Colorado Sparkler - What a disappointment

[Daddylawman]

I just got back from a week in Colorado with DD and her 16U team at the Sparkler. I will say I love the location and it's beautiful in Denver. Also, we played a lot of truly classy teams - with a special note to the StrikeForce from California. What a great group of young ladies and coaches. Our Georgia girls have already "friended" many of them on Facebook.

But I seriously doubt we will ever return, and here is why - it is supposed to be a showcase tournament, and for the 16u's college coaches were virtually non-existent. We saw none while sweeping our pool games. We figured that playing in the highest bracket pool against other teams that were undefeated would be our chance. WRONG. Even the Triple Crown at our location folks admitted to seeing only 3-4 coaches at the 16u games. The facility we played our bracket games at was horribly inadequate for the level of play. Below par fields with balls flying in all the time from adjacent fields - just a joke.

For the money we paid we certainly deserved better. The All-Star games are just a thinly disguised money making scam. Pay $100 to play one game - again with little college presence. Then girls are told they made the "All-American" game. 33 girls on a team for a seven inning game. Why? So the Triple Crown folks can try to sell them on a $2,000.00 package for a trip to New York.

I can't speak to the other tournaments this week, but I'd stay away from the Sparkler if you think your DD is going to be seen - at least at 16u. It's all about making money.

An expensive lesson learned.

[anonlooker]

Tried to warn everybody. Fields and colleges just don't measure up to Boulder or Aurora. But now you know and can plan next year accordingly.

[93players]

We have not played in the Independence tourney, but we have played Fireworks 12U, 14U, and 16U. This year, the 16U practice games had between 4-10 college coaches on Tuesday. Double that for the pool qualifiers. Of course, coaches tended to go to Boulder after Thursday, but Fireworks is well worth the money if you can get into this invitational tourney.

[Bleacher Creature]

Tried to warn everybody. Fields and colleges just don't measure up to Boulder or Aurora. But now you know and can plan next year accordingly.

Yeah. did the sparkler thing once..... and only once...
Must say that I felt the turn out in Aurora was very well. Had lots of Coaches watching all games even into bracket play ,which suprised me?

Say! How about that hail storm!

[Hawk17]

Boulder and the Fireworks tourney always have tons of coaches. Sadly, the Sparkler tournament doesn't draw that much.

I do have one question, however. Did your daughter write to college coaches to tell them where and when she was playing? That is one key component that people seem to forget. You HAVE to write the coaches. They just don't go looking aimlessly through ball parks in the off chance that they will see great players.

When my daughter was being recruited, she wrote coaches to tell them where she would be playing and when. Her team mates did the same. Therefore, when we went to Fireworks, coaches showed up to watch her (and her team ) play. We are from the East Coast and she now plays at an East Coast D1 college. Guess where she was seen? Yup, Fireworks.

Since your DD is a 16U, I am assuming you are new to this process. If I am wrong I apologize. You need to understand that, while quality showcases are crucial, they are nothing if your daughter doesn't write schools to let them know where she is.

[Daddylawman]

Boulder and the Fireworks tourney always have tons of coaches. Sadly, the Sparkler tournament doesn't draw that much.

I do have one question, however. Did your daughter write to college coaches to tell them where and when she was playing? That is one key component that people seem to forget. You HAVE to write the coaches. They just don't go looking aimlessly through ball parks in the off chance that they will see great players.

When my daughter was being recruited, she wrote coaches to tell them where she would be playing and when. Her team mates did the same. Therefore, when we went to Fireworks, coaches showed up to watch her (and her team ) play. We are from the East Coast and she now plays at an East Coast D1 college. Guess where she was seen? Yup, Fireworks.

Since your DD is a 16U, I am assuming you are new to this process. If I am wrong I apologize. You need to understand that, while quality showcases are crucial, they are nothing if your daughter doesn't write schools to let them know where she is.

That's a fair point. But I know my DD wrote to several coaches and gave them game times, facility, and the park address. I know others on her team did as well. We wrote well ahead of time also.

It seems to me that the Independence is the first choice for colleges, then the Fireworks. The Sparkler is just a money maker (which explains why they take so many more teams)

[cyberman]

My DD wrote to many of the schools who were attending the Sparkler tournament, as well as other schools who she knew were visiting the Fireworks and Boulder tournaments.

Very few schools attended our games. She is extremley disappointed as were her teammates. So before anyone says, "it is what it is" , can someone please answer some questions; " How is the Sparkler related to the Fireworks, if it were truly related wouldn't colleges now be more incented to have an opportunity to view so many teams? At the Allstar games, Why were there so few Colleges in attendance and no designated area at the venue for the colleges to observe the girls?

I am looking for answers as well as asking is the Sparkler just a tournament to make money for Triple Crown or a real exposure tournament? Thank you!
-

[NumeroUno]

Tried to warn everybody. Fields and colleges just don't measure up to Boulder or Aurora. But now you know and can plan next year accordingly.

Yeah. did the sparkler thing once..... and only once...
Must say that I felt the turn out in Aurora was very well. Had lots of Coaches watching all games even into bracket play ,which suprised me?

Say! How about that hail storm!

The hail storm was crazy I was siiting in my rental in line ready to turn it in when it hit. I was hoping I wasn't going to have to pay for new windows. Some of them were the size of marbles.

[SoftballSoccerDad]

Oy.

Can someone please explain what the difference is between these Colorado tournaments? I keep hearing about a new one every week it seems.

The Fireworks is an invitational, while the Sparkler is an open?

And what is this Independence deal?

[jmo]

Oy.

Can someone please explain what the difference is between these Colorado tournaments? I keep hearing about a new one every week it seems.

The Fireworks is an invitational, while the Sparkler is an open?

And what is this Independence deal?

First off, you must know that colleges can only send out 2 representatives at any one time. Therefore, the college coaches send one to the Independence Day (Boulder) and one to the Fireworks (Aurora). Sparkler gets very few.

The Boulder tourney is invitation only and has a long waiting list. It draws clubs like the OC Batbusters, So Cal A's, Cruisers, Corona Angels, Team North Florida, NJ Intensity, Texas Eclipse, KC Peppers, Beverly Bandits, Wichita Mustangs, Explosion, Choppers, Sorcerers, Etc..... 40 of the 80 teams were at Gold Nationals last year and almost all of those will be at ESPN/Premier this year. It is a 6 game pool play going into single elimination. 7 game guarantee. The 6 pool games makes it easier for college coaches to scout as most teams will play everybody for the showcase. Then on Saturday, play only nine players and really play to win.

The Aurora tourney is a 132 team tourney with 4 pool play games going into a double elimination format. 6 game guarantee. It has the Firecrackers who always draw plenty of coaches as well as Texas Impact, Pumas, Jets, Cal Lite, WA Sidewinders, Gold Coast Hurricanes 18A Team and others. The problem with the double elimination is that coaches have only 4 games of pool and then really have to work to see where teams are in the losers brackets, game times, etc.

Ironically, the winner of the Boulder Independence Day Tourney will not be attending ESPN/Premier Nationals this year. Team North Florida will only be going to ASA Gold Nationals. They would have to be considered a favorite at either tourney, unfortunately, are disappointed that all the top teams will not be in Marietta Georgia. Think they might have rethought going to ASA if they truly realized how many teams were bypassing ASA. They are a great group of girls and coaches and want to play and beat the best.

As for next year, Triple Crown Sparkler has bought out the Fireworks. Whether they combine the two tourneys or still keep them separated, is yet to be seen. They did have an inter-tourney playoff this year that was televised between the Gold Coast Hurricanes Gold team vs the Firecrackers. TC will run both tourneys.

Keep writing your letters and I would also include a good skills video. It just might draw the attention of a college coach to come see your DD play. There are just so many games and teams in Colorado at the same time, that unless you are playing on a bigger club team or playing against a bigger club team, then coaches just can't see that many teams