Showcase - Playing Time Question

[chesapeakejet]

Was it a TRUE exposure tournament or was it a tournament with national or regional bids that called themselves an exposure tournament?

It was labelled a "College Showcase Tournament". He had HS freshman get more playing time than a couple of the uncommitted seniors. That's what I didn't understand.

 

[chesapeakejet]

CJ - my oldest DD is a senior and plays for one of the more established VA Beach orgs. Our guidance for showcases is:
1. Committed players play very little, usually just an inning here or there to give the uncommitted girls a break.
2. Uncommitted players play more the closer they are to graduating, so a soph is not getting as many innings as a junior or unsigned senior.
3. If a coach is there to see a player, they play in whatever spot the coach wants to see them in. Our HC will come out during the game to find out what the CC wants to see. That's what it's all about!

Sounds like your HC has misaligned priorities or is a control freak. Good luck!

Thanks we'll need it. As you know our softball world here is small so you may already have a good idea of who/what I'm talking about. Regardless, thank you for your input. I thought that's how things should go, but I wanted to make sure from you more experienced people.

 

[Atlantabell]

Thanks we'll need it. As you know our softball world here is small so you may already have a good idea of who/what I'm talking about. Regardless, thank you for your input. I thought that's how things should go, but I wanted to make sure from you more experienced people.

Sorry I came in on this discussion so late....Of course on a team that is a showcase team all the girls should play at straight showcases. If a tournament is a qualifier, that is different. If college coaches ask to see certain girls, they HAVE to play.

Unsigned Juniors and Seniors get priority over underclassmen. However, that being said, underclassmen need to get some time as well.

If you are not happy with what the coach has told you, it may be time to move on. As to playing this summer, catchers are at premium. You should be able to find a good showcase team that she can play for.

 

[Scl1991]

We've been on a team where the 10 girls that got 95% of the playing time were 5 committed seniors, 3 sophomores and 2 freshman. It sucked to be a junior on the team. We moved on. DD is a senior and has signed. This past summer, her team batted everyone in every game. Of 15 girls, 5 never left the line up. Dd was one of those and she fielded about 70% of the time. 2 girls never ever sat and always hit 1 and 2, even though one of them had the worst BA on the team and bottom third of fielding percentage. The other was already committed sine the previous April. In play to win tournaments that were also exposure (like Champions Cup in CA) they played their best 9 with a few girls swapping some positions. Some girls sat the entire tournament (and we are East Coast). If it had been my kid, I would have exploded. This Fall, we played all showcases and DD visibly sat more, now that she's committed/signed. So I worry she won't be ready for college ball next Fall. But if she were playing more, I'd be happier but other parents of younger girls wouldn't like it.
IMO, showcases should rotate as near to evenly as possible. Always. The girls aren't paid to play, they pay to play. And a lot. If they are already committed, they don't need as much exposure. But they need to stay busy and they can act as role models for younger girls. Plus their chosen school usually will come watch them play, so that gives others on the team exposure as well.
No easy answer, that's for sure. But I think you are right on with the camps and clinics. Coaches can spend a lot of time with your DD their, get to know them. Much better than a game where they might have an off day or never have a ball come to them defensively.

 

[jacketsfan]

When I was coaching, if a coach that one of our kids contacted was there, that kid played whatever spot the coach wanted. If a random coach was watching, I'd ask them what year/pos they were looking for, and I'd make sure we tried to accommodate that. If i didn't know who was watching or why, we just rotated people around, and everyone played pretty evenly. If a kid was struggling, she'd get an inning off to pull it together, then go back out.

Committed players sat the most, and gave me grief the whole game as 16-18 year old guys like to do (wouldn't have traded it for anything).

 

[JFK]

A couple things come into play with exposure type tournaments. Yes, most allow free substitution and you can bat everyone. This allows most teams to shuffle kids in and out easily. The team my DD plays for bats every girl and tries to get the girls in at least half the defensive outs a game. One of my observations of exposure tournaments is that the top teams get the better fields and schedule preferences. They also draw the college coaches to their games for obvious reasons. If you are considered a lesser team, they seem to play slightly different during their games. A lot of those teams are trying to make a name for themselves. They play their best players full games and play to win. Perhaps they feel like beating a traditionally good team in a showcase proves they belong. I am not sure what the right answer is. I always want my DD's team to play well, but don't really look at wins or losses. Other teams keep score and like to say they went 5-0 on the weekend. Reality is your DD needs to make the most of whatever playing time she gets. You never know when the ball is going to be hit to her and who will see it. Make the most of every situation.

ok......I'm going to forego reading all the replies and give you what I've heard from a highly eespecred and sucessful D1 coach that I've talked to specifically about this subject: the clmate is shifting from showcases to tournaments. However, if showcases are your thing....the advice given to me was "spend wisely". Not all coaches are in attendance. and if they are and your player isn't on one of the "big name" teams..playing on the "premium" fields.....then they won't be at yours. If a college coach is coming to see a specific player then tournaments are the way to go. At that point the player has been in touch with the coach (s) and they are aware of what tournament she'll be. This is quickly becoming true when I saw the coaching nation descend upon Hemet california last year. That wasn't a showcase, it was a tournament - one of the major Worth ones I think. But if your daughter is on a high profile, recruiting machine team.....then chances are that coach is doing the right thing for his/her players. And besides....if that IS the case, then she's got the talent to be there - that's half the battle.

If we have a particular player on our team that has a specific school coming out to see her .....then of course she will see more playing time
why would we not put her on the field more. far beit from us to deny that opportunity. We're only coaches....not gods. Our job is to develop, mentor and get that kid to the next level. Not go through the motions and hold them back. What kind of sadistic person would do that?
That being said, showcases are not played to win.....they are played to showcase talent. Just because a losing team gave up 6 UNearned runs because of defensive errors doesn't mean that the pitcher they are looking at is crap....it was a bad day and these professional coaches are aware of that. So, in my opinion. .......showcases are merely a tool with fading benefits for college coaches. showcase are not valued on wins or losses....but somehow people keep drinking the kool aid and shell all of this money out for exposure that they could get at a tourney at half the cost....OR attend college clinics and network that way....and here it all comes full circle; spend wisely.

nobody but the player and parent are holding the reigns to succeed ....not a recruiting service....not joe-schmo who's going to charge a fee.....nobody but the playr, parents, and the perseverance it takes to control your own destiny. sure its a lot of work to research and engae with our kids.....but I've found that that's where all the fun is......researching together.....finding the resources...... talking to coaches at these camps......its all worth it....even if she doesn't get a scholarship. .....it was fun and then you continue on at the JC level. What's wrong with that? Your daughter and you will both grow from the experienxe of traveling that path together instead of some service charging you thousands. Find the time. Make the time.

 

[HoweMan]

When I was coaching, if a coach that one of our kids contacted was there, that kid played whatever spot the coach wanted. If a random coach was watching, I'd ask them what year/pos they were looking for, and I'd make sure we tried to accommodate that. If i didn't know who was watching or why, we just rotated people around, and everyone played pretty evenly. If a kid was struggling, she'd get an inning off to pull it together, then go back out.

Committed players sat the most, and gave me grief the whole game as 16-18 year old guys like to do (wouldn't have traded it for anything).

@jacketsfan, you sound like you would be a real nice coach for DD to play for.