First D1 college camp

[29dad]

Heading to a Big 10 school this weekend where DD will experience her first camp at a big time university (she has attended a local D2 camp with limited participants, but I think this will be totally different). Camp is 9-4 on Saturday and 9-noon on Sunday. She's 14 and in the 8th grade, so I'm a bit concerned that they will divide the campers by age and grade and that my DD won't even get looked at. For all I know there will be 100 girls in attendance. We'll see. But I suppose just having the experience will be fun and beneficial, and, as corny as it sounds, in these austere economic times it feels good to support the college softball programs. Assistant coaches need to eat, right? Two more D1 camps next weekend. Feels like the official beginning of a long process. Anyway, if anyone wants to know, or probably even if nobody wants to know, I'll check back in and let you know how it went. For now, the only thing left to say is Go Gophers.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Tell her not to wear any Michigan gear to the camp.

Good luck.

 

[redhotcoach]

Heading to a Big 10 school this weekend where DD will experience her first camp at a big time university (she has attended a local D2 camp with limited participants, but I think this will be totally different). Camp is 9-4 on Saturday and 9-noon on Sunday. She's 14 and in the 8th grade, so I'm a bit concerned that they will divide the campers by age and grade and that my DD won't even get looked at. For all I know there will be 100 girls in attendance. We'll see. But I suppose just having the experience will be fun and beneficial, and, as corny as it sounds, in these austere economic times it feels good to support the college softball programs. Assistant coaches need to eat, right? Two more D1 camps next weekend. Feels like the official beginning of a long process. Anyway, if anyone wants to know, or probably even if nobody wants to know, I'll check back in and let you know how it went. For now, the only thing left to say is Go Gophers.

I heard it is just a fund raiser to support their curling team.....now HAWKEYE camp......

As long as you are in that area, the best softball training IMO is at St. Thomas. Unfornately they are having logistical trouble wih securing space for a summer camp and this is last weekend for winter clinics.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Just enjoy the experience. One side of me really thinks younger players should go to these larger type camps to get a "feel" for how it's run and what to expect. Then when you get to those important HS years, you'll be more prepared mentally and physically.

Let us know what she thought.

 

[cendro]

Heading to a Big 10 school this weekend where DD will experience her first camp at a big time university (she has attended a local D2 camp with limited participants, but I think this will be totally different). Camp is 9-4 on Saturday and 9-noon on Sunday. She's 14 and in the 8th grade, so I'm a bit concerned that they will divide the campers by age and grade and that my DD won't even get looked at. For all I know there will be 100 girls in attendance. We'll see. But I suppose just having the experience will be fun and beneficial, and, as corny as it sounds, in these austere economic times it feels good to support the college softball programs. Assistant coaches need to eat, right? Two more D1 camps next weekend. Feels like the official beginning of a long process. Anyway, if anyone wants to know, or probably even if nobody wants to know, I'll check back in and let you know how it went. For now, the only thing left to say is Go Gophers.

It has been our experience that they don't necessarily divide you by "age"

DD went to a Big Ten camp in December- she is also in 8th grade and 14u. we legged the miles to this camp because her TB Coach received a phone call from University's AC, inviting dd to the Camp. Campers were divided into 6 groups (NOT by age). DD was placed in a group that had 2 girls that currently have verballed to the school, and the other 4 girls were from high level travel ball teams. The two girls that verballed were 2013's. There was a "theme" on who was in what group and it had nothing to do with age.
Make sure she emails ALL of the coaches before hand and if she can send video, that would be helpful too!
tell your dd to have fun!

 

[tsryan71]

Redhotcoach,

DD will be in your neck of the woods this weekend for U Iowa camp. Class of 2020, never too soon to get a feel for what to expect in the not so distant future. She's really looking forward to meeting Coach May-Johnson.

 

[redhotcoach]

Redhotcoach,

DD will be in your neck of the woods this weekend for U Iowa camp. Class of 2020, never too soon to get a feel for what to expect in the not so distant future. She's really looking forward to meeting Coach May-Johnson.

Very cool! My dd went last year, had a blast. Unfortunately she has a basketball tourney this weekend. Just last night bball coach gave me a schedule of traveling tourneys they would like her to play in this summer. He got the "you can like in one hand and poop in the other, see which one fills up faster." Basketball in the summer...the nerve!

 

[JAD]

My DD has been to one D1 camp and as soon as the girls checked in they gave them tee shirts color coordinated by graduation year.

 

[29dad]

It was a lot of fun and DD had a great time. 6 hours of instruction on Saturday and 3 on Sunday. Lots of girls and LOTS of talent!! I thought it was very well run. Sunday they split the girls into groups and you could tell that one group in particular was "the group." Would have been nice to see DD in that group but she's still young (8th grade). it was cool to see her 8th grade TB teammate in that group. Being a flame throwing 6' leftly doesn't hurt. As for DD, she is already looking forward to the next camp. I'm hoping that seeing the vast number of girls and all the talent on display will motivate her. DD could not have fielded the ball any better than she did (not one mistake) and every one of her throws was on target. She didn't impress at the plate, though. Two more camps this weekend and that will be it until next fall.

 

[MsDinosaur]

DD went to a smaller local D1's softball camp on Sunday. I really like their coaches and their camps, but I think they may be becoming a victim of their own success. The six hour camp in December was huge, with over a 100 girls, but then this six hour camp was even larger. I don't know exactly how many were there, but I saw a girl with the number 160 on her back, so there were at least that many signed up.

I spoke briefly with the head coach. She wasn't happy with the camp size, but I didn't gripe about it to her, I told her it was DD's fourth camp with them and that it was still a great camp they were running. I think she felt bad, because she wants to really give the campers a great experience.

I'll admit though, they had so many catchers, they had to make three groups of them and mine ended up in the youngest group. It really wasn't a good fit for her. Luckily, an old teammate of hers has decided to try catching and was also there, so they paired up for the warm-up throwing and as drill and batting partners. I was happy to have her Mom to chat with too! Watching the kids, most of whom were a bit raw and at least a head shorter and about half the weight of DD, we both agreed that it was much safer for all that they had each other to work with!