Showcase teams

[CoogansBluff]

My daughter had a chance to play on two showcase teams this year but chose to play for another team that is actually stronger, but doesn't showcase. This was the right choice for her for a variety of reasons, but was curious to get your thoughts on the following because I found the situation to be very interesting.

The team she joined is a 14U team that plans to qualify for NSA nationals. That will require playing about four 14U events prior. They'll play mostly high school/16U otherwise. Little no showcase. They also are an independent team that has a good reputation locally, but is totally unknown on the showcase circuit and by college coaches.

The two showcase teams are not as strong, although one of them could beat the 14U team from time to time. They will play entirely 16U/high school and play a lot of out-of-state showcase. Big rosters, everybody plays a lot. They are not ''big name'' programs, but they are known by college coaches and have sent several players to college ball, generally at lower levels.

One of my questions is this -- If you have a really good team that's not well known, and with coaches who are good, but don't have a lot of contacts in college softball programs, are these teams at a major disadvantage at showcases? Is a player in better position if she plays with a more well-connected, but inferior, team?

My DD is an 8th-grader who doesn't know if she wants to play college ball, so I'm not worried about it for her sake right now, but was just curious because I found these team philosophies to be interesting. Two are playing all around the South, usually getting pounded and perhaps ignored (since many are 9th graders and their teams aren't that good) at showcases, while another is staying more local and trying to qualify and win a national title in 14U.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

In looking back on getting DD signed it was HUGE for us with the "connections" our club had/has. It wasn't necessarily the head coaches individual efforts that paid off but the "connected" parents of other players (these parents were a different breed compared to the unconnected club parents - good and bad) where I got so many more opportunities created for DD.

my 2 cents

 

[starsnuffer]

Life is all about relationships. Merit and accomplishments give us an opportunity to forge relationships, but ultimately relationships trump all.

-W

 

[GOINGDEEP]

You're at that transition from a " tounament team" for wins, and "showcase teams" for exposer. Most showcases do not have an overall winner, the coaches are showing individual athletes, not that their "team" is competitive. A lot of showcase teams are direct feeders to certain colleges, that's something you'll need to do your homework on if they feed into a type school your DD might be interested in.

If you're a stud, and play for any team in national events, word gets around and they'll find you. If your a "good" player, showcase type teams are usually connected enough to get you a look and your foot in the door. Most have established a relationship with a handful of institutions.

 

[JAD]

Here is my $0.02 in no particular order....
1) Showcase teams typically play to "showcase" the talent of their players, not to win.
2) College coaches come to watch individuals and usually could not tell you the scores of the games.
3) Showcases do not really start until mid-June after the College World Series.
4) NSA may get you some regional exposure, but you need to play ASA or PGF if you want national exposure.
5) Unless your DD is a STUD, recruiting will not start until she is in high school, and she will have to be top tier to get recruited as a 9th grader - P, C, SS or super fast OF.
6) Playing for a marquee organization helps more than most, myself included, would like to admit.
7) Regardless of which team your DD plays for, YOU need to take ownership of her recruiting.
8) Networking is HUGE for getting your DD seen by college coaches who would otherwise never see her.
9) Playing showcases is expensive, so weigh your options carefully and have realistic expectation of your DD and where she is a good fit academically and athletically.
10) Be careful that you don't spend $20K chasing a $10K scholarship.......

 

[CoogansBluff]

Pretty strong advice so far. Thanks. ...

What's interesting is that neither of these particular showcase teams is very good.One of these teams might be respectable in an ASA qualifier but as often as not would go 0-2. The other would go 0-2 in every ASA qualifier that does not include another team like itself. I don't see how either, being composed mainly of 9th-graders but a few 10th, would be watched at showcases, but the coaches do have contacts and history. The reason the 14u team is more appealing to DD at the moment is that she's just an 8th-grader, and she is more motivated to work hard because of being on a good team, with better players and harder-workers as teammates, than she would be at this point and time on those particular showcase teams. But certainly something to consider down the road.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Here is my $0.02 in no particular order....
1) Showcase teams typically play to "showcase" the talent of their players, not to win.
2) College coaches come to watch individuals and usually could not tell you the scores of the games.
3) Showcases do not really start until mid-June after the College World Series.
4) NSA may get you some regional exposure, but you need to play ASA or PGF if you want national exposure.
5) Unless your DD is a STUD, recruiting will not start until she is in high school, and she will have to be top tier to get recruited as a 9th grader - P, C, SS or super fast OF.
6) Playing for a marquee organization helps more than most, myself included, would like to admit.
7) Regardless of which team your DD plays for YOU need to take ownership of her recruiting.8) Networking is HUGE for getting your DD seen by college coaches who would otherwise never see her.
9) Playing showcases is expensive, so weigh your options carefully and have realistic expectation of your DD and where she is a good fit academically and athletically.
10) Be careful that you don't spend $20K chasing a $10K scholarship.......

#7 #7 #7 #7

 

[Lenski]

CoogansBluff, Greenmonsters is trying to give you a very good hint, probably because of this sentence in your post above:

"I don't see how either, being composed mainly of 9th-graders but a few 10th, would be watched at showcases, but the coaches do have contacts and history."

 

[Bouldersdad]

You're at that transition from a " tounament team" for wins, and "showcase teams" for exposer. Most showcases do not have an overall winner, the coaches are showing individual athletes, not that their "team" is competitive. A lot of showcase teams are direct feeders to certain colleges, that's something you'll need to do your homework on if they feed into a type school your DD might be interested in.

If you're a stud, and play for any team in national events, word gets around and they'll find you. If your a "good" player, showcase type teams are usually connected enough to get you a look and your foot in the door. Most have established a relationship with a handful of institutions.

Iwould say this is about the best Info you can get right here. Spot on

 

[cuzmail]

Here is my $0.02 in no particular order....
1) Showcase teams typically play to "showcase" the talent of their players, not to win.
2) College coaches come to watch individuals and usually could not tell you the scores of the games.
3) Showcases do not really start until mid-June after the College World Series.
4) NSA may get you some regional exposure, but you need to play ASA or PGF if you want national exposure.
5) Unless your DD is a STUD, recruiting will not start until she is in high school, and she will have to be top tier to get recruited as a 9th grader - P, C, SS or super fast OF.
6) Playing for a marquee organization helps more than most, myself included, would like to admit.
7) Regardless of which team your DD plays for YOU need to take ownership of her recruiting.
8) Networking is HUGE for getting your DD seen by college coaches who would otherwise never see her.
9) Playing showcases is expensive, so weigh your options carefully and have realistic expectation of your DD and where she is a good fit academically and athletically.
10) Be careful that you don't spend $20K chasing a $10K scholarship.......

Pay attention to #10