Recruiting 8th graders

[Trophy Hunter]

The following is from the "On Deck is a Must for 8th, 9th, etc graders" thread, moved to a new thread at the suggestion of Número Uno.

Looking for comments on what looks like either
A) the college coaches are now requesting to see kids in middle-school; or
B) the travel ball industry continues pushing kids into the recruiting process at younger ages.

Good? Bad? Who wins? Who loses?

8th grade? Middle school now? Really?

Why does travel ball continue to push these kids out there to the colleges at younger and younger ages?

The college coaches don't like verballing freshmen. Middle school parents aren't demanding it.

Should I start working on my five year olds resume? It looks like by the time she can spell six letter words that all the kids who can spell seven letter words will be committed.

I understand you are board and I don't make all the rules up. I am sure if your dd was in 8th grade and she was invited to a camp like this you would turn it down. I am not for early verbals either but when colleges are asking to see a certain aged kid that is what you give them.

They are offering a service and if you don't like it and you want to post something about this start your own thread.

This post and yours will self destruct very soon

[Coach11]

I take it as one of those, "if you offer it, you're bound to find someone willing to pay for it".

Like 8U TB.

[NumeroUno]

TH first off if I had my way recruiting would start in 11th grade. But colleges are looking at young kids. Have you been to 14U nationals the last few years? I am talking ASA not nfa or afa.

If you have been to a ASA national you might have seen scouts there. Who is playing in 14U nationals 7th 8th and 9th graders. These colleges are watching these kids and putting them on the list. A few years back when I was at 14U nationals talking to colleges that were there to see our players the scouts would tell us who they were interested in and they all said we are going to watch this kid.

In no way am I for recruiting that young and for many reasons, but it's reality and they are looking at these players younger and younger. UCLA would have verballed a 8th grader a couple years ago but the family wasn't ready. It is happening.

If your DD is in 8th grade and going to Premier nationals I recommend sending out emails to colleges to put her on the map. Get her name out there and market her. Once showcasing starts is goes from a competition to a business real quick, sad but true.

I wish I had more time to think about this and write more but it is Friday and I am busy trying to end this day and I am parched.


Yiou know who loses recruiting early in most cases everyone, Colleges and kids

back to work

[freetacos]

I definately see this as a benefit for the colleges not the athlete. I think you will see more partial offers and less full rides. The full rides are becoming less and less available. Colleges can carry 20 - 30 players on thier roster and still spend the same amount of money. If that 8th grade verball dosen't bear fruit then it's no biggie... bench the kid and plug in another player. Eventually the kid on the bench will get the message (or email) and quit the team.

It's extremely cut throat out there these days.

Good luck to the athletes

ft

[Trophy Hunter]

To be clear this isn't a dig on the Allisters or On Deck.
By all accounts they are good people. They have a business and are responding to market forces.
No problem with that.

This may well end up a chicken or egg situation but it's the direction the game is taking and the discussion is about wether that is a good thing or bad thing (and for whom), what is driving it, the long term impact on the athletes, and the game.

The more input we get the better as it's obviously an important topic, and the more everyone shares their experience the more others coming after you will benefit. Hopefully.

[NumeroUno]

I don't see how it can benefit the school. You get a kid early now they are signed. The parents aren't taking them to as many hitting lessons or fielding lessons anymore, money is tight now that they are signed. The kid isn't working as hard as they were before. Now you go play showcases the signed kids aren't getting as much playing time as before. Showcases do not teach kids how to fight for a position. Showcases aren't teaching the kids how to compete either. By the time they get to college they are burnt out from all the meaningless games, they don't know how to compete or fight for a position. I am not just making this stuff up either I have heard this from so many scouts it isn't funny. So then I say why do you keep recruiting so early and you get the same response from all of them, " if we don't make the offer someone else will".

Look at pitching, it is going down hill. The Finches and Abbot domination days are over. Why, go pitch three innings good or bad you are coming out in the third in a meaningless game so Susie the freshman can show all the scouts how fast she can throw. How many of your pitchers throw a 7 inning game unless it is a qualifier or a national tourney? Well that may not be a good question maybe not to many throw 7 innings when it means something because they can't, they weren't prepared to throw all 7.

[ontheblack]

Look at pitching, it is going down hill. The Finches and Abbot domination days are over. Why, go pitch three innings good or bad you are coming out in the third in a meaningless game so Susie the freshman can show all the scouts how fast she can throw. How many of your pitchers throw a 7 inning game unless it is a qualifier or a national tourney? Well that may not be a good question maybe not to many throw 7 innings when it means something because they can't, they weren't prepared to throw all 7.

I have seen a ton of games since September, but few that went 7 innings. I would rather play two full games than three 1:20 friendly games. Its funny to me how TB is all about college, but does little to prepare them for it.

[AlwaysImprove]

I don't see how it can benefit the school. You get a kid early now they are signed. The parents aren't taking them to as many hitting lessons or fielding lessons anymore, money is tight now that they are signed. The kid isn't working as hard as they were before. Now you go play showcases the signed kids aren't getting as much playing time as before. Showcases do not teach kids how to fight for a position. Showcases aren't teaching the kids how to compete either. By the time they get to college they are burnt out from all the meaningless games, they don't know how to compete or fight for a position. I am not just making this stuff up either I have heard this from so many scouts it isn't funny. So then I say why do you keep recruiting so early and you get the same response from all of them, " if we don't make the offer someone else will".

Look at pitching, it is going down hill. The Finches and Abbot domination days are over. Why, go pitch three innings good or bad you are coming out in the third in a meaningless game so Susie the freshman can show all the scouts how fast she can throw. How many of your pitchers throw a 7 inning game unless it is a qualifier or a national tourney? Well that may not be a good question maybe not to many throw 7 innings when it means something because they can't, they weren't prepared to throw all 7.

I agree. Recruiting has killed the competitive aspects of the game. Started by killing for Jr's and Sr's and now is killing it for Soph and Freshman. All the teams feel extremely pressured to have 18 kids on the bench. Do ton's of showcasing of players.

In the past, coaches invested a lot of time in a stud at a position. Not just pitching, Shortstop first base, catchers, even outfielders. Those infield players were worked and worked and they got ton's better, as a unit.

Now you have all this crappy showcasing. All fall, all spring. Never the same kids on the infield, everyone rotating in and out, at different positions, etc. Team never plays to win. Batting order is always a head scratcher. All the way through pool games in Colorado.

Then finally after screwing around for 9 months, and you do not think you can take another second of 'developing' players, you roll into brackets in Colorado. Coach finally throws out his 'number 1' team, the best infielders, the best pitcher and catcher, the best outfield and a batting lineup that finally looks intelligent.

Then everyone stands there with a big dumb look on their face with the whole thing goes in the crapper. You loose and go home. That's it. You get one more shot at PGF nationals to right the ship.

You can't get pissed at anyone. Not the coaches fault. He has to 'build' his program. Not really the stud pitchers fault, she only pitched 4 inning on Saturday and 4 innings on Sunday. The fact that she gets tired at 4 innings can not surprise anyone. Not the shortstop fault for miscuing on connection with 2b, because this is the first time they been on the field together in 9 months. Not your #1 and #2 slappers fault, this is the first time they have been 1 and 2 in the lineup.

We are doing this to kids at 8th, 9th, 10th grades? We expect them to enjoy this? Come on! There has to be a better way to do things.

[AlwaysImprove]

Look at pitching, it is going down hill. The Finches and Abbot domination days are over. Why, go pitch three innings good or bad you are coming out in the third in a meaningless game so Susie the freshman can show all the scouts how fast she can throw. How many of your pitchers throw a 7 inning game unless it is a qualifier or a national tourney? Well that may not be a good question maybe not to many throw 7 innings when it means something because they can't, they weren't prepared to throw all 7.

I have seen a ton of games since September, but few that went 7 innings. I would rather play two full games than three 1:20 friendly games. Its funny to me how TB is all about college, but does little to prepare them for it.

I am actually to the point that my DD HS team is doing more to prepare her for college level of play than her TB team. The recruiting process have made TB teams a joke.

[Battle]

AI...I actually agree with all that you said above. Scary isn't it? I was beginning to feel like I was the only one that felt this way but glad to know I'm not.