Is Winning Fun?

[hecubot]

Usually winning is fun. But we won on Saturday's game and it wasn't so much fun. Well, most of the kids enjoyed themselves, particularly Emmett who hit a solid double into the outfield that ended up with him scoring through overthrows. But it was a lopsided game, and we got most of our outs through strikeouts so it didn't have the lively infield

Comments

[dxmachina]

One thing that has always bugged me about Little League, even when I was playing in it, is that it ends even before summer really begins. It angers me even more now that I realize that the reason it ends so early is so the traveling squads can compete towards the LLWS, and other tournaments, at the expense of the vast majority of kids who aren't good enough to make those teams. I think it's even worse now, because at least when I was a kid, we played baseball outside of Little League, even if it was just two-on-two or home run derby or whiffle ball or even kick ball. No adults involved at all. I can't remember the last time I saw a group of kids playing baseball like that.

[dxmachina]

That is not meant to discourage you from letting Emmett join the traveling team. If he enjoys playing the game, and has to opportunity to do so, I'd let him, unless it'd severly impair family life or something.

[hecubot]

You're right - there's very little baseball outside of organized sports these days. I didn't really understand the tournament structure until recently. I played Khoury League growing up and it was just regular season.

One thing that's a negative with the tournament team, is that they stay basically intact all the way up through to high school. So I'm getting some pressure to hop on this opportunity with Emmett even though 8 feels pretty young to be doing this kind of stuff. It's a conundrum.

[chicating]

I don't have any advice, because, okay, I have a dog.(The vet did say that she is the friendliest Jack Russell patient he has, which made me puff up like an idiot) But I trust you to make the right choice.
I'm helpful, huh?

[mfnlaw]

Sorry, I don't mean this to be braggy. It's more like a series of questions in my mind about what you do with a talented kid. No matter what their talent you wind up juggling the desire to give them opportunities to succeed and excel, but want it to be fun but want to avoid soul-crushing pressure and then factor in the sacrifices you have to make for their benefit.Not speaking from having-a-child experience here, but still personal, nonetheless. DF has coached travel hockey for the last 6 years (Tier II for 4 and Tier I for the last 2). The time commitment on our part is horrendous--2/3 times weekly practice (for which he has to leave early from work b/c it's 45 minutes away), and there's at least 2 games every weekend. Sometimes we go to FL and Atlanta to play LEAGUE games. I go to every game I can, because I enjoy it, and because I've developed a relationship with the kids or the parents, oftentimes both. It's also the only way DF and I would spend any significant time together from September to April. From our point of view, it's

[hecubot]

Thanks for that perspective, Maria. On the one hand, I wouldn't be coaching his team. On the other hand, I don't really want to send him off away from me with some other coach when I only get to see him half the time anyway. And adding that kind of travel on top of my evil commute would truly suck. Plus the lack of money this year.

But the positives do look very strong as well. I might be willing to explore it for one season with Emmett. I think at this level they're only scheduled to play about one tournament a month, but there would be all those extra practices. Hmmm.

[gchick]

Assuming he wants to do it (and I don't think you'd be asking if he didn't), think of this year's extra practices and tournaments as a chance to keep playing into the summer after the season ends, and see how he feels about it at the end of this season.

Obviously, I'm not a parent, but it's definitely a situation I see a lot as a wannabe-coach. And I don't think there's a lot of downside to stepping up to the next level with a talented kid -- the danger is in stepping up 4 levels at once, to be the guy who's already pushing for the LLWS at tee-ball ages, or shooting for the top of the national points list with a so-so under-10 fencer. Listen to Emmett, take this season as if it were just a tryout of both the schedule and the added game, and then listen to Emmett some more. But you know this stuff....

[hecubot]

Thing is, last year we did sign up for a summer league sponsored by the Albany Lion's Club. It's not the tournament system, but an available-to-all-kids summer league like DXM would prefer. And Emmett really didn't like it and we quit early. I really got the feeling early on that he was burned out on baseball last summer.

But the situation here is different enough that I have to look at all the elements. Also, his Mom's got to be part of this decision and we'd already decided not to participate in the tournament league. So it'd have to be re-opened.

So some of my hesitation is based on what happened last summer, but this really feels like a much different situation.

And if I haven't made it clear, Emmett is a year to 18 months younger than Nathan and Noah. So his aptitude is more striking and his potential might be greater. He'd be playing on the all 8 y.o. team, and even in that talent pool he'd still be one of the two or three best players.

[casperflea]

I think a travel team of 8 year olds is way too young. Also I would find the travel a serious pain in the ass. But then, I am also from the tribe of not-joiners and grew up in a household of why-botherers. If my kid begged to do it, I'd let him, though. But it would have to be real begging.

[dxmachina]

As opposed to just-going-limp-on-the-floor-and-whining begging?

I've got to admit, I'm surprised there are traveling teams at that age, too. I thought it was usually just the 12 (with the occasional 11) year-olds. Still, when I was 8, I'd have given anything to be on a team like that.