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Was looking at several major universities in the area and many are offering this camp to 2019's and 2020's as well as 2018's and JUCO's.  Are these worth it or just money makers?  Most run between $175-225 and most are 2 days long so not horribly expensive...just wanna make sure its not a total cash grab before signing up...thanks in advance

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Moneymakers for volunteer coaches. I think you can connect, show interest while at the camps while also seeing the coaches techniques and learn something but these are primarily fund raisers for the program. We went to 1 back in the day and the best thing to come from it was a frank evaluation of my son from the PC that drove him to work harder and disprove some of the points.

Agree with Shoveit and there are MANY threads on this topic that you can search.  Fall and Winter camps are largely fundraisers for the program and the assistant and volunteer coaches.  That said, mileage varies.  Some schools will use these as opportunities to bring in guys they are already talking to for another look or a first in-person look.  Two of my son's colleges did this with some regularity.  Some schools don't travel much and pull primarily from local talent and, therefore, will actually be looking for guys.  Although they will generally be surprised to find any strong local talent they are not already familiar with.

Of course, there is the instruction aspect.  Typically, there will be college assistants doing the lions' share of the work and instruction.  For a young HS'er, this can have value.  Occasionally, the HC is involved.  Many are hosting at their own school and there are no other colleges involved while some bring in multiple schools.  

I would say that a player should not have expectations of being recruited or discovered unless they have meaningful dialog prior to the event.  It can be worthwhile otherwise for the instruction but that is typically very much surface-level depending on the size and length of the camp.

One potential pitfall of these camps that occur over Holidays is that many players are in the middle of (or end of) arm shut-down.  You don't want to interrupt that rest and try to execute hard throws if the arm isn't ready for it.

Last edited by cabbagedad

I would always ask what they cap it at in turns of numbers, my son went to a few at smaller schools that had a cap of 60 kids. If there are 200 kids forget about it. The camps he went to were 1 D1( unimpressive) 2 D2 Both great and 1 Naia also great. We also passed on another D1 when the coach basically told us he would give 1 live ab  and 10  bp swings.

Last edited by Dospeloteros
Dospeloteros posted:

I would always ask what they cap it at in turns of numbers, my son went to a few at smaller schools that had a cap of 60 kids. If there are 200 kids forget about it. The camps he went to were 1 D1( unimpressive) 2 D2 Both great and 1 Naia also great. We also passed on another D1 when the coach basically told us he would give 1 live ab  and 10  bp swings.

Yes, and also the cost. There's a Power5 school near me having a camp between Christmas and New Year's and the cost is $550 (though it is multi-day). Smells like a moneymaker. 

Alternatively, there is a D1 December camp (4 hours) capped at 30 kids that cost $75. Probably looking for players.

edcoach posted:

Two things I need to add possibly...

1)Son is a 2020 catcher

2) An area scout told me to tell him which camp my son chooses so he can call the coach and tell him to watch him....

do either of these pieces of info play in to a possible decision one way or the other?

 

Yes, #2, depending...  Does that scout think that your son is ready to be seen for purposes of recruiting now?  If so, and he is willing to make that connection between school and player as a qualified neutral party, that is a whole different ballgame.  That is roughly equivalent to the point I made about having previous interest from the school.

Last edited by cabbagedad
edcoach posted:

Cabbagedad,

I asked the scout point blank if my son was aiming for the right schools ( several local D1's) and he said definitely.  He is willing to speak to those coaches and feels he's ready to be recruited...

That's awesome! ... both from a son skills standpoint and having a strong advocate standpoint.  Very valuable.  If son is in playing shape and has this advocate paving the path in advance, go.

The other consideration, then (as I see Buckeye pointed out), is school a possible fit for your son.    

Last edited by cabbagedad

thanks Cabbage and other posters....I totally agree...it's really easy to nurture and preserve this relationship with this scout because not only is he well connected, he is also a great guy in every sense of the word.  I always tell people, he has made no promises to my son but has delivered multiple time already...he got him an area code games tryout and took him to arizona with his scout team (scout team was mainly 2018's, my son is a 2020)...he has under promised and over delivered.

Here is a question to ask yourself/son..."Are you in shape to showcase during the off season?"   

It's astonishing to me to see kids who will go to these camps and need to go all out to impress the coaches and that have not thrown a ball or swung a bat since fall ball ended.  Think about arm shutdown.  Most pitchers should be shut down from throwing since Oct.  They then spend 2 weeks rushing their arm back to be able to throw a few balls at one of these camps.  Is there arm really in shape to show their best at one of these camps?  

Also, hitting takes repetition.  Most kids are not spending 4 or 5 days a week in a cage hitting a ball during this time.  When they get to one of these camps their swing is going to be off some.  

It all goes back to, "do you have something to show".  If you do, then go to the camp, if you don't skip it.  IMO if you can't show at your best then you do not have anything to show.

edcoach posted:

thanks Cabbage and other posters....I totally agree...it's really easy to nurture and preserve this relationship with this scout because not only is he well connected, he is also a great guy in every sense of the word.  I always tell people, he has made no promises to my son but has delivered multiple time already...he got him an area code games tryout and took him to arizona with his scout team (scout team was mainly 2018's, my son is a 2020)...he has under promised and over delivered.

This is how to get your son recruited.  Through a relationship like this.  Camps and showcases are good things to experience.  High ratings from scouting services are nice to have.  But those don't get you recruited all by themselves. 

gunner34 posted:

Last year Texas offered a handful of kids at their winter camp in January.   Might have been since Pierce was new and wanted to generate some buzz.   Will be curious to see what happens this year.  Debating taking my 2021 this year.  

Do you know how many of those kids were invited to camp vs. how many were walk ins who paid?

edcoach posted:

Schools are not allowed to offer until Junior year correct? How would a coach express interest before Junior year? talk to parent or hs coach?

Schools can offer a 4th grader if they want to....and unfortunately that scenario doesn't seem like it's that far off     A coach can talk to a travel or HS coach and have the player call him.  Perfectly legal.   Also, if a player is on campus, whether it's just walking around looking at the trees or attending a camp then coaches are allowed to talk to them. 

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