Is the system flawed??...

Food for thought;
Is the present system in softball to elevate our players to the college level flawed?

I have 2 points that I would like to examine.

1st, Softball has become a money sport.
Beyond the need for high dollar equipment showcase teams are very high dollar, some exceed 5-10k in expenses. Lets take for example If I had a player on my varsity team with 5 solid tools. This player is from a single parent home and can only afford to play Varsity and a mid to low level travel team that only plays local. Now if this kid is a D2 prospect it would not be too difficult to get this kid to the next level. But what if she was D1, sub 2.8 speed, glove, arm and bat? I wonder how many kids like this are missed every year. IN NC there are 3-4 showcase teams that get their players in front of D1 coaches consistently, and not every player on those teams are D1. But, there are D1 talent players that never get in front of those coaches.

2nd, The year round demand for play pushes out some elite athletes.
I believe in many High Schools there are girls(or Boys) that are forced into an early decision to play just one sport. I have seen some girls that are exceptional athletes and in a short time their level of play can exeed many who play year round. I will contend that the elite athlete can just flat out play and close the gap quicker.

I understand that there are budget issues that put college softball at a disadvantage and a lack of a large coaching staff. I was a college football player myself as well as a college and high school football coach, and football is at the top of the recruiting process, funds and man power allow. What I dont understand is how a college baseball program budget is that much greater softball? I have seen many college coaches at high school games baseball and in regular contact with var baseball coaches. I am not saying that we need to blow up the system but could college softball coaches improve their methods and use more avenues to find players?...

Thoughts?

 

Just about every tournament is called a showcase it seems. Showcases are more about someone making money than the benefit to the majority of players. Coaches will come to see you play wherever you are if you do your part.

Pre-college baseball is more successful than pre-college softball because they are better organized. They have leagues. The VFW Posts are great examples. And there are probably plenty of other organized games. I'm not that familiar with it.

Softball on the other hand is scattered. Not only that, but many teams are watered down so that Dads can have a say in how DD is positioned on a team. There are 14U players playing 18U in some cases. Many 16U playing 18U. Think how much better the players would have to be if a 16U was the exception on an 18U team.

Think about other sports. Soccer, in particular, comes to mind. They are organized. They even have PR people. They get news coverage. What does fast pitch get? A rec level tournament or two at the end of the season.

There are a few organizations that do an excellent job of supporting and promoting their players. They bring in the money to do it with. They are usually very successful. What if those organizational leaders shifted their attention to the whole sport instead of just a few teams?

There is a great deal of improvement that could be made. It's just a matter of time before some great leader with financial backing will bring the sport together. It could happen!

 

One thing you really hope for is that coaches try to help sell kids to schools who don't play for them. It happens sometimes. If I were in the place to help a kid on another team I would. Doing the right thing pays dividends many ways.

 

I agree, I have seen some that call themselves a showcase and not 1 college coach is there. Unfortunately there is too much profit to be made in tournament softball and therefore there will be dishonest people that take advantage.

 

Not sure we can fix it all

There are too many people who think they know what's best and too many different opinions. I don't know what the correct answer is but I know what we do works for most of our kids. And, it may not work for everyone else.

There are way too many "showcases".
And there are too many TB teams.
I hate to say that but I stay between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, from the ASA perspective, I want more teams sanctioned. It drives up our chance of securing more qualifiers to ASA Nationals. And they are a big deal.
From the TB coach perspective, I think there are too many teams with one to 4 quality players, and a lot of times, they don't get properly recruited.
Several players I know come to mind.

I have college coaches call me a lot asking about players. If I know of a kid that can help their program, I let them know. I don't care who they play for. (There are a few of us folks that do that too)

The "showcase" tournaments get bigger and bigger because the market demands it. It's all about supply and demand. I can set a cuttoff and there will still be twenty teams wanting in at the last minute.
There is a lot of money made in showcase ball whether in softball, baseball, basketball, soccer, voleyball, and every other sport I know of.

We play in Boulder for example. $1100 entry fee for a 7GG not to mention the travel. But they pull the coaches in and very high quality teams nationally. Usually it's bigger than we are, but the local college coaches like to see what our kids can do against the better competition from out west.
We play in NJ. 900 to 1000 entry fee for 5 to 7 games, but they pull the coaches and some of the very best teams in the nation.
The Legacy, 950 to play a 5GG. They are a little more regional and mostly pull regional colleges.
Our tournaments, 450 to 550 for 5 or 6GG. We pull more local teams and mostly local colleges.

There are issues. I would like to address a few.
Lets face it, there are not that many HS games that are enjoyable to watch. So if a kid is thinking that HS will get her to the next level it probably won't happen. (there is always the exception though)
And there are also the TB teams that can fit into the "weak" category too.

I only know of an elite few HS programs that draw any college representation at their HS games. And they are the regulars at the HS states. We all know who they are. They are good teams top to bottom, with very good instruction.
Most of the time, still, the college coach comes to watch the player they are or have recruited at a showcase or a camp somewhere. They don't just come to watch a HS game. They are there to see the player.

Colleges want to see the kids play the best competition available. Unless you're CA, TX, GA, FL, or AZ, you have to travel out of your respective state to get that level of play consistently.

If anyone knows of a kid that is getting overlooked, I will be more than happy to help try to find a place for them.
They don't have to play for me. I just need to see and know the product I'm promoting.
And if a kid needs help financially or needs to be in a higher level of play, I have several opportunties that she would be welcome to accompany us and I'll pay her way, and she doesn't have to play for me.

This is a great sport. It offers our girls a lot of opportunity. They have fun, they build lifelong, lasting friendships.

But an opportunity to play in college won't be handed to them on a silver platter. There are too many players as good or better than they are. There are things that must be done. That includes work, year round. It's awful hard to be the best at everything. (I don't know many Bo Jacksons in the softball world)
So they have to choose what they really want and go get it.
Sorry for the ramble. I wrote a book! LOL

 

Could this be that great leader I mentioned in a previous post?

 

My DD never played a game for CardCoach2 when her orginal commitment fell through and I was talking with him and he knew nothing of this till we were talking on the phone..... one call later from Ric to her future college coach and she was at her HS game ... She graduates next month from Greensboro College where she played for 4 yrs ..... Ric has done ALOT for Fastpitch Softball in NC .... Thanks Ric for all you do for these girls !!!!!

 

I have to agree about some coaches. I heard of Rick, Ronnie Plemmons, Rodney Threatt and some others speaking well for other girls not on their teams. I think I am building credibilty with college coaches if I help a girl on another team. That helps place my girls on my team in a better light.

I was told by a girl once that she didn't like a coach because he overrated his girls against other girls. Of course some people call that salesmanship. Her response is that he tells coaches that girls can do things they can't.

 

The whole quote was great!(for space purpose I just put part of it).

The showcase system is extremely useful at all levels, and for the elite players there is the need to play nationally even if they will play regionally. I believe the ideal situation for a player is a good marriage of High School and showcase. But a player cannot always control the quality of their HS but they can with their TB team. From my perspective many college coaches don't use both sides of this marriage. What I would like to see is a better involvement from the college coaches at the high school level. I know that its not realistic that these coaches will attend many Varsity games and when they do they are ready to offer to that player. What should happen is email or phone contact with the Varsity coach.
If I were to coach at the College level, depending on the level, Assign recruiting zones(much like football) and contact the top high schools in those zones. At minimum contact the HS with the players your recruiting. In many cases(not all) a Varsity coach is a the best character reference of that player. They see and work with them 180-200 days a year. Too often I have seen players sign and there was no contact to the HS coach. In some of these cases these players have red flags, and don't make it past their freshmen year. At least know what your signing!

Recruiting is the biggest difference maker in college athletics, football, basketball, and baseball has proven this. I just don't see the same attention to detail in softball. The players definitely need to do their part, but so do the coaches. The concept of recruiting is to attract new players to your program. A great recruiter can attract a player who did not have that school on their short list.

 

lets see

QUOTE.... CARDSCOACH2....."I only know of an elite few HS programs that draw any college representation at their HS games. And they are the regulars at the HS states. We all know who they are. They are good teams top to bottom, with very good instruction.
Most of the time, still, the college coach comes to watch the player they are or have recruited at a showcase or a camp somewhere. They don't just come to watch a HS game. They are there to see the player."


And I agree w you above....

OK ... here is the situation. IF..Maxpreps #1 team Northern HS in Maryland is playing #2 Bishop O'Connell HS from Virginia this coming Monday night in VA. Good players top to bottom on both teams...

1.. Would all the college SB coaches from NC VA MD come and watch that game?

2.. Would Coach Thomas at VT or Coach Papa at UNC go just to watch the game or would they go to see only a player they are recruiting that has been to their camps or showcases they have attended.

3.. would they show up just to see if they can find that link they may be missing.

This is #1 vs #2....It may be a good game to go watch. But why would a D1 or any other coach go to watch that game in the middle of their college season?

Now look at this...... Maxpreps # 321 ranked team from NC is playing #345 from SC. Would the same situation hold true as above.

My thought is they would not showup to either game, unless the TB/HS coach for a girl, that has the excellent coaching repitation that the college coach can trust...............JMO