Travel Baseball and Little League

Splitter and Jon, I appreciate the time and effort you put into your responses which contain excellent examples and great ideas. Let me say that sometimes I may sound like I'm attacking LL which is really not my intent. I would simply prefer for people to change an organization thats confusing to many parents and often abused by adults sometimes to the point that it has become harmful to kids. The LL program has many strengths for rec players which need further enhancing regarding equal playing time during regular season. Since LL did not go far enough spelling it out, many leauges like Splitters use home rules to accomplish this. The main mission of this type of rec program should be fun and fostering a love for the game. For some kids this is not enough. So, what do we do about the serious baseball kid who kept score in t-ball who emerges around age 9-10, loves the game, wants more baseball, strives to eliminate mediocrity, and plays accepting the challenge to get better? There is no disputing the fact that you GET better playing WITH better players and AGAINST stronger competition. There is no argument that kids physically and mentally develop at different times and stages in their life - a major reason why rec is so important as the foundation of youth baseball and why good athletes can be found in rec ball. Through allstars the LL system tries to appease these needs and fails. One reason why is simply because their system is closed to competing against other baseball organizations that do not mix rec and competative players. The LL allstar system from within produces comingled tensions, inconsistencies, conflicts, opposing goals, and confusion between rec and competative player needs resulting in way too many incidents of poor behaviors by adults. I agree with many of Jon's suggestions regarding interleague competition and a separate district competative level of play. Todays youth baseball has changed considerably from the LL's organized over 50 years ago. Scholarships, recruitment, other sports opportunities, loyalties are not as strong, travel is not really travel to many of us, and the flexibility of baseball programs to meet the variety of kids and parent needs have become more important. Just think of these examples which point out how much youth baseball has changed. Sadly, instead of addressing the needs and issues facing rec and serious youth baseball players, LL continues to ignore and resist the changes that would be needed leaving parents and kids frustrated shaking their heads wondering where to turn and going in many different directions. Splitter, I think if your working to bridge differences we all should start by looking at the needs of the kids which are very different between a rec player and a competative player. Leagues can do better job by continuing to support rec players with LL, expand its program away from the allstar mentality, and focus on improving serious players in open competition. In order to achieve that in todays world your leagues either have to be multi-organizational, not one dimensional, or LL modifies its structure, rules, and policies so you don't have to be multi-organizational. I would prefer LL change to keep the kids who play both forms of youth baseball local to their own community with their friends to share their spirit with each other and their experineces.