Difference between recruiting and revenue

One way would be if the camp is called a top prospect camp or not. Another way is invitation by form letter or personal invite. In order to get a personal invite you have to have a dialog with the coaching staff since they can't contact you before July 1.

Ok, so coach from Big 10 school saw video and emailed they wanted to see son, but they do not go to some of the larger academic showcases.  Coach said they would have prospect camp in the fall and he would like son to come.  Does that qualify?

Need to keep in mind. It is an NCAA violation to have a strict invitational camp.  That doesn't mean they can't invite some players, just not all Invited players.  Kind of a first come, first served, format must be used. Just another one of those rules that are hard to understand.

If son is 2014 I would say it is less than 50:50 that a Big 10 has serious interest, but what the hey, go for it, don't kill the dream, right?

I think you are right.  Is it worth it to spend $1000 on airfare, hotel etc. based on fleeting interest?  Probably not.

Aleebaba,

My two cents......Rather than discard it immediately, I would ask my son to call the coach if it is a school he would be interested in.  For example, if it was Michigan or Northwestern with top engineering programs, I know my son would have been interested.   Ask for the dates, and see if you can work it into a future OV trip or un-OV trip to other eastern schools in the Fall.  Most likely, a lot is going to happen between now and October that you have not planned for.  Give yourself some flexibility to follow up when and if needed.

Also, I'd ask..."What it is about my showcase performance that caught your eye.   What did I do particularly well or not so well?"  Asking questions can not only qualify their interest, but give you valuable feedback on how your son is projecting.

My son was at a large academic showcase 4 years ago.  At the showcase, he caught the eye of several recruiting coaches that wanted to bring him onto their (respective) campuses for national prospect camps.  We found out later, his current head coach wanted to see him before making an offer which is understandable.   He could have gone to other prospect camps that were both closer and farther away.   He selected the prospect camp for the school he was most interested in.   Was the 8 hour trip a pain in the arse...absolutely.  They offered him on the spot.   But I doubt he would have been offered unless we went to the prospect camp.  

I'm not saying this is an easy decision.   It wasn't for us.  But I think you need more information from the coach, and a gut check to see if this is something your son really wants.....and you can make those travel dollars go a long way toward visiting other schools.

Good luck.

Big 10 school said they liked the video. Asking them what they liked could provide more detail, but if in fact they are mostly trying to make money, they will stoke your ego with subjective compliments.

An alternative would be to go the objective route. "Coach, how many scholarships do you still have available for 2014, and how many of these are targeted for my position?". He could lie, I suppose, but it would be a lot harder than praising the kid's swing or arm.

Green Light,

Out of curiosity, why does this need to be either or?

Perhaps college coaches at this Big 10 program use the prospect camp for the purpose of making some money and also identifying prospects who can help their program.  Since prospect camps can be smaller in numbers, if they are a true prospect camp, the revenue is less so the players can be evaluated more carefully. Our experience is that coaches  look for potential prospects at these camps.

If this is all about having a scholarship to a D1 program, then the question you posed would certainly be a valid and good one to ask.Our son never had a college baseball scholarship. As I read more and more posts on the site about the efforts and anguish created by the 11.7 process, I often think he/we were better off in a lot of ways.

  If this were my son, in addition to the question you posed and the considerations Fenway brought to the discussion, I would be more interested in whether this is a school in which our son has an interest, does our son want to go North from Texas, as well as  other personal/family type issues such as can the family afford the out of State tuition or private tuition(Northwestern) with 25% and without 25. I would also be attempting to gain information and answer to other questions including how deep is the program with players returning at our son's position(including those arriving in the next 6-8 weeks) and  how can we/our son judge if he can play/compete at this program.  This latter issue is a tough one and I would try and determine if this prospect camp occurs during a Fall practice schedule so we could see first hand what that might look like.

Doesn't need to be either/or. I was responding to Aleebaba. Does a fall 2013 Big-10 camp have more characteristics of a money-maker or sincere interest for a 2014?

I think your post raises excellent points that go beyond this issue

Great posts infielddad and fenway!

Here is how we handled these types of invitations...all had to be answered with a "yes."

1. Is this a school our son(s) were interested in and would seriously consider?

2. Is this a school we could afford with the type of scholarship offer that seemed reasonable for our son?

3. Had the coach really seen our son previously?  If so, why do they need a 2nd look?  (Head coach needing to see him was to me, a "good" reason).

4. Was the cost of the camp reasonable/affordable? (One pitching camp locally...one in which the PC said he wanted to "get to know him better"...was something like $600...we said "no" to that one...it had no effect on their recruitment of him so far as I could tell).

Any of those a "no," they didn't go.

Even with all the answers to those questions being "yes", I wouldn't go to a Big-Ten camp in the fall of 2013 (probably October or later) with a 2014, without knowing where the school is in its 2014 recruiting process.

Would I go to a D3 or low D1 camp in those circumstances? Based on the answers to your questions, maybe. To a Big-10 (or ACC, SEC, Pac-12, Big-12) camp? In October 2013? With a 2014? No way without some real specific information about their unresolved recruiting needs

Agreed GL.   Timing and context is everything.   There can also be subtle differences with pitchers vs position players (supply & demand) on that timing and context.  Twice my son got calls/coaches meetings/camp invites at the last minute from an SEC and ACC schools looking for RHP because their first choice RHPs didn't work out.  My son had already decided on a different path, and did not attend their prospect camp even though they were much closer.

What year is your son?  It's easier to get a grasp on potential interest if he's a 2014 due to the NCAA contact rules post 7/1.  Unfortunately, if your son is a 2014 and hasn't committed, many of the top D1's have already filled their voids by now.  Of course, they tend to save a little room for pitchers. My son responded to each email invitation and we were able to gauge the interest from their response. Are the invitations coming from the Volunteer Assistant?  If so, that's likely to be a revenue contact.  If you receive an invite from the RC or HC, there could be actual interest.

My son attended ten college camps/showcases, not including the PG showcases.  IMO, the best bang for your buck are the One Day camps.  It's easier on your pocket, and your son is still able to showcase his ability.  With that said, if you have the opportunity to attend a camp with multiple universities (coaches) attending, and the cost isn't going to set you back too bad, that's what I'd suggest.  I know that doesn't answer your question regarding interest, but if he does well and impresses a couple of coaches it would be worth your investment.  Now the drawback is he'll get inundated with additional camp invites from schools that are only looking to make revenue for their volunteer assistants.  It's a vicious cycle....good luck!

the best way to tell is to ask the coach..for example lets say your kid is a 2014 3b

Are you recruiting a 2014 3b and are you willing to make an offer at the camp if my son fits what your looking for

I am guessing they will not agree...most all camps are revenue.  Also will the coach come watch you play or only watch you if you come to his camp?  

Our rule of thumb was (which proved to be spot on):

If there was a phone call with a coach - then you are being recruited/interest is legit.