fastpitch showdowns

[Pacerdad57]

is it just me, or has anyone else noticed an almost total dearth of representation by colleges at tournaments run by fastpitch showdowns?
Recruitfest was supposed to have many signed up to show, but i saw only a couple. i realize they may have been at the tables of the higher level teams, but the coaches tables at most of the locations i saw as i walked around were completely empty friday and saturday. did most of the coaches/scouts go to some of the bigger tournies and just bypass this one?

 

[crystlemc]

I can almost guarantee they were at Stingrays.

 

[Pacerdad57]

yep, it was a ghost town for the most part in columbus.
i have not been the least bit impressed with any of the tournaments put on by fastpitch showdown all summer.

 

[Lenski65]

is it just me, or has anyone else noticed an almost total dearth of representation by colleges at tournaments run by fastpitch showdowns?
Recruitfest was supposed to have many signed up to show, but i saw only a couple. i realize they may have been at the tables of the higher level teams, but the coaches tables at most of the locations i saw as i walked around were completely empty friday and saturday. did most of the coaches/scouts go to some of the bigger tournies and just bypass this one?

Coaches sign up for both Stingrays and Recruitfest because they are the same weekend and are in close proximity to each other. They almost always attend Stingrays first because of the more recognizable organizations (from all over the nation), the sheer number of teams, and larger talent pool. A few coaches make their way down to Berliner, but the majority of coaches end up staying at Stingrays sites because there is so much to see making it hard for them to leave.

 

[Skeeter]

There were at least 30 plus college coaches from DI, DII, DIII, NAIA, etc. at the Buckeye Recruitfest camp all day on Thursday at Berliner that interacted with the participants the entire day including switching dugouts every 15-20 minutes with each team as they played simulated games. The question and answer portion of the camp had a panel of college coaches representing each division which basically said they were finishing up their recruiting for the 2017 graduation year, the coaches provided a lot of great information. Number one question asked was does it matter the name of your daughters travel team that she plays for and every coach on the panel said "NO", We recruit the player not the coach or the organization that they play for.

We did not see any coaches at the 14u games played Friday-Sunday on the back 40 fields.

 

[Pacerdad57]

There were at least 30 plus college coaches at the Buckeye Recruitfest camp all day on Thursday at Berliner, did not see any at games Friday-Sunday.

Saw a sum total of one.
Kind of makes the recruitfest a worthless endeavor if your looking to be seen, huh?
Same deal at the gem city tourney, a ghost town, didn't see any coaches/ scouts there.
The Fastpitch showdown tournies to me certainly are not why they are sold as.

 

[okiedad1961]

Most of the coach's we saw at recruitfest were there to see our ladies that were being actively recruited or invited to watch them.No there weren't as many there as stingrays but at Indy the prior weekend they were everywhere and turnout was easily as good or better than stingrays and nicer facility's at one location.

 

[DanMaz]

is it just me, or has anyone else noticed an almost total dearth of representation by colleges at tournaments run by fastpitch showdowns?
Recruitfest was supposed to have many signed up to show, but i saw only a couple. i realize they may have been at the tables of the higher level teams, but the coaches tables at most of the locations i saw as i walked around were completely empty friday and saturday. did most of the coaches/scouts go to some of the bigger tournies and just bypass this one?

went there last year and saw the same... no college representation. would never go to recruit-fest especially with Stingrays going on the same weekend. not to mention the risk of getting your vehicle broken into.... hear about this every year at berliner. JMHO

 

[okiedad1961]

went there last year and saw the same... no college representation. would never go to recruit-fest especially with Stingrays going on the same weekend. not to mention the risk of getting your vehicle broken into.... hear about this every year at berliner. JMHO

Dan you really know how to kick a event when there down,Rectuitfest is what it allways has been an alternate to stingrays in close proximity of good coach's .The girls that do there contact work and are skilled players will get looks.Believe me not being selected for Stingrays is not the beginning or end of the recruiting process.There were ladies at recruitfest that will land at schools and some at stingrays that won't.Lets not crush there dreams cause they weren't at rays.

 

[CARDS]

There were at least 30 plus college coaches at the Buckeye Recruitfest camp all day on Thursday at Berliner, did not see any at games Friday-Sunday.

The NFCA camp is only advertised on the Stingrays and Recruitfest websites. It is run separate from the tournaments and ladies playing in any event or not playing that weekend can apply.
I worked a couple Columbus and PA camps several years back and there was a lot more than 30 college coaches there. I would say closer to 90 so, that is a "huge" drop off.

The Thursday evening All Star Game was put on by Fastpitch Showdowns and again is separate from the camp. Players could be coach nominated or could apply and if accepted pay the money to play.
(I will say both years I was there in Columbus the All Star Game was not attended very well by college coaches but that may have changed over the years).

I know of some coaches that make time to swing by both parks but as they go from Stingrays to Berliner most know who they are going to see, game times, field etc. so, they are not shopping for talent.

Our Organization always had teams in both events over the years and my experience was there were more college coaches at Stingrays hands down.
Most of the coaches I seen at Recruitfest were JC, NAIA, DIII and very few DI DII programs. With that said I did have two players get and eventually take some good offers that fit their needs from smaller schools one year from Recruitfest.

 

[CoachTEA]

There wasn't as many this year as last, but I did see/speak to the following: Rio Grande, Georgetown College, Urbana, Wilmington College, Fairmont St., CCU, and Defiance College

 

[Pacerdad57]

The DD is definitely doing the contact work she needs to, it just looks like very few coaches are attending the Fastpitch showdown tournaments. Very low attendance all summer long.

 

[Pacerdad57]

Honestly saw nothing but empty chairs at the coaches tables.
Apparently not coming around to the fields the DD's team were playing on

 

[SOFTBALLS14]

It ALL boils down to emailing and contacting the coaches your players are interested in!!
We had plenty come watch our team. I talked to alot at Recruitfest ... 5+
If your players call or email them they will come!! If players don't they wont know where they are or where to look!!
Must do the work to get seen !
They don't just go 'shopping' at events for players they have a list & go watch the ones that are willing to put in the time and effort into getting recruited !
Don't blame the event for NOT doing the work before the tourney! Just saying...

 

[Captain_Thunder]

The Head Coach of our 99 team called me last night to inform me that they Won Recruitfest......
He also informed me of the various coaches that were watching them playing & who they were communicating with......
They are not gonna just show up hoping - But they will be there if they get contacted!
He said there was some Michigan schools coaches there also........

 

[DanMaz]

kick an event when they are down? just commenting on the OP asking if anyone else noticed lack of college coaches at this event.... an honest opinion of my observation is what I posted. I wasn't trying to kick any even while they are down and sorry if you took it that way.

 

[Hilliarddad3]

I worked Stingrays and talked to some that said they were doing double duty down at Berliner to get their travel worth. You may not have noticed them based on their normal attire, but they did say they were heading down there....can't say how many but a few did state it.

 

[Pacerdad57]

just going by my observations, no coaches seen at their allotted tables save for the one i saw that i did mention.
the DD has definitely been doing her due diligence, she knows what to do to contact coaches and has been doing do for each tournament she plays in. she's definitely smart enough to know that.
my statement was that there were very few compared to what was advertised as going to be there. they apparently were not looking at some of the teams, the DD's included.

 

[ohiosoftball]

Maybe they are seeing your DD's and just not liking what they are seeing, there for no reason to approach you/DD? I as well seen/ spoke with several coaches at the B.R.F. It is not like they are going to say" Hey just so you know I was here, but did not like anything you have to offer so work on it and I will be back next year. They are simply going to check them off and move on to what they hope will be what they looking for. JMHO

 

[Utility21]

I know a major DIV I coach was at the 12U Saturday sitting in the stands getting an ear full. A player was stirring up trouble with her teammate and had no idea who was sitting in front of her listening to it all. I was told "It doesn't matter who she thinks she is, she will never play for them" And yes it was the school of choice for this girl. So even if you didn't see them they were there.