We Gave Up Family Vacations for Travel Sports

Our Sports trips are not Instagram-worthy, but they are getaways that we have learned to enjoy.

Photo by Alex Jumper on Unsplash

You can want it all, but you can’t have it all.

A travel team is a youth sports team that travels at an elite level. You travel in and out of state and often need to book accommodations. It can be expensive and time-consuming.

You must make financial sacrifices in other areas to achieve this luxury. Contrary to popular belief travel teams are not exclusive to the rich. It is a way to invest in your children now instead of waiting until you’re dead to give them something that they want.

In addition to the travel expenses, you are paying for individual coaching, monthly team dues, and expensive equipment. Even though we try to buy used when we can use credit card points for lodging, it adds up to at least $8,500 a year. Playing in high school is another $1,000 a year at least.

Before deciding to join a travel team we had a family meeting. Was my daughter willing to make all the sacrifices required to make softball a priority? Waking up early on the weekend, missing friends, and family gatherings, staying up late to finish homework, and working out a lot including outside of team practice.