a screening process for coaches. Nor does travel ball provide any coaching clinics or training for their coaches. Everyone just starts up their own ballclub and plenty of tournament directors will gladly take the money without any questions asked if coaches can coach or treat kids with respect. Believe me I have seen them all. There are plenty of adults out there that have no business on a ballfield with kids but just about anyone can start up their own team if they can get 12 families to buy in. I would say it is a remote chance you will find the perfect situation but do your best to get as close as you can. I don't know any other way except start digging and interviewing people that know which coaches are doing a good job. Thanks for your support! Dave 'Skip' Holt

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Ippei Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers earlier this week.

Texas is refusing to register kei trucks, and owners are fighting back

"The Autopian" reports that owners of kei trucks are running into more problems registering their vehicles, and an organization formed to fight back.

Medicare Advantage chaos is making life more difficult for hospitals, insurers — and seniors

Hospitals and insurance giants are clashing over Medicare Advantage plans as both sides try to protect their profits. Many seniors are caught in the crosshairs.

Dodgers' reported reaction to Shohei Ohtani's $680 million deferral request: 'Holy f***'

Andrew Friedman reacted like the rest of us when he heard Shohei Ohtani's contract proposal.

Realtor commission change delivers a boon to homebuilders, a blow to real estate platforms

A landmark settlement changing the real estate commission structure will reshape nearly every aspect of the homebuying process — from homebuyers to brokerages to homebuilders.

2024 Fantasy Baseball predictions for every American League team

Fantasy baseball analyst Dalton Del Don delivers his boldest takes for the American League — and he thinks a top-five draft pick is set to win MVP.

Massive changes coming to Google Chrome threaten to reshape the modern internet

Google is ending third-party cookies in Chrome. Here’s what that means for publishers trying to stay afloat in a brutal market.

NFL bans hip-drop tackle despite NFLPA's objections

Momentum had been building on the controversial proposal for months.

Confusion reigns as baseball world grapples with Shohei Ohtani-Ippei Mizuhara gambling scandal

After days of speculation and questions, one thing players and agents seem to agree on is that they don't believe Ohtani is a gambling man.

Mock Draft Monday with Nate Tice: Raiders make desperate QB pick

'Mock Draft Monday' makes its debut with Yahoo's very own Nate Tice joining Matt Harmon to break down his latest mock draft ahead. Every Monday leading up to the draft, Harmon will have one of the top mock drafters in the industry on the pod to break down their latest mock and share their favorite five picks and fits.

These Patagonia jackets are a steal right now at REI at almost $250 off today only

Combine these deals for a cold-weather system that'll keep you warm and dry for years to come for nearly $250 off the MSRP

Jabari Smith Jr., Kris Dunn each suspended after throwing punches in Houston's win over Utah

Jabari Smith Jr. and Kris Dunn threw punches at each other and were quickly ejected on Saturday night in Houston.

Boeing targets a culprit of 737 MAX production woes: 'Traveled work'

Boeing's CFO today outlined the steps the company is taking to address a series of issues affecting the safety and reliability of its planes (not to mention the company’s reputation).

John Calipari vows to make changes after Kentucky's latest early NCAA tournament exit

In his first comments since the night of his NCAA tournament loss to Oakland, Calipari did not speak like someone whose job was in danger.

2024 Fantasy Baseball: Draft values we love this season

The Yahoo Fantasy crew reveals some of their favorite draft-day value picks with just a few days left until MLB Opening Day.

Report: NBA investigating Raptors' Jontay Porter over several betting irregularities

The league is reportedly looking at two games where the under on several Jontay Porter prop bets hit when he was ruled out after just a few minutes.

2025 Ram 1500's 'Hurricane' I6 tops V8 in fuel economy

2025 Ram 1500 full-size pickup truck now has fuel economy numbers, and the Hurricane inline-six delivers better numbers than the V8 it replaces.

Russian Aviation

Doug Alberg visited Monino in July 1999 . He has several galleries of his pictures from that visit.

Western tourists are becoming regular visitors to Star City , the Russian Cosmonauts Training Centre.

Andrew Juniper hosts the where you will find a collection of profiles of some of the more modern Russian military aircraft.

Books about Russian aviation available from

Mig : Fifty Years of Secret Aircraft Design by R. A. Beliakov

Send a message to Brian .

Edited July 3, 1998.