Getting Better At Sports

Posted on: 7 October 2022

When your child comes to you and says they want to play travel baseball, it's normal to have mixed feelings. On one hand, you may be excited that your child has found a sport they love and excel at. On the other hand, you know that traveling to baseball games can be demanding, and you might wonder how you'll keep up as a family. Here's the good news: participating in travel baseball can be a smoother process than you'd think. The following tips will help you and your child navigate this busy time and get the most from being involved with a travel league.

Share travel responsibilities with other parents.

You may not be able to leave town every weekend. Chances are, the other parents in the league don't want to travel every weekend, either. Attend a few games and practices, and get to know the other parents of kids in the league. Once you know and are comfortable with these parents, you can start splitting and sharing travel responsibilities. For example, you might take three kids to the game one weekend. The next weekend, one of those kids' parents takes them. The weekend after that, the third kid's parents take all three. 

Let the coaches do their job.

Chances are, you're excited that your child is in a travel league and you want them to do their very best. A lot of parents react to this excitement by getting really involved in their kids' coaching and development. While your actions are well-intentioned, they do make being in a travel league more demanding. And getting coaching from both you and their actual coach can be confusing and overwhelming for kids. As much as possible, try to let your kids' coach guide them in their baseball practice and fitness. Focus on being a supportive parent and cheering on your child.

Ask your child whether there are activities they're willing to cut back on.

It is important for your child to learn that they can't always do everything and fit everything into their day. If you feel they are too busy to participate in a travel baseball league, it's okay to tell them that. Ask if there are other activities that are willing to cut back on so that they can participate in the baseball league. Your child may tell you they no longer want to take art lessons or that they don't really enjoy ballet anymore. Let them give up these things for travel baseball. They'll learn a lesson of balance, and you'll both have an easier time squeezing everything in.

If your child wants to join a travel baseball league, there are ways to integrate this into your life and lifestyle. Keep the tips above in mind.