Circle City Summer showcase

[da60]

Canocorn, great info. Thanks for the response. I'm glad your daughter is already gaining attention from colleges as is her teammates. Always a nice thing to hear. I will echo Looking in's observations, whether it is a major DI, smaller DI, NAIA, DII, or DIII, if a school will assist in helping pay for an education so much the better. I have been a little on the fence the past year about showcase tournaments and the benefit of exposure versus dollars spent. We have played a few in the past. Canocorn, bucketboy, or anyone else who would care to comment, what in your opinion has been the most effective recruiting tool, i.e. showcases, national tournament exposure, videos of DD playing, e-mailing coaches, etc. By the way, should anyone's DD play against us, I will be glad to buy a beverage of choice at the concession stand, if it is an out of town tournament, a frosty one at the local watering hole.

[Canocorn]

Looks like they are getting a couple of small D1's to committ.

[Blind Squirrel]

Canocorn, great info. Thanks for the response. I'm glad your daughter is already gaining attention from colleges as is her teammates. Always a nice thing to hear. I will echo Looking in's observations, whether it is a major DI, smaller DI, NAIA, DII, or DIII, if a school will assist in helping pay for an education so much the better. I have been a little on the fence the past year about showcase tournaments and the benefit of exposure versus dollars spent. We have played a few in the past. Canocorn, bucketboy, or anyone else who would care to comment, what in your opinion has been the most effective recruiting tool, i.e. showcases, national tournament exposure, videos of DD playing, e-mailing coaches, etc. By the way, should anyone's DD play against us, I will be glad to buy a beverage of choice at the concession stand, if it is an out of town tournament, a frosty one at the local watering hole.

To me, the most effective way is for a kid to play in front of as many college coaches as possible. Coaches know how to evaluate talent whether at Nationals, showcases or at friendlies for that matter. We didn't do a video but we emailed coaches with an expression of interest and schedules of upcoming games. If you can include something in emails that makes your kid stand out and get their attention/interest, that may help. For example, if your kid is very fast, give them times. If your kid is unusually big and strong, tell them. The most you can do is try to inspire coaches to stop and take a look at your kid while they (the coaches) are at a tournament. After that, it's up to the kid to perform.

A few random things: Kids should ALWAYS assume college coaches they care about are watching even if you don't see them. I've seen people get surprised. Secondly, the coaches definitely watch how a kid behaves on and off the field. They want kids who will fit in well with their team. Lastly, count on nothing unless/until an offer is actually made. I've seen so many parents talking about how this school or that wants their kid only to find themselves disappointed and embarrassed when the offers didn't materialize.

And have a frosty cold one ready when the whole recruiting thing is over.

John

[da60]

John, thanks for the response, much appreciated.

[jag1]

Like I stated in an earlier post.....it's all about the marketing. There are VERY few of the top 50 kids that really stand out at 16u, but in the right situation, they get noticed. .............I knew I should've started our marketing blitz in middle school..!!

[Blind Squirrel]

Like I stated in an earlier post.....it's all about the marketing. There are VERY few of the top 50 kids that really stand out at 16u, but in the right situation, they get noticed. .............I knew I should've started our marketing blitz in middle school..!!

I don't understand your statement. Most (All?) of the top 50 kids have verballed before they've started their junior year of high school, when most are 16 years old.

Another thing that can be very important is getting on a team that prepares a sheet/booklet of player profiles and has some coach/parent who will be a friendly, enthusiastic advocate for the players. Having a coach whose opinions are respected by the college coaches is also great.

John

[bucketboy]

Bucketboy, thanks for the continued responses on the topic of recruiting. Since my daughter has turned 16, as has her other teammates, I will continue asking questions to those who have been thru the process. How did she choose an out of state school? Did the school see her at a showcase? At Nationals? Jag1 makes a pretty good point about chasing the scholarship hype. At the same time, if opportunities exist, this forum is a good starting point to get the word out. Looking in, I agree there is a ton of talent in IN. Our team plays against them, as does everyone elses. I can't comment about 16u, as we play 18u. I can comment that the travelball landscape has changed alot in the last 4 years since my daughter started. There are alot more 12u teams, even 10u has started travelball(I do not remember a 10u division, 4 years ago). You are right, teams cannot wait to make the jump to 16u. Why? IMO, to try and get seen. Nothing wrong with NAIA, DII or DIII, my point in an earlier thread. It might give one pause for thought why several of the best pitchers in the state are playing out of state DI, and IMO one of the best hitters I've ever seen is headed to Northern IL.

She actually hasn't chosen a school quite yet, but has offers from two out of state and as mentioned before never received a single email of interest from a D1 school from Indiana. One saw her for the first time at a very large camp when she was in 8th grade. The other saw her for the first time at the Ball State exposure event a year ago. Both schools have watched her play on multiple occasions since and it is nice that both schools are a fit for her academically, size and as an athlete. To get noticed your kid has to be seen and you have to find a way to get that coach there or you have to take your DD to that coach by attending a camp etc..., but be careful going to camps as you can spend a boatload of money and not get anything out of it when they are of high school age.

Look at the kids from Indiana that are now playing D1 ball and there are many more than have been mentioned in this post that are playing high level softball, getting a quality education and many are getting noticed and receiving conference awards for their play. With that said the reason these kids are where they are is because they played for travel teams that played the kind of schedule that got them looks from coaches, they sent the emails, but most importantly they had the work ethic and ability to play at the D1 level.

Put yourself in the shoes of a college coach recruiting kids. Are you going to spend your time at a weak event with weak teams or are you going to spend your time at a place like 16u ASA nationals, Colorado, Music City Hits, etc... where you have the best talent from the entire country or region.

There is plenty of advice out there, but if your daughter is playing USSSA qualifiers at the 16u level this summer in Indiana she won't be getting a D1 offer.

[Canocorn]

Bucketboy - how is Lutheran going to be this school year?

[bucketboy]

Don't know but would imagine they would be good again considering they have been to the state finals the last two years.

[coolstuff]

Let's see she has contacted said school four or five times with fall and summer schedules, sent a bio, video and your coaching staff has never even watched her play one inning, but yet you want me to write you a check for a couple of hundred bucks to attend a camp. No thanks.

I will spend that money on camps of schoos from out of state that have taken the time to watch games and have taken the time to express interest.

I know of at least one player who attended the camp of a D1 school in Indiana, a school that she had contacted and got no response, and attending that camp got the interest of the coaches, who then recruited her and offered her a scholarship.