Travel sports can be great for children or youth to learn life lessons, exercise and make friendships. However, being a part of the team is also costly and time consuming.
So should you or your child play a travel sport? It depends on what you and your family are looking for. As a general suggestion, have a sincere discussion about expectations and what sacrifices the family will need to make.
For specific information and data for the pros and cons of travel sports, see below.
What is a travel sport?
A travel sports team features elite youth athletes who compete and travel extensively for games, competitions or tournaments. They are associated with private or club sport programs, distinct from recreational or school leagues, per Verywell Family.
There are multiple sports that offer travel teams to families and youth. Here are some of the most popular, according to Groundwork:
- Baseball.
- Basketball.
- Cheer.
- Dance.
- Field hockey.
- Football.
- Gymnastics.
- Ice hockey.
- Lacrosse.
- Rugby.
- Soccer.
- Softball.
- Swimming.
- Volleyball.
- Water polo.
Pros
The pros of travel sports including improvement of skills, friendships, daily activity, life lessons and traveling.
Takes skills to next level
Travel sports offer higher-level competition, providing a pathway from recreational leagues to varsity teams. This can make it tempting for athletes wanting to get onto high school or college teams, per Rocky Top Sports World.
Builds friendships
The extensive time spent with teammates during practices, games and tournaments fosters friendships and create memories. This bond is particularly beneficial for reserved or shy children, helping them to feel belonging and grow in social skills, according to Rocky Top.
Daily activity
For those ages 5 to 17, 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activities should be completed throughout a day. This helps strengthen hearts, muscles and bones, per the World Health Organization.
According to The Everymom, travel sports allow for frequent activity and exercise for children and youth to stay healthy. Plus, it is usually more enjoyable than going to the gym.
Learning lessons
The Everymom also shares valuable lessons that one can learn from travel sports:
- Perseverance.
- Committing to promises.
- Knowing how to work as a team.
- Standing up for yourself.
- Working on and succeeding in goals.
Traveling
According to Rocky Top Sports World, athletes on travel teams get to explore new locations and compete against opponents from other regions, states and sometimes countries. Families often seize this opportunity to turn sports travel into a vacation by aligning it with tournaments or events.
Cons
Cons of travel sports include costs, time spent, burnout, risk of injury and possible conflict with religion.
Expensive costs
The costs of travel sports might change depending on what sport you play, the team and where you live.
Looking at the 15 most popular travel sports above, Groundwork also shares the average costs per spot on the team.
- Baseball: $1,894.
- Basketball: $822.
- Cheer: $2,307.
- Dance: $2,099.
- Field hockey: $1,186.
- Football: $349.
- Gymnastics: $2,778.
- Ice hockey: $2,529.
- Lacrosse: $1,352.
- Rugby: $281.
- Soccer: $1,535.
- Softball: $1,258.
- Swimming: $1,325.
- Volleyball: $3,159.
- Water polo: $1,439.
According to Groundwork, these fees do not include travel, equipment, clothing and other expenses. “Parents can end up spending $10,000 annually for their child to participate at this level.”
It’s time consuming
Children’s sports activities can dominate schedules, with parents and children traveling extensively to attend games and tournaments, per Character Development and Leadership.
According to The Everymom, as a child, the author’s typical life while playing travel sports included three to five nights of long practices per week and two to three days for an away tournament almost every weekend.
As she grew older, the author found less time for hobbies or socializing with friends, as schoolwork demanded more of her free time, per The Everymom.
Burnout is possible
Burnout entails both mental and physical exhaustion, resulting in loss of interest in meaningful activities, according to Darling Downs Health.
With travel sports, burnout can be possible because of the constant time and energy dedicated.
Zipdo has important statistics related to burnout and sports:
- Seventy percent of U.S. kids quit organized sports at age 13 due to burnout.
- Boys are more likely to drop out (36%) than girls (31%) due to burnout.
- Three out of four athletes have faced moderate to severe burnout.
- U.S. youth athletes practicing over three consecutive hours are 125% more prone to burnout.
- Over 45% of specialized youth athletes quit due to burnout.
- Burnout in children playing travel sports surged by 50% in 2017.
- Athletes training over 16 hours weekly with inadequate sleep face a 70% higher risk of burnout.
Greater risk of injury
According to Sadler Sports, more than 3.5 million youth sports injuries require medical treatment each year. Engaging in youth travel sports, as a lot of time is dedicated to the sport, can elevate the risk of overuse injuries.
Due to playing consistently, athletes can also sustain injuries that last throughout their lives, such as knee or head injuries, per The Everymom.
May conflict with religion
Depending on how you and your family worship, check to see if what is expected or required makes you feel comfortable. Here are some ways religion may conflict with sports, per Case IQ.
- Required tournaments often play on Saturdays and Sundays. Question if one or both of those days are sacred.
- Some religions might not be allowed to mix with the opposite gender. Besides teammates, travel sports include meeting with coaches and staff.
- Is the sport uniform okay? Does it allow you to wear religious coverings? Is the uniform too revealing or does it showcase sponsors that you do not believe in?
- Does the team or coach accommodate as necessary for religious practices, such as easier practice when fasting or a quiet area for religious observation?
Should you or your child play a travel sport?
According to Verywell Family, before committing to a team, have an open discussion with your family about the sacrifices involved and whether you are prepared to make them. Here are some general questions to ask, besides looking at the pros and cons above:
- Are you familiar with the coach or coaches and do they offer the right environment for you or your child?
- Are you or your child a good team player?
- Are you or your child passionate and dedicated about the sport?
- How much can the family financially spend? How much does the travel team cost?
- How much time can you or your family give away? Can you or your children continue to complete school or family assignments?
If you, your child or your family feel comfortable with the answers given above, go for it! While people may continue to do travel sports throughout their youth, it does not mean someone can’t stop if wanted.
Want to get onto a travel sports team?
If the team requires tryouts, it can be scary for you or your child.
Before the tryouts look at some of these tips from the Thunder Soccer Club, perfect for all sports:
- Think positively and be confident.
- Put things in perspective. If you make the team, great; if not, that’s okay. What will you do for training next time if you don’t make it yet?
- Meditate, pray, take deep breaths and do what is necessary to calm down.
- Eat a light meal with carbohydrates before tryouts to get energy.
- Drink plenty of water weeks before tryouts begin. Hydration will help in performance.
- Get to the tryouts early.
- Bring all of the equipment you need. Consider packing beforehand so you don’t forget.