Preparing for Showcase Tournaments

[Eric F]

College coaches don't really care if your team wins or loses. They don't even care a lot about whether or not your player made a play or got a hit. They want to see effort, attitude, and intent. That said, high level skills are noticed...so are high GPAs.

A story...
Last fall, my DD's team was playing in a showcase event. The team we were playing was beating us, and when a player got a hit, or did something else good, the parents would erupt with chants of "That's how you showcase!!". The team had no flyers for college coaches, and no one to talk to coaches about the players. Meanwhile, I was sitting behind home plate with 3 college coaches, going over our team flyer with each of them, and talking in-depth about which of our players might be a fit for their programs. That is how you showcase.

Also, make sure parents are aware that tents, umbrellas, etc. can make it difficult for college coaches to be able to see their kid on the field. Here's an example of how not to do it...


See the team flyers hanging on the fence? College coaches had to walk under the tent and through the parents to get to it. This is the worst I've personally seen.

As a coach, your intent should be to find your players the RIGHT fit for college, which may not be the highest level the player is capable of playing. Knowing their academic intent, geography preferences, etc. is a big part of this. If they want to go into an academic field that is highly demanding, playing top-level D1 is probably not going to be a fit. Also, be realistic about their skill level and the level of college ball that is the right fit. Your #3 P who throws in the mid-50s, and doesn't have a reliable change-up, probably isn't going to be attractive to a Florida or Oklahoma. That said, I know 2 players who were told that they didn't have the skills/speed for D1 by their 16U coaches. Both of them worked their @$$ off and will be playing D1 ball next year.

 

[El Oso]

and conversely probably don't care much if she's throwing 70 mph.

Exactly! Talent is the number 1 criteria. Always will be.

 

[_MIA_]

I sat behind a couple of college coaches at a showcase on Friday and they were more interested in behavior/body language/attitude than anything else.

Which makes sense to some extent since the player(s) they are there to see have probably already sent them enough clips to get an idea of their talent/skill level but probably haven't sent them any clips of how they react after being called out on a ball 3 balls off the plate..

 

[Intheboondocks]

Which makes sense to some extent since the player(s) they are there to see have probably already sent them enough clips to get an idea of their talent/skill level but probably haven't sent them any clips of how they react after being called out on a ball 3 balls off the plate..

Yes, it was obvious these two coaches were familiar with several players on both teams.

 

[Rick M]

I sat behind a couple of college coaches at a showcase on Friday and they were more interested in behavior/body language/attitude than anything else.

Any insight on what they’re looking for?

DD is on a first-year 16U team and they’ll be showcasing for the first time this summer. We’ve got three or four girls who are really loud, stand and yell the whole game types. The rest cheer specifically about a player at bat or for a good play, but also prefer to sit and talk about what is happening in the game among themselves while in the dugout.

Different strokes and all, but does one approach help or harm vs the other?


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[_MIA_]

Any insight on what they’re looking for?

DD is on a first-year 16U team and they’ll be showcasing for the first time this summer. We’ve got three or four girls who are really loud, stand and yell the whole game types. The rest cheer specifically about a player at bat or for a good play, but also prefer to sit and talk about what is happening in the game among themselves while in the dugout.

Different strokes and all, but does one approach help or harm vs the other?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Run out popups..

 

[softball dad 6]

DD had a couple of bad games hitting wise at a showcase. She went up to her future college coach afterwards a little embarrassed and apologized for not hitting well. He told her he had seen her hit well. He said everyone has a bad game or two. I was glad to see how you handled not hitting well.
I don't think you have to be loud and cheering all the time but you need to look like you love being there and the game of softball. The college season is a marathon that will test every girl to one extent or another. To survive girls need to love the game and get along with most/all of their teammates.

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[radness]

Put the cel phone away.

College coaches will notice disruptive parents also.

Have a travel coach who has an understanding of the players goals academically and GPA to offer in conversation if a college coach approaches.

99.9% of being recruited is the players individual attention to contacting colleges and promoting themselves.
The more players on the team that contact more colleges the more possible attention that overall team can have.

Hopefully travel ball coach can make sure to share all tournament and showcase links of colleges attending so all the players can email.

To say this with even more importantance,
if you are going to a showcase and have not emailed multiple colleges why are you going to the Showcase?

 

[Slimjim422]

College coaches don't really care if your team wins or loses. They don't even care a lot about whether or not your player made a play or got a hit. They want to see effort, attitude, and intent. That said, high level skills are noticed...so are high GPAs.

A story...
Last fall, my DD's team was playing in a showcase event. The team we were playing was beating us, and when a player got a hit, or did something else good, the parents would erupt with chants of "That's how you showcase!!". The team had no flyers for college coaches, and no one to talk to coaches about the players. Meanwhile, I was sitting behind home plate with 3 college coaches, going over our team flyer with each of them, and talking in-depth about which of our players might be a fit for their programs. That is how you showcase.

Also, make sure parents are aware that tents, umbrellas, etc. can make it difficult for college coaches to be able to see their kid on the field. Here's an example of how not to do it...
View attachment 25866

See the team flyers hanging on the fence? College coaches had to walk under the tent and through the parents to get to it. This is the worst I've personally seen.

As a coach, your intent should be to find your players the RIGHT fit for college, which may not be the highest level the player is capable of playing. Knowing their academic intent, geography preferences, etc. is a big part of this. If they want to go into an academic field that is highly demanding, playing top-level D1 is probably not going to be a fit. Also, be realistic about their skill level and the level of college ball that is the right fit. Your #3 P who throws in the mid-50s, and doesn't have a reliable change-up, probably isn't going to be attractive to a Florida or Oklahoma. That said, I know 2 players who were told that they didn't have the skills/speed for D1 by their 16U coaches. Both of them worked their @$$ off and will be playing D1 ball next year.

What kind of information should be in a team flyer/brochure? Or do you have an example flyer by chance?

 

[Orange Socks]

Put the cel phone away.

College coaches will notice disruptive parents also.

Have a travel coach who has an understanding of the players goals academically and GPA to offer in conversation if a college coach approaches.

99.9% of being recruited is the players individual attention to contacting colleges and promoting themselves.
The more players on the team that contact more colleges the more possible attention that overall team can have.

Hopefully travel ball coach can make sure to share all tournament and showcase links of colleges attending so all the players can email.

To say this with even more importantance,
if you are going to a showcase and have not emailed multiple colleges why are you going to the Showcase?

You don't want one kid getting the chatter going with college coaches, you want the whole team doing it with all kinds of schools. When other college coaches walk up to field and see their peers watching. What do you think will happen? They wanna know what they are missing out on. We were in Boulder and the Holy Cross coach rolls up on us and takes a look at the college coaches watching. She said out loud, Must be a lot smart kids on this team. She stuck around for the rest of the game and chatted with our recruiter at the time.

If families are NOT talking to the team recruiter you are doing yourself a disservice. My job was to look out for certain coaches even if they are hiding behind a tree. Several times parents have come up to me saying. Hey there's Mickey Dean. Did you talk to him. Uh Why? We don't have any players that could play there and more importantly no kid has been reaching out to him.

Another parent came to me after and ask about a certain coach. Did I talk them about their DD. Uh no. Why would I? My DD wants to go there. Oh really? That's news to me. And the harsh reality is that families do not have a realistic expectation as to where they kid can play.

One dad said, his kids is gonna go to Purdue. She wants to be a teacher. What! First of all, your kid does not have the skill set and 2nd, why don't you go to the local State school to get her degree?

I cannot stress this enough. You cannot start emailing the coaches for the first time the week of a showcase. You need to start your drip marketing plan months in advance. The coaches already have an idea who they are looking at. It also helps if the coach has a relationship with the college coach. DD sent 2 emails to a coach and that coach reached out to TB coach. Within 2 weeks that coach saw her play and Asst coach watched another 2 times before the official visit happened. 1st email to Verbal--2 months.