I’m not going to lie, when I began writing for The IX Sports as the Softball Insider, I wasn’t sure where each week would take me. I knew the college season would write itself but what happens in the offseason?
Now, I find myself caught up in the world of travel softball for the first time since I was 18, maybe younger, and searching for the answers to questions I should not have to ask.
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Over the past couple of months, I have uncovered multiple lawsuits involving a club out of North Carolina, a scandal out of Southern California and another from Texas.
Those are just the ones that gained the most traction on social media and required me to address them. Since then, my algorithm has shifted and I just see post after post questioning the standards and ethics of the industry.
Over the weekend, I hopped in my car and drove three hours southeast to Dalton, Ga., home of the Scenic City T25. Let me tell you, the talent on the field is mind-blowing. With more than 300 college coaches in attendance, there was not an inning of play that did not have extra attention.
But my focus was on the parents. I walked around from field to field, asking parents questions about how their club functions from the inside out. The results were astonishing.
The size of the club really affected how much or how little parents knew about the operation.
I asked 10 questions to a handful of parents, and since then, I published those questions as a survey for more to fill out. It’s anonymous. No names of parents, kids or clubs. Just an honest conversation about who is held accountable and where their money goes.
The initial results were shocking.
I spoke to a parent who flew to Chattanooga, Tenn. from Southern California and they didn’t know how to answer any of the questions. On the other hand, a parent from North Carolina could answer all 1o questions in detail.
I started asking questions on Saturday and by the end of the day on Tuesday, I had compiled more than 60 surveys.
Out of all the results, only one person treated the survey as a joke.
Let’s look at five of the 10 questions and break down the results.
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Does your organization have a formal written code of conduct that all coaches are required to follow?
- Yes: 45.7%
- No: 34.8%
- Maybe: 17.4%
- Other: 2.2%
What financial transparency measures does your organization have in place to ensure families understand team fees, additional expenses, refund policies and how their money is being used?
- Coaches provide a breakdown: 39.1%
- I don’t know: 30.4%
- None: 21.9%
- Other: 8.6%
What do you believe is the biggest issue facing the travel softball industry today, and what changes are necessary to improve athlete safety, financial transparency and organizational accountability?
The answer to this question was open-ended, but the majority reported that it was based on money.
“It’s become all about the money, and anyone can start a team regardless of experience. No one is looking out for the best interest of the kid or families.”
“Money! Financial abuse is everywhere! It’s also a double-edged sword. Talent doesn’t always get to play at a high level. Because they can’t afford it. Even if you get a team sponsorship. The travel costs are too much. I also think players’ mental health takes a toll on borderline ‘hard’ coaching. It’s debatable there.”
“It’s become all about the money. Coaches aren’t held accountable or even watched to ensure they are capable of coaching.”
“It’s so expensive that anything we can do to help lower costs for the athletes is something we always do. But in doing that, we put a lot of the responsibility back on the coaches who aren’t paid. Should we charge more so we can hold them more accountable? Who pays for that?”
“Finances. Zero accountability. People just quit and find a new place if they don’t like their current place. Coaches don’t always help with recruitment. Expectations are too high on what travel ball really is.”
It really is the wild west
Overall, the weekend was incredible. I loved watching games, discovering talent and reconnecting with contacts. However, it was an evaluation period for the NCAA calendar, which meant college coaches could not speak to recruits in person.
As I stood with a handful of mid-major coaches, we watched Power 4 coaches walk up to recruits. The disconnect and misunderstanding of what the rules actually are were on display.
The mid-major coaches shooed away commits and their parents while the P4 coaches walked right up to them.
At the end of the weekend, I think it’s time for us to think about how to make sure every coach is on the same page — college and club.
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