I dont post on here alot but, having two sons playing travel ball, I do read to see what people are discussing....thought
I'd add my two cents worth for whoever wants to hear it!

I am now at the point where I am attending some college showcases with my oldest son to try and sort out where can he play, is he good enough to go here or there, etc., etc.... Listening to numerous college coaches try to advise parents on how they identify, scout, and recruit kids.....I have noticed that no one ever says, "I always check out this specific travel team because they always have great players".......No travel team is going to get your kid a college scholarship.....your son will make his presense known during the high school season, if he is good enough. The summer travel season is where interested schools will come to watch, regardless of what travel team he is on.
On a more positive note, I read alot of people complaining about the costs of the different travel teams. My boys have been on lots of them, and I ran one myself for a brief period. The bottom line is this, travel baseball has been a huge part of my sons childhoods. You cannot put a value on all the time my sons and I have spent together on the practice field, in the car going to winter workouts, games, tournaments, etc. In a world where there are many distractions for teenagers, and alot of them negative, baseball has kept my guys busy, focused, and hanging out with kids who also have parents that feel the same way I do and that is what I want. When it comes to a travel team, do some research, pick out one where you are comfortable with the coach, comfortable with the price and that your kid fits in with. Dont be so concerned about whether the coach is making money or not, and dont be so concerned about whether the team wins. It really doesnt matter all that much as long as your son is having a good experience. The better players will gravitate to the better teams but it really doesnt matter if your son is a Titan, Tiger, Whaler, Prospect.....as long as he is out there. Everyone needs to lighten up a little on this site and look at the big picture. We are fortunate that Long Island is becoming a hotbed of baseball in the Northeast with teams coming from all over to play at Baseball Heaven. (And I am in no way associated with Baseball Heaven) There are alot of good organizations and our kids are better off for it.

Well said. I couldnt agree more

Well said Hammer. The cream rises to the top. I too will miss these days spent with my son. As you said, you can not put a value to it.
Good luck to your sons!

Excellent note. Thank you for sharing

Perfectly Put. My feelings exactly

You never know when life will throw a curve at you. In April 1996 there was an article in Sports Illustrated about a young man who played baseball on Long Island. It touched briefly on a turn in the relationship between the young man and his father that happened some years before that neither could have expected or wanted. The sad part was the father, who had been so instrumental in his son's acheivement's, never enjoyed them as a father could or should have. Here is an excerpt from the 1996 article. Note At the end of the article you will see the name Conor. Conor is one of the young man's sons who signed to play baseball at Notre Dame in November 2010.

Biggio completed the journey through his boyhood—he drove along Main Street, went down to the waterfront, past the Kings Park Psychiatric Hospital—and he was satisfied. His life there was as he remembered it, for good and for bad. On the ride back to Spring Lake, he talked baseball. He talked about the genius of Yogi Berra, Biggio's coach in his early years in Houston, who taught Biggio not to make baseball more complicated than it is. Biggio talked about his particular skill at stealing signs as a base runner, and how a pitcher will make him pay for it the next time he comes to bat. He talked about the costs of the baseball strike and the work that must be done to make the game the national pastime again. He talked about the value of playing an entire career in one place, as Munson did. That's a value dear to Biggio. He said he learned the importance of commitment from his father. Gordon first went to work at MacArthur Airport on Long Island before Craig was born. He works there today. Craig was raised to understand the value of long-term relationships.

Gordon's name came up often in conversation throughout this January day, yet it was a sensitive subject for Craig. Gordon has not seen his younger son for six years, except from a distance once or twice a season, when he buys a ticket and slips into Shea Stadium to watch Craig in an Astros-Mets game. After the game he heads home, without Craig's ever knowing he was there. He also watches Craig on TV and follows him in box scores.

Craig leaned forward, rested his forearms on the steering wheel, stretched his back and exhaled. "My father's a stubborn man," he said. "He thinks my brother and sister and I sided with our mother in the divorce. His attitude is, 'You've made your bed, now you have to sleep in it.' " Gordon has never seen Cavan and Conor. Said Craig: "I've written him letters, saying, 'Who cares anymore who was right and who was wrong? You're my father, you're my kids' grandfather. We want you in our lives.' Nothing. I get back nothing."

Excellent post. When all is said and done, the memories of a lifetime shared with our families will keep us warm. Chips Ahoy!

Hello my name is Robert Longo and I have been around baseball on LI since Little League and have traveled with teams and run one or two as well along the way.

Baseball took me and my two sons all over the United States and beyond. Between my two sons we played baseball in over 24 states and it was worth every last minute.

Baseball or not it taught my kids to make sure they played well with others and to work as a part of a team. They made many freinds who they have run into all over the place and most important I spent many wonderful summers with my boys.

My sons will never play in the majors but when they played they played with passion and they always made me proud. You never get this time back and I'm glad I took some time from work and maybe gave a little to much money away for them to chase their dream but I would do it all again tomorrow.

Today I can sit down with them and we will be watching a game on Tv and something will come up where we talk about a game or a place they played and we laugh at the times in the hotels and dugouts and dive diners we ate at.

To all the people who go nuts on the message boards just keep this in mind the time goes by fast and then they are in school and you will miss them and these times. Rather then bicker find a team your son will play on and has fun with and enjoy. If your son is the big time player of the moment he will get his due and if not whats the worst case you spent time with your son?

To all the parents have a great winter and enjoy.

Nice story , enjoy every game and behave like its your last

well done