Mid-week observation PGF

[Safebyahare]

It is only mid week, and perhaps my vision may be off, but just an observation.
It seems like this year now that PGF split Nationals into 2 seeks, that there is fewer scouts.
If I am wrong,,,it's not the first.
If I am right,,,could it be that splitting the 14s 16s away from the 18s may have been a growing mistake.
My attempt for an argument:
1. PGF had an upper hand on ASA by having all its Nationals the same week for all of its age groups, creating one giant shopping center for college recruiters. They like us have limited money and time to shop.
2. To say that colleges are not looking at 18s,,,well,,,what about that freshman playing 18s.
Food for thought.

[PDad]

I saw far more colleges the first 2 days during pool play than yesterday or this morning in bracket play. They also get a new set of 50 evaluation days starting tomorrow.

2. To say that colleges are not looking at 18s,,,well,,,what about that freshman playing 18s.

Unless that freshman already had schools following her, she probably would have been better off playing on a high-end 16U team.

[fastpitchdad05]

I saw far more colleges the first 2 days during pool play than yesterday or this morning in bracket play. They also get a new set of 50 evaluation days starting tomorrow.

2. To say that colleges are not looking at 18s,,,well,,,what about that freshman playing 18s.

Unless that freshman already had schools following her, she probably would have been better off playing on a high-end 16U team.

PDad - Could you elaborate on the "new set of 50 evaluation days starting tomorrow", please? Will that somehow keep scouts away today?

Hare - I understand your points, but I'm wondering (perhaps hoping) if the scouts will work their way over to the Platinum fields today and tomorrow. There have only been a smattering of scouts at Brookhurst during our times there Sun, Mon and Tues.

Also, to PDad's point about the 16U team maybe being a better option. I know that when my DD picked up last year just after her freshmen season on a high-end 16U team and we played at Brookhurst that there were a staggering, overwhelming amount of scouts on hand from the who's who of college softball watching our game.

Too bad DD got injured the day before.

We sent out the emails...hopefully they will come.

[PDad]

I saw far more colleges the first 2 days during pool play than yesterday or this morning in bracket play. They also get a new set of 50 evaluation days starting tomorrow.

PDad - Could you elaborate on the "new set of 50 evaluation days starting tomorrow", please? Will that somehow keep scouts away today?

Div I softball only gets 50 evaluation days per year. I don't know how well this is enforced. Here are the pertinent rules.

13.02.7 Evaluation. Evaluation is any off-campus activity designed to assess the academic qualifications or athletics ability of a prospective student-athlete, including any visit to a prospective student-athlete’s educational institution (during which no contact occurs) or the observation of a prospective student-athlete participating in any practice or competition at any site.
13.02.7.1 Exception—Football. ...
13.02.7.2 Evaluation Days—Football, Softball, Women’s Volleyball and Women’s Sand Volleyball. An evaluation day is defined as one coach engaged in the evaluation of any prospective student-athlete on one day (12:01 a.m. to midnight). Two coaches making evaluations on the same day shall use two evaluation days.

13.1.7.11 Evaluation Days—Softball. In softball, each institution is limited to 50 evaluation days (measured August 1 through July 31) per Bylaw 13.02.7.2, which do not include employment of coaches in instructional camps/clinics or the observation of prospective student-athletes participating in high school softball competition.

[Sftbll4ever]

Hare - I understand your points, but I'm wondering (perhaps hoping) if the scouts will work their way over to the Platinum fields today and tomorrow. There have only been a smattering of scouts at Brookhurst during our times there Sun, Mon and Tues.

We had a good amount on both Sunday and Monday at the FV fields, including a coach sporting new blue/orange colors. Didn't make it there yesterday and will be there later.

I do know that some coaches were at the ASA Nationals and would be heading down here for the remainder of the week starting today.

[Safebyahare]

The 18s were split from 16s because that is what the college coaches wanted. They wanted the 14s and 16s together since that is where their recruiting focus is.

Your answer brings up the other aspect.
Have the dynamics of age grouping changed that much? Meaning it's no longer better to play up?
Do colleges no longer wish to revisit players that will be coming in? or that are just verbaled?
Most juniors play 18 and I would think that this would be their prime year to be recruited.
I don't know and that is why I am asking.

[exD1dad]

Ya know Hare that's not a meal but a buffet for many of us whose kids are uncommitted & I've wanted to ask as well... Here in Socal it seems soooo many players play up, many are verballed early (not always the best talent IMO but it's the coaches who decide who has "potential" that from a D1 coach I spoke to who was watching 1 of his recruits who went 6 games before she got a hit in PGF. I don't know if he knew that or cared but it is fact).

My DD is a '15, From watching PGF 16's for 2 years (last year every starter verballed after PGF & 2 already had)it seems most of the country has stud seniors to be playing on 16U teams (committed & not) yet out here everybody expects girls to play up if they can no matter what their age. I wonder what coaches think? My DD is gonna ask the 6 schools she's interested in that question & we are planning on a winter campus visit back east for 2 maybe 3 schools checking out both interest & to see if she has that "I love this campus" thunderbolt. If we don't get serious interest & conversations after Fall showcases we'll put our eggs in going to the camp of her #1 &/or #2 choice.

They can't all be on the best organizations getting the good fields to be seen (at showcases) & for many it's a quandary which I don't have the answer. I know good players who play on marginal teams yet they haven't gotten diddly squat offer wise. It does seem from posts & conversations with friends that more coaches are at 14/16 not 18.

[AlwaysImprove]

Is this the first year that 16's were split from 18's?

[NumeroUno]

Mid Week observation:


Well if you want to know how D-1 softball is going to feel like here it is. The talent here is second to non. It's the toughest tourney besides the college world series in the country Okay well that a little exaggeration but not by far. 5:19AM off to the field, hopefully were there for a few games

[Dugout Dad]

Mid Week observation:


Well if you want to know how D-1 softball is going to feel like here it is. The talent here is second to non. It's the toughest tourney besides the college world series in the country Okay well that a little exaggeration but not by far. 5:19AM off to the field, hopefully were there for a few games

You are not too far off in your observations....