Your situation is one of the best reasons to read this board. It highlights how there are so many different routes for these kids to take to go from HS to college. There is definitely not one key to success. It’s all about taking anecdotal evidence and trying to help your son with it.
But there is one aspect I think that is universal- being realistic with expectations and goals. That is where the travel coach is so important.
For example, no matter what my son tried to do - showcases, camps, etc. - none of it would have worked if he tried to catch the eye of a P5 school. So it’s not about the techniques to get the coaches attentions - it is about if you are trying to get the RIGHT coaches attention.
My son had HA mid majors in mind. That is who his coach reached out to and he went to their camps. That worked well for him. If he went to the Arkansas camp nothing he did prior would work.
The camps on campus are good if your player wants to go to that school. It shows the school he is interested in them and they might not need to spend $ to recruit him.
The larger showcases atlnon mentioned are likely not worth it. I95 is one. Just look at the coaches attending. If they are all lower level coaches then there isn’t much progress made. That low level coach then needs to tell the HC and RC to come see the kid.
Why not just go directly to the team camp ?
Back to being realistic - parents and kids need to find the right school for them not the “best” whatever that may be.