Sparkler review $$$

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Mar 1, 2018
154
43
Central Indiana
Sparkler review from a first timer:

DD is an 08 on a 13U team, played in Sparkler Supplemental pool, won it, so played in Power Pool brackets. Team went 4-2-1, and competed well. The teams were no joke. Every team we faced was legit.

We played at Barnes for pool play, then Erie on Friday and Christopher Fields on Saturday.

Barnes was fine, nothing special. Erie and CF were really nice parks. The fields at all locations were fast and hard, but conditions as expected. And being from the Midwest the views of the mountains from the fields never got old.

We didn't see any coaches at the parks, but didn't plan on either for 14U. Most all coaches head out by Friday/Saturday anyway. Our org did host a combine for our players (one for 2025, 2026s, 2027s and another for uncommitted 2024s, 2023s, 2022s) at Aurora Sports Park, and there were dozens of coaches in attendance, so that was cool.

DD and I went and watched some of the college all star games (her first catching instructor was playing in it) and also went to quite a few 16U games. Some of the parks the 16U played in (including Saturday's brackets) were not that great of fields at all. If you happened to be able to play at Aurora though, those fields were crazy good.

Outside of softball we went to Estes Park and watched a concert at Red Rocks, which was awesome.

Was it an expensive vacation? Yes. But also one we looked forward to as a family and when flying back were all in agreement that we hoped it is on DD's schedule every year.
 
Oct 15, 2013
727
63
Seattle, WA
DD's Freshman year, her team was a late sign up and ended up playing in the Kennedy division too. Got to play a team from Alaska. They also played on the Columbine HS field, which felt weird. I remember talking to lots of coaches. Even Dot Richardson from Liberty came to watch one of our games. Very nice lady.
Yeah, our first games were at Clement Park which is adjacent Columbine HS. When we pulled up and got out of the car we saw the school and it gave us all a bit of a jolt. I went for a walk during warmups one day and found the Columbine memorial. I didn’t really want to look, but felt obligated. It was heavy.

Speaking of Dot Richardson I saw her as she was the keynote speaker at Sparkler this year.
 
May 16, 2016
946
93
Our team played the IDT 16s and placed 3rd. I love the tournament, lots of coaches but the facilities this year were for sure 2nd rate. Garden Acres is nice but there were no concessions. Centennial park was awful 2 stalls for the womens bathroom, a porta potty that hasn’t been changed in forever full of shirt and crack pipes and syringes, and no concessions, stazio fields for the semis had crazy weird dips in the infield and then you had to run up a big hill into the outfield and back down. From home plate our outfielders looked about a foot lower and again no concessions but decent rest rooms. Umpires were pretty good all week. Competition was excellent.


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Oh man, that porta potty was nasty... no words can describe it. I made mistake of opening the door, and almost gagged.
 
Sep 3, 2015
372
63
DDs team placed top 5 in the 18u power pool. The entire team is committed so college coach attendance didn’t matter, but I think I saw more at zoom. So I would say it was not worth it, but we knew it was on the schedule, and several teams in the same boat were there as well.

My first trip to Colorado, I feel as if it was drawn out and could be shortened to fewer days.

Lots of homeruns, agreed that the fences need to be moved back. I think DDs team hit at least 30 of them.

If I were a pitcher I would not be thrilled with going to Colorado. As a hitter I would be very much looking forward to it.


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May 10, 2019
83
18
Yes for sure 99% of the coaches, including all of the bigger school's coaches, are at the power pool fields which is Aurora Sports park. If your game isn't there, you aren't going to see many coaches at all so at that point it's essentially a family vacation with some softball thrown in. Looking at it from a fiscal perspective is a terrible idea because you will consider yourself a dumbass for the rest of your life. It is NOT a fiscally responsible trip but any trip isn't for that matter. You can't stay in your house saving money your entire life so get out there and live. I do think everyone should do it once, just for the experience. Your DD will always remember it.
My DD just turned 10, but when I want to make this trip once when she is playing 16u or 18u. You have to make these trips vacations if you can so you don't look at the financials as being a huge waste.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
LOL so true!! We met some friends who live in SC for BBQ and I was so disappointed - I didn't realize SC was its own thing and was expecting TX BBQ.
SC BBQ is good too. Vinegar Mustard based sauces with lots of Pork. Went to a "pig pickin'" one summer. So delish. But nothing beats my beef brisket. LOL.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
LOL so true!! We met some friends who live in SC for BBQ and I was so disappointed - I didn't realize SC was its own thing and was expecting TX BBQ.
I am partial to NC style to be honest..not a fan of brisket. That said I am from MA so wth do I know..lol.
 

LEsoftballdad

DFP Vendor
Jun 29, 2021
2,838
113
NY
My favorite picture from Colorado was this one. If you're finding it difficult to see what's happening here, I'll set the scene for you.

Runner was a full two or three steps off the bag before pitcher released the pitch. It's not like the ump was out of position to see it, but he just missed it. I guess the runner obscured his view of the pitch being released. 🤣 For the record, these were the umps who kept the girls on the field despite the fact it was pouring during a thunderstorm.
 

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Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
My favorite picture from Colorado was this one. If you're finding it difficult to see what's happening here, I'll set the scene for you.

Runner was a full two or three steps off the bag before pitcher released the pitch. It's not like the ump was out of position to see it, but he just missed it. I guess the runner obscured his view of the pitch being released. 🤣 For the record, these were the umps who kept the girls on the field despite the fact it was pouring during a thunderstorm.
Umps were looking at the Front Range mountains. I found myself doing that a lot. Taking an Uber on a gorgeous morning to the DIA airport, I found myself staring at the Front Range with Hot Air Balloons floating upwards . I kept telling myself, enjoy this and don't ever let this get old.
 

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