Showcase events - Which ones are JOKES

[behindtheplate]

With the showcase season starting this weekend which ones are going to be worhwhile and which ones will be jokes. Some are fundraisers for charity events and some are just money makers for those hosting. Which ones will have the college coaches support?

[batsnballs]

Now that is opening a can of worms

[93players]

With the big showcases (I do not have to name names), if you are not a well known team, you will get lousy fields and unknown opponents and that means you will not see a college coach anywhere in sight. Many of us have been there and we feel sorry for the teams that pay serious money to be seen with no results. Now that we are on rock solid team in a top program, you get to play some of the better opponents on the premium fields. How do you get there: track records at ASA A or Gold Nationals, Colorado top tournaments, and HOF or State tourneys. NOTE: Many top 16U programs are pitted against 18U and Gold as the coaches want to see the top 16U players because most of them are not signed. When a 16U team beats a Gold team or two, that's where the players get noticed.

Does that mean I would not go? No, just tell the parents that exposure is not likely. Go 5 for 5 and then tell the tourney director next time about your game play and ask for a decent opponent or two.

[fastpitchforever]

The jokes might be the ones hosted by individual teams, not mentioning any one in particular that might be coming up in the next weekend or so, but stick with the commercial venues or those annual events (such as Ronald McDonald) hosted by respected organizations if your budget is limited. How to tell? Look for the NFCA administered or endorsed camps that are affiliated with the tournament might be one way. Another way is to simply ask an experienced Gold coach. Otherwise its buyer beware!

[LoneStarGreed]

It did not take long for the Texas Glory Wilson Exposure to become a joke. If you want to know how it works, just go to the Texas Glory site and look at the schedule for this weekends tournament. "His" team is playing on the top field with prime times on both days. This is when most of his girls are committed or signed. Then look at the rest of the schedule. Look at the teams playing at Craig Ranch, and then look at the teams playing at Nesbit. You do not have to look to hard to see a huge difference. This one is a Joke, but it does not compare to the Elite showcase. Stick with the RMD.

[PAPA COACH]

It did not take long for the Texas Glory Wilson Exposure to become a joke. If you want to know how it works, just go to the Texas Glory site and look at the schedule for this weekends tournament. "His" team is playing on the top field with prime times on both days. This is when most of his girls are committed or signed. Then look at the rest of the schedule. Look at the teams playing at Craig Ranch, and then look at the teams playing at Nesbit. You do not have to look to hard to see a huge difference. This one is a Joke, but it does not compare to the Elite showcase. Stick with the RMD.

u make bruno laugh Glory is just plain smart love em or hate em. they get results because they are smart.we all hate them but lets face it you make the gold team you are in....fasup im bruno

[LoneStarGreed]

Don't think I said I hated the Texas Glory, in fact they produce a great product on the field. I thought this was about showcase events. Why so sensitive?????

[Ifubuildit]

If you've paid attention to the seedings over the years for these tournaments. What you find is the major organizations in softball here in the Metroplex and in Houston all scratch each others back when it comes to seating teams for their tournaments. Very few independent teams get good choices at the main complexes for these tournaments. There are a few exceptions to that rule but for the most part the glories, the elites, the batbusters, all give each other special consideration when it comes to scheduling the teams on the main fields at the main complex. At the prime times when the college coaches will be at the fields to watch. This includes the Ronald McDonald tournament down in Houston.

This is the best way for all of those organizations to ensure that their kids get the maximum exposure to college coaches at these tournaments and is a prime reason why you will see 50 to 100 kids try out for these organizations during the fall. The parents know that when it comes to college look tournaments these organizations get special consideration at these tournaments.

It's the good old boys softball network at its finest. So until these independents all get together and decide they've had enough of this and organize their own college look tournament to give their teams maximum exposure this practice is not going to change. You could call it the independent college look tournament.

Just sayin........

[PAPA COACH]

please please stop bruno cannot get his breath from laughing so hard the single teams get together??? that is why they are single teams. they do not play well with the big boys never will fasup im bruno

[Offspeed]

It seems that most of you posting about this don't have a clue. If you as a coach, or your players are doing their homework, sending emails to coaches letting them know when and where you are playing, they will come watch you, whether it is Nesbit or Craig, playing a 16u team or an 18G team!!! They will definitely come watch a team that is known for producing recruitable players also. But, if you think a college coach has time to just roam the park randomly looking for talent, your are nuts!!! Also trying to say that it is a disadvantage being at Nesbit is a stretch. Nesbit and Craig are only a mile apart with no traffic to deal with. Ronald McDonald has three fields many, many miles apart creating a major inconvience for the college coaches, yet they come. And as far as the local Glory teams getting what you call prime location at prime times, well, it is their tourney dummy. Quit whining and learn how it really works!!!