Early season travelball logic

Can someone please explain to me the logic of early season travel ball.

I am speaking in general terms, but it mostly involves the athletes that are freshman, sophomores, and juniors in high school.. This includes 14u, 16u and occasionally a 18U.

The first few months of the year, always brings tons of emails to my in-box, introducing perspective student athletes, and their desire to learn more about my school and my program. My response is traditionally very cordial, thanking the perspective athletes for their interest, and asking for additional information, including tapes, questionnaires and invites to come watch us play.

March and April are wonderful opportunities for high school athletes to go and watch college softball games in all geographic locations within the state of NC. No matter where you live, you are less than an hour from a ball game. Every college in the state is playing during this time, and every high school kid that wants to play at the college level, should take advantage of this time to go watch the team you are interested in play, and specifically, watch the coach coach...

Don't miss an opportunity to get on a college campus, and watch a ball game. It might get you an early start on getting noticed.



50% of the time, the reason I get for not attending a game and watching us play, is because they are playing in some travel ball " early showcase" event. And they all want to know if I'm gonna make the trip...they always seem surprised, when I tell them that we actually have a game that day...


...gates are down, lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming....


... could someone please tell the organizers and coaches that put their teams into these early season events, that the college coaches are kinda busy with their spring seasons and not gonna make it....

ps... we play every weekend...

I never was very good at sending a RSVP......

 

It's amazing that you have to explain this...not that they're playing, but to think a college coach would be attending.

 

my take is that its less about getting a coach to come watch than its is about playing against the best competition. Wasnt the isue with mine because we had a HS coach who would play the best players but some are up against upper classman bias.

I think kids are just trying to stay on the radar screen by sending out the ubiquitous coach I am playing at the so and so tournament this weekend...

my two cents.

 

I see a benefit in a team playing in early season tournaments with no scouts around so that they are in the groove as a unit when the scouts are around?

I do agree with the premise, however. Girls should be free to visit colleges whenever necessary.

 

I think a lot of the girls just want to play ball and have fun. It is more the parents who are pushing the college thing. Most teenagers are only looking to have a good time

 

From what I read of windmllR's post is coaches are flooded with responses about one's DD. They can't come see you, but you have an opportunity to see them and their program. What a better way to see if one "fits" in a program.

This is part of the homework people speak of in the recruiting process and you can only do it in season; they're limited in their home weekend series.

 

Yep he's right

Agree 100% with Charlie.

 

What about the in the FALL too. Coaches at the bigger schools courting prospective players (Seniors) at home football games instead of going to a Fall Showcase tournament? Getting ready for the early signing period?

 

.....the purpose of showcasing the player is to get her seen, and the purpose of the coaches having official visit dates are for showing off the facilities, etc. I know you know that, I'm just answering to the general public.
Remember, if a coach thinks that she/he needs to be at a tourn/showcase, then you can bet your bottom dollar that there will some kind of representation from the school and they'll make sure to get to see the kid and the kid to see them.

As for another post about getting the kids name out there and in the coaches ear, ....now I'm down with that. But, instead of picking apart the spring TB trail of emails to coaches when you know that they are busy, why not have your kid pay attention to the 1 or 2 programs, attend games, or atleast follow the scores and play by play or recaps of their games and then send emails to the coaches regarding the things about the games they just played? I'll bet my last dollar that a coach will think highly of a kid who shows a genuine interest of the well being of a program.
Fishman

 

You make great point about a coach having representation at a showcase tournament, but I guess my point being that the coaches at the bigger schools, if they are on campus in the Fall with recruits at football games, etc., they already know who they are hoping to sign. They've been following them. I'm not trying to sound negative on the importance of Showcase Tournaments at any level because we all know....just saying at the bigger schools.

But CD hit the nail on the head....kids need to be a little more proactive in the recruiting process. If you are seriously interested in a school and playing ball you need to go to some games and get to know the coaches and programs inside out and be sure. JMHO.