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Our local town ball supplements the rec. league with (lite schedule) travel teams starting at 8yo. in an attempt to keep the top talent players from leaving for full time travel. Unfortunately, the town ball politics gets in the way of opportunities for many kids who have the talent and desire to compete and develop with other players who are at an advanced level. Our town league has three main criteria for travel and all-stars:
1) Top talent elite players. This is correct and I have no argument here. This may account for 30-50% of the team.
2) Coaches and/or Board's kids. If Daddy's a coach or Board member, their kids automatically have first privilege and opportunity. These kids may be OK to good, but not the top players. Again, 30-50% of the team. These kids also have privilege at draft time for the rec. team with 'protected' status for dads who coach together. If Daddy is not a travel/all-star coach, it is likely the child will be made more available to the poorer coaches (some are just counter-productive for proper teaching) and less talented teams who do not have access to the better players. Poor coaches only have access to top rated players that are not protected by the 'establishment'. Consequently, their teams are filled with below average players and the team loses, a lot!! This is no fun for a talented, competetive players, believe me!! Yes, the town ball drafts are rigged too.
3) Family connections or generous sponsorship. If there is an older brother on a travel/all-star team, family business is a league sponsor, etc., there is also special privilege and opportunity--0-20% of team(s).
4) Final decisions for travel and all-stars are determined by the governing board rather than the coaches who conduct the tryout. In other words, the rosters are pre-determined and tryouts are a sham!!
Once a team is established at 8yo, it is almost impossible to break into the team in following years. The idea is to keep all the same players together for as long as possible. (Because these are and will always be the best players, right?!!?)
While my son was never able to have a fair opportunity in town ball travel and all-stars, there were several travel organizations that offered bids to join. In all cases where he tried out for travel teams, with unbiased, professional baseball instructors evaluating, he was offered a bid or asked to return the following year. For my son, the fair opportunities were in Travel not town ball.