10U Showcase....really???

[absolute59]

I see that the Stingrays are having a 10U "Showcase" tournament. My question is are college coaches really going to be present to watch 10U games or is the use of the term "Showcase" as it relates to a 10U tournament designating something different than how that term is usually used for "college showcases"?

 

[manitoudan]

Just semantics . I'd guess the rays are not setting up any space behind the back stop for the 10-12u games.

 

[CARDS]

I see that the Stingrays are having a 10U "Showcase" tournament. My question is are college coaches really going to be present to watch 10U games or is the use of the term "Showcase" as it relates to a 10U tournament designating something different than how that term is usually used for "college showcases"?

How about we hear from the College coaches that have attended past 10/12U College showcases....How many have you attended and what are you looking for?...
Go through the tournament list here and Softball Tournaments.com and you will find quite a few that offer a younger division of play. (Cant say I have actually attended an event for the young ones but they have been around)

My personal feeling is it may be more of a way to bring in revenue to an event and give young teams a sense they may have opportunities to make the cut when they get to the older age groups... I would say lets here from TD on what the actual goal would be though...

 

[coachjwb]

I'd guess semantics as well ... sorry, I've seen some excellent play at 10U, but any college coach spending time watching a 10U game would be nuts in my opinion ...

 

[DoubleTheFun]

As with past Stingrays College Showcases that I can recall going back at least ten years, the 2017 Summer Showcase will host a 10+U age division. It is appropriately called the "Starting Stars Division". This 24 team age division hosts quite a few of the little sister teams that are attending, in my opinion, one of the best college showcase events in the Midwest. While there are plenty of college coaches scouting the older age groups, my own personal experience is that the younger age groups are "showcasing" their skills to their teammates, opponents, family and friends. I also fondly remember supporting some of the big sister teams with the younger ones making some fun dugout and bleacher appearances, seeing all the college coaches being shuttled around in the golf carts, and dreaming of the day...

 

[wow]

Stingrays is hands down one of the best well run college exposure turnys in Ohio. I have been involved at 10,12, and 14. I can say at 10 and 12 its about preparing to play at the higher levels. At 14 and above there are a ton of college coaches buzzing around. At 16 its just crazy with the amount of coaches. The name "showcase", for the younger ages, is about building excitement about playing at the upper levels as they get older.

Could a coach make their way to a 10 or 12u game? maybe....

 

[FastBat]

I'll be honest, my daughter played in the Stingrays 10u tourney as a 9 year old. Did I think any college coaches were watching her? Of course not! Even as a 9u parent I wasn't that naive. In fact, I don't think the tourney director suggested college coaches were watching those kids. I assumed they were watching the older kids playing at a different location. But, was it a well run tourney? Yes. Did my dd want to play at that tourney again? Yes. Even at 9 years old, my dd and I could feel the uniqueness of that special tourney. And when she is 14, if she is able to play there, it won't feel as scary or new or like the pressure is on to perform because she will have played at that elite level all along.

 

[wvanalmsick]

FYI, there has been at least 1- Div 1 coach at Coffey Fields in past tournaments watching the girls.

But..........they weren't there recruiting or scouting.

 

[absolute59]

I wasn't denegrating the event and I know the Stingrays event is a premier event in the PA/Ohio/Mich/Ind/Ky area.

I just didn't know that they included 10u teams in this event and wondered if college coaches were actually watching. Heck in light of 8th graders getting verbals for all I know they might be.

 

[raidian70]

Stingrays doesn't do this, but sometimes the word Showcase will indicate the rules for the tournament in which the lineups and substitutions are a free for all. It gets a little wild.