Colorado Sparkler - What a disappointment

[softballrulznut]

While there is absolutely no doubting that the other two tournaments are better than the Sparkler, if your kids "do their homework" and email college coaches their schedule they will show up.

Our team played in the 18u Gold division and each game we had more college coaches there to specifically watch one of our kids than the team we were playing. For the week we had 20 different colleges and universities come and watch our team play.

Here is the breakdown of different levels:
7 Division I
6 Division II - one received a verbal commitment from one of our players following the tournament
5 Division III
1 NAIA
1 Juco

Again, there is absolutely no doubt that the other two tournaments are better attended but obviously you can get schools to come watch you if you are putting a good product on the field and your players are emailing and asking for them to come out.

As for the All Star games - IMHO - they are an absolute waste of time and money. Last year was our first at the Sparkler and several kids did the All-Star game. None of the 7 players we had play drew any attention from the games so this year we told everyone to just skip them.

[artomatic]

edited to move off topic hailstorm video at 16u fireworks to the correct thread

[MTR]

You know there is no tournament which can guarantee certain number of or specific college coaches will attend. All they can really do is invite them and take care of the IF and when they arrive.

Even if they do attend, their movement or observations are still not controlled by the tournament. Like it or not, some coaches only come to see specific players. I've sat with some of these coaches, some of them are almost oblivious to the game in front of them until their target is at bat. Others are looking for the diamond in the rough, but is that the norm for all college coaches/scouts/reps?

[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.

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.

click on the picture:

At last, an answer to the age-old question:

When does Artomatic finally give in and realize the next softball game simply ain't gonna be played?

When the sky falls.

[americandad]

I've only had teams in the Aurora tournament .I spoke with and handed out information to 50 college scouts and had at least 6 at each game in pool play.Your team must send e-mails out to schools if you want them to come.It is a lot of work.

[TulsaEliteGold]

If you are waiting til you get to the tournaments to find out who all is going to come watch your team, you are way, way behind already. My team has played in the Ind Day in 2009 and the Sparkler in 2008 and we had MANY, MANY coaches both years. Now, when we were at the Sparkler the coaches were mainly ones who were coming specifically to watch us and as soon as our games were over for the day they headed back to Boulder/louisville/Aurora. We probably averaged 6-8 per game and many only came to 1 or 2 days. Wheras at Ind Day we averaged 12-20 per game and the same core group of around 10 attended every game we played. But we knew way ahead of time exactly who all was coming to watch us, other then a few who dropped by. The coaches plan ahead and know exactly what teams and individual players they are coming to watch. It is very very rare that a coach is looking for that diamond in the rough that noone has heard about. The teams that go to Showcase Events Blind about what colleges are coming to watch their players will have an uphill battle unless they are on a well known team. Do your own homework and have your athlete do theirs.