Most teams know they are in the power pool well in advance of the “selection show”
Sparkler review $$$
- Thread starter LEsoftballdad
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But there are plenty of D2 and D3 schools there at the satellite complexes. Would I travel out there with a team for that reason alone? No way.
If you're playing at some backwater fields in the middle of nowhere, then you have to expect it's a glorified softball vacation. If you're on a true National team playing in the IDT or Power Pools, then you're there for recruiting. If your team is okay with either and wants to go, have fun. If you, as a family, determine it's not in your budget or desire, find a different team or let them know well in advance that you won't be going.
- May 27, 2013
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I think to those parents and players who don’t post on DFP, and there are probably way more of them than there are of us, they do think it is about recruiting. The majority have no idea that just showing up to a National showcase isn’t going to get their kid a scholarship or on a college team. I remember talking with parents of the TB team my dd had left and them telling me they were “finally going to Colorado to get recruited.” They (nor the other coaches) had any idea how to even begin the recruiting process. They thought they just had to go there and it would happen. They don’t realize that being on a well-known TB program team doing a lot of leg-work before the showcase is what is the difference-maker.
I have also posted on a college message board for years. So many parents post on there from all different sport backgrounds asking about how to get their kids recruited. These are kids who are already juniors and rising seniors - and think they can just start the process at that time.
We who are in the know are a very, very small subset who understand how the process works. Even on here, many don’t know how it works - and that’s ok. They come here to learn and ask questions about it. I do think many do go to Colorado and many of the other well-known showcases thinking that if they show up and play well, a coach will recruit them. We know that’s not how it works.
My DD verballed fall of her Jr year. She attended IDT the following 2 summers without needing any recruiting. In all reality we did it so dad could attend Widespread Panic and Red Rocks the weekend before.
That's an expensive concert!!!
3 nights! We also stay with my buddy in Longmont. Saved 1000's of dollars by staying with him for 4 Colorado trips.
- Nov 18, 2013
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That’s true about the number of players that actually go D1, but thousands of players go there with those aspirations, whether realistic or not. At tryout time just about every team talks about getting girls to the next level and brags about showcases they attend, especially if they go to Colorado. Take away all the D1 coaches and those tourneys would fold.
Tell us you're a pitchers dad without saying you're a pitchers dad.
"If you build it they will come"
Recruiting is how they built it. Yes after they hit a critical mass it became an event in the softball world that drew teams without significant recruiting interest. My DD's team went at 18u even though everyone on the team was committed. Wanted to play the best competition to prepare them for college but that tournament does not exist in it's current incarnation if it was not first a must attend recruiting event.
Recruiting is how they built it. Yes after they hit a critical mass it became an event in the softball world that drew teams without significant recruiting interest. My DD's team went at 18u even though everyone on the team was committed. Wanted to play the best competition to prepare them for college but that tournament does not exist in it's current incarnation if it was not first a must attend recruiting event.
You can call it a vacation, but it is very limited vacationing. Game(s) every day especially in the middle of the day limits how much you can see/do and how far away you can go from your town's fields. Your player may get tired and grumpy, too if you try to do too much.
