Losing leagues to travel teams

I have been on a BoD as player agent for LL and now coach a travel team. I think I can fairly say that the knife cuts both ways.

LL does a GREAT job for the average players and even those below that level. It does a terrible job (by in large) for the more skilled players. On most LL teams, there are the kids at the end of the bench. Can't hit, can't catch, can't throw, don't really want to be there. They all have to play in games, whether they bothered to come to practice or not, and that hurts the experience for the better and/or more dedicated players.

One of the hardest things I had to do in coaching LL was to balance playing time. At some point, there has to be some reward for the kid that shows up to every practice and has developed skills. It's not fair to him to treat him the same as the kid who would really rather be playing Nintendo.

The wonderful thing about LL is that everyone that signs up plays. I think that is a tremendously valuable option for youth. The terrible thing about LL is that everyone who signs up plays...whether they want to or not.

LL touts itself as basically a rec league. Then, come June 15, they kick it into super-competitive mode. People go nuts at all-stars time. It is disingenuous for them to continue to do things in this manner. A league can be competitive or rec, not both...at least not doing both well.

On the travel side, everyone is a SS, catcher, pitcher. Balancing playing time is difficult. Fundraising is a nightmare. Simply getting fields from the county is a huge undertaking. BUT! There is enough baseball for everyone and everyone has the basic skills. As a coach, I can actually work on first and third defenses and other fine points to the game. The kids who were "better" benefit from this because they do not have to sit through yet another of the coach's "thumb to thumb, pinky to pinky" speaches. In travel, the players get to move on to the next step, and that IS being fair to them.

Around here, we are trying to get the two sides working together. With LL rules, it is nearly impossible. On the travel side, there are teams (read "coaches") with big egos that clash with LL BoD members. Through all of those difficulties, it is beginnning to work.

At least Pony and Cal Ripken go in the right direction. LL is in the Dark Ages, still trying to claim to be the "good guys" and pretend one size fits all. I think you have three choices:
Work with the travel teams.
Change charters to a different organization.
Or let the more serious players go their own way.

The third option means you will never get far during all-stars. The overall quality of play in your LL will drop. You will, however, be providing THE service your remaining players are seeking: baseball at the recreational level. Were the adults and their egos about all-stars to step out of it, that is exactly what the kids would decide.

You will fail if you try to be all things to all people, LL is showing us that now.

Fingers now sore, must end :-).

Splitter