PlayWithEffort posted:Ozone: That makes sense and I'm sure the program benefits from putting on the event.
KandKFunk and CabbageDad: Both of your experiences are what I've heard about as well. I have no first hand experience yet but my son might get the opportunity over the next couple of years.
I agree that is a cost effective approach and it seems like a good way to get on campus in front of the school's coaches but isn't that also what the School's Prospect Camp is for?
Regarding the comment about needing to be something special to get noticed in this format....I don't disagree. It seems like you need to be pretty special regardless of format
. If you are interested in the school, however, doesn't it make sense to try to showcase or camp there and see if they are interested?
Actually, I think this is a much better opportunity. Some prospect camps include individuals who are invited personally by coach or RC, which is great. But they are also advertised events that are used as a money maker for assistants and the school and can have a large number of kids who sign up and show up uninvited. With that scenario, you better really stand out. With my limited exposure to the team format, it appears that the school RC or HC invites the team, knowing they are a strong program and knowing they have a kid or three they have particular interest in. There are not a lot of teams, so when the games are played, the coaches are paying attention. I suspect it can be more likely you get seen as part of one of these teams at this event than as an uninvited signee to the prospect camp.
I ran across this somewhat by accident... Another coach and I were asked to fill in for a staff of one of these teams one weekend. We were given the nod to bring along a couple of players from our immediate area. One was given his first look at this strong D1 school and eventually signed with them and is now a weekend rotation guy as a redshirt soph. There is more to the story but it's pretty cool and this was definitely the event that put him on their radar.