Question about college showcases...

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Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
I have been to ONE "showcase" where I thought it was worth the money = Orland Sparks.

The rest have been a huge money sponge......

Guess I can ask this for my own and others information. Just what is the allure of the BIG national exposures? Does your state not have a good exposure tournament ( 50-100 colleges )? Do the surrounding states not have good exposures? Is it just to broaden the list? Is it just for the experience?

I understand some are looking at a chance to play in the big time schools. Please correct me if I'm wrong, let's say your team from Florida goes out to the west coast for a high level exposure. 50 teams, I'm guessing maybe 20 players out of that are superior athelets and then lots of top athletes to mid range. The superior athletes probably already have their name on the "list" or offers.

I also would assume the schools from mid to east America are there looking to fill one or two empty roster selections or a superior player.

Let's take the 2012 WCWS Champ Bama, they have only 4 players "outside" what I would call the region. So bang for the buck, would you be better off going to several "state/regional" exposures or 1 maybe 2 national exposures a year.

Again correct me if I'm wrong. What are the odds of going across the country for a chance of a Top D1 offer, and the odds of more regional exposures and multiple smaller D1's to NAIA to Jucos.
 
Jul 26, 2010
3,567
0
Guess I can ask this for my own and others information. Just what is the allure of the BIG national exposures? Does your state not have a good exposure tournament ( 50-100 colleges )? Do the surrounding states not have good exposures? Is it just to broaden the list? Is it just for the experience?

I understand some are looking at a chance to play in the big time schools. Please correct me if I'm wrong, let's say your team from Florida goes out to the west coast for a high level exposure. 50 teams, I'm guessing maybe 20 players out of that are superior athelets and then lots of top athletes to mid range. The superior athletes probably already have their name on the "list" or offers.

I also would assume the schools from mid to east America are there looking to fill one or two empty roster selections or a superior player.

Let's take the 2012 WCWS Champ Bama, they have only 4 players "outside" what I would call the region. So bang for the buck, would you be better off going to several "state/regional" exposures or 1 maybe 2 national exposures a year.

Again correct me if I'm wrong. What are the odds of going across the country for a chance of a Top D1 offer, and the odds of more regional exposures and multiple smaller D1's to NAIA to Jucos.

You forget how outwardly arrogant but inwardly insecure coaches can be ;) If the player can say they're being looked at by a top school or has had exposure to a top school, then the coach at the smaller school might be overtaken by me-too complex. Can't hurt, right?

-W
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
The organization my DD plays for has the same philosophy as GOINGDEEP....play in regional/local showcases in order to expose our girls to the schools they may actually have a chance to attend. We are fortunate to live in GA, where softball is very competitive, and coaches from around the Southeast attend the showcases. Unless your DD is a top 0.05% player or a pitcher who throws 70+MPH, the chances of her getting recruited by a D1 West Coast school is slim.
 
Dec 7, 2011
2,368
38
We did an Ohio one (GAPPS) too last year that had good coaches turn-out too. Forgot about that one but shouldn't have. It was a close second to Orland in respect of coaches but Orland had more and it was all on one very good complex. GAPPS had us on some spread-out pretty cruddy middle school fields in the early rounds.

If DD here was perfectly happy in the cold upper midwest then we probably would not have goals for other warmer states. But then again too here in Wisconsin there is ASA state where a few local coaches hit but that's really it..... Exposure is really limited here.
 
Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
If DD here was perfectly happy in the cold upper midwest then we probably would not have goals for other warmer states. But then again too here in Wisconsin there is ASA state where a few local coaches hit but that's really it..... Exposure is really limited here.

I can completely understand these types of examples.
 
Aug 14, 2011
158
0
DD is a senior and just signed with a major D1. We have been to many showcases. Some are literally crawling with coaches (Fall ESPN in Disney is always good, for example) and others seem to be hit or miss, depending on the year.
As far a traveling to these big showcases and if it helps to play locally: I used to think it was a waste of money to travel so far to a showcase just to get a spot at a more local school. As we got more into the process, we learned that coaches, especially D1, will go to these big showcases, across country, and watch their local players, then recruit them. They like to see how these girls play nationally against tougher competition. You may think regional competition in your area is good. Maybe it is in a few areas of the country. But if your DD wants to play at a high level in college, you will be amazed at the level some of these 16 yr. olds can play at when you step away from home.
No showcase is worth it if your DD doesn't do her part and contact coaches and invite them to watch her play.
I agree that the most bang for your buck can be attending camps of schools that interest your daughter. Never too early to start that. In our case, 2 camps made the difference for my kid with the school she will attend. Hours of seeing her play as opposed to a few minutes or a couple of at bats during a showcase.
As to the original poster: most of us would say 7th grade is too early and not necessary. We WANT to say 7th grade is too early. For D2 and D3, it is. For now. But it amazes me at how much earlier and earlier recruiting is getting each year. Do not wait past next summer for your kid if they want to play D1. You must get on radars (these days!) as a freshman or it gets harder. Unless DD is a stud, but most of them aren't.
 
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