Do you have to play on Showcase travel team??

Unfortunately, the world appears to have changed.

 

It was nearly 10-years ago that I was in your position. We took the route that you are proposing. My son found a great d3 program and had a terrific college experience. However, to this day if we could have afford it at the time he should have done the "high profile" showcase and tournament circuit. I suspect he would have ended up in a more high profile D1 program.

 

He can find a college program which will want him using a more localized approach. Be aware; you are reducing the breadth of your exposure and as such don't expect to impress programs which are not local (unless you are proactive with those programs).

Need more info

age, area you live in, positions he plays, schools interested in. Is he at D1 level, or u looking elsewhere too?

 

2016 Catcher: 6'1" 210lbs. Pop: best-1.97 consistently 2.03-2.07. Live in PA and really likes Goerge Mason academics and baseball program. He is a smaller school personality and we have looking at some PSAC schools D-2. His abilities fall in the higher D-2 to Mid D-1. Very successful hitter against all pitching weather a 90 + guy or the guy who throws 80; good curve ball hitter that goes to all fields with some power. From what I have seen, his low key personality my be his weak point.

Sounds like your son isn't a top D1 candidate, so why audition for them?  A local team and a sensible amount of camps at the schools he is interested in sounds like the best program for you.  Make sure you contact the schools he is interested in before going to their camp to let them know of his interest and resume, both academic and baseball.

Can-o-corn: that is where we are at! He is defiantly not Top D-1 at this point and to play for a summer team that focuses on that type of exposure probably isn't the way to go. My gut tells me to go the route I talked about in the OP but I just don't want to limit his opportunities. Thanks for the reply.

PSAC schools and the local D1's will find him in PA if you go to the right showcases locally. Diamond Nation, Elite, PBR, some ASBA winter stuff. It is out there if you want it.

 

I had a conversation last weekend with a parent of my sons friend about this.Travel baseball if you aren't top D1 really comes down to what you want to spend. if you have the extra income and want to do the traveling to GA and FL and whatnot have at it. But the truth is, IMO, there are plenty of semi local options out there to accomplish what you are after.

 

I am on a regular basis throwing out nuggets of the PSAC schools and the semi local D3's to my son...just don't try to force it on them, throw it out there, let them think on it a little bit and it will come back at some point in conversation.

 

The biggest hardship I have found is my kid really has no clue what he wants to study - that makes it a bit tougher deciding on where and who he wants to look at!

I think the reality is to some extent, you have to limit the choices (you used the word opportunities).  Does he want to play on the West Coast? If he isnt Top D1, then you are taking those schools off the list.  For me, and I realize I am a newbie (have lurked here for a long time and gained valuable information) It was having a sense of reality about my son, his likes and dislikes, what schools fit him and finding some place that really wanted him.. not just someplace he could play.  Most talented kids can play at just about any school but the other factors determine if its the best fit for him. IMO, If at the end of the day, the reason for your decision is the best interest of your son, then you have not made a bad decision.

PA2016Backstopdad,

 

I totally understand your question and situation.  My son played for a great travel/showcase team but it was not the right exposure.  While it brought him opportunities they were not the right ones for what he is looking for.  It sounds to me you understand that, but don't know what to do as a better alternative.  Have you contacted these schools (you listed) to ask them what recruiting events they will be at this summer or what recruiting events they typically get a lot of traction?  I know George Mason has a camp they recruit a lot of their guys from.  But I'd ask schools like GMU (schools in the CAA) this same question.   There are lots of individual showcase & camps that you don't need a team.

 

My son stopped playing for his travel team in July after WWBA to try to find his fit before Fall of senior year.  Leaving his travel team was an incredibly difficult decision, but he did it because he knew he had to start targeting specific school types to get traction.  He got traction right away at some of the academic showcases and then followed up with specific camps where there was a mutual high interest level.

 

I realize you are in a different time frame, but it sounds to me like the money could be used differently and you've got nothing to lose in trying a different approach.  

 

Good luck!

I don't know if it still exists. But ASBA used to run a CAA individual showcase at Campbell Field. The way it was structured made it appear to be more of a camp. It allowed players and coaches to talk on the field. ASBA used to run a lot of individual showcases. There's also Atlantic 100 and Select Fest.

Thanks for all the replies.

Dont forget about going to a camp at a D2 or NAIA that you might have interest in. It's not as costly usually and he will be seen by someone on their staff. If he isn't top tier D1 but he really is going for the love of baseball I say go somewhere that you will be on the field playing. just my opinion

If you're a player, you play.  You don't go searching for reasons not to play, not to compete.  To me, a guy who doesn't seek out opportunities to compete has to explain himself later on, and that hurts his chances of getting where he wants to be.

 

You say your summer experience put you "in the black," which I take it means to the good.  Why mess up a good thing?  I'd re-up for next year.

Midlo- I meant in the Red. After reading your reply I'm not sure if you miss understood where I was coming from. My son competes a t a high level but that comes at a substantial financial cost that, as you probably are aware of. I was asking if others have gone different route to save money. Not sure if overextending the available finances for one talented son is fair to the whole family.