Softball tourneys to attend for the most college expousure

Supertech

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Is there one list that I can use as a guide to apply for the best tourneys to get in so our girls get the most "Bang for the Bucks" invested? Most of the invitationals are invite only and how can a new team with an established organization secure an invite?
 

WWolff

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Is there one list that I can use as a guide to apply for the best tourneys to get in so our girls get the most "Bang for the Bucks" invested? Most of the invitationals are invite only and how can a new team with an established organization secure an invite?

That depends on a lot of things

Your team some our invites only and not everyone can get in.

Again your team just applying to a showcase and getting in doesn't mean you will be seen. Some of the biggest showcases use many fields and for most of the teams a waste of money if your just trying to be seen by chance. Which is a crap shoot in it self.

What I would recommend is looking for showcases that keep you at one or two locations better chance to be seen. A lot of these so called big showcases just spread you out to too many facilities or locations.

If you want to pm me some information on your team I would be willing to give you some idea's or just call me 216-704-9908 Warren
 

Pioneer01

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In my opinion the best way to get exposure is to go to a college or colleges camps that your daughter is interested in. Self promotion is the best way, record games and make highlight reel. Send that to colleges, I've found you'll probably be more successful that route.
 

Fairman

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I don't care what showcase you go to, your players have to reach out to the College Coaches and let them know...

1. That they are interested in playing for that particular college and that they actually have researched that particular school's academic offerings.
2. Who that layer is and what they are capable of including academics.
3. Why they are interested in that particular school.
4. Contact information especially the travel coach's info.
5. Where and what time they will be playing at that tournament and their schedule for the remainder of the season.
6. A player profile and a Video link
7. At the tournament the Team must provide a player booklet to any coach that shows up.

If you have several girls doing this the coaches might just show up and just might notice a girl while looking at another.
Just playing at random showcases hoping that some random coach notices you is not a very good plan for success.


I think that at our showcase (ISST) with 70+ teams 16 and 18U that less than a dozen actually have a handout for the college coaches and that they actually hand it out. I bet that out of those 1,000 players a similar tiny number have actually reached out to the college coaches to let them know they are interested in their school.

Its like going to the prom in jeans, hoping to pick up a date with the lights off.
 

Commonsensex2

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In my opinion the best way to get exposure is to go to a college or colleges camps that your daughter is interested in. Self promotion is the best way, record games and make highlight reel. Send that to colleges, I've found you'll probably be more successful that route.
Agree with post. My daughter has selected the colleges she would like to attend and we have attended those camps. Information(academic and athletic) was exchanged between her and the coaches and things look good. High school coach is doing a lot of legwork as well. Her choice of where she wants to play will save us big dollars this summer by not having to be affiliated with a big time travel organization and travel to other states. Of course, she is going for the academics at a d-3 and can(if she desires) play softball.
 

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St Louis Fall Showcase is the best I've seen in the Midwest and the Thanksgiving-ish event in held by Surf City in Huntington Beach. Both is super strong and when you are put on the top fields it's unreal.
 

geowardjr

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Last summer was our first real experience playing mainly showcase tournaments.

Honestly I feel we had the best exposure (with coaches from Ohio and schools in states surrounding Ohio) at both of the Outlaw Showcases we attended. (Outlaws Midwest Premier in June and Outlaws Fall Brawl in October)

O'Fallon in the fall, by far, had the most visible coaches from all over the country watching games........a lot of schools from the Midwest that most of our girls would likely consider......... atmosphere was similar to Nationals. (We had the best weather we had seen all season here in late October ... it is my understanding that 2013 was cold, windy, rainy)

PGF Nationals in Huntington Beach had a lot of coaches however; larger venue spread the coaches around. (O'fallon complexes had four backstops together at their complexes ... you could sit at the field and see 10 or more coaches at each field)

Southern Force near Atlanta, GA (early November) had a lot of coaches however; cannot say would benefit any Ohio teams unless you had girls who definitely were going South to go to school.

Coaches seemed to be much more motivated to recruit in the fall.

Pennsbury had a very good showing ..... mainly east coast schools with some schools from OH and MI there.

Last, but not least, I would say Stingrays ...... very well run tournament ... a lot of coaches ... only drawback I would say is how many games going on at once over such a large complex. Granted, if a coach is interested in your daughter, they are going to find her..... only problem is if coaches are interested in more than one girl in the tournament, they will spend as much time traveling between fields as they do watching the games.

added: 12/23 ... forgot to mention the PGF Showcase in Indianapolis 4th of July weekend .... not a very good showing of coaches .... was told that the majority of coaches went to the tournament in Colorado at the same time. This fall, people who attended the Colorado Tournament said they did not see a lot of coaches there either ... I'm sure the holiday prevented coaches from participating....... Had a great time in Indy anyhow.
 
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GaBuckeye22

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Is there one list that I can use as a guide to apply for the best tourneys to get in so our girls get the most "Bang for the Bucks" invested? Most of the invitationals are invite only and how can a new team with an established organization secure an invite?

Have not been on in a while so I hope you guys are doing well!. Having had the opportunity to live in the Midwest and the South and spending a lot of time at the "national exposure" events, I'll add my 2 cents.. Best exposure events in the country

PGF Nationals...however you need to play well and stay alive in order to draw the most interest.
Atlanta Legacy
Triple Crown Nationals (TC/USA Nationals)
Demarini (Chicago)
Independence (Colorado)
NJ Intensity Showcase
D9 Showcase
Stingrays
Outlaws
Scenic City (need in Super Pool here)
Diamond Classic (Spartanburg SC - put on by USC Upstate)
ASA A Nationals (14 & 16's)

as as with any of these you must put yourself on the best team possible. Need to assure good game times and good quality opponents....on the best fields...then the girls must do their part...emails, calls, camps are a must in order to peek the interest..
 

Lester

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Have not been on in a while so I hope you guys are doing well!. Having had the opportunity to live in the Midwest and the South and spending a lot of time at the "national exposure" events, I'll add my 2 cents.. Best exposure events in the country

PGF Nationals...however you need to play well and stay alive in order to draw the most interest.
Atlanta Legacy
Triple Crown Nationals (TC/USA Nationals)
Demarini (Chicago)
Independence (Colorado)
NJ Intensity Showcase
D9 Showcase
Stingrays
Outlaws
Scenic City (need in Super Pool here)
Diamond Classic (Spartanburg SC - put on by USC Upstate)
ASA A Nationals (14 & 16's)

as as with any of these you must put yourself on the best team possible. Need to assure good game times and good quality opponents....on the best fields...then the girls must do their part...emails, calls, camps are a must in order to peek the interest..


nailed it!
 

teampacyclone

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Pennsbury, Team NJ, Rhode Island Thunder Showcase, TNT, Newtown Rock all runs some very strong tournaments in Eastern PA, NJ area, Stop DWI hosted by Blue Chip softball watched by several college coaches.

We also got our players first hand exposure this fall to college coaches as we scrimmaged Pitt Johnstown, Seton Hill, and IUP all DII college teams this fall, which was immediate exposure for our players to them in friendlies.

Agree seek out schools based on academic interest, find out where they will be and seek those tournaments/camps that they will be attending.
 

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