Editor's note: This story is part of a series, State of Play, that examines the variety of challenges facing youth sports and, in some cases, possible solutions.
(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – While the recent Little League World Series draws attention from around the globe, chances are good your neighborhood youth sports programs have been dropping in popularity.
At least some of the blame goes to higher-priced club teams.
“Travel baseball is here to stay, but I hope there’s always some level of community element to it, because I do think that’s incredibly important,” says Brian Duffy, owner of the Top Tier North baseball club in the North Shore.
It fields about 30 teams, with players aged 8 to 18, to travel across the Midwest and as far as Georgia, Florida and Arizona. He says he’s seen how private teams have chipped away at longtime public leagues.
“It starts with technology, a little bit, in terms of showcase companies becoming more prevalent,” Duffy said.
Meaning, he said, there is a wealth of accessible information about games and player rankings.
For parents considering shelling out hundreds or thousands of dollars for private lessons or travel sports, Duffy says they should find operations that care about the development of young athletes and engage with families.
That way, he said, “When [players] are faced with better competition, they’re ready for it.”
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