NFCA Recruiting Camps

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Stingrays, Pennsbury etc.

To those that have been through it, I'm looking for advice/suggestions to pass on to some of my players regarding the camps.

What have people seen as far as Freshman being accepted? Specifically girls that are, today, 8th graders - 2016 grads. Do these girls normally get in? Looking at the registration itself, I don't really see the opportunity for these girls to "stand out" on a piece of paper. Most don't have the Academic answers they're looking for yet. The season averages asked about (pitching/hitting) are subjective and the catch all "Athletic Honors" section can't be that full for this age. They haven't yet played school ball and won't have a season in until after the 2012 camps are complete. I know they can't take everyone that applies, and they shouldn't, but what are they looking for? What can these girls put on their registrations to be considered for acceptance?

Any help from you veterans of this "process" would be appreciated?

 

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Don't know how they do all the sessions but, my dd was accepted in the pitching session ( Stingrays Camp ) last year as a incoming freshman (8th grade grad. 2015) and this is how that session went.

1. They divided the pitchers into 3 groups based on age.
2. Oldest started with the 10 pitching stations, then BATS screening, then hitting.
3. Next oldest started with hitting, then pitching, then BATS screening.
4. Youngest started with BATS screening, then to hitting, then to pitching.

By the time the youngest got to the pitching stations , it was lunch time and most of the colleges had taken their lunch break so they could be back in time to see fielding.

However, it was a good opportunity for my dd to experience that type of camp structure so in the future (when it really matters) she would know what to expect.

I see that the times for the sessions are similar for this year, so I would expect the same.

 

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When we were there we had most of our team in the NFCA Camp. They all were incoming Freshman and Sophomores and I can tell you they got plenty of looks. This is what I have been told by many coaches.

* The smaller schools and the D2-NAIA's are looking at in coming Juniors and Seniors. The Bigger D1 schools (say the top 75) already know the kids they are recruiting so they are looking at the younger ones - Freshman/Sophomores.
* BATS testing is not considered hugely important unless the coach is there watching. At the Disney Camp the drills, how they were conducted and the timing of them were totally different from when we were at the Stingrays Camp.

Just my two cents

 

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The NFCA also gives some increased attention to players who are on teams coached by a member of the NFCA. That is stated fairly clearly in the Camp materials.

 

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http://nfca.org/index.php/recruiting/77/3404-2011-stingray-recruiting-camp-coaches-attended

It looks like 31 colleges were in attendance last year, does this seem accurate or were there coaches present that didn't make the list?

 

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1. NFCA members get preference in getting their plays into the showcase. Coaches join the NFCA.
2. I have taken kids to both Pennsbury and Stingrays. Both had good exposure. More colleges at Pennsbury but an East Coast Concentration.
3. Pennsbery has an Academic Camp the day before the regular one. Only kids with high GPA and SAT/ACT are permitted. The colleges with high entrance requirements are in attendance and very few players. This is the only one in the country that has these requirements. The academic rigorous colleges almost out number the players. Sign up for both and double the exposure. Maybe Harvard, Bucknell or Oberlin needs a right fielder......

 

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Ah but Ivy league does not give dollars for athletics. But if you're going to one of those, your grades should be getting you something.

 

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@Hilliarddad

Getting on my dead horse again to point out that the same grades with athletic contributions might get more money than the grades without athletic contributions. True for the Ivies and true for Division III. Just nothing that a college rep could state out loud.

 

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@Hilliarddad

Getting on my dead horse again to point out that the same grades with athletic contributions might get more money than the grades without athletic contributions. True for the Ivies and true for Division III. Just nothing that a college rep could state out loud.

Heard about a top of the heap HS student who went shopping for college $$, and compared her offers to a good softball player who was a decent student, 3.5-3.7 range. At the same school, the great student was offered a few thousand. The softball player was offered thousands more, all of it "academic" $$.

 

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No such thing as academic money at the Ivy League schools and many top level academic D3s. All are top students so no money for grades. All money is financial aid based.

 

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gtq33:

I did a little bit more research and you are right about the Ivies and some top level Division 3 programs. They say that they award only need-based financial aid. My mistake. But there are many D3 programs, including Kenyon and Grinnell (the two programs that my kids attended), who continue to award academic aid. And in those systems, potential athletic contributions can play a role in determining the amount of academic aid. It's just not something that the D3 programs can admit to.

 

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gtq33:

I did a little bit more research and you are right about the Ivies and some top level Division 3 programs. They say that they award only need-based financial aid. My mistake. But there are many D3 programs, including Kenyon and Grinnell (the two programs that my kids attended), who continue to award academic aid. And in those systems, potential athletic contributions can play a role in determining the amount of academic aid. It's just not something that the D3 programs can admit to.

I don't disagree with this. I was just speaking to the Ivys and some very elite academic D3s. That being said, there are some outstanding need based financial aid opportunties available at the Ivys and high academic D3s.

 

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The D3's don't have athletic money but they have academic money that can be used like athletic money but better. Your dd will not be awarded this type of money unless she is a stella student, that is all too true. However, the award will be higher for a pitcher than it will be a non-athelete. They do it because they field 20+ varsity sports with a student body of a few thousand. They have to make certain that these teams are filled. On top of that they have a endowment that allows them to basically discount the tuition for these athletes.

The Ivy's don't have athletic money, they only have academic money so be smart. This is interesting in that you go into a different pool and your chances of being accepted go up as much as 35% if you are recruited athlete. The reason to be all-state for the Ivy's is that you actually have achance of geting into the school.

 

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The D3's don't have athletic money but they have academic money that can be used like athletic money but better. Your dd will not be awarded this type of money unless she is a stella student, that is all too true. However, the award will be higher for a pitcher than it will be a non-athelete. They do it because they field 20+ varsity sports with a student body of a few thousand. They have to make certain that these teams are filled. On top of that they have a endowment that allows them to basically discount the tuition for these athletes.

The Ivy's don't have athletic money, they only have academic money so be smart. This is interesting in that you go into a different pool and your chances of being accepted go up as much as 35% if you are recruited athlete. The reason to be all-state for the Ivy's is that you actually have achance of geting into the school.

Again, Ivys do not have academic money. All their money is need based financial aid. Yes, being an exceptional athlete helps you at the admissions office which is worth quite a bit in and of itself.

 

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I'm just curious to know, is the camp worth attending based on the number of college coaches there? I don't see a lot Ohio colleges in attendance.

 

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I believe that Yale has gone (others have followed) to a needs blind acceptance with a commitment to get every accepted student through their program. (With the endowment they have they can make this promise)

I will emphasize again that playing a sport significantly increases your chances of being admitted. Being recruited virtually guarantees a spot.

I would attend both if at all possible.

 

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@catalyst

A couple of points about whether the camp is worth attending. First, even if a particular college doesn't attend the camp, the stats coming out of the camp can be extremely useful to that college. Phrased differently, here is an opportunity for softball players to obtain skill stats from an independent source. The NFCA camp stats are posted on the NFCA web site. I believe this means that the compilation of stats from the NFCA camps end up in the hands of more college coaches than attend the camp. So if your player is speedy or pitches or catches this is a great way to obtain first to home, pitch speed, and POP speed. (BTW, I have seen college coaches consulting the NFCA spread sheet at Ohio showcases).

Second, the fact that your player attended this camp is a marker that she is serious about playing college ball and that the NFCA viewed her as good enough to be accepted to the camp. And yes, I recognize that some players without much of a shot at college ball will get accepted, but in general the caliber of players attending the camp is very high.

Third, and this is about paying it forward rather than a cost-benefit analysis, the more the highly qualified participants in the camp, the greater the likelihood that the NFCA will continue to hold this camp and the greater the likelihood that more college coaches will attend. This also increases the likelihood that more college coaches will attend the Stingrays tournament, which is the crown jewel of college showcase tournaments held in Ohio.

 

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CGS, Great post !

Also, don't forget the marketing. Yes, there will be colleges that attend every year without prompting, but if there is a particular college that your dd is interested in, have her market herself. Just like QDS, you would be surprised at the colleges that would attend if invited. If everyone would take the same approach, your dd would be in front of several colleges that you might never have thought of.

 

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gopher:

You are absolutely right that the player herself might be able to increase the number of college coaches attending. The NFCA recruiting camps are very prestigious and I suspect it wouldn't take much player marketing to get this relatively new location (I think this is the third year) to a point where the college coach attendance is very high. I know that the NFCA is committed to getting as many college coaches as possible and I believe that the combination of player and NFCA marketing will make this event a must for both players and college coaches.

And again, recognition clearly goes to the Stingrays tournament for providing a basis for the NFCA to hold this camp in Central Ohio.