Travel ball tryout combine?

[WalkOffHR]

Of all the years I've been around travel softball and baseball, as a coach and of late a parent/fan, I've often wondered why at this time of year an event similar to a college showcase skills event has never been created for travel ball tryouts.

Here is the concept:

Kick the event off on the first Saturday in August. Players are put through a series of skills like they are at Stingrays/NFCA skills showcase. Travel coaches meander around taking notes etc. Let's say the skills part runs from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Then starting at 10 a.m. the players are placed on teams and play 3 inning games round robin style until about 3 p.m.

From 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. is the "contact" period in which travel coaches can seek out players and make their sales pitch for their organization and/or invite them to come to their own tryouts.

Obviously there would have to be qualified paid personnel running these stations and umpiring so some type of fee would need to be charged and the requisite waivers signed and collected and there would need to be a limit on the number of players who could attend, just like any other college exposure camp.

Has this ever been attempted before? Any thoughts on the viability of a concept like this?

This is just one of those ideas that I have always thought would be very beneficial to the player and the organizations instead of everyone running around to event after event every weekend for a month. This brings multiple players and orgs together in the same location.

 

[crystlemc]

Actually, this idea was presented by another member a couple years ago. The general consensus was that it would probably only work for mid-lower level teams, as most of the upper level talent is already secured for the coming season through private tryouts and such. Not to mention, ego plays a large part in whether this would work or not.

 

[daboss]

I don't see it working. Good luck if you try to run 1.

 

[DanMaz]

coaches from other travel orgs working together for tryouts..... NOW THATS FUNNY!!!!! LOL

 

[HITTER23]

And do you decide on who gets what players? Bidding wars on them? Every coach would obviously want the better players, Not a chance this works...

 

[CARDS]

A tryout combine may work out for most of the smaller or lesser know organizations and teams in a specific area/city that may struggle with turnout.
I doubt you will get buy in from any of the top programs around the state and like Hitter23 stated the standouts will get the offers from most of the teams and you will still have ladies having to attend private tryouts to get an opportunity.

I would say most of the well known organizations, teams, and coaches know who they are losing at years end and who they are gaining prior to any tryout so they will not be interested.

The season now for a lot of the bigger or stronger organization/teams is kind of like showcasing for college teams in some respect.
I know of many parents and coaches that are recruiting during season (or earlier) for their next years teams.
It is rare for a lot of these type of teams to lose much from year to year as they are generally looking to fill 3 or 4 spots unless they merge with another strong team and I have seen that happen several times as well.

Another big issue is Ohio is catching up with a lot of the bigger programs around the country by adopting their format of multiple age and or graduation years on a team and getting away from the birth year specific.
This allows teams to become more competitive by taking the best players available. EX: 9/10=10U-11/12=12U-13/14=14U 15/16=16U 17/18=18U. On showcase type teams ladies 13 and over may even make a 16U or 18U team.

At 16U and 18U I had to compete with over half the teams we played at the bigger events in TN. Chicago, Atlanta etc with teams that had a range of ages and graduation years where our organization was a birth year specific teams and it made a difference.

 

[JoeA1010]

Teams still hold tryouts beyond 12-U?

 

[coachjwb]

Some organizations all the way up through 18U ... absolutely ...

As has already been mentioned/implied, it's a great idea in concept (which has come up in prior years), but I just don't see it realistically working.

 

[cz fastpitch fan]

I think a lot of coaches would want to keep their blue chip prospects from attending this for obvious reasons. Now, this could work, but only for "free agents". Two ways of looking at it...if the environment is right, if the player is getting trained, pushed, getting all of the support she needs to learn and improves in the game (note...I said nothing about playing time in a specific position or spot in the lineup...all of this other stuff SHOULD be 10X as important as playing time in a preferred defensive position)....so if the player is getting all of that, and if the team is playing in the right tourneys against the right competition then a player should not want to leave to attend this combine, unless maybe she just wants the data (pop time, tee exit speed, vertical jump, O/H throwing speed, closing speed, 20 YD dash, 1st-3rd time. Add in all of the pitching metrics of velocity & rev rates for all movement pitches, maybe an accuracy test where the pitcher needs to dial in and hit a small target out of 10 pitches. I would love to see some player quickness metrics. How quickly does she release the ball from the time it hits her glove? A catcher is not the only player with a pop time. Ever seen a 3B charge and field a slap bunt, get there quickly, field the ball, bring it all the way back like she is a left fielder about to gun a runner at home, take her two huge steps towards 1B, and throw the ball hard, only to miss the out by a step? I see that a lot everywhere....even at 14U and above.
I would like to see some player quickness metrics. Set up some balls in the infield about 20' from home. The fielder starts 20' back and on command she attacks the ball, fields it, sets her feet (or not) and sends it to 1B. Measure THAT. Now you have some useful data!!!!
Coaches...I just gave you one of the best things to measure at your next tryout!
Fast base runners are deadly.
A faster & quicker defense can be equally deadly, even more-so, because when you sit down that girl who is 2.75 to 1B, the excitement in the infield would be electric and contagious!

If this ever happens...I'm bringing the popcorn.
Let me know when.
This would work in a league where all of the players are "free agents" every year, with the exception of maybe the head coach's daughter.
In this free market society...you got salesmanship, coach promises, player promises....etc etc. going on for the next 4-6 weeks, and a ton of players who will be BACK on the market, after all of the blue smoke has dissipated by October.
I, for one, would absolutely LOVE to see a player combine, where players go for objective evaluation and metric documentation of skills.
But....don't think I like the selling that goes on along with this.
Interesting idea. Would make for some fun pool side or hotel lobby discussion at 10PM on a Friday when the Sat AM game is at 9:30 or 11:00.
Hey...BTW....all of you who are TD's...teams LOVE those later start times. I know...got onto a tangent.
Interesting idea, OP.
CZ