They just want your money..

OHsoftball

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Stop giving your money to these organizations to participate in their so called “showcases” or “invitationals”. Glad my daughter is done because it’s getting worse by the year!! It’s nothing but a money grab. Crappy fields, no fences, lack of restrooms, and just this past weekend.. 65 minute games!!! 65 minutes!! I can assure you no college coach is going to recruit your kid from watching them play a 65 minute game. Do your research, travel a little if you have to, play less tourneys and attend more camps/team camps. Just my two cents.. Outlaws and Stingrays was a total rip off this year. Sad because it wasn’t like that just3-4 years ago…
 

SonicMojo

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65 minutes (or less) is terrible. Some of the 65 minute ones we've had are 65 minutes plus 1 inning. That at least cuts down on the stalling shenanigans, but is still too short overall.
 

Softballrules011

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Stop giving your money to these organizations to participate in their so called “showcases” or “invitationals”. Glad my daughter is done because it’s getting worse by the year!! It’s nothing but a money grab. Crappy fields, no fences, lack of restrooms, and just this past weekend.. 65 minute games!!! 65 minutes!! I can assure you no college coach is going to recruit your kid from watching them play a 65 minute game. Do your research, travel a little if you have to, play less tourneys and attend more camps/team camps. Just my two cents.. Outlaws and Stingrays was a total rip off this year. Sad because it wasn’t like that just3-4 years ago…
Some of your complaints have merit.....but I can tell you there have been a TON of college coaches at these Showcases. I thought the Stingrays did the best they could with the rain.....it would be a lot easier if each day was sunny and 80. I can only speak for 16u but our games were a 1 hour and 20 finish the inning.
 

OHsoftball

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Games were originally 65 min… wasn’t due to rain.
 

tshepherd

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I can tell you somewhat what happened just because I was in the middle of the argument that took place at Stingrays. There was a email sent to umpires that game times were to be 65 at Obetz no where else. I also complained about the 65 minute game times and the guys running Stingrays set the umpires straight and as far as I know was corrected. I know this was not done by the people running Stingrays and I believe Obetz had gotten rain that was the reason for it on that day. After our first game times were corrected. I think one thing you need to take in consideration is the fact they have no control over the locations they have the showcases at or the weather. Both showcases had rain it sucks but it is what it is and both had great college coach turn out.
 

yocoach

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I would agree with the sentiment if the Showcase has signed up far too many teams to the point of necessitating shortening games instead of attaining more complexes. I honestly don't know the situation as I didn't play in either one this year. Then again, if you're depending on showcases to get your DD recruited, then you're going about this entirely wrong. Something like less than 3% of all players playing in college are 'discovered' at showcases and even fewer college coaches want to waste their time recruiting players that haven't expressed any interest in their school and program.
 

google1

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I would agree with the sentiment if the Showcase has signed up far too many teams to the point of necessitating shortening games instead of attaining more complexes. I honestly don't know the situation as I didn't play in either one this year. Then again, if you're depending on showcases to get your DD recruited, then you're going about this entirely wrong. Something like less than 3% of all players playing in college are 'discovered' at showcases and even fewer college coaches want to waste their time recruiting players that haven't expressed any interest in their school and program.


Completely agree. Players have to do their homework... they cant just rely on college coaches out "recruiting" at showcase events. Those coaches are there for a reason... to see someone specific that had reached out to them.
If the players do their work the coaches will come regardless of where they are playing.
One of my players had been contacting a coach from West Virginia... they came all the way out to Teal Town just to see her play. This was a pay at the plate event and by means represented a "showcase" event in any fashion. The coaches came there to watch her play... ended up flowing her to another event 2 weeks later and she signed/committed with that school this past spring. (we actually had 3 seniors sign/commit this year.. all because they did their "homework")
End result... these players need to do their homework!
 

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I like this post. Here goes. I've been coaching A level softball for 10 years and have helped put about 20 players in college from D1 to NAIA. Playing in college is a great goal to have for any travel ball player. However, MY EXPERIENCE IS, that for 95% of travel ball parents, if you are expecting a pot of gold at the end of the softball rainbow you are in this for the wrong reason. If you take all the money you spend on team fees, bats, gloves, equipment, college camps, lessons, psychiatrist, gas, hotels, meals and marriage counseling over a 6 to 10 year period and invest it in a 529, you will have more money than most receive in scholarships. Play for the love, and everything else is a bonus.
 
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Morgan Sky

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I like this post. Here goes. I've been coaching A level softball for 10 years and have helped put about 20 players in college from D1 to NAIA. Playing in college is a great goal to have for any travel ball player. However, MY EXPERIENCE IS, that for 95% of travel ball parents, if you are expecting a pot of gold at the end of the softball rainbow you are in this for the wrong reason. If you take all the money you spend on team fees, bats, gloves, equipment, college camps, lessons, psychiatrist, gas, hotels, meals and marriage counseling over a 6 to 10 year period and invest it in a 529, you will have more money than most receive in scholarships. Play for the love, and everything else is a bonus.
Absolutely best post ever. My dd plays the game because she loves it. She couldn't care less about the W's, L's, or the trophies. We don't spend $100's a month on lessons, she's not even sure if she wants to play in College or even High school. For those that do know who she is, know she leaves it all out on the field. I wish some parents and coaches would take the "GOGGLES" off and just let them play.
 

OHsoftball

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You’re exactly right MSirohman, I could send my daughter to college twice with the money I have spent on travel ball over the years. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything!! My only problem and the point in my post is, these organizations are staring to rip these kids off.

Also, obetz fields were scheduled 65 minutes from the start before any weather was even a factor. Just not acceptable if you ask me.
 

OHsoftball

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Absolutely best post ever. My dd plays the game because she loves it. She couldn't care less about the W's, L's, or the trophies. We don't spend $100's a month on lessons, she's not even sure if she wants to play in College or even High school. For those that do know who she is, know she leaves it all out on the field. I wish some parents and coaches would take the "GOGGLES" off and just let them play.

Yea let them play, that’s my point. The more teams the tourney takes, the less the kids are going to actually play!
 

Morgan Sky

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Back to the $ point of this post as a parent. I make sure my dd has the best equipment to perform on the field but as far as hitting and fielding, there is nothing better than going down to the local field, grabbing the bat and hitting grounders to her, shagging balls, and doing front toss. That's the stuff they'll remember, not you dropping them off at lessons and sitting on your phone for an hour.
 

daboss

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I like this post. Here goes. I've been coaching A level softball for 10 years and have helped put about 20 players in college from D1 to NAIA. Playing in college is a great goal to have for any travel ball player. However, MY EXPERIENCE IS, that for 95% of travel ball parents, if you are expecting a pot of gold at the end of the softball rainbow you are in this for the wrong reason. If you take all the money you spend on team fees, bats, gloves, equipment, college camps, lessons, psychiatrist, gas, hotels, meals and marriage counseling over a 6 to 10 year period and invest it in a 529, you will have more money than most receive in scholarships. Play for the love, and everything else is a bonus.

Thank you. You've summed it up very well.
 

HITTER23

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This thread really puts the whole travel thing into perspective and only comes from experience . Do it to be with your kid, enjoy the time and memories youre making. I dont recall the miniscule percentage that actually go play in college but its enough to make you rethink all the money you throw into the chase and just enjoy watching them play. I would give anything to have one of those weekends back on the road with the DD but for totally different reasons than what i had back then.
 

CARDS

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This thread really puts the whole travel thing into perspective and only comes from experience . Do it to be with your kid, enjoy the time and memories youre making. I dont recall the miniscule percentage that actually go play in college but its enough to make you rethink all the money you throw into the chase and just enjoy watching them play. I would give anything to have one of those weekends back on the road with the DD but for totally different reasons than what i had back then.

I agree with most of what you say...

However...If a TEAM markets themselves as "collage exposure team" they dam sure better do the following...
One...Pick post secondary athletes for the team...
Two....Play in events that their players can reach out to perspective coaches/schools to attend that meets their playing level...

Sadly over the past 15 years I have seen a lot of teams/organizations overcommit and under deliver....
 
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