Why TCS?

[aparent]

I have been wondering for a while why so many SoCal teams play in these TCS tournaments so often. As a parent, my opinion is that most of them are just glorified friendlies. We play on the same fields, have the same umps (although there are 2) but pay roughly 2-3 x more per game.

My 14 year old DD just played in the Showcase at BLD and it was a $750 entry fee to play 5 games at the worst BLD facility in the area. Of course there were no college coaches, but I didn't expect any. But the fields weren't good and the umpiring was what you expect at TCS events. I was watching out team play, so it was still a good time, but no better than if I was watching them play a double header against a rival team at a local park.

I just don;t understand the thinking of why so many orgs choose to participate in these tourneys so often..

There are some good ones throughout the year, Don Battles On, President's day and while I have not been to the Colorado tourney, I hear good things. But the run of he mill weekly/monthly tourneys seem like a waste of money.

I feel like I must be missing some benefit to these that justifies paying so much money for these games that appear to me to be no different than a $60/game friendly. Could someone school me on what the attraction is?

For my money it seems like a better idea to just play high quality friendlies most of the time and then be picky about what tourneys to enter.

[Pale Rider]

Same reason people buy big name brand shoes...Its what is popular...
TCS is where the college coaches go in the first weeks of July...(cant say as i blame them, weather is great...)
Didnt say I agree with what it costs, but...I look at it this way
A. play at expensive places fro recruiting purposes
or you can
B. play cheap and have no recruiting...
Analogy is : Follow the money

[aparent]

Thanks for the info. So does it work something like this...Team plays in a bunch of TCS tourneys throughout the year and when the time comes they get better treatment in Colorado (better fields) than teams that don't? That would at least make some sense.

[SDTitans]

Thanks for the info. So does it work something like this...Team plays in a bunch of TCS tourneys throughout the year and when the time comes they get better treatment in Colorado (better fields) than teams that don't? That would at least make some sense.

Nope.

[aparent]

Thanks for the info. So does it work something like this...Team plays in a bunch of TCS tourneys throughout the year and when the time comes they get better treatment in Colorado (better fields) than teams that don't? That would at least make some sense.

Nope.

Care to elaborate on that a bit?

[SDTitans]

Just because you play in every touney that TCS has, does not mean that you will get better treatment in Colorado. Especially if you are not proving yourself in competing with the big orgs and winning the ball games consistently. There is a pecking order,

[PDad]

I have been wondering for a while why so many SoCal teams play in these TCS tournaments so often. As a parent, my opinion is that most of them are just glorified friendlies. We play on the same fields, have the same umps (although there are 2) but pay roughly 2-3 x more per game.

My 14 year old DD just played in the Showcase at BLD and it was a $750 entry fee to play 5 games at the worst BLD facility in the area. Of course there were no college coaches, but I didn't expect any. But the fields weren't good and the umpiring was what you expect at TCS events. I was watching out team play, so it was still a good time, but no better than if I was watching them play a double header against a rival team at a local park.

I just don;t understand the thinking of why so many orgs choose to participate in these tourneys so often..

As Spazsdad posted, your team played in a pure showcase, which is not a tournament. TCS also had 2 14U tourneys last weekend that provided more than a glorified friendly.

The rationale for entering showcases is a variation on "you miss every shot you don't take." Your odds of making the shots you do take depend on doing the proper preparation. When it comes to showcasing, the preparation is players contacting schools of interest, informing them of which events they'll be playing well in advance and following up with their game schedules when they're available.

[shortslappy]

I think this is a question that you should be asking your coaches about their philosophies about friendlies, tourneys, and showcases and the ones they enter. From my understanding, each of them serve a different purpose and showcases are definitely not glorified friendlies. The college coaches are there, but will only watch the teams that have figured out a way to draw them to their games. Not only should the coaches be advocating for the girls who are ready to showcase, but the girls should be advocating for themselves.

[cazzy]

We had quite a few coaches out and fields were good. Nicely ran and weather was great.

[Daddyballsux]

I completely agree. I was at the same showcase/friendly and was thoroughly disappointed with the experience. They didn't drag the fields and or fix the pitching areas between games (Riverside BLD)and I only saw 3 college coaches that weekend. My daughter is an 02 and this was her first showcase and I understand that the college coaches are watching the older girls so it is kind of a waste of money for kids my daughter's age but it atleast now she has been through it. I did talk to her coach and he let me know that he is under pressure from some parents to go to as many showcases as possible so this was the first of many... I read somewhere that college coaches are complaining that there are too many showcases now and that most are just a money grab for TCS, PGF etc.