‘Travel sports,’ a term that has come to encompass all sorts of private teams, leagues, and clubs, used to be for the truly exceptional young athlete. Now, they’re for anyone willing to pay — an expensive, exhausting commitment that has become popular not necessarily because millions of parents want them for their children but because it can feel like there’s no other choice. Rec programs are underfunded and struggle to compete with for-profit leagues for prime field, rink, and court times. And the level of play is diluted, often very early, as travel teams are incentivized to enroll children at young ages. Around 5 million children in the U.S. now compete on travel teams. Parents find themselves trapped. They know the benefits of sports and want that for their children, yet giving it to them often means buying into a sports ecosystem that’s inherently flawed. As the pay-to-play model increasingly takes hold, so does the idea that kids should start competing at younger and younger ages, risking their sense of self along with their shoulders and ACLs. “I never want my kids to look back and say I didn’t do everything I could to help them live their dreams,” a mother of three soccer players said. She’s hired professional photographers to take action shots for her 12- and 13-year-olds’ Instagram accounts — the platform has become a recruiting tool — and they’ve both asked her to pay for personal trainers. “I think the word isn’t ‘specialize’; you are ‘professionalizing’ your kid early. You are exposing them to everything professionals have to deal with — I’m talking injury, time, schedule, everything,” said John Van Benschoten, a former MLB player and travel-baseball coach. It makes one ask: All this for what? And for whom? Read Caitlin Moscatello’s cover story on how travel leagues have made youth sports more expensive, hypercompetitive, and all-consuming — and the investors who are making a killing: nymag.visitlink.me/1-gbZQ

Louisiana Tech head football coach Sonny Cumbie has learned firsthand that more hours don't always lead to better leadership. "At the end of the day, when my brain is done, I'm going home, and the problems that are here will still be here tomorrow. I'll serve our team better with a fresh mind and being well rested." The longer I've worked with coaches and leaders, the more I've realized that the goal isn't to squeeze every ounce of energy out of yourself in the service of others. It's to sustainably show up at your best so your people (and you) benefit in the process. Sometimes the most productive thing a leader can do is go home, recover, and come back tomorrow ready to think clearly and serve others well. 📹: Win More, Live Better Podcast (Ep. 261)

Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell to @dandakich, on why Big 12 ADs and others are coming at Texas Tech because of Brendan Sorsby ordeal "Of course ADs in the Big 12 are saying crazy things and, you know, saying they don't want to play as well. They don't want to play us because they know he's good and they don't want us to be as competitive. They want to have a better chance at winning the conference. So they're, inherently conflicted in their opinion..." youtube.com/watch?v=q84i8YnA…

Sorry I forget the average American is very low IQ, almost infants when you think about it. Can't enjoy your sports without flashing lights, pom poms, dancing animals and music. You never actually see clips of your sports, just the mini concerts that you guys think is atmosphere

West Virginia advances to Omaha and the Men's College World Series for the first time in program history. Here's how 'Country Roads' looked on the ESPN broadcast.