Showcase circuit and work?

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Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
I think we are speaking much the same language. I just don't think it is a "waste" of talent to play on a team in the SEC or other high-level team and not see the field very much. I also would not warn others not to let it happen to them. The experience is so much more than just on the field. Some girls NEED to play and it is not a good fit for them to be on a team where they don't play much. Others understand that everyone has a role on the team and can accept whatever playing time they get and still have a wonderful enjoyable experience.

I can’t imagine any player knowingly agreeing in advance to 3 innings on defense, 2 pinch runs, and 0 at bats in 2 years.
 
Apr 12, 2016
316
28
Minnesota
I can’t imagine any player knowingly agreeing in advance to 3 innings on defense, 2 pinch runs, and 0 at bats in 2 years.
I don't think they probably "agree" in advance, but there is nothing guaranteed. I say congratulations to her for taking a shot at her dream.

Sent from my LG-H820 using Tapatalk
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
I can’t imagine any player knowingly agreeing in advance to 3 innings on defense, 2 pinch runs, and 0 at bats in 2 years.

I know plenty of girls in smiliar situations. They had no illusions of playing as freshman and understood they may not see the field until their junior or senior years or possibly not st all. We teach girls from a young age the good teams seek out the top competition. To play down for the sake of it being easier is sandbagging or trophy chasing. We've all complained about a team playing B or C or rec ball and blowing off any accomplishments at that level as irrelevant. Is it really a surprise if a girl adopts this same thinking in choosing a level to pursue in college? Girls are driven by different things. Some just want to play and hate sitting. Nothing wrong with that at all. I also can't see admonishing a girl who chooses to chase her dreams.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
I know plenty of girls in smiliar situations. They had no illusions of playing as freshman and understood they may not see the field until their junior or senior years or possibly not st all. We teach girls from a young age the good teams seek out the top competition. To play down for the sake of it being easier is sandbagging or trophy chasing. We've all complained about a team playing B or C or rec ball and blowing off any accomplishments at that level as irrelevant. Is it really a surprise if a girl adopts this same thinking in choosing a level to pursue in college? Girls are driven by different things. Some just want to play and hate sitting. Nothing wrong with that at all. I also can't see admonishing a girl who chooses to chase her dreams.

I don’t think there are many girls whose goal is to play college softball who would truly and happily consider that goal being achieved if they were on the roster, but never played. Look at almost any college roster and you’ll most often see a much higher number of freshmen than seniors and a clear trend of attrition. I understand that some coaches are reluctant to play freshmen, but if playing time is next to nothing after year two, the chances for real playing time in years three and four don’t look good and even a roster spot may even be in jeopardy. All the credit in the world to those who do persevere through four years of such an experience, but that’s not really “playing” college softball in my mind.

My advice is to do as much homework in advance as you can to try to ensure that the softball program (and school) are a going to be a good fit, while recognizing that the definition of good fit is highly individualistic ;)
 
Aug 13, 2013
344
28
Sayville
DD is a 2nd year 14U playing her second season of 16U.
So quite a bit off from driving herself. lol

We just played a Team NJ event this past weekend.
2 games fri, 2 sat, 1 sun.

DD didnt attend fri, because DD starts for her varsity volleyball team, and we had a game that evening.

there were zero coaches at games fri.

thus my "annoyance".
why start a showcase on a thursday, or even friday?

We got a real taste of what an esteemed showcase is like this weekend.
A new club in the mix, we got stuck on fields that had very little coach attendance,
and played pretty weak teams. Because we are a very young 16U team,
we chocked it up to "earning our stripes', and hopefully next year will be more fruitful.

for a showcase that requires teams to apply and be accepted to attend,
I saw a lot of pretty weak teams, along with some truly legit teams in the mix.
But this pretty much affirms my impression of the "showcase" circuit as being a giant money grab.
Games scheduled for thurs and fridays because so many teams are "accepted".
Limited fields to play on, means, you are forced to show up on a weekday, to play a single game that day.
With coach attendance now curtailed to weekends, what's the point?

Hi...just interested what showcased in NJ you were at. I was at Triple Crown Xtreme Fall Showcase. They had no games Friday and games all day Sat and Sun. Thanks
 

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