camp vs showcase help

I would recommend the catching camp. Reason: fewer people, the instruction phase will let you get to know the coaches beter and how they think and cheaper. Unless this school is the only one you are interested in, save your showcase money to do a Perfect Game or other Showcase type camp.

TW344

At the camp, you would have the advantage of instruction and still be seen by OSU. If you know anyone who has been to an OSU pitchers & catchers (or if you don't, ask in the regional threads here), ask about the quality/quantity of catching instruction. One day is a short time for such a camp, and you don't want to pay $200 so that you can pretty much just catch the pitchers they actually want to look at.

At the showcase, your hitting would come into play, and there might be other schools in attendance.

Your age and year in school would also come into the question.

For showcases, I also recommend PG. Although, if you've never been to a showcase and are a hs soph or younger, any cheap and cheerful first showcase would do --- just so that you understand the process and see how you perform under such circumstances.

Thanks Guys for this forum!

My son is entering 7th grade this Fall. When is the "right" time to start with the Showcase's. I'm still a newbie so I don't know what PG Showcase means.
Anything close to the upper Midwest / Great Lakes region?? We have been to the Miami camp and had a Great time. Thanks again

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quote:

Originally posted by Mank10:
Thanks Guys for this forum!

My son is entering 7th grade this Fall. When is the "right" time to start with the Showcase's. I'm still a newbie so I don't know what PG Showcase means.
Anything close to the upper Midwest / Great Lakes region?? We have been to the Miami camp and had a Great time. Thanks again

1) Make the middle school team. 2) Make the high school team. 3) Find a summer program that's the most challenging for his ability. 4) Once in high school assess what level of potential your son has.

PG showcases are for high school players who are college and pro prospects. Go to the website PG and read about it.

The college camps for high school players are much different than the college camps for younger kids. It's advanced skills versus fundamentals.

Hi, Mank10. Just a thought... You might check aausports.org to see what is going on in your area. Seems like Florida AAU had some "showcase" type events for younger guys, so maybe they do in your area, too. It's not in the same universe as the PG showcases for upper level high schoolers. I think these are mostly for travel coaches looking for players. But still. I think playing competitive travel ball really gave my son an edge. JV starter in 7th grade, varsity in 8th. Good luck!

PG means Perfect Game, Mank.

PG Website

They identify themselves as being for the hs player.

Although I believe in attending a showcase early (in the freshman or sophomore year) to get to know how they work and to get rid of any potential nerves, I think your time and money would be better spent on either individual coaching or finding a quality summer team. Showcases are just that --- showcasing talents; there's plenty of time for that later.

Enjoy the ride!

quote:

Originally posted by 2Bmom:
Hi, Mank10. Just a thought... You might check aausports.org to see what is going on in your area. Seems like Florida AAU had some "showcase" type events for younger guys, so maybe they do in your area, too. It's not in the same universe as the PG showcases for upper level high schoolers. I think these are mostly for travel coaches looking for players. But still. I think playing competitive travel ball really gave my son an edge. JV starter in 7th grade, varsity in 8th. Good luck!

My son was asked to play in some 16U showcase events around the country this fall (freshman year). I don't believe the cost is worth it. I figure playing up to 16U and 17U in our area this fall is enough for his age. I'm more interested in how he compares to players around the country when he's sixteen and seventeen rather than fourteen. He hasn't played a day of high school ball yet.

quote:

I don't believe the cost is worth it.

You may be right. We never went to any of those, but were lucky to have a quality travel program based here where we live. But those kinds of events might be fun for some folks who are looking for a higher level of play.

Varsity ball was quite a challenge for my 13-year-old 8th grader last year. But he hit over .300 for the first 13 games and got a base hit off a pitcher who was drafted in the 6th round by the Phillies. He'll get to see varsity pitching for 5 seasons. I like where we are right now.

Great responses!

Kind of hard around here to find a quality travel program. The only one I know of is a team that travels to Cooperstown each year.

http://us.geocities.com/wasbaseball/

Had I known of this team earlier this year we would have tried out. Our son played against a number of players that made this team and IMHO faired very well against them. Actually hit a dinger off the AllStar starting pitcher during the last tourney of the season. Will be playing Fall ball and working with a Pro hitting Coach and a foot speed coach(Frappier Acceleration) thru the winter. I don't feel I am "in" the inner circle around here to know where the best players or programs are to play. Played on the Local travel team and played on a Madison select team during the tourney season. He has played 66 games so far with 20 more during Fall Ball. If we could find a tougher league/competition we would do it. I look at 6-7 different web sites each day looking for tips on how to handle the "Bomber" I just do not want to miss anything as he is my only Son and I only have 1 shot at this. Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by 2Bmom:

quote:

I don't believe the cost is worth it.

You may be right. We never went to any of those, but were lucky to have a quality travel program based here where we live. But those kinds of events might be fun for some folks who are looking for a higher level of play.

Varsity ball was quite a challenge for my 13-year-old 8th grader last year. But he hit over .300 for the first 13 games and got a base hit off a pitcher who was drafted in the 6th round by the Phillies. He'll get to see varsity pitching for 5 seasons. I like where we are right now.

I put down the deposit. I was curious to see how he would play against kids in California, Florida and other areas. Then I started adding up the total cost and sanity returned. Before they're prospects to play at the next level all that really matters is how they compete in their region.

When the kids go play Legion in a couple of years we're going to turn our USSSA team into a showcase team for late summer and fall. Then we can control costs better than having the kids invited to play for other teams.

Our middle school kids are not allowed to play high school sports. My son has been told he'll get a varsity tryout in the spring. I'm not expecting him to make it as a freshman in a large classification school. Anything is possible, but the worst case scenario is starting JV (instead of the freshman team) and being high on the radar screen after twelve seniors graduate next year.

quote:

Originally posted by Mank10:
I just do not want to miss anything as he is my only Son and I only have 1 shot at this. Thanks

You get one shot with him. Don't fire too early and put pressure on him. It's his game. I'm guessing your son is just hitting the full size field. Give him time to adjust. At 13U the distances are a big adjustment. At 14U the speed of the game increases and makes 13U look like slow motion. Our 14U team just turned 15U over Labor Day even though the kids are still fourteen.

We just played in a 17U tournment and went 2-2. Even though we competed well the difference in the speed of the game is obvious. Every pitcher we faced would have been the ace of any 14U team we faced this summer. The kids handled the velocity. The big difference was the quality of the breaking stuff. To quote one of our kids walking back to the bench, "Holy ****! That was nasty!"

You can have more than one shot without another boy. I have a daughter playing college softball.

Im also leaning toward the OSU catching camp.The reason I have chosen Oklahoma state is pretty simple,I like the school better then OU(though I wouldnt be opposed to becoming a sooner) and its also closer to home,so the drive wouldnt be too bad for the showcase

Ive been to one showcase,and I should be going to one in November right here in tulsa.A few d1`s have commited already,and also alot of Jucos from Oklahoma and texas.I would really like to also get infront of the college itself,not just a large group of scouts,which Is why I want to go up to OSU.

I should also think about sending out an initial contact letter,just to show interest in a few programs

futurecatcher: Can you tell me where to find info on the showcase in Tulsa??

Thanks TG, I do have a daughter, She is very competitive with the ants in the infield and raises holy h**L with the butterflys in the outfield. Competitive??? NOT. I struggle mightly with dance,s****r,etc etc. No intensity, no drive to compete. I love my daughter very much!!! I am curious as to when she will get the drive my son has!
Did you excorsize the troll on the E site?? M

hitahomer,
google obrien baseball,and it should be on the front page.I know a a few guys who went last year and they said that three division 1`s where there,and mainly a lot of Jucos from the area,with some being from texas and missouri

also,look on this site in the midwest forum. Its posted there

quote:

Anything is possible, but the worst case scenario is starting JV (instead of the freshman team) and being high on the radar screen after twelve seniors graduate next year.

Yes, we are at a small K-12 school affiliated with UF, but play against area 5A and 6A schools with excellent baseball programs. And of course all the better players from the different schools get together for travel teams in the fall and summer. Looks like your son is in a great position for the spring! One of the best parts about HS ball is being around the better older players, and the everyday practices. Best of luck to you and your son!

And to futurecatcher! Sorry I got off track.

Mank10,
re: dance for your daughter...my son did competitive dance for years that included national competitions around the country and can go to a pretty high level. One of his last competitions was in NYC in front of about 15 judges against about 300 original entrants (like a tournament, you had to get to the finals with cuts along the way) and he came in 2nd with an acapella tap number with 1st taken by a girl from Ireland who did step-dancing.

Warning: Competitive dance is just as expensive as competitive baseball

You might ask if your studio has a competition group. If your daughter likes dance, she might really enjoy this aspect of it. The competitions were a lot of fun...although you have to get used to subjective judging.

BlueSky,
That is amazing, I had no idea that there were dance comps. I guess I lead a sheltered life, maybe I need to crawl out from under this rock and really see what is all out there. AKA living the Patrick Starfish way of life!!

quote:

Originally posted by 2Bmom:

quote:

Anything is possible, but the worst case scenario is starting JV (instead of the freshman team) and being high on the radar screen after twelve seniors graduate next year.

Yes, we are at a small K-12 school affiliated with UF, but play against area 5A and 6A schools with excellent baseball programs. And of course all the better players from the different schools get together for travel teams in the fall and summer. Looks like your son is in a great position for the spring! One of the best parts about HS ball is being around the better older players, and the everyday practices. Best of luck to you and your son!

And to futurecatcher! Sorry I got off track.

He's gained the acceptance of a lot of the players. Of course the seniors either tease him for being the rookie and looking much younger or ignore him. All I'm looking for baseball to be is a good time and a potential avenue to the best possible college education. Anything more would be evaluated if and when it's offered.

And you're right. Somehow we hijacked this thread from the catcher.

Mank,
I should forewarn you,
dance competition season is spring just like baseball.
Mine did many changes in the car racing from the fields to the venue and vice versa.

Wouldn't do it any different!
Had a great time

quote:

Of course the seniors either tease him for being the rookie and looking much younger

Just one more post and I'm done - I promise!

Last year, my son's nickname was "Juice Box." They said he looked so young that he ought to be carrying a little Mott's juice box with him. Of course, after he showed that he could hit a little, it sort of evolved to "Juice."