Travel Ball, Showcase Survey

o.k. my experience

Survey:
How many years travel: 5 yrs.
Cost estimate less hotels, food: 3-$0 sponsered, 2-$800 per yr.
How many years showcase:4 yrs.
Cost estimate less hotels, food: 3-$0 sponsered, 1-$900
Why Showcase:The best Competition makes the player better.
Where and when did you see scouts: Only the coaches from the schools where we were playing. 2 Exception- WWBA was always loaded and the fall Dirtbag tournament in Cary.
Did you see scouts at your HS games: Home games 3 or 4 last year.
Who helped the most with recruiting, HS or Showcase: Both produced college interest. But Showcase helped most.
College Baseball Scholarship offer (y/n): yes multiple
College Academic Scholarship offer (y/n): yes multiple
Last:
Would you do it again:
YES, Here is the thing. The experience was great, we will have these memories for ever. Like Catcher10 we would not pay 2500 to 4000 for our son play baseball. It just was not a good fit for our family. It is good to have a fall back however. If you have a sub-par high school program you can fall back to the Showcase program. And if you have a good high school program Showcase just adds to the experience. You don't have to pay alot, just be prepared to go to program tryouts. Don't be afraid to ask about the cost. The sponsered programs are usually the most succussful. Check out the results in the WWBA Championships because that's where you will find all the scouts every year. Do your home work.

 

Survey:
How many years travel: 0-babe ruth, pony league
Cost estimate less hotels, food: 0
How many years showcase: 1/2 summer
Cost estimate less hotels, food: 0
Why Showcase: hoping to be seen
Where and when did you see scouts: legion/ state games/some of the showcase games also
Did you see scouts at your HS games: yes
Who helped the most with recruiting, HS or Showcase: High School Coach made alot of calls,cause we were in no mans land as far as a baseball school
College Baseball Scholarship offer (y/n):yes
College Academic Scholarship offer (y/n):no
Last:
Would you do it again: yes,Our son wasnt ready to be seen by scouts until his jr year, he hadnt grown into his body good till then

 

Miss all the friends we made on this path baseball has led us down!

 

Survey:
How many years travel: from age 10 to 14 - summer all star baseball 10 - 12, AAU 11 - 12, Babe Ruth 13 -14 and some AAU fall and spring

Cost estimate less hotels, food: varied from $250 to $800 per season depending on the team - could add up to $1000 to $2000 per year

How many years showcase: 2 years (1 more to go)
Cost estimate less hotels, food: $1000 to $1500 per year
Why Showcase: after he aged out of Babe Ruth, we didn't have any good local options at the time that would provide the exposure that showcase would. We had friends that had played showcase and it had been a good experience for their families and sons

Where and when did you see scouts: Any event at the USA Baseball complex in Raleigh is sure to bring scouts regardless of whose event it is. WWBA events are loaded too. Individual showcases were good.

Did you see scouts at your HS games: Not often and when we did, it was because we had older boys who were already committed and they came to watch them play

Who helped the most with recruiting, HS or Showcase: In our case, showcase provided the most help, though our HS coach was supportive. I know that there are some HS coaches out there who work tirelessly day in and day out to promote their players and if yours is one of those, then that's a plus.

College Baseball Scholarship offer (y/n): yes
College Academic Scholarship offer (y/n): possibility

Last:
Would you do it again: In a minute. It's been a great experience for our family and for our son. We have made great friends that we will stay in touch with when our kids go off to their respective schools, and our son has learned to be humble in victory and lose with grace. He's played with and against some of the best players in the state and it's compelled him to work harder to get better. If there had been a local option for our son that would have garnered the same exposure, we may have considered that option too, but at the time we started the journey, there wasn't. I don't know that there's a "right" answer to this question, it's just a matter of finding what's right for your family and your son.

 

Oops...

Correction to above posts...I included travel estimates in the cost of playing travel ball and showcase ball...the fees for the teams he played for over the years were very small, especially considering some we know about.

...and just like many other posters here...our family loved the time, the travel, and the baseball. We made lifelong friends, saw many places we might otherwise never have seen...and the joy of watching our son play a game he loves was worth every minute and every penny!

 

A lot of us are watching our sons age out of High School Baseball. A lucky few had a chance to experience the recruiting process and will continue play at the next level. This class is on the front side of the travel ball and showcase explosion. Question is how was the experience and would you do it the same way if you had the chance?

Survey:
How many years travel: 6
Cost estimate less hotels, food:*
How many years showcase: 2
Cost estimate less hotels, food:*
Why Showcase: Great experience. Traveling across the state, getting to see the sites. New friends, unbreakable bond.
Where and when did you see scouts: Nearly every tournament. Hard to see from the field sometimes though. So that may not be accurate.
Did you see scouts at your HS games: No
Who helped the most with recruiting, HS or Showcase: Showcase
College Baseball Scholarship offer (y/n):x(only a junior)
College Academic Scholarship offer (y/n):x
Last:
Would you do it again: Oh of course! The price for some organizations may be a little cheap, but (with the right team) your getting your money's worth! Legion is great, but with legion you aren't aloud to visit the campus you are playing at. That drew me in immediately. The money and the long nights and early mornings never compare to the memories. Traveling across the state, carpooling with your teammates, eating as much as you can between games knowing it'll make you sick in the 3rd inning. I put the *s because I am not a parent, and I don't make the financial decisions, therefore I have no idea how much total we have spent on showcase. However, as a player, I can tell you it doesn't matter if it meant us living in a trailer because of it, it was worth it. Memories don't have a price.

 

Survey:
How many years travel:6
Cost estimate less hotels, food:$2200,00
How many years showcase:2
Cost estimate less hotels, food:$3500.00
Why Showcase:competition-exposure
Where and when did you see scouts:Most showcase tounraments
Did you see scouts at your HS games:no
Who helped the most with recruiting, HS or Showcase:showcase
College Baseball Scholarship offer (y/n):nothng solid(jr)
College Academic Scholarship offer (y/n):will have(jr)
Last:
Would you do it again:absolutely. The time spent with my son, the friends, memories, laughs could not be replaced. Whatever my boys decided to persue, we would have spent the time and money necessary to allow them the opportunity to be their best. It wouldn't matter if it were another sport, chess club, debating etc. It keeps them busy and working toward a goal and helps keep them out of trouble

Answer as many as you feel comfortable with. This may help the younger groups coming up, let them know what to expect.[/quote]