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This is a follow up article and episode to my last post where I explained why weekend tournaments are ruining youth baseball player development. Don’t worry, there will be a third part where I outline some ideas to fix this!You can click play above to listen 🎧
or scroll down to read 📖
the article below.If you enjoy my content, consider subscribing for free. You’ll get an email every time I release a new article or episode, and you’ll have access to my archive of public posts!Wow! 😮 🤩
What a response to
last week’s episode on why weekend tournaments were ruining youth baseball player development.
At the time of this recording, which is about 80 hours later, there have been over 32,000 views and more than 29,000 podcast downloads. So before I go any further, thank YOU for reading, listening, and subscribing so you don’t miss the next one!
The purpose of Elbow Up was to share my experiences in hopes I could help a few parents or coaches get the most out of their youth baseball experience.
What’s great about the response to this topic is not just the views and downloads, but the fact that so many people are passionate about this topic.
I even appreciate those that disagree with me. The conversation is what’s important, and that’s the first step!
Now, I really was planning to publish a part two where I outlined some of the ideas I have for fixing this systemic issue I outlined in part one.
But after reading literally more than 2,300 comments on various social media posts, groups, and threads, I decided I needed to go a little deeper into the issue.
I want to explain a few of the things I said in part one, and then add a few more things that I’ve been thinking about since.
Let’s Clarify a Few Things
âš¾ There are always exceptions.
It’s important to note that teams who I believe do it the right way really do exist. They’re just few and far between.
A few folks left feedback saying they never had an experience like I had explained. Or their coach focused on development first. Or they only played in a tournament every other weekend.
That’s wonderful! Unfortunately though, that’s the exception and not the rule.
⚾ I’m not Hating on Tournament Directors
It’s not tournament directors’ job to develop our kids, nor did I say it was!
I believe most of the feedback that had to do with this was people reading the headline and not listening to or reading the context and details.
Most of the tournament directors I know do a fine job. There’s nothing wrong with hosting a tournament every single weekend throughout the summer - but that doesn’t mean as a coach I have to play in it.
In fact, more tournaments allow teams to be flexible with their schedules instead of having to play on specific weekends just to get their games in.
The tournament directors cannot be blamed for the issue, and I certainly didn’t mean for it to come across that way.
âš¾ There is Nothing Wrong with Travel Ball
One of the most common responses I heard from those disagreeing was how they enjoyed travel ball, or that travel ball was more competitive which allowed their kids to learn even more.
Here’s the thing - I agree wit
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