Olympic exposure how?

[as the world turns]

If you have to ask if your kid is an Olympic caliber player, chances are, she is definitely not one. National players never went to an "exposure camp " to get noticed for the National/Olympic team.
Maybe the Northeast folks have something for you, it is the hidden mecca of softball talent

[jonriv]

You have received some great advice, yet seem to ignore it. Here's mine...........

To start with I think you need to get your priorities in order. I might make more sens to focus on the following for to focus on the following before making the leap to Olympic Exposure:

1) making it on progressively better travel programs

2) making and starting on High School team

3) getting into and playing at a good college program

4) Starting at a good college program

5) excelling at a good college program

It is great to dream and in the past the existence of an Olympic team sparked a lot of interest in the sport, but there needs to be some recognition of the difficulty(some might say impossibility) of what you are attempting. The numbers are daunting! There will be 15-25 slots on the Olympic team. Your player will be competing with the following:

1) 31,000 current college players at all levels(around 5000 on scholarship)(probably less than 100 that would be in contention)-that's less than 1%

2) Over 200 players in the National Pro Fastpitch at any given time- add to that American players playing overseas in professional and semi-pro teams- as well as on US based club teams

3) 235,360 High school players

4) 2 million youth softball players

5) All of those players that might continue to play now that their olympic dream has been reignited

6) past Olympic players that are now pro that might want to get back in the mix


The task is daunting!

[jonriv]

Another "option" for the Olympics might be playing for another country. If the player has parents or Grandparents that were born in certain countries, they might qualify for "dual" citizenship that would allow them to play for that country(if they have a team) many of the countries are looking for top players to play for there teams

Some do not like this because they feel it is unpatriotic. Dual citizenship can have drawbacks if the player tries to get some government, military or security jobs that require any kind of clearance.

Just putting it out there

[Sam]

You have received some great advice, yet seem to ignore it. Here's mine...........

To start with I think you need to get your priorities in order. I might make more sens to focus on the following for to focus on the following before making the leap to Olympic Exposure:

1) making it on progressively better travel programs

2) making and starting on High School team

3) getting into and playing at a good college program

4) Starting at a good college program

5) excelling at a good college program

It is great to dream and in the past the existence of an Olympic team sparked a lot of interest in the sport, but there needs to be some recognition of the difficulty(some might say impossibility) of what you are attempting. The numbers are daunting! There will be 15-25 slots on the Olympic team. Your player will be competing with the following:

1) 31,000 current college players at all levels(around 5000 on scholarship)(probably less than 100 that would be in contention)-that's less than 1%

2) Over 200 players in the National Pro Fastpitch at any given time- add to that American players playing overseas in professional and semi-pro teams- as well as on US based club teams

3) 235,360 High school players

4) 2 million youth softball players

5) All of those players that might continue to play now that their olympic dream has been reignited

6) past Olympic players that are now pro that might want to get back in the mix


The task is daunting!

You forgot the 5 million parents of youth players who think their kid is Olympics material, of which 4,999,999 keep their electronic mouths shut because they realize the odds of making the team are daunting and that there are actually a shitload of kids who play the game better than their kid.

[Tntcoachtom]

So I take it the two venues that I found are the only ones out there.

What I've seen so far is the USA Select30 camp http://usaeliteselect.com/usaes/select30. And In response to what Umpsteve said about Softball Factory their National Tryout may be worth considering. http://www.softballfactory.com/tryouts/

You are right. There has been some good advice regarding the first question. But I have seen very little info on the very direct and specific follow up question about showcases and other events. They are out there. I proved that with these two links. Maybe you don't agree with the use of camps and showcases. But that wasn't the question. I stopped asking the vague question about process on page one. So please let's move on. I'm only asking about venues that other more experienced coaches and dads might know about. If the two that I mentioned are the only ones around. So be it.
Please don't bother answering this post if you don't know the answer.

[jonriv]

You have received some great advice, yet seem to ignore it. Here's mine...........

To start with I think you need to get your priorities in order. I might make more sens to focus on the following for to focus on the following before making the leap to Olympic Exposure:

1) making it on progressively better travel programs

2) making and starting on High School team

3) getting into and playing at a good college program

4) Starting at a good college program

5) excelling at a good college program

It is great to dream and in the past the existence of an Olympic team sparked a lot of interest in the sport, but there needs to be some recognition of the difficulty(some might say impossibility) of what you are attempting. The numbers are daunting! There will be 15-25 slots on the Olympic team. Your player will be competing with the following:

1) 31,000 current college players at all levels(around 5000 on scholarship)(probably less than 100 that would be in contention)-that's less than 1%

2) Over 200 players in the National Pro Fastpitch at any given time- add to that American players playing overseas in professional and semi-pro teams- as well as on US based club teams

3) 235,360 High school players

4) 2 million youth softball players

5) All of those players that might continue to play now that their olympic dream has been reignited

6) past Olympic players that are now pro that might want to get back in the mix


The task is daunting!

You forgot the 5 million parents of youth players who think their kid is Olympics material, of which 4,999,999 keep their electronic mouths shut because they realize the odds of making the team are daunting and that there are actually a shitload of kids who play the game better than their kid.

Answer of the day!!!!

[jonriv]

So I take it the two venues that I found are the only ones out there.

What I've seen so far is the USA Select30 camp http://usaeliteselect.com/usaes/select30. And In response to what Umpsteve said about Softball Factory their National Tryout may be worth considering. http://www.softballfactory.com/tryouts/

You are right. There has been some good advice regarding the first question. But I have seen very little info on the very direct and specific follow up question about showcases and other events. They are out there. I proved that with these two links. Maybe you don't agree with the use of camps and showcases. But that wasn't the question. I stopped asking the vague question about process on page one. So please let's move on. I'm only asking about venues that other more experienced coaches and dads might know about. If the two that I mentioned are the only ones around. So be it.
Please don't bother answering this post if you don't know the answer.

You don't seem to get it do you?!?!?! There is no Olympic exposure venue per se. It's the Wcws, it's college play, it's the pro game, it's major tourneys. It's word of mouth. hellooooooooo.....

I do want congradulate you on being the one poster to get the likes of Sam, AWT myself and others to agree on how misguided and clueless you appear to be. You ask for advice and then refuse to listen to it

[jonriv]

http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/Tea ... Women/2008

Here's the last Olympic roster. Legends of the game. Some who might even play again. Does your player even come close????

[cazzy]

.

So I take it the two venues that I found are the only ones out there.

What I've seen so far is the USA Select30 camp http://usaeliteselect.com/usaes/select30. And In response to what Umpsteve said about Softball Factory their National Tryout may be worth considering. http://www.softballfactory.com/tryouts/

You are right. There has been some good advice regarding the first question. But I have seen very little info on the very direct and specific follow up question about showcases and other events. They are out there. I proved that with these two links. Maybe you don't agree with the use of camps and showcases. But that wasn't the question. I stopped asking the vague question about process on page one. So please let's move on. I'm only asking about venues that other more experienced coaches and dads might know about. If the two that I mentioned are the only ones around. So be it.
Please don't bother answering this post if you don't know the answer.

You don't seem to get it do you?!?!?! There is no Olympic exposure venue per se. It's the Wcws, it's college play, it's the pro game, it's major tourneys. It's word of mouth. hellooooooooo.....

I do want congradulate you on being the one poster to get the likes of Sam, AWT myself and others to agree on how misguided and clueless you appear to be. You ask for advice and then refuse to listen to it

Excellent. Just like old times.

[Fastpitch4Life]

Just for the heck of it, I clicked on the Softball Factory link for their schedule and I saw "College Prep and National Tryout" Just missing that one word, "Team." National seems to mean they have tryouts all across the nation and will take your money in all states listed.