College softball "farm systems".....

[JAD]

As my DD travels down the recruiting trail we have become aware of some college teams who use a TB team as a "farm system". As soon as the player commits she is asked to join the "farm team". Some of these farm teams, who have players from a large geographical area, rent a house for the summer and hired a "team mom" to stay in the house with the girls. The 16U and 18U team then practices twice a day for a good portion of the summer.

Is this common? Who is paying the bills? Are they putting these girls into a "grind" to see who washes out before they sign their NLI? If 16U girls commits she could be on the "farm team" for 2-3 years before she arrives on campus as a freshman!

 

[SoCal_Dad]

Who are some of the colleges and teams? I haven't seen anything on the verbal lists that would indicate such arrangements. Each "farm team" would need players from more than 1 college in order to fill a roster. The two-a-day practices also seem like an exagerration.

Colleges definitely push their recruits to play against strong competition. Having them play on the same team makes it easier for them to keep track of how they're doing. However, the better teams tend to play the same events anyway.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I haven't heard of this. People are letting 15 and 16 yo girls go stay with a house full of girls and a chaperone? No thank you.

 

[MTR]

Is this common? Who is paying the bills? Are they putting these girls into a "grind" to see who washes out before they sign their NLI? If 16U girls commits she could be on the "farm team" for 2-3 years before she arrives on campus as a freshman!

This is not an intelligent choice, IMO, since a player cannot legally commit until the NLI is completely executed. I would think that any school connected to financing such an activity is taking a helluva risk in doing so.

However, I would think this is more along the lines of the carrot chasers being conned by a well-endowed coaching staff that sells the "if you want the scholarship, you must play for me" crap.

But people do strange things, so I don't doubt there are such things, but I would think the player better be damn good and not injury prone if it is going to work for them.

 

[JAD]

I would think that any school connected to financing such an activity is taking a helluva risk in doing so.

There is no way a school would fund this, but a well heeled booster who runs a TB organization may be willing to do it. It would create a great TB team to represent the organization!!!! I have no idea of the monetary benefit, but I would imagine winning a PGF or ASA National title would be HUGE for any organization!

 

[slingnit]

Not sure if farm team is the term to use, but this happens quite a bit. More often for girls that are going to big D1 schools that may currently play on a local team that doesn't play as competitive schedule as the college coach would want them to. Or a team has a particular coach that they want a kid to work with. Was asked by head coach for my dd to play for a particular coach. $$$ will vary from team to team. DD played on fully funded team. Travel, hotel, meals, uniforms, etc... were paid for all kids. One of the DD's dad was a BIG TIME fund raiser that had serious connections. Some teams have a money person that just loves the game. One of the teams in the Midwest has a huge RV for travel and then hotels when in town. The girls live out of a suitcase all summer. Even some of the teams with the biggest names rely on fund raising to help out the parents. A successful program does not guarantee financial support from big sponsors. But mostly dd's college coach really stressed playing national powerhouse teams all summer. So that is what she is doing. PGF, Demarini Invite, Colorado, ASA Gold .....

JAD, PGF is a prestigious title but the ASA does not hold the clout it once did. Last year in FL no big so cal teams. No Gold Coast Hurricanes, no TX Glory, AZ Impact, none of the teams that you should expect. And ZERO big name coaches! Premier is where it is at right now but that could change over time as well.

 

[slingnit]

I haven't heard of this. People are letting 15 and 16 yo girls go stay with a house full of girls and a chaperone? No thank you.

Look at the list of PGF qualified and invited teams and I would say for 70-90% of the teams this is the norm. When you play the schedule most of these teams do it is not possible for most families to afford the travel with the kids. Rent a house for the week or put 4 to a hotel room, coaches, and couple of moms go. Get out on the cheap, so to speak. And a 15-16 yr old "kid" is making decisions that will affect the rest of their lives so why not trust them?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

And a 15-16 yr old "kid" is making decisions that will affect the rest of their lives so why not trust them?

It isn't that I never trusted my own kids. I don't trust the other kids and I certainly don't trust some chaperone.

This sounds very much like something I was involved in as a teen and if you only knew what goes on. We had the big sponsor, even then. We paid zero.

 

[3'sDad]

My kid is busy completing her community service hours required for graduation, studying for the ACT, doing her conditioning training for field hockey which begins in 5 weeks, prepping to take AP Calculus, visiting colleges, writing her Common Application Essays and playing 18U showcase softball.

If she plays at the next level it's at an academic DIII - who are all doing their recruiting this summer for YOG 2015 players.