⚾️ Little League & Travel Baseball: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Youth baseball is a mix of joy, growth and grit, but there's a darker side to the game. If you’re a parent, coach, or just someone who loves baseball, you’ll relate to this new episode.
AUTHOR NOTE: this podcast was produced by Olas Media. What follows is sponsorship info and related registration links. That’s followed by my go-to baseball resource list for parents. Lastly, you will find the story I wrote to accompany this new podcast.
🙌 Thank-You to Our Sponsors
🏟️ Berry’s Athletic Supply — outfitting San Diego athletes for 70+ years (created 30,000+ varsity jackets!)
⚾ East County Rattlers Baseball Club — developing players and community through baseball. The Rattlers are hosting the following events:
⭐ FEATURED EVENT: Swing Into the New Year Classic Tournament
January 2–4, 2026 | 🏟️ San Diego | 🎯 4-Game Guarantee
Kick off the New Year with competitive play and great energy at one of San Diego’s top travel baseball tournaments! 👉 Register Here
Full Plate Baseball Camp — Nov. 28–29, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. in Rancho San Diego. Register Here
Cornhole Fundraiser for Cooperstown 2027 — Sunday, Dec. 7, 12:30 p.m. start | $50 per team. Register Here
🧢 Charlie Rose Baseball — your one-stop shop for bats, gloves, and gear.
BONUS: Tune into this new episode to receive an exclusive offer from Charlie Rose available only to Dear San Diego listeners!
⚾ Resources & Recommendations for Baseball Parents
Podcasts & Websites
Leading voices helping parents and players navigate the youth baseball journey.
• The Most Valuable Agent Podcast by Matt Hannaford (@mfhannaford)
• Talkin’ Shop with Coach Ballgame
• Healthy Sports Parents by Jonathan Carone @jonathan_carone
Hitting & Fielding
Elite local and online coaches focused on mechanics, approach, and development.
SD CAP in El Cajon, CA
OTHERS
Pitching
Resources to improve command, velocity, and arm health.
Strength & Conditioning
Trainers who understand the demands of baseball and youth athlete development.
Mental Side of the Game
Experts in confidence, mindset, and resilience on and off the field.
Miscellaneous & Gear
Great pages, tools, and others worth a follow. Some of them will make you laugh.
“If the training’s tough, push through — because there’s going to be good results at the end.” — Alex Manolatos, 12
Youth Baseball: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
“Find your joy,” Elizabeth says to her 12-year-old son Alex before every practice and game.
As a former Division I athlete and CEO of a large nonprofit, Elizabeth knows athletes at every level perform best when they’re loose, happy, and confident.
In this new episode of Dear San Diego, Tony and Elizabeth sit down with their twins Alex and Nicky, who are 12, to talk about baseball — not just the stats and scores, but the lessons the game teaches.
The family opens up about the highs and lows of Little League and travel baseball: the thrill of big hits and close games, the car rides home, the friendships, the politics, and the small victories that boost confidence.
Alex shares how he’s learned to stay calm under pressure — to trust the process and the work he’s put in, and to bounce back quickly after mistakes. Nicky offers a different perspective: he hung up his cleats after a tough season, but has stayed involved in the game.
Youth baseball, like parenting, is a mix of joy, growth, and grit. At its best, Little League builds confidence, character, community, resilience, and life skills. There’s a lot of goodness to the game.
But there’s also a darker side — from overzealous parents to uneven coaching to unprincipled, ego-driven politics. What spoils the experience for some players and their families are the whisper campaigns and backroom deals that tend to take root on volunteer boards with little to no oversight — often controlled by parents who see their kids as future D1 stars or big leaguers and who operate a lot like the kids in that high school clique you never liked.
When adults lose sight of what really matters — the kids’ experience — the game starts to lose its magic. And too often, it loses many of its young ballplayers right along with it
Elizabeth points out that the lack of leadership training for volunteer coaches is a missed opportunity: “Motivating kids isn’t about yelling,” she says. “It’s about empowering them and building their confidence.”
Travel baseball generally brings a higher level of play and a more structured environment, but it’s not without its pressures. Finding the right program for your player — whether that’s a neighborhood team or an established organization focused on development with a strong track record of helping kids advance to the next level — is important. The financial and time commitments are real, and the competition can create both incredible growth and some tough moments.
Still, the Manolatos family agrees: the right program, the right coaches, and the right mindset don’t just build better players — they build stronger, more confident kids.
They talk candidly about learning to balance family time with tournament weekends, the resilience built through tough losses, and the shared joy that comes from a well-executed play, a clutch hit, or a pretty pitch.
“Baseball teaches you so much more than how to play a game,” Tony says.
👉🏻 Tony Manolatos, show host: @tonymanolatos, Baseball Dad & PR Guy
👉🏻 Elizabeth Wilberg, guest: @birdiewilberg, Corner Office to the Kitchen Table
🎧 Check out our other baseball episode: “Youth Baseball Parents: Stop Talking!”
About Baseball Dad & PR Guy
Baseball insights. PR perspective. And a few curveballs along the way.
Baseball Dad & PR Guy is a weekly newsletter about youth sports culture and the environments parents create for young athletes.
After years of sitting at youth baseball fields, I started noticing something a lot of parents miss. I think of them as five moments that shape young ballplayers and youth sports culture:
The nerves before a game.
The tough inning.
The sideline coach.
The car ride home.
The comparison trap.From the stands, I write about those moments and how adults shape the experience for young athletes.
I also occasionally write about public relations, sharing lessons for young professionals navigating high-pressure moments in their careers.
If any of that resonates, you’re in the right place.
⚾️ Join our growing community of parents helping parents: Travel Baseball Moms & Dads on Facebook. More at tonymanolatos.com or via Linktree. 🔗