Question:
Here is a fun poll. What type of summer league do you or your son play for? Why did you choose to play in that organization? What team do you play for?

Choices:
American Legion
Connie Mack
Senior Babe Ruth
Other (Please Describe)

 

American Legion, because that is what the HS program goes into after school ball is done

Conni Mack because that seemed to be where the toughest competition was. There was one Legion team which was quite good, but most of the D1/Drafted players I know played Connie Mack in this area.

I think it is good for a player to experience a coach other than his high school coach during the summer, which is what he will often get in Legion ball. Plus I would second MrandMrs's comments about the competition.

I agree with MrandMrs's comment as well. In Oregon, Legion is the dominent structure and the kids have absolutely no choice in where they get to play. The coach has way to much influence.

I am actually looking to start senior babe ruth or connie mack in Oregon to try to get the level of competition here closer to that in Washington and California.

Any advice, I'd love to hear it.

Does anyone know why the Connie Mac and Senior Babe Ruth are not in Oregon. Seems as if it might be very hard to compete with Wash. and Cal. Are the kids afraid to play with any one but there High School coaches and their politics. My 15 y/o son is finishing his freshman year. Info on the team selection is very secretive. I feel for the kids that are not informed that they are not on the team many coaches only tell the kids that make it, letting kids figure it out. I have seen High Schools take any where from 2 to the whole freshman team to their summer ball season.
Teams will start drying up that will need players.
Swngmn12 I'm sure there are kids and parents that are interested in such a program. Be sure to let me know if anything gets off the ground

Before this site shuts down I'll throw out some thoughts. Yes the so-called "select" players play Connie Mack, etc in WA, but only in the metro puget sound region. Beyond that, Legion is the deal, though Babe Ruth has a foothold in parts of SW WA. But it is a misconception to think that has anthing to do with kids getting drafted or is even that important.

I've seen Taylor, Chaffey and others play. I've also seen the top legion teams in WA play - like Pepsi Paks of Yakima and others. There is vertually no difference. Great players will get discovered by scouts, even if they play in a small-town B school. There's lots of hype. A lot of the select teams don't build true team players. Everyone is in it for themselves.

Legion is a great program when everyone does it. In OR they have preserved that. The state legion playoffs in OR are great and it builds a sense of community. Go to Corvallis and try to make that Senior Legion club. You'd better be one of the best players on any of the local high school teams. Additionally, that program builds up the local community, drives the HS players to excel and they produce a lot of terrific players. That is just one example. The metro Puget Sound has really losts its sense of communities and what the game is really all about.

In the end this game is about playing ball with your life-long friends and building a winning team within a community - that includes the local HS program. Select ball does nothing to build up the local community or build those core values in kids. It shouldn't all be selfish out there. Those proposing that select ball can help pay for college are way off base. Add up what you've paid to play and travel. If you'd have put it away you could pay for school anywhere. Keep your kids in town, support the program and watch your son still develop and get exposure. A great legion program can travel anywhere. Take a look at the program in Lewiston, ID. It is phenomenal.

There are a lot of people feeding some mighty big egos and parents living vicariously through their kids. A lot of people will snub their noses at what I've written. Maybe you've never been part of a well-run, community experience and are thus naive. Those of you in OR, don't try to change what is a great system. In 20 years your kids will have played great ball AND have deep friendships that will last a lifetime. Typically, friendships made on select teams last for much shorter periods of time. Your high school friends are key in your life. Some kid who lives 50 miles from you and you only play ball with for a couple summers is unlikely to be a lifelong friend. Stay at home and play. If you don't like the coach, find an appropriate manner to build the program. A lot of high school coaches would love to have a highly qualified coach take over in the summer. Instead of complaining about what the coach isn't, build the program and be a part of the solution. Running off to a select team is not a real solution, only a selfish one. Besides, the coaching on many select teams (not all certainly) is suspect too, as is their ability and knack for working with and developing kids.

Ask this question; what have I done, while developing my game, to build up the entire community within which I live? Am I a true team player or just someone in it for me? As a parent does any part of me live vicariously through my kid? You shouldn't. Should you be proud of your player? Absolutely. There is a difference.

I wish everyone the very best out there no matter who you are or who you play for.

WOW!

I don't think I could've said it any better!

I understand why folks from "Metro" areas need select teams! So many people wanting to play, too few spots. The legion has tied their program to high schools and it's number of students (5000 max). In a metro area that could be one school only, and with the number of roster spots, 18, that leaves an awful lot of guys with nowhere to play.

But to say that the level of play is better with select or travel teams is better, is condescending. Some of these “select” teams couldn’t play their way out of a paper bag. Then again, some of these teams are darn good. But to use a brush and simply say talent is better is ****!

EnumclawBaseball

This is a little stale, but, in the last two years my son who now plays for Baden has played in 18u tournaments all over the region. I have yet to see a tournament won by a Legion team. The best eastside team was the Bandits from Pasco, that Steve Marquardt led.

If its any measure, look at the early signings for WSU and UW from this November...most of those kids play select...there is just a lot more visibility to recruiters and scouts.

I had to weigh in on this. My son is now in his senior year of Div 1 baseball. He played select baseball from age 11 up. Of all of the kids he played with until age 18, 12 went on to play D1 baseball, 2 D2, 10 have been drafted, 7 are still in the pro's, including one in the show. Playing at the highest level makes you a better player. Having said all of that, there is a lot of daddyball in the Sandy Koufax ages. In Puget sound there are over 30 teams now. Only about 8 are any good and the rest of those kids should be playing rec ball. Rec ball is so bad now the umpires do not want to do the games anymore. The daddyball stuff falls off the older the kids get but does not completey go away.