ESPN article on "elite travel ball"

ESPN, the same entity that brings you the "Elite 11" Quarterback Competition (http://rise.espn.go.com/football/events/2011-Elite-11.aspx) and nearly simultaneously authors a highly critical article on "elite travel ball", it's parents, and what it calls the sports-industrial-complex. (http://espn.go.com/espn/commentary/...ll-teams-make-youth-sports-industrial-complex)

Tim Keown pulls no punches. Heaven help us if he next writes something about the bermuda triangle of high school, legion and showcase baseball. Just remember that I didn't write this article, I'm someone who loves baseball, and generally tries to do the right thing, but almost always comes up short.

 

What is even more pathetic

is that "showcase" kids pay big money to go to a "showcase camp" put on by a private for profit company. the kid is there with 100 or so other kids whose paresnts were stupid enough to write a check for $500+ for 2 days plus travel expenses. while there the kids mostly stand around. get timed on the 60, pop to, "evaluated" and play in one game.

At the end the kids gets rated. I have seen silly crap like "MLB Prospect", "High D-1 Prospect",

Does anybody find this a rediculous as me?

An Average player could make a lucky play, get a lucky hit or 2 and leave being told he is a High D-1 prospect. Even worse is the "incestuous" platform out there that seems to be growing....a kid plays for a "showcase Organization" plays in mostly all of their tournaments goes to prospect camps that the same organizations put on, gets rated by an organization that funny enough is related to their showcase organization.

you got to think that the colleges are smart enough not to buy all this self-created hype???

 

I believe that the advantages of playing on a showcase team speakes for themselves. You are only kidding yourself if you believe that college coaches and pro scouts do not attend these tournaments. The key to the whole process i believe is finding the right organization that is going to put your child in the right position to be seen. Is showcase, travel or elite or whatever you want to call them a business, YES THEY ARE. Just like any other business out here it is up to the individual to find the right product that they are looking for. None of the Showcase teams are free. Some teams might not charge a playing fee, but i don't know of any hotel, gas station or restaurant that gives free service because your son is playing in a tournament in their area. As far as playing in the numerous All-American, High Prospect( made up name), showcases etc, if you choose to pay and play in them do your homework. I have been asked many times what do i think is the best course and my answer is If YOUR CHILD HAS VISIONS OF PLAYING COLLEGE BALL, REGARDLESS IF IT IS D1, D2, JUNIOR COLLEGE, OR NAIA, HAVE HIM MAKE A LIST OF THE TOP 5 or10 schools he is interested and try to go to their Baseball Camps. Once on campus the coaches can see you longer and talk to you, also at most of these camps, they have other coaches from other schools that work them or have contacts at other schools. Believe me, if they think you have the ability to play college ball someone will be in touch. Also regardless of what league or organization you play for, the bottom line is they will find you. There is a lot of so called (ShowCase) camps that will take your money if you give it to them with a lot of promises, remember it is a business. The 500-700 dollars that you pay for these, can pay for the camps at the colleges that you are interested in, especially now since most of them now have 1 and 2 day camps that is much more affordable.

 

Very well stated. I do believe showcase has its place. Camps by the colleges themselves are great. the rating services, especially those that rate the kids that play on their own teams is what i think is a joke.....and paying big money for someone to observe your kid over a weekend and then rating them MLB bound, d1 prospect is a total joke....kinda like the dad that brags about his kid batting 450 and running a 6.8 60 when everybody (including him) knows that the kid bats sub 300 and runs a 7.3 60 and fastball is 82 mph even when his dad tells everybody it is 88mph

 

The problem that I see are too many kids participating in all avenues of baseball; showcase, camps, etc...and quite frankly, they don't have the talent to play in college. People will spend the $$$$ and will find out later that their son is not getting contacted and they want to blame others---especially the coaches and the organization they played for.

When starting out in travel ball there are two very good investments:

- Have your son evaluated by a professional that doesn't have an ulterior motive; One that won't sugarcoat his evaluation. There are not many qualified people around like that, but there are some and it would be very beneficial to find one and ask. Money should not be the determining factor. What they can save you in the future more than offsets their price.

- Clinics & Personal Instructors: No matter what your talent level is, if you are willing to work hard and get quality training, you will become a better ballplayer.

The bottom line is if you don't have anything to showcase, don't waste your money. There are plenty of other avenues of baseball to have a great time and develop friendships.

It's gotten quite funny watching showcase baseball develop in the last 9 years. There were only 3-4 teams across our entire state that fielded a true showcase team--- all the rosters were filled with future college prospects. Now I read on TBR that some are categorizing teams by grade level: A-B-C...what the heck is that about? Either you are a showcase team that has talented ballplayers that scouts want to see...or you don't. And if you don't, save your money and play Legion ball. You might have more fun.

 

Bingo!

I love you Braves. You couldn't be more right.

 

Well said Braves..

In my opinion... the bigger shame is that many High School baseball players give up playing other sports in HS for fear of falling behind. By the time they realize their dreams of playing at the next level are not going the materialize, they have lost the opportunity to have multiple sports memories in HS! The money can be replaced but the HS experience cannot.....

 

I agree 100%

 

Get over the money.....it is a business and let's all admit we spend all kinds of money on wasteful things. I can write a belittling article on people who have boats and drive Mercedes as well.

Regarding the actual baseball side of things, finding a good showcase team is key. From what I've seen, no one is D1 ready at age 14. Kids need development and lots of it. But far too many showcase teams are focused more on the showcase part than on the development part. Find a spot that practices every week, workout as many hours as you play in games, strength/speed/agility training is nearly a requirement, spend more time/effort/money on working to get better than going to events far away. Don't hunt a scholly....hunt development and the scholly will take care of itself.

Camps are often fruitlesss. Unless you are personally....and I mean personally invited, just showing up may be a big disappointment. The dirty little secret is of the 100+ kids at a college camp, 10-15 are personally invited and that's where the coach's focus will often reside. If you have a UNC dream and think showing up unannounced will get you a fair look.......you might be disappointed.

The fact is, laying back, playing 6 months of the year, saying "if you're good enough, people will find you" is not longer valid in this day of youth sorts. You have to be active and it's going to take alot of time and money. However, you can make that time and money work better for yourself and my advice is to focus on development, development, and more development.

 

I would like to chime in that there does appear to be lots of avenues for kids to play ball in college if they get good grades and/or go to small schools. Myers Park graduated 10 players this year. 9 are playing baseball in college. Max Waser (one of the stronger players O's alum) had plenty of oppertunities to play but opted to go to Chapel Hill.