Does Size Matter (org size)?

[Mike_Dyer]

This is true...but road trips are fun!

I've got to agree.

But if you've got other kids they're probably not going to be cool with looking back on their childhood and the only memories of a family trip involved sitting around a ball field for 3 or 4 days.

They're probably going to hate you.

At least a little bit.

 

[Mike_Dyer]

I just checked.

There are 10.3 miles door to door between the high school my kid went to and the university where she plays ball now.

Shoulda went to California a few times...

 

[Eric F]

I've got to agree.

But if you've got other kids they're probably not going to be cool with looking back on their childhood and the only memories of a family trip involved sitting around a ball field for 3 or 4 days.

They're probably going to hate you.

At least a little bit.

Valid.
I sometimes forget about that factor since I’m only dealing with one ballplayer. (Older DD is in college)

 

[Rick M]

Not sure how much this all has to do with the OP, but some great stories and a super-important bottom line about how few players on a given roster have to travel home by plane.

Unless you're from California -- even here in the Northeast it seems there's a least one California kid on every college roster.

 

[_MIA_]

Not sure how much this all has to do with the OP, but some great stories and a super-important bottom line about how few players on a given roster have to travel home by plane.

Unless you're from California -- even here in the Northeast it seems there's a least one California kid on every college roster.

I don't know this for a fact, e.g. I am just guessing, but I bet the more "elite" private D3 schools (think MIT, etc) probably have a fair amount of kids who come from a distance away.

 

[Rick M]

I don't know this for a fact, e.g. I am just guessing, but I bet the more elite private D3 schools (think MIT, etc) probably have a fair amount of kids who come from a distance away.

Absolutely, and that goes for the Ivies as well (Princeton has one Jersey girl on the roster, the rest are from all over).

ETA: Nobody is traveling to the Sparkler to get recruited by Princeton
ETA II: Actually, Yale and Brown were both at last year's Sparkler, so don't listen to me

 

[_MIA_]

Absolutely, and that goes for the Ivies as well (Princeton has one Jersey girl on the roster, the rest are from all over).

So I guess the next question is do these schools go to these big National tournaments? I am not sure their budget would allow it but who knows..

Of course I am asking these questions and my kid is in 4th grade so I can guarantee that whatever answers are given will be long forgotten by the time I have to worry about it (if the DD is still even playing)...

 

[NJgators14uSPARK]

The travel is crazy. I get that coaches from Ohio State, Georgia, Florida, Florida State etc.. might be watching a game. But can any of the players on your team compete at that level. I would like to see a team that practices together does scrimmages and then attends college camps throughout the fall and summer months. I think that is much more effective than playing in tournaments across the country in front of colleges that a majority of players will never attend. I haven't worked out or thought about all the obstacles, but this idea would be much more effective in terms of getting to know coaches and in what it would cost to participate in a season.

 

[YOCOACH]

Several years ago I had an 18U showcase team, We were from Ohio. We played several local showcases. Hutch from Michigan showed up to several as well as the HC's from Ohio State, most other Ohio D1's, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, WV, several D1 colleges from NY, as well as numerous D2 and D3 college coaches. The drive for us was an hour and a half. Most of my players were D2 or D3 caliber but I had 2 D1 caliber players. One of them was being heavily recruited by several colleges in NC so we went to a showcase there and let those college coaches know.

Nothing wrong with traveling IMO as long as everyone's on board and it's targeted.

As it turns out, most of my players that accepted offers or are attending colleges without playing SB are within a 2 hour drive from home.

I have 1 from that team that is playing 2 1/2 hours from home after turning down multiple offers from colleges in NC.

IMO, there's little need to spend thousands of dollars on traveling to far away showcases unless your DD is a true major D1 caliber player and dreams of playing at that level. Even then, I'm sure there are closer showcases that will get them in front of their targeted schools. JMHO

ETA: To the OP: NO size doesn't matter. What matters is the coaching. At younger ages it's all about developing player skills. At the older ages, It's all about the coach's willingness to reach out to college coaches, form relationships with them, making sure the team is at showcases where those college coaches will be attending and getting their players
recruited by aforementioned colleges.

 

[BT3100]

You don't travel to major tournaments just to play in front of coaches. You travel to major tournaments to play great competition. That's how kids get better, playing better competition. I always hear "coaches dont go to California ". Truth be told many do and also Colorado. If you're a northeast team there are maybe 3 or 4 legit 18u gold teams within 300 miles. You travel to face the other top ranked teams from the south and west coast, texas etc.
As far as orgs go, there are many great points in this thread. Under 14 find a org that has great coaches. After that find an org that has 2 things.
1) The ability to get your kid on the field against the level of talent she will face at the college level she desires to play at.
2) The org must have a track record of placing kids (multiple) in schools at the level your DD wants to play.

You wouldn't take your car to a plumber for a repair but people pay thousands to coaches who have never placed a kid at a school at the level thier kid aspires to. Makes no sense.