This simple question turned into a Nose-2-Nose with a lot of opinions on both sides of the equation. Where do you stand? While your results won't change the survey outcome, we'd still like to hear from you.

Too far too fast?... Priorities for league Start competition Other opinions

We've taken away the sandlot! Kids get about 15 games of baseball in a community ball season. Some get a few more depending on how the 'all star' team competes (another story). Obviously the kids that need much more experience don't see much playtime in those leagues. In most parts of the the country, the majority of community ball is over before the first day of summer! That leaves a couple of months of great baseball weather before school starts. Most leagues have to do business this way in order for the all-star timelines to work out, but what about the other 80% of kids who could use more baseball? A lot of leagues now have fall ball, but again, the leagues are so structured there's no room for free-lancing, sandlot ball. Maybe that's an era gone by. Too Bad! Several biographies by famous hardballers talk about their experience growing up and playing ball all day. Name a spot where that happens today. As a dad with 20+ years of baseball coaching, who is putting his second son through youth ball, I felt the need to try and regain some of the sandlot experience. I have formed a U9 AAU team so the kids can just play ball and in scheduling my games most of the 'travel, select, or AAU' team coaches have similar opinions. Every one of my players also belongs to a community club, so we don't even practice when rec ball starts, but play doubleheaders on Sundays. This is as close as I can get to the sandlot for now.
- John Henry Rusch

My son did not start to play until he was 11. Our association starts its traveling teams at age 10. (This year they will have an age 9 team.)
I don't know which is best for development. I believe that good coaching is the most important factor. All sporting events come with the 'will to win.' Some more than others. There is no question that traveling programs have this 'Will'.
Now to my point. Because of the late start my son has always been a 'B' player. (At the school level he plays on the 'A' team.) A 'B' team coach, 2 years ago said he was the best catcher in the system. I'm a biased Dad but I think the statement was accurate.
Although not the 'A' coaches, my son has had good coaches and I don't think he has suffered because of it. I think the system identified some kids as the 'best' too early, but those players have remained, partly because of friendships or what not. It seems surprising to me to hear comments after tryouts such as 'The top 12 players are the same ones from last year.' In all logic something should have changed.
The upshot is that early traveling has worked against my son, but only in a prestige sort of way. He still plays and plays well. He still has fun. I think he would have more confidence if he got picked for a 'better' team, but I don't know if he would be a better player.
- Dave Dietz

Competition is good at all ages. We need youngsters with the desire to succeed, and a good way to do this is through sports. If we approach youth sports nonchalantly then they will approach life nonchalantly. Competition will teach youngsters how to win and how to deal with losing.
- Zach Kepczynski

In my experience with baseball through playing and coaching, it seems as though most of the winning driven coaches were good ballplayers at a young age. They don't understand what it is to be an average or below average player. Some players just have more natural talent and others it takes good coaching to develope better talent. I have had kids that those coaches by passed, and after taking the extra time to work with these kids, they have became good ballplayers. While those win driven coaches would have tossed these kids in the loser column. If these kids would have been started in a highly competetive league instead of a developemental league at an early age it would have destroyed these kids. In the meantime those competetive kids learn as much from the less competetive kids. Kids are great teachers to other kids. With a little good adult guidance, they do great.
- Randall

Young kids need to be taught to be competitive, but not at the expense of fun. Learning good fundamentals and instilling a love of the game is what's most important in little league age kids.
- Mitch Williams

Sports and competition are joined by the very nature of the rules that govern them. The objective set out by the rule book is to win. As coaches and players this is our goal. The variables in this equation are all personal. Commitment and desire are not coached, they are somehow a part of human individualism. Some children attain these traits earlier than others and these children need the elite programs to progress. You have to have both elite and non competitive sports. The question is: how do we identify who belongs where?
- Mike Santangelo

Proper coaching and guidance will take care of the winning if these kids are taught the correct way to play. As long as you keep the best interest of the child in mind and don't push them to play if they don't want to play. Now having said that. I have a 9 year old, who's team last year (which was a 9 year old team) played 91 games. Is that too much? I don't know. But after it was all over he was still ready to keep playing. I don't push him to play, only love, support, and opportunity.
- Brian Shipman

Development through skills building is important because 'elite ballplayers' are more a product of the heart and mind than of natural physical tools. This growth needs championship challanges to hone skills and also requires an acquired passion for winning. However, winning at any cost is always wrong, and the time and energy expended on national events for the very young, under 15, could be better spent in seasons with more playing time rather than extended play-off time. The select team concept seems to serve the outstanding player well, but needs some attention in finding ways to include the player with limited financial resources.
- Joseph A. Medal

I believe winning is Important but with some coaches that's all that matters. We should be teaching the game, teamwork and good sportsmanship First.
Baseball is a complicated game and requires more skills than most parents and coaches realize.
I have gotten kids that have been in two and three years of ball that still can't throw, mainly because coaches have not taken the time to train the proper fundamentals.
- Randy Willis

I do not feel competitive ball at any age is wrong, as long as parents and coaches keep in mind that fundamentals and basic skills are the most important thing. Competition can be healthy as well as destructive. But we must do away with the win-at-all-cost mentality. I personally feel that if we concentrate on teaching good solid fundamentals, winning and competition will take care of themselves.
- Grant Riggs

All kids develop at different levels. I'm sure you've seen the kid who couldn't hit a lick in Little League turn into a decent ballplayer by high school. If winning is the only thing at an early age then these kids would get overlooked and feel left out. Unfortunately, this usually leads to that kid quitting the game. The emphasis should be put on maximum effort and having fun. Also youth sports is not about finding elite athletes to go to the pros. It's about kids out having fun and playing for the love of the game. When you start riding kids with endless practices and monotonous skill drills you take the fun out of the game.
- Mike