How important is Fall softball to getting you seen for college ball

[default]

I know it's a long Summer of ball and then Tryouts........But how important are Camps and tournaments in the fall to get you noticed for the next level and is it more important at 14U or 16U..?

 

[default]

Importance would depend on a few things. A stand out stud maybe not so much as she would be on a lot of radars but someone who is not a stud needs all the exposure they can get. Camps at schools you are seriously interested in would be important and tournaments with lots of your colleges in attendance would be very beneficial. If they are not looking at your kid they are looking at someone else's.

 

[default]

VERY! This is the time that you get to go to a campus, meet the coach, meet the players and get to know the coach and players on a personal level. A coach can not talk to you as a potential recruit during summer ball, but as a "camper" on their campus they can talk to you, coach you a little and find out who you are as a person and a player. I tell my kids from September to January is when the real recruiting decisions are made. You can be a stud on the field, but have a bad attitude or not match up well to a coach or the current players personality wise and be eliminated from their list of recruitable players.

 

[default]

Down here the fall showcases are very strong. It is a year round endevour(sp) these days....

 

[default]

VERY! This is the time that you get to go to a campus, meet the coach, meet the players and get to know the coach and players on a personal level. A coach can not talk to you as a potential recruit during summer ball, but as a "camper" on their campus they can talk to you, coach you a little and find out who you are as a person and a player. I tell my kids from September to January is when the real recruiting decisions are made. You can be a stud on the field, but have a bad attitude or not match up well to a coach or the current players personality wise and be eliminated from their list of recruitable players.

Good points

 

[default]

I know it's a long Summer of ball and then Tryouts........But how important are Camps and tournaments in the fall to get you noticed for the next level and is it more important at 14U or 16U..?

Importance of Fall showcasing depends on their grade level:

- 8th grader: Very little unless she is an absolute stud (i.e. SEC-level prospect) and playing up on a strong team.

- 9th: Very important if they attracted interest last Summer, especially if at a major 14U national (i.e. PGF or ASA/USA). Highly recommended for good teams to play 16U to prepare their players for HS ball at 43' and against older players.

- Older: Critical.

 

[default]

I think that the fall is huge - time to get to those college camps. We went to 4 last year as well as playing tournies.

 

[default]

A similar point from the other side...this is also the time a player can decide if they like the coach, their style of doing things and the chemistry with the other players....you can use this time to maybe check schools off your list too.

 

[default]

Very important for high school age kids in general. College coaches have a short fall season in general so they are free to focus on recruits at camps and tournaments

 

[default]

Another viewpoint to consider: Get a QUALIFIED UNBIASED opinion of your kid's skill set before taking your kid to every camp in the land. You want her to leave a lasting impression by being a standout. If her skills are "not quite there yet", why go and disqualify her in the coaches minds?

Camps are like auditions, or tryouts. If you have skills that impress - go show them off. If not, skip the camps for now, but get to work on those skills! This is exactly why, as a parent, you MUST be honest and objective about your kids skill level. Sometimes an unbiased outside opinion is worth it's weight in gold.