Interesting article about travel ball and recruiting

[ang2bmd]

Absolutely a child can learn those traits in other ways but if this is what she loves and I have the money to do it why should anyone else care what I spend my money on. All kids activities are expensive. I spend nearly the same amount of money for my 5yr old to take rec gymnastics as I do for softball. Dance mom's spend a ton of money on class and costumes, equestrians have to take care of their horses and trailer equipment etc. I don't want to plant trees and wash my own house etc...I pay people to do those things I don't like so that I can do softball.... different strokes.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[let it be fun]

Here's a question that would have the broadest spectrum of answers to it...


What is the lowest amount you guys think was spent on any Top 25 D-1 Fastpitch players out there today over the course of their Travel Ball career?

If a player is good and a player is focused in on where they want to go to school they can do it for far less than most and they do not need to get on airplanes to get noticed.

1) The player generally has to want to play at a school close to home
2) The player has to have the talent
3) The parents need to spend some money on camps and clinics
4) The player needs to let those teams know that she wants to go there

I think you can do it for about 1K a year for a decent TB team, she can use good quality hand-me-down equipment, find a hitting or pitching coach who just loves to work with GOOD girls. Believe me, I have seen some exceptional coaches do lessons for a really outstanding player for free or near free. They like to attach their name to her. There are also some coaches who just refuse to charge for what they do. She can jump in the car with another family and stay with them at nationals and save her parents a ton of money.

I don't think I have personally seen a player go completely bare-bones and make a Top-25 D1 team but I have seen some very frugal parents get their DDs on Top 25 teams by focusing their money. In two of these cases, the parents under-rated the ability of their daughters and those girls went to D1 camps (at the prodding of the TB coaches because the TB coaches knew how good they were) and those girls got noticed.

 

[ScottyDont]

If a player is good and a player is focused in on where they want to go to school they can do it for far less than most and they do not need to get on airplanes to get noticed.

1) The player generally has to want to play at a school close to home
2) The player has to have the talent
3) The parents need to spend some money on camps and clinics
4) The player needs to let those teams know that she wants to go there

I think you can do it for about 1K a year for a decent TB team, she can use good quality hand-me-down equipment, find a hitting or pitching coach who just loves to work with GOOD girls. Believe me, I have seen some exceptional coaches do lessons for a really outstanding player for free or near free. They like to attach their name to her. There are also some coaches who just refuse to charge for what they do. She can jump in the car with another family and stay with them at nationals and save her parents a ton of money.

I don't think I have personally seen a player go completely bare-bones and make a Top-25 D1 team but I have seen some very frugal parents get their DDs on Top 25 teams by focusing their money. In two of these cases, the parents under-rated the ability of their daughters and those girls went to D1 camps (at the prodding of the TB coaches because the TB coaches knew how good they were) and those girls got noticed.

I agree with this. I personally haven't seen any kids in this area go to a D1 school without playing on a travel team. Not saying it has to be top-notch or travel all over, but they all play travel ball somewhere. Maybe that's different in other parts of the country.

 

[junkball]

Absolutely a child can learn those traits in other ways but if this is what she loves and I have the money to do it why should anyone else care what I spend my money on. All kids activities are expensive. I spend nearly the same amount of money for my 5yr old to take rec gymnastics as I do for softball. Dance mom's spend a ton of money on class and costumes, equestrians have to take care of their horses and trailer equipment etc. I don't want to plant trees and wash my own house etc...I pay people to do those things I don't like so that I can do softball.... different strokes.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Thank you. Yes, if this is what she loves and I'm willing to spend my money on it then what's the problem, other than jealousy from those who don't make the top teams, who don't get to play PGF, who don't get verbal offers in 14u? That's one thing I've seen that hits in 14u - jealousy and haters. They decide to think you're crazy for spending money on softball and travel when their kid isn't on that level. They decide that you're a bad parent for pulling your kid out of school a few times a year to go to a showcase. But truth be told, they would love to be in your position.

 

[_MIA_]

Thank you. Yes, if this is what she loves and I'm willing to spend my money on it then what's the problem, other than jealousy from those who don't make the top teams, who don't get to play PGF, who don't get verbal offers in 14u? That's one thing I've seen that hits in 14u - jealousy and haters. They decide to think you're crazy for spending money on softball and travel when their kid isn't on that level. They decide that you're a bad parent for pulling your kid out of school a few times a year to go to a showcase. But truth be told, they would love to be in your position.

When you assume you make an a** out of you and me..applies to both sides of this post.....

 

[Easton33]

Thank you. Yes, if this is what she loves and I'm willing to spend my money on it then what's the problem, other than jealousy from those who don't make the top teams, who don't get to play PGF, who don't get verbal offers in 14u? That's one thing I've seen that hits in 14u - jealousy and haters. They decide to think you're crazy for spending money on softball and travel when their kid isn't on that level. They decide that you're a bad parent for pulling your kid out of school a few times a year to go to a showcase. But truth be told, they would love to be in your position.

Let us know how that verbal works out when she is a senior.

 

[MNDad]

Thank you. Yes, if this is what she loves and I'm willing to spend my money on it then what's the problem, other than jealousy from those who don't make the top teams, who don't get to play PGF, who don't get verbal offers in 14u? That's one thing I've seen that hits in 14u - jealousy and haters. They decide to think you're crazy for spending money on softball and travel when their kid isn't on that level. They decide that you're a bad parent for pulling your kid out of school a few times a year to go to a showcase. But truth be told, they would love to be in your position.

Did you mean jealousy and haters or superficial and inflated ego’s?

 

[55dad]

Did you mean jealousy and haters or superficial and inflated ego’s?

You sir made me laugh! Well done.

Sent from my LG-H820 using Tapatalk

 

[slugger3]

Nice to hear things are going well for your DD. Best of luck as she continues her journey. I can answer a few of your questions and add some info. DD “knew” she had the opportunity to go D1 around 8th. It wasn’t until 10th that she’d seen enough schools to decide D1 was right for her. Some of the more high profile players from the org knew around 7th grade that’s what they wanted, or at least that’s what their parents wanted. Cost of travel ball really wasn’t a factor because we had no idea what her dream school was or what her scholarship would be. A little money at a big name school or a lot of money at a no-name or somewhere in between.

Re: early verbals I only know of one in our area who verballed in middle school and only two in 9th grade. I’m not as familiar with the 2017’s and up so there me be a couple others who committed in 9th. Most here seem to be in in 10th or 11th. The ones I knew in 12th were all to other levels. IA starts travel ball at a younger age so my guess is there’s a few more early verbals there.

I’m curious which MN PGF tourneys you were in? I know Sean’s are excellent. The only other I’m aware of is PGF state and it’s laughable. They’d do much better here if we had a competent MN Director. Greg Dickel does a great job in IA. I’d like to see him or Sean take over PGF in MN and challenge ASA and their stupid local rules.

I was referring to the PGF Showcases, not State.

And the S&C Individual Showcases...this is the one that really gets your DD noticed. With all of the coaches working with the players while they are on the field.

Besides my DDs skills, his S&C Individual Showcase is the biggest reason my DD is going to play college ball this fall. Hands down, bar none...my DD got noticed by "local" College Coaches because of his Showcase.

I've only talked to him one time, on the phone, he wouldn't know me from the next guy.

I'm curious as to the "Top Tier" program the Travel Ball teams got going in the Mpls area...I really don't understand how it works...Is it basically local Showcases with all of the local Travel ball teams?

 

[55dad]

I was referring to the PGF Showcases, not State.

And the S&C Individual Showcases...this is the one that really gets your DD noticed. With all of the coaches working with the players while they are on the field.

Besides my DDs skills, his S&C Individual Showcase is the biggest reason my DD is going to play college ball this fall. Hands down, bar none...my DD got noticed by "local" College Coaches because of his Showcase.

I've only talked to him one time, on the phone, he wouldn't know me from the next guy.

I'm curious as to the "Top Tier" program the Travel Ball teams got going in the Mpls area...I really don't understand how it works...Is it basically local Showcases with all of the local Travel ball teams?

Slugger. I sent you a PM. Give me a call if you wish. I don't want to hijack the thread.

Sent from my LG-H820 using Tapatalk