Why We Do This
For my first blog attempt I wondered what would be a good title that explained the overall purpose of The Travel Sports Network, the website, and what it is I am hoping to accomplish moving forward. I recently re-watched HBO’s Band of Brothers for the 100th time and the title of the episode “Why We Fight” seemed fitting, but not necessarily appropriate.
The episode centers around the liberation of the Kaufering IV concentration camp near the end of WWII, and while I am in no way equating youth travel sports to the horrors of war and what those men and women sacrificed, it does bring into focus the “why” when we ask ourselves “did I really sign up for this?” The answer, since you’re reading this, is likely YES! because you are interested in helping your child succeed, have fun and gain confidence if you are a parent; and you enjoy teaching, mentoring and sharing your love for the game if you are a coach or instructor. Doing what we can in the service of others.
For over 30 years, since my “playing” days ended at Dekalb North Junior College here in Atlanta (under GHSA Hall of Famer Tommy Barber), I have been coaching, instructing and developing young baseball players, and helping families navigate the “Travel Ball” experience. I was proud to be able to coach my son Jake in football and baseball, and just as proud to watch my daughter Ellis as a cheerleader and soccer player, while others devoted their time and expertise into coaching her. Being both a coach and spectator has allowed me, (and my wife) to experience the joy and frustration of both.
As parents, we’ve learned a lot through trial and error, and as a coach and program director, I had to learn the same way. Most of the time though, it comes down to word of mouth from those that have been through it and can help by sharing their own experiences.
My hope with the Travel Sports Network and affiliated programs is to provide parents, coaches and organizations a better, central, and hyper-local resource to find or share answers to common and uncommon questions & needs. Families that are just getting into travel sports, looking for other team/instructor options, or not sure if travel (insert sport here) is even right for them, will be able to tap into the Travel Sports Network or My Travel Ball to get answers.
I’ve also seen over the years the challenges that professional instructors, paid and non-paid coaches, and organizations have in such a fragmented marketplace. Many ex-players and athletes want to give back and provide outstanding instruction & opportunities while building a business. However, far too often they struggle to find the right business resources, (including technology, education and personnel), that allow them to succeed as a service provider and scale as an ongoing business. Those that have found success, still need to keep up with the latest in the market and can always benefit from sharing best practices and challenges with their peers. That’s why I will simultaneously be working on Travel Sports Biz to provide networking and resources for a community the professionals can call their own.
The youth sports marketplace is a $20 billion industry according to numerous sources and is projected to top $60 billion within the next 5 years. As parents you invest in your child’s love for the game and development that helps them reach their goals. As coaches and organizations, we too invest time, money and shared experience to pour back into the families and kids we are looking to help. It’s up to all of us to share what we know to help make the experience for everyone a success.
I started Travel Sports Network with the idea that we all have something to give back, and it’s my hope that together we can make the “Travel” experience better for kids, families and the sports we serve. We may not always understand the Why until much later, but at some point, it will always be made clear to us. And hopefully, if we’re lucky, we’re all able to realize that we can help and serve others through our knowledge, experience and time.
Please follow us and share what you can, and let’s grow this community for multiple sports locally, regionally and nationally.