Better Competition

[Cagman]

What I’ve founds is driving farther away often just means playing the same decent/average teams but having to drive 5-8 hours and pay for a hotel instead of staying at home for free.

This game is the same anywhere you play it. Sure, some regions of the country seem to have better athletes in every sport. No idea why.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

This game is the same anywhere you play it. Sure, some regions of the country seem to have better athletes in every sport. No idea why.

Tradition, weather, access.

But "every" sport is not better in some regions - more accurate to write, "Different regions of the country seem to have better athletes in certain sports" (or) "some regions of the country seem to have better athletes in a lot of the 'major' sports".

 

[_MIA_]

What I’ve founds is driving farther away often just means playing the same decent/average teams but having to drive 5-8 hours and pay for a hotel instead of staying at home for free.

If you don’t pay attention to who is in the tournament sure. You sound like someone from CA who thinks they shouldn't have to play more than 5 min from their house every tournament..

 

[LEsoftballdad]

What I’ve founds is driving farther away often just means playing the same decent/average teams but having to drive 5-8 hours and pay for a hotel instead of staying at home for free.

This game is the same anywhere you play it. Sure, some regions of the country seem to have better athletes in every sport. No idea why.

If you think the game is the same everywhere you play it, you need to get out more. Sure, the rules of the game are the same, but the quality of play changes drastically.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again now. Where I live, lacrosse is King and Queen. On an Island of 3 million people, we get maybe 1-2 P5 players per year. For lacrosse, it's probably 75+ for both boys and girls. Our local USSSA tournaments are a joke, and we rarely get any teams to travel to us.

Anyone who wants to play at a quality D3 or above must travel off the Island to get any kind of exposure.

 

[Vertigo]

As LEsoftballsad stated, some areas of the country are hotbeds for P5 field hockey and lacrosse players such as the Northeast, just like other areas are hotbeds for SB.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

I just did a quick search of my local HS signings.

We had 12 boys committed to play lacrosse in college, and 10 of those are D1 schools. We had 9 girls committed to play lacrosse in college, and 7 of those are D1 schools.

Our softball team graduated two seniors this year, neither of whom is playing in college.

 

[DropcityUSA]

Lot of good info in below group. She also has a book which is helpful.

I think your kid is a 2028 like mine so you have some time but in a year or so she should start making a list of schools she is interested in. List will likely change as she progresses both academically and athletically. You want to try and get on a school’s radar by at least the end of Soph year so that means e-mailing them (schedules,highlights,etc) and attending camps (when feasible). Don’t rely on anybody else or chance to get your kid recruited.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/parentsofhsathleteswantingtoplayincollege/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

At what age would you start looking to go to college camps? I wonder if camps have sessions just for pitchers. The camps don’t look cheap, so seems best to at least be interested in the school.

My DD likes Clemson, NC, and Utah. A completely random list. I’m like let’s aim for someplace like Elon or Villanova.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

At what age would you start looking to go to college camps? I wonder if camps have sessions just for pitchers. The camps don’t look cheap, so seems best to at least be interested in the school.

My DD likes Clemson, NC, and Utah. A completely random list. I’m like let’s aim for someplace like Elon or Villanova.

12U is too young to go to camps. We didn't start going until the second year of 14U, but we ramped it up in 16U. They absolutely have PO camps or sections just for pitchers.

 

[_MIA_]

12U is too young to go to camps. We didn't start going until the second year of 14U, but we ramped it up in 16U. They absolutely have PO camps or sections just for pitchers.

Agree

 

[_MIA_]

My DD likes Clemson, NC, and Utah. A completely random list. I’m like let’s aim for someplace like Elon or Villanova.

When my kid was 10 or 11 she told my father she wanted to play for UCLA.....basketball and softball