Spazsdad wrote:Sam what are thoughts on this?
How come Softball is travelball driven in comparison to some other sports. Football players get recruited from High School, so do basketball players. When and how did travelball become the route taken. I know it is easier for the coaches to see players at exposure tournaments but if they didn't exist the coaches would have to scout players from HS.
Until Sam gets around to this:
Club football isn't feasible because of among other things, the beating the players take. Basketball is a revenue sport so I could imagine that coaches are more willing to send someone from their staff to high school games (although AAU basketball has plenty to do with the recruitment of players. Especially elite ones).
Softball is not a revenue sport. College coaches do not have the time (or the budget in many cases) to go to too many high school games where they'll only see two teams. They are busy with their OWN teams during high school season and not being a revenue sport, probably don't have some scout they can send out like UCLA basketball may be willing to do during their season(speculation).
Also I would imagine that their is plenty of recruiting being done via club soccer and club volley ball.
But I still see your point Spazdad. It does seem like in fastpitch, high school ball is borderline irrelevant compared to other sports.
I know of a girl committed to a big time program who doesn't even play high school ball.
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