Why is Fireworks/Sparklers tourney in CO such a big deal?
- Thread starter CE98Coach
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
The Sparkler is a joke - fields so spread out there is no way a college coach will see you. Also, I'm not sold on the Fireworks since Triple Crown took over. Sure, folks are in this for the money, but TC seems to be in it ONLY for the money. They will try to sell you on All-Star games that are worthless, etc.
Now - if you get into the Independence, that's a different ballgame altogether.
Now - if you get into the Independence, that's a different ballgame altogether.
Also the Boulder Independence Day Tourney is that weekend. This is actually the best one and hardest to get into.
Indy tournament
http://www.bouldersoftball.org/2011_Coaches_Attending.pdf
We have attended one of these 3 tournaments since DD was in 14U. Yes there are college coaches and scouts all over the Denver, Aurora, Greeley area but they will only come to your games if you have players and coaches writing to them with your schedule and requesting that they come.
They don't just show up.
Our head coach writes emails to a huge list of college coaches that introduce his new, uncommitted players. He describes their skills and their strengths and then he gives them our schedule for the summer.
After that he requires all the uncommitted players to send at least 30 emails to colleges requesting that they come to our games before every showcase tournament.
If you are a team whose main focus is college recruiting these are ideal opportunities to have your players seen. BUT You have to do the work to get the coaches to your games. They don't just show up.
That is my experience.
Indy tournament
http://www.bouldersoftball.org/2011_Coaches_Attending.pdf
We have attended one of these 3 tournaments since DD was in 14U. Yes there are college coaches and scouts all over the Denver, Aurora, Greeley area but they will only come to your games if you have players and coaches writing to them with your schedule and requesting that they come.
They don't just show up.
Our head coach writes emails to a huge list of college coaches that introduce his new, uncommitted players. He describes their skills and their strengths and then he gives them our schedule for the summer.
After that he requires all the uncommitted players to send at least 30 emails to colleges requesting that they come to our games before every showcase tournament.
If you are a team whose main focus is college recruiting these are ideal opportunities to have your players seen. BUT You have to do the work to get the coaches to your games. They don't just show up.
That is my experience.
Louisville Slugger Independence Day Tournament in Boulder was the first national tournament softball tournament other than the ASA national tournament.
Prior to 1998 or so, there was only one national tournament per age division. Getting to the final national tournament was very difficult. So, it was uncommon for teams east of the Rockies to play the California teams. So, the Boulder tournament was one of the few places where teams from east of the Rockies could play the California and Arizona teams.
As a result, teams showed up from all over the place to play in the tournament. College softball coaches found out that a bunch of really good softball was going to be played in one location, and they started showing up. Of course, when the college softball coaches showed up, more softball teams wanted to come. Pretty soon, it was impossible to get into the Boulder tournament. So, this being the US of A, an enterprising bunch of people decided to start a tournament in Denver over the same weekend. So, in 2012, you've got many, many softball teams showing up in the Denver-Boulder area to play softball, and lots of college coaches.
From a recruiting standpoint, you have to be realistic about the quality of your kids. The coaches tend to congregate around the really great teams. So, it is hard to standout from the pack if you've got a bunch of good, but not great, players.
E.g., my DD pitched at the Boulder Independence Day tournament, and no one was impressed. She ended up being an All-Conference D1 pitcher at a mid-major school.
Prior to 1998 or so, there was only one national tournament per age division. Getting to the final national tournament was very difficult. So, it was uncommon for teams east of the Rockies to play the California teams. So, the Boulder tournament was one of the few places where teams from east of the Rockies could play the California and Arizona teams.
As a result, teams showed up from all over the place to play in the tournament. College softball coaches found out that a bunch of really good softball was going to be played in one location, and they started showing up. Of course, when the college softball coaches showed up, more softball teams wanted to come. Pretty soon, it was impossible to get into the Boulder tournament. So, this being the US of A, an enterprising bunch of people decided to start a tournament in Denver over the same weekend. So, in 2012, you've got many, many softball teams showing up in the Denver-Boulder area to play softball, and lots of college coaches.
From a recruiting standpoint, you have to be realistic about the quality of your kids. The coaches tend to congregate around the really great teams. So, it is hard to standout from the pack if you've got a bunch of good, but not great, players.
E.g., my DD pitched at the Boulder Independence Day tournament, and no one was impressed. She ended up being an All-Conference D1 pitcher at a mid-major school.
Last edited:
- Jul 26, 2010
- 3,553
- 0
16u and 18 gold, but mostly 18 gold. If your 14 year old is super awesome, she won't be playing in a 14u tournament. By the same token, most 18 gold teams are made up of 16-17 year olds, or basically HS Sophomores on up.
Coachmom is dead on about the work required to invite and communicate with college coaches. There are no free rides.
What often isn't mentioned is that usually there is one field or complex that is considered the #1 field, where most of the college coaches hang out. If your team is not already very well known, chances of getting a game at that field are extremely slim. They'll take your money and you'll play at a complex 20 miles away. This is why it is important to be on a well established showcase team if showcasing is what your daughter is doing. Just being on a "good" team without a well established name isn't going to help her.
-W
Coachmom is dead on about the work required to invite and communicate with college coaches. There are no free rides.
What often isn't mentioned is that usually there is one field or complex that is considered the #1 field, where most of the college coaches hang out. If your team is not already very well known, chances of getting a game at that field are extremely slim. They'll take your money and you'll play at a complex 20 miles away. This is why it is important to be on a well established showcase team if showcasing is what your daughter is doing. Just being on a "good" team without a well established name isn't going to help her.
-W
Are you hitting the closer exposure tourneys too? I mean, just at a quick glance 3 exposures ( TN, MS, GA ) will have over 200 colleges combined looking for talent.
Here is my question for those who have been there and done that. Are we taking a whole team out there for the chance of 1 or 2 to "maybe" get a look from the big D1 schools, or would you be better off doing multiple closer exposures where the chance of 7-8-9 players getting a look from good D1 to Juco?
I wonder what is the ratio of players entered who actually get and follow through with "big" offers from tourneys like the Sparkler? I'm really starting to see that if you are not in the top 3-4 % players in the country, your going to take that offer a couple 100 miles away from home, compared to a girl from AL or TN playing at Cali, Texas, Arizona.
If you want to go just for the sake of going I think that's great. If you sacrifice the good "closer" exposures I think you are doing your team wrong.
Example: This exposure team DD players with, they are not #1 in the country, and they don't travel very far outside TN. But I'll say now that I bet every single one of them gets some type of athletic scholarship. ( fulls to partials / D1 to CC ) if I lived out west, sure I'd go to the sparkler. But there are tons of opportunities and great exposure tourneys in the south.
Here is my question for those who have been there and done that. Are we taking a whole team out there for the chance of 1 or 2 to "maybe" get a look from the big D1 schools, or would you be better off doing multiple closer exposures where the chance of 7-8-9 players getting a look from good D1 to Juco?
I wonder what is the ratio of players entered who actually get and follow through with "big" offers from tourneys like the Sparkler? I'm really starting to see that if you are not in the top 3-4 % players in the country, your going to take that offer a couple 100 miles away from home, compared to a girl from AL or TN playing at Cali, Texas, Arizona.
If you want to go just for the sake of going I think that's great. If you sacrifice the good "closer" exposures I think you are doing your team wrong.
Example: This exposure team DD players with, they are not #1 in the country, and they don't travel very far outside TN. But I'll say now that I bet every single one of them gets some type of athletic scholarship. ( fulls to partials / D1 to CC ) if I lived out west, sure I'd go to the sparkler. But there are tons of opportunities and great exposure tourneys in the south.
I see a lot of coaches in our area that insist on heading out to that tournament, but I also think it comes down to where your girls have aspirations to play college ball at. My understanding is the sparkler is great for schools out west, but not so much for Southern schools. Why spend the cash if you don't have a lot of girls who want to play in that geography?
College coaches show up for the Fireworks and the Boulder Independence Day tournament both played in the Denver area the last week of June or so. These two tournaments/showcases have a long history of drawing the best softball organizations from across the country each year. I worked a game a few years ago between the OC BatBusters from SoCal and East Cobb Bullets from Georgia. Easily 100+ college coaches watching that game. Both tournaments are siomewhat selective about who is invited and there is a significant waiting list.
The Sparkler does not have the history of the other two and, in my opinion, is there for all of the teams that can't get into the other two tournaments. Most of the fields for the Sparkler are in more outlying areas and it is my understanding that most of the college coaches don't go out of their way to go see games in the Sparkler. Take this for what it's worth as it is only my observations from working at one of these tournaments and talking to others that have been involved with all three.
The Sparkler does not have the history of the other two and, in my opinion, is there for all of the teams that can't get into the other two tournaments. Most of the fields for the Sparkler are in more outlying areas and it is my understanding that most of the college coaches don't go out of their way to go see games in the Sparkler. Take this for what it's worth as it is only my observations from working at one of these tournaments and talking to others that have been involved with all three.
- Jul 26, 2010
- 3,553
- 0
I see a lot more kids doing the "summer camp" tours more seriously then actually playing in showcases lately.
I had a few students go to the Cal softball camp last week. They got to spend multiple days in front of Cal's coaching staff and players. There were a lot of really hardcore softball moms and dads with their kids out there, and after talking to them I discovered that they had just flown in from camps in AZ and were on their way out to OK for the same, basically doing the tour of the elite softball schools in hopes for their kids getting exposure. IMHO it was a bit insane but given the amount of time in front of coaches vs playing in showcases (that they'd have to travel to anyway) I can certainly see the merit.
-W
I had a few students go to the Cal softball camp last week. They got to spend multiple days in front of Cal's coaching staff and players. There were a lot of really hardcore softball moms and dads with their kids out there, and after talking to them I discovered that they had just flown in from camps in AZ and were on their way out to OK for the same, basically doing the tour of the elite softball schools in hopes for their kids getting exposure. IMHO it was a bit insane but given the amount of time in front of coaches vs playing in showcases (that they'd have to travel to anyway) I can certainly see the merit.
-W
- Apr 1, 2010
- 1,673
- 0
DD goes to the Mizzou Tiger Junior camp, but she knows an older girl (14) who went to the regular Mizzou Tiger softball camp. That very nice young lady not only got to spend a lot of time with MU's pitching coach, she had coaches from a few other colleges talk to her there also, letting her know they were interested and would be watching her.
The camp brochure specifically mentions over a dozen other colleges that will be working at and recruiting from the camp, so it seems like it's pretty decent exposure for our area. I don't know whether other major DIs invite smaller local DI, DII, DIII and NAIA schools to their camps also, though I'd think it could be a win-win for all.
Last edited:
