Showcase vs Regular TB Tourn.

On alot of different posts I have heard alot of mixed opinions about showcase ball. Lets here some opinions about showcase vs tb toun.
Do you think you have just as much chance of getting seen in a regular tb tourn or showcase ?

 

I think LDFRDGUY and I are on the same page based on the other threads but I will chime in anyway.

Think a 'real' showcase tournament is better since the game times and fields are preset for the entire weekend. This allows the girls to contact the college coaches and say I will be HERE at these times. The coach can then respond and say I will be at THIS game. Very specific. The girls can then inform their TB coach that college coach A is coming to see them during this specific game. TB coach can then plan for that (meet the coach, have the fliers ready, get the girl in the spot where the college coach wants to see her, etc.)

Much better than them telling a college coach, we are playing here, have a pool game at 8:45 PM Friday night, first bracket game at 8:00 AM Saturday and then you will have to check the brackets to see where we are since it all depends on whether we win or lose. Oh, and if we are in the losers brakcet, I may not get that much playing time since we need to win...

 

You get seen by letting the colleges know you are intrested in them. You have to know your capabilities and limitations. If you are a little above average player you probablly don't want to be trying to get a schalorship to Arizona, UCLA ect. but rather a DII or DIII school that can use you.
As for TB or Showcase both are fine but a girl just isn't going to go to either one of these abd out of the blue just "get seen". Each player has to market herself and be on the list of a coach. If they are at a tournament your at then they may notice you being they are there to look at girls they have already heard of.
Best thing to do is just let the girls go play ball, enjoy the experience and if they want to go to college and play then put her name out there. If you do this they will get a look either in a high school game maybe of a TB tournament in the area of a college or at a showcase and if not if the college is intrested they will have you come for a visit and a workout which is what many coaches prefer. As someone in another thread posted they can usually tell all they need by her warmups.

 

Reporter is dead on.

I have been around all of these events. I truly feel if you are good enough they will come. Showcase ball is taking away from our sport. I feel a showcase here and there is ok but week in and week out is over the top. I like the thrill of the game and the competition that regular TB tourneys bring to the table. Tb is about the team and has a goal to reach at the end of the day Sunday. While on the other hand Showcase seems to be more and more about me & me & me.

 

Sort of the way I see it also.

 

I agree with Gatorback and reporter.

Most of the girls I've talked to prefer to play real softball. Showcase ball comes close but it falls short sometimes.

I realize the value of showcase tournaments but they should not be every weekend.

The coaches will find a way to see you if they're interested. I know a very good way. Most of the major universities have camps every year. Sometimes multiple camps. I was just at one today at UNC. There were a lot of players there. Someone told me it was for advanced players mostly. There were coaches participating in that camp from at least five very desirable schools. I don't know how you can get seen any better than that. They actually had enough players for about 6 or 7 teams. I don't know how much the camp cost but I'll bet it was far less than 2 TB tournaments. These weren't rec kids, these were top notch players. Jordan Scarboro, for one, just to drop a name!! If I didn't know better I would have thought I was at a showcase tournament; except they were competing to win--no time limits!!!

 

Ok, time for a reality check guys. If you are on a field playing softball w/ balls, bats, and gloves it's REAL ball. Now if your kid is really dedicated to the game it shouldn't matter if they are playing showcase, rec ball, or travel ball they shouldn't need motivation to play. Now it doesn't matter which you're playing as long as you're playing. Choose your thing, if you want it for the fun and the community then play rec ball. If you want a little more competition and the feeling of family then play travel ball. If you want all of the above and go to college then play showcase ball. Don't see the point in downing or critiquing the ones you're not involved in. Pick your poison, enjoy the game, and leave people who don't follow YOUR idea or ideals alone.
As for the original posts topic, while its true that some colleges will check out some regular tournies. The economics is that it is better for them to travel to one place(or a series of places) to see all the players they are interested in. I'm a big proponent of camps but if you don't know where or what you want to be involved in then it's kind of hard to pick one and camps can get very expensive after the first couple and alot of them run concurrently. Bottom line, will you see a college coach at a regular tourney, maybe. Will you see one at Dynamites, Hot Times, Cardinal tournies, absolutely. Gas is too high anymore to travel to Timbukto to see pitcher #8 on their list, when 3,4, and 6 are at Raleigh.

 

What I mean by real ball: You don't have time limits. Especially if you can't stop the clock with a timeout. You play to win (not win at all cost). You keep Sally in the game if Sally gives you the best chance to win. After all, we encourage Sally to be the best she can be for that particular goal--to win. Let Sally know that the college she's applied to may be at the game she's playing. Let the college know where and when Sally will be playing. The coach wants to see Sally play.

Anything that takes away even part of the fun of competing at full effort is taking away from the sport itself. That's why it concerns those of us who love this sport.

There is a role for showcase to play. When there are too many showcase tournaments it takes away from the full competition of softball. It's just as you say, college coaches don't want to run all over the place. That's all the more reason to limit the number of showcases. Every weekend shouldn't be a showcase!

The Cardinal Classic has drawn many coaches over the years. Even before it was thought of as a showcase tournament. I hope it maintains its reputation as a true competition--what the college coaches really appreciate seeing and what the players really enjoy! Leave the money at the gate!!!!

 

I can only add this...

My DD has played TB since age of 10. She started playing Showcase TB in freshmen year of HS! She got exposure in both. The recruiter that actually won her, was one that saw her play at a small tournament in Morganton one weekend, in her senior year! So yes, players do stand a chance of being recruited in reg. TB.
You have more opportunities at showcases, just because of the numbers of coaches there at any given time. But I have been to a lot of regular tournaments and have seen recruiters there watching, a lot of the time they are not wearing school shirts or whatnot, because they want to blend in maybe, but they are there. JMO

 

Very well put!!! Just do whatever it is your DD loves to do!