| The big costs of little baseball
sluggers |
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Showcases
For older kids, college showcases started back in the 1980s. Young
athletes spend from a couple hundred dollars to $1,000 or more to
be evaluated by a professional to see if they have what it takes
to make it to the next level or get recruited by a college team.
Doyle says that there are a few very good, well-respected
showcases that may be worth going to, but that you have to be careful
or the costs get out of control.
"Parents end up taking their child to five, six,
seven, eight showcases, starting even as a freshman in high school,"
Doyle says.
Recreational
leagues
One of the best, least expensive, ways to support your child's involvement
in baseball is to get involved in and support your local recreational
league. Rec leagues provide quality opportunities for children to
develop their baseball skills. Unfortunately, many rec leagues struggle
to afford the equipment they need for their young players.
Donating a few dollars to your local rec league is
less expensive than private camps but can help your child to receive
a quality baseball-learning experience. "The more that parents
can give to the recreation council to provide equipment, uniforms
and snacks after the game and those kinds of things, the better,"
says Weinhold.
Having the right equipment not only ensures better
performance, but can instill excitement and confidence in kids.
"There's nothing like the feeling when a young
player puts on their new uniform or their new cleats or their new
glove for the first time," says Weinhold.
Volunteerism
and parental involvement
Probably the greatest advantage you can give your child is your
time. It's important to know who the coach of your child's team
is, who the volunteers are that support the league and what kind
of environment your child is playing in. If it's not fun and supportive,
it probably won't be a good experience for your child.
"Many times you'll see parents drop off a child
at practice and pick them up a couple of hours later, but they really
don't become involved in the process," says Weinhold.
If you can't be there for all the practices and games,
see what you can do before or afterward to help out the team. Some
parents volunteer to cut the grass at the field, or similar chores.
"I know a lot of working parents don't have a lot of time,
but (volunteering your time) is critically important to letting
young people know, No. 1, that you care and you'll help create a
positive environment for them," Weinhold says.
Most importantly, go outside and have a catch. "I
can tell which parents spend the time playing with their kids and
which parents don't," says Gjertsen, who has been a rec league
baseball coach for the past seven years. Gjertsen suggests resisting
the urge to give pointers and the temptation to turn it into a lesson.
Just go outside and have a good time.
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