Unless the kid is really passionate about it and shows some real potential, I don't think it's worth breaking the bank for the kid to play in a competitive leag

Unless the kid is really passionate about it and shows some real potential, I don't think it's worth breaking the bank for the kid to play in a competitive league. There are lots of fun/casual leagues for kids that don't travel and are much more affordable and provide a lot of the same benefits as the travel/competitive teams.