showcases????

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At what age do college coaches REALLY start looking at girls? I've heard 16,14...... my DD will be moving up to 14u next year so I'm curious. Any thoughts, maybe some of the veterans of this game ( players and parents ) could help educate me.

 

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14U. When we had our talk with Marty McDaniels of TN, he said they start looking at 14U. He said it was sad that they were looking for replacements for the incoming freshman, but that's where recruiting has gone. He's going to Sioux Falls.

 

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I agree with brownsfan to an extent. While the top schools are looking at 14's they really don't get serious unless the players is an absolute stud. The different divisions and different schools look at different scholastic years. An example is we have done work with Emory lately. They can't really look at kids until their Jr year because they have to be sure the kid can get in school. Same with Holy Cross. Now I have also seen kids verbal as freshman to big schools. I know the college coaches hate it - looking so young. And you might even hear more rumblings at this years convention as to how schools can control it. But unless you real in the off campus recruiting windows there won't be any changes. More and more coaches are looking for change - unfortunately the bigboys aren't ready.

All that said I have seen a BIG change in the last 3 showcases we have played in. While the coaches have been watching the 16's there are far more coaches watching the 18u and 18u Gold teams. I asked a couple coaches and the TD's in Atlanta about it and they said the coach's are now looking more intently at the YOUNG players on the 18s. They figure if a freshman or sophomore is playing Gold they must be pretty good. Interesting(?)

 

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All that said I have seen a BIG change in the last 3 showcases we have played in. While the coaches have been watching the 16's there are far more coaches watching the 18u and 18u Gold teams. I asked a couple coaches and the TD's in Atlanta about it and they said the coach's are now looking more intently at the YOUNG players on the 18s. They figure if a freshman or sophomore is playing Gold they must be pretty good. Interesting(?)

Makes sense dosent it..... that means no one will believe it.

 

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the girls are still the same age, though whether they are playing up or age specific....if coaches are lamenting having to recruit players so young, the age level of team doesn't matter...a 2015 playing 18U Gold will graduate the same year a 2015 playing 2nd year 14U, so what is the change?....though I will agree in ATL the 16U fields were pretty sparse for coaches, while the reports I heard were that the 18U fields were crawling with coaches.

 

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BradWire - the difference is only that the 2015 is competing at a much higher level in games and against older more experienced teammates for playing time when playing on an 18u team - presumably.

What fields were you playing on at the Legacy? I know there were tons at the 18 fields, but I was impressed with the number of coaches at Twin Creeks. It worked out well for our kids.

 

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At what age do college coaches REALLY start looking at girls? I've heard 16,14...... my DD will be moving up to 14u next year so I'm curious. Any thoughts, maybe some of the veterans of this game ( players and parents ) could help educate me.

If your kid is 13u/14u and good enough to make the Beverly Bandits, New Jersey Breakers, New Jersey Intensity, Illinois Chill, Indiana Magic Gold, Wasco Diamonds, Worth Prospects, Georgia Elite, then by all means, play up at 16u and attend showcases....these kids will get looks.

However, if your kid is 13u/14u and on a team that isn't consider a "gold" team, I see no benefit of entering into 14u showcases (other than the local ones like Lasers/Gapss/Stingrays) because college coaches are not watching kids play 14u (unless you have a stud pitcher who is 6'0 tall and throws 63+ which is RARE)

Another thing you need to consider, do you really want coaches looking at your kid if she isn't ready?

I don't know who your kid is but this is my suggestion for what it is worth-
Have her play on the BEST ohio team she can get on (that matches her abilities) and hopefully that team will play in the BEST tournaments that they can get themselves into. with like minded parents, maybe the team can schedule a couple out of state tournaments too. Play the best and be willing to take your lumps...

Make sure the coaches know what the heck they are doing- don't join the "bluerays" or "crazers" for the "team name"- nothing is worse than watching a 13u/14u team and seeing that the coaches don't even move the defense around at every pitch or for every batter! Why is the LF at the fence when there is a slapper up to bat (drives me nuts!!) Strong coaching is a MUST.

If college looks is your kids goal, have someone give you an honest assessment of your kid's current abilities and areas in which she needs to work on and focus on those areas during this upcoming off season.

Network, network, network! Softball is very much like life...

 

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14U. When we had our talk with Marty McDaniels of TN, he said they start looking at 14U. He said it was sad that they were looking for replacements for the incoming freshman, but that's where recruiting has gone. He's going to Sioux Falls.

The Weekly's will be at PGF in Huntington Beach

 

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All that said I have seen a BIG change in the last 3 showcases we have played in. While the coaches have been watching the 16's there are far more coaches watching the 18u and 18u Gold teams. I asked a couple coaches and the TD's in Atlanta about it and they said the coach's are now looking more intently at the YOUNG players on the 18s. They figure if a freshman or sophomore is playing Gold they must be pretty good. Interesting(?)

Very true.....there are incoming 8th graders and incoming freshman that are playing 16u gold (not meaning asa gold- meaning an elite team) and 18u gold and holding their own.

These young kids are e-mailing coaches telling them they are 2017, 2016 on Gold team and they are playing in this Elite tournament- THAT will get the coaches attention

 

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Tim I have noticed the same thing this year. Not just gold teams but 18U . Take Loudonville for instance. 6 coaches were watching our first game Saturday. When the dd subbed for a 18U gold team, she had four e mails and calls within a week.

 

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other than the local ones like Lasers/Gapss/Stingrays) because college coaches are not watching kids play 14u (unless you have a stud pitcher who is 6'0 tall and throws 63+ which is RARE)

I saw one of these at Stingrays earlier this month. Watched a college coach clock her and the gun was reading 65's and 67's.

 

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I friend of mine had his DD start attending camps in 8th grade at schools she would really like to attend. He didn't just go to one, he went to multiple camps at the same university. He had her send the coaches emails thanking them for thier time at the camps and went back to another. By the 3rd camp the coaches knew her by name. Although they can't respond to her emails she still sends them updates on her results in HS ball and her tournaments. By the time she is a Jr. if she is progressing she will be on these coaches radar. You need more than just exposure/showcase tournaments today. You have to make sure coaches know you are interested. Have a profile sheet done by 13u, update it each year, do a video, attend camps, get invited to recruiting camps/tournaments and try to stand out. It also helps if your DD's coach can call/email the coaches players are intereested in. The college coaches may not be able to talk to players and parents until Jr. year but they can talk to travel coaches!

 

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I friend of mine had his DD start attending camps in 8th grade at schools she would really like to attend. He didn't just go to one, he went to multiple camps at the same university. He had her send the coaches emails thanking them for thier time at the camps and went back to another. By the 3rd camp the coaches knew her by name. Although they can't respond to her emails she still sends them updates on her results in HS ball and her tournaments. By the time she is a Jr. if she is progressing she will be on these coaches radar. You need more than just exposure/showcase tournaments today. You have to make sure coaches know you are interested. Have a profile sheet done by 13u, update it each year, do a video, attend camps, get invited to recruiting camps/tournaments and try to stand out. It also helps if your DD's coach can call/email the coaches players are intereested in. The college coaches may not be able to talk to players and parents until Jr. year but they can talk to travel coaches!

And for camps......a college coach can talk to any kid (and parents) if you are on their campus.

 

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Camps are good but seeing it "all together" under game pressure is best.....a camp that does this to a certain degree is the On Deck Allister Camps that are held several times a year - closest one to Ohio this year was in Illinois a couple weeks ago. These camps are a Gold team recruiting magnet.....On Deck is pretty selective but if your kid plays with a strong organization, you should get the nod to attend. Other colleges have Elite or Prospect camps which simulate the game.

 

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What 14u team at Lasers had a kid throwing 65-67 on it??? If it was the Crown Point kid, she will be on the 16u Bandits team next year and I did hear similar stories about this young lady (although I heard low 60's, still impressive)

It was at Stingrays Showcase. She was playing on Team PA. She was bringing it!!!

 

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BradWire - the difference is only that the 2015 is competing at a much higher level in games and against older more experienced teammates for playing time when playing on an 18u team - presumably.

What fields were you playing on at the Legacy? I know there were tons at the 18 fields, but I was impressed with the number of coaches at Twin Creeks. It worked out well for our kids.

girls played at the hobgood fields....there were a few here and there, but with the rain and changing schedules the coach attendance there went down pretty signifigantly each day....DDs friend plays on the Fury 96 and they played same game times as us and even they had a few games with no coaches....saw Walton standing around for about 2 innings Sat. AM, then he left, Lawson from UK watched he Fury/Vipers game for a while, Tenn assistant was at a few games, Doom's friday night game with GA Impact - Reed had 5-6 coaches....Only saw that many in the entire park Sat. night.

 

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Thats a shame. We had a 5-6 at every game. Even an Ohio College coach was hanging around and a former Stingray that coaches in Ga now. There were a couple high profile teams with a following playing at our complex. maybe they brought in coaches. But I did hear that your complex took the brunt of the weather. We were fortunate - we played all our games, at least part of them. I was shocked at the number of caoches that were there Sunday. Normally they are headed home. But most wanted to talk to players and they had to wait until after the tourney ended.

 

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Depending on your school, going from eighth grade academics to HS college prep level academics puts a lot more pressure on a kid, and college coaches know that. A ton can change in 3 - 4 years with a kid, both athletically and academically. The common thread in the above posts is that the ONLY 14u kids getting any serious looks are the ones on high profile teams at high profile showcases. Those kids are there for a reason - their athletic talent. But the other half of the equation is academics, personality, coachability, self-control, academics, act/sat scores... Oh, do you think any of these "high profile" teams pry into the personal life and ask for academic related data before adding a kid to the roster? I think most know the answer to that question.

The harsh reality is that if a kid (and her parents) are truly serious about her softball future in college, she better be playing on as high a profile team as possible - and that team MUST attend high profile showcases. Bottom line is that college coaches demand battle-tested players who are up to the challenge of playing at the college level. If you look the part at 16u, you are probably a good candidate. And get real - there are scant few 8th graders who are truly ready to compete at the college level. At a typical showcase, the 14u games DO NOT resemble a DI college game, especially the pitching. Sure, show me a 14u throwing 60 - 61 with decent control and composure with all the qualities I listed above, and I'll show you a DI prospect.

 

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Depending on your school, going from eighth grade academics to HS college prep level academics puts a lot more pressure on a kid, and college coaches know that. A ton can change in 3 - 4 years with a kid, both athletically and academically. The common thread in the above posts is that the ONLY 14u kids getting any serious looks are the ones on high profile teams at high profile showcases. Those kids are there for a reason - their athletic talent. But the other half of the equation is academics, personality, coachability, self-control, academics, act/sat scores... Oh, do you think any of these "high profile" teams pry into the personal life and ask for academic related data before adding a kid to the roster? I think most know the answer to that question.

The harsh reality is that if a kid (and her parents) are truly serious about her softball future in college, she better be playing on as high a profile team as possible - and that team MUST attend high profile showcases. Bottom line is that college coaches demand battle-tested players who are up to the challenge of playing at the college level. If you look the part at 16u, you are probably a good candidate. And get real - there are scant few 8th graders who are truly ready to compete at the college level. At a typical showcase, the 14u games DO NOT resemble a DI college game, especially the pitching. Sure, show me a 14u throwing 60 - 61 with decent control and composure with all the qualities I listed above, and I'll show you a DI prospect.

Posts just don't get much better and much more fact then this one.

 

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Even an Ohio College coach was hanging around and a former Stingray that coaches in Ga now.

He was waiting and hoping that you were buying dinner that night.