The FastPitch Recruits Network? Other Recruiting Sites?

[tonya_leigh73]

Anyone have experience good or bad with "The FastPitch Recruits Network"? I'm on the free trial and really don't want to pay another subscription if it's an average recruiting site. My daughter (class 2020) has a membership with NCSA , Playced and Be-recruited and have had some good success with mostly local Junior Colleges, DIII's and NAIA's. We would like to aim our options a bit higher and get more exposure. Daughter dreams of going to a big University in a warmer climate state. We live in a very RURAL Iowa (Iowa HS plays in the summer when most D1's hold their recruiting camps and when recruiters attend the exposure tournaments). Any info or opinions appreciated.

***doing more research this afternoon, I think I answered my own concern. I see "On-Deck" tryouts have a good reputation. Going to sign her up for the Minneapolis camp in May.

 

[JAD]

Daughter dreams of going to a big University in a warmer climate state. We live in a very RURAL Iowa (Iowa HS plays in the summer when most D1's hold their recruiting camps and when recruiters attend the exposure tournaments). Any info or opinions appreciated.

How do they get away with holding school sponsored sporting events when school is not in session? Is skipping a HS season when your DD is a sophomore (16U)? Getting into some of the bigger showcases and attending camps of her Top 5 schools is important.

 

[tonya_leigh73]

How do they get away with holding school sponsored sporting events when school is not in session? Is skipping a HS season when your DD is a sophomore (16U)? Getting into some of the bigger showcases and attending camps of her Top 5 schools is important.

Being from Iowa, I guess I never really thought of why Iowa plays in the summer while school is out of session. Trying to do some research this morn, I found the following article that gives a pretty good explanation. (Le Mars Daily Sentinel: High School Sports: Summer high school baseball: Iowa's unique tradition (03/25/10)). While it is referring to baseball, its the same for softball in Iowa. I am really surprised that our midwest neighboring states are part of the 47 states that play in different seasons.

Yes, I am willing for my daughter to skip a HS game or two to attend camps of her top schools.

 

[Orange Socks]

I was talking to a dad in the stands at Scout camp last month and they are from Iowa as well. He told me the same thing about playing during the summer. I was scratching my head wondering how the heck do those teams make a run at a national tourney, how do they play at Colorado, how do they attend summer college camps???? He said that high school ball is more important...but he is also the high school football coach. You can imagine he is towing the company(school district) line.

After a little bit of cyber stalking, here is an excerpt from one of the better programs in the Iowa area. Looks like you have to choose High School or TB.

16/18U SUMMER TEAM !!!

Iowa Premier will attempt to form a Summer Travel Ball Team for those players who wish to play Travel Ball instead of High School Softball in 2016. IN NO WAY DO WE ENCOURAGE PLAYERS NOT TO PLAY HIGH SCHOOL! However, we have been approached by a number of people asking if we would consider doing one. So, we will attempt to form one for 2016. This team will play from June 1st thru the Middle of July. Our Spring Program runs up until May 10th, right before the Iowa High School Season starts. If you wish to have an option instead of School ball, this may be the best fit for you !!

If you are interested in playing on a Summer based High School Aged team for Club, please contact our Director at:


Edit to Add: My opinion of Fastpitch Recruits website. It's relatively cheap, the functionality is clunky, Information seems to disappear randomly, the site does not attract coaches, you have to drive the coaches to the site. It doesn't do anything that you can't do yourself. Just use it as another tool in your box.

 

[tonya_leigh73]

Thank You Orange Socks!

 

[JAD]

Iowa Premier will attempt to form a Summer Travel Ball Team for those players who wish to play Travel Ball instead of High School Softball in 2016. IN NO WAY DO WE ENCOURAGE PLAYERS NOT TO PLAY HIGH SCHOOL! However, we have been approached by a number of people asking if we would consider doing one. So, we will attempt to form one for 2016. This team will play from June 1st thru the Middle of July. Our Spring Program runs up until May 10th, right before the Iowa High School Season starts. If you wish to have an option instead of School ball, this may be the best fit for you !!

The problem with this approach is that a newly formed team with no organizational name recognition is going to have a hard time getting into any significant showcases and if they do get it they will be playing another obscure team on an East Bumble field. A good player would be better off joining an established TB team in another state and traveling to tournaments. She could also play HS ball and just decide which is more important if there is a conflict. I know 29Dad did the long distance TB thing and it worked out pretty well for his DD! Once a player verbals she can go back to just playing HS ball.

 

[tonya_leigh73]

Great information to think about! Thanks JAD