Showball Softball camp in Vegas - worth it or moneymaker?

[tds]

If a coach is interested, they will communicate through a third party, usually your tb coach.

[fastpitchforever]

On Deck Softball is the only camp you would want to attend, if invited.

ALL THE OTHERS, first mark the email as SPAM, then UNSUBSCRIBE from their mailing list (if possible), then TRASH the email.

This is not the right away to go about getting recruited.

Ah yes, its the "if invited" that's tough, especially if you are outside California. While I've seen Allister lurking around Boulder, I have yet to hear of many outside of CA, AZ invited to attend.

Your best recruiting advice? Move to California!

[fasterpitch92701]

Alternative suggestions AFTER you and your DD have a realistic short list of schools that she REALLY wants to attend:

a. For any pay-to-attend showcase ask coaches from your short list if they will be there. Maintain communications. Email them often. Confirm. Communicate. If there will be 40 coaches there from schools you wouldn't go to or don't know, why attend the showcase? Go through the list of coaches attending and get picky. Email often. No response from schools on your list? Don't go. Save your $600 along with the disappointment.

b. From that short list, ask every coach and their assistants if they will be holding on-campus camps. If they have a camp for 200 girls from 12U up it's a joke, a revenue generator. If they have 40 18G players in a tight run camp, different story.

c. Lastly, get on a travel team that excels and gets "on the good fields". Many showcase tourneys have multiple field locations and, frankly, coaches go where they perceive the better players are at. Again, email coaches, ask if they will be there, give them your info. If the best your team can do is a 6AM game on Saturday (no coaches will be there) or a 3PM Sunday (coaches long gone), don't bother.

and... you can't overcommunicate with prospective coaches. Be sure to include assistants. That is critical.

Enjoy in good health.

[OnDeck Softball]

Hey, this is Derek Allister from OnDeck Softball. Heard about this thread and just wanted to clear up a misconception. As opposed to what was stated earlier about us inviting to our events only kids from California and Arizona . . . in actuality, we have had kids from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, South Dakota (can you believe that one! And she got several D-1 offers and ended up staying home to play!!) Kansas, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, New Jersey, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Oklahoma, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa, Tennessee, and Hawaii! Not bad for two old folks. Bottom line is we try as hard as we can to see as many young ladies as we can and help them as much as we can. We enjoy what we do, and appreciate the many friends we have across the country. Our position on camps is to do as much as your family's financial situation allows. Be as proactive as possible. Let people know you are interested. But first and foremost have fun with this wonderful game. Play hard. Play right. And compete to the best of your ability. We have heard nothing but positives from people involved with Showball Softball camps. And we have encouraged participation in Showball camps if it works for that individual. So, bottom line is if you are interested in OnDeck Softball, let us know. The one person who posted said it very well. Write to us and we will do everything in our power to see you and get you involved on some level. We can be found at http://www.ondecksoftball.net. Take care and best wishes for a great Fall. And please, if you see us at a tournament, don't hesitate to come up and say hello or introduce yourself.

[OnDeck Softball]

Ahhhh . . . and I forgot Canada - 5 of the greatest young players up there. Wouldn't want to forget those friends of ours. (And by the way, Jen Yee went virtually unrecruited until the last second when she went to Niagara! That should give hope to many, many out there!)
Derek Allister