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What to Look For in Travel Softball Teams

Table of Contents

Getting started with travel softball, the difference between travel softball and little league, which is better for my daughter: rec ball or travel ball, competitive travel softball: key considerations when picking a team, top 7 things to look for in a travel softball team, frequently asked questions, picking a travel softball team – final thoughts.

Travel softball can be one of the most stressful aspects of the sport, especially when it comes to choosing the right team. That’s particularly true for parents and players who are just beginning their travel softball journey, because it can be difficult to know how to evaluate a team and coach.

This guide will help you understand what to look for in a traveling softball team, and will answer some of the most common questions parents have about the process, including:

• What are the differences between rec ball and travel ball?
• How do I know which is best for my daughter?
• What is the true cost of travel softball?
• How should we choose which travel team to play for?
• Other frequently asked questions

Joining a traveling softball team can be a great experience, both in terms of enjoyment and player development. But it’s also a major commitment, so it’s important to think carefully about what kind of program is best in your specific situation.

My name is Alexa Peterson. I played four years at the University of Oregon, where I was First Team All-American, played in two Women’s College World Series, and went on to play six years professionally. I can say without a doubt that I wouldn’t have made it to the level I did without travel softball.

I made the switch from Little League/rec ball to travel ball when I was ten years old, and from then on I consistently played at the highest levels possible. By the age of thirteen, I knew I wanted to play NCAA softball, and playing against the best competition was crucial in helping me achieve that dream.

Travel softball is expensive and time consuming. But the reality is that if your goal is to play at the college level — and especially if your goal is to play for a Division 1 program — it’s an important part of the process.

During my travel softball career, I played for some amazing coaches that pushed me to be a better person and athlete, as well as some that didn’t believe in me. And while it’s obviously better to find a coaching staff that believes in you and is committed to nurturing your talent, I was able to learn important lessons and grow in both types of environments.

Before diving into the specific specifics of what to look for, it’s important to understand why you should consider playing travel softball (and why it’s not the right choice for every player in every situation).

Related Reading: Alexa Peterson’s College Softball Recruiting Journey

Recreational softball and competitive travel softball teach many of the same life skills, like teamwork and sportsmanship. But when it comes to things like time commitment and competitiveness, they can be as different as night and day.

Rec Softball/Little League: A Low-Key, Low-Cost and Less-Competitive Environment

“Rec ball” is shorthand for Little League Softball and/or your local city league. The regular season typically runs from March to May, with single games twice per week, and one or two practices per week. You’ll usually stay within a 30 minute radius for games and practices.

Little League, which is the most common rec ball organization, is open to girls ages four through sixteen, and everybody makes a team regardless of their skill level. Coaches are typically parents or grandparents, and the umpires are often volunteers.

This is a great place to learn the rules of the game, to see if your daughter enjoys softball, and to just have fun while learning sportsmanship and the very basics of fundamentals. The cost is typically around $100, which includes a uniform top.

Travel Softball: More Games and Better Competition

Back in the day, if you played travel softball, you were a serious player striving to become an elite athlete, and you had the full intention of playing in college.

Today, softball has grown so much that while there are still teams dedicated to providing elite players the absolute best competition to facilitate skill development, there are actually more and more girls playing travel softball primarily for the fun of it — often because they want to play more than the standard 20-game schedule offered by rec ball.

In general, there is no “regular season” with travel softball — it runs all year long, with club practices once or twice per week during the spring and fall season, and a full slate of weekend tournaments during the later spring and summer season.

Travel softball tourneys are typically Friday through Sunday, with teams playing anywhere from 5-10 games each. Fridays and Saturdays are pool play games, meaning you play a small number of the teams in the tournament, and then get “seeded.” On Sunday, you participate in double-elimination bracket play, with winners always taking home something cool like a trophy, medal, plaque or ring.

The cost for a year of travel softball can range from $500 to $5,000 and up, which includes a full uniform, and sometimes includes equipment. We’ll break the costs down in more detail later.

The answer to that question depends on two main things: her love for the game and your wallet!

If she can’t get enough of softball, wants to travel around for more games, and is excited to play throughout the summer, then travel ball is the way to go.

With that, the cost to play increases. Exactly how much depends on the level of competition your daughter is looking for. The most elite tournament teams (especially at the high school level) travel the farthest and play the most. Less competitive teams tend not to travel quite as far or as often.

When It Comes to Choosing the Right Level, Let Your Daughter Lead the Way

You as a parent cannot choose the level your daughter wants to play at. I’ve seen many parents try, and it never ends well.

If you’re a parent who never played a sport competitively, you might not understand her desire to spend every waking hour at the ballpark. But don’t hold her back if she wants to push herself.

On the other hand, don’t force her to join a competitive travel ball team if she just wants to have fun. Speaking from experience, the game, the desire to compete, and the love of always being challenged… those things are either there or they’re not.

It’s also important that you don’t make your child feel guilty if she tries a competitive team for a year and decides it’s not what she wants. She might have all the natural talent in the world, but if she wants to spend her summers going to birthday parties, having sleepovers and just living life, then let her!

And if she has a hard time deciding what she wants? Well, what a great life skills and bonding opportunity. Talk through the process and help her see the pros and cons of each option. Most importantly, let it be her decision, and make sure she knows you’ll support that decision (even if it’s not what you think is best).

With all of that said, here are some things you need to know about competitive travel softball.

Here are a few of the factors you should consider when evaluating your options and picking a team.

With the top-tier of competitive travelling softball teams, the coaches are generally not related to the players. (Sometimes you’ll find an assistant coach who is a parent, but rarely a head coach.) These coaches have years of experience, and often played many years themselves. They understand the intangibles of the game, and can teach a higher level of mechanics that go beyond the fundamentals.

Competitive travel softball players come to the field every day with the intent to compete, push past their limits, and get themselves to the next level. The fundamentals will already be in place, and there’s no question as to whether they will dive head first to catch a ball.

Many programs are run as a tight ship, with the goal of teaching and preparing their athletes for what college ball will be like: fast paced practices and a strong emphasis on execution.

These teams expect you to take the game seriously: 15 minutes early is on time; you walk into a tournament in an orderly fashion; and you recognize that while there’s a time and place to be goofy, you’re there to get better at softball.

Playing Time

Because the goal of this type of program is to prepare the athlete for college athletics, the teams want to win. At the same time, they also want to focus on player development.

So, during pool play, playing time tends to be more evenly distributed in order to give everyone game experience (as well as the opportunity to be noticed by college coaches, when the time comes for that). But come bracket play on Championship Sunday, the goal is to win and the best players will be on the field with the expectation of dominating the competition.

What You Get

Many high-level programs are fully-sponsored by product manufacturers, or at least get discounted rates on things like uniforms and equipment. In those cases, your club fees might include two or three uniforms, matching bat bags, visors and bats (some teams exclusively swing one brand).

A majority of programs at this level also have their own indoor facility for winter workouts and bad-weather training.

See also: How to Pick the Right Softball Bat

Time Commitment (spoiler alert… HUGE)

When I was playing travel softball as a teenager in Oregon, I had a teammate from Montana who flew in once a month for our team practices. While that’s not very common, driving three hours one way for a practice is totally commonplace. If you live in a big city, chances are that a good program is nearby. But if you live in a smaller area, you may end up putting a lot of miles on your car.

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I accidentally conditioned myself to fall asleep every time I was in a car for more than 45 minutes. My weekend routine typically looked something like this for travel ball:

• Wake up at 5 a.m., get in the car and fall asleep for the whole drive there.
• Play five games
• Get in the car, and sleep for the whole drive home.

In other words, it’s a lot of time on the road. You, as the parent, are going to be doing the driving. Your daughter, as the player, is going to be pooped. It’s “quality time” in a certain way, but probably not in the way you’re envisioning right now.

Also, since most teams only have one practice per week, there’s an expectation that additional work is being done outside of practice. Hitting, pitching and defensive skills should be worked on roughly four days a week.

The majority of players at this level hire an experienced outside hitting or pitching coach. If you don’t put in this extra work, you will quickly fall behind your teammates and ride the pine (plus risk being cut at the end of season).

Games/Tournaments

There are typically four or five tournaments during October and November. Then, another tournament every weekend from late spring through July or August.

Depending on where you live, you could be spending a ton of time in the car, or even on a plane. The biggest softball hubs are Southern California, Texas and Florida. If you’re not in one of those states, expect to be travelling far and often.

Living in Oregon and playing competitively, I traveled multiple times every summer and fall to play in college exposure tournaments in Southern California.

The True Cost of Travel Softball

Some of you may have fainted after mentally calculating the cost of everything in that last section. But let’s recap…

• Driving to and from practice
• Driving or flying to and from games
• 15 to 20 tournaments per year (with tournament fees)
• Facility fees to practice on your own
• Private lessons
• Top-of-the-line equipment
• Rental cars

All of that easily runs anywhere from $2,500 to $6,000 a year, making elite travel softball one of the costlier youth sports. Plus, that’s in addition to fees and travel for camps, which many top-tier players also participate in.

Like I said earlier, if you’re in Southern California you might end up paying on the lower end of that range, because your cost for travel will be much lower than someone flying into California every weekend.

Also, keep in mind that many tournament teams have monthly dues of around $200 to play on the team and have access to their training facility. The cost of travel is not included in the monthly dues.

Travel Softball Sometimes Requires Sacrifices

Growing up, I was more on the lower end of the middle class. We always had food on the table, but the effort put in by my parents to facilitate my amateur softball career was exorbitant.

Looking back, I’m so thankful they gave all they did so that I could be successful — it’s something I can never repay them for. I imagine that we could have lived a little more comfortably had I not been playing softball.

For them, it was a matter of priorities. I wanted to play at the highest level I could, and they were willing to sacrifice to make that happen.

If money is a potential concern, you need to consider both your priorities and your daughter’s. Are you prepared and willing to skip “regular” family vacations because your weekends and your travel budget are going into softball?

And does she understand that playing this sport at this level most likely requires trade-offs when it comes to things like friends, clothes, phones, and many of the other things that teens often spend time and money on in high school?

1. Coaching: Are the coaches experienced? How knowledgeable are they, and will they be able to facilitate the proper degree of skill development for their athletes?

Ideally, you don’t want to have parents serving as coaches. If you stumble across a high level program that does, most likely the coach has been around for a long time and is trusted to look after the best interests of the whole roster (not just their own child).

Other important considerations are coaching style, character and overall attitude. Ask former or current players and parents to describe the coaching staff, and see if they would be a good fit for your daughter.

2. Cost : Figure out what your family can afford before you even start looking at options. If team dues seem ridiculously high, make sure you’re getting your money’s worth in terms of equipment, facility use, uniforms, etc. Also, some teams have fundraising opportunities that can bring down the cost to participate. If money is a concern, ask about this ahead of time.

3. Communication : It’s important to have all your questions answered. Feel free to ask about financials (what’s included in team fees, fundraising, etc.), playing time and how it’s divided up, and the coaching staff’s goals and priorities. If the coaches seem wishy-washy about these topics, don’t offer straightforward answers, or seem like they just don’t want to be bothered with the questions, that’s a red flag.

4. Competitiveness : Make sure you understand what level of competition you daughter wants. Does she want to be challenged? Does she want to be on a team that beats everyone 10-0? Is playing time important, or would she prefer to surround herself with the best possible teammates (even if that means less time on the field)? And keep in mind, the level of competitiveness usually coincides with how much work is expected outside of practice.

It’s also important for everyone involved to be honest about the player’s skill level. Joining a team where you’re not among the absolute best players can motivate you and build your work ethic, but joining a team where you get virtually no playing time or attention can hinder your development. This is a delicate balance to strike, but it’s something to keep in mind.

5. Chemistry : Consider the overall chemistry of the program, not just the chemistry among the players. Go to a couple of games and see how the team plays together, and ask to watch the team practice before committing. Overall, you want your daughter to have a good experience — on the field and off — with her teammates and coaches.

Watch and listen to how players respond to the coaches. Do they walk away, rolling their eyes? How do players interact with their parents? Your daughter will be around these girls for months at a time, and they say “you become who you surround yourself with.” So, what’s the vibe of the players? Do they look like they’re having fun, while still getting the job done?

6. College Recruiting : This is for those a little older (freshmen and up). If your daughter is interested in playing college softball, you’ll want to be part of an organization that:

• Knows the rules surrounding college recruiting
• Will help educate players and parents about those rules
• Will be advocates for them during the recruiting process
• Has connections with college programs

When I was coaching at a Division II school, there were a handful of travel ball coaches I knew well and could really trust to give me honest feedback on a kid as an athlete and a person. Those were the programs I kept going back to.

7. Character Development : Arguably the most important aspect of a program is the character and personal development that will take place. Yes, we want players to get better at softball. But players should walk away from their travel ball experience not only prepared for college athletics, but also for life in general.

Things like being on time, sportsmanship, work ethic, speaking respectfully, putting the team first, uplifting those around you, and attention to detail; those are all crucial life skills that youth sports can help build. Ask the coaching staff their thoughts on this, and what they do to help foster this type of development.

Here are a few questions that many travel softball players and parents ask when joining or switching teams.

Between $500 and $5,000 per year (with an average of about $2,000), depending on where you live, the level of competition, and the time commitment. On the low end, a $500 budget may be enough to cover your team fees and play in local tournaments with lesser competition. But if you need to travel far to get to competitive or college exposure tournaments (nearly every weekend during the summer plus multiple tournaments in the fall), it’s not unheard of to spend $5,000 per season.

Highly-competitive programs need to have high-level coaches. The majority of those programs cover their coaches’ travel expenses as an incentive. A few coaches who work for franchised organizations will get paid and actually make a small profit for their time.

Levels are separated by age and skill level. Age brackets are 8U (8-years-old and under), 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U. Within each age level there are three letters that designate the skill level: “A” is the highest level in a particular age group, followed by “B” (average) and “C” (kids who are playing mostly for fun). It’s also increasingly common for elite travel softball organizations to have two 18U teams, with the highest level designated as “18 Gold.” There are no tournaments for which classification as an “18 Gold” team is mandatory for entry — these teams participate in the same high-level tournaments as A-level teams.

There are multiple organizations that host tournaments around the United States. The main ones are USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association — pronounced U-Triple-S-A), PGF (Premier Girls’s Fastpitch, USA (Formerly ASA), Triple Crown, and NSA (National Softball Association). A majority of these tournaments are qualifiers for the organization’s national tournament, where the top teams from different regions compete in one location.

At tryouts, you should expect to be tested on your home-to-first sprint time, your home-to-home sprint time, and your overhand throwing speed. There’s usually a brief hitting session (front toss), as well as defensive reps and throws based on your position. Catchers usually have 2-3 reps to throw to each base, while pitchers are usually given the opportunity to throw all their pitches and have their speeds checked by radar. Every year, most teams host an open tryout, where anyone interested in joining has an opportunity to be evaluated by the coaching staff. Some teams charge a small fee for this tryout. Often, good organizations will reach out to a player that caught their eye and invite them to come to the open tryout. Travel softball teams will also sometimes have two different dates options for tryouts, so that athletes can attend the one that best fits their schedule.

I enjoyed my time as a travel softball player, but it wasn’t always easy — for me or my family. Still, I wouldn’t trade those times for anything… and I wouldn’t be where I am today without those experiences.

There’s a lot that goes into deciding what travel softball team to play for. I hope that this guide was informative and helped you understand what to look for, so that you can make the best choice for your family and have as rewarding of an experience as I did.

Alexa Peterson

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The Ultimate Parent’s Guide to Travel Softball Teams | Everything You Need to Know

March 14, 2023

48 min read

If your young daughter plays fastpitch, at some point you’ll hear the debate around travel softball. 

Certain parents will tell you that your child should start playing travel ball as soon as possible. Others will tell you to avoid it completely. 

The decision to join a club softball team is a big one for your daughter and for the rest of your family, with many factors to consider. 

If you have questions about travel ball, you’ll find answers in this comprehensive guide, which covers:

•  How travel ball differs from recreational softball
• How travel ball works
• The pros and cons of both travel and recreational softball
• What to consider when making the switch
• How to find and tryout for a fastpitch travel team
• How much does travel softball really cost?

# How Does Rec Ball Differ from Travel Softball?

Fastpitch softball competition is split between recreational leagues and travel ball. 

Recreational, commonly referred to as “rec ball” is usually run by Little League Softball or other local organizations. 

The focus of rec ball is on having fun and teaching players the fundamentals of the game. 

The tryouts in rec ball are to ensure that talent is as evenly distributed amongst the league’s teams as possible in the name of fairness – and everyone makes a team if they register for the league. 

The rec season runs in the spring, from March to May, and games take place locally at a predetermined set of fields during the regular season.  

As a parent, you can usually expect a commitment of two games per week and maybe one or two practices. 

Typically, the cost is around $100, and teams are organized around age-based divisions for players ranging from 4 to 16 years old. 

# Travel Softball

Travel softball differs from rec ball in a few important ways. 

A big one is that club teams hold pass-fail tryouts, selecting and organizing players based on skill. Players without the requisite skills will not be offered a spot on the team. 

Such teams usually also travel to other cities or out of state to compete, hence the name “travel ball.” 

Organizations like the USSSA, the American Softball Association (ASA), Triple Crown, and the North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) host tournaments all across the country for travel ball teams year-round. 

While not every team plays all year long, travel ball still lets your child play a lot more softball than they would in rec ball. 

Club softball costs significantly more than rec ball as well, ranging from $500 to $5000 for yearly player fees. 

# How Travel Softball Teams Work

The structure of a travel softball season differs quite a bit from rec ball. 

In rec ball, you play against the same teams throughout the season, at the same local parks, often practice 1-2 days per week, and play a single game on the weekend. 

In addition to being year-round, travel softball includes tournaments, more weekly practices, possible expectations that they’ll procure weekly 1:1 training sessions, along with attending weekend friendlies, scrimmages, or league play. 

Let’s break a few of these things down individually.

# Fastpitch Travel Tournaments

Fastpitch travel teams usually play in tournaments, as many as every weekend in the summer. Some teams play in fall and spring tournaments as well. 

Weekend tournaments guarantee between 5-10 games total, depending on how well your team performs. 

They start either Friday night or Saturday morning with “seed” play or pool play. After 3-4 games of seed play to determine your rank, bracket play starts. 

Most tournaments are double-elimination in bracket play. 

And winners of the tournament usually get a prize like small trophies or medals – but they can also earn teams so-called “berths” to compete in larger national championship tournaments. 

Berths are like special invitation tickets that grant travel softball teams admission to the biggest and most competitive stages in the game. 

That said, instead of weekend affairs, some tournaments are weeklong onslaughts with 1-5 games per day. 

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# Practices and Training Sessions for Travel Softball

Travel softball requires more time both on and off the field. 

Your daughter will play in more games, but she’ll also spend more time at practices and might even be expected to have individual private lessons, group clinics, or training sessions. 

If she’s playing at an elite level, then putting in extra work will feel essential to keep up with her teammates and competition. 

Practices can become fewer during tournament season, but training ramps up in the winter season. 

To be a high-level competitor in travel ball, most parents and coaches these days would lament the reality that there's no real break from the game. 

# Travel ball League Play

Finally, your travel team might sign up for a league. 

Essentially, some large cities host weeknight games or double-headers for club teams in the area to compete in. 

These leagues differ from rec softball because the teams are more competitive. They’re also more common in large urban centers where more teams are likely to be based. 

If your club team is from a small town, then you may not play in one of these leagues. Or you might travel further to play in one. 

To be clear, these league games are usually in addition to the weekend tournaments previously explained. 

# What Are You Committing To with Travel Softball?

One of the biggest differences between rec ball and travel ball is the time commitment. 

You and your daughter should be ready to spend a great deal of your time on softball once you sign up for a travel team. 

As you can see by now, travel ball encompasses more than just some tournaments. When people say it’s a lifestyle, you should take them at their word. 

Not condoning or condemning here – these are just the current realities on the ground. 

And if she’s serious about playing softball and dreams of competing in college ball, these are sacrifices she’ll almost inevitably be expected to make. 

Travel softball teams also bring a financial burden. 

If you’re spending more money on fees, equipment, uniforms, travel, or other softball-related expenses, that’s less you can spend on your daughter’s other activities. 

It might also mean less material things like video games, new smartphones, or new street clothes. 

So unless you are very well-off, both you and your daughter must be willing to accept some trade-offs to play club softball at an elite level. 

Of course, these realities can affect the financial decisions of your entire family. 

Let’s detail the pros and cons of both rec and travel softball, so you can more easily make an informed decision about signing your daughter up for club ball or not.

# The Pros and Cons of Rec Softball

• Emphasis on learning – With Little League/recreational leagues, everyone who signs up gets to play on a team. The focus is on learning the game and developing values like sportsmanship and leadership. Coaches will also let girls play at different positions so they can figure out what they’re good at and what they like best. 
• Stay local – If your daughter plays on a rec team, you won’t have to travel more than 30 miles from your town. Even in small cities, they try to organize leagues so that travel is minimal.  If you’d rather allocate your budget to family vacations than to transportation and hotels for softball, then rec ball may be more suited to your family.
• Less expensive – Rec ball is significantly less expensive than club softball. Although fees vary by region, the average is around $100 for a season, which includes a uniform.  Sometimes, coaches will even provide all the necessary equipment for their players.  In most cases, though, you might have to buy your child the right softball gear, which will increase the yearly spend to between $100-500 – depending on exactly what you decide to buy and how well her equipment held up the year before.
• Lower competition – Since anyone that wants to is allowed to play, there’s no filter for competition. Coaches and umpires are usually volunteers, who may have little experience within the game. Many players who want to improve and hone their softball skills to an elite level won’t be able to do so if they continue playing rec ball into high school.
• Less organization – Although not the case for all recreational leagues, some tend to be poorly organized. The entire league might be run by volunteers or city employees with no background administering youth sports. Poor organization can lead to fewer opportunities for your daughter to play, like if games get double-booked or canceled unexpectedly.
• Fewer games – You play fewer games in a season of rec softball than with a club team. The total is about 20 games, not counting weather cancellations. Fewer games mean less exposure and slower rates of skill development. If your kid loves softball and wants to play as much as possible, it might be time to move up to the more involved club teams. 

# The Pros and Cons of Travel Softball

• Better competition – For players who want to improve to an elite level, challenge themselves, and be part of a hard-working team, travel ball may be the way to go. With travel ball, kids learn the importance of bettering oneself for the sake of greater team success. They also face other elite players, making them more prepared to play at the collegiate level.
• More games – If your child can’t get enough of softball, then travel ball might be perfect for her. Travel softball affords many more opportunities to play and develop, even if you have to sit on the bench sometimes. And for the amount of money you invest in club softball, you can expect a decent number of games.
• Opportunity to travel – Some might view the travel aspect as a hindrance, but it can also be an opportunity. For some kids, the chance to venture outside their city or state could be a great way for them to become inspired. 
• Costly – We’ll get into the details of these costs below, but after reading this.  Suffice it to say, you will want to make sure that both you and your daughter clearly understand the commitment you’re making to playing travel softball.
• Missing out – In addition to costing money, travel will cost you valuable time. Your kid could miss out on social or school events. You, too, could miss out on work or extended family events by spending all your free time driving your daughter to tournaments and practices.  Many of the parents who can cover the financial curveballs that travel softball hurls at them, will be tempted to breeze past this warning. But it is worth serious consideration. 
• Difficulty level – Although your child might want to play travel ball, you should be realistic about her current skill level.  Travel softball teams are full of elite, competitive players who are often targeting college softball and its scholarships.  If your kid doesn’t have the same abilities but ends up on a highly competitive team, she may quickly fall behind, see less playing time, and become discouraged with the sport.  But the good news is that within travel ball, there is an entire spectrum of teams with varying levels of skill and expectations.  So part of the team or organizational selection on your end is being realistic as to where your daughter is now, while creating a plan and setting goals to help get her where she wants to be in a year, 2 years, or 5 years from now.  

# A Middle Ground Between Rec Ball and Elite Travel Ball

It’s worth mentioning that travel softball teams are split up into categories based on both age and skill level. 

For age brackets, there’s 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, and 18U. 

Additionally, there are often “A,” “B,” and “C” levels for each age group. The “A” teams are the most competitive, the “C” teams are playing more for fun, and “B” teams fall somewhere in the middle.

So it’s possible for your daughter to play travel ball without facing steep levels of competition. Many “B” and “C” teams form to give kids a chance to play more softball than they would with a rec league. 

These teams focus less on college recruiting outreach and chasing softball scholarships and more on building character. 

Teams like these might play only in summer tournaments instead of year-round. And since they play fewer games, they require less time commitment, and there are fewer associated fees. 

Although these lower-tier teams are still considered “travel” softball teams, they might only or mostly play in local tournaments. 

Less serious club teams are a great middle-ground for girls who want more competition and playing time than rec ball offers, but who don’t want to commit to continuing to play in college softball. 

They’re also ideal for parents who’d rather invest less time and money in their child’s softball – so your daughter and your family can focus on other meaningful endeavors – but want more organized structure than rec ball.

# Should You Switch from Rec Ball to Travel Ball?

Whether or not you switch from rec ball to travel ball is up to you and your daughter. 

It’s truly an entire family decision. No blanket solution exists to suit everyone. And there’s also no particular best age for switching. 

The smartest thing you can do is continue on the path of research that led you to this article. 

Reading other parents’ experiences with travel ball versus rec ball on message boards and forums can be particularly enlightening. Their impressions might give you an insight into the sport you hadn’t thought of. 

Another great way to research travel softball is by word-of-mouth. 

Are there teams in your area? Can you get in contact with that team’s parents and ask them for advice? 

Sometimes the decision to try out for a club team is based on availability. 

If there are no travel teams in your area, you could join one out of town. This practice is actually much more common than you might think. 

For example, many elite, Hawaii-residing softball players will fly in and play for travel teams in places like California or Texas during tournament season. But, for most, doing so means driving or flying long distances for both practices and tournaments. 

Indeed, many softball parents will tell you that their decision about travel ball is based on circumstances. The location, budget, and presence of teams will all be factors in this decision-calculus. 

The most important factor, however, is your daughter’s interest in playing travel ball. 

If she’s willing to set aside other parts of her life for softball and wants a challenging environment to improve her game, then she should play some form of travel ball. 

Make sure both you and your daughter understand the time and effort that go into travel softball. Go over the pros and cons of club ball together, so you’re both informed. 

Once you and your child are clear about what you want, then you can make an informed decision.

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# how to find a fastpitch softball travel team.

Say you’ve weighed your options and discussed it with your child. You’ve both decided she should play travel ball. 

Now how do you go about finding a team? 

And what things should you look for in a travel softball team?

# Where to Look for Travel Softball Organizations

As mentioned, word-of-mouth is a great way to start your search for teams. Ask parents you know about travel teams in your area. 

If you live somewhere with a high concentration of softball clubs, like southern California, personal recommendations can come especially in handy. 

If you don’t know anyone involved in travel softball, then you can look online. Big organizations in your area will likely come up in a search engine, and this is a great way to find teams. 

But not every team has a website – or one that’s really optimized for search – so many won’t show up in search results. 

However, all teams that play in USSSA, ASA, Triple Crown, and NAFA must register with the organization. As a result, these websites might have directories of teams in your area. 

USSSA is a particularly great resource for this. You can use these online searches as a jumping-off point for finding a team, especially if there are a lot of them in your area. 

For cities and towns less inundated with travel teams, joining Facebook groups dedicated to travel softball is a great way to find recommendations. 

You could also search for a given team or travel organization’s Facebook page or Instagram profile, as nearly all will have these updated regularly even if they don’t have an official website. 

And social media posts from such accounts will often have the most accurate and real-time information about tryouts and team openings – such as, “Looking for a 2025 catcher”.

A final resource worth checking out is HeyBucket . There you will find tryout postings for most of the travel softball organizations around the country, along with a robust forum filled with parents and coaches discussing all things travel ball.

# Travel Softball Team Tryouts

If you want to join a travel softball team, you can expect to go through tryouts first. For teams that want to play in summer tournaments, tryouts can be held as early as the preceding August. 

At this time of the year, players are still fresh from their summer season, so ideally, they’ll perform their best at tryouts. Fall tryouts also give teams a chance to work out over the winter and coordinate fundraising efforts. 

# What Can You Expect at Travel Softball Tryouts

At tryouts, you can expect a 2-4 hour session similar to a practice. The coaches will introduce themselves and ask your daughter to do so as well. 

Travel coaches do this partly because they want to gauge your daughter’s confidence and maturity levels. 

This is especially important for teams focused on college recruiting, because these experienced coaches know that these same traits can make a player more or less attractive to college scouts. 

And their job as competitive travel coaches, aside from guiding her performance development, is convincing such scouts – who will eventually interact with your daughter – that she’s a great fit for their program.  

After introductions, the athletes will go through static stretches, movement-prep drills, and throw. 

Next, they’ll either start with offensive or defensive drills or live situations. 

Coaches will also want to assess your daughter’s baserunning. If she’s a pitcher or catcher, she will be asked to showcase these skills. 

Typically, tryouts are structured as stations, with girls moving from one station to the another. 

Encourage your daughter to always do her best at tryouts and hustle continuously without pause. 

Coaches at these tryouts are evaluating her attitude and work ethic as much as her softball abilities. If she makes a mistake, tell her – beforehand, not during – to just shrug it off and move on to the next rep.

# Warning to Parents During Fastpitch Travel Tryouts

You might have caught that less-than-subtle recommendation not to call out to your daughter in any way during a travel ball tryout. 

That’s because the truth is that for competitive travel ball teams, you as parents are also trying out in a way. Again, this is most true for college recruitment-age teams.

Coaches are always on the lookout for red flags from parents. 

Professional coaches also notice if your daughter looks to you in the stands directly after making a mistake during a tryout.

To them, this bad habit hints at both a lack of confidence on her part and a potentially toxic sports parent relationship, where she’s only doing this to please you and not because she herself loves the sport. 

For many travel ball coaches, such observed behaviors can lead to your daughter not making the team. 

In the interest of blunt honesty, if your daughter truly has top-percentile talent, such parent red flags may be willfully ignored at the younger levels of travel ball play. 

However, no matter how much potential your daughter possesses, these issues will become more of a problem at the older, recruitable 14U-18U ages, for reasons alluded to earlier. 

After asking about your daughter’s Rapsodo analytics metrics, GPA, SAT, and attitude tendencies, the very next question that all college coaches will ask your travel coach is “How are the parents?”

The travel ball coach has to tell the whole truth at this moment or risk losing their trusted reputation earned by years of hard work and relationship-building. 

Travel coaches know the truth will come out eventually – college coaches are often even more conscious, observant, and disqualifying in response to the red flags we listed – and not many travel coaches are going to be willing to lose face by lying.  

If your daughter is still within that 8U to 12U age range, this section is still worth heeding early. Stop bad habits on both your parts before they start. 

# How to Choose the Right Travel Softball Team for Your Daughter

There are eight major things you should keep in mind during your travel ball team selection:

# 1. Coaching style

How does the coach relate to the players and parents? Does the coach have experience playing or coaching softball, and at what level?

Do the coaches emphasize instruction, winning, or a combination of both?

The coaching style will have a big impact on your daughter’s experience with a travel ball team, so choose wisely.

As we’ve already discussed, cost is an unignorable factor in travel softball. Ask about a breakdown of fees up front.

Coaches should know how much everything on their side will cost before the season starts, so you’ll have a good idea of what you’re paying.

Look at what you get for your money – are uniforms and equipment or additional training opportunities included? Are tournament fees extra?

Keep in mind also that you’ll have to pay your own travel expenses in addition to whatever fees the team requires.

# 3. Structure

How is their season structured? Does the team play tournaments year-round or only in the summer? Which tournaments will the team play in?

At younger ages, staying closer to home for tournaments is ideal – your daughter can still learn and compete and you can save your money for when she’s more serious about softball, closer to college-age.

Traveling long distances to the most elite travel ball tournaments in the country will eventually be necessary if she’s interested in playing D1, though.

When thinking about the organization of the team you should also look into their practice schedule and winter workouts.

Off-season training sessions are when your daughter will build upon her skills the most, so these practices are vital for her improvement.

# 4. Skill level

How good is the team? Do they finish each tournament by losing their first two bracket games in a row?

Competing, improving, and having fun can be more important than winning. But losing badly every weekend also isn’t much fun and it doesn’t facilitate skill improvement or confidence.

# 5. Playing time

When it comes to younger teams, players should be moving around positions and getting as much experience on the field as possible.

During tournament pool play, everyone should have about equal playing time. Once bracket play starts, though, the emphasis is often on competing at the highest level possible.

As players get older, their positions will become more fixed, and playing time should be based on performance.

Most elite travel ball coaches won’t give you a straight guarantee on your daughter’s playing time. Their priority will be putting together the best team that can compete at the level they’re playing at.

# 6. College

You shouldn’t worry too much about college recruiting until your daughter’s freshman year of high school.

But second-year 14U team coaches and up should know the rules around recruiting and work to educate you and your player on those rules.

They should also have contacts in college programs and be a proponent for your daughter in these programs.

# 7. Personal development

You should look for teams that foster character building in your kid. Improvement in the sport and college ball preparation is important, but you and their coaches should keep an eye on the bigger picture.

What kinds of values does this team instill in its players? Do they encourage a strong work ethic, respect for teammates, and good sportsmanship?

These are the types of skills players should learn in youth sports because they translate to adult and professional life.

Above all, the experience should be fun. Your daughter should enjoy playing on this club team and everything it involves. If it’s clear the other girls on the team aren’t having any fun, that’s a bad sign.

Travel ball players and coaches are a serious bunch, but they shouldn’t be so tightly wound that they make the experience miserable for everyone else.

# Wrapping Up on What You Need to Know

Deciding to join a travel softball team is, as you can see, a big decision. 

You and your daughter have many factors to consider which will significantly impact her experience playing softball. 

You want your child to do activities she finds rewarding and enjoyable, which promote her personal development. 

Travel softball can achieve all of these things for her. But that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. 

We did our best to not make this about how things should, could, or used to be in our game. This wasn’t an opinion piece. 

Instead, we sought to make a super practical and unfiltered guide for moms, dads, and up-and-coming athletes trying to make a major life choice today – in the current year.

Hopefully, after reading this guide, you have the information you need about travel softball to make the right decision for you and your daughter.

# Bonus Material: How Much Does Travel Softball Really Cost?

Below are some rough approximations of expenses. 

We do not recommend focusing too hard on the numbers listed.

And not just because we don’t want you to have a heart attack.

It’s mainly because this is mostly an exercise to inform you more about the different types of costs incurred in a given year of travel softball. 

This is by no means exhaustive, but it does give you a good place to start when considering this decision from a financial perspective. 

So, without further ado. 

# Gate Fees and Concessions for Travelball

Most complexes that host travel tournaments charge parents and other adult supporters, like your relatives or friends, who want to attend the games a gate fee. 

This gate fee is usually between $5-10 per person per day though some charge by the weekend or week. 

Also, you and your family will get hungry and thirsty, and most athletic complexes do not allow outside food on the premises. 

Gate Cost: $300-800 yearly

# Travel Expenses for Club Softball

At the younger ages of 8U-12U, there is less distance traveled, as teams mostly compete within their local state or even county. 

However, they usually play more tournaments in total, as there is no so-called “dark period” for these younger athletes. 

The dark period is the time that high school-aged softball players cannot play travel ball because it is high school season, and the regulations do not allow them to play both at the same time. This period is enforced in almost every US state. 

Besides the travel to actual games, you must consider the travel to practices, which occur 2-4 times per week – depending on the team and organization. 

And for all this travel you and your family will need to get some food and drinks, at least some of the time. 

Moreover, there is the wear and tear on your vehicle and its maintenance to consider. 

Lastly, you or your significant other may need unpaid time off in order to attend various games and tournaments throughout the year.

Travel Cost for younger ages: $700-3,000 yearly

At the older ages, 14U to 18U, the travel cost varies greatly. 

It depends on the competitiveness of the team and whether they are focused at the regional level or if they are chasing D1 scholarships at the national level. 

Travel Cost for older ages: $2,000-10,000

# Gear and Travel Team Events

You’ll also need to at least consider purchasing your daughter’s bats, cleats, batting gloves, extra uniforms, extra socks, athletic tape, eye-black, hair accessories, and sliding shorts. 

Some of these items may be included in your monthly or yearly dues to the travel organization or team that your daughter plays under. 

And you will be expected to contribute financially – usually in the form of bringing snacks or drinks or buying tickets – and time-wise to various team fundraisers and bonding events throughout the year. 

Gear and Special Event Costs: $500-1,500 yearly

# Additional Expenses for Elite Softball

Most travel softball players get private lessons or participate in group clinics for hitting, pitching, catching, or fielding. 

Some travel softball athletes also get additional training or help keep them optimized physically from strength and conditioning coaches, PT’s, and/or chiropractors. 

Additional Training Cost: $500-4,000

Once athletes are recruiting age – technically 8th grade to 12th grade, but here we mean high school – they may want to attend college softball clinics and camps to get additional exposure to particular college coaches, and help their chances of getting recruited. 

College Camps/Clinics Cost: $500-2,000 yearly

# Travelball Expense Totals

So, the approximate price range, depending on a ton of different variables – which is why the price gap is so massive – for participating in travel softball each year is between:

 $2,000* and $23,300.

To be honest, both of these numbers represent extremes on the low and the high sides of the spectrum. 

But we included this expense exercise to help parents like yourself begin to think about how serious a financial investment travel softball is. 

The only way to make decisions that are best for your daughter and for the rest of your family is to be informed about what such decisions might entail. 

Finally, it should be mentioned that the majority of softball athletes begin travel ball at the 10U or 12U level – between 9 and 12 years old. 

If your daughter competes in travel all the way until the 18U level at 17 to 18 years old, you can now get a rough idea, from these yearly approximations above, toward what an entire competitive career in travel softball might cost.

We’ll let you do that career-length extrapolation on your own though – this no-nonsense guide has likely stressed you out enough by this point. 

That said, hopefully this guide was a tiny brick on you and your daughter’s long road through this wonderful game that we call softball.  

*On the lower number, we did not include the “Additional Expenses” categories, because they might not be needed depending on the age and competitiveness-level.

About the Author

Courtney Withrow

Professional Writer

Originally from the U.S., Courtney is a Brussels-based freelance writer with a Master’s degree in International Relations. She grew up playing softball and still loves the game.

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Effective 8U, 10U & 12U Fastpitch Softball Practice Drills

Each month, thousands of youth softball coaches & parents scan the internet for fun and effective fastpitch softball drills for 8U, 10U, and 12U players. 

While we often like to lump groups together into broad categories (travel ball, high school, rec league, etc.), the reality is that each group has subcategories with very specific needs. While many parts of the game apply for all age levels, a younger player is much different than an 18U player.

And as a result there are certain skills and drills that are great for an older, more experienced 18U player that may not be so good for the 10U girls (as an example).

I would encourage every coach that attends a conference to listen to each speaker through the “filter” of “does this apply to my team?” College coaches will be your typical speakers. While they nearly always deliver great information, they aren’t always teaching with younger players in mind.

And today’s post is written with the age-range of 8U-12U in mind. 

Continue reading to learn some fun and effective fastpitch softball drills for the 8U, 10U or 12U aged- teams.

The truth is that these drills are good (and recommended) for nearly ANY age-group. However, they will specifically help a younger player with her fundamentals.

And with young players laying a great foundation of proper fundamentals is essential for future success!

8U, 10U, 12U Softball Drill #1: Pendulum Throwing Drill

This first of my recommended fastpitch softball drills for a 8U, 10U, or 12U player is a throwing drill. Proper throwing mechanics is one of the biggest challenges I have experienced with these age groups. Some of this is arm strength, while some is simply reinforcing proper fundamentals. 

Just be sure to have the correct sized softball depending on the age.  For example, for 8U players our 10-inch softball is the perfect size for smaller hands. 

This drill will not fix all of your teams throwing woes. But it will help your players develop some body awareness for proper weight transfer during the throw.

In this drill, the player rocks back and forth with a ball in the middle of her body. You can see the video of the drill below:

A couple of important notes as you watch the drill:

• The players rocks her weight back and forth from her front leg to her bag leg 2-3 times
• On the last “rock” to her back leg she goes into her throwing motion
• This drill helps players feel their weight transfer from the back side to the front side

8U, 10U, 12U Softball Drill #2: Jump-back Tee Drill

The second drill is a fun softball hitting drill that I call the “Jump Back Drill.” Once again, developing body awareness is the critical element for this drill.

Note that for this drill, it might be too advanced for some 8U players. If you try it and it's overly difficult, then simply back off the drill. 

Much like with the pendulum drill, this drill will help a player feel their weight transfer from the “back side” to the “front side.” This drill can help players develop proper weight transfer with their lower body. It can also help develop smoother upper body movements as the hitters hands separate from her body during the stride phase. 

This drill may be a little awkward even for the 10U player initially, but she will improve with practice and time. And as she gets into the 12U “phase” of playing she will have this mastered. However, just be sure to watch her upper body to make sure it isn’t “flailing around” during the drill.

Below is a video that walks through the drill from start to finish.

A couple of important notes on this drill:

• As you can see in the video, the player sets up with her front foot even with the ball…with both feet together.
• Second, the player jumps onto her back leg.
• Third, the player brings her front-knee in towards her back knee .
• Lastly, from a hitting mechanics standpoint you will notice in the video how her hands separate from her body. Also, her front shoulder and hips rotate “in”, all while she strides forward.

8U, 10U, 12U Softball Drill #3: Soft-Hands Paddles 

At the youth levels, teaching and reinforcing proper infield fundamentals is critical. Which is why I love using soft-hands paddles (also called "pancake gloves") for this age group.

This “drill” should progress from rolling grounders to your players, to possibly hitting grounders at them.

You do not need a lot of paddles to make this work (although it is easier with one paddle for each player).  If your budget is tight, you could purchase 2-3 each season. If you do not have many paddles, simply have the players share.

You can purchase paddles on a number of different websites. While we prefer the Rawlings glove , you can find a number of different options here on Amazon .

A couple of important notes:

• This drill can be done either with a throw or simply by dropping the ball in a bucket after a fake throw.
• Do not be overzealous with this. Going too hard could have the end result of players being afraid of a ground ball. Keep in mind that this is for fundamentals. Do NOT hit grounders at them with their paddles unless they are VERY comfortable. And start SLOWLY.
• Use the paddles on grounders that the players can get in front of only. Balls hit right at them or that take them a few steps to the side is best.  
• Proper footwork on grounders.
• Covering up the ball with the throwing hand (two hands).
• Making throws to bases after fielding.

Drill #4: Buddy System (Team Building)

If you want to coach fastpitch softball, you NEED to do some  team building with your girls. But if you neglect this area, you will lessen your impact and the desire of your players to stick with softball.

What's more, softball team building drills are always a fun way for the kids to get to know each other!

A very simple team building drill is using a “buddy system.” In a nutshell, here is how it works (and you can EASILY tweak this):

• Each player is assigned a buddy for a few days or weeks (depending on the length of your season).
• During specific practices, the “buddies” take 5 minutes to learn something new about each other.
• Take 5 minutes on occasion to have a player share with the team what they have learned about their “buddy.”
• If you have new players coming onto your team each season, partner them with a “veteran” player to help them get to know each other.

Below you will find various videos for drills to help you this season. 

Can you use these drills as your team progresses into older age groups? Absolutely! But they are simple enough that most 10U and 12U player will be able to do them after some practice.

For 8U players, if the drill might be too difficult we will notate that on the drill.

The key to these drills is that when done correctly, they will reinforce proper fundamentals and get your players lots of quality reps in a short period of time!

DRILL #5: Partner Framing & Receiving Drill (Catchers)

(**This drill might not be a good fit for 8U players...use your discretion).

This drill is simply having a coach toss balls to the catcher around the strike zone, working on proper framing & receiving of each location. Framing is something that every 12U catcher needs to learn and practice. 

For most 10U players, introducing this will be the starting point depending on their skill-level. But this will also help them work on receiving pitches properly.  

Reinforce this daily and you will be amazed at her improvement with framing!  

DRILL #6: Triangle Backhand Drill (Infielders)

(**This drill can be introduced to 8U players to help them work on glove-work...but use your discretion if their skill-level isn't ready).

This drill requires 3 players, or at the very least 3 people. This is a GREAT drill for teaching players how to backhand a grounder at a pace that is manageable. 

Here are a couple of important points for using this drill with your players: 

• Have the players work on fielding the backhand with both feet as the “lead foot.” While right-handed players will typically have the left foot forward, as they develop they will have situations where having the right foot forward is best. For example, a shortstop making a throw to second base might be better off backhanding with the right foot forward.
• The receiving player should stay low throughout the drill. To keep the drill moving quickly, be sure that the receiving player in the drill does not stand up straight every time she tosses the ball over to the 3rd player. This will slow the drill down.
• If you do not have a bucket for each group, simply have each group take 5 balls. Each player will then get 5 reps.
•  The players continue going through this progression for a specified number of reps or time!

DRILL #7: Regular Soft-Toss (Hitting)

Regular soft-toss is a “staple” for most programs. However, it is critical that players know HOW to execute this drill properly, both as a hitter AND as the tosser. In fact, I would argue that the tosser is even more important than the hitter.

A couple of important points for this drill:

• Have the tosser hold the ball up and show it to the hitter. THEN she can bring it down and up again for the toss. This allows the hitter to get their timing down.
• The tosser should aim for the waist height. They key is to toss it neither too slow nor too fast. Too fast doesn’t give the hitter timing ability, while too slow (or too much of a “hump” in the toss) does not simulate fastpitch softball.
• Use a coach to run this drill if necessary ...but it is important that the players learn how to toss to each other properly in order to get quality reps without a coach as they progress.

DRILL #8: Fastest Player Drill (Baserunning)

The purpose of this drill is to work on steal jumps. 

Here are the steps, In a nutshell:

• Have all of your players line-up down the first base foul-line (or any line).
• Have each of them get into proper position for a steal.
• On a fake-pitch (just make sure it is a game-like fake pitch), each player “steals” the next base at the same time.
• Simply have them go 60 feet (or to an assigned “end point” depending on age and whether you are coaching baseball or softball).
• If a player “beats” the person to her right, they switch spots.
• Do this as many times as you prefer. The goal for the players is to finish at the “top” of the line.

This drill will give you a very quick idea of not only your fastest players, but also your most competitive. You will notice that some players will give up quickly while some will fight to the bitter end.

DRILL #9 & #10: Encouragement Bags & Team Building Practice  (Team Building)

We wanted to include team building drills here because we believe it's very important. While these videos are geared for softball teams, something similar could be used for baseball teams as well. 

The first video, from Coach Ritchhart, is included to give you some ideas. You will need to tweak things so that they best fit your age-group. 

Video #1: Team Building Practice Session with Coach Ritchhart

Video #2: Encouragement Bags

Our second team building drill is called "encouragement bags." This is an easy drill to build greater team chemistry on your team!

This particular activity is one of seven activities that we cover in our Team Building Drills post. Click that link to see all seven activities!

But first, watch the video below to learn about the Encouragement Bag activity:

DRILL #11: Load & Go Drill (Throwing)

In this drill, you are working on proper weight transfer and use of the legs while throwing.  A common problem for younger players is not utilizing the legs properly (using all arms), as well as opening up too soon with the front shoulder.

This drill helps to reinforce proper mechanics for both of the mistakes listed above.

There you have it. That's eleven different fastpitch softball drills for 8U, 10U, and 12U coaches to use in practice. Nothing overly complicated…but for youth players keeping it simple is important!

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13 Tips on How to Start the BEST Travel Softball Team in 2024

So you have a group of players, but have aren’t sure how to start a travel team . You know if it would provide great benefits to the players, but are afraid to get started. This is very normal !

Starting a travel softball team might sound easy . You get a few players, order uniforms, and enter some tournaments. But it’s not . Starting a travel team for softball involves an unexpectedly large amount of time and a significant amount of money. It is a commitment that should not be undertaken lightly.

If you are going to start a travel team, you should consider how long you would like the team to continue. Will this be a one year commitment? Or, are you looking to start a program that could last for possibly eight years? This article aims to provide you with all the things you should think about on this journey.

With that said let’s get started on the tips to starting a travel softball team.

Know the age groupings

Travel ball is organized by age groups .

Softball is even years – 8U, 10U, 12U, etc. The determining age of the child is based on her age on January 1st of the current year . So, if the girl is 9 on January 1 then she will play on a 10U team. You cannot play in an age group that is younger than the child’s actual age.

Baseball is organized differently. Each age has a group and they start young – 6U. The age cutoff was recently changed to August 31 , which was a change based on Little League rules because there were so many boys who were 13 playing in the Little League World Series .

Know the Player’s Age

When you build a team, it is important that you pay attention to the ages of your potential players.

Their birthdays could cause teams to break apart or you could be forced to have players “play up” against older, more experienced teams. While playing up is a status symbol for some, it can be rather comical to watch a group of 13-year-old boys play against high school freshman who could be in their growth spurts.

Different age groups play on different fields and in softball, they use different sized balls.

It is important that you use the correct equipment and practice on the properly sized field so your team will perform well in tournaments. Tournament sponsors have information about fields, balls, bats, and pitch counts on their websites.

Baseball pitch counts will vary by age and are closely monitored by organizers, but softball tournaments generally do not have any pitch count rules.

Organizations that sponsor tournaments

There are several organizations that offer tournaments for travel teams.

They are under different governing bodies that have different rules. Before you choose to enter tournaments, it is wise to look at their rules regarding the size of the field (see the differences between baseball and softball fields ), whether or not players can lead off, and how many pitches one player can throw in a game and in a tournament.

Those different organization include USSSA , Travel Ball USA , Game Day USA , and Ripken Baseball .

Maximum Travel Distance

But, before you choose your tournaments, you have decide how far your team will travel .

Some teams, especially younger ones , will try to stay local – within 50 miles of the majority of people’s homes. However, some teams, especially competitive teams that want scouting exposure, will travel to different states and even different times zones.

This is something that should be determined prior to inviting players to your team, as hotel and travel expenses can be incredibly expensive .

Finding Interested Players

That brings up another important factor when starting a team – how you will get your players ? The best travel teams will invite the best players, but how will you find them? Some teams will have tryouts, but how will you advertise the events? Where will you hold the tryouts? As you can see there are many factors to consider!

You also need to determine how many players to have on your team. Travel softball teams usually only need 11 players, because pitch counts do not exist. For more details, please visit our detailed guide on how many players are on a softball team .

If you have too many players, then playing time becomes an issue. No matter what, your team should include several players who can pitch, a few who can catch, and the rest can play the positions. Hopefully, you can find a few left-handed players to separate your team from the rest.

Finding coaches and volunteers

You will also need to determine who will coach the team .

If you are starting your own team, then you most likely will coach third base – where the head coach is posted. You will also want someone to coach first base and to be in the dugout with your players.

At minimum, that means you need at least three adults with baseball or softball experience. You will also need a parent or a small team of parents to do “the book” or keep the stats in a scorebook and/or digitally.

Compensation for Coaches

Prior to choosing your coaches, you will need to decide how you will compensate them, if at all.

Some teams totally work with parent volunteers, but those often run the risk of having issues with favoritism. But, if you plan to pay your coaches, you will have to figure out where that money will come from.

Some teams give their coaches a discount on player fees, but that means that some players end up paying more than others.

Player fees

You will also have determine your fee structure when starting a travel team.

Parents appreciate it when the fees to play are affordable and transparent . Therefore, you should thoroughly understand the costs of the tournaments and uniforms. If you live in a place that does not allow for outdoor practice 12 months out of the year, you might also need to factor in the cost of indoor practice time.

It is common for travel ball fees to be $1000 or more per player and this is before any traveling is taken into consideration.

Travel Expenses

Travel expenses include not only hotel rates – which can be close to $150 per night for three-day tournaments, but they also include food (see our pre-game meal and snack suggestions ), gas, and equipment you need for softball .

Many weekend tournaments begin on Thursdays or Fridays, so parents usually have to miss work to attend their children’s events. If your team attends three tournaments that require traveling, your parents could spend over $3000 just on travel ball fees and expenses.

Fundraising and Sponsorships

Some teams will find ways to offset the costs of travel ball. They will offer players opportunities for fundraisers . Others will ask local businesses to be sponsors. In this case, normally businesses will request to be advertised somewhere such as a team banner or on the uniform.

Fundraisers can take a lot of time for the players and for the coaches, as many teams hold events like car washes, flower sales, or golf tournaments. With good fundraising, some families might be able to cover all of their fees.

Teams that do substantial fundraising often use the money to bring in expert coaches to hold clinics. These can benefit the entire team and can develop unity as the players get to spend time together learning about the game they love.

Substitute players and injury issues

Almost every travel team has issues with players who are unavailable for single tournaments.

Most travel team coaches will have a few players that they can call if a substitute player is needed. This means that the head coach usually has a few extra uniforms that subs can wear.

Since most players want their own uniforms with their selected number and last name on the jersey, it can be difficult for a sub to wear someone else’s uniform. If you plan to have extra uniforms, you will either pay for them yourself or factor that expense into the player’s fees.

Another issue that arises with travel ball teams are injuries .

They are common and frequent and can affect the outcome of your season. Because injuries happen, good coaches often have well-stocked med kits. Responsible coaches also have insurance for their teams. There are several agencies that offer travel team insurance, including the USSSA . This is another line item that should be factored into player’s fees.

Obtaining Uniforms

When it comes to uniforms, it is important to have ones that are durable and good looking .

If you are planning on traveling for long weekends, it is helpful to have a clean uniform to wear each day – so your players will need at least three pairs of pants, three jerseys, three sets of socks, a hat, and a helmet.

Some travel teams also like their players to wear the same cleats and have practice uniforms, too.

Player Numbers

Players like to select their own favorite numbers. They also like to have their last names on their jerseys so they can be easily recognized.

Coaches will also need uniforms, at least jerseys and hats. There are plenty of places to find affordable, high-quality uniforms for travel ball teams. Brands like Boombah , Mizuno , and Nike have online ordering and customization. There are usually local merchants who can help with team uniforms, too.

Website and Social Media presence

There are a few additional things that travel teams use.

Good travel teams have websites that provide information about players, tournaments, practice spots, and tryout details.

They also have social media accounts that can be managed by trusted parents. These are incredibly important for older players who are often looking for college scholarships if they are good players.

Many teams also have photography events for team banners and photo sales – which can become a lucrative fundraiser for big organizations. Some teams will also invite photographers to come to tournaments to capture their players in action.

Expectations for Head Coach

The best thing that any travel ball head coach should know is that the job involves a lot of time and organization .

It is almost like a part-time job that pays very poorly. Parents and players can be frustrating – especially if they do not get playing time or they do not like your tournament choices. If your team does not win, you might have trouble finding players. It is commonplace for coaches to hear all of the bad stuff, and very little good.

But, if you lay down the rules and establish good communication, you should have a positive experience. If all goes well and your program begins to grow, you might consider investing in an indoor or outdoor facility. It is quite nice to have your own place to practice and showcase your trophies.

Putting it together – A Checklist

Although we’ve detailed everything you need to think about in subsequent sections, there may be some of you that just want a simple checklist without any detail. Here is what most travel teams would require:

• Player uniforms (including extras)
• Uniforms for coaches
• Minimum of three coaches
• Paper or online scorebook with a volunteer
• Tournament expenses
• A place to practice
• A place for tryouts
• Advertising for tryouts
• Softball team – 11 girls (at least 3 pitchers and 2 catchers)
• Understanding of rules
• Fundraising opportunities
• Social media accounts

Conclusion on Starting a Travel Softball team

As you can see starting a softball travel team isn’t easy and requires immense dedication and commitment. From player selection, to finding a place to play and organize travel, there are many things to consider. That being said, probably the most important item to think about is the joy you bring to the kids and the life-long memories they (and you) will make. If you have any more tips on how to start a travel softball team, feel free to let me know what has worked for you!

Introducing Club 612 8U Fastpitch

What do you need to know about 8u fastpitch.

Welcome 612 Fastpitch's 8U program information page. Many of you may be new to our program or even new to fastpitch. The intent is to give you an overview of what the program is about and what to expect.  

COMMUNITY-BASED TRAVEL SOFTBALL

612 Fastpitch is a community-based travel softball program. Community-based travel softball is the next step up on the ladder from parks and rec style softball. The 8U program is an on-ramp for younger players and families into more competitive traveling fastpitch softball. In these leagues the girls will travel (not too much and not too far), they will have regular organized practices with solid softball instruction based on proven training methods, and they will play in at least one tournament.

WHY START AT 8U?

The intent of 8U fastpitch is to have fun, teach good fundamental skills and if the girls and families like it, move on within the program. 

SOME FACTS ABOUT 612's  8U Program

There are no tryouts for 8U— the program is open to all players and families in Minneapolis.

The objectives of the program  do not including winning.  At this age, fun and good fundamentals are the goals.

Our 8U program is an introduction to traveling sports programs appropriate to age.

Teammates will be from multiple schools from Minneapolis.

Coaches may be parent coaches, but they are fully-vetted and must prove they have the skills appropriate for the age level and to teach proper technique and fundamentals.

Parents are welcome to help out and there are many volunteer tasks on the field and behind the scenes needed to make the experience the best it can be.

Practices will be held one evening/week.

The regular season is around 10 games. Game nights are one game until the last two weeks of the season when they play double-headers and take place one night per week.

Travel for games is to surrounding communities - Edina, Minnetonka, Richfield, St. Louis Park. Usually no more than 45 minutes away.

Home games and practices are in Minneapolis. Softball fields used are at Pearl Park, Todd Park, Armatage & Lynnhurst.

The season will run from May and end in late June or July.

Roster size will be 12-14 girls. Everyone will play in the field and bat and will play multiple positions.

Additional developmental opportunities are available through the Club 612 program as the child progresses. Some examples are group hitting clinics, winter skills training and specialized clinics for pitchers and catchers.

What are tournaments like? Local tournaments can be extremely fun for players and families. Normally tournaments are 1-2 days and the girls will play 2-3 games. They are social events and team bonding opportunities for the girls and families

What about the cost? Normally 8U programs are less expensive for the season (less than $200 and in most cases less than $150). More expensive than a park program, but still affordable. Limited scholarships will be made available on a case-by-case basis. Fees include a team uniform top ( a t-shirt and team socks). Families will be responsible for pants, belt, glove, cleats and optional equipment like protective facemasks, batting gloves, etc. More on that later.

What is the difference between the fastpitch and slow-pitch programs?  Fastpitch softball is the sport played at the high school and collegiate levels. Girls who wish to play for a high school softball team should choose to play fastpitch as the game of slowpitch softball is not a high school sanctioned sport. At the 10U level and up, fastpitch closely resembles baseball and uses fun skills such as base stealing, sliding, bunting and advancing to first base on a dropped third strike. Girls who participate in the fastpitch program tend to develop softball skills more quickly than in slowpitch and become better prepared to play at higher levels, including high school. The game is fast-moving, and our girls are trained in both the physical and situational aspects of the game. It is best to learn the mechanics and fundamentals of fastpitch early as it can become more difficult to transition from slowpitch at later ages.

What are the Rules of Play?

The 8U Rules of League Play can be found on the Minnesota Softball  website. Most tournaments follow these same rules. The most distinct difference between fastpitch and slowpitch at the 8U level is the pitching. We use a “Louisville Blue Flame” pitching machine (spring-loaded), which pitches at approximately 30 mph from 30-35 feet away. Is it hard for the players to hit a “fast” pitch? The pitching machine might seem intimidating the first time a player sees it. The coaches are very good at helping the girls feel comfortable about how it works and instilling confidence. Compared to a “human” pitched ball, the machine pitch has a consistent speed and placement making it easier for the girls to time and follow. What are the Goals of the 8U program? The ultimate goal is the development of all the players as great young sportswomen and as athletes. The focus of the 8U program is to introduce the fastpitch game with an emphasis on fun. We aim to give the girls age-appropriate instruction on the fundamentals of the game, including proper mechanics of fielding, throwing and hitting as well as the basics of game “strategy” (i.e., learning to go for the lead runner and not always throwing to 1st base). Ultimately, we want to prepare the girls to enter the 10U program with a solid understanding of the basics of the game.  Winning is NOT the goal of the 8U program . What equipment is needed? At a minimum, every player must have a glove and a batting helmet (with a face cage and chin strip)  612 does provide helmets in every team bag. A fielding mask is recommended but not required. Players are encouraged to wear a fielding mask when playing the infield positions of P, 1B , 2B, SS or 3B. While not a requirement, many players choose to wear cleats. The infield dirt can make a mess of tennis shoes, especially when wet, and the outfield grass can be slippery. You do not need to buy specific softball cleats for an 8U player. Many girls wear soccer cleats which can be found at any secondhand sporting goods store. We will begin to teach the players sliding skills, so wearing pants is a good idea.  A pair of leggings works well at this age.

What equipment does Club 612 provide?  The coaches’ bag stocked by Club 612 Fastpitch includes balls, catcher's equipment, and a variety of bats. Many girls prefer their own bat, but it is not a requirement. If you would like assistance in choosing a bat for your child, please talk to the coaches or equipment manager practice.

What does my child need to wear? For practice, dress for comfort and ease of movement. For games, players need to wear the Cub 612 Fastpitch issued uniform jersey and your own softball pants or leggings.

What is the Schedule? The teams practice once per week and play 1 game on Wednesday. There is also a 5 week Fall League. Typical locations for 8U games include Burnsville, Shakopee, Minnetonka, Edina, Eden Prairie, and Bloomington.

Can I help?  Absolutely! Talk to your team’s head coach. Let the coach know you would like to help and the time commitment that you can make. All parents who wish to assist with practices and/or games are welcome to do so at any time. Bring your glove and jump into the action.

Where do we play our games? The 8U program is a “traveling program” which means that our league games on Monday or Wednesday nights during the summer season and Sunday evenings in the Fall Season. The league does its best to ensure that teams do not have an unreasonable travel schedule. Game schedules, as well as field locations (with directions), will be uploaded to the team pages when the schedule is finalized for 8U.

Where do we practice? Coaches will select and make reservations at fields in the city of Minneapolis.

What can I do to help my daughter become a better player? Practice outside of practice. Just playing catch is probably the easiest and most enjoyable way to help your daughter. Good throws and good catches are central to playing the game well. Talk to your daughter’s coach about what your daughter needs to work on to improve and how you can help her. 

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8U-14U Teams

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Home of lynx travel ball

Lynx travel ball | softball | 8u-14u teams.

Lady Lynx Travel Softball provides age groups from 8U to 14U and our goal is for players to make their high school teams. The Fall season starts in August and ends at the beginning of December, and the Spring season starts at the end of January and concludes in June at State or Nationals. Most tournaments are played in the Houston area.

point of contact

Alexa, [email protected]

8U SOFTBALL

8u softball description:, frequently asked 8u softball questions, please contact commissioner bill mclennan if your question has not been answered..

• Baseball bats are not allowed. All softball bats used must be ASA approved with the barrel of the bat not to exceed 2 1⁄4”.
• Only rubber soled shoes are to be worn by participants. Metal cleated shoes will not be allowed.
• Helmet with attached face mask is required.
• All players fielding the defensive position of pitcher shall be required to wear an NOCSAE certified protective face mask and chest gear during active play which will be provided by the league. Failure to wear the face mask and/or chest gear will result in immediate removal of the player from that position.

In Spring, a maximum of four (4) team meetings per calendar week is allowed during the declared pre-season period, and a maximum of four (4) team meetings per calendar week (including games) is allowed during the regular season. Each team will have one weekday games, one field practice, one annex practice, and one weekend game per week. Practice days for each team are determined after each team is formed and coaches draw for practice slots.

In the Fall, a maximum of three (3) team meetings per calendar week is allowed during the declared pre-season period, and a maximum of three (3) team meetings per calendar week (including games) is allowed during the regular season. Each team will have one annex practice, one field practice, and one weekend game per week (usually on Saturday). Practice days for each team are determined after each team is formed and coaches draw for practice slots.

The Home & Visiting Team shall be responsible for pre-game field preparation and post-game cleanup, which shall include assuring that post-game field maintenance is performed, trash is picked up, and the field lights are turned off before leaving the complex.  

In the Fall, most regular season games are played on Saturdays, with an occasional Sunday afternoon game. In the Spring, each team will have one or two weekday games, and one weekend game (usually on Saturday). Games are played at Oak Hill, but because of the limited number of teams in softball, games are scheduled with other leagues in the Austin area (from San Marcos to Georgetown) and are played at the other leagues’ fields too. Weekend travel to other leagues is anticipated and should be expected. We will do our best to minimize travel and create a balanced schedule. In addition, some double headers may be played.

Round Robin and/or tournament weekends during the season are also possible where teams may play multiple games or on Saturday and Sunday during those weekends. The regular season will conclude with a weeklong end of season tournament between Oak Hill teams.

Please download the latest Blue Book for a full overview of rules and polices.

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Plymouth Little League

Travel Ball

Through the use of their facilities, PLL supports the Plymouth Generals travel baseball and the Plymouth Rampage travel softball programs. While these programs are independent of the Little League program, they remain community-based programs and require that each player is eligible for and plays in the PLL spring rec program. It is important to note, that selection to a PLL district team is a separate process and independent of participation on a Generals and Rampage Team.

Plymouth Generals

Providing a competitive travel baseball experience for players beginning at the 7u level and continuing through the 12u level. Players selected for a team commit to playing for a full year and can expect to play a light Fall schedule, indoor winter workouts January-March, followed by a competitive Spring and Summer tournament schedule.

Email: [email protected]

         facebook.com/plymouthgeneralsbaseball

Plymouth Ramp a ge

Providing a competitive travel softball experience for players beginning at the 8u level and continuing t hrough the 12u level. Players selected for a team commit to playing for a full year and can expect to play a light Fall schedule, indoor winter workouts January-March, followed by a competitive Spring and Summer tournament schedule.

Email: [email protected]

          facebook.com/PlymouthRampage

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Novosibirsk

Novosibirsk tourist information and tourism, (novosibirsk, siberia, russia), novosibirsk tourist information and tourism: top sights, more novosibirsk information / fast facts and orientation.

• Country: Russia (Russian Federation)
• Location: Novosibirsk Oblast region / Southern Siberia
• Status: city / capital of Siberia
• Area: approximately 193 square miles / 500 square kilometres
• Population: approximately 1.5 million
• Language: Russian
• Currency: Russian Ruble (RUR)
• Time zone: UTC / GMT +3
• Country dialing code: +7
• Telephone area code: 383
• Average daily Novosibirsk January temperature: -14°C / 7°F
• Average daily Novosibirsk July temperature: 25°C / 77°F

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A traveler's guide to Novosibirsk, the unofficial capital of Siberia

Trans-Siberian heritage

Residents of Novosibirsk love trains and are proud of the fact that their city played a significant role in the history of the grand Trans-Siberian railway, which spans the breadth of Russia. The railway is such a part of Novosibirsk identity that it is even depicted on the city’s emblem, along with the bridge that crosses the Ob river and two Siberian sables standing on their hind legs.  

In the city, there are as many as five monuments to trains, and an open-air locomotive museum is located in the vicinity of the train station Seyatel’. The museum has more than 100 steam locomotives, diesel locomotives and carriages, reflecting the history of rail transportation in Russia from pre-revolutionary times to the present day. Wondering around the stationary trains and comparing your height with the diameter of the gigantic iron wheels of the first steam locomotives is all very well, but why not climb inside the carriages and see how the nobility once traveled across Russia in pre-revolutionary times? These tours will however need to be booked in advance. The museum opens from 11:00 until 17:00 every day except Mondays. 

Novosibirsk spans both sides of the river Ob. In the early twentieth century, the border of two different timezones passed right through the city which led to a strange situation- morning on the east bank started one hour earlier than on the west bank! The two-kilometer covered metro bridge that crosses the river is considered the longest in the world. Due to the fluctuations in temperature across the year (on average +30 °C to -30 °C), during the summer the metro bridge expands, and in the winter it contracts by half a meter. To counter these effects, the bridge’s supports are equipped with special rollers that allow it to move.   

The cultural center of Siberia

The repertoire of the theatre can be viewed on its official website . The theatre season runs from September to July, and comprises mainly classical performances, like the ballet “The Nutcracker” by Tchaikovsky, Borodin’s opera “Prince Igor” and Verdi’s “La Traviata”.  

The large Siberian sea and ligers

Weekends are best spent at the Novosibirsk zoo . The zoo is known for breeding big cats, although surrounded by controversy, hosts a successful crossing of a tiger and lion, which of course would not otherwise breed in wildlife. Ligers, or exotic cubs of an African lion and Bengal tigress, feel quite comfortable in the Siberian climate and even produce offspring. The zoo is open to visitors year-round, seven days a week, and even has its own free mobile app, Zoo Nsk .

Every year at the beginning of January, the festival of snow culture takes place bringing together artists from across Russia and around the world to participate in a snow sculpting competition. The tradition started in 2000 inspired by the snow festival in Sapporo, Novosibirsk’s twin-city.

Siberian Silicon Valley

Despite the fact that Akademgorodok was built half a century ago in the middle of the uninhabited Siberian taiga, architecturally it was ahead of its time. No trees were destroyed for its construction, and houses were built right in the middle of the forest. A man walking through the woods would seemingly stumble upon these structures. At that time, no one had built anything similar in the world and ecovillages only became fashionable much later.

For residents of the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok is a different world. When you step out the bus or car, you are immediately on one of the hiking paths through the forest, between the scientific buildings and clubs. On a walk through Akademgorodok, it is possible to unexpectedly encounter art-like objects handmade by residents of the city which have been erected as monuments and some monuments fixed up by city authorities. For example, the monument to the laboratory mice, which knits a strand of DNA on to some needles, can be found in the square alongside the Institute of Cytology and Genetics. In Akademgorodok there are many cafes and restaurants, in which it is possible to rest after a long walk. Grab a coffee and go to eat at Traveler’s Coffee , or eat lunch at the grille and bar People’s or Clover .

Winters in the Akademgorodok are slightly colder than in the city, so wrap up. Spring and summer are usually wetter, so waterproof boots are recommended. In the summer the Ob sea provides respite from the heat, so do not forget your swimsuit to go for a dip.

Memento Mori

Among the exhibits of the museum is one dedicated to world funeral culture — hearses, memorial jewellery from the hair of the deceased, samples from a specific photo-genre of  "post mortem", a collection of funeral wear from the Victorian era, deathmasks, statues and monuments. There’s also an impressive collection of coffins. One of them, resembling a fish, was manufactured on a special visit to Novosibirsk by a designer coffin-maker from Africa, Eric Adjetey Anang, who specializes in the production of unusual coffins.

Surprisingly, the crematorium itself does not look at all gloomy in appearance and definitely does not look like infernal scenes from movies, or like crematoriums of other cities that gravitate towards gloomy temple aesthetics. The Novosibirsk crematorium is decorated in “cheerful” orange tones and is surrounded by a park with a children’s playground nearby. A visit to the museum then leaves you with mixed feelings. 

Novosibirsk underground

Tourists from all over the world go down into the Moscow metro to take a ride and a few selfies in the most famous underground museum. The Novosibirsk metro is also quite a museum in itself — it has 13 stations, the most beautiful of which is Gagarinskaya, Sibirskaya and Rechnoy Vokzal.

The ultramodern Gagarinskaya station is like a real cosmos underground. Its technologically themed design includes marble walls with metallic elements, dark blue backlighting and portraits of Yuri Gagarin. The Sibirskaya station looks like an underground treasure trove, decorated by Altai masters craftsmen with mosaics of precious Siberian stones. The Rechnoy Vokzal station is framed with ten glowing stained glass windows depicting the largest cities of Siberia, including Novosibirsk itself, Omsk, Barnaul and others. The platform resembles a big ship sailing on the Ob, from which ancient Siberian cities are visible through its windows.  

How to get there

The easiest way to get to Novosibirsk is by plane with Aeroflot or Novosibirsk airline S7 with one-way tickets from Moscow costing from 200-250 USD. If you decide to take from the train from Moscow, you’ll have to travel approximately a third of the Trans-Siberian Railway. That’s 3,300 kilometers over almost a three-day journey. 

Where to stay

There are many great hotels in Novosibirsk. Amongst the best include a four-star Doubletree hotel by Hilton , which is located near Lenin Square (per room from $200). After renovations and repairs, the congress-hotel Novosibirsk has improved (per room from $100) and is located across from the train station. Less expensive but of a similar standard is the four-star River Park hotel near Rechnoy Vokzal metro station, which costs $80 per night.

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