Junior Day Softball Camps

[iMlearning]

DD received a letter from a college she is interested in about Junior Day Softball Camps. They only accept 2015/16 and open to 62 athletes. She said she would like to talk to her there because they are D1 and need to comply to the NCAA rules. Another school (D2) that had talked to her at a clinic earlier in the year will also be there-they said they would like to show her what they "can offer in their program."
Has anyone attended one of these? I think it would be a great money maker for them at $275.00! They also scrimmage there. I'm becoming more skeptical of these things as I'm running out of money!
Thanks.

 

[JAD]

If the college coach invited her and specifically mentioned that they would like to speak with your DD during the camp then it is probably worth going. I remember the first time my DD got a flyer from a college inviting her to their camp. DD was really excited, until we got there and realized they had "invited" 300 other girls too! LOL

 

[fastpitch]

Maybe your TB coach call the head coach to gauge interest?

 

[iMlearning]

Maybe your TB coach call the head coach to gauge interest?

Unfortunately, our TB coach has not left a good impression on the coaches he has talked to. He doesn't have an off button and somehow it all turns out to be about his daughter. We will be moving on this fall I did talk to her former hitting coach because he has worked with them before. All he could tell me is that they run very good clinic and it would probably be worth it. He did say that school is picking up most of there girls from the west coast now I guess we'll try it out and see what happens. At least there are several schools there she likes. I do like that they have games at the end of the day to see the girls in that situation.

 

[fastpitch]

These are definitely money makers. What I quickly realized when my DD went through going to college camps for the purpose of recruiting is if your DD is not on the schools list of players to look at, then your DD will likely not be "discovered" by them... unless she is a true standout, meaning physically and athletically.

How do you get on the list? Emails, call the coach. Let them know you are interested in them. The ideal scenario is for a respected reference like a TB coach, HS coach or maybe hitting coach call the head coach on your players behalf as well to let them know you are coming to the camp. This way, when DD shows up to camp at least they will look at her to see if its someone they are interested in. And really, thats all you can ask from this. If they are interested they are allowed to talk to your DD on campus and you will know pretty quickly esp if she is 2015 or 2016 and its D1. If they are not you probably will know pretty quickly as well.

 

[iMlearning]

nice surprise today!

DD was at a tournament and the D1 coach showed up and watched all the games. We didn't know till late in the day. He started talking to me so I asked him if he was the coach and he said he was the AC and couldn't talk to the girls - was just there to watch. My wife then asked if he was working the camp. He asked which one was ours, and when my wife said 3rd, he said Oh! (Her name) she's too good for us not to take her. ..then he looked at me and said, you'd have to stop wearing all the Steelers stuff though. He said she caught his eye a year ago.
DD walked up after the game and introduced herself. Later when we told her she got teary eyed. She really liked their campus.
It was exciting!