u/Local_Variation6640

Hi — My town is starting a 7U summer/fall travel team for the first time this year. Local travel, no tournaments. My older son plays 11U travel and started at 9, so naturally my younger son now wants to play travel too.

I’m hesitant to let him try out at 7 because it feels really young to start focusing on competitive baseball.

Part of me would rather let him continue developing a love for the sport through rec, camps, clinics, etc. for a few more years than travel. I also worry that starting so young could eventually lead to burnout.

For parents who were in a similar situation, how has your experience been? Any regrets either way?

I know this isn’t unique to New Jersey, but it feels like more and more school districts are being forced to make painful staffing and program cuts this year. Rising costs for fuel, food, electricity, and especially health insurance sound like the main reason.

Costs like fuel, food, and utilities are difficult for districts to control in the short term. But healthcare costs, in particular, seem to be putting enormous pressure on school budgets. When health insurance premiums reportedly increase by as much as 30% in a single year, regardless of the reasons behind it, that creates a massive burden for districts and taxpayers alike.

I understand there are other factors that impact school budgets in New Jersey, and there’s probably more that can be done at both the state and local level to manage costs. But when benefit expenses rise that dramatically, districts are left with fewer options—and too often, students, teachers, and school programs are the ones who feel the impact.

I don’t know what the right solution is, but if these insurance trends continue, it’s hard to see how this is sustainable long term, and won’t impact the quality of education for our kids going forward.