Interpreting camp invite emails

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Mar 20, 2017
47
8
Madison, WI
Not sure if there is really an answer to this other than "every situation is different", but is there any way for a 2024 to logically tell if a prospect camp invite is legitimate interest or just trying to drum up attendance at the event?

DD's team attends the big showcases and she always follows up with a thank you after a coach watches her pitch. In some cases, she gets a direct response from the coach with a link to an upcoming camp. I view this is as probably indicating some interest. For schools that she has attended camps at in the past, she may get an email from the coach saying something like, "I'm not allowed to communicate with you because of your age, but I am allowed to tell you about our camps. Here's a link to our next one." which I believe is a lot better than an obvious mass email with a flyer to an upcoming camp that likely goes to everyone who attended in the past. Then there are invites that come in from out of the blue from a school that is not known to have seen the team at a showcase. I view these as not likely to indicate real interest.

In all, I want to be realistic with myself and DD about what these communications mean. She gets so darn excited every time one of these emails come in and I want to be able to to steer her in the right direction as she starts down the recruiting path.

Thanks...JF
 
Sep 9, 2019
130
43
2024? You have 3 more years of asking this question. I don't know there is an exact answer as so many are after $$ and disguise their interest really well. We had the best luck with the camps tied to a showcase. Target several schools that will be there. Email ahead. Make sure she introduces herself to those coaches. Follow up email with schedules include profile and video links. Look at view totals. 'Likes' are a clue. If they come see her play go to their camp. Use Twitter(DD only). Tag them in clips. Do they they like it or more importantly follow her
As a 2024, you might spend a whole lot of $$ to never get an answer to this question. Unless she's a serious stud, I'd limit them.
The hardest part, be patient and realistic. My DD is a 2022 so we really don't know her D1 interest other than 4 twitter followers and several D3s that she has met have expressed real interest.
I'd like to hear from a 2021 that is a year past where we are.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Excluding the second coming of Cat or Sierra:

2020's had better be signed by now
2021's should be verbaled or really close
2022's need to be on some schools radar and starting to figure it out.
2023's have no idea what they will do and are just figuring it out.
2024's need to attend some lower cost camps and get some experience.

YMMV but this is typically what is happening with average players.

If your DD is truly interested in one of the schools I would encourage attending their camp. That way down the road she wil be the kid who has been comming for a couple years so they know her interest is genuine. They have also seen her progress which makes projecting her at the next level much easier. So to your point "every situation is different".
 
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Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
Excluding the second coming of Cat or Sierra:

2020's had better be signed by now
2021's should be verbaled or really close
2022's need to be on some schools radar and starting to figure it out.
2023's have no idea what they will do and are just figuring it out.
2024's need to attend some lower cost camps and get some experience.

YMMV but this is typically what is happening with average players.

If your DD is truly interested in one of the schools I would encourage attending their camp. That way down the road she wil be the kid who has been comming for a couple years so they know her interest is genuine. They have also seen her progress which makes projecting her at the next level much easier. So to your point "every situation is different".

This is great advice!

DD attended camps consistently at two schools she was most interested in. They both saw her progress from a kid who maybe would be a prospect to getting two offers once September 1st rolled around.
My advice would be to attend a camp and then invite that school to your next tournament. If the school attends that tournament but doesn't come to see your DD then move on. Don't waste time or money on camps at schools who don't show interest in your DD. One important condition is that your DD must perform at or near her best at the camp. Example, if she attends a camp and in your and her impression she kills it and the school doesn't come out to see her then move on. Also, be realistic about her skill set. If your DD is a pitcher and not over 6 foot tall and throwing gas don't take her to a top 25 program expecting to get interest.
 
Mar 20, 2017
47
8
Madison, WI
Thanks all, appreciate the responses. Trying to decipher what constitutes real interest is obviously very challenging, probably more so since DD is a 2024 and the coaches that are watching this age group are just now starting to form their list of interesting players.

I completely get coaches trying to drum up attendance at their camps, and have no problem spending the money to take DD to a local camp simply for the experience, even if they are not truly interested in her. I have a harder time understanding when bigger schools reach out that are not near us geographically. For example, say we live in the midwest and a large P5 in the southeast sends multiple emails inviting DD to their prospect camp. Are they just spamming the players they know play for larger organizations and perhaps will spend the money to attend, or is there real interest? With the rules as they are, there is no way to tell, at least that I can see.

For whatever its worth, DD is a pitcher who throws gas, but is not over 6'. She has had many top 25s come out to see her and a few make return visits. On the flipside, she has attended camps of top schools where it was obvious they were not interested. For these she crosses off the list and moves on. Thanks again for the responses.
 
Jun 4, 2014
159
28
Excluding the second coming of Cat or Sierra:

2020's had better be signed by now
2021's should be verbaled or really close
2022's need to be on some schools radar and starting to figure it out.
2023's have no idea what they will do and are just figuring it out.
2024's need to attend some lower cost camps and get some experience.

YMMV but this is typically what is happening with average players.

If your DD is truly interested in one of the schools I would encourage attending their camp. That way down the road she wil be the kid who has been comming for a couple years so they know her interest is genuine. They have also seen her progress which makes projecting her at the next level much easier. So to your point "every situation is different".

Most 2021s we know who plan to play in college are not verballed and not close to doing so. Maybe they're all delusional, but I don't think so.
 
Oct 1, 2014
2,219
113
USA
Riseball has a habit of putting stuff like that out there and getting everyone in a panic because their DD isn't signed, sealed and delivered. There are still a lot of opportunities for 2020's at many schools around the country for a kid to go to a decent school and play decent ball. ;-)
 
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Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Riseball has a habit of putting stuff like that out there and getting everyone in a panic because their DD isn't signed, sealed and delivered. There are still a lot of opportunities for 2020's at many schools around the country for a kid to go to a decent school and play decent ball. ;-)
Like I said YMMV and there are always exceptions. Most schools have signed their 2020's and may be holding back a spot in the hopes of landing a stud that fell through the cracks. So if you are a 2020 you better have a high sense of urgency or maybe even starting to panic. The college season starts in a few weeks and coaches will not be actively recruiting until spring. Yes, there are still opportunities out there but you better be close and be very flexible. If you are just starting the process now with the plan of playing in college 9 months from now you will not have much in the way of options. Fact is that most decent programs are done with 2020's.
 
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
Most 2021s we know who plan to play in college are not verballed and not close to doing so. Maybe they're all delusional, but I don't think so.

Of the pitchers (2021's) in our area that are of D1 calibur 90% are verbaled.. 2020's 95+%.
 
Jul 22, 2015
851
93
I was shocked at how many 2020s weren't signed last summer (much less this fall) after everything I had heard in prior years. I know several 2020s who just signed in November and I had been lead to believe that wasn't even possible. No, none of these were P5 schools, but I have still been surprised how many opportunities are available much later than I had been lead to believe.
 

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