Syracuse.com Survey of Coaches

[YOCOACH]

My DD has gone to a few college skills camps, and she has never got a formal review of her skills or comparison to kids all over the country. Maybe Ive been sending DD to the wrong camps. Come on what camp does that? This is a BS statement.
The camps give some good feedback on skills or recommendation for improvement, but yes are overrated. But she has never gone to camp and got a learned a bad habit. That would be counter productive. I will make this point, after my DD freshman high school season, she did go back to her travel team and hitting and pitching coach with some new bad habits. This statement is like saying Coack K or Coach Urban Meyer doesn't know as much as the local high school coach. Think it about it, its a silly statement.

To be honest college camps are really just fund raisers and will just marginally improve the skills of any young athlete. Most people should evaluate the cost/benefit. You would hope the coaches would at least have a high level of knowledge and their drills and critiques would be of some value. You would also think the coach would have a somewhat higher level of expertise than your standard college coach or travel coach. And yes, your stock will go up if you follow there teachings. But the problem is most kids forget what they learn at the camp, and you don't have any follow up after the camp. Again, what I see at most camps are similar to what you would get at practice, but sometimes they throw in a new drill or perspective that is helpful. On the flip side, I see a lot of college kids running the drills. Sometimes, you can tell they don't want to be there and there attitude is apathetic. Also, because you play a college sport, doesn't make you a great teacher.


To get to my point college camps go through the exercise to A) make money and B) recruit and evaluate prospects. So be real because 80% of the kids at these camps will not even be considered for recruiting.

There are several combine type college skills camps that offer an evaluation by the coaches that not only instruct, but run the drills. I can name 3 off the top of my head that have emailed the evaluations to DD. The funniest part is there was a prominent D1 college coach instructing the catching session at 1 of them. DD is a catcher and I have been instructing her in the NECC style of catching for the last 5 years as well as having her attend the weekend NECC road trip camp in our State and the Summer camp every year. This particular coach ripped her for going into her 3 stances and having her heels on the ground versus being low, on her toes and leaning slightly forward. He said she couldn't effectively drop an block from that position. Yet, she never seemed to let a ball get past her whereas the others....well.... So, yes. Sometimes D1 coaches don't know as much as they think and know less than even some of us lowly TB coaches and HS coaches.

 

[Greenmonsters]

There are several combine type college skills camps that offer an evaluation by the coaches that not only instruct, but run the drills. I can name 3 off the top of my head that have emailed the evaluations to DD. The funniest part is there was a prominent D1 college coach instructing the catching session at 1 of them. DD is a catcher and I have been instructing her in the NECC style of catching for the last 5 years as well as having her attend the weekend NECC road trip camp in our State and the Summer camp every year. This particular coach ripped her for going into her 3 stances and having her heels on the ground versus being low, on her toes and leaning slightly forward. He said she couldn't effectively drop an block from that position. Yet, she never seemed to let a ball get past her whereas the others....well.... So, yes. Sometimes D1 coaches don't know as much as they think and know less than even some of us lowly TB coaches and HS coaches.

IMO, a well trained NECC catcher has better mechanics than at least 25% of all MLB catchers (and that percentage is being generous to the pros!). For such a kid going to college, your best hope is that the coach doesn't mess with a thing. Important enough IMO to discuss, tactfully, prior to making a decision. For a catcher, I'd put it on par with HE v. IR.

 

[Perfect Circle]

Gentlemen I'm a NECC ONLY Guy myself... I got the DVD.... My buddy wanted his DD to take lessons, I called and asked the coach if he used NECC....said No... so told friend to get on the DVD and get busy. Forget the other stuff.

 

[MTR]

In post 40 you asked where the incentive was for an underclassman to improve. I think most successful people look to improve
at everything they do.

We are talking about a game and children