Freshman Chaz Hindz was on his way to a tournament in Chicago with his travel team. They were facing teams from all over surrounding states. What Hindz did not know was that he and his team would win the tournament to represent their state of Indiana.
For Hindz and his fellow teammates travel sports and school sports seem to go together these days. Athletes that are involved in school sports tend to also play for a travel team. Travel is a way for athletes to continue to play during the offseason, but also improve on their play says Hindz. Basketball, soccer, volleyball and softball are the main travel sports that come to the mind for most, but sports like swimming and hockey also have travel teams. Many people believe that travel is a great way for young athletes to gain experience. However, according to Hindz, there are some downfalls to playing travel that can make it stressful and not beneficial to the player.
“They are really good to get your name out there,” Hindz said. “There is not as much pressure like how there is in school sports. It helps you develop more and get ready for the school season.”
Hindz, who plays on the JV basketball team here at SHS, plays quite a bit of travel basketball. Hindz plays on the Indiana Elite and believes that travel sports are beneficial to getting his name out to colleges and developing his game play.
Hindz says that playing travel can help boost confidence for the school season because in travel he gets to play against kids his own age. Whereas in school, four to five years can separate the youngest and oldest player on the court. According to Hindz, in travel the differences in practice and games are big.
“(In) school (basketball) you prep all week for just a couple of games, maybe just one game, but in travel you are practicing just twice a week and possibly playing up to five or six games,” Hindz said.
Sophomore Brittany Fisher plays for our softball team here at SHS. She, like Hindz, also plays on a travel team. Fisher thinks that travel sports are more fun, and she learns a lot about the game by playing travel. Fisher hopes to get looks from colleges by competing in travel play.
“You get more colleges to look at you and I hope to get my strength skills better,” Fisher said.
Matt Seifers, varsity girls head coach, believes that there is a positive side to playing, but there also is a negative.
“I think it gives players, no matter what the sport is, volleyball, baseball, basketball or whatever it is, it gives them the opportunity to continue playing and being competitive year round,” Seifers said. “It gives them the experience of playing with different teammates and new people instead of the same people who have been on their team forever.”
On the flipside though, Siefers does believe that there are some negatives to playing travel sports.
“I think there is almost too much year round stuff,” Seifers said. “I think that we’re starting to stretch kids a little thin sometimes. I also think that back in my day when there wasn’t (travel sports), that game on Friday night in high school meant a ton.”
He thinks that some of that meaning for that game is lost due to kids playing numerous amounts of games on weekends or the summer with their travel team.
“I think it is needed,” Seifers said. “I think it is something you should probably do if you want to play at the next level.”